Latest Cannabis News: January 7, 2025
Latest Cannabis News: January 7, 2025
Stay up to date with the latest legalization and cannabis news with the C.B. Advisors. Every week, we will release a snippet of what’s happening with each state in the cannabis industry. Did you miss last week? No worries – click here for last week’s cannabis news.
CBD
Wisconsin: Evers announced on Jan. 6 that he plans to include a budget proposal to allow the people of Wisconsin to put binding referenda on the ballot. The proposal for his 2025-27 biennial budget would include an initiative process allowing citizens to collect signatures to place statutory measures or constitutional amendments on the ballot as well as a referendum process to allow citizens to collect signatures to ask voters whether to uphold or repeal laws that are currently enacted, such as Wisconsin’s abortion ban. Although Evers is attempting to take cannabis reform out of the hands of the lawmakers and put it into the hands of the voters, that likely won’t happen: After the governor introduces the budget, the Republican-controlled Legislature, through a 16-member Joint Committee on Finance, must review and approve the budget before it becomes enacted.
Medical
Nebraska: Last November, when Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved a pair of medical marijuana initiatives, the fate of those measures was unclear because of a pending legal challenge. But a subsequent ruling rejected that challenge, allowing authorized patients to possess up to five ounces of marijuana, a change that took effect last month. The Nebraska Supreme Court will have the final word on the validity of the medical marijuana initiatives. But in the meantime, patients with medical recommendations can possess cannabis without violating state law, and they will eventually be able to obtain it from state-licensed dispensaries unless Kuehn prevails on appeal.
Texas: The Texas Legislative session begins on Jan. 14. Several high-profile bills are up in the air. A cannabis ban, school choice and sports betting are among the issues that could go up for a vote. We saw Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick giving his endorsement to Senate Bill 3 which would ban all forms of THC here in Texas.
Legislation has been introduced, HB 1208 and SB 335, that would legalize cannabis for adults and create a regulated cannabis market in the Lone Star State. Both bills allow people age 21 and older to possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis, including not more than 15 grams of concentrate, and establish rules governing commercial production and sales. SB 335 will also allow adults to cultivate limited amounts of cannabis at home.
https://norml.org/act/texas-regulate-cannabis-for-adults/
Recreational
Colorado: On Monday, city officials told 11 News that ballot question 300, a measure allowing medical marijuana businesses to sell the drug recreationally, is in its final stages of implementation. City officials say the planning commission will finish drafting the code for the measure this week before sending it to the city council. The city council will then look over the code and hear from the public next week before approving or altering it.
Delaware: As Delaware’s first marijuana commissioner, Rob Coupe has worked for the past 18 months to roll out the state’s adult-use cannabis program. Coupe announced on Jan. 3 that he’s stepping down from his position as the state’s top cannabis regulator. Coupe plans to leave his public post to pursue work in the private sector.
Maryland: Alexandra Harris named interim director of Maryland Cannabis Administration. Harris previously served as chief of staff to former Director Will Tilburg. Harris will oversee new cannabis legislation and industry integration.
Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission this week announced it had finally filled the long-vacant job of executive director, with a Dec. 18 vote by commissioners to hire Travis Ahern, who was originally a runner-up in October before the commission’s first choice declined the position.
Source: https://www.greenmarketreport.com/massachusetts-hires-new-cannabis-regulatory-czar/
Minnesota: The interim director of the regulatory agency tasked with oversight of the new cannabis industry is stepping down a month before the state starts accepting license applications to operate legal marijuana businesses. The general counsel for the office, Eric Taubel, will succeed her as interim director starting Jan. 17, which is her last day.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/mn-interim-cannabis-chief-resigns/
Rhode Island: The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission met Thursday afternoon for the first time in over two months, spending most of its first meeting of 2025 behind closed doors. The hiring of a chief public affairs officer, however, dominated the meeting. The commission’s three members spent 15 minutes in executive session where they voted to extend a job offer to a candidate. The commission will next meet on Wednesday, Jan. 8, when it is scheduled to vote to post its inaugural draft regulations for the state’s budding cannabis industry for public comment, as is required under the state’s Administrative Procedures Act.
Virginia: Democrats Del. Paul Krizek of Fairfax and state Sen. Aaron Rouse of Virginia Beach are once again spearheading the effort, planning to bring forward the same proposal that previously passed both chambers of the General Assembly with bipartisan support. Youngkin has since repeatedly expressed skepticism about expanding legal cannabis in Virginia, and his spokesman Christian Martinez said recently that this hasn’t changed.
But Krizek remains hopeful that in his final year as governor, Youngkin may be open to negotiating with Democrats as he looks to solidify his legacy.
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