Cannabis Legalization News

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is urging state legislators to approve a proposal that would allow medical cannabis dispensaries to also cater to adult-use customers, following voter approval of adult-use cannabis but without the implementation of a market.

South Carolina’s Senate has passed a bill to allow medical cannabis for certain serious illnesses, mirroring a conservative approach that emphasizes tight regulation over production and dispensing, and setting a clear distinction from broader adult-use legalization.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has called for the legalization of adult-use cannabis, highlighting potential revenue losses to neighboring states with legal cannabis and proposing a 20% tax to generate significant tax revenues in his budget proposal.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering three different cannabis reform bills this legislative session, including two that would legalize adult-use cannabis and establish a regulatory authority.

A Kentucky state representative has introduced “House Bill 420,” a bill to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis, protect consumer employment rights, offer expungement for certain convictions, and establish a tax-funded system to address prohibition impacts.

Florida lawmakers have moved forward a bill to cap potency on adult-use cannabis products ahead of potential legalization, setting THC limits for various forms and stipulating the measure would activate once legalization has been enacted.

Ohio has released draft rules for its newly approved adult-use cannabis industry, seeking public feedback on regulations including application costs, a lottery-based licensing system, and specific provisions for medical cannabis retailers and vertically integrated companies.

A Virginia Senate committee advanced a bill to create an adult-use cannabis marketplace, aiming for sales by 2025, despite uncertainty about its reception by Governor Glenn Youngkin, who has expressed disinterest in facilitating adult-use cannabis sales.

According to recent CDC data and analysis by NORML, teenage cannabis use in Seattle, Washington has significantly declined since 2008, with the state’s 2012 cannabis legalization potentially impacting the availability and use of cannabis among high school students.

According to a recent report, plans for Germany’s adult-use cannabis legalization proposal are reportedly set to be submitted for a parliamentary vote in February, with the aim of it becoming effective in April. Industry experts predict that legalization in Germany will help expedite reform across Europe.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis predicts that despite legal challenges, the state Supreme Court will allow a cannabis legalization initiative on the ballot, which will require 60% voter approval to pass.

Thailand’s health minister has rolled out new legislation that will outlaw recreational cannabis consumption in the nation, undercutting the legalization framework passed by the previous administration.

Since 2018, over 2.3 million Americans have had their cannabis-related convictions pardoned or expunged, with state courts leading the majority of these efforts, as detailed in NORML’s updated analysis on cannabis conviction relief efforts in the U.S.

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin have introduced a restrictive medical cannabis bill, limited to chronic illness patients and only available through five state-run retailers.

Florida Representative Ralph Massullo introduced a bill to limit THC potency in cannabis products, amid uncertainty over the legalization of adult-use marijuana and ongoing debates about market control and regulatory measures.

Ghana’s Parliament voted to legalize cannabis for medical and industrial use with strict THC limits, aligning with a global trend and potentially unlocking significant economic and employment opportunities across the nation.