Cannabis Legalization News

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) and the Ohio Association of Health Commissioners, which represents the state’s 112 local health departments, have come out against the state’s upcoming adult-use cannabis legalization ballot initiative.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has confirmed that the campaign to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state successfully gathered enough signatures to put the issue before voters this November.

The Cabinet of Germany on Wednesday passed a bill to legalize the adult use and cultivation of cannabis; the measure still requires approval from parliament.

A recent Ohio State University study found that adult-use cannabis sales in the state could generate between $275 million and $403 million in tax revenues by the fifth year of operations.

A lawsuit filed in the Connecticut Superior Court is challenging the state’s cannabis legalization law and asking a judge to halt cannabis sales statewide because the plant remains federally prohibited.

South Dakota AG Marty Jackley released a draft ballot explanation for a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state. The measure will require 17,509 signatures in order to appear on the 2024 ballot.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), who generally opposes adult-use cannabis legalization, signed a bill this week to create a legalization study commission that will evaluate how cannabis could be sold through state-owned shops.

A new Gallup poll found that at least half of Americans have tried cannabis at some point, with 17% saying they “smoke marijuana” — a new high recorded by the pollster.

Advocates behind Ohio’s latest effort to legalize adult-use cannabis have submitted additional signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office after the campaign came up 679 signatures short last month.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a new brief filed with the Florida Supreme Court that the proposed constitutional amendment to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state “misleads” voters to benefit Trulieve, the state’s largest medical cannabis company.

Maryland dispensaries sold nearly $85 million worth of cannabis products in July, which was the state’s first month of legal adult-use sales.

Minnesota’s cannabis legalization law took effect today, August 1, making it the 23rd state in the U.S. to legalize cannabis for adults.

The St. Louis Community College is now offering three in-person, for-credit cannabis education courses, while Missouri’s Metropolitan Communication College has launched three not-for-credit online classes in partnership with cannabis education company Green Flower.

The Florida Supreme Court has given state Attorney General Ashley Moody extra time — until August 2 — to challenge a proposed ballot initiative to legalize adult-use cannabis in the Sunshine State.

Ohio cannabis advocates who are seeking to put a legalization question to voters in 2024 came up 679 valid signatures short of their goal. The campaign was given until August 4 to gather the rest of the signatures.

A recent poll found that just 50% of Pennsylvanians support legalizing adult-use cannabis, down from 56% in a survey from last year.

The Ukraine Parliament gave initial approval this week to a medical cannabis legalization proposal. The law still could see additional amendments and must pass a second reading before heading to President Volodymyr Zelensky for his signature.

During the first week of sales after the July 1 launch of Maryland’s adult-use cannabis market, dispensaries in the state sold nearly $21 million worth of product.

A proposal to legalize medical cannabis in North Carolina is likely dead for the session, according to the state’s Republican House Speaker Tim Moore.

The draft bill for Germany’s upcoming adult-use cannabis legalization bill was revealed last week by the Ministry of Health.

Under a bipartisan cannabis legalization proposal unveiled in Pennsylvania last week, adults 21+ would be allowed to possess and purchase cannabis products. The proposal also contains expungement provisions for nonviolent cannabis criminal convictions.

Ohio cannabis advocates with the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol say they have collected enough signatures to put a legalization question before voters.

Adult-use cannabis sales took effect in Maryland over the weekend on July 1, about eight months after voters passed the state’s cannabis legalization initiative.

Luxembourg this week became the second European Union member nation to legalize adult-use cannabis. Under the new law, adults can home-grow up to four cannabis plants and publicly possess up to three grams of cannabis flower.