Sep 24 2024

Here Are the Six States Voting on Marijuana Initiatives This November

November 5 is shaping up to be a historic day for marijuana law reform, with six states considering various marijuana proposals.

This November, voters in three states could legalize recreational marijuana, while one state will vote on medical marijuana legalization. Another state will consider a significant expansion of its medical marijuana law, and one state will vote on a first-of-its-kind bill to protect unionizing marijuana workers.

Below is a deeper look at these six proposals.
Continue reading

Sep 24 2024

Rolling Papers Company Sets World Record for Most Joints Lit at One Time

On Saturday, prolific rolling paper brand OCB (founded in 1918) successfully set a world record for the most joints lit at once.

Santa Rosa, California, September 21: An attendee as OCB Rolling Papers sets a world record for the most joints lit at one time (photo credit: Kimberly White/Getty Images for OCB).

This event took place in Santa Rosa, California at Hall of Flowers, an iconic trade show and festival with 7,000 participants who simultaneously sparked up at precisely 4:20 p.m.

The record-setting smoke session “brought flower fanatics from all walks of life together at Sonoma County’s fairgrounds to celebrate the art and craft of rolling, with OCB ambassadors on hand to distribute the brand’s premium papers and offer pro tips”, according to a press release. Aerial drones hovered above the crowd to capture the sheer scale of the feat.
Continue reading

Sep 23 2024

CA Office of Administrative Law Approves Governor’s Emergency Ban on “Intoxicating Hemp Products”, Effective Immediately

Today, California’s Office of Administrative Law has given approval to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed emergency regulations “to protect youth from the adverse health effects of dangerous hemp products”.

The regulations, proposed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) earlier this month on behalf of Governor Newsom, “require that industrial hemp food, beverage, and dietary products intended for human consumption have no detectable THC or other intoxicating cannabinoids per serving, create a minimum age to purchase hemp products to 21, and limit the number of servings of hemp products to five per package.” The rules will be in place until March 25, 2025, unless extended prior to then.

Governor Newsom said in a press release “We will not sit on our hands as drug peddlers target our children with dangerous and unregulated hemp products containing THC at our retail stores. We’re taking action  to close loopholes and increase enforcement to prevent children from accessing these dangerous hemp and cannabis products.”
Continue reading

Sep 23 2024

Missouri Halts Crackdown on THC Hemp Products, Defying Governor’s Orders

Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s ban on intoxicating hemp products has been put on an indefinite pause.

Hemp.

In a letter sent recently to Governor Parson, Richard Moore, general counsel for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, announced that state regulators would no longer embargo products based solely on the presence of hemp-derived THC.

Moore explained that, moving forward, the department would focus its efforts on identifying “misbranded” products, rather than imposing a blanket ban. The letter was addressed to Chuck Hatfield, the attorney representing the Missouri Hemp Trade Association.
Continue reading

Sep 23 2024

Here are the Most Popular Marijuana Sativa Strains as of September 2024

Here’s a look at the most popular sativa and sativa-dominant marijuana strains in the United States.

Pineapple Express.

The legal marijuana market is teeming with hundreds of active strains, with states like Massachusetts alone boasting over 600. Among these, sativa and sativa-dominant varieties make up a significant portion, known for their uplifting and energizing effects. However, only a select few have gained widespread popularity across the country, thanks to their consistent demand and enduring appeal.
Continue reading

Sep 23 2024

Florida: Bradford Sheriff Becomes First Conservative Sherriff to Endorse Amendment 3 to Legalize Marijuana

Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith has endorsed Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older, according to 104.5 WOKV.

Sheriff Gordon spoke exclusively with Action News Jax on Monday about his decision to become the first conservative sheriff in the state to publicly support Amendment 3.

“I’ve probably incarcerated more people for misdemeanor amounts of marijuana than anybody else. I’m tough on crime,” said Smith. However, Smith says he recent witnessed his brother, a war veteran, experience strong benefits from using medical cannabis, which has shifted his opinion on marijuana.
Continue reading

Sep 23 2024

Report: New York’s Legal Marijuana Market to Bring in $3.22 Billion in Annual Sales by 2030

The value of New York’s legal cannabis market is expected to reach $3.22 billion annually by 2030, registering a compound annual growth rate of 15.3% from 2024 to 2030.

“Factors such as the legalization of medicinal cannabis, rising consumer disposable income, increasing consumer awareness of the health benefits of cannabis, growing demand for cannabis from the pharmaceutical industry, and the approval of the U.S. Farm Bill are expected to boost market growth”, states the new report, released by Research and Markets.

“Cannabis is utilized for managing a range of ailments, including mental health issues, cancer, nausea, and pain, and for adult use purposes”, notes the report. “The increasing prevalence of cancer is expected to significantly contribute to the increasing acceptance of medical marijuana over the forecast period. For instance, according to data published by the Government of New York, annually 116,000 New Yorkers are diagnosed with cancer.”
Continue reading

Sep 23 2024

Study: Psilocybin Shows Greater Benefits Than SSRI in Treating Depression

A new study has found that psilocybin may be more effective than the antidepressant escitalopram (an SSRI) in treating moderate to severe major depressive disorder.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The study was presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress in Milan, was was published in the most recent issue of the The Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine.

Led by Tommaso Barba from Imperial College London, the phase 2, six-month trial included 59 participants with moderate to severe depression. Thirty participants received a single dose of psilocybin, while 29 underwent a six-week course of escitalopram. Both groups received about 20 hours of psychological support.
Continue reading

Sep 23 2024

Marijuana Legalization Campaign Raises Over $100 Million in Florida, Four Times More Than Any Other State Effort

Smart & Safe Florida, the nonprofit political committee behind Amendment 3 to legalize recreational marijuana, has now raised over $100 million.

According to the Florida Division of Elections, Smart & Safe Florida has raised $101,358,827.54 for Amendment 3, which would make recreational marijuana a constitutional right for those 21 and older. The state last updated their figures on September 16, meaning the actual total could be higher.

The vast majority of these funds came from Trulieve, a multi-state marijuana company that operates medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state. Other donors include Veranos Holdings, Curaleaf Inc., AYR Wellness Inc., Green Thumb Industries and hundreds of individuals.
Continue reading

Sep 23 2024

Marijuana Tech Exec Denied Visa by Immigration Authorities for “Abetting” Federal Drug Law Violations

A cannabis software company is asking a U.S. judge to overturn a decision by immigration authorities that denied an employee a visa for allegedly “aiding and abetting activities related to violations of federal drug laws.”

This case, first reported by MJBizDaily, highlights the ongoing tension between state and federal marijuana laws, even as the current administration seeks to reschedule marijuana.

According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California, Ameya Vinayak Pethe, an Indian national, applied for an H-1B visa to serve as the director of development operations for Treez, a software platform used by cannabis businesses.
Continue reading