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State Sen. Mike McGuire said Wednesday he plans to introduce legislation early next year to eliminate the state cultivation tax paid by cannabis growers, a favored target of the industry.

“We need to take a close look at the overall tax rate and whether it is impeding the overall growth of the cannabis market,” he said.

“The bottom line is this: Cultivation taxes are crushing small farmers throughout the North Coast,” McGuire said, adding:

“Basing it off the weight doesn’t account for when the market collapses. It’s simply not sustainable.”

To reduce the financial burden on growers, the Healdsburg Democrat, who serves as assistant majority leader in the Senate, said he plans to seek abolition of the cultivation tax in exchange for a higher excise tax, which is imposed on point-of-sale-transactions.

Kentucky is ending 2021 on a high note. At least when it comes to the economy, according to Governor Andy Beshear.

The Bluegrass Governor told 44News, by the end of the year, new capital investments in the state will near $11 Billion. That is roughly double the annual investment Kentucky sees in a normal year.

“When you look at two of our biggest jobs and/or investments across the Commonwealth, this year, there is Pratt Paper in Henderson,” Gov. Beshear told 44News Anchor Jessica Hartman. “I am so proud of this investment.”

Announced in July, Pratt Paper plans to build two large facilities on a piece of land that was annexed into the City of Henderson for the $400 million project. The first of the two mills will produce 100% recycled paper product and create 320 jobs.

“That is their biggest investment in their history and it will be the most sophisticated recycled paper mill in the world when it is built,” continued Gov. Beshear.

The town of Hartford will be holding an informational meeting on cannabis legislation next week.

The Hartford Selectboard and Hartford Community Coalition want to hear from you in a town hall scheduled for Monday.

They say the state legislature and Vermont Cannabis Control Board are in the process of developing ordinances and policies for a regulated market for cannabis.

The meeting will be held at the Hartford High School auditorium starting at 6 p.m.

Montgomery city leaders are taking steps to bring a medical cannabis dispensary to the capital city.

On Tuesday, council members unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing the operation of a medical cannabis dispensary within city limits. The law recently passed in the legislature allows for five dispensaries across the state. City leaders say they want to make sure Montgomery is one of those possible destinations.

”Dispensaries are looking for cities to be proactive in saying ‘we’re open for business,” Councilman CC Calhoun said. “It’s an opportunity to create economic development and an opportunity to create jobs. They’re not looking to bring dispensaries into a city that’s not willing to say, ‘hey, we’re willing to do business.’ It’s taxable.”

Leaders of a group working to legalize marijuana for adult use in Missouri say they believe the measure will pass if they collect enough signatures to get the issue on next year’s ballot.

Legal Missouri 2022 launched its initiative petition campaign last week in St. Louis. If voters approve the measure, anyone 21 or older could buy marijuana for any reason. Currently Missouri allows marijuana use only for medical reasons. John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022, noted that Missouri residents passed the medical marijuana initiative with close to 66% of the vote in 2018.

The campaign must get about 170,000 valid signatures in six of the state’s eight congressional districts to place the initiative on the ballot.

After a recount found no change in the vote totals, Wellington's marijuana ballot measure has officially passed.

The town will repeal its ban on marijuana dispensaries, effective in February. Voters favored ballot measure 2B by a one-vote margin, with 1,678 voting "yes" to dispensaries and 1,677 voting no in Larimer County's final official election results.

The vote totals also stayed the same for the other two ballot items that got recounts: In Loveland City Council's Ward 4 race, Jon Mallo retained a one-vote lead over candidate Caitlin Wyrick, and the Larimer County Harvest Heights Public Improvement District No. 72 Ballot Issue 6B remained tied 15 to 15, meaning the measure to create a special taxing district for road maintenance failed.

Wellington will allow retail and medical marijuana sales only in licensed marijuana stores in a specific type of commercial zoning district at least 2,000 feet from schools, 500 feet from areas zoned as "public," 500 feet from other marijuana stores and 200 feet from residential areas. The item was referred to the ballot by citizen initiative. 

Wellington Ballot Issue 300, a measure to tax marijuana sales, passed 1,820 to 1,447. The town will impose a 3.5% tax on recreational marijuana sales that can be increased up to 5% without voter approval. The taxes will fund construction of a recreation center or other general operating expenses for the town.

The Clarksville City Council has adopted a resolution that supports the decriminalization of simple possession, or casual exchange, of marijuana for personal use. The resolution also supports access to, and use of, medical marijuana.

The final vote on Thursday, Dec. 2, which included three amendments altering it from the original document presented was 9-1-3.

Not a single Clarksville City Councilmember voted against the measure.

“My ‘no’ vote was a combination of wanting to support law enforcement and their concern about the practical effect of the resolution,” Pitts said in an email following Thursday’s meeting.

“We were hanging amendments on the original resolution like ornaments on a Christmas tree to make it more palatable.”

