If a patient walks into a medical marijuana dispensary today in Florida, the variety that meets them can be a bit intimidating. There are different strains of marijuana that have different effects. There are different delivery methods ranging from dried plant material to concentrates of tetrahydrocannabinol to food products infused with marijuana. A New York-based company that operates across 18 different jurisdictions in America and also in the European Union aims to make that process less daunting with the introduction of technology at its dispensaries. One of Columbia Care’s dispensaries is located in Sarasota at 6979 S. Tamiami Trail. On Wednesday that location rebranded to Cannbist and integrated the technology at its Florida locations. Inside the store on Tamiami Trail, a patient will no longer have to speak with the dispensary’s employees to figure out exactly what products they would like to buy to best suit their needs. Instead, there are several digital kiosks that connect patients to Forage, a digital technology that Columbia Care describes as an “online cannabis discovery tool.” Patients do not need to go into the store to access Forage as they can input their preferences online at Forage.io, then schedule to pick it up at the medical marijuana dispensary near them.

Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news, 12/09/2021 08:36:00

Open article: https://www.cannabisbusinessexecutive.com/2021/12/recreational-marijuana-could-be-on-the-horizon-in-florida/

As the Maryland General Assembly’s annual 90-day legislation looms next month, the decision to legalize marijuana could become a major topic in Annapolis. State lawmakers held various virtual sessions inviting health and policy experts on safety and policy recommendations, criminal justice impacts, and education such as how marijuana comes from a part of the cannabis plant. One major reason legalizing the drug remains a key to possibly place on a voter referendum next year: to ensure Black and Latino entrepreneurs can participate in the mainly cash-business industry. “I am in full support of it,” said Fort Washington resident Vernon Wade, 57, owner of Wade Enterprises who’s studying environmental science at the University of the District of Columbia. “The minority students want to know how they can be involved in it. They feel they are being left out. Equity is key.” The House Cannabis Legalization workgroup held several online meetings including the final one for this year on Dec. 1 focusing on taxation. Carl Davis, research director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy in Northwest, said taxes on recreational cannabis are assessed based on price and quantity.

Mmp News Author, Medical Marijuana Program Connection, 12/09/2021 20:06:00

Open article: https://mmpconnect.com/legalizing-recreational-marijuana-emerging-as-major-topic-in-maryland/

A Missouri lawmaker on Wednesday pre-filed a bill to make it so police could no longer use the odor of marijuana alone as justification to conduct searches of a person’s home, vehicle or other private property. The move comes as efforts to more broadly legalize cannabis are heating up in the state—both via the ballot and in the legislature. Rep. Ian Mackey (D) is sponsoring the new legislation, which he said is meant to build upon the state’s 2018 vote to legalize medical cannabis. The one-page bill text simply states: “Notwithstanding any provision of law, the odor of marijuana alone shall not provide a law enforcement officer with probable cause to conduct a warrantless search of a motor vehicle, home, or other private property.” “Missourians overwhelmingly voted to legalize marijuana as medicine, so to allow officers to continue to search our citizens simply because they smell medicine is discriminatory and wrong,” Mackey told St. Louis Today. “It’s time for Missouri to follow the example of other states on this issue.” “It’s time to update our marijuana criminalization statutes to be more reflective of the 21st century,” he added.

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 12/09/2021 09:31:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/missouri-police-couldnt-use-marijuana-odor-to-justify-searches-under-new-bill/