Hemp seed polysaccharides improved several blood-related markers, reduced spleen damage and altered gut bacteria in a study examining their potential effects on blood deficiency syndrome. The study, published in Food Research International, was conducted by researchers from Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine and Guangdong Pharmaceutical University. Researchers evaluated polysaccharides extracted from both raw hemp seeds …
Study Finds CBDA May Reduce Neuroinflammation and Improve Brain Insulin Signaling
Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in cannabis, reduced several markers of brain inflammation and improved insulin signaling in rats fed a high-fat diet, according to a new study published in Inflammopharmacology. Researchers from the Medical University of Bialystok and Medical University of Gdańsk used 40 male Wistar rats divided into four groups: …
Daily Cannabis News Brief for 8/21/2026
Below is The Marijuana Herald’s Daily Cannabis News Brief for August 21, 2026. The Marijuana Herald publishes a new edition every weekday at around 3 p.m. Pacific Time. You can find previous editions by clicking here. U.S. Congress: Bipartisan SAFE Banking Act Gains Two New House Cosponsors The SAFE Banking Act has gained two new …
Why Massachusetts Voters Should Vote No on Question 8
Massachusetts voters will decide November 3 whether to dismantle the state’s regulated adult-use marijuana market nearly eight years after legal sales began. Question 8, officially titled “Prohibit Retail Sale of Adult Recreational Use Marijuana,” would repeal the laws that legalize, regulate and tax recreational marijuana sales while leaving the state’s medical marijuana program in place. …
Michigan GOP Governor Nominee John James Pledges to Repeal or Reduce 24% Marijuana Wholesale Tax
Michigan Republican gubernatorial nominee John James says he will seek to repeal or sharply reduce the state’s 24% marijuana wholesale tax if elected governor, making the levy a central part of a broader cannabis policy platform released August 19. The wholesale tax took effect January 1 and is imposed in addition to Michigan’s existing 10% …
Canada Sets New Monthly Cannabis Sales Record at CA$517.8 Million in June
Legal cannabis sales in Canada reached a new monthly record in June, with retailers reporting CA$517.761 million in sales, according to newly released federal data. The June total, released by Statistics Canada, surpassed the previous record of CA$510.367 million set in May, an increase of about 1.4%. May’s sales were originally reported at about CA$485 …
Iowa Proposes Allowing Out-of-State Patients to Join Medical Cannabis Program, Reduce Fees for Veterans
Iowa health officials are proposing rules that would allow qualified out-of-state residents to participate in the state’s medical cannabidiol program, implementing legislation (House File 990) approved earlier this year. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says the proposed changes would remove the program’s longstanding residency requirement, which previously limited participation to permanent Iowa …
Former Massachusetts Cannabis Chair Files Whistleblower Lawsuit Against State Treasurer, Alleging Retaliation Over Marijuana Oversight Concerns
Former Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien has filed a lawsuit against State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, the Commonwealth and the commission, alleging she was retaliated against after raising concerns about regulatory failures and possible misconduct within the state’s marijuana industry. The complaint, filed August 20 in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that Goldberg improperly disclosed …
Study Finds Medical Cannabis Associated With Improved Pain, Sleep and Mood in Over 90% of Older Adults
Medical cannabis was associated with significant reductions in pain, insomnia and mood or behavioral symptoms among older adults, with more than 90% of evaluable patients experiencing improvement in their primary symptom, according to a newly published study. The research, posted August 18 as a preprint on Research Square, was conducted by researchers affiliated with Universidad …
Lawful Hemp Protection Act Gains Two New Bipartisan Cosponsors in U.S. House
The bipartisan Lawful Hemp Protection Act has gained two new cosponsors in the U.S. House, bringing the total number of lawmakers backing the proposal to six. Representatives Gabe Evans (R-CO) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) formally joined H.R. 9830 today as official sponsors. Their additions bring support for the measure to three Republicans and three Democrats. …
