A Detailed Look at Cannabis Sales in Illinois, Maryland and Massachussetts

We are pleased to share with our readers overviews on three Eastern cannabis markets compiled by BDSA for the month of April. BDSA offers a full understanding of the evolving cannabis market though several offerings, including its GreenEdge Retail Sales Tracking, Consumer Insights, Industry Intelligence and CBD Market Monitor divisions.

Until recently, the term “telehealth” was known in the medical community, but not the cannabis community.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak sent the country into lockdown, medical marijuana users in many states can now check in with a health care provider by video for authorization, rather than an in-person meeting.

According to MPP.org, 31 states currently allow telemedicine for cannabis patients – 11 of which have temporarily altered their laws as a result of the current coronavirus pandemic.

A bill designed to keep marijuana-related convictions out of public view has been vetoed by

Local officials in Columbus and Baltimore announced they won’t pursue marijuana offenses in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

In order to meet the needs of cannabis users across the state, Maryland is allowing medical dispensaries to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic with some loosened restrictions to make sure everyone has access. Southern Maryland dispensaries in general are working to make sure accessibility is the number-one priority.

Quarantine caused by the global outbreak of COVID-19 is forcing people across the world to find ways to entertain themselves.

In Michigan, people are lighting up.

According to a Twitter survey conducted by the health blog bodynutrition.org, Michigan residents are smoking marijuana more than any other state during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Analysts used trends software with direct access to geotagged twitter data to arrive at the conclusion.

District Cannabis, the standard bearer of premium medical cannabis in the DMV region, announced the completion of their pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing facility in Hagerstown, MD.  The facility, which was made possible due to a successful capital raise of $9.2 M,  will produce  consistently  high-quality cannabis to meet Maryland's growing patient demand.

The Hagerstown facility's footprint will ultimately encompass more than 82,000 sq ft, including the recently completed Phase 1 high-tech grow rooms, and the Phase 2 expansion planned for later this year.  The cultivation complex, upon completion of Phase 2,  is expected to yield more than 6 times the current production capacity.

The meeting room was packed on Jan. 15 for the Maryland Hemp Exchange Roundtable.

Hosted by the Maryland Farm Bureau, the roundtable included speakers Jim Drews, operations manager with the Office of Plant Industries & Pest Management of the Maryland Department of Agriculture; Dan Galluzzo and Eryck Stamper from the Maryland Hemp Exchange; and Kevin Atticks, founder & CEO of Grow & Fortify.

Attendees came hoping for guidelines on Maryland’s hemp production plans and regulations. Fred Coulbourn, who owns 38 acres in Caroline County, hopes to get in on the production ground floor.

“There’ll be an abundance of growers once hemp catches on,” Coulbourn said. “They’ve got to take it past the growing to processors and markets.”

New medical marijuana products will soon be available in Maryland. Cannabis edibles, like cookies, brownies and various forms of candy, will be made and sold at authorized dispensaries.

Patients say it's a welcome option, but the state is scrambling to come up with rules and regulations to keep people, especially children, safe.

Ariana Foote is a medical cannabis patient. She puts it in a variety of foods, like pasta, butter, brownies and olive oil. She uses it to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety and to help her sleep.