A MIXED BAG
US state cannabis sales show mixed results so far this year
Emerging adult-use and medical markets in the US are seeing sales growth so far this year, but inflation and other factors are slowing growth in more mature markets, per MJBizDaily.
The highlights
- On the medical side, Missouri, Utah and Iowa all saw growth
- Among adult-use markets, Maine, Arizona, Michigan and Illinois all grew
- But more mature adult-use markets, such as California, Colorado and Oregon have declined by 20% or more
- Mature medical markets where adult-use cannabis is legal, such as Arizona, Oregon and Colorado, have sales declines
See the full report here.
Enjoy Cannabis Daily each morning at 7 a.m.
JUSTICE IN RUSSIA
US senators want justice for man serving 14-year sentence for cannabis in Russia
Following WNBA player Brittney Griner’s nine-year sentence for carrying a vape cartridge to Russia, a group of bipartisan senators have penned a letter demanding justice for another American serving a 14-year sentence for carrying medical cannabis, writes CNN.
The details
- Sen. Bob Casey and others wrote that like Griner, Fogel should be classified as a “wrongfully detained” person by the State Department
- Because Fogel had less than an ounce of cannabis in his possession, the senators say he’s now serving a “disproportionate 14-year-sentence”
- Fogel was registered in Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program
- If reclassified, Fogel would be granted more diplomatic assistance
“Mr. Fogel’s recent 14-year sentence to a maximum-security penal colony for possession of less than an ounce of medical marijuana can only be understood as a political ploy by Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime,” the senators wrote. “Mr. Fogel, a 61-year-old with severe medical conditions, has already been detained for a year. The United States cannot stand by as Mr. Fogel wastes away in a Russian hard labor camp.
AT THE STATION
Toronto’s Union Station is getting a cannabis store
FIKA cannabis is joining Sephora and other retailers in the newly renovated Union Station in downtown Toronto, per Daily Hive.
With 300,000 daily commuters and 75,000 local residents passing through, the store will serve as FIKA’s new flagship location.
“It is an honour to have been selected to bring our vision and customer experience to Union Station and not one we take lightly,” said COO Christopher Kane. “Union is not just Canada’s busiest transit hub; it is a historical treasure and an architectural marvel. We’ve put every effort into creating an environment worthy of this iconic home.”
