Legislative and Licensing Update: June 1, 2021
With this week’s holiday, we’re skipping the video and giving this quick rundown of cannabis news from around the U.S. and beyond.
Internationally:
Greece’s Parliament voted to legalize medical marijuana!
Minnesota:
The governor signed a bill legalizing smokable medical marijuana — a significant expansion to the state’s current cannabis program.
Louisiana:
The state Senate approved a House-passed bill to legalize smokable medical marijuana flower. Because the Senate added some technical amendments, the legislation goes back to the House before going to the governor, but it looks good for passage.
Nevada:
Lawmakers sent a bill to legalize marijuana social consumption lounges to the desk of the governor for signature.
Arizona:
Regulators published their final social equity rules for licensing. The application window is set for later this year: December 1 to December 14.
Illinois:
Lawmakers passed a bill aimed at increasing equity in marijuana licensing and restructuring the dispensary license lottery.
Florida:
The Florida supreme court upheld medical marijuana vertical licensing and caps last week, which leaves the state’s current, and poorly regulated, medical marijuana licensing system intact.
Ohio:
The Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee will hold a virtual meeting on June 17, 2021 (possibly with news on the upcoming dispensary licensing round?).
Massachusetts:
Social Equity Applicants can now apply for a second delivery license type — the Marijuana Delivery Operator license — which after robust public comment, can now wholesale and label products along with delivery.
Mississippi:
A state senator spoke about efforts to craft a medical cannabis bill in advance of a potential special session.
New Mexico:
Regulators published draft marijuana producer rules with a licensing application window set to open for them in September.
Rhode Island:
Regulators are delaying a lottery to award new medical cannabis dispensary licenses.
Missouri:
Lawmakers passed a bill to let medical marijuana businesses take tax deductions under state law. There’s nothing the state can do about the ongoing federal 280E provision’s application to the cannabis industry.
Vermont:
Lawmakers passed a bill aimed at improving equity in the legal marijuana industry.