Latest news with #NationalOrganizationfortheReformofMarijuanaLaws
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
One question dogs Pennsylvania's cannabis debate: Should big businesses have a leg up?
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — It wasn't simply opposition to recreational marijuana that led a GOP-led state Senate panel to roundly reject a Democratic pitch to legalize the drug earlier this month. Lawmakers balked at selling cannabis at state-run stores similar to Pennsylvania's liquor shops and shutting out existing medical dispensaries. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Since that vote, there hasn't been any public movement on legalization, and it's unlikely any deal will be reached by the June 30 budget deadline. That's because of the complexity of the issue and lawmakers' significant remaining areas of disagreement, including just how much of a leg up existing cannabis companies should get in a potentially multibillion-dollar market. As the legislature mulls that question, major companies that sell medical marijuana in Pennsylvania and recreational cannabis in other states are spending millions of dollars to influence them. At least two of the legalization proposals circulating in Harrisburg would allow medical sellers to convert to recreational sales, according to the bills' sponsors. Entering the recreational market first offers a major advantage, often letting sellers begin operating before stricter regulations are fully enacted and capturing a significant share of customers before competitors are off the ground. That happened in Maryland when recreational cannabis was legalized in 2023: medical dispensaries were allowed to immediately begin selling to recreational customers, while social equity applicants had to wait nearly a year for licensing approval before beginning the process of setting up stores. As they waited, medical and adult-use sales exceeded $1.1 billion. Cannabis companies are willing to spend heavily to secure that kind of head start, said Chris Goldstein, a Pennsylvania-based advocate with the pro-legalization National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. In 2024 alone, cannabis companies spent at least $1.6 million lobbying lawmakers in Pennsylvania. Big cannabis companies also have the resources to sue when they oppose regulations. A lawsuit brought by a multistate operator, for instance, led federal courts to strike down Maine's requirement that license holders be state residents. Goldstein said lobbying and lawsuits can make it difficult for states to enact consumer protection regulations that succeed at making a market competitive for smaller businesses. 'States are trying to compete against international multibillion-dollar corporations who have lobbyists, lots of money, and … are quite litigious to boot,' Goldstein said. Goldstein favors excluding existing medical cannabis dispensaries from recreational sales, a proposition that appears unlikely to succeed with Pennsylvania lawmakers. But other consumer advocates say there are ways for the state legislature to prioritize small businesses, especially those impacted by the war on drugs, while still allowing medical sellers to participate in the industry. Kristal Bush is a cannabis advocate who formerly worked for Trulieve, one of the largest cannabis companies in the U.S. If Pennsylvania legalizes recreational cannabis, she believes it should delay commercial sales to give small businesses time to set up dispensaries. Moving too quickly without giving them this setup time, she said, is what enables legacy businesses to dominate the industry. 'If we're just pushing for legalization this year … that's not enough time to get people that [are not] on the legacy market the resources to be able to compete,' Bush told Spotlight PA. 'We're really setting our people up for failure.' Bush said the state should work with small businesses to provide 'pre-industry support' over the next few years. That includes the state proactively looking for social equity applicants, providing training and technical assistance for those applicants, and creating workforce development programs for the cannabis industry, all before legalization occurs. She supports allowing medical dispensaries to convert their existing licenses to permit recreational sales. However, Bush thinks all new licenses should be reserved for small business owners, particularly those from communities disproportionately impacted by the criminalization of cannabis. All of the proposals on the table in Pennsylvania include social equity measures. Ideas include directing tax revenue to grant and loan programs for communities impacted by the war on drugs and expunging the records of individuals convicted of nonviolent marijuana-related crimes. Damian Fagon — director of the Bronx Cannabis Hub, which helps residents navigate New York's cannabis laws, and former chief equity officer of the state's Office of Cannabis Management — said the legislature can also implement policies to make the industry more equitable once it's up and running. For example, he suggested lawmakers could require dispensaries to stock a certain percentage of their inventory from cannabis growers based in Pennsylvania or from those who qualify as social equity licensees. Fagon emphasized that achieving equity depends on allowing medical sellers and small businesses to access the recreational market at the same time, though he acknowledged that synchronizing this rollout would be challenging. New York did not initially allow its small network of medical cannabis sellers to join the recreational market, instead prioritizing the establishment of dispensaries run by those harmed by marijuana prohibition. The lack of licensed dispensaries resulted in a large illicit market. 