Oct 30 2023

Ohio: With Vote on Marijuana Initiative a Week Away, New Poll Shows Strong Support

According to new polling, nearly 60% of likely Ohio voters plan to vote “Yes” on Issue 2.

The new PublicPolicyPolling survey found that 59% of those who are likely to vote in this month’s election are in support of Issue 2, which would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older.

“Issue 2 is a proposed state law that would legalize the growing, sale, and use of marijuana for adults”, states the polling question. “If the election were today, would you vote Yes, to legalize adult use of cannabis and marijuana, or No, to keep marijuana law as they are today?”
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Oct 30 2023

Massachusetts: Enough Signatures Collected on Psychedelics Initiative to Force Vote

A Massachusetts campaign seeking to legalize psychedelics has collected enough valid signatures to force the legislature to vote on their initiative.

Dried psilocybin.

The nonprofit political committee Massachusetts for Mental Health Options says it has verified over 75,000 signatures from registered voters, more than the 74,574 needed to force the state’s legislature to consider the proposal. The initiative would “expand mental health treatment options in Massachusetts by providing new pathways to access natural psychedelic medicine therapy”, including “creating access to natural psychedelic medicine therapy and removing criminal penalties for personal possession of these medicines.”

Once the state verified the signatures, the legislature will be given until May 1 to approve or reject the initiative. If they choose the latter, Massachusetts for Mental Health Options will have until July 3 to submit an additional 12.4k signatures in order to place the measure on the November, 2024 general election ballot.
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Oct 29 2023

New York: Newly Filed Legislation Would Prohibit Roadside Marijuana Signage

Legislation filed Friday in the New York Assembly “Prohibits roadside signage for the sale of cannabis or cannabis products on a highway, road, or other vehicular pathway”.

Assembly Bill 8200 was filed by Assemblymember Scott Gray, and it has been assigned to the Assembly Economic Development Committee.

The proposed law “establishes that a civil penalty of $1,000 shall be assessed for the first offense and a subsequent fine of up to $2,500 for each day that a violation continues.”
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Oct 28 2023

Study: Cannabigerol (CBG) Reduced Neuropathic Pain for at Least 24 Hours in Animal Model

A new study published in the journal Pharmaceuticals found that “chronic CBG administration can provide at least 24 hours of antinociceptive effect” in an animal model of neuropathic pain.

“Cannabigerol (CBG), derived from the cannabis plant, acts as an acute analgesic in a model of cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in mice”, states the abstract of the study, conducted by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine. “There are no curative, long-lasting treatments for CIPN available to humans.”

For this study, researchers “investigated the ability of chronic CBG to alleviate mechanical hypersensitivity due to CIPN in mice by measuring responses to 7 and 14 days of daily CBG.”
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Oct 27 2023

Bipartisan Group of 31 US Representatives Asks DEA to Consider Fully Descheduling Marijuana

31 bipartisan members of the US House of Representatives have sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) urging them to consider legalizing marijuana via descheduling it.

In August the Department of Health sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officially requesting marijuana be reclassified as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act, which would effectively legalize it for prescription use. The letter came in response to a request by President Biden last year for the government to research and consider rescheduling marijuana. Congressional researchers say the DEA is “likely” to reschedule marijuana.

Now, a group of 31 lawmakers are asking the DEA to consider going further than simply rescheduling marijuana and instead deschedule it altogether. This would end the federal government’s prohibition on marijuana while allow states to decide their own laws.
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Oct 27 2023

“Groundbreaking”: Drug Testing Company Announces Screening Panel that Replaces Marijuana With Fentanyl

Psychemedics, a global leader in the drug screening industry, has “proudly” announced the launch of a “revolutionary” drug screening panel that removes marijuana and emphasizes fentanyl.

According to a press release, this “groundbreaking offering will transform the way organizations safeguard their workplaces, shifting the spotlight from marijuana to the paramount threat of fentanyl.”

Complemented by the detection of cocaine, opioids, PCP, and amphetamines, the advanced panel is “a leap forward” in drug screening technology.
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Oct 27 2023

Alabama Officials Rescind All Medical Marijuana Licenses

At their Thursday meeting the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) officially reset the licensing process for the new industry, rescinding all licenses and denials that have been awarded thus far.

In June the AMCC awarded 21 companies with medical marijuana licenses. Due to litigation the commission voided these licenses in August and issued 24 new licenses. Now, the commission has rescinded all of the licenses and denials from August, allowing them to issue a third round of licenses under rules that were adopted earlier this month.

“We decided to start all over as far as the award,” said Rex Vaughn, the chair of the AMCC. “It doesn’t matter if [there are lawsuits] or not, they’ll all be taken into consideration after the presentations.”
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Oct 27 2023

Study: CBD Decreased Total Seizures and Seizure Days in Cohort of Dogs

According to a new study the marijuana compound cannabidiol (CBD) “decreased total seizures and seizure days compared to placebo when administered to dogs PO at 9 mg/kg/day.”

Published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the study was conducted by researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University.

“Approximately 30% of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) are drug-resistant”, notes the study. “Recent studies have suggested cannabidiol (CBD) may be an effective anticonvulsant in dogs with IE.”
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Oct 26 2023

Ohio: Supporters of Marijuana Legalization Initiative Have Outraised Opponents 3.5 to 1

Those in support of an Ohio initiative to legalize recreational marijuana have drastically outraised opponents of the measure.

According to state filings, the coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has raised nearly $1.2 million as of October 23. They have spent around $820,000 of that, leaving them with around $380,000 cash on hand.

Protect Ohio Workers and Families, the primary coalition opposing Issue 2, raised around $342,000 during the same period. They have spent $230,000 of that, giving them around $112,000 on hand.
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Oct 26 2023

Illinois Bill Filed to Allow Medical Marijuana Authorizations Via Telemedicine

Legislation allowing medical marijuana authorizations to be issued via telehealth has been filed in the Illinois Legislature.

House Bill 4201 was filed today by State Representative Bob Morgan (D). The proposed law would amend the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act to provide “that the physical examination required by the Act may (instead of may not) be performed by remote means, including telemedicine.”

HB 4201, which would take effect immediately upon being passed into law, has not yet been given a committee assignment.
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