Study Shows That Adult Cannabis Consumption Reached a Record High Last Year While Teen Use Remained Stable
A recent federally funded study indicates that adult cannabis use reached an all-time high last year. But, despite the fears of many prohibitionists, teen use remained stable. The study is from researchers at the Univerity of Michigan, and it is being conducted with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey asks individuals about their cannabis and psychedelics use in the last year. The study found that 44 percent of adults aged 19-44 had consumed marijuana in the last year, while 28 percent of those in the 35-50 category reported using cannabis in the same period. These numbers fall in line with past results of the MTF report, and trends indicate that more adults use cannabis more frequently as additional states across the U.S. legalize the plant. For 2022, teen cannabis use remained stable despite the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions across the country and a return to more “normal” socialization practices.
PA CBD Retailer Arrested for Delta-8 THC Sales
A CBD business owner in Pennsylvania has been arrested and faces charges for selling delta-8 THC at his retail store. According to the local news, Michael Deangelo faces felony and misdemeanor charges after he was caught selling products containing delta-8 THC to an undercover police officer. Deangelo is the owner of the Hollidaysburg location of Our CBD Store. Delta-8 THC is a hemp-derived cannabinoid with psychoactive properties, and it has been the center of a great deal of legal confusion and controversy across the country. Because it comes from hemp, which is federally legal as a result of the 2018 Farm Bill, it has fallen into a sort of legal gray area. But, the psychoactive properties of delta-8 THC have led to many states without legal adult-use cannabis to ban the sale of products containing the derivative. Deangelo told a local media outlet that he was never informed that he explicitly had to remove delta-8 THC products from his store’s shelves and he would have done so had he been warned or given notice.
Recent Analysis Shows Ohio Could See $404 Million in Annual Tax Revenue from Marijuana Legalization
An analysis from researchers at Ohio State University projects that the state of Ohio could potentially see up to $403.6 million in annual tax revenue from adult-use marijuana. This is, of course, contingent on voters in the state passing a legalization measure this November. Researchers analyzed comparable state markets to estimate the tax revenue Ohio could see in the first few years of cannabis sales, as well as assess the possible economic effect on the state. The analysis focused heavily on figures and trends from Michigan, as it has a similar population and it is likely the tax structure of cannabis legalization in Ohio would closely resemble that of its neighboring state.
