Germany celebrated the fifth anniversary of medical cannabis legalization. It has been an eventful five years with plenty of challenges and limitations to navigate, overcome and learn from. During the five-year run, Germany’s medical cannabis market has experienced falling prices, consolidation and a supply that has at times failed to meet the population’s growing demand within the first two years of its rollout. However, many are optimistic that the planned legalization of adult-use cannabis in Germany will be the cure-all and bring new growth and investment opportunities to the market. With Germany poised to be the largest adult-use cannabis market globally and the adult-use market likely to come online by 2024, it’s crucial that the updated program be set up for success. That means relying on the expertise of the select leading companies that have efficiently navigated through and scaled their businesses in the current challenging market. With the global cannabis market predicted to reach more than $61 Billion USD in 2026, according to BDSA’s Briefing on Legal Cannabis Forecast, now is the time for Germany to create the most progressive adult-use program to date and finally take the reigns of the global industry.

Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news, 03/15/2022 08:26:00

Open article: https://www.cannabisbusinessexecutive.com/2022/03/following-five-years-of-medical-cannabis-germany-is-poised-to-be-the-adult-use-capital-of-europe/

They’ve found no relief, despite a state law passed three years ago that authorized six companies to sell cannabis oil to doctor-approved patients. Georgia legislators are trying to break the bureaucratic deadlock of their own creation, with protests and legal threats by losing companies preventing license awards to the six winning companies. “It’s definitely disheartening. We’ve been fighting years for this, and we still don’t have anything we can go into the store and buy,” said Wages, whose 18-year-old daughter, Sydney, suffers from Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy. “It’s just gotten to the point where we need to move forward with this thing.” The Georgia House may vote Tuesday on bills that could end the stalemate and issue licenses this summer. Two proposals, Senate Bill 609 and House Bill 1453, would give the go-ahead to finalize licenses for the six companies chosen last year, despite ongoing protests from 16 companies who say the selection process was inherently flawed and unfair. Another measure, House Bill 1400, would get around the dispute by granting licenses to all 22 companies that either won tentative awards or protested. 

Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news, 03/14/2022 14:42:00

Open article: https://www.cannabisbusinessexecutive.com/2022/03/georgia-tries-to-find-way-out-of-medical-marijuana-impasse/

A proposal to prohibit firing workers for trace amounts of marijuana in their systems moved closer to passage when the Illinois House of Representatives approved the measure earlier this month — but employers remain very leery about it. The chief sponsor, state Rep. Bob Morgan, a Democrat from the Chicago suburb of Deerfield and an attorney who does cannabis consulting, said the change would let people, especially medical cannabis users, use a legal product on their own time “and not fear losing their job.” But employers fear the change will only lead to more fights in court over who qualifies and how the law is applied. The House voted 61-41 to pass the bill, largely along partisan lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.

Mmp News Author, Medical Marijuana Program Connection, 03/15/2022 07:55:00

Open article: https://mmpconnect.com/proposal-to-protect-workers-from-getting-fired-for-off-the-job-marijuana-use-advances-with-illinois-lawmakers-marijuana/

As marijuana legalization legislation advances in Maryland, a new poll shows that there’s majority support for the reform among adults, including most Republicans. And support for legalization far outpaces President Joe Biden’s job performance approval rating in the state. The survey from Goucher College, which was released on Monday, found that 62 percent of Maryland residents back cannabis legalization. That includes 65 percent of Democrats, 65 percent of independents, and 54 percent of Republicans. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) enjoys popularity in the state, with a 65 percent approval rating. But Biden’s job performance approval sits at just 48 percent, with only a major of Democrats saying he’s doing an effective job. In other words, support for marijuana legalization is 14 percentage points higher than support for the president. The poll involved interviews with 635 Maryland adults from March 1-6. The margin of error of was +/-3.9 percentage points. There are at least five competing cannabis reform bills in play this session in the Maryland legislature.

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 03/14/2022 11:39:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/bipartisan-majorities-in-maryland-support-marijuana-legalization-far-outpacing-bidens-approval-in-new-poll/