With only one major cannabis legalization initiative on U.S. ballots in November, all eyes were on Ohio’s election, where the margin of victory for the adult-use measure was a comfortable 57%.
And articles with coverage leading up to and on Election Day led Cannabis Business Times' top stories this month, as readers were engaged with predictions, post-election results and Ohio politicians’ appetite for reform.
Nearly half of the most popular articles in November were about the Buckeye State’s statutory measure, which legalized cannabis for adults 21 and older and aims to establish a market and regulate adult-use sales. Though many in the cannabis industry said they were “cautiously optimistic” that the measure would pass, they anticipate hurdles. The law takes effect 30 days after the election, and state lawmakers, many of whom were opposed to the measure, have an opportunity to make changes to the details of the program, including tax rates.
The state became the 24th in the nation to legalize sales for adult use Nov. 7, and that milestone was noted in CBT’s cannabis legalization and state tax timeline, which was also one of the most popular articles this month and will continue to be updated as more states usher in legalization.
Most-read stories also included other legalization initiatives, including the introduction of U.S. House Rep. Nancy Mace’s federal legalization bill. Ranking No. 1 this month is CBT’s ongoing coverage of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' withholding of an unredacted version of the letter detailing its cannabis scheduling recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Administration. One lawyer has filed a lawsuit in order to obtain a copy of the letter and is still waiting for a determination.
Catch up on the Top 10 most-read articles below.
No. 10: Enter the Secret Phone Booth Door to Planet 13’s DAZED! Consumption Lounge
The Las Vegas cannabis operator has unveiled plans for its on-site consumption lounge, which is expected to open at its SuperStore by April 20, 2024.
No. 9: Green Thumb CEO Lambastes ‘Uncle Sam’ for Cannabis Listing as 70% Americans Support Legalization
The multistate operator remains bullish on Maryland after reporting record revenue for its third-quarter earnings.
No. 8: Flying With Cannabis These Holidays? TSA Agents Aren’t Actively Searching Out Your Stash
While traveling across state lines with cannabis remains federally illegal, doing so doesn’t pose a “security threat” in airports.
No. 7: Update: U.S. House Rep. Nancy Mace Files Federal Legalization Bill
The South Carolina congresswoman has garnered bipartisan support for her legislation, but her own party could hold House Speaker turmoil against her.
No. 6: Ohio Cannabis Operators Say Adult-Use Legalization Chances Look Promising
Owners of cultivation companies and dispensaries in the medical-only state are cautiously optimistic that voters will approve Issue 2, a ballot initiative to legalize adult-use cannabis, but there are other potential roadblocks ahead.
No. 5: As Ohio Legalizes Cannabis, the State’s Junior US Senator Opposes SAFER Banking for Industry
The “upsides of this bill are overstated,” Sen. JD Vance said about providing federal safe harbor to banks servicing state-sanctioned cannabis companies.
No. 4: Ohio Voters Legalize Cannabis in Redemption Election
Eight years after a previous ballot measure failed, the Buckeye State is now the 24th in the U.S. to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older.
No. 3: When and How 24 States Legalized Adult-Use Cannabis in the US: A Timeline With Current Tax Rates
Here’s the full breakdown of which states legalized through ballot measures versus legislative action and their taxation structures, including the most recent to join the list—Ohio.
No. 2: Changes Coming to Ohio’s Voter-Approved Cannabis Measure; Governor Says No ‘Surprises’
The state’s lawmakers indicated that some provisions in Ohio’s legalization initiative are not in the best interests of the state.
After nearly three months and multiple Freedom of Information Act requests, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services still has not publicly confirmed that it recommended cannabis be reclassified as a Schedule III controlled substance. One attorney who filed a lawsuit to obtain the letter calls the situation "asinine" and "profoundly disappointing."
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