'There are entrenched interests in Pennsylvania that you know will have a lot of influence over this legislative process, and not in the way that advantages small business,' Fagon said. Lobbyists for large medical cannabis companies have pushed back against proposals aimed at excluding existing sellers, arguing that these approaches would just harm consumers. Meredith Buettner, executive director of the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition — a trade group representing medical cannabis sellers and associated businesses — said medical companies have already invested millions to build a robust network that could easily transition into the recreational market. She also warned that barring medical dispensaries from the recreational market could lead to a surge in unlicensed sellers, similar to what happened in New York. 'Instead of reinventing the wheel, Pennsylvanians would be best served by allowing the medical industry to continue in the market they already invested millions in,' Buettner told Spotlight PA. Several consumer protection advocates who focus on the country's burgeoning recreational cannabis industry told Spotlight PA that they would have reservations about bills that allow well-established sellers to enter Pennsylvania's new market without strict guidelines, such as limits on how many licenses medical sellers can obtain or mandating the dispensaries to stock products from local growers. Lawmakers are floating legalization proposals in Harrisburg, but none have formally introduced bill language yet. However, a previous version of a bill backed by state Sen. Dan Laughlin (R., Erie) — who heads a key committee and has the best shot at pushing a measure through the chamber — included restrictions on the number of licenses and required medical sellers seeking a recreational license to 'sponsor' a social equity candidate. Laughlin has declined to comment on when he plans to reintroduce his bill, saying recently it's 'not ready yet. ' While many lawmakers' goal was to include a legal cannabis deal in this year's budget — bringing with it badly needed revenue — it's looking less likely, according to at least one key member. Asked whether a cannabis agreement looked possible by the end of next month, state Rep. Rick Krajewski (D., Philadelphia), a sponsor of his chamber's now-dead state store bill, told Spotlight PA, 'I don't think so, unless [the state Senate's] tune changes.' 'The Senate has to get serious, and they have to either bring up the bill for reconsideration or send us something else,' he said. State House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D., Montgomery) said his chamber, having already advanced its pitch, is taking a backseat. He's now waiting to see if the state Senate will pass its own legalization bill. A spokesperson for the upper chamber did not return a request for comment. If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Scavenger hunt turned manhunt? Police say a man hid Easter eggs with weed in city parks
Texas police are searching for a man who they say hid plastic eggs full of marijuana in parks as part of a scavenger hunt, and offered clues to people who bought drugs from him the day of the event. The man, 23-year-old Avante Nicholson, posted about the eggs on Facebook, almost like he was hosting a 'scavenger hunt,' police said in a news release. The eggs were allegedly hidden on April 20 in three city parks and a motel in Lufkin, about 133 miles northeast of Houston. He also said those who bought drugs from him that day would get clues on how to find the eggs, police said. Police have issued four felony warrants for Nicholson's arrest: three for delivery of marijuana in a drug-free zone, and one for the delivery of marijuana. Police said someone called in a tip about Facebook posts Nicholson allegedly made. Officers found eggs in Morris Frank, Winston and Grace Dunn Richardson parks, as well as one behind a Motel 6. According to police, Nicholson allegedly posted a photo of five plastic eggs inside a vehicle, as well as photos containing hints as to where participants could find the eggs. According to police, they found four eggs and the next day, a man and his granddaughter at Winston Park found a fifth egg and took it to the police station. Police searched the Facebook page that posted the clues, then confirmed it belonged to Nicholson. They also saw references on his page to selling narcotics, as well as posts that said customers who 'shopped' with him the day of the scavenger hunt would get clues about the eggs. Police said the eggs contained more than a quarter of an ounce of marijuana. According to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Texas marijuana laws are as follows: Sale or delivery of 7 grams of marijuana or less (as a gift) - Misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days imprisonment and fines up to $2,000. Sale or delivery of 7 grams of marijuana or less - Misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment of up to 1 year and fines up to $4,000. Sale or delivery of between 7 grams and 5 pounds of marijuana - Felony punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 180 days imprisonment, a maximum of two years imprisonment, and fines up to $10,000. Sentences go up from there, according to the organization. 'Incidents like this are a reminder of why (we) take seriously all information called into our offices,' Lufkin Police Chief David Thomas said in the news release. 'The safety of our community is at the forefront of everything we do. And in cases such as this, when it endangers children, we are even more vigilant.' Police ask that anyone with information about Nicholson's whereabouts contact CrimeStoppers at (936) 639-8477, or at Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Man wanted for hiding marijuana-filled Easter eggs in scavenger hunt
