Latest Cannabis News: September 3rd, 2024
Latest Cannabis News: September 3rd, 2024
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.
Medical
Arkansas: While Arkansans for Patient Access (APA) turned in nearly 110,000 signatures to secure ballot placement last month, Secretary of State John Thurston (R) later notified the campaign that they had an “insufficient” number of valid petitions. They need 90,704 signatures to qualify, but at the time only about 77,000 were verified. That gave advocates an additional 30 days to collect signatures to make up the difference. APA said on Friday, the turn-in deadline, that they submitted an additional batch of 38,933 signatures, and they’re confident that will push them over the threshold. In total, the campaign says it has now filed 150,335 voter signatures from all 75 counties across the state.
There is an additional complication that the campaign is facing. If it qualifies, it could be subject to a lawsuit, similar to one a separate anti-casino measure is currently facing, based on a ruling from the state Supreme Court that upheld the secretary of state’s decision not to allow an abortion rights initiative on the ballot based on a procedural dispute over submitting signed affidavits showing that paid canvassers were provided a handbook at the same time they turned in signatures.
Kentucky: More than 100 cities and counties have opted for a ballot referendum in November that asks voters if they want to allow businesses to operate as licensed medical marijuana growers, dispensaries, processors or compliance facilities, Joe Sonka and Justin Hicks report for Louisville Public Media. “The region with the most counties that have already opted out completely via ordinance is south central Kentucky, where, as of now, all of Allen, LaRue, Green, Casey, McCreary, Rockcastle and Garrard will prohibit such businesses.” And most counties “in eastern Kentucky have either opted in to allow medical cannabis businesses or are putting the question to voters.”
Recreational
California: Assembly Bill 1775 would legalize Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes.
Under the proposed law, cities and counties could allow existing cannabis retailers and consumption lounges to diversify their businesses beyond only being allowed to sell cannabis products. In this case, the cannabis retailer could sell non-cannabis food and non-alcoholic drinks, according to a fact sheet by the bill’s author, Assemblymember Matt Haney. Cannabis retailers could also hold live performances. AB 1775 passed the state Senate Tuesday on a 30-7 vote and passed the Assembly Wednesday on a 63-5 vote.
The other cannabis bill that passed the Legislature is AB 1111. That bill allows cannabis farmers to obtain a license that would permit them to sell their products to consumers at licensed cannabis events. This would only happen in local jurisdictions that have authorized such temporary events. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, builds on the existing law that allowed the selling of cannabis at this year’s California State Fair.
Under current law, only licensed retailers are allowed to get the licenses needed to sell cannabis products at temporary events like the fair. Among those in support of the bill were the Nevada County Cannabis Alliance. AB 1111 passed the Senate on a 27-5 vote Tuesday and the Assembly on a 69-2 vote on Wednesday.
Source: https://www.kcra.com/article/california-cannabis-cafe-farmer-weed-bills/62010676
Maryland: Maryland is looking for a new cannabis regulator after Will Tilburg — widely credited with the smooth implementation of the state’s adult-use cannabis market — announced he is leaving his job as director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration.
From the Maryland government website: When will the next round of licenses be awarded? The MCA is not permitted to conduct a second round of licensing prior to May 2024. Additionally, the MCA is required to conduct extensive outreach prior to the application round, and announce any application round 60 calendar days prior to the beginning of the 30 calendar day application period. At this time, the MCA does not have a date for the beginning of the second round, and will evaluate the first round awards prior to the announcement of the next round dates.
Minnesota: The process started with the verification of applicants who met qualifications for social equity applicant status. Following that, those verified through this process could submit an application for license preapproval. Now, submitted applications will go through a review and vetting process, and if qualified, be entered into a lottery.
As the lottery cannot occur until all applications have been thoroughly vetted, OCM will schedule the lottery once applications have been reviewed. Applicants selected through the lottery and who complete final required steps, including the background check process, will be awarded license preapproval and be able to finalize business operations in anticipation of market launch after the adoption of rules.
Source: https://mn.gov/ocm/businesses/equity-applicants/overview.jsp
Rhode Island: The Rhode Island Cannabis Act, passed in May 2022, allowed for retail sales of marijuana at seven medical dispensaries and promised an eventual expansion through the issuance of 24 additional retail licenses. Those licenses have not been awarded yet by the R.I. Cannabis Control Commission, the agency overseeing the regulation of the nascent sector. The three-member panel has been meeting for about a year and getting input from an advisory board. The commission is expected to begin rolling our regulations before the end of the year.
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