Truck overturns in Salé, spills cannabis cargo and sparks investigation

Truck overturns in Salé, spills cannabis cargo and sparks investigation



A truck carrying a large quantity of cannabis overturned last night, Sunday, thwarting an attempt to smuggle the substance after cardboard boxes filled with hashish spilled across the road, a scene captured in photos taken at the site.

The incident occurred on National Road No. 6, near Arbaa Shoul, a locality in Sale, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, Morocco.

According to media reports, the truck was en route from Fez to Rabat when it overturned between the Khemisset and Al Arjat areas.

The driver fled the scene immediately after the accident. Meanwhile, the Royal Gendarmerie has launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident and identify those involved.





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Mexico City-Based Macusi Pipes Forges Art & Function

Mexico City-Based Macusi Pipes Forges Art & Function


Macusi Pipes prides themselves in being “art that transcends time,” which is exactly what distinguishes them from their peers. The word Macusi translates to “marijuana” in the Wixárika language. This holds cultural significance, as Wixárika people–indigenous to México–are known for their deep connection to the natural world, as well as their ceremonial use of plants, including cannabis.

Founded in 2018 in México City, Macusi Pipes offers functional and ergonomic accessories with one mission: to merge cannabis paraphernalia with art, design, tradition and culture. The name Macusi is a way to honor indigenous roots while creating a product that celebrates craftsmanship and art, connecting the Wixárika community to their ancient traditions.

Macusi’s collections are created using a plaster mold specifically designed for ceramics, into which liquid ceramic is poured by hand. The piece is then kiln-fired (this first fire is called “Sancocho”), hand-glazed and fired for a second time, then after the Macusi logo is applied, it’s fired for a third and final time.

The handmade ceramic bubbler called “Bubbler Seed” comes in five different colors.

“When collectors use a Macusi product, we want them to feel a sense of connection to something bigger—whether it’s the art, the craftsmanship, or the cultural history behind each piece,” says Chris Molina, founder of Macusi Pipes (known in the industry as “Chris Macusi.”) “We create functional art that transforms smoking accessories into a meaningful experience. We want our collectors to appreciate not only the beauty and design, but also the values behind it: quality, authenticity and respect for the craft.”

One of Macusi’s best-sellers is the Semilla Bubbler. Both the name and design symbolize the beginning of the germination of a seed, representing growth and potential. It’s known for providing a very smooth, gentle hit, making it a favorite among collectors who appreciate a soft and delightful smoking experience.

Beyond their beautiful products, Macusi is deeply committed to social justice and creating a fair and equitable industry. This holds especially true in México where there’s a rich history of craftsmanship, but also significant socio-economic disparities. They believe artisans should be paid fairly for their work, supporting a more inclusive industry by working closely with local makers and supporting sustainable practices. Macusi ensures that everyone involved in the process, from creation to distribution, has the opportunity for fair compensation and recognition.

So what’s Macusi’s mission? To make a positive impact in the lives of the people they work with. This is exactly why their collab with Annaboto is incredibly significant for the Mexican cannabis market. Annaboto is an elegant portable growing system integrating hydroponics, robotics and AI to grow your own (pesticide-free) cannabis in the comfort of your home.

“This collaboration is about more than just joining forces—it’s a meeting of minds that value both beauty and function,” says Annaboto CEO Carl Palme. “Macusi Pipes, with its beautifully crafted, high-quality products and deep roots in the Mexican culture and marketplace, perfectly aligns with Annaboto’s vision. For us, partnering with Macusi means shared values. We both believe that everyday objects should be as visually appealing as they are functional.

This collaboration embodies the idea that beauty and practicality can go hand in hand.” This amazing corporate partnership is a celebration of true craftsmanship and elevated culture. It allows both Annaboto and Macusi Pipes to bring their very best to a marketplace that genuinely appreciates the powerful fusion of aesthetic beauty with functional design.



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‘Script hounds’ leading to cannabis over-subscription

‘Script hounds’ leading to cannabis over-subscription


Medicinal Cannabis has been a booming market in both Australia and around the world. 

