Jun 12 2024

US House: Second Committee Approves Ending Marijuana Testing for Military Recruits

The Rules Committee in the United States House of Representatives has passed a federal defense bill that includes a provision to end marijuana testing for military recruits and prospective officers.

Approval of the provision through the Rules Committee comes roughly three weeks after it passed the House Armed Services Committee as part of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and it comes a day after the White House announced its opposition to the move. The NDAA is a massive defense bill necessary for funding national defense and military operations.

Included in the NDAA is a provision that prohibits marijuana testing of military recruits and potential officers. An amendment by Congressmembers Mary Miller (R-IL), Pete Sessions (R-TX) , Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Gary Palmer (R-GA) and Claudia Tenney (R-NY) to remove the provision ending military marijuana testing was rejected by the committee, as was a flurry of other marijuana-related amendments.
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Jun 11 2024

Study Finds “Psilocybin Reduces Heroin Relapse”

A new study published online by the US National Library of Medicine provides promising evidence that psilocybin, a psychedelic compound known for its profound effects on the mind, may help reduce heroin relapse rates.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

This groundbreaking research focuses on the substance’s potential to diminish the persistent and maladaptive behaviors associated with opioid addiction, a major contributor to overdose deaths which account for more than 50% annually.

In the study, researchers utilized a rat model of heroin self-administration to test the effects of psilocybin. Unlike other studies focusing on nicotine and alcohol, this research is pioneering in its application to opioid addiction. Psilocybin, acting as an agonist at the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT 2A R), a key target in the modulation of drug-seeking behavior, was administered to rats. The findings revealed that while psilocybin did not affect heroin intake, a single dose administered 4-24 hours before a relapse test significantly blunted the cue-induced heroin-seeking behavior.
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Jun 11 2024

Here Are the 55 Cities in Ohio That Have Placed a Ban on Marijuana Stores

Ohio’s recreational marijuana law, passed by voters in 2023, allows cities to opt out of allowing marijuana sales. So far, 55 have done so.

Under Ohio’s marijuana law, those 21 and older are allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates, and they can cultivate up to six marijuana plants at a private residence. The law allows licensed marijuana stores, overseen by the Division of Cannabis Control, to sell marijuana and marijuana products.

As of this publication, 55 cities have enacted ordinances to prohibit licensed marijuana stores. Although these cities have a combined population of over a million people, they represent only 6% of all cities and towns in the state.
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Jun 11 2024

White House Opposes House Committee’s Proposal to End Marijuana Testing for Military Recruits

The White House says it objects to a provision passed by a key House committee that would end marijuana testing for military recruits.

Last month, the House Armed Services Committee approved the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a significant defense bill necessary for funding national defense and military operations. Included in the bill is a provision that prohibits marijuana testing of military recruits and potential officers.

The provision, titled “PROHIBITION ON CANNABIS TESTING FOR ENLISTMENT OR COMMISSION IN CERTAIN ARMED FORCES,” states:
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Jun 11 2024

Mississippi Medical Marijuana Bills Take Effect July 1

New medical marijuana legislation will take effect in Mississippi on July 1.

In 2022, the state passed a restrictive medical marijuana program. Two bills aimed at enhancing patient access to cannabis care and expanding research capabilities will officially take effect on July 1.

Senate Bill 2857 focuses on improving patient access by allowing patients to possess a 30-day supply of cannabis, rather than the previous 7-day limit. This change will more than quadruple the amount of marijuana products they are allowed to possess at any given time.
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Jun 11 2024

New York Officials Approve Rules Allowing Those 21+ to Grow 12 Marijuana Plants at Home

The New York Cannabis Control Board (CCB) has given final approval to rules that allow those 21 and older to grow marijuana for personal use at a private residence.

In February the CCB gave preliminary approval to rules allowing for personal home grows. The proposed rules were posted in the state’s register the following month, launching a 60-day public comment period that ended last month.

Today, the CCB voted to finalize the rules, which allows for the personal cultivation of up to 12 plants, with growers allowed to possess up to give pounds harvested from these plants.
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Jun 11 2024

Smart & Safe Florida Raises Record $60 Million for Marijuana Legalization Initiative

Smart & Safe Florida, a nonprofit political committee, has raised over $60 million for its marijuana legalization initiative, surpassing all previous statewide marijuana efforts in the United States.

According to data released by the Florida Department of State Division of Elections, Smart & Safe Florida has raised $60,158,153.76 as of May 31. This is well more than any previous statewide marijuana legalization effort has raised. For comparison, proponents of California’s Proposition 64 raised $25 million in 2016, while those behind Ohio’s Issue 2 raised just $7 million last year; both initiatives were voted into law.

Amendment 3, which would alter Florida’s constitution, would allow those 21 and older to possess and use up to three ounces of dried marijuana flower and up to five grams of marijuana concentrates. These products could be purchased from licensed marijuana retail outlets and medical marijuana dispensaries that obtain a dual license.
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Jun 11 2024

North Carolina Marijuana Superstore to Open for Everyone 21+ by End of August

A marijuana superstore, located in a former bingo hall that cost over $50 million to refurbish, will open to everyone 21 and older on tribal land in North Carolina by the end of August.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Tribal Council voted last week to legalize recreational marijuana. In September, EBCI members overwhelmingly supported a referendum asking the council to develop legislation to regulate the market.

Now, the Great Smoky Cannabis Company is planning to open their doors to everyone 21 and older by the end of August, or possible a week after, becoming the first location to legally sell recreational marijuana in North Carolina history. The outlet already made history as the first in the state to allow medical marijuana sales when they opened exclusively for patients on 4/20 this year.
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Jun 11 2024

Study: Secondhand Harms From Alcohol Six Times More Common Than Marijuana

A recent study titled reveals that secondhand harms from alcohol are significantly more prevalent than those from marijuana.

The study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drygs, aimed to measure the prevalence and overlap of secondhand harms caused by others’ use of alcohol, cannabis, opioids, or other drugs. It also examined sociodemographic and other factors associated with these harms. Researchers analyzed data from 7,799 respondents, providing a nationally representative snapshot of the U.S. population.

The results highlight a stark contrast in the prevalence of secondhand harms between different substances. Lifetime prevalence rates of secondhand harms were reported as follows:
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Jun 11 2024

Report: Marijuana Testing Market Worth Nearly $2 Billion

The global cannabis testing market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $1.8 billion in 2024 and is poised to reach $4.0 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 17.2% from 2024 to 2029.

This is according to a new report conducted by the research firm Markets and Markets. The comprehensive research “encompasses an exhaustive examination of industry trends, meticulous pricing analysis, patent scrutiny, insights derived from conferences and webinars, identification of key stakeholders, and a nuanced understanding of market purchasing dynamics”, according to a press release.

The growth of this market is due to “increasing use of cannabis in medicinal applications and the increasing legalization of recreational and medical cannabis, and launch of technologically advanced instruments”, states the report.
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