MN Marijuana Legalization Bill Advances Again, VA Senate Passes Psilocybin Rescheduling Bill, More… (2/7/23)

Adult-use marijuana sales got off to a hot start in Missouri, the Virginia Senate approves a bil lto allow adult-use marijuana sales, and more.

Marijuana Policy

Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Wins Fourth Senate Committee Vote. The Senate version of the marijuana legalization bill, Senate File 73, has won a fourth committee vote as it moves down the path to passage. The Senate Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee approved the bill Sen. Lindsey Port (D) in a 5-4 vote. The bill could see up to an additional 14 committee votes before going to a Senate floor vote. The House version of the bill is proceeding down a similar path, having won six committee votes, with another half-dozen to come. With the Democratic Farm Labor Party in control of both chambers and DFL Gov. Tim Walz behind it as well, the bills are expected to become law this summer.

Missouri Sees More Than $12 Million in Opening Weekend Adult Marijuana Sales. The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association reported that medical marijuana dispensaries now allowed to sell to any adults registered sales of more than $12.6 million in the first weekend of adult-use marijuana sales, with $5 million coming last Friday, the first day of such sales. Of all dispensary sales over the weekend, roughly two-thirds were purchased by adult-use customers. The state Department of Health and Senior Services Division of Cannabis Regulation issued 207 comprehensive retail licenses last Friday and sales commenced right away.

Virginia Senate Approves Bill to Start Adult-Use Marijuana Sales. The Senate on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 1133, which clears the way for the start of adult-use marijuana sales, on a 24-16 vote. The bill would create a regulatory framework for sales to begin by January 1, 2024 and would allow sales both at existing medical marijuana dispensaries and new stores operated by people who live in "historically economically disadvantaged communities." Marijuana products would be taxed at a rate of 21 percent, with localities allowed to add up to an additional 3 percent. The bill's prospects in the Republican-led House, however, are unclear. The House recently defeated its own version of a marijuana sales bill. The legislature approved marijuana legalization last year, but not sales.

Psychedelics

Virginia Senate Approves Psilocybin Rescheduling Bill. The Senate on Tuesday approved a bill to reschedule psilocybin and create an advisory board to make recommendations for further actions. Senate Bill 932, filed by Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D), would move psilocybin from Schedule I to Schedule III under state law. Hashmi last year filed a psilocybin decriminalization bill that went nowhere last year, and the GOP-controlled House this year rejected a bill to legalize psilocybin for therapeutic use. Now, the House will have a chance to weigh in on this more incremental bill, which would not allow legal therapeutic psilocybin use but would reduce criminal penalties for the substance. Instead, the advisory board would be tasked to "develop a long-term strategic plan for establishing therapeutic access to psilocybin services and monitor and study federal laws, regulations, and policies regarding psilocybin."