Latest news with #recreationalmarijuana
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Pennsylvania Lawmakers File Recreational Cannabis Legalization Bills
Pennsylvania lawmakers in the House of Representatives and the state Senate have introduced separate ... More bills to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. Pennsylvania could be the next state in the union to legalize recreational marijuana after lawmakers introduced two bipartisan legalization bills in the state legislature. On Monday, Democratic state Rep. Emily Kinkead and Republican Rep. Abby Major introduced a bill to end the prohibition of cannabis, according to a report from online cannabis news source Marijuana Moment. If passed, House Bill 20 would legalize and regulate personal cannabis possession and use by adults. The measure would also establish the Keystone Cannabis Authority and task the new agency with regulating the medical and adult-use cannabis industry in Pennsylvania. The legislation also includes provisions to regulate the production and distribution of cannabis products and levies a sales tax and an excise tax on such goods. Additionally, the bill creates a Community Opportunity Fund to foster social and economic equity, among other provisions. On Monday, cannabis policy reform advocate Brit Crampsie, spokesperson for the group ResponsiblePA, said the cannabis legalization bill would help Pennsylvania lawmakers balance the state budget. 'The state needs to close a growing budget gap,' Crampsie said in a press release cited by online cannabis news source Marijuana Moment. 'Communities across this state would benefit immensely from the jobs brought by regulated cannabis as laid out in this bipartisan piece of legislation—this includes both rural and urban communities that are getting hit hard by the lack of funding for essential state programs from transportation to healthcare systems—as well as looming federal funding cuts.' 'Voters clearly want legalization now and cannot afford drastic tax hikes,' she added. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed separate legislation to legalize recreational marijuana on May 10. The measure, House Bill 1200, would have legalized cannabis sales for adults through a network of state-run cannabis dispensaries, but a Senate legislative committee declined to advance the measure. Senate Weed Legalization Bill Introduced Last Week The introduction of Kinkead and Major's bill came only days after a bipartisan pair of state senators introduced separate legislation to legalize recreational cannabis in Pennsylvania, where medical marijuana was legalized in 2016. If passed, the measure (Senate Bill 120) from Republican Sen. Dan Laughlin and Democratic Sen. Sharif Street would 'create a regulated, equitable framework for cannabis use, cultivation and sales, while merging oversight of both medical and adult-use programs under a new independent Pennsylvania Cannabis Control Board.' Pennsylvania lawmakers legalized medical cannabis in 2016. 'Adults should have the freedom to use cannabis responsibly, and Pennsylvania should have a legal system in place that ensures safety, accountability and fairness,' Laughlin said in a press release. 'This legislation delivers that while keeping marijuana out of the hands of kids.' Street said the legislation also focuses on repairing past harms caused by decades of marijuana prohibition. 'This plan legalizes cannabis in a way that lifts up communities impacted by prohibition,' Street said. 'It includes expungement of low-level offenses, creates real opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses and reinvests in neighborhoods most harmed by past enforcement.' Laughlin and Sharif's bill got a boost last week when Democratic Rep. Amen Brown announced he would soon introduce a companion measure in the House of Representatives. The lawmaker said he 'fully' supports the new Senate bill because he has 'seen firsthand the devastating impact of outdated cannabis laws on our communities, particularly communities of color.' 'This legislation is about more than economic opportunity; it's about justice, equity, and creating a responsible framework that benefits all Pennsylvanians,' Brown said, according to a July 12 report from GoErie. 'I'm proud to stand in bipartisan partnership to move our Commonwealth forward.' After Brown signaled his intention to introduce the cannabis legalization bill, Laughlin said his colleagues in the Senate could no longer ignore the issue. 'I firmly believe that if the House passes our language, that we have a path to get this done,' he said.