Indianapolis Star
28-04-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Scavenger hunt turned manhunt? Police say a man hid Easter eggs with weed in city parks
Texas police are searching for a man who they say hid plastic eggs full of marijuana in parks as part of a scavenger hunt, and offered clues to people who bought drugs from him the day of the event. The man, 23-year-old Avante Nicholson, posted about the eggs on Facebook, almost like he was hosting a 'scavenger hunt,' police said in a news release. The eggs were allegedly hidden on April 20 in three city parks and a motel in Lufkin, about 133 miles northeast of Houston. He also said those who bought drugs from him that day would get clues on how to find the eggs, police said. Police have issued four felony warrants for Nicholson's arrest: three for delivery of marijuana in a drug-free zone, and one for the delivery of marijuana. Man teased scavenger hunt clues Police said someone called in a tip about Facebook posts Nicholson allegedly made. Officers found eggs in Morris Frank, Winston and Grace Dunn Richardson parks, as well as one behind a Motel 6. According to police, Nicholson allegedly posted a photo of five plastic eggs inside a vehicle, as well as photos containing hints as to where participants could find the eggs. According to police, they found four eggs and the next day, a man and his granddaughter at Winston Park found a fifth egg and took it to the police station. Police searched the Facebook page that posted the clues, then confirmed it belonged to Nicholson. They also saw references on his page to selling narcotics, as well as posts that said customers who 'shopped' with him the day of the scavenger hunt would get clues about the eggs. Police said the eggs contained more than a quarter of an ounce of marijuana. What are the marijuana laws in Texas? According to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Texas marijuana laws are as follows: Sale or delivery of 7 grams of marijuana or less (as a gift) - Misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days imprisonment and fines up to $2,000. Sale or delivery of 7 grams of marijuana or less - Misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment of up to 1 year and fines up to $4,000. Sale or delivery of between 7 grams and 5 pounds of marijuana - Felony punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 180 days imprisonment, a maximum of two years imprisonment, and fines up to $10,000. Sentences go up from there, according to the organization. Police still looking for Nicholson 'Incidents like this are a reminder of why (we) take seriously all information called into our offices,' Lufkin Police Chief David Thomas said in the news release. 'The safety of our community is at the forefront of everything we do. And in cases such as this, when it endangers children, we are even more vigilant.' Police ask that anyone with information about Nicholson's whereabouts contact CrimeStoppers at (936) 639-8477, or at
USA Today
28-04-2025
- USA Today
Scavenger hunt turned manhunt? Police say a man hid Easter eggs with weed in city parks
Scavenger hunt turned manhunt? Police say a man hid Easter eggs with weed in city parks Texas police are searching for a man who they say hid plastic eggs full of marijuana in parks as part of a scavenger hunt, and offered clues to people who bought drugs from him the day of the event. The man, 23-year-old Avante Nicholson, posted about the eggs on Facebook, almost like he was hosting a 'scavenger hunt,' police said in a news release. The eggs were allegedly hidden on April 20 in three city parks and a motel in Lufkin, about 133 miles northeast of Houston. He also said those who bought drugs from him that day would get clues on how to find the eggs, police said. Police have issued four felony warrants for Nicholson's arrest: three for delivery of marijuana in a drug-free zone, and one for the delivery of marijuana. Man teased scavenger hunt clues Police said someone called in a tip about Facebook posts Nicholson allegedly made. Officers found eggs in Morris Frank, Winston and Grace Dunn Richardson parks, as well as one behind a Motel 6. According to police, Nicholson allegedly posted a photo of five plastic eggs inside a vehicle, as well as photos containing hints as to where participants could find the eggs. According to police, they found four eggs and the next day, a man and his granddaughter at Winston Park found a fifth egg and took it to the police station. Police searched the Facebook page that posted the clues, then confirmed it belonged to Nicholson. They also saw references on his page to selling narcotics, as well as posts that said customers who 'shopped' with him the day of the scavenger hunt would get clues about the eggs. Police said the eggs contained more than a quarter of an ounce of marijuana. According to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Texas marijuana laws are as follows: Sale or delivery of 7 grams of marijuana or less (as a gift) - Misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days imprisonment and fines up to $2,000. Sale or delivery of 7 grams of marijuana or less - Misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment of up to 1 year and fines up to $4,000. Sale or delivery of between 7 grams and 5 pounds of marijuana - Felony punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 180 days imprisonment, a maximum of two years imprisonment, and fines up to $10,000. Sentences go up from there, according to the organization. 