Cannabis dispensaries may now explore the possibility of establishing a location in Enfield following the repeal of the previous ordinance. After a 2-hour public hearing in which dozens of residents spoke both in favor of and against the possibility of a marijuana dispensary in town, the Enfield Town Council voted to repeal a September ordinance which prohibits cannabis establishments. The council decided by a 6-3-1 vote to overturn the ban, which had passed by a 6-3 party-line vote on Sept. 7 under the previous Republican-controlled council. On Nov. 2, Democrats took the council majority by a 7-4 margin; one of the items featured prominently during the campaign was a letter signed by most Democratic candidates assuring they would reverse the ordinance if elected.

State analysis of medical cannabis for anxiety and panic disorders leads health commissioner to conclude that the risks outweigh benefits. 

Anxiety disorders won't be added next year to qualifying conditions for medical cannabis in Minnesota.

State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm found too little evidence of benefits of medical cannabis use when compared with risks and existing treatments.

While Minnesota will expand its program by allowing the sale of medical cannabis in gummy and chewable forms, Malcolm announced Wednesday that it would be limited to the existing 17 qualifying conditions. Minnesota is among 38 states with medical cannabis programs, including North Dakota and three others that include anxiety disorders as qualifying conditions.

"We received many comments from health care practitioners treating patients with anxiety disorder, and they urged us to not approve it as a qualifying medical condition," Malcolm said.

Medical cannabis use surged in Minnesota following the launch of the program in 2015 with nine qualifying conditions. Active registrants authorized by medical providers to receive medical cannabis increased from 837 in 2015 to 28,522 in 2020.

And the IRS is chomping at the bit.

New Mexico will provide business loans of up to $250,00 toward small-scale cannabis businesses in an effort to provide economic opportunity to communities that were hit hard by past criminal enforcement of marijuana laws.

The Regulation and Licensing Department on Thursday announced that the loan program is moving forward, after a legislative panel provided approval this week.

The New Mexico Finance Authority is planning for a $5 million line of credit for cannabis entrepreneurs, with average loan size of about $100,000. The application process is expected to open in February.

Loans would be available to qualified cannabis “microbusinesses” that are licensed to cultivate and sell marijuana from up to 200 plants at a single location, operating much like a craft winery or brewery.

That business niche was authorized in sweeping legislation to regulate and tax recreational marijuana sales, signed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham earlier this year. Recreational cannabis sales commence by April 1, 2022.

The Minnesota Department of Health said Wednesday it’s not approving anxiety disorders as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana, unlike neighboring North Dakota and three other states.

State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said there’s not enough scientific evidence of benefits of medical cannabis use when compared to the possibility of “unintended consequences.” No new conditions will be added to the existing list of 17 qualifying health issues.

“We received many comments from health care practitioners treating patients with anxiety disorder, and they urged us to not approve it as a qualifying medical condition,” Malcolm said.

North Dakota added anxiety disorders to its accepted uses two years ago, when it immediately became the most commonly cited condition.

“Expanding delivery methods to gummies and chews will mean more options for patients who cannot tolerate current available forms of medical cannabis,” Malcolm said.

With the legal sale of recreational marijuana set to begin Jan. 1 across Montana, Lake County residents are being asked to weigh in on whether to impose a local tax to benefit county and city governments.

Lake County commissioners on Monday unanimously approved a resolution to hold a special election to determine whether a local-option tax of 3% will be implemented beginning in July. Commissioners produced the resolution after the county’s three municipal governments — Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius — agreed to hold the vote and contribute to the cost of the election.

The county estimates local governments could collectively take in $180,000 annually if voters approve the tax. That number was derived by taking a Missoula estimate and adjusting for population, so actual revenue could be much higher or lower.

The county will hold a public hearing on marijuana sales in January, and the special election is expected to occur in early April. If approved, the tax would go into effect July 5 to coincide with the start of a new fiscal year.

After deciding to seek approval for a local marijuana tax, commissioners also had to decide whether to apply the same tax to recreational and medicinal sales. They settled on a ballot with separate questions regarding medicinal and recreational sales. Commission Chairman Bill Baron said he favored addressing the two types of sales as one. However, commissioners Gayle Decker and Steve Stanley supported the two-question ballot.

As deputies went to investigate a fight in rural Oklahoma, they said a man was found being held against his will for three months at an illegal marijuana operation, according to media reports. It led to charges against three individuals, who Garvin County officials say would not let the victim leave on his own. “He claimed to fear for his life,” Garvin County Sheriff Jim Mullett told the Pauls Valley Democrat. “He claimed they had kidnapped him and forced him to keep working.” Several people called 911 on Nov. 29 about a man being dragged on the road in Elmore City, which is about 65 miles south of Oklahoma City, according to KWTV. The victim was trying to escape the facility with a bag of personal items, KXII reported. “They’re in the middle of the road, they’re fussin’,” one called told dispatchers, KWTV reported. “They’re trying to drag him back in the yard.” Cyber Monday Sale Unlimited digital access - $6 for 6 months CLAIM OFFER When deputies entered the residence, they found nearly $2 million worth of marijuana, along with firearms and cash, KXII reported. It was deemed an illegal operation, as it was not properly registered with the state, the TV station reported. The victim said he was forced to stay at the facility so the three suspects could “extort money from a wealthy family,” KWTV reported. He was not allowed to leave unless he was with someone else, the Pauls Valley Democrat said. Xiaobing Chen, Xuechun Ruan and Quan Zhao each faces charges of kidnapping, illegal drug trafficking, possession of guns while committing a felony and other drug charges, according to media reports. They are being held at the Garvin County jail without bond, jail records show.