CBS News
02-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
White Earth Nation opens cannabis dispensary in St. Cloud with plans for more across state
See the newest recreational marijuana shop to open in Minnesota See the newest recreational marijuana shop to open in Minnesota See the newest recreational marijuana shop to open in Minnesota A new cannabis dispensary in a central Minnesota city was met with sizable crowds and plenty of anticipation on Wednesday. "It's been busy," said Derek Lee, retail director for Waabigwan Mashkiki dispensary. "We had a line around the block to start." The Waabigwan Mashkiki dispensary can exist in St. Cloud because Gov. Tim Walz signed a tribal-state compact back in May, allowing the White Earth Nation to sell cannabis outside tribal lands. It is the tribe's second such cannabis dispensary. Their first opened in Moorhead in May. St. Cloud was chosen for its central location in Minnesota, Lee said. It's been almost two years since pot became legal in Minnesota. Selling it, on the other hand, has been another story. "I'm very excited," said Courtney Haedt from St. Cloud. "This has been needed for a long time. I'm a medical professional, so I've been an advocate for this for a long time." Product safety testing is the same at Waabigwn Mashkiki as state-licensed business guidelines. The product sold is grown in Mahnomen, and they are ready to keep up with demand, Michael Fairbanks, chairman of White Earth Nation, said, with a half dozen more locations to come, as allowed under the compact. "I'm just excited that it's here, excited that adult use is finally available to the customers," Lee said. Employees said plans are in the works for a Rochester dispensary that could open later this summer. Fairbanks hopes to also open locations in Mankato and Brooklyn Center. "It means that people are going to have what they need, I mean, medical marijuana and marijuana in general is a beautiful thing for people to be able to utilize," said Haedt.
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Delaware Announces Legal Cannabis Retail Sales Launch Date
Licensed sales of recreational marijuana will begin in Delaware next month, state officials ... More announced on Tuesday. Delaware state officials on Tuesday announced that regulated sales of recreational cannabis will begin in the state next month. The state Office of the Marijuana Commissioner announced that existing medical marijuana conversion licensees can begin selling adult-use cannabis on August 1, more than two years after the state legalized recreational weed for adults. Delaware legalized recreational marijuana and regulated and taxed sales of adult-use cannabis with the passage of two bills in 2023. The legislation went into effect in July of that year, with retail sales slated to begin after regulations were adopted and retailers were licensed. Last year, former Delaware Gov. John Carney signed legislation to allow the state's existing medical cannabis operators to begin selling recreational marijuana on an expedited basis, according to a report from Marijuana Moment. Regulated sales were previously expected to begin in March of this year, but the launch was delayed while the state resolved complications over securing fingerprint background check services from the FBI. 'Delaware has taken a major step forward by launching a legal adult-use cannabis market that prioritizes equity, safety, and accountability,' Gov. Matt Meyer, who replaced Carney in January, said in a Tuesday statement announcing the launch. 'This new industry will generate critical revenue to strengthen our schools, infrastructure, and public health systems, while creating real opportunities for entrepreneurs,' the governor continued. 'This revenue also gives us a powerful tool to invest in the communities most impacted by the war on drugs, addressing past wrongs and ensuring that the benefits of this new market reach every corner of our state. I'm proud we're moving quickly and thoughtfully to build a cannabis market that reflects our values and expands opportunity for every Delawarean.' State Tallied More Than 1,200 Applications For Cannabis Business Licenses In October, the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) announced that it had received 1,269 applications for marijuana licenses during a six-week window that began on August 19, 2024. In December, the agency announced the applicants who had been selected for the 125 marijuana business licenses the state plans to issue. 'The start of legal adult-use marijuana sales reflects the tireless efforts of our regulatory team and our strong partnerships with state agencies, industry stakeholders, and community leaders,' Marijuana Commissioner Joshua Sanderlin said in a statement. 'Our focus is on building a safe, equitable, and accountable marijuana market that delivers real benefits to Delawareans. We will continue to issue conditional licenses to previously selected applicants to ensure they can begin operations once active.' State law allows regulators to issue 30 business licenses for adult-use cannabis retailers, 60 cultivators, 30 cannabis product manufacturers and five testing laboratories. Massachusetts-based MariMed, one of Delaware's existing medical cannabis providers, will be one of the first businesses to serve recreational weed customers when regulated sales begin next month. 'As Delaware's first licensed cannabis provider 10 years ago, we are proud to continue serving the state's evolving cannabis community,' Jeff Jones, MariMed's vice president of operations in Delaware, said in an email. 'To meet the anticipated surge in demand from both residents and the millions of tourists who visit Delaware each year, we've scaled our cultivation and processing operations in Wilmington and Milford and enhanced our retail footprint to ensure a seamless and elevated customer experience,' he continued. 'We look forward to welcoming new adult-use customers into our stores and continuing to lead the way in offering safe, reliable and exceptional cannabis products throughout Delaware.'
