Jul 30 2023

Second Minnesota Tribe Votes to Legalize Marijuana Stores, Sales to Begin Tuesday

Although the first state-licensed marijuana store isn’t expected to open in Minnesota until 2025, two tribes in the state are planning to open legal marijuana stores in just a couple days with no requirement to be a tribal member.

On Friday the White Earth Nation Tribal Council voted to legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older, including nontribal members. According to members of the council, sales are expected to begin Tuesday, August 1, the day marijuana officially becomes legal throughout all of Minnesota (although marijuana becomes legal on August 1, the state isn’t expected to issue the first marijuana retail licenses until sometime in 2025).

The tribe’s vote follows the actions of Red Lake Nation, which similarly voted last month to allow legal marijuana sales to anyone who’s at least 21 years old.
Continue reading

Jul 28 2023

This is the Last Weekend in Minnesota Without Legalized Marijuana

In just three days, on August 1, marijuana will become legal in Minnesota.

Starting Tuesday those 21+ will be allowed to possess up to two ounces of marijuana in public, and up to two pounds at a private residence. They will also be allowed to possess up to eight grams of marijuana concentrates and 800mg of marijuana edibles, and they can grow up to eight marijuana plants at a private residence (given it’s in an enclosed location).

All of this is possible due to the passage of legislation that was signed into law by Governor Tim Waltz in May. The law went through an extensive process that included over 30 committee hearings.
Continue reading

Jul 27 2023

Study: CBD/THC Spray Significantly Reduces Pain in Those With Chronic Back and Neck Pain

According to a recently published study, in patients with chronic neck and back pain a spray containing both CBD and THC “showed clinically significant reductions in pain compared to baseline pain scores.”

The study is published in the peer-reviewed journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, with the abstract also published by the National Library of Medicine. It was conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales, St Vincent’s Hospital, Holdsworth House Medical Practice, the Australian Clinical Research Network, Cymra Life Sciences and the University of Technology at Sydney.

The aim of the study “was to demonstrate the safety and tolerability of cannabidiol (CBD) with Δ9-THC in patients with moderate to severe chronic back or neck pain unresponsive to over-the-counter non-opioid analgesics.”
Continue reading

Jul 27 2023

New Pennsylvania Bill Would Allow Medical Marijuana Patients to Grow Their Own

Legislation filed today in Pennsylvania’s Legislature would legalize the cultivation of marijuana for patients.

Senate Bill 869 was introduced by Senator Sharif Street along with a bipartisan coalition of seven other lawmakers.

Under the proposed law an authorized medical marijuana patient who has “been a resident of this Commonwealth for a period of at least 30 days may cultivate cannabis for personal use”. Patients would be allowed to grow up to six plants at a private residence, in an “enclosed, locked space”.
Continue reading

Jul 26 2023

US House Approves Allowing Medical Marijuana for Veterans

The United States House of Representatives has given approval to a proposal that would allow physicians with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recommend medical marijuana to veterans.

The amendment was made to a bill that covers spending for Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies. It was passed on the House floor in a voice vote. The House also approved an amendment that would promote the research of psychedelics such as magic mushrooms and MDMA.

The medical marijuana amendment was introduced by the bipartisan co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, Representatives Brian Mast, Earl Blumenauer, Dave Joyce and Barbara Lee. It would explictly prohibit the use of government funds to enforce current law which prohibits doctors from recommending medical marijuana to veterans.
Continue reading

Jul 26 2023

Kevin Durant Says “Everyone Does It” When it Comes to Marijuana in the NBA

When it comes to marijuana in the NBA, “everyone does it”, according to Kevin Durant, a former league MVP and one of the top 15 scorers in league history.

(Photo credit: Matt York/Associated Press)

Last month the National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association officially signed a collective bargaining agreement that not only removes marijuana from the league’s list of banned substances, it allows players to invest in marijuana companies. According to Phoenix Suns power forward Kevin Durant, he played a key role in getting the league’s commissioner to agree to the change.

In a recent interview Durant says he held a meeting with commissioner Adam Silver to personally ask him to support making marijuana no longer a banned substance.
Continue reading

Jul 25 2023

Ohio: 58% Support Marijuana Legalization, Initiative Campaign Needs Just 679 More Votes

According to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll, a strong majority of adults in Ohio support legalizing recreational marijuana. Also, a campaign seeking to put marijuana legalization to a vote is now just 679 votes short of their goal.

The new polling found that 58.6% of Ohio adults say they support explicitly allowing those over the age of 21 to buy and possess marijuana. Just 35% oppose the move, with 6% undecided. This means that even if everyone who is undecided chose to oppose legalization, support for the issue would still enjoy a 17% lead.

Unsurprisingly support was highest among Democrats at 77%, followed by independents at 63% and Republicans at 40%. The poll was conducted between July 9 and July 12, and it has a margin of error of +/- 4.4%.
Continue reading

Jul 24 2023

Study: 7.4% of Military Members and 20.3% of Former Members Recently Used Marijuana

A new study gives details on how many military service members in the US are using marijuana both while on active duty and following their leave.

(Photo credit: Bumble Dee/Shutterstock)

The study’s abstract notes that there “is little data on cannabis use among military service members, particularly when examining the period after separation from military service.” This new research, published online by the National Library of Medicine, “examines cannabis-related perceptions and use among U.S. Army Reserve/National Guard (USAR/NG) current and former soldiers.” The study was conducted at the University at Buffalo’s Department of Community Health and Health Behavior.

For the study researchers used data from Operation: SAFETY (Soldiers And Families Excelling Through the Years), an ongoing study examining health among male and female USAR/NG soldiers. The current sample was comprised of 401 current and former USAR/NG soldiers.
Continue reading

Jul 24 2023

Detroit to Issue 50 More Marijuana Licenses, Application Process Starts August 1

The city of Detroit has announced that it will soon begin accepting applications for marijuana business licenses roughly seven months after the city issued the first 33 licenses.

City officials say on August 1 they will reopen the application process for marijuana retail outlets, microbusinesses and consumption lounges, with a plan to issue dozens more licenses. Those interested will need to apply by August 31. A decision will be made within six to eight weeks.

In total Detroit plans to issue 10 microbusiness licenses, 10 licenses for consumption lounges and 30 licenses for marijuana stores.
Continue reading

Jul 24 2023

California Initiative to Legalize Psilocybin Clears Key Hurdle

A group seeking to legalize psilocybin has been given approval by the state to begin collecting signatures on their initiative.

Decriminalize California is seeking to place their psilocybin initiative on the 2024 general election ballot. The group has until January 10th, 2024 to submit at least 546,651 valid signatures. This is almost 80,000 signatures less than was required in previous election cycles because there was roughly 2 million less voters in the recent gubernatorial election.

The proposed law would legalize, for those 21+, the possession, cultivation and distribution of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms.
Continue reading