Dec 19 2024

Clinical Trial Finds Psilocybin Increases Emotional Empathy in Patients With Major Depression

A study published in the peer reviewed journal Molecular Psychiatry has found that psilocybin-assisted therapy significantly improves emotional empathy in patients with major depression.

The study, titled Psilocybin increases emotional empathy in patients with major depression, explored the enduring effects of psilocybin on social cognition, using a randomized, placebo-controlled design involving 51 depressed patients.

Participants were assigned to receive either a single dose of psilocybin (0.215 mg/kg body weight) or a placebo, both embedded in a four-week psychological support program. Empathy levels were assessed using the Multifaceted Empathy Test at baseline and at intervals of two days, one week, and two weeks post-administration.
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Dec 19 2024

New Jersey Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Ban Kratom Sales

New Jersey lawmakers have introduced a pair of bills to criminalize the manufacture, distribution, and possession of kratom under certain conditions.

Kratom products.

Senate Bill 3981, sponsored by State Senator Teresa Ruiz (D), and Assembly Bill 5129, introduced by Representative Alexander Schnall, were filed on December 16 and referred to their respective Judiciary Committees.

If enacted, the legislation, titled “CJ’s Law,” would categorize kratom as a controlled dangerous substance. Kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia, has been used medicinally and therapeutically for thousands of years.
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Dec 18 2024

Colorado Will Begin Accepting Applications for Psilocybin Service Centers on December 31

Colorado is set to begin accepting applications for psilocybin service centers on December 31, 2024, marking a significant step forward in the state’s journey toward offering psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

This development comes as part of the framework established following the 2022 passage of Proposition 122, which legalized regulated psilocybin therapy and the personal use of certain psychedelics for adults aged 21 and older.

Under the program, licenses will be available for businesses involved in psilocybin therapy, cultivation, and testing. The program introduces two categories of therapy providers: standard healing centers and micro-healing centers. Healing centers will be standalone facilities dedicated to psilocybin therapy, while micro-healing centers are designed to integrate these services into existing healthcare practices, such as therapist offices or wellness retreats. This dual licensing system aims to make psilocybin therapy more accessible and affordable, addressing some of the challenges seen in Oregon’s psilocybin program.
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Dec 18 2024

Report: Industrial Hemp Market Valued at $5.6 Billion, to Reach $13.9 Billion by 2028

The global industrial hemp market, valued at $5.6 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to $13.9 billion by 2028, according to a report by Technavio.

Hemp plants.

This marks a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.25% over the forecast period. The report attributes this growth to increased demand across industries such as textiles, food and beverages, personal care, and biofuels. Asia-Pacific (APAC) is expected to lead this expansion, contributing 39% of the global market growth. Countries such as China, India, and Japan are key players, bolstered by their strong agricultural base and recent legalization of hemp cultivation, states the report.
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Dec 18 2024

Vireo Growth Inc. Announces $75 Million Financing and Acquisitions of Four Single State Operators

Vireo Growth Inc. has announced a series of transactions, including a $75 million equity securities offering and the acquisition of four single-state cannabis operators.

The equity securities offering is priced at $0.625 per subordinate voting share, with the closing subject to applicable notice periods, according to a press release sent today.

The acquisitions, collectively referred to as the “Merger Transactions,” are valued at approximately $397 million in all-stock deals. Upon completion, Vireo’s operational footprint will expand to include Florida, Missouri, Nevada, and Utah, bringing the company’s total reach to seven states. The combined entity will oversee approximately 1,043,500 square feet of cultivation and manufacturing space across nine facilities and operate 48 retail dispensaries.
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Dec 18 2024

DEA Judge Rejects Cannabis Bioscience International Holdings Request to Have Patient Serve as Witness at Rescheduling Hearing

DEA Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney has denied a motion by Cannabis Bioscience International Holdings (CBIH), which sought to include Alexis Bortell, a long-time medical marijuana advocate and patient, as a witness in the DEA’s upcoming hearing on marijuana rescheduling.

The judge’s denial cited procedural and evidentiary issues.

CBIH’s initial petition emphasized the significance of Bortell’s testimony, highlighting her journey as a patient with intractable epilepsy who found relief through a combination of CBD and THC. CBIH argued that her experience demonstrated the life-saving potential of medical marijuana and the urgent need for reclassification from Schedule I, which deems the substance to have no accepted medical use. The company believed her testimony would underscore the human cost of cannabis prohibition.
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Dec 18 2024

Delaware: Second Marijuana Licensing Lottery Set for Tomorrow

The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) is set to conduct its second marijuana license lottery tomorrow, December 19, at 1:00 p.m. in Dover.

The highly anticipated event, which will be livestreamed on Facebook, will determine the recipients of 15 retail licenses in Delaware, marking a significant step in the state’s move toward establishing a regulated recreational marijuana market.

A total of 529 applicants have advanced to this lottery stage (selected December 13), with licenses distributed by county as follows: seven in New Castle County, three in Kent County, and five in Sussex County. Applicants were assigned lottery numbers after meeting the minimum qualifications and paying required fees. Separate drawings for each county will be held, and the process will be broadcast live on Facebook via the “Office of The Marijuana Commissioner” page, ensuring transparency.
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Dec 18 2024

New Study Explores Multi-Breath Test That Detects Cannabis Impairment

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) are attempting to address the issue of driving impaired with their “Cannavan,” a mobile pharmacology lab designed to study the effects of cannabis use in real time.

Unlike alcohol, where breath tests reliably measure blood alcohol concentration (BAC), cannabis impairment lacks a clear standard. THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana, is exhaled in trace amounts, making detection akin to finding a “needle in a haystack,” according to NIST chemical engineer Tara Lovestead. THC also remains in the body for days or even weeks after last use, making methods of detecting impairment like blood tests entirely unreliable.

The research team, led by associate professor Cinnamon Bidwell, is recruiting 45 regular cannabis users to help establish protocols for measuring impairment. Participants will consume cannabis in their homes using products from a single dispensary, Native Roots, before returning to the Cannavan for a series of breath and intoxication tests. Over two hours, researchers will collect 13 breath samples per participant, totaling more than 1,200 samples for analysis.
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Dec 18 2024

Nationwide Poll Finds Just 12% of Voters Believe Marijuana Should Be Illegal

A new nationwide poll from the Manhattan Institute reveals that most Americans favor legalizing marijuana for personal use, with 73% of respondents supporting some form of legalization.

The poll sampled 2,304 respondents, with a balanced political demographic: 41% identified as conservative, 30% as moderate, and 29% as liberal. It found that 69% of respondents believe adults should be able to consume marijuana recreationally in their own homes, while 62% support legal possession of recreational marijuana. 57% agree that adults should be able to consume cannabis without government interference, provided their behavior does not endanger others.

Public opinion diverges when it comes to marijuana sales and public use. Support for the commercial sale of marijuana stands at 43%, with 39% opposed. Public consumption bans received overwhelming backing: 82% support prohibiting marijuana use on buses, trains, or within 30 yards of schools. Similar majorities oppose smoking marijuana in restaurants and bars (74%), public parks (56%), or while driving (82%).
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Dec 18 2024

Study: Medical Marijuana Associated With Enhanced Quality of Life for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease experience significant improvements in quality of life after using cannabis-based medicinal products, according to a study published in Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

“Treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remain limited, and cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) provide promise in addressing inflammation and pain”, states the study, conducted by researchers from Kings College London and Imperial College London. “However, long-term data on CBMP efficacy in IBD is scarce.”

With that in mind, the study “examined health-related quality of life (HRQoL) changes in IBD patients treated with CBMPs.”
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