Aug 26 2024

Rhode Island to Open First State-Sanctioned Overdose Prevention Center in the U.S. This Fall

Rhode Island is set to open its first state-sanctioned overdose prevention center (OPC) this fall, according to a report by Filter Mag.

The center, operated by Project Weber/RENEW, will be located at 45 Willard Ave in Providence and is expected to provide vital resources and support to individuals who use and are addicted to illicit drugs like heroin.

“We plan to have the overdose prevention center open in the fall”, said Claire Macon in Providence, Rhode Island, who is the outlets Overdose Prevention Center Manager.
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Aug 26 2024

An Updated List of Every Marijuana Bill Currently Active in the US Congress (Over 20)

Here’s a current and updated list of all marijuana-related bills actively being considered in the United States Congress.

Although marijuana is legal for medical use in 38 states, and for recreational use in 24, it remains entirely illegal on the federal level. A bevy of federal legislation to change that is currently alive in the US Congress, although only a few have a legitimate chance of being passed into law in the near future.

Under congressional rules, any marijuana bill introduced before January 2023 has already been rendered inactive. Bills introduced on or after January 2023 will remain active until the end of the current legislative session in January 2025 unless they are enacted into law. Lawmakers may choose to reintroduce any inactive bills in future sessions.
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Aug 26 2024

California Funds Project to Protect “Legacy Cannabis Culture and Genetics”

A group of academic researchers, scientists, and community-based organizations today announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind, multidisciplinary, community-based participatory research (CBPR) study for cannabis agriculture.

Funded by a $2.7 million grant from the California Department of Cannabis Control, the project incorporates public education and CBPR to implement the standard methods and systems used across agriculture to define, document, and legally protect as intellectual property the individual and collective genetic resources of legacy cannabis breeders and legacy cannabis cultivation communities.

“The CBPR model is a partnership approach to research that equitably involves community members, organizational representatives, and academic researchers in all aspects of the research process,” explains UC Berkeley historian Dr. Todd Holmes, one of the researchers on the project. “For a historic project like this, it’s absolutely vital that the community is a partner in the design, implementation and analysis of the research.”
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Aug 26 2024

DEA Won’t Rule Out Arresting People Who Are Following State Marijuana Laws, But Says It’s “Not Our Intent”

Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have not ruled out making arrests for marijuana use in states like Ohio, despite the state recently legalizing marijuana.

Brian McNeal, a DEA spokesman, told WOSU (an NPR affiliate) that the agency’s primary concern is those involved in the manufacturing and distribution of illicit substances. “So are we necessarily after the kid with an ounce of weed… we want to provide information and remind that it still remains a federally illegal substance, and you can be arrested and prosecuted,” McNeal said.

However, McNeal acknowledged that the DEA “typically” leaves these types of arrests to local law enforcement. “Can a student be arrested by a federal agent? Whether it’s FBI, DEA, HSI? Yes, but that is not our intent or our goal,” he noted.
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Aug 23 2024

Study: High-Dose Psilocybin May Be Effective in Treating Depression

A new study published this week by The British Medical Journal and the US National Institute of Health reveals that high-dose psilocybin may offer benefits in treating depression.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Conducted by a team of researchers from multiple hospitals and universities in Taiwan, the study systematically reviewed and analyzed the performance of various psychedelics, including LSD and MDMA, against escitalopram, a widely used antidepressant.

The study found that while “most psychedelics were better than placebo in psychedelic trials”, only high-dose psilocybin was more effective than placebo in antidepressant trials that included escitalopram.
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Aug 23 2024

Federal Marijuana Banking Legislation Has 166 Bicameral and Bipartisan Sponsors

Support for federal marijuana banking legislation continues to grow, despite no legislative progress being made since the Senate Banking Committee approved the measure last September.

In the US House of Representatives, the SAFE (Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act) Banking Act (H.R. 2891) has 129 sponsors, including 102 Democrats and 27 Republicans, making it the most widely supported marijuana-related bill in the US Congress. The legislation would provide clear federal protections for banks and credit unions offering financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses, which include medical marijuana dispensaries in 38 states and recreational marijuana stores in 23 states.

On the Senate side, the SAFER (Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act) Banking Act (S.2860) has gained 37 sponsors following the recent endorsement by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the fifth Republican to back the bill.
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Aug 23 2024

Study Finds Weak Correlation Between THC Blood Levels and Impairment

A new study published in Forensic Science International reveals that while alcohol and benzodiazepines have a clear and significant impact on driver impairment as their blood concentrations rise, the effects of THC are much less consistent and harder to predict, calling into question per se THC driving limits.

The research, which examined over 15,000 cases of impaired driving, highlights the complexity of assessing impairment from different substances, with alcohol and benzodiazepines showing a strong correlation between concentration and impairment, unlike THC and amphetamines.

The study aimed to determine how blood concentrations of ethanol, benzodiazepines, amphetamines, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) correlate with the severity of driver impairment, as measured by a Clinical Test of Impairment (CTI). Researchers utilized data from a national database, analyzing 15,514 individual mono-drug cases collected over nine years. The study population was predominantly male, with a median age of 34 years. In addition to these cases, 3,684 drug-free drivers with similar age and gender distribution were included as a reference group.
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Aug 23 2024

Oregon and its Cities Have Garnered Over $1.3 Billion in Tax Revenue From Nearly $7 Billion in Marijuana Sales Since 2016

Since the start of legal recreational marijuana sales in Oregon, the state has garnered well over $1 billion in tax revenue, with localities garnering an additional over $150 million.

Oregon was the third state to legalize recreational marijuana in 2014, following Colorado and Washington’s lead in 2012. Due to bureaucratic delays, the first licensed marijuana store didn’t open until October, 2016.

The law allows those 21 and over to possess up to two ounces of marijuana in public and eight ounces at home, in addition to up to one ounce of marijuana extracts, 16 ounces of marijuana-infused solids, and 72 ounces of marijuana-infused liquids are allowed. Licensed retailers are authorized to sell marijuana and marijuana products.
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Aug 23 2024

Study: Cannabinoids May Enhance Treatment for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology explores the potential role of cannabinoids in treating triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer that accounts for 10-20% of all cases.

Conducted by researchers from the University of Ljubljana and the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana in Slovenia, the study examines how cannabinoids could influence standard therapies for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which has historically been treated primarily with chemotherapy.

TNBC is known for its poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as a promising systemic treatment, yet there remains a need for tumor-specific biomarkers to enhance patient outcomes. The researchers highlight that cannabinoids, which have “demonstrated antitumor activity in preclinical TNBC models”, may not only complement chemotherapy but could also serve as potential biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
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Aug 23 2024

Missouri Court Rules THC Possession Convictions Must be Expunged

The Missouri Court of Appeals has overturned a judge’s decision to deny expungements for individuals convicted of THC possession.

The Western District of the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled that convictions for THC possession must be expunged, following an amendment to the Missouri Constitution passed by voters in November 2022.

The court clarified that while THC possession can be charged separately from marijuana possession, under Article XIV, THC is now legal for adult possession. Therefore, offenses involving THC possession must be expunged in the same manner as marijuana offenses. A Lafayette County judge had initially denied expungement for defendants convicted of THC possession.
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