Federal marijuana arrests continue to plummet year over year as more states move to legalize cannabis, new data from the Justice Department shows. While there were still 2,576 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) marijuana arrests in fiscal year 2020, cannabis busts have dropped an average of 11 percent each year since 2010, when DEA made 8,215 such arrests. There are likely several factors at play, including, most recently, the role of the coronavirus pandemic, which the Bureau of Justice Statistics said “drove an 81 percent decline in arrests and 77 percent decline in cases charged from March to April 2020.” But advocates also say that the significant downward trend in cannabis prosecutions reflects discretionary decisions by DOJ amid the state-level legalization movement. While prior Obama-era guidance urging such discretion was rescinded under the Trump administration, the department has not signaled a renewed interest in going after individuals for simply possessing or using marijuana. Drug-related cases accounted for 16 percent of all federal arrests in 2020, the new report says.

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 05/23/2022 12:47:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-marijuana-arrests-continue-to-drop-amid-legalization-movement-new-justice-department-report-shows/

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Cannabis Business Advisors (“CB Advisors”), a consulting firm specializing in licensing, operations, mergers and acquisitions for the legal cannabis industry, today announced it has secured Ohio preliminary dispensary licenses for local groups. On May 16, 2022, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy issued 70 provisional dispensary licenses as the second phase of the RFA II process. Earlier this year, the Ohio Lottery Commission drew from over 1,400 applications across 31 districts to create an ordered list of ranked Ohio preliminary licenses. These were then reviewed by rank to determine eligibility for issuing. Advertisement “The next step for winners is to launch their dispensary operation on schedule. We are providing our clients with custom grand opening services as well as branding, marketing, SOPs, interior guidance, floor planning and procurement strategies,” said Sara Gullickson, founder and CEO at CB Advisors. The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has allotted 270 days for provisional licensees to become operational, which ends in February 2023. New dispensaries will only be able to open if they receive their certificate of operation from the Board of Pharmacy following inspections.

mg Magazine – Cannabis News & Information, 05/23/2022 03:16:00

Open article: https://mgmagazine.com/press-releases/ohio-licensees-look-to-experts-to-launch-on-time/

There are many more tight races, and several more states whose marijuana legalization may depend on election night outcomes in November. The midterm primary season is officially in full swing. Several major races have already concluded, and there is a lot to unpack when analyzing the outcomes and the margins of victory. Several states that have not legalized marijuana for recreational use, or for any use, now have their official candidates for the November election. There are both incumbents who likely offer little change to current policy, and newcomers who may completely shift the trajectory of marijuana policy in their states. Here are some noteworthy highlights from the states that have already decided their primary elections, and how they may affect the future of cannabis. Texas Texas can’t seem to stay out of the news these days when it comes to many current political issues. Marijuana is no exception. While the conservative Texas Governor Greg Abbott won his primary by a huge margin, he now faces a worthy adversary in Democratic opponent Beto O’Rourke. O’Rourke also won his primary by a large margin, and unlike Abbott, is a huge proponent of marijuana legalization.

Tom Gaffey, The Fresh Toast, 05/23/2022 08:00:00

Open article: https://thefreshtoast.com/marijuana-legislation/what-early-primary-victories-are-telling-us-about-possible-cannabis-reform/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-early-primary-victories-are-telling-us-about-possible-cannabis-reform

After several years of fits and starts, Rhode Island is finally poised to pass a substantive cannabis legalization bill as soon as next week. An amended version of the previously-proposed cannabis bill is now on the fast track toward passage at the State House. Major developments in the amended bill include automatic expungement for past cannabis crimes, the creation of a Cannabis Control Commission, and the inception of retail sales as soon as December 2022. The amended bill was released Tuesday afternoon and approved Wednesday by both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Finance Committee. Having advanced through those committees, floor votes on the bills are expected to take place next week. One of the most significant changes from previous cannabis legalization bills in Rhode Island is a plan to adopt automatic expungement of prior civil or criminal marijuana possession charges (i.e. activities decriminalized by the current bill). The original 2022 legalization bill required those seeking expungement to request it from the courts, which raised numerous objections.

Cannabis Law Report, 05/20/2022 23:48:00

Open article: https://cannabislaw.report/rhode-island-poised-to-legalize-cannabis/