Its legalisation has paved the way for many to access the drug legally, often to treat conditions like chronic pain and anxiety. 

But New data from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency — also known as AHPRA — has revealed eight medical practitioners appeared to have issued more than 10 thousand cannabis scripts each for the highest-THC-strength products over a six-month period.

The regulator is now raising concerns some practitioners are putting “profit over safety”. 

Speaking with ABC NewsRadio’s Rachel Hayter, Associate Professor Michael Clements from the Royal Australian College of GPs says profit-seeking is to blame. 



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Pregnant drugs mule, 19, who was caught trying to smuggle 22kg of cannabis into Britain from Canada is spared jail after telling court she need cash for house deposit

Pregnant drugs mule, 19, who was caught trying to smuggle 22kg of cannabis into Britain from Canada is spared jail after telling court she need cash for house deposit


A pregnant drugs mule who attempted to smuggle 22.5kg worth of cannabis into Britain has avoided jail after saying she needed the money to pay for a deposit on a house.

Daniella KanKam-Adu, 19, was offered £250 in return for smuggling £225,000 worth of cannabis from Canada to Newcastle Airport on March 3 this year.

The 19-year-old, of Queens Road, London, said she believed her luggage contained vapes, but Border Force quickly found heaps of the Class B drug.

When questioned if she had packed her own luggage by airport officials, KanKam-Adu insisted that she had but there was nothing of concern within it.

Prosecuting, Kevin Wardlaw told Newcastle Crown Court: ‘When asked to open one [item of her luggage] she said she didn’t have the key. She became aware the locks would be forced.

‘Her attitude changed, she became obstructive, making comments to the officer. The officer was not being racist, it was just a random check.’

The suitcase was found to contain 22.5 kilos of cannabis, worth around £67,500 wholesale and with a street value of £225,000.

She pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent evasion on the prohibition on the importation of cannabis. 

Daniella KanKam-Adu (pictured) was offered £250 in return for smuggling £225,000 worth of cannabis from Canada to the UK on March 3 this year

Daniella KanKam-Adu (pictured) was offered £250 in return for smuggling £225,000 worth of cannabis from Canada to the UK on March 3 this year

The 19-year-old said she believed her luggage contained vapes, but Border Force at Newcastle Airport (pictured) quickly found heaps of the Class B drug

The 19-year-old said she believed her luggage contained vapes, but Border Force at Newcastle Airport (pictured) quickly found heaps of the Class B drug

The suitcase was found to contain 22.5 kilos of cannabis, worth around £67,500 wholesale and with a street value of £225,000 (Stock Image)

The suitcase was found to contain 22.5 kilos of cannabis, worth around £67,500 wholesale and with a street value of £225,000 (Stock Image)

Prosecutors accepted her basis of plea, which was that a friend suggested she could make money by helping to bring vapes back to the UK and avoid paying tax.

KanKam-Adu said she was told she would be paid £250 to carry out the act and went to Toronto on tickets given to her and followed instructions. 

She said she was given a suitcase to bring back to the UK and realised because of the size and weight that it did not contain vapes and must be cannabis. 

KanKam-Adu added that she didn’t know the value of the drugs and decided to come back anyway as she needed the money and had a plane ticket.

Glenn Gatland, defending, said KanKam-Adu had a difficult childhood and spent time in a care home. He added that before the offence, she discovered she was pregnant and didn’t want the child to experience the same childhood she had.

Mr Gatland said the 19-year-old needed money for a deposit on somewhere to live and was ‘naive’ in agreeing to the suggestion of a friend to bring vapes back to the UK. 

Defending KanKam-Adu, Glenn Gatland told Newcastle Crown Court (pictured) that the 19-year-old needed money for a deposit on somewhere to live and that she was 'naive'

Defending KanKam-Adu, Glenn Gatland told Newcastle Crown Court (pictured) that the 19-year-old needed money for a deposit on somewhere to live and that she was ‘naive’

He added that she has been remanded in custody for three months, during which time she suffered a miscarriage.

