The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released its review this week of a prospective ballot initiative to legalize psychedelics, outlining not only the plan’s policy implications but also its potential fiscal impacts on the state—which the report calls “various” and “uncertain.” The measure, which proponents submitted the final language... Read more
“We identified important progress being made, but it’s clear there is still much work to be done.” By Ben Botkin, Oregon Capital Chronicle Measure 110 has helped the growth of treatment and recovery services for drug addiction, but the state can do more to better manage the program, according... Read more
The governor of Ohio is pushing lawmakers to take action as soon as possible to address the “ridiculous situation” the state has found itself in, where marijuana is now legal to possess and use but without any place for consumers to purchase regulated products from. Gov. Mike DeWine (R)... Read more
New York’s governor has vetoed legislation that would have allowed licensed marijuana growers to sell products to tribal retailers. The bills, sponsored by Sen. Michelle Hinchey (D) and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D), who respectively chair the state Senate and Assembly agriculture committees, would have given a release valve to... Read more
President Joe Biden’s newly expanded marijuana pardon proclamation is getting praise from top officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris, with supporters cheering the clemency action as another step in the right direction. The president announced the latest mass pardon—which covers people who’ve committed federal cannabis possession offenses, and also... Read more
More than a dozen bipartisan House and Senate lawmakers are pushing the Biden administration to “redouble” its efforts to secure the release of an American imprisoned in Russia over medical marijuana, saying he “must” be included in any future prisoner swaps. In a letter sent to Secretary of State... Read more
President Joe Biden has officially signed a large-scale defense bill that contains provisions to fund clinical trials into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for active duty military service members. The president signed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law on Friday, about a week after Congress approved... Read more
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a 2024 presidential candidate, is suggesting that the increase in medical marijuana patients in his state is partly due people using the law as a “pretext” for recreational cannabis use. Even so, he said he supports a free market approach to all industries, including... Read more
Wisconsin’s Republican Assembly leader says he now plans to unveil a restrictive medical marijuana bill next month, and he believes it will have enough support to move through both chambers of the GOP-controlled legislature in 2024. In a series of end-of-year interviews with local media outlets that were published... Read more
Maryland brought in more than $12 million in marijuana tax revenue during the first three months of legal cannabis sales to adults, which kicked off on July 1. The figures, released this week by the state comptroller’s office, detail revenues from the third quarter of the fiscal year, which... Read more
