canna BUZZ
German Legalization Takes on New Look
Germany is set to scale back its initial plans to legalize cannabis amid legal hurdles at the European level . After an initial optimism signaled by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach , who announced a bill to legalize cannabis in the coming weeks following “ very good feedback ” from the European Commission , Germany announced it is revising its plans on how to regulate the legal industry . Under the scaledback plan , adults will be able to grow up to three cannabis plants at home and buy weed in clubs of up to 500 members , which must be non-profit . Cannabis clubs already exist in Spain and Malta . In addition , possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis is to be made legal . However , there will be a ban on advertising the drug , a limit on THC for under 21-year-olds , and consumption will be restricted to specific areas . Lauterbach says home cultivation and cannabis clubs form the first of two pillars in Germany ’ s push to legalize .
Cannabis Sales Sky High in Michigan
Michigan cannabis sales reached a record high in March , with nearly $ 250 million in combined recreational and medical cannabis purchases , according to state regulators . The lion ’ s share of those sales came from the adult-use market , which saw $ 239.8 million worth of marijuana products sold in March . Medical marijuana purchases reached $ 9.8 million during the same time span . Most of the cannabis purchases came from flower , followed by vape cartridges , and infused edibles , the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency ( CRA ) data shows . The state is seeing these record-setting sales even as the average cost of cannabis has remained at record lows , with the price of an ounce now hovering around $ 90 . In December 2021 , by contrast , the cost of an ounce was about $ 180 . Michigan regulators announced last year they were issuing another round of grants to support research into the therapeutic benefits of marijuana for military veterans , using tax dollars the state generated from cannabis sales .
Unique Group Gets New York Retail Cannabis License
Showing their commitment to promoting an equitable cannabis industry for those disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs , New York ’ s Office of Cannabis Management recently awarded a conditional adult-use retail dispensary ( CAURD ) license to Coss Marte , Alfredo Angueira , and Junior Martinez , co-founders of CONBUD — the world ’ s first cannabis dispensary run and operated by formerly incarcerated individuals . CONBUD will celebrate the grand opening of its Manhattan storefront in early fall 2023 with delivery service to all five boroughs starting this summer . “ For the hundreds of thousands of Black and Brown New Yorkers like me who spent years doing time for cannabis offenses , this opportunity is our 40 acres and a mule ,” says Marte , CONBUD ’ s CEO , who did six years in state prison for a cannabis arrest when he was only 13 . CAURD licensees are the first retail dispensaries to open for legal adult-use cannabis sales in New York , establishing businesses owned by justice-involved individuals as the bedrock of the state ’ s burgeoning cannabis industry .
Court Upholds Ban on Home-Growing in Quebec
Quebec ’ s ban on homegrown cannabis plants is constitutional , the Supreme Court of Canada recently ruled in a unanimous decision . The ruling is in a case first brought before the courts in 2019 by Janick Murray-Hall . Canadian federal law allows people to grow or own up to four cannabis plants at home , but the Quebec government banned growing for personal use . Murray-Hall ’ s lawyer argued Quebec ’ s ban on owning and cultivating plants for personal use is unconstitutional and contradicts the federal cannabis law enacted in 2018 , but the Supreme Court emphatically disagreed . According to the ruling , the provincial law meshes well with the overall goals of the federal one , which include protecting the health and security of the public and steering users away from the black market . The court upheld Quebec ’ s legislation that home-growing should be prohibited to steer consumers to the government controlled source of supply , according to the ruling .
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