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Cannabis Professional’s daily roundup of industry news. View archive here.

USDA OKs hemp plans for Louisiana, Ohio, New Jersey

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved industrial hemp licensing plans for Louisiana,Ohio and New Jersey, the department announced Friday. The states are the first to get such approval, though 34 other states have hemp research or pilot projects under a 2014 law.

The U.S. federal government last year legalized hemp, which is related to and looks like marijuana but contains only traces of THC. Hemp fiber and seeds are used to produce textiles, rope, paper, cosmetics, fuel, and CBD, which is often sold as a dietary supplement or included in creams and other personal care products.

USDA announced the approvals Friday, saying another 15 state plans are being reviewed and eight more are being drafted. It said three indigenous tribes — the Flandreau Santee Sioux, La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians and Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians — have approved plans, and another 15 tribes’ plans are being drafted or reviewed.

Farmers in 21 states grew hemp in 2018, and those in another 13 states began doing so in 2019, according to Vote Hemp. They did so under provisions of the 2014 farm bill authorizing research and pilot programs, said Eric Steenstra, spokesman for Vote Hemp, a nonprofit hemp advocacy group.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says at least 47 states have passed laws for industrial hemp cultivation and production.

– Associated Press

Massachusetts’ marijuana shops report $420M in sales in 2019

Recreational marijuana shops in Massachusetts raked in more than US$420-million in sales in the first full calendar year of legalization, according to new state data. The data released last week by the state’s Cannabis Control Commission shows marijuana sales in December alone had topped US$10.7-million even before Christmas.

The data will be updated to show the full 2019 calendar year sometime in January.

Massachusetts imposes roughly 17 per cent to 20 per cent in taxes on marijuana, including a 6.25 per cent sales tax, a 10.75 per cent excise tax and an optional local tax of up to 3 per cent. Massachusetts became the first East Coast state with regulated recreational marijuana stores when two opened on Nov. 20, 2018. The cannabis commission has previously reported that pot shops generated $394 million in gross sales from Nov. 20, 2018 to Nov. 20, 2019.

More than 30 marijuana retailers have been licensed to operate in the state, along with dozens of other businesses approved to cultivate, manufacture and test marijuana products.

- Associated Press

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