Mr Gatland added: ‘She has spent three months in custody and that will certainly serve as a deterrent to her to keep out of trouble in future.’

KanKam-Adu was sentenced to 12 months suspended for 18 months.

It comes amid two other high-profile cases of alleged drug smuggling by young British women.

Both Bella Culley, 18, and Charlotte May Lee, 21, have been detained by foreign authorities in the last week.

When entering Georgia from Thailand, Culley’s suitcase was found to have contained 14kg of cannabis – said to be worth around £200,000.

Culley last week told court she was pregnant, but as she faces a minimum of 15 years if convicted, the baby could be raised inside notorious Women’s Colony No 5 outside the capital, Tbilisi.

Her father Niel Culley last night vowed to stay in the Black Sea nation for ‘as long as it takes’.

When entering Georgia from Thailand, Bella Culley's suitcase was found to have contained 14kg of cannabis - said to be worth around £200,000

When entering Georgia from Thailand, Bella Culley’s suitcase was found to have contained 14kg of cannabis – said to be worth around £200,000

Culley last week told court she was pregnant, but as she faces a minimum of 15 years if convicted, the baby could be raised inside notorious Women's Colony No 5 outside the capital, Tbilisi

Culley last week told court she was pregnant, but as she faces a minimum of 15 years if convicted, the baby could be raised inside notorious Women’s Colony No 5 outside the capital, Tbilisi 

Her father Niel Culley (pictured) last night vowed to stay in the Black Sea nation for 'as long as it takes'

Her father Niel Culley (pictured) last night vowed to stay in the Black Sea nation for ‘as long as it takes’

‘I can’t say anything but I will be here for as long as it takes,’ he told the Mail. ‘I obviously have no experience in dealing with situations like this and it’s very difficult.’

The British Embassy in Tbilisi told RFE: ‘We are assisting the family of the British woman detained in Georgia and are also in contact with the local authorities.’ 

Elsewhere, air stewardess Lee was detained at Colombo airport in Sri Lanka last Monday where police say she had a stash of £1.15million of kush – a synthetic strain of the drug.

She left Bangkok Airport within hours of Bella who was arrested entering Tbilisi Airport on a flight via Sharjah, UAE, last Sunday. It means they could be related cases.

Former Georgian police general Jemal Janashia, one of the country’s foremost drug crime experts, told the Mail: ‘The fact that two young British women have taken off with large quantities of drugs from the same airport will interest investigators.

Air stewardess Charlotte May Lee was detained at Colombo airport in Sri Lanka on Monday where police say she had a stash of £1.15million of kush - a synthetic strain of the drug

Air stewardess Charlotte May Lee was detained at Colombo airport in Sri Lanka on Monday where police say she had a stash of £1.15million of kush – a synthetic strain of the drug

Miss Lee, a former TUI cabin crew member, left Bangkok Airport within hours of Bella who was arrested entering Tbilisi Airport on a flight via Sharjah, UAE, last Sunday - meaning they could be related cases

Miss Lee, a former TUI cabin crew member, left Bangkok Airport within hours of Bella who was arrested entering Tbilisi Airport on a flight via Sharjah, UAE, last Sunday – meaning they could be related cases

The authorities pose with what they say is £1.15million of cannabis in vacuum packed bags seized from Miss Lee

The authorities pose with what they say is £1.15million of cannabis in vacuum packed bags seized from Miss Lee

Pictured: The drugs that the police claim were smuggled into Sri Lanka inside luggage cases by Miss Lee

Pictured: The drugs that the police claim were smuggled into Sri Lanka inside luggage cases by Miss Lee

‘They will be concerned about the possibility of a link and that Thai gangs may be attempting to recruit vulnerable British travellers.’

Both girls departed from the Thai capital during the Royal Ploughing Ceremony weekend. It is one of the busiest festivals of the year when airports are overloaded with tourists – a prime opportunity for gangs to try to push through mules.

The two arrests also follow a huge crackdown on smugglers sending cannabis to the UK by post.

A joint operation by both countries has seen a 90 per cent in reduction in the drug being mailed to Britain since last year.

