A New Hampshire marijuana legalization bill already passed by the House of Representatives landed in a Senate committee on Thursday, where opponents of the current version—including Sen. Daryl Abbas (R) and Senate President Jeb Bradley (R)—unveiled amendments that would revise major portions of the proposal. The panel also heard three other cannabis-related measures, including a proposal to double the amount that medical patients can possess as well as a plan to provide legal relief for people with past marijuana convictions. Despite the eagerness of some on the Senate Judiciary Committee ..read more

Germany imported a record amount of cannabis for medical and scientific use in 2023, as international businesses looked for sales opportunities in Europe’s largest federally regulated medical marijuana market. In 2023, Germany imported 31,398 kilograms (34.6 tons) of cannabis products, according to the newest data from the country’s Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). ADVERTISEMENT That’s a 26.2% increase over the 24,876 kilograms imported the previous year. In previous years, Germany imported: 24,876 kilograms (27.4 tons) of cannabis in 2022, up 19.8% over 2021. 20,771 ki ..read more

VP Harris on marijuana; SAFE Banking push; Industry case gets court hearing; HI gov’s cannabis plan; LA legalization vote; PA hearing; MO psilocybin Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Hold on, just one second before you read today’s news. Have you thought about giving some financial support to Marijuana Moment? If so, today would be a great day to contribute. We’re planning our reporting for the coming months ..read more

There’s yet another compelling reason to legalize weed. According to new research, states that have legalized cannabis also experience a “moderate relative decrease” in immigrant deportation rates compared to states where the drug is still illicit. As a study featured in the American Journal of Community Psychology details, immigration raids and deportations create widespread fear and mistrust, which have cascading effects throughout entire communities. As the fear of being targeted grows, people are less likely to engage with local institutions such as churches, schools, health clinics, cultu ..read more

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has urged a federal appeals court to deny a doctor’s attempt to administer psilocybin to dying patients under so-called Right to Try legislation, arguing that such laws do not provide for exemptions to the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA).  Dr. Sunil Aggarwal, co-founder of the Advanced Integrative Medical Science Institute, a psychedelics research and treatment clinic based in Seattle, has sued the DEA several times for authorization to use psilocybin as a treatment for depression and anxiety by terminally ill patients. Aggarwal’s legal act ..read more

The Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee recently passed House Bill 707 in a unanimous vote to propose a regulatory framework for the state’s cannabis legalization. The measure, which prefiled in March, doesn’t directly legalize adult-use cannabis but it does start the process of building a foundation for reform. The goal, according to Rep. Edmond Jordan who introduced the bill, is to attempt to get HB-707 passed in the legislature in 2024, followed by introducing two other bills in 2025 which would address adult-use possession and cannabis taxes. Toward the end of a meeting on April 2 ..read more

Two Pennsylvania legislative panels held a joint hearing to discuss marijuana legalization on Thursday, with multiple lawmakers asking the state’s top liquor regulator about the prospect of having that agency run cannabis shops. Members of the House Health Committee and Liquor Control Committee heard testimony from a series of experts who also discussed issues such as impaired driving, workplace drug policies and the need for product testing in a legal market. Rep. Dan Frankel (D), chair of the Health Committee, has previously raised the possibility of pursuing legalization through a state-run ..read more

The newly approved annual state budget in New York greatly expands enforcement actions and resources to curb the proliferation of unlicensed marijuana operators. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who a few months ago called the state’s rollout of recreational cannabis retail a “disaster,” announced a series of measures that provides the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and local municipalities with new authorities against illicit storefronts and enablers, including: Padlocking businesses immediately after an inspection if they are selling illicit cannabis and pose an imminent threat to health an ..read more

Canada’s federal regulator has issued a recall for a batch of recreational cannabis sold in British Columbia, citing microbial contamination discovered by random government testing. The recalled marijuana was grown by Alberta producer Sirona Pharma, also known as Acreage Pharms. ADVERTISEMENT The recall stems from Health Canada’s random cannabis testing program, launched in 2023 to analyze products bought from licensed stores. The recalled lot includes 1,200 28-gram packages of “Purple Gelato Punch” sold under the “Full Sesh” brand and packaged in September 2023. Health Canada’s testing “deter ..read more

Grown Rogue, an Oregon-based craft marijuana cultivator, increased its stake in its Michigan operation, Golden Harvests, from 52.2% to 80% through two transactions. The approximate value of both transactions is $2.8 million, with $200,000 paid in cash and $2.6 million in four-year sellers’ notes, according to a news release. ADVERTISEMENT Canopy Management, which is 87% indirectly owned by Grown Rogue, has a 60% interest in Golden Harvests. Grown Rogue bought the remaining minority interest in Canopy for $800,000 with a 20% cash down payment and monthly payments over the course of four years a ..read more