According to a new Washington State University study, published in the journal Exploration of Medicine, most people who report using marijuana to get a good night’s rest have quit using over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids all together.

“More than 80% of the 1,255 cannabis users surveyed for the analysis reported no longer using over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids such as melatonin and benzodiazepines”, according to a university press release. “Instead, they had a strong preference for inhaling high-THC cannabis by smoking joints or vaporizing flower, two fast-acting methods that previous research has shown can help with difficulty falling asleep.”

Interestingly, around half of the people in the study also specifically reported using cannabis strains containing CBD and the terpene myrcene, an aromatic plant compound found in hops, basil and other plants in addition to cannabis.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) announced this week that he’s issuing dozens of additional pardons to those convicted for marijuana-related charges.

Governor Evers announced that he has issued 82 to new pardons, the majority going to people convicted for drug-related charges, and many of those for simple marijuana possession.

“It continues to be a privilege to hear about individuals’ lives, work, and what they have done to overcome their past mistakes and build positive, rewarding lives for themselves and their families,” said Gov. Evers.
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In Canada there was nearly half a billion dollars worth of legal marijuana sold in September.

According to Statistics Canada, there was CA$440 million worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in September. This is a slight decrease over the CA$464 million sold in August, but a roughly 10% increase over the CA$392 sold during the same period in 2022.

As of October 1, there are now 3,654 licensed marijuana retail outlets located throughout Canada, an increase of 14 stores from the month prior. The vast majority of these are located in Ontario, with there being 1,770. This is followed by British Columbia with 513 and Manitoba with 194.
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According to a new study funded by a federal grant those with anxiety “reported better sleep after cannabis-use-only and after co-use, but not after alcohol-use-only.”

“Sleep problems and anxiety conditions are common comorbidities and may be influenced by cannabis and alcohol use”, begins the study’s abstract. “This study examined daily within-person variation in subjective sleep quality among individuals with anxiety symptoms after cannabis or alcohol were used alone, and after co-use.”

The study was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review, and it was conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado, the University of Haifa and Colorado State University
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Carnival Cruise has given a lifetime ban to a Texas woman who brought CBD gummies on board, despite them being federally legal.

Texas woman Melinda Van Veldhuizen has gone on so many cruises with Carnival Cruise that she has previously received priority boarding. Despite this, the cruise company has given Melinda a permanent ban for bringing aboard gummies containing cannabidiol (CBD), according to Local10 News. The ban comes despite hemp-derived CBD being legal since the passage of the federal farm bill in 2018.

On the cruise Melinda was celebrating her 21st wedding anniversary’s, as well as her son’s senior year of high school.
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Licensed marijuana retail outlets can remain open on Thanksgiving, according to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.

“Cannabis sales at all licensed cannabis establishments are allowed on Thanksgiving Day”, according to a recent notice posted by the Department. “Consumers should check with retailers directly for holiday hours.”

The notice states that “Any reporting to the contrary is incorrect and should be disregarded.”
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Legislation filed this week in the New Jersey Legislature would establish a Cannabis Certified Worker Grant Program and Social Equity Certified Worker Hiring Grant Program.

(Photo credit: Bill Barlow/for WHYY).

Filed on Monday by State Representatives Anthony Verrelli and Angela Mcknight, Assembly Bill 5691 has been referred to the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee.

“There is established in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development the Cannabis Certified Worker Grant Program, which shall provide grants for the development and administration of workforce development programs for workers in the cannabis industry”, states the bill’s official text. ” Grant length is one year but may also extend beyond one year in duration.  The program shall be administered by the Office of Apprenticeship in the department.”
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Legislation to “preserve second amendment rights for medical marijuana patients” has been scheduled for a hearing in the Massachusetts Legislature.

Senate Bill 1514 was filed in February by Senator Ryan Fattman (R), and it was subsequently assigned to the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. After sitting dormant for over nine months, the measure has been scheduled for a hearing on November 28, starting at 11am.

The official text of Senate Bill 1514 states:
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Between January 1 and October 31 of this year, there was $15.9 billion worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold in states where it’s legal for recreational use.

Among the 24 states that have legalized recreational marijuana, the vast majority have marijuana retail outlets open for business, with some having passed their legalization law too soon for stores to be open (Minnesota and Ohio, for example). Virginia is the only state to not allow recreational marijuana sales despite possession being legal. In the states that do have marijuana stores, they report sales data at considerably different speeds, meaning that although for many states we have data through the end of October, in others we have data only through June or July.

According to an analysis by The Marijuana Herald of the most up-to-date data that is currently available via state agencies and cannabis commissions, there was just shy of $16 billion worth of marijuana sold in 2023, a substantial increase over all previous years. Sales numbers include the distribution of dried marijuana flower and shake as well as a variety of other marijuana products including edibles, tinctures, topicals and concentrates.
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