NATIONAL NEWS

AS of August 1, police in Louisiana are not allowed to use the odor of marijuana as probable cause to search a person’s home without a warrant. On the other side of the coin, smoking or vaping marijuana in a vehicle will be illegal. Those are just two of the laws passed in this year’s Louisiana Legislative session that went into effect the beginning of August related to the regulation of marijuana in the state. Lawmakers also included employment protections for state workers who are medical marijuana patients.

ACT 473 PROHIBITS POLICE FROM USING THE SMELL OF MARIJUANA COMING FROM A PERSON’S HOME AS PROBABLE CAUSE FOR A SEARCH WITHOUT A WARRANT.

Great New York State Fair officials said in August that smoking marijuana will be allowed again this year, but only at six designated outdoor smoking areas around the perimeter of the fairgrounds. Since New York legalized the adult use of Cannabis, the law now allows smoking weed wherever tobacco smoking is permitted. Last year was the first year smoking marijuana was allowed at the Fair in smoking areas. Officials say the new policy has caused no real issues. Mike Caporin of Syracuse said he ”just hopes” the smell of marijuana smoke won’t “ruin his experience” at the fair. We certainly see no reason why it would ... any more than the smell of, say, carnival food, or the aroma of the farm exhibit.

HEALTH & SCIENCE

STUDY: CANNABIS SMOKERS HAVE FEWER NASAL PROBLEMS

Smoking marijuana could help keep sinus problems at bay, according to a new study. The study found people who use Cannabis may experience fewer bouts of congestion, sneezing and sinus pain than their nonsmoking peers do. But the reasons why, for now, remain cloudy. The study of nearly 2,300 U.S. adults found, as expected, tobacco smokers are often plagued by such symptoms. But the same just did not hold true for regular pot users. The findings, experts warned, don’t mean that people can simply chase away a runny nose by firing up a doob. It may not be that simple, and it’s not clear that the herb is actually protective.

“THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY SUGGEST THAT A HIGHER FREQUENCY OF CANNABIS USE IS ASSOCIATED WITH A LOWER LIKELIHOOD OF SINONASAL SYMPTOMS,” ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORS.

THE SOUTH

FLORIDA LEGALIZATION DRIVE KICKS OFF FOR 2024

Advocates on August 8 filed a proposed constitutional amendment to allow adult use of marijuana by people 21 and older in Florida. The Tallahassee-based Trulieve contributed $5 million to the effort to get the measure on the 2024 ballot. Also expected to support the campaign are other multi-state medical marijuana corporations operating in Florida. Florida voters in 2016 approved a constitutional amendment to legalize medical TRULIEVE, THE STATE’S LARGEST Cannabis. While past MEDICAL-MARIJUANA OPERATOR, AND COUNTRY MUSIC LEGENDS THE adult-use Cannabis BELLAMY BROTHERS ARE BACKING initiatives have failed THE EFFORT. in Florida, supporters of the new proposal say they’re confident it will satisfy Florida Supreme Court requirements to make it onto the ballot. They believe it will also gain voter support.

THE SOUTH

MISSISSIPPI WILL ALLOW MEDICAL DISPENSARIES

Areport shows that Mississippi has licensed 107 medical marijuana facilities, with 93 listed as dispensaries. The Magnolia State’s medical marijuana law went into effect in February. After Mississippi voters overwhelmingly approved medical marijuana in November 2020, their wishes were rebuffed by the good-old-boy Mississippi Supreme Court. That led, 15 months later, to the Mississippi Legislature reluctantly acceding to the wishes of the people by passing a medical marijuana law because they understandably had a sizable contingent of pissed-off constituents on their hands. But wouldn’t you know it? The law passed by those reluctant lawmakers wasn’t as good as the one passed by the voters themselves. The Mississippi State Department of Health is still processing medical Cannabis patient applications and say they expect to have those approved later this fall. Industry observers expect dispensaries to commence medical marijuana sales to authorized patients by the end of 2022.

5

states are in play to legalize in 2022: AR, MD, MO, ND and OK. And SD could possibly make it 6.

10% 55% 31 68%

of Weedmaps’ employees were laid off in August amidst declining Cannabis sales.

of Texas voters say they favor marijuana legalization in a new poll.

municipalities in Rhode Island will decide in November at the ballot box whether to allow legal marijuana sales. of American adults support legalization, according to Gallup.

$23.3m

was spent in medical marijuana dispensaries in July by Arkansas patients.