A group of Missourians have launched a campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.

Legal Missouri 2022 is working to get a measure on next year’s ballot to legalize recreational marijuana. At least 18 states, including Illinois, have legalized recreational marijuana.

Medical marijuana is legal in Missouri. Currently, more than 146,000 Missourians have patient or caregiver licenses for medical marijuana.

“There’s a Republican bill in the House. There’s a Democratic bill in the House. There’s a state ballot initiative. There is a yearning for this to happen in the state of Ohio”.

State Representative Terrence Upchurch lays it out plainly. He co-sponsored the Democratic bill that’s been introduced in the House. He says it’s a great opportunity for Ohio, but there’s also a threat if the state doesn’t join the 19 others that have reaped the benefits.

“What I don’t want to see happen is we begin to lose business, our population continues to decrease, and we lose out on huge economic opportunity because we’re still lagging behind.”

Thirty cities in Ohio have taken a step forward by decriminalizing misdemeanor cannabis possession. That means having smaller amounts is no longer an arrestable or fineable offense.

Decriminalization is not new or innovative. Twenty-seven other states have done this. The maneuver protects users, but it doesn’t do anything to regulate or monetize the usage.

Law enforcement can't keep up with drug traffickers growing marijuana in national forests, who poison wildlife, siphon water, and risk wildfire.

Wisconsin lawmakers recently unveiled a bipartisan bill to decriminalize marijuana statewide. The bill is not the first of its kind, but it benefits from the exceedingly rare support of some Republican politicians, setting it apart from the usual Democrat-led initiatives shunned by the Republican legislature.

Under this bill, possession of a personal-use amount of marijuana would be subjected to a fine of $100 for possessing 14 grams of marijuana or less. Municipalities would have some discretion, but they cannot enact a penalty lesser than $100 or greater than $250, or up to 40 hours of community service. Any amount greater than 14 grams could still be subjected to the current law.

Currently, Wisconsin law states that a first offense of possessing personal use amounts of marijuana can incur a fine up to $1,000 and six months of incarceration. A repeat offense is a felony and can be punished with three and a half years in prison and a $10,000 fine. This makes Wisconsin one of the worst locations in the United States in terms of personal use of marijuana.

Remove the Threat of Prison

Most importantly, the bill in question would eliminate counting for the purpose of determining whether there has been a repeat violation in cases where the amount seized is 28 grams or less. This would remove the threat of prison entirely from most low-level marijuana cases, statewide, and would turn thousands of serious offenses every year into slaps on the wrist.

As such, this proposal seems appealing, especially for Wisconsinites who live outside of the main centers of population, many of which have already enacted some form of decriminalization. As more and more localities have taken the initiative to enact cannabis reform without waiting for the regressive legislature, this bill aims to harmonize the law across the state. Co-author Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez has argued in a press conference that marijuana laws in Wisconsin are “a patchwork,” which confuses residents who expect rules applied in Milwaukee and Madison to be applied elsewhere.

Despite a high rise in Michigan’s marijuana business, Delta Township does not have a dispensary — and township officials don’t expect that to change any time soon.

According to Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency, more than 700 dispensaries opened in the state of Michigan since 2021.

In 2019, the township board voted against allowing dispensaries within Delta Township’s borders. Since then, this issue hasn’t been revisited, while nearby cities such as Lansing and East Lansing are dabbling into Michigan’s now multimillion-dollar business.

Township resident Amy Zander, owner of Zeedia Media, said Delta should stay current and competitive with other communities.

“The money it could bring to the community and adding more businesses to the Delta Township community will make our economy stronger,” Zander said. 

"Would be great to hear from you," the police service tweeted.

There was nothing sweet at all about cannabis-infused treats found hidden inside a hedge that could have proved dangerous if discovered by children.

A treasure trove of cannabis sweets was found in a suspicious package tucked away in the hedge on a residential street in Ivybridge by a citizen. The person then handed in the cannabis products to the Devon and Cornwall Police in the U.K.

Each packet reportedly had a cannabis warning. The treats contain cannabis that has “been through a distillation process,” notes another tweet by Watkins.

Distillation and isolation is a process that “take place in the final stages of creating a cannabis oil extract,” notes Alberta-based Maratek, a company that engineers solvent recycling and cannabis/hemp extraction technologies.