Oct 08 2024

Baltimore to Vote Next Month on Cannabis Reparations Fund for Communities Impacted by Prohibition

Baltimore voters will decide on November 5 whether to establish a city fund aimed at compensating communities disproportionately impacted by past cannabis arrests and prosecutions.

This charter amendment, known as Question G, would utilize state funds, which stem from Maryland’s recreational marijuana sales tax, to support these communities.

Maryland imposes a 9% tax on recreational cannabis, with 35% of the revenue directed to the state’s Community Repair and Reinvestment Fund. Baltimore is set to receive the largest share, as the city accounted for 30% of all marijuana possession prosecutions between July 1, 2002, and Jan. 1, 2023.
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Oct 08 2024

Arkansas Medical Marijuana Expansion Initiative Will Appear On November Ballot After All

After a turbulent journey, Arkansas voters will have the opportunity to decide on a significant expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program next month.

According to Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston, the Arkansans for Patient Access (APA) initiative, officially known as the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Amendment of 2024, has secured enough valid signatures to qualify for the November 5 ballot.

The measure faced a major setback last week when Thurston announced that APA failed to gather enough verified signatures, even after submitting over 111,000 from 62 counties. The group was 2,664 valid signatures short of the required 90,704 needed to qualify. However, following a lawsuit filed by APA, the Arkansas Supreme Court ordered the Secretary of State to continue counting approximately 18,000 signatures that had previously been disqualified.
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Oct 08 2024

Clinical Trials Highlight Psilocybin’s Effectiveness in Treating Depression and Anxiety

Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, could revolutionize the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), according to a new study that analyzed multiple clinical trials.

For the study, researchers from several Chinese institutions, including The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University and Guangzhou Medical University, conducted a systematic review of five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 472 adult patients.

The purpose of the study, according to researchers, “was to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of psilocybin in adult patients with major depressive disorder.”
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Oct 08 2024

Montana: Licensed Marijuana Stores Sold $27 Million Worth of Product in September

Legal marijuana sales in Montana topped $27 million in September.

According to data released by the Montana Department of Revenue, total marijuana sales reached $27,520,406 in September. This is a slight dip from the record-breaking $29,716,881 sold in August, and is on par with the $28 million sold in September 2023.

The vast majority of the state’s total marijuana sales was purchased for recreational use, $23,965,392, with medical marijuana patients purchasing $3,555,014 worth of product. Sales data incudes dried marijuana flower, prerolls and concentrates, as well as a variety of marijuana-infused products like edibles, topicals and tinctures.
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Oct 08 2024

Delaware Receives Over 1,200 Applications for Marijuana Business Licenses, Including 800 for Retail Outlets

Delaware has received over 1,260 applications between August 19 and September 30, according to data released by the state.

(Photo credit: Getty Images).

Of these, 800 applications were for the 30 available retail licenses, according to Delaware’s Office of the Marijuana Commissioner. The state generated over $4 million from application fees.

Applicants paid $5,000 for an open application (non-social equity or microbusiness), $3,000 for a microbusiness license, and $1,000 for a social equity license.
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Oct 08 2024

Cannabis Nanoemulsion Shows Breakthrough Potential in Glioblastoma Treatment, Dramatically Extending Survival in Animal Study

A new study published in the journal BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology reveals a promising advancement in glioblastoma treatment using a nanoemulsion containing cannabis extract.

Researchers from the University of Medical Sciences, University of Tehran, and North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences in Iran have developed a nanoemulsion designed to boost the effectiveness of two key cannabis compounds, THC and CBD, in treating this aggressive form of brain cancer. The study demonstrated that this innovative delivery method significantly reduced tumor size and extended survival in animal models, potentially offering a new therapeutic avenue for glioblastoma.

The researchers aimed to enhance the delivery of ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) through a nanoemulsion (NE), allowing for better absorption and effectiveness of the drugs. In their in vitro and in vivo studies, they compared the efficacy of the cannabis-loaded nanoemulsion (NED) to standard drug delivery methods and a control group using the C6 tumor model in rats.
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Oct 08 2024

New Jersey Senate Committee Passes Bill Banning Electronic Smoking Device Deliveries to Those Under 21

On October 7, New Jersey’s Assembly Bill 1813 was given approval by the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.

The bill, which was passed overwhelmingly by the Assembly on September 26 with a vote of 73-2, seeks to tighten regulations on the delivery of electronic smoking devices, ensuring they do not reach individuals under 21 years of age.

The proposed legislation specifically prohibits the delivery of electronic smoking devices or tobacco products to any residence without first securing the signature of a person at least 21 years old. Violators of this law would face the same civil and criminal penalties already in place for those who sell or supply tobacco products and electronic smoking devices to underage individuals.
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Oct 07 2024

New Jersey: Second Senate Committee Approves Measure to Legalize Psilocybin for Therapeutic Use

A second committee in the New Jersey Senate has voted to pass legislation to legalize the therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms.

Psilocybin mushroom.

The Senate Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee has given approval to Senate Bill 2283, roughly four months after it was passed by the Senate’s Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.

Sponsored by Senate President Nick Scutari (D), the bill initially would have allowed individuals 21 and older to “possess, store, use, ingest, inhale, process, transport, deliver without consideration, or distribute without consideration, four grams or less of psilocybin.” However, it was amended before passage to focus on the therapeutic use of psilocybin for those with a qualifying medical condition.
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Oct 07 2024

North Carolina Marijuana Superstore Celebrates One Month Open to Everyone 21+

The Great Smoky Cannabis Company in Cherokee, North Carolina, has now been open for exactly one month, with tens of thousands of patrons making purchases.

The Great Smoky Cannabis Company (91 Bingo Loop Rd, Cherokee), located on the tribal land of Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has been open to everyone 21 and older since September 7. Today, they celebrate a full month of being open. During that time, the store has had over 20,000 customers, with not a single arrest reported by patrons leaving tribal land after making a purchase.

The Great Smoky Cannabis Company has been referred to by many as a “superstore” or “megastore”, given it is one of the largest marijuana stores in the United States. It’s the home of a former bingo hall that cost $50 million to renovate. The store first opened on April 20, but was only accessible by tribal members.
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Oct 07 2024

These Five Marijuana Strains are the Most Popular As of October 2024

As the cannabis market continues to expand across the U.S., several strains have captured the attention of consumers.

Runtz.

Using data from various state regulatory agencies, as well as data from sites that track strain popularity such as Leafly, here are the five marijuana strains dominating sales as of October 2024. Continue reading