Ohio cannabis dispensaries near recreational sales launch (Newsletter: July 26, 2024)

Doctors org backs marijuana decim; IL gov touts equity; Study: Most cannabis biz not profitable; MN license launch; Study: marijuana & parenting

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

The American College of Physicians—which says it is the largest medical specialty organization in the U.S., with 161,000 members—is calling for marijuana to be decriminalized to “address the disproportionate effects of aggressive drug control policies on marginalized racial and ethnic populations.”

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) said he’s “incredibly proud” of his state’s equity-focused marijuana legalization law, noting that about 25 percent of sales come from “cannabis tourists” who live in neighboring states that still have prohibition laws.

The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control is now actively inspecting dual use marijuana dispensaries—one of the last steps needed before recreational cannabis sales can begin.

A new analysis from Whitney Economics finds that only 27 percent of U.S. marijuana businesses are profitable—and that there’s a racial disparity, with 34 percent of white operators reporting they’re making profits compared to just 18 percent of minority-owned operations.

A new study found that legalizing medical cannabis “can have significant positive impact on the development of children via increased parenting time, especially to those under the age of 6, a period characterized by high long-run returns to parental investment.”

• “Marijuana can provide medical benefits for those suffering from chronic pain, sleep disorder, depression, and PTSD, allowing parents to better interact with their children.”

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management has launched the recreational marijuana licensing process by starting to accept applications for cannabis business social equity preapproval.

/ FEDERAL

Drug Enforcement Administration agents boasted about their “world debauchery tour” of “boozing and whoring” on the government’s dime in chats, according to secret documents obtained by reporters.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) posted a link to a years-old article on Biden White House staffers being fired over marijuana use, saying, “This is what you do to get fired in this administration.”

/ STATES

Montana’s attorney general said that when marijuana is taxed “to a certain level, you are going to push a certain portion of that market back into the illicit sales rather than pay taxes.”

North Dakota’s attorney general touted an enforcement action against a store that allegedly sold products containing marijuana, THC and substituted tryptamines.

An Alabama senator authored an op-ed criticizing medical cannabis regulators over a “failure” to launch the market.

California regulators announced a recall of marijuana products due to the presence of aspergillus.

Missouri regulators awarded a second round of marijuana microbusiness licenses.

The director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said the state’s medical cannabis program is no longer viewed nationally as the “wild west of weed.”

Kentucky regulators have received 17 applications for medical cannabis business licenses so far.

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Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

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/ LOCAL

New York City’s mayor discussed efforts to crack down on unlicensed marijuana businesses.

A former Winnebago, Minnesota mayor and his son pleaded guilty to illegally growing marijuana.

Denver, Colorado officials sent a recap of the most recent Natural Medicine Work Group meeting.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Thailand’s deputy prime minister is cheering the government’s decision not to reclassify marijuana as a narcotic.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review concluded that “cannabinoids have shown to reduce seizure activity and neuronal excitability in several epileptic models through the activation of muscarinic receptors with drugs which modulate their activity.”

A study of cannabis trimming methods found that “pre-drying mild trimming yielded the highest cannabinoid concentration, possibly due to optimal balance between stress signals and precursor influx from the sugar leaves to the inflorescence” and that “post-drying trimming yielded the highest terpene content.”

/ BUSINESS

Aurora Cannabis Inc. received German medical cannabis cultivation and research licenses.

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged fund manager Robert Newell and his prior firm, Black Hawk Funding, Inc., with distributing misleading disclosure documents to investors in connection with three cannabis-related private fund offerings, among other alleged offenses.

SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a/ Safe Harbor Financial and BIPOCann are partnering on an effort to aid equity marijuana businesses.

/ CULTURE

Pete Davidson said he “can’t quit” using marijuana just yet.

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