'Incidents like this are a reminder of why (we) take seriously all information called into our offices,' Lufkin Police Chief David Thomas said in the news release. 'The safety of our community is at the forefront of everything we do. And in cases such as this, when it endangers children, we are even more vigilant.' Police ask that anyone with information about Nicholson's whereabouts contact CrimeStoppers at (936) 639-8477, or at Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legalized marijuana hits roadblocks after years of expansion
A recreational marijuana user smokes weed in the Bushwick section of the Brooklyn borough of New York City. This year, marijuana advocates are playing defense in multiple state legislatures. () As every state surrounding Idaho legalized marijuana, state Rep. Bruce Skaug started to view it as inevitable that the Gem State would follow suit. Not anymore. Skaug, a Republican, supported two bills this legislative session taking aim at marijuana use: one to impose a mandatory minimum $300 fine for possession and another that would take away the right of voters to legalize pot at the ballot box. He believes other states are starting to regret liberalizing marijuana use, because of potential health concerns and lackluster revenues from marijuana sales. 'Looking around at other states that have legalized marijuana, it's not improved their states as a place to raise a family, to do business,' he said. 'It just hasn't come through with the promises that we heard years ago for those states.' Idaho's not alone. After years of expanding legal access, lawmakers in several states this year have targeted marijuana in various ways. To help close budget gaps, officials in Maryland, Michigan and New Jersey have proposed raising marijuana taxes. Health concerns have pushed lawmakers in states including Colorado and Montana to attempt to cap the level of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, in marijuana products sold at dispensaries. And some lawmakers have even tried to roll back voter-approved medical marijuana programs. Looking around at other states that have legalized marijuana, it's not improved their states. – Idaho Republican state Rep. Bruce Skaug 'This year in particular, we're playing defense a lot more than we have in the past,' said Morgan Fox, political director at the advocacy group National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML. To some extent, he said, the pendulum on marijuana liberalization is swinging back. But Fox said recent legislative efforts are not indicative of waning public support for legalization. He said prohibitionist politicians have been emboldened to act against the will of voters. Polling from the Pew Research Center has found little change in support for legalization in recent years: 57% of U.S. adults say that marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational purposes. Indiana Republican leadership seems as opposed as ever to marijuana legalization. In fact, this year bills are moving to ban advertising the illegal product in the state. Colorado and Washington state began allowing recreational marijuana sales in 2014. Today, 24 states and the District of Columbia allow recreational sales, and 39 states and the district have sanctioned medical marijuana. 'There's been this air of inevitability for a while,' said Daniel Mallinson, an associate professor of public policy at Penn State Harrisburg who researches marijuana legalization. With medical marijuana programs operational in most states, Mallinson said there is pressure to expand recreational marijuana, especially given uncertainty over whether the federal government will act on the issue. 'Recreational is still in its takeoff period,' he said. But he acknowledged that new medical research has raised concerns among some lawmakers. One study published in January found a link between heavy marijuana use and memory function. Other studies have found a higher risk of heart attacks among people who use cannabis. Mallinson said the research on marijuana is 'very young,' as many institutions are wary of conducting clinical trials because of federal drug laws. The federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug — the same classification as drugs such as heroin and ecstasy. 'There's a mixture of science and politics in this area,' he said. ' … I could imagine seeing in these really conservative states like Idaho, you know, this kind of a backlash, like, we don't want this here at all, so we're going to try to put up barriers to even considering it.' In Idaho, Skaug said he pursued the state's new mandatory $300 fine for marijuana possession to bring more consistency to how the state handles marijuana cases. While Idaho law previously allowed fines of up to $1,000, he said judges had issued fines as low as $2.50. Pot smell and safety concerns ignite disputes over public smoking 'So that wasn't the right message. That's not even worth the time to write the ticket,' he said. 