Dispensaries

Nearly 70 New York state lawmakers sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul urging her to sign the Cannabis Crop Rescue Act, which lawmakers approved in June to allow licensed cannabis farmers to sell their products to dispensaries located on Tribal lands.

The Pennsylvania Senate last week passed a proposal that would allow more licensed medical cannabis companies to operate as dispensaries — currently, just five of the state’s 25 cannabis companies are allowed to retail medical cannabis products.

The McHenry County, Illinois State Attorney is requiring adult-use cannabis dispensaries in the county to display signs that warn “cannabis use may contribute to mental health problems.”

Workers at a Phoenix, Arizona dispensary went on strike last week after the company, Curaleaf Midtown, failed to negotiate a contract despite workers having voted to join the UFCW Local 99 union last summer.

California lawmakers have passed a bill to allow cannabis cafes in the state, sending the proposal to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for final approval.

Adult-use cannabis dispensaries in Massachusetts have sold more than $5 billion worth of product since the market launched in 2018.

Medical cannabis sales in Arizona have fallen to their lowest point yet since the January 2021 launch of the state’s adult-use marketplace.

Connecticut adult-use cannabis retailers sold $13 million worth of product in July while medical cannabis sales continued to decline for the second consecutive month, sliding to $10.6 million.

Adult-use cannabis retailers in Maine set yet another sales record in July at $20.9 million; it’s the third month in a row of record sales for the state’s cannabis dispensaries.

Maryland dispensaries sold nearly $85 million worth of cannabis products in July, which was the state’s first month of legal adult-use sales.

Massachusetts’ medical and adult-use cannabis sales each set a new record in June at $1.079 million and $1.32 million, respectively.

Adult-use cannabis sales took effect in Maryland over the weekend on July 1, about eight months after voters passed the state’s cannabis legalization initiative.

The California Department of Cannabis Control awarded 18 municipalities with $4.145 million in grants aimed at expanding access to licensed retail cannabis throughout the state.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that teenagers living in ZIP codes with operating medical cannabis dispensaries are less likely to consume cannabis than teenagers who live in areas without them.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill to legalize the online sale of cannabis products. Under the new law, customers must provide proof of age and purchases must be picked up in person.

A recent report by New Frontier Data found that slightly more than half – 52% – of cannabis consumers in adult-use markets get their cannabis primarily from dispensaries.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed the state’s budget bill on Thursday, securing $16 million to help officials crack down on unlicensed cannabis operators.

Multiple Harlem-based businesses together filed a lawsuit this week that seeks to prevent the opening of a planned adult-use dispensary in the area.

Georgia officials issued licenses this week for the state’s first five medical cannabis dispensaries.

Arkansas medical cannabis sales during the first quarter of 2023 were up about 7% compared to the same time period last year.

Under an executive budget proposal by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), the Ohio Board of Pharmacy would no longer be responsible for regulating the state’s medical cannabis dispensaries.

A recent survey found that Portland, Oregon is the best-ranked U.S. city for cannabis shoppers due to its high number of dispensaries per capita and affordable prices.