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Mississippi Senate Passes Medical Cannabis Reform Bill with ‘Right to Try’ Provisions  

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Mississippi Senate Passes Medical Cannabis Reform Bill with ‘Right to Try’ Provisions  

The Mississippi Senate last week approved a medical cannabis reform bill that includes ‘right-to-try’ provisions and expansions of the ID program. WAPT reports. The measure had already passed the House of Representatives and goes to Governor Tate Reeves (R) for final approval.

The legislation also removes THC potency limits for tinctures, oils and concentrates available through the medical cannabis program. THC caps on flowers available through the program remain limited to 30%. Removing this cap will allow high-THC products, such as Rick Simpson oil, to be available through the medical cannabis program for the first time.

The final version of the bill allows medical cannabis ID cards to remain valid for one year, as opposed to the two years included in the draft approved by the House. The proposal increases background check requirements for caregivers from one to two years, but maintains the requirement that enrolled patients follow up with their medical provider every six months, but allows providers to adjust that timeframe based on individual patient needs.

The original version of the bill, which passed the House of Representatives, sought to increase the validity period of the guardian ID card to five years, but this provision was removed by the Senate.

TG joined Ganjapreneur in 2014 as a news writer and began hosting the Ganjapreneur podcast in 2016. He is based in upstate New York, where he also teaches media at a local university.

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adult use

Virginia Officials Reach Compromise to Launch Legal Cannabis Sales Next July

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Virginia Officials Reach Compromise to Launch Legal Cannabis Sales Next July

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) reached a compromise with state lawmakers to add provisions legalizing the commercial cultivation and sale of adult-use cannabis to the state budget. WTOP reports.

Under the agreement, adult-use sales will begin on July 1, 2027. The industry will initially be taxed at 6%, rising to 8% in 2029, and local governments will be able to levy an additional tax on cannabis of between 1% and 3.5%.

Governor last month vetoed a cannabis sales proposal sent to her desk by lawmakers, despite a campaign promise to support the establishment of legal sales. Spanberger had initially requested changes to the proposal, but lawmakers instead sent their original proposal back for reconsideration, which she rejected.

“In the end, we all wanted to provide a market that the Commonwealth could effectively implement over the long term. We’ve always had the same end goal, an end goal that’s been years in the making.” – Spanberger, at a press conference

The vetoed legislation would have launched the adult-use market on Jan. 1, 2027, but lawmakers settled on the governor’s delayed start date. The agreement includes a total of 350 cannabis business licenses, although the governor’s proposal had reduced the number of licenses to 200.

The sales agreement also creates a new $250 fine for public consumption of cannabis, although the governor had proposed making the offense a Class 4 misdemeanor, the report said.

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California

Los Angeles Votes to Raise Taxes on Unlicensed Cannabis Shops

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Los Angeles Votes to Raise Taxes on Unlicensed Cannabis Shops

During the city’s recent midterm elections, Los Angeles voters approved Measure CB, which would require unlicensed cannabis distributors within city limits to pay taxes required of city-licensed vendors. NBC Los Angeles reports.

Currently, only licensed distributors must pay the city’s 10% cannabis business tax.

Voters approved the CB measure with 72% support. The measure was projected to raise between $30 million and $35 million in new tax revenue annually.

According to the report, the city also passed Measure TC, which closes tax loopholes for online hotel reservations.

Meanwhile, in March, the Los Angeles City Council asked The Finance Office drafted language to create an “amnesty” program for the city’s licensed cannabis businesses, which at the time collectively owed more than $400 million in back taxes and fees.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Graham is the editor-in-chief of Ganjapreneur. He has been writing about the legalization landscape since 2012 and has contributed to Ganjapreneur since our official launch in…

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cannabis policy

Pennsylvania Senate Rejects Bill to Create Cannabis Control Board

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Pennsylvania Senate Rejects Bill to Create Cannabis Control Board

The Pennsylvania Senate rejected it lEGISLATION to remove oversight of the state’s medical cannabis program from the Department of Health and create a new and independent Pennsylvania Cannabis Control Board, PennLive reports.

Authored by state Sen. Dan Laughlin (R), the proposal would also give the new agency regulatory power over intoxicating hemp products, as well as any future grow-out cannabis markets in the state.

Laughlin said he knew the proposal would be opposed by some Republicans, but that he didn’t know until the last minute that Democrats would unite against the proposal. Lawmakers opposed the bill 23-27 on Wednesday, with six Republicans against and two Democrats in support.

“I knew it was a risk to put it up for a vote because there was some discussion going back and forth.” – Laughlin, in a statement

However, lawmakers followed up the rejection with a vote allowing the bill to be reconsidered later.

“We’re going to get another pass on that,” Laughlin said. “I’m not sure when, but hopefully by the end of June.”

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) supports the legalization of cannabis for adult use and INCLUDING Revenue from cannabis taxes in his 2026-2027 state budget plan.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Graham is the editor-in-chief of Ganjapreneur. He has been writing about the legalization landscape since 2012 and has contributed to Ganjapreneur since our official launch in…

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