Aug 14 2024

UC San Francisco Seeks Participants for Three Psilocybin Studies

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is actively recruiting participants for three clinical trials exploring the effects of psilocybin on various mental health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and depressions/anxiety associated with advanced cancer.

Psilocybin mushrooms.

The first study, titled “Psilocybin for Depression and Anxiety in Patients With Advanced Cancer“, will investigate the potential of psilocybin to alleviate depression and anxiety in patients with advanced cancer. Participants will receive psilocybin or a placebo alongside psychotherapy sessions to assess the compound’s efficacy.

Another study, “Exploring Psilocybin as a Treatment for Depression in Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment“, focuses on adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The trial aims to determine if psilocybin can reduce symptoms of depression in this population, with results expected to offer insights into potential new treatments for those with MCI.
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Aug 14 2024

Psilocybin and ADHD: Johns Hopkins Recruiting for New Clinical Trial

Johns Hopkins Medicine is currently seeking participants for a groundbreaking clinical trial investigating the potential effects of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in “magic mushrooms”, on adults diagnosed with ADHD.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The study, led by Principal Investigator Roland Griffiths, PhD, is open to individuals aged 18-65 who meet the criteria for ADHD.

This research aims to explore whether psilocybin can provide therapeutic benefits for those struggling with ADHD, a condition often characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Psilocybin has garnered significant attention in recent years for its potential to treat various mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. This study represents one of the first efforts to examine its effects on ADHD.
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Aug 14 2024

New Hampshire Committee Schedules Work Session on Marijuana Legalization Bill

New Hampshire’s House Bill 544, which would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older, is set for a “full committee work session” on September 12 at 10:00 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building, Rooms 302-304.

This work session marks a significant step in the legislative process, coming just three months after the New Hampshire House narrowly rejected a similar legalization measure (House Bill 1633), which passed the full Senate 14 to 10. The final House vote was 178 to 173.

House Bill 544 was first filed in January 2023 by five Democrats. The measure would legalize marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol, including a putting control of the legal marijuana market in the hands of the state liquor commission.
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Aug 14 2024

Report Finds Over 70% of Legal Marijuana Businesses Are Not Profitable

A new report conducted by Whitney Economics (WE), a global leader in cannabis and hemp business consulting, data, and economic research, finds that cannabis operators remain optimistic despite averaging only 27.3% overall profitability.

The survey was conducted in June in order to compile data on the potential impact that cannabis rescheduling would have on small and minority-owned businesses, according to a press release. The initial findings were included in a Minority Cannabis Business Association submission to the Drug Enforcement Agency on the impacts that the current scheduling policy is having on cannabis operators, particularly those who are minority-owned or small businesses. The survey results indicated that while on average 33.7% white operators in cannabis profitably, only 17.5% of their non-white counterparts are profitable.

“The cannabis industry is under economic distress, primarily due to the confluence of heavy federal taxes, lack of access to financial services and heavy state and federal regulation,” WE founder and Chief Economist Beau Whitney said. “Although states have programs dedicated to social equity in cannabis, the fact that most regulators do not track data related to social equity’s impact makes it difficult for regulators to know what is working and what is not. State legislatures will need to support and fund regulators to collect this type of data”
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Aug 14 2024

Ohio: Over $11 Million in Recreational Marijuana Sold During First Four Days of Legal Sales

Ohio’s recreational marijuana market kicked off with a strong start, bringing in over $11.5 million in sales during the first week, according to data from the state’s Division of Cannabis Control released on Wednesday.

Dispensaries across Ohio moved 1,285 pounds of marijuana flower and sold 173,043 units of other cannabis products, including edibles and topicals, totaling $11,530,708 in revenue during the first four days of legal sales. Additionally, medical marijuana sales added $8.3 million to the state’s cannabis market, bringing the total over the four-day period to nearly $20 million.

The average price for an ounce of marijuana flower spiked by approximately 20%, reaching $266 last week, compared to $222 the previous week, reflecting the demand surge as recreational sales began.
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Aug 14 2024

University of Minnesota Launches State’s First Cannabis Research Program

The University of Minnesota School of Public Health has launched the state’s first Cannabis Research Center (CRC), funded by a $2.5 million state appropriation.

The center’s mission is to provide, interpret, and share research to inform cannabis-related policy and practice in Minnesota, while also conducting innovative research on the public health impacts of cannabis legalization.

Minnesota joins several other states, including California, Colorado, and Florida, that have established or are establishing state-sponsored cannabis research centers. Some of these programs have led FDA-approved clinical trials on cannabis efficacy.
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Aug 14 2024

Olympia (WA) City Council Unanimously Approves Ordinance to Decriminalize Psychedelics

The Olympia, Washington City Council has unanimously approved a resolution to decriminalize psychedelics including psilocybin mushrooms.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

This action makes Olympia the latest jurisdiction in the state to move toward decriminalization, joining Seattle, Port Townsend, and Jefferson County.

The resolution passed by the City Council designates the enforcement of laws against entheogen-related activities as a low priority for local law enforcement. It also advocates for the “full decriminalization of these activities” at both the state and federal levels.
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Aug 14 2024

Florida Poll Finds 63% of Likely Voters Favor Amendment 3 to Legalize Marijuana

A new poll conducted by the Suffolk University Political Research Center, USA TODAY and WSVN-TV finds that a strong majority of likely voters in Florida support Amendment 3 to legalize recreational marijuana.

According to the poll, 63% of voters in Florida support Amendment 3, compared to 33% who are opposed. Just 3% remain undecided on the issue.

The poll found majority support among all political affiliations, with Democrats unsurprisingly having the most support at 73%, followed by independents at 69% and Republicans at 51%. The poll found majority support among all age groups.
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Aug 14 2024

University of California Needs Participants for Five Different Marijuana-Related Clinical Trials

The University of California in San Diego (UCSD) currently has seven active marijuana-related clinical trials, and they are seeking participants for five of them.

Of the seven cannabis clinical trials the UCSD has “in progress”, five of them are “open to eligible people”.

These studies are part of the university’s ongoing efforts to explore the medical applications of marijuana, which is becoming increasingly relevant as more states legalize its use for both recreational and medicinal purposes, and as marijuana is rescheduled at the federal level.
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Aug 13 2024

Nebraska Committee Advances Bill to Establish a 30% Tax on CBD and Hemp Products

A key committee in the Nebraska Legislature has given approval to legislation that would place a substantial tax on the distribution of CBD and consumable hemp products.

Hemp.

Legislative Bill 34, sponsored by Senator Lou Ann Linehan (R), would place a 30% sales tax on CBD and consumable hemp products. Yesterday, the Revenue Committee, which is chaired by Senator Linehan, voted 6 to 1 to advance the measure.

If enacted, the bill would impose the sales tax on hemp products intended for consumption, which are defined as those containing up to 0.3% THC. The tax would not apply to hemp products made from stalks or seeds for fiber or food purposes, nor to federally approved pharmaceuticals.
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