News Roundup: Week 2025-08: AL and MN cannabis business licensing begins, Oklahoma's gun rights and medical cannabis, Wisconsin's cannabis legalization in 2026-27

Week of 22 Feb, 2025

Florida’s push to include opioid addiction in its medical marijuana program, Illinois’ move to prevent police from using cannabis smell for searches, and Indiana’s approval of saliva tests for THC detection in DUI cases. Kansas shut down a bill allowing terminally ill patients access to medical cannabis, while Alabama’s medical marijuana program faces delays due to testing and licensing issues. Plus, we discuss Ohio’s attempt to roll back key provisions of its voter-approved recreational marijuana law and how Oklahoma is defending gun rights for medical marijuana patients. All this and more in our latest deep dive into cannabis policy and business.

 

Covered states: AL, FL, IL, IN, KS, ME, MN, NH, ND, OH, OK, WI

 

 

 

 

FLORIDA

 

In Florida, a State Senator Carlos Smith has introduced a bill to expand the state's medical marijuana program to include opioid addiction as a qualifying condition. If passed, this legislation would take effect on July 1st, providing individuals struggling with opioid dependence access to medical cannabis as a treatment option.

ILLINOIS

 

In Illinois, lawmakers are pushing a bill that would ban police from using the smell of cannabis—raw or burnt—as the sole reason to search a vehicle. Senate Bill 42, backed by Democratic Senator Rachel Ventura, aims to clarify conflicting court rulings and prevent unnecessary searches, which critics say disproportionately target people of color.

 

Supporters argue the change protects civil rights, while law enforcement groups worry it could hinder drug enforcement and efforts to catch impaired drivers. The bill has passed a key committee and now heads to the full Senate for debate. 

 

INDIANA

 

In Indiana, on Tuesday, the State House approved House Bill 11 19 with an 84 to 10 bipartisan vote. The bill seeks to permit specific saliva tests as admissible evidence for detecting THC and other drugs in drivers, aiming to enhance the efficiency of impaired driving prosecutions. The proposed legislation authorizes the use of two saliva tests—the Drager DrugTest 5,000 and the So Toxa Oral Fluid Mobile Test System—as admissible evidence in court to detect THC and other drugs in drivers.This initiative addresses concerns that current blood sample methods are time-consuming, costly, and contribute to backlogs in the Indiana State Police laboratories. The bill now advances to the Senate for consideration.

 

KANSAS

 

In Kansas on Friday, Senate rejected an amendment to Senate Bill 250 that would have granted terminally ill patients the right to access medical cannabis under the state's Right to Try Act. The proposal, introduced by Senator Cindy Holscher, aimed to align state policy with federal provisions was defeated along party lines.

ALABAMA

 

In Alabama, a long-delayed medical cannabis program is taking a crucial step forward. The Medical Cannabis Commission has announced it will begin issuing testing laboratory licenses—a necessary move before patients can legally access medical cannabis products.

Interested businesses must submit requests by March 14th, with formal applications due by April 16th, and licenses expected to be awarded by June 17th. 

The need for additional testing labs is urgent. Currently, only one facility is operational in Alabama, contributing to delays in making cannabis products available to patients. Without proper testing, when the dispensaries open, they won’t be able to stock shelves with legally compliant products. However, uncertainty remains. While cultivators are already growing cannabis, dispensary licenses are still tied up in legal disputes, and no patients are yet registered to purchase medical cannabis. This raises concerns about whether testing labs, even once licensed, will have products to test and a market to serve.

For businesses, this presents both risk and opportunity. The state has not set a cap on the number of testing lab licenses, but regulatory delays and legal battles over dispensary approvals continue to complicate the landscape. Still, for those willing to take the gamble, early entry into the market could provide a significant competitive advantage once the program is fully operational.

For patients, the licensing of testing labs represents progress—but access to medical cannabis remains uncertain. Until dispensaries are licensed and products are approved, Alabama’s medical cannabis program is still in a holding pattern.