It suggests Thai gangs may now be reverting to using drug mules to ship their products instead – and targeting British backpackers.

The FCDO said with regards to Miss Lee’s case: ‘We are supporting a British woman who has been arrested in Sri Lanka and are in contact with her family and the local authorities.’



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What a business lost when 100 pounds of cannabis products were seized

What a business lost when 100 pounds of cannabis products were seized


The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has issued two summary suspensions to a smoke shop in the state after officers allegedly seized from it 107 pounds of cannabis products, including what were reported to be illegal THC edible products.

The Department of Consumer Protection said credentials were suspended at the shop, which prohibits all e-cigarette, vape and lottery sales immediately.

The SN Smoke & Vape, located at 665 Honeyspot Road, in Stratford was suspended following a search and seizure conducted by the Stratford Police Department on April 29. A message seeking comment was left at the store.

Business owner Anas Chwiki was arrested and charged with sale of 1 kilogram or more of cannabis and supplying a controlled substance without a license.

Confiscations of allegedly illegal materials sold at smoke shops have become a regular occurence in the state; in addition to being illegal, such products are not necessarily inspected or tested for safe use by consumers, as are cannabis products sold in stores licenced by the state to do so.

According to state data, Connecticut had $2,828,675 in legal cannabis sales in the week ending April 30. The total number of products sold legally was 81,412, the data shows. It was a drop from the previous week, when 153,912 products were sold legally, the data shows.

Police: CT smoke shop inspections lead to seizure of ‘significant quantity’ of THC products

The Department of Consumer Protection said in a statement about the Stratford store that “the alleged possession and sale of illegal drugs by the agent demonstrate a lack of integrity and dishonest behavior and present an ongoing threat to lottery customers visiting the store.”

“The credentials held by SN Smoke do not authorize them to engage in the sale of the illegal cannabis products. The authorization of a credential is not a recommendation, it is the law. Any deviation from what a credential allows is illegal and unacceptable.” DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said in a statement.

“SN Smoke clearly poses a threat to the public safety of its patrons and community. The suspensions demonstrate the continual action to stop illegal operators in Connecticut. Thank you to the Stratford Police Department for their efforts.”

The shop’s Lottery Sales Agent license was initially issued on Jan. 6, 2021, and had been renewed annually and set to expire until March 31, 2026. The Electronic Cigarette Dealer registration was initially issued on June 15, 2020, and has been renewed annually, with the current permit set to expire on Feb. 28, 2026.

According to the summary suspension order from the Department of Consumer Protection, “Stratford police identified and seized the equivalent of 107.546 pounds of marijuana products, which were comprised of illegal THC edible products, illegal THC vape products, illegal THC beverages, and marijuana products.

“Some of these products were packaged in a manner appealing to children. Others, including those that were appealing to children, contained total THC hundreds or thousands of times above the amount allowed by law,” the order stated.

Police confiscate 10 pounds of marijuana, cash, edibles from Hartford smoke shop

The report also stated that the police seized $4,355 in cash. The funds were believed to be the proceeds of the alleged sale of the illegal goods, the report said.

The suspension order regarding the lottery license said, “the alleged possession and sales of illegal drugs by Mr. Chwiki from the premises demonstrate a lack of integrity and dishonest behavior in violation of Section 12-568a-5(e)(3) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. These actions seriously impair SN Smoke’s reputation for honesty and integrity as a Lottery Sales Agent and present an ongoing threat to lottery customers visiting the store.”



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Blunt Truth – Cannabis Job Fair In Detroit Offers Fast Hiring And New Careers This June

Blunt Truth – Cannabis Job Fair In Detroit Offers Fast Hiring And New Careers This June


Michigan’s cannabis sector ramps up recruiting with a job fair offering walk-in interviews and fast-tracked employment opportunities.


Michigan Cannabis Job Fair Connects Workers With In-Demand Roles

DETROIT — Job seekers in Michigan have a unique opportunity to break into one of the state’s fastest-growing sectors when the Michigan Cannabis Career Expo comes to the Radisson Hotel Detroit/Southfield on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event aims to streamline the hiring process for cannabis-related businesses and introduce candidates to a wide array of roles in cultivation, retail, manufacturing, and compliance.