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Minnesota cannabis industry hopefuls, advocates rally outside governor's office in protest of proposed sales tax hike on sales
Cannabis industry hopefuls and advocates rallied at the capitol on Wednesday in protest of a proposed tax hike on retail sales before the legal market is even off the ground. The 2023 law greenlighting recreational marijuana implemented a gross receipts tax of 10% on sales at licensed businesses. DFL Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders announced a budget deal last week that increases the rate to 15%. That's on top of the state sales tax rate of 6.875% and any local sales taxes. And it applies to low-dose, THC edibles derived from hemp, too. The group of about two dozen people chanted "stop the tax, start the market" outside Gov. Tim Walz's office, as key lawmakers behind closed doors worked to finalize the remaining parts of the next two-year state budget that they didn't pass before Monday's end-of-session deadline. Leili Fatehi with cannabis consulting firm Blunt Strategies said high taxes means higher prices for consumers, which puts legal businesses at a disadvantage compared to the illicit market. "It feels like a real betrayal, both to the folks that have been very patiently waiting to enter the legal market, but also a really bad public policy decision," said Fatehi, noting the change would also eliminate revenue-sharing with local governments that will handle some of the enforcement of the law. The state's General Fund rakes in 80% of the revenues from cannabis and cities and counties get the remaining 20%. Fatehi and others hope lawmakers will reverse course before any legislation is final, but both the House and Senate negotiators included the increase in their tax packages they are refining this week before the official special session. Supporters of the move say the new rate brings Minnesota more in line with other legal cannabis states. "There are not across-the-board tax increases," said House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, during the budget deal announcement last week. "There will be a small increase on the tax on cannabis, that is almost right-sizing it. It was very low. We were one of the very low tax states on cannabis." Cannabis taxes vary from state to state, with rates from as low as 6% to as high as 37% in Washington, according to an analysis by the Tax Foundation. About half of those states have taxes higher than 10%. The proposal comes as the state is nearing market launch. June 5 is the date set for a lottery to choose who will receive one of the capped license types, like growers and retailers. Other types of businesses that don't fall under certain categories and received approval from the Office of Cannabis Management can move forward and prepare to begin operations, like securing a location cleared by local governments. Still, Fatehi—who worked closely on the 2023 legalization bill—believes there will be a months-long delay before businesses start opening. "I anticipate that we will see some state licensed retailers opening up in 2025," she said "It's likely going to be in the back half of the year." The first dispensary is set to open soon in Moorhead after the state entered into a compact with White Earth Nation allowing them to open eight dispensaries off of the reservation. Tribal nations have been able to sell legal cannabis on their land because of their sovereignty. Under the agreement, off-reservation sales will be subject to all of the taxes other businesses face, as well as state regulators' rules for safety.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
White Earth Nation gets approval to open cannabis shops off tribal land
Tribal nation gets green light to open cannabis dispensaries across Minnesota Tribal nation gets green light to open cannabis dispensaries across Minnesota Tribal nation gets green light to open cannabis dispensaries across Minnesota An agreement between the state of Minnesota and White Earth Nation gives the tribal nation the green light to open cannabis dispensaries across the state. On Tuesday, Gov. Tim Walz signed the first tribal-state compact authorized under Minnesota's 2023 cannabis law. According to Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), the agreement allows the White Earth Nation to open up to eight dispensaries outside of Tribal lands. OCM says sales of cannabis products off tribal lands are subject to all state and local taxes. The 2023 law greenlit recreational marijuana with a gross receipts tax of 10% on sales at licensed businesses. A budget agreement announced May 15 would raise it to 15%. The approved tax hike would be in addition to the state sales tax rate of 6.975% and any local sales taxes. This applies to low-dose, THC edibles derived from hemp, too. White Earth Nation has plans for locations in Moorhead and St. Cloud. OCM says with the compact signed, tribal dispensaries can open their doors to the public.
