Dec 03 2024

VA Funds First Study on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Veterans Since the 1960s

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will fund a study on Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted, or MDMA-assisted, therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder among Veterans.

MDMA tablets, often referred to as “ecstasy”.

This is the first VA-funded study for psychedelic-assisted therapy since the 1960s.

VA researchers affiliated with Brown University and Yale University will evaluate the potential of MDMA-assisted therapy as a treatment option for Veterans with both PTSD and AUD. Participants will receive psychotherapy sessions enhanced by MDMA, a psychedelic compound believed to increase emotional openness, reduce fear, and promote introspection during therapy. Some participants will be randomly chosen to receive an active placebo, which will be a lower dose of MDMA.
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Dec 02 2024

Ohio: Legal Marijuana Prices Drop to Below $7 Per Gram, Down 26% Since August

The average cost of recreational marijuana in Ohio has dropped substantially since the start of legal sales on August 7.

According to data released today by the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Cannabis Control (DCC), the average cost of recreational marijuana as of November 30 is $6.99 per gram. This is down 26% from the $9.40 average on August 7.

Between August 7 and November 30, there was $191,339,920 worth of recreational marijuana sold across 2,537,211 transactions. During the same period, there was $111.6 million in medical marijuana sold, combining for over $300 million.
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Dec 02 2024

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority to Open State-Operated Testing Laboratory in February

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) is set to open a state-operated marijuana testing laboratory in Oklahoma City by February 2025.

Renovations for the facility, located at Reno and Meridian avenues, began in mid-November and are expected to last 90 days. The lab, authorized by Senate Bill 813 in 2023, received $4.9 million in funding, including $3.5 million for start-up costs and $1.4 million for ongoing operations.

OMMA Chief Science Officer Lee Rhoades highlighted its importance in ensuring product safety, saying “Independent testing allows us to double-check the quality of products and protect the public”.
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Dec 02 2024

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Announce New Bill to Legalize Marijuana

Pennsylvania State Representatives Rick Krajewski (D) and Dan Frankel (D) have unveiled plans to introduce a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana, with the pair emphasizing the social justice, public health, and economic benefits.

The legislation, announced via a co-sponsorship memo published earlier today, proposes the creation of a regulated marijuana marketplace that prioritizes communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. According to the lawmakers, the bill aims to raise state revenue, support social equity, and incorporate robust public health measures.

Representative Krajewski, who has previously chaired five hearings on cannabis legalization, highlighted the lessons Pennsylvania can learn from other states.
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Dec 02 2024

President-Elect Trump Names Sheriff Who Backed Marijuana Decriminalization as New DEA Chief

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.

Chronister, who has supported decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana in the past, was nominated Saturday. If confirmed by the Senate, Chronister will replace Anne Milgram, a Biden administration appointee and former New Jersey attorney general.

Chronister, a lifelong law enforcement officer, has served as sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, since 2018, overseeing Tampa and its surrounding areas.
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Dec 02 2024

Rhode Island Marijuana Sales Hit $10 Million in November, Year-to-Date Total Exceeds $108 Million

Rhode Island’s legal marijuana market brought in a combined $10 million in sales for November, according to the state’s Department of Business Regulation.

Adult-use marijuana dominated the market with $8.15 million, while medical marijuana sales totaled $1.85 million.

These figures contribute to a year-to-date sales total of $108,209,948, demonstrating steady growth in the state’s marijuana industry. The average transaction amount across all sales was $36.34, resulting in approximately 2,977,709 total transactions for the year.
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Dec 02 2024

Oregon: $78 Million in Marijuana Sold in November, $881 Million in 2024, Prices Drop to All-Time Low of $3.57 Per Gram

Legal marijuana sales in Oregon remained robust in November, with over $78 million in revenue, pushing the yearly total past $880 million.

Data from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission shows $78,562,441 in legal marijuana sales during November, a slight decline from October’s $79.5 million. These figures bring the year-to-date total to $881 million and the all-time total to $7.1 billion.

The average price of dried marijuana flower in November reached an all-time low of $3.57 per gram. Marijuana concentrate prices also fell, dropping from $16.21 per gram to $15.83, though they remain slightly higher than April’s average of $15.36.
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Dec 01 2024

Study: CBD May Reverse Behavioral Impairments Linked to Autism

A new study published in the journal Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior shows that CBD may reverse the behavioral impairments associated with autism spectrum disorder.

Researchers from the University of São Paulo and the Oswaldo Cruz Institute examined the effects of CBD on adult male mice exposed to valproic acid (VPA) during embryonic development, a model commonly used to study autism spectrum disorder (ASD) characteristics.

The study explored the impact of acute CBD treatment on mice subjected to various behavioral tests, including the Pre-Pulse Inhibition Test (PPI), Marble Burying, Social Interaction, the Actimeter Test, and the Novel Object Recognition Test (NOR). Results revealed that CBD significantly improved several behavioral deficits in VPA-exposed mice.
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Dec 01 2024

Study: CBD May Offer Neuroprotective Benefits to Fetuses Exposed to Inflammatory Conditions During Pregnancy

Researchers from Suleyman Demirel University in Türkiye have published a study in the journal Reproductive Toxicology examining the potential of cannabidiol (CBD) to mitigate neuroinflammation and enhance neurogenesis in the offspring of pregnant rats subjected to systemic inflammation.

The findings, available through the U.S. National Institute of Health, highlight the therapeutic potential of CBD during pregnancy under certain inflammatory conditions.

The study involved 30 pregnant rats divided into five groups: a control group, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-only group, and three LPS groups treated with varying CBD doses (5, 10, and 30 mg/kg). Following LPS injections to induce systemic inflammation, researchers collected blood, fetuses, and placentas for analysis, performing histopathological assessments, immunohistochemical staining, ELISA, and immunoblotting.
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Dec 01 2024

The Six Federal Marijuana Bills Most Likely to Pass With a Republican Congress and Trump as President

As the United States prepares for a Republican-controlled Congress and the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January 2025, we take a look at federal marijuana bills that may stand a chance of being enacted into law.

Despite the GOP’s historical reservations about cannabis reform, several bipartisan bills have garnered support and stand a decent chance of enactment. This is especially true when you consider that in the leadup to the election, Trump endorsed legalizing marijuana in Florida, rescheduling marijuana federally and establishing federal marijuana banking reform.

With that said, here are six federal marijuana bills that are the most likely to advance under the forthcoming administration and Congress.
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