Michigan Cannabis Career Expo Targets Rapid Employment

The Cannabis Career Expo is part of a broader workforce development strategy aimed at matching qualified workers with the needs of Michigan’s booming cannabis industry. According to organizers, the event will include on-site interviews with licensed cannabis operators, cultivators, and service providers across Southeast Michigan.

Michigan’s cannabis sector is evolving rapidly, and demand for qualified talent has never been higher,” said CJ Eason, President of Workforce Development at Detroit Michigan Cannabis Job Fairs. The goal is to reduce reliance on online applications by facilitating direct connections between applicants and hiring managers.


Job Growth Fueled by a Booming Michigan Cannabis Industry

The event’s timing reflects real labor demand: Michigan’s cannabis market grew over 25% in the past year, generating thousands of new jobs statewide. This mirrors statewide data released by the Michigan Department of Treasury, which showed adult-use cannabis sales exceeding $3 billion in 2024 [source: https://www.michigan.gov/treasury].

Entry-level to professional roles are available, including:

  • Budtenders
  • Cultivation Technicians
  • Extraction Specialists
  • Dispensary Managers
  • Compliance Officers
  • Edibles Chefs
  • Packaging Specialists
  • Sales Representatives

These positions often come with competitive salaries and benefits packages, reflecting a maturing job market that prioritizes both skill and retention.


Free Admission, Walk-In Interviews, and Workshops on Site

Admission to the expo is free for job seekers, and employers can register by calling (248) 237-3600. Event highlights include:

  • On-the-Spot Interviews
  • Licensing and Professional Development Workshops
  • Networking Lounges with Industry Leaders
  • Resume Reviews and Interview Coaching

According to the organizer, Cannabis Job Fairs, the goal is not only to connect workers with immediate job openings but also to encourage long-term career growth in Michigan’s legal cannabis sector.


Industry Seeks Diverse Talent and Career Starters Alike

With a workforce stretching from cultivation facilities to high-traffic dispensaries, the cannabis industry is one of the few sectors actively recruiting both seasoned professionals and career changers. Employers are seeking candidates with a variety of skills—including customer service, manufacturing experience, compliance knowledge, and culinary training.

Linda Webber, Director of Communications for Cannabis Job Fairs, noted the expo’s broad appeal: “Whether you’re coming from retail, food service, logistics, or healthcare, there are transferable skills that cannabis employers value.”


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DEA’s contrasting cannabis legalization stance in new report

DEA’s contrasting cannabis legalization stance in new report


Investigation on FL Medicaid funds’ use against marijuana reform; Reparations resolution cites drug war; DeSantis signs psychedelic spore ban

Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day.

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s new 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment claims that states that have legalized marijuana are providing cover for illicit cultivation operations by cartels—while at the same time implicitly acknowledging that ongoing prohibition in other states creates opportunities for that cannabis to be sold on the illegal market.

Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL) and Darren Soto (D-FL) are asking federal officials to investigate an organization with ties to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) over the “potentially unlawful diversion” of Medicaid funds to campaign against a marijuana legalization ballot initiative.

A Pennsylvania GOP senator who supports marijuana legalization but not via a House-passed bill to create state-run stores is suggesting slowing the process down by creating a new Cannabis Control Board to immediately regulate medical marijuana and hemp while preparing to eventually oversee the adult-use market.

  • Meanwhile, a Democratic sponsor of the House bill says the marijuana industry “would rather keep cannabis illegal in Pennsylvania than see it legalized in a way that doesn’t boost their stock prices.”

Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) filed legislation including a provision titled “Welfare For Needs Not Weed” that would prevent people from accessing federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits at marijuana dispensaries.

Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) and other Democratic lawmakers filed a resolution on the U.S.’s “moral and legal obligation to provide reparations for the crime of enslavement of Africans and its lasting harm” that notes that “Black people are still presumed dangerous and therefore are systematically targeted and criminalized under our legal system, including through the war on drugs.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed an agricultural bill that includes provisions to ban sales of spores or mycelium that can produce mushrooms containing the psychedelic compounds psilocybin or psilocyn.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) is pledging to provide administrative support and resources to the state’s new Medical Cannabis Commission as lawmakers separately prepare to begin a floor debate on medical marijuana implementation legislation on Tuesday.

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission approved changes to an application for marijuana testing labs and discussed ongoing litigation challenging their business licensing decisions.

U.S. Pain Foundation CEO Nicole Dyer authored an op-ed calling on Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) to veto a hemp product restriction bill that she says would “strip away access” to full-spectrum CBD products that she and others use to “get through the day.”

/ FEDERAL

The Drug Enforcement Administration is hosting an event about workplace drug education on June 17.

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) said in a Senate floor speech that “any” amount of marijuana “is too much.”

/ STATES

Minnesota lawmakers sent Gov. Tim Walz (D) cannabis omnibus bill. Separately, lawmakers agreed to increase marijuana taxes.

Kentucky’s state auditor spoke about her investigation into regulators’ medical cannabis business licensing process.

The New Jersey Assembly Oversight Committee held a hearing on cannabis product safety issues.

California regulators announced a recall of marijuana products due to inaccurate product type on the labels, inability to establish the licensee is manufacturing with good manufacturing practices and because they exceed the per package concentration limit for THC. Separately, regulators touted an action to seize illicit cannabis and psilocybin.

Delaware’s new top marijuana regulator was sworn in.

Rhode Island regulators established a new Cannabis Office.

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission’s executive director announced his retirement.

Colorado regulators published guidance on tracking business-to-business marijuana transfers.

Oklahoma regulators said that medical cannabis business licenses that were inadvertently canceled due to a software glitch have now been restored.

Washington State regulators sent guidance about the cannabis licensing portal.

The Illinois Medical Cannabis Advisory Board will meet on Monday.

The New York Cannabis Control Board will meet on Tuesday.


Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.


Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

/ LOCAL

New York City officials are removing padlocks on unlicensed marijuana stores they previously shuttered as court orders begin to expire.

The Minneapolis, Minnesota Park and Recreation Board approved an updated policy to ban smoking and vaping of cannabis in public parks.

/ INTERNATIONAL

The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare is considering a proposal to lower the health insurance coverage threshold for the cannabis-based medication Epidiolex.

The Australian Legalise Cannabis Party saw a nearly 30-fold increase in first preference votes for House of Representatives seats in recent elections.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that “habitual cannabis use (vs. non-use) is associated with lower peripheral inflammation with no difference in insulin sensitivity in metabolically healthy, young people.”

A review highlighted the “potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy as a promising alternative or adjunctive treatment for” alcohol use disorder.

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

A poll of Florida voters found that 53 percent support legalizing marijuana.

/ BUSINESS

Curaleaf and a former vice president of the company it accused of stealing confidential records are negotiating a settlement to resolve litigation over the matter.

Leafwire Media and CannaSpyglass formed a strategic partnership.

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Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with support from readers. If you rely on our cannabis advocacy journalism to stay informed, please consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

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Marijuana Moment – All your cannabis news, in one place

Marijuana Moment – All your cannabis news, in one place



Science & Health1 week ago

Using Medical Marijuana Leads To ‘Significant Improvement’ For Sleep Apnea Patients, Study Conducted By Minnesota Officials Shows

Minnesota officials have released the results a state-funded study showing that medical marijuana provides significant benefits for people struggling with…





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Pennsylvania House advances bill legalizing recreational marijuana

Pennsylvania House advances bill legalizing recreational marijuana


HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvanians 21 or older would be allowed to legally purchase and use marijuana under a bill that passed the state House on Wednesday, the first time a recreational cannabis proposal has been approved by either legislative chamber.

Democrats voted unanimously to advance the multifaceted bill to the Senate over unified opposition from Republicans, just as lawmakers are working out which issues will be part of the budget-season dealmaking that occurs every year at this time in Harrisburg.

