Jan 03 2025

Study: Early Psilocybin Intervention May Reduce Stress-Related Behavioral and Cognitive Deficits

Researchers from the University of Alberta and Western Canada High School have conducted a study exploring the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in mitigating behavioral despair and cognitive impairments caused by chronic stress.

Published in the peer reviewed journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, the research focuses on the interaction between the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in stress regulation.

Using a rodent model, the study examined 22 male Wistar rats with chronic stress (caused by predator odor and social instability). The rats were divided into control and stress groups, with the latter receiving either a sham treatment or psilocybin. Researchers assessed behavioral outcomes using various tests, including the Open Field Test, Sucrose Preference Test, Novel Object Recognition, Elevated Plus Maze, and Forced Swimming Test. These evaluations measured locomotion, anhedonia, memory, anxiety, and behavioral despair, respectively.
Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

Washington State’s Legal Marijuana Industry Generates $1.13 Billion in Sales in 2024, Garnering $420 Million in Taxes

Licensed marijuana stores in Washington State sold $109.12 million in December, bringing the year’s total sales to $1.135 billion.

December’s marijuana sales total represents a nearly $9 million increase from the $100.4 million sold in November, and it marks a 1.4% increase from December 2023, according to the research firm Headset. This brings the 2024 total to around $1.2 billion. The state ended the year with an average price of $7 per gram of dried flower, and $16 per eighth.

Washington imposes a 37% excise tax on marijuana sales, the highest in the nation. With $1.135 billion in total sales for 2024, this translates to approximately $420 million in tax revenue. These funds are primarily allocated to health care programs, with additional contributions to the general fund, local governments, education and prevention initiatives, and regulatory oversight.
Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

Delaware’s First-Ever Marijuana Commissioner Stepping Down

Robert M. Coupe, Delaware’s first marijuana commissioner, is stepping down after a 40-year career in public service to join the private sector as Chief of Staff at CRx Construction in Rehoboth Beach.

During his tenure, Coupe led the newly established Office of the Marijuana Commissioner, overseeing the implementation of Delaware’s regulated adult-use marijuana market under the Marijuana Control Act, which took effect in August 2023.

“It has been an honor to serve in this role and a privilege to work alongside the dedicated women and men of the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner,” Coupe said. “Throughout my career I have been inspired to be at my best and earn the right each day to work alongside such talented individuals. I am grateful for all the people that have supported me throughout this journey.”
Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

The Most Popular Marijuana Strains in the U.S. as of January 2025

As we enter 2025, the strains listed below stand as the most popular among cannabis consumers.

Gelato.

Our January 2025 list of the most popular marijuana strains brings a mix of timeless classics and rising stars, reflecting the diverse preferences of cannabis enthusiasts across the nation. The list was compiled using data from several state regulatory agencies and Leafly.

Here’s a closer look at the 10 most popular marijuana asofJanuary2025. Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

Florida Legislator Introduces Medical Marijuana Public Employee Protection Act

State Representative Mitch Rosenwald filed House Bill 83 today, proposing landmark legislation aimed at safeguarding the rights of Florida’s public employees who are qualified medical marijuana patients.

The “Medical Marijuana Public Employee Protection Act” seeks to prevent discrimination against public employees and job applicants for lawful medical marijuana use, while setting clear guidelines for its regulation in the workplace.

The proposed legislation prohibits public employers, including state and local government entities, public schools, and universities, from taking adverse actions—such as firing, suspending, or refusing to hire—against employees or job applicants solely due to their status as medical marijuana patients. Exceptions are included for cases where marijuana use demonstrably impairs an individual’s ability to perform their job duties.
Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

Florida Medical Marijuana Sales Top $145 Million in December, Bringing 2024 Total to Above $1.8 Billion

Florida’s medical marijuana industry continued its strong performance in December, with $145,551,582 in sales reported.

oregon marijuana sales

This brings the year-to-date total for 2024 to an impressive $1.81 billion, reaffirming Florida’s position as the largest medical marijuana market in the nation. This is according to data released by the research firm Headset.

Dried marijuana flower remained the most popular category among purchases in December, followed by vape pens, edibles, concentrates, tinctures, capsules, and topicals.
Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

California Surpasses $4 Billion in Legal Marijuana Sales for 2024 With $332 Million Sold in December

Marijuana sales in California reached $332 million in December, according to data from the Seattle-based research firm Headset.

While this marked a decrease from the $346 million reported in November, it brought the state’s total marijuana sales for 2024 to an impressive $4.2 billion.

These sales generated over $900 million in tax revenue for the state in 2024. Dried marijuana flower remained the top-selling category, followed by vape pens, prerolls, edibles, and concentrates. The average price per gram of dried flower in December was $8.62, or $23.32 per eighth, while concentrates averaged $16.24 per gram. Blue Dream retained its position as the most popular strain of the month.
Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

Rhode Island: Marijuana Sales Top $10 Million in December, $123 Million in 2024

In Rhode Island, December marked the fifth month this year with sales above $10 million.

The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation reports that legal marijuana sales in December totaled $10.11 million, with $8.32 million attributed to recreational sales and $1.79 million to medical marijuana.

December’s figures bring the 2024 total to $118,321,577 across 3.2 million transactions.
Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

A Single-Dose of Psilocybin Could Help Treat Severe Treatment-Resistant Depression, Finds Study.

A single dose of psilocybin may offer relief for patients with severe treatment-resistant depression, according to an open-label study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The research, conducted by teams from Columbia University, Stanford University School of Medicine, and the University of Maryland, aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in individuals who had failed to respond to at least five prior treatments.

The study involved 12 participants aged 18-65, all experiencing a major depressive episode with documented resistance to conventional treatments. Conducted at Sheppard Pratt Hospital, the trial required participants to discontinue psychotropic medications two weeks before and three weeks after receiving a 25 mg dose of synthetic psilocybin. Patients underwent multiple therapy sessions before, during, and after the dosing period.
Continue reading

Jan 03 2025

Cost of Marijuana in Oregon Drops to All-Time Low for Third Straight Month, Remains By Far the Lowest in the U.S.

The average price of dried marijuana flower in Oregon continues to plummet, reaching an all-time low of $3.51 per gram in December, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC).

This marks the third consecutive month of prices dropping to a new low. By comparison, in October 2016, when the state first began licensed recreational marijuana sales, the average price was $10.50 per gram—nearly three times higher than today’s rates.

Oregon’s marijuana concentrate market has also seen significant price reductions. In December, concentrates were priced at an average of $15.83, slightly above the record low of $15.36 set in April 2024 but a sharp decline from $40 per gram in October 2016.
Continue reading