 

MAINE

In Maine, the State’s Government Oversight Committee is investigating the Office of Cannabis Policy over transparency issues and potential conflicts of interest involving its director, John Hudak. Lawmakers are questioning why an annual cannabis report was withheld from legislators and whether Hudak improperly negotiated a contract with a company linked to a former business partner. 

The investigation into Maine’s OCP has significant implications for the state’s cannabis market. The withheld report raises concerns about transparency in the regulatory process, which could impact future policy decisions affecting cannabis businesses and consumers. Meanwhile, the conflict-of-interest allegations against Hudak come at a critical time, as the state must decide whether to renew its contract with Metric in 2026. If any wrongdoing is found, it could lead to leadership changes within the OCP and a potential shift in how Maine tracks and regulates its legal cannabis industry

 

MINNESOTA

 

In Minnesota, the Office of Cannabis Management has officially opened applications for cannabis business licenses as of February 18th, launching the state's legal cannabis market. The application period runs through March 14th, with licenses awarded through a lottery process for certain categories, prioritizing social equity applicants.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

In New Hampshire, the House of Representatives has passed HB 75, a bill that would legalize personal use and possession of cannabis for adults 21 and older but not establish a regulated cannabis sales market. The measure now moves to the Senate, where it faces opposition, and the Governor has indicated she will veto it. With public support for legalization at 65%, New Hampshire lawmakers continue to debate whether the state should follow other states in legalizing and regulating cannabis sales.

NORTH DAKOTA

 

In North Dakota lawmakers have introduced a House Bill, proposing reduced penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana and THC. The bill suggests noncriminal citations for those caught with less than half an ounce of marijuana or under two grams of THC. Even though this initiative comes recommended by state attorneys from several North Dakota Counties, the North Dakota Chiefs of Police Association opposes the bill, viewing it as a move toward legalization, which was rejected by voters last November. The House Judiciary Committee will review the bill this coming week.

OHIO

 

The Ohio Senate is considering a Bill, which would significantly amend the state's voter-approved recreational marijuana laws. The bill proposes reducing THC potency limits, halving the number of home-grow plants from 12 to 6 plants per household, prohibiting adult-to-adult sharing of legally purchased cannabis, and introducing new transport and possession restrictions. 

 

The bill has drawn sharp opposition from cannabis advocates and business owners, who argue it rolls back key provisions of the voter-approved law, which was passed in 2023 with 57% approval. 

 

If passed, S.B. 56 would significantly impact Ohio's cannabis market. The reduction in THC potency limits may drive consumers, particularly medical patients, to out-of-state markets like Michigan, which allows higher concentrations. Lower home-grow limits could hinder small-scale cultivators, reducing competition and favoring larger corporations. The prohibition on adult-to-adult transfers may create new enforcement challenges, while the removal of unemployment benefits for marijuana users could disproportionately affect workers in industries with high cannabis usage rates. The potential cap of only 350 dispensaries statewide may restrict market expansion, limiting access for consumers and slowing economic growth.

OKLAHOMA

 

Meanwhile, Oklahoma lawmakers have advanced a bill that would protect the Second Amendment rights of medical marijuana patients. Senate Bill 39, which passed unanimously in the Oklahoma’s Senate Public Safety Committee, clarifies that medical cannabis patients cannot be denied a state-issued handgun license solely due to their patient status. However, federal law still prohibits cannabis users from owning firearms, leaving a legal gray area for gun-owning medical marijuana patients. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has included marijuana legalization in his biennial budget proposal, seeking to regulate and tax sales through state-licensed retailers, generating an estimated $58.1 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 20 26 and 27. The plan also introduces criminal justice reform by allowing individuals convicted of nonviolent marijuana offenses to have their sentences repealed or reduced. While the proposal aligns cannabis regulation with alcohol sales, it faces challenges in the Republican-controlled legislature.