January 2025 - CannabisNewsWire

FridayJan 17, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Observers Say Budgetary Pressures Could Boost Efforts to Legalize Marijuana in Iowa

A significant portion of adults in the U.S. remains in favor of cannabis legalization. However, despite this momentum, three out of four recreational legalization initiatives—proposed in Florida, South Dakota, and North Dakota—failed during the November elections. Projections indicate that about five states might legalize cannabis this year, though Iowa appears to be an exception. As with many policy matters, expanding access to medical marijuana or legalizing recreational marijuana sales in Iowa involves multiple layers of complexity. Issues such as health, social justice, law enforcement, economic impact, agriculture, and employment are all intertwined in this debate. Observers note that financial considerations…

FridayJan 17, 2025 10:00 am

DEA Judge Calls Off Upcoming Cannabis Reclassification Hearing

Efforts to reclassify cannabis at the federal level recently hit a roadblock after a DEA judge canceled the upcoming reclassification meeting. The main agenda at the meeting would have been a proposal seeking to amend federal cannabis laws and reclassify the controversial drug, putting an end to several decades of prohibition. However, the Drug Enforcement Administration judge has effectively delayed the reclassification process for at least three months. The Department of Health and Human Services proposal sought to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the CSA, a move that would finally grant America’s state-level marijuana sector access…

ThursdayJan 16, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Dallas Police Get New Instructions on Making Marijuana-Related Arrests, Citations

Dallas police have updated guidelines on handling cannabis possession cases after Proposition R was put into effect. An internal memo from the Dallas Police Department (DPD) outlines the changes, stating that officers are no longer permitted to arrest or issue citations for possession of cannabis weighing less than four ounces. Furthermore, cannabis odor alone cannot be used as probable cause for a search, except in high-priority narcotics or violent felony cases. Previously, the policy required officers to confiscate cannabis from individuals with less than two ounces without issuing citations or making arrests. However, the recent memo, circulated on Friday, declares…

ThursdayJan 16, 2025 10:00 am

How Consumer Preferences Could Influence Marijuana Retail This Year

Every cannabis retailer worth their salt makes sure to study consumer preferences and incorporate them into their decision-making processes. Regardless of the sector, taking customer preferences into account helps businesses serve their customers efficiently by providing goods or services that meet an already-established need. With the cannabis industry entering a new year, customer preferences will be a major influencing factor for the industry. Retailers will likely use consumer preference data to determine their inventory and the products they offer in 2025. For instance, pre-rolls have exhibited sustained growth for the past year and could make a major appearance in major…

WednesdayJan 15, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Data Shows After Ohio Legalized Marijuana, Fatal Car Crashes Have Dropped

Recent data released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) shows that since cannabis legalization came into effect in the state, fatal traffic accidents connected to marijuana use have decreased by 30%. This contradicts concerns raised by critics of legalization who predicted an increase in deadly crashes caused by impaired drivers under the influence of marijuana. Ohio voters approved recreational cannabis legalization in November 2023 and the law went into effect the following month, allowing for legal possession and use. Retail sales began in August 2024. The state had 1,067 fatal road accidents last year—the lowest figure in the last…

TuesdayJan 14, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Governor Wants Wisconsin Voters to Legalize Marijuana as GOP Lawmakers Block Reform Efforts

Wisconsin governor Tony Evers has proposed granting voters the power to introduce binding questions directly on the ballot to enact new laws. He cited widespread bipartisan support for issues like cannabis legalization, which the Republican-led legislature has consistently refused to address. During a recent press conference, Evers announced his intention to include a proposal in the 2025/27 biennial budget allowing citizens to initiate ballot measures for constitutional or statutory changes, provided they receive majority approval. Evers specifically highlighted popular issues such as the legalization and taxation of cannabis akin to alcohol, gun safety, abortion rights, and more financing for civic…

TuesdayJan 14, 2025 10:00 am

Study Shows Opioid Makers’ Payments to Pain Doctors Dropped After Medical Marijuana Legalization

A multi-institutional study involving researchers from three universities has discovered a correlation between medical cannabis legalization and reduced payments from opioid drug manufacturers to pain doctors. The study found that when states launch regulated medical marijuana programs, patients begin using the divisive drug as an alternative to pharmaceutical pain medications. The result is reduced payments from pain drug manufacturers to doctors who specifically deal with pain and pain-related conditions, say researchers from the State University of New York (SUNY), the University of Southern California, and the University of Florida. According to the researchers, their analysis indicates that pain drug manufacturers…

MondayJan 13, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Marijuana Industry Predictions for 2025

The marijuana industry experienced a sluggish pace of progress in 2024. Efforts to pass cannabis reform measures in Congress fell short, and the DEA delayed rescheduling cannabis as a recognized medicinal substance. Moreover, voter rejection of recreational cannabis legalization initiatives, including a high-profile defeat in Florida despite almost $150 million spent by multistate operators, suggests that easy reform opportunities may have reached their peak. However, significant changes are looming. Relief from the burdens of Section 280E taxation appears closer, and with Donald Trump assuming office, he will become the first president to have publicly supported recreational cannabis legalization. Here are…

FridayJan 10, 2025 10:00 am

420 with CNW — Oklahoma Lawmakers Table Two Bills to Regulate Medical Cannabis

With the Oklahoma legislative session just a month away, state legislators have proposed two measures to regulate medical cannabis. One bill aims to regulate how much a person can purchase in a week, while the other one focuses on regulating how cannabis dispensaries in the state can advertise their products. Likewise Cannabis founder Corbin Wyatt shared his thoughts on the significance of medical cannabis for numerous individuals, noting that many patients state that they have been able to quit using strong medications, such as fentanyl, over time. “Their lives have been changed by marijuana,” Wyatt added. Senate Bill 320, presented…

FridayJan 10, 2025 10:00 am

Medical Cannabis Patients in Arkansas Reach Record Numbers

Voters in Arkansas approved a measure to legalize medical marijuana in 2016 and the state finally began sales in mid-2019 with about 11,000 registered medical marijuana patients. Arkansas’s medical cannabis program has expanded significantly in the years since as more patients registered, reaching 101,006 active MMJ cards in June 2024 and 108,957 by the end of the year. The Arkansas Department of Health is charged with issuing MMJ cards in the state, while the Alcohol and Beverage Control Agency issues licenses to medical cannabis dispensaries. Data shows that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was the most common medical condition at 34.9%,…