Jan 04 2024

Study: Marijuana Legalization Not Associated With Increases in Psychotic Disorders or Health Service Use

Legalizing marijuana is “not associated with an increase in health service use or frequency of psychotic disorders”, according to a new study.

The study was published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, and it was conducted by researchers at Western University, McMaster University, the University of Ottawa, the University of Toronto, McGill University, Brescia University College and King’s College London.

“There is concern that non-medical cannabis legalization in Canada may have population-level impacts on psychotic disorders”, states the study’s abstract. “We sought to examine changes in health service use and incident cases of psychotic disorder following cannabis legalization, during a period of tight restrictions on retail stores and product types.”
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Jan 03 2024

Arizona Bill to Facilitate Psilocybin Research Filed in House of Representatives

Republican State Representative Kevin Payne has filed legislation that would facilitate the research of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

House Bill 2105 was prefiled today by Representative Payne for the upcoming legislative session which begins January 8. The measure has not yet received a committee assignment.

Under the legislation the director of the Department of Health Services “shall provide from monies appropriated competitive research grants for whole mushroom psilocybin phase one, phase two and phase three clinical trials that are capable of being approved by the United States food and drug administration to evaluate the effects of whole mushroom psilocybin on treating any of the following:

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Jan 03 2024

Legislation to Legalize Marijuana Filed in Kentucky Legislature

Legislation that would legalize marijuana for all uses has been filed in Kentucky.

House Bill 72 was filed yesterday by State Representative Nima Kulkarni (D), and it’s been assigned to the House Committee on Committees.

The proposed law states that a person 21 and older who “possesses, traffics, or cultivates a personal use quantity of cannabis shall not be subject to any penalty for that activity.” It states that “Possession, trafficking, or cultivation of a personal use quantity of cannabis under this section shall not be considered a criminal offense.”
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Jan 03 2024

NBC Announces Snoop Dogg Will Provide Coverage for 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

Rapper and marijuana enthusiast and entrepreneur Snoop Dogg has joined the team at NBCUniversal to provide coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 this July.

Snoop Dogg with Olympic athletes (beach volleyball) Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes.

According to an NBC press release, the “global megastar will be on site in Paris to provide regular reports for the Olympic Primetime Show beginning July 26, 2024, on NBC and Peacock.” The announcement was first made during halftime of Sunday Night Football’s coverage of the Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings on NBC and Peacock.

Throughout the Games, Snoop will “explore the city’s iconic landmarks, attend Olympic competitions and events, and visit with the athletes, their friends, and families”, while regularly speaking with NBC Olympics host Mike Tirico.
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Jan 03 2024

DEA Tells Congress a Review of Marijuana’s Schedule I Status is Currently Underway

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has sent a letter to congressional lawmakers informing them that their review of marijuana as a schedule I drug is currently underway, while noting that the agency has “the final authority” when it comes to any rescheduling effort.

In August the Department sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officially requesting marijuana be reclassified as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act, effectively legalizing it for prescription use across the United States. The letter came in response to a request by President Biden last year for the government to research and consider rescheduling marijuana.

Now, the DEA says they are reviewing the request, which is “ongoing”. In a letter sent to members of Congress, DEA Acting Chief of the Office of Congressional Affairs Michael Miller says that the DEA is “conducting its review” of marijuana’s scheduling status.
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Jan 03 2024

Massachusetts: Enough Signatures Collected on Psychedelics Legalization Initiative to Force a Vote

Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin’s office has certified that enough valid signatures have been submitted on an initiative to legalize psychedelics to force a vote of the legislature.

Mescaline (top left), ibogaine (top right), psilocyn mushrooms (bottom left), DMT (bottom right).

Massachusetts for Mental Health Options submitted over 96,000 valid signatures, well more than the roughly 74,000 needed to force a vote. The legislature will now have the option of passing the initiative into law, or giving proponents an opportunity to place the measure on the November, 2024 ballot for voters to decide.

“This brings psilocybin and other breakthrough psychedelic therapies one big step closer to being available to adults dealing with depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges,” says Jennifer Manley, a spokesperson for the group pushing the initiative.
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Jan 03