The proposal was touted by the main sponsor, Democratic Rep. Rick Krajewski of Philadelphia, as a “balanced, responsible and robust framework” that will create jobs, ensure a safe product and maintain affordable prices for consumers. He noted that there were about 12,000 simple possession arrests in the state last year.

Republicans expressed concern that legalization will increase marijuana usage, cause health issues and create safety problems at workplaces. Several pointed out that marijuana is still illegal under federal law.

“The myth that this will only make cannabis available to adults is to deny reason and logic,” said Rep. Marc Anderson, a York County Republican. He predicted that “kids will get weed illegally, and it will be more dangerous.”

The bill seems likely to see changes if senators decide to act on it. Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County, a leading Republican on the issue, said on social media after the vote that there is “no path forward in the Senate for a state store model for adult-use cannabis.”

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed legalizing recreational marijuana in his budget, counting on more than $500 million in revenue during the first year, primarily through licensing fees. He is looking for new sources of cash to pay Medicaid bills, bolster struggling public transit agencies and help the poorest public schools.

The proposal would direct that sales be managed by the state-owned liquor store system, but they would occur not at the liquor stores themselves but in other retail outlets. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board would set prices and regulate how cannabis is produced, tested, transported and sold.

Some of the new tax revenue would go to help historically disadvantaged communities, with other portions designated to combat substance abuse, boost minority business development and pay for expunging marijuana-related convictions.

Rep. Tim Bonner, a Mercer County Republican, argued that the expungement mechanism would improperly impinge on the state courts, but Democratic backers said they were confident the provision will withstand legal scrutiny.

Under the bill, drivers who are not considered impaired but have traces of marijuana in their blood would not be subject to driving-under-the-influence charges. State residents would be allowed to grow a small number of plants if they obtain a home cultivation permit.

There are 24 states that currently allow recreational marijuana and 14 others that permit it only for medical purposes. Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana in 2016 for patients with certain qualifying conditions and the assent of a physician.

Democratic state Sen. Sharif Street of Philadelphia, who supports legalization, said the House bill lacks majority support in the Senate. A pair of bills that languished during the last legislative session called for a much different public sales method, involving state licensing of private retail dispensaries.

Chris Goldstein, the Pennsylvania regional organizer for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said opponents of putting marijuana sales in the hands of the liquor store system consider the House bill a centralized approach that would not do much to foster small businesses.

“This is so far away from anything we see in other states, it’s just not something that consumers are familiar with,” Goldstein said. “That’s not what people want.”



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Nebraska AG Takes Critical Aim at New Medical Cannabis Legislation | KLIN

Nebraska AG Takes Critical Aim at New Medical Cannabis Legislation | KLIN


Nebraska Attorney General (AG) Mike Hilgers, along with major state law enforcement associations, came out Wednesday in strong opposition to Amendment 1251 to LB677 — a bill and its amendment outlining the implementation of medical marijuana legislation recently mandated by more than 70% of voters on the November 2024 ballot.

Hilgers characterized the 124-page AM1251 as “tearing up the regulatory system the voters passed and, in its place, paving the way for recreational marijuana, supercharging casual use in Nebraska, and significantly weakening public safety.”

The AG was joined by the Nebraska Sheriffs’ Association, the Police Chiefs Association of Nebraska, and other statewide law enforcement leaders in signing a formal letter to Speaker of the Legislature John Arch, outlining their concerns.

“It provides blanket immunity from civil and criminal penalties to unscrupulous health practitioners, and pushes marijuana into every nook and cranny in the state,” Hilgers said.

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana Executive Director, Crista Eggers, responded Wednesday, saying “we will never stop fighting.”

“There is no greater hypocrisy than Attorney General Hilgers urging the Legislature to respect the will of the voters—after actively working to undermine it at the ballot box, in the courts, and within the Legislature itself. Attorney General Hilgers’ continued legal challenges and now attempts to manipulate the legislature are among the primary reasons why Nebraskans still lack—and may continue to be denied—legal access to safe, regulated medical cannabis,” said Eggers.



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