'So it's not that we're going to arrest more people for misdemeanor possession of marijuana, but there will be more citations in the amount of $300.' Skaug also backed a proposed constitutional amendment that would give only the legislature the power to legalize marijuana and other drugs. That question will go to voters next year. Skaug said he's worried outside groups would influence a public vote to legalize marijuana by pouring millions into a ballot initiative campaign. If the amendment he supports passes, it wouldn't ban pot — it would leave legalization up to lawmakers. 'If the evidence comes back that says marijuana or some other drug is positive in the medical community and a good thing, then the legislature can legalize that,' he said. 'But we're going to leave it with the legislature.' Advocates have been trying without success to get enough signatures to put a medical marijuana question on the ballot for more than a decade in Idaho, said Democratic state Rep. Ilana Rubel. The House minority leader, Rubel said she hit 'a firm brick wall' in pitching medical marijuana legislation in Boise, where GOP lawmakers privately tell her they don't want to look soft on crime. She views the proposed amendment as another example of the GOP-controlled statehouse being out of touch with regular Idahoans. She said the state's closed Republican primaries have led to more conservative stances from lawmakers. 'I think this is one of those issues where there is just a huge, huge gap between what the people of Idaho want and what they're going to get from their legislature,' she said. A 2022 poll commissioned by the Idaho Statesman found that nearly 70% of Idahoans supported legalizing medical marijuana. But even discussions about medical marijuana are shut down in Idaho because of concerns about problems with drugs in liberal cities such as Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Rubel said. 'A very large number of red states have legalized medical marijuana, and they haven't seen any of the parade of horribles that has been presented whenever we introduce this idea,' she said. 'There's just a lot of hysteria and paranoia about where this is going to lead that is really not tied to reality.' In several states, lawmakers have aimed to restrict the potency of marijuana products. Montana state Sen. Greg Hertz, a Republican, said he doesn't want to end recreational marijuana sales, which voters approved in 2020. But he said today's products are much stronger than people may realize. 'People were voting for Woodstock weed, not this new high-THC marijuana,' he said. A bill he sponsored this year would have banned sales of recreational marijuana products, including flower and edibles, exceeding THC levels of 15%. Montana currently allows up to 35% THC in flower, with no limit on other products. That legislation stalled, but Hertz said he plans to pitch a similar measure during Montana's next legislative session in 2027. A separate bill reducing the state's dosage of THC for edibles just passed the legislature last week. The measure, which now heads to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, would change the individual dosage limit on edibles such as gummies from 10 milligrams to 5 milligrams. Hertz said the state rushed into its liberalization of marijuana without fully understanding the consequences. He pointed to state health department data showing rising emergency room visits related to marijuana and dozens of cannabis poisoning cases in recent years — including 36 involving children 10 years or younger. 'We probably opened up the barn door too wide,' he said. 'I'm just trying to slow this down a little bit.' With many states facing gaping budget holes this year, marijuana has proven a popular target from Democrats and Republicans looking to raise revenues without across-the-board tax increases. CONTACT US Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore in January proposed hiking the cannabis tax from 9% to 15% to help close the state's $3 billion budget hole. In March, lawmakers agreed to a budget framework that would raise the state marijuana tax to 12%. Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine proposed doubling marijuana taxes from 10% to 20% — a notion that has so far faced opposition in the legislature. In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed a new 32% wholesale tax on marijuana growers to help fund road improvements. That tax would be on top of the 10% excise tax on recreational marijuana and the state's 6% sales tax. Whitmer said it would close a loophole that has exempted the marijuana industry from wholesale tax, which is applied to cigarettes and other tobacco products. Michigan lawmakers, split sharply along partisan lines, have until Sept. 30 to approve a state budget. Lawmakers in some states have even taken aim at voter-approved medical marijuana programs this year. In South Dakota, a bill that failed in committee would have gutted the medical marijuana program overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2020. In November, Nebraska voters widely supported ballot measures to roll out a medical marijuana program — winning majority support in each of the state's 49 legislative districts. But setting up the regulatory scheme has proven controversial, the Nebraska Examiner reported. Lawmakers are pursuing legislation that would define which medical conditions and forms of cannabis would qualify. Medical marijuana advocates say overly strict rules would hamper the program and undermine the will of voters. But some legislators insist on limitations to prevent widespread access to marijuana. 'We make it legal for anything and everything, it's essentially recreational marijuana at that point,' state Sen. Rick Holdcroft, a Republican, told the Nebraska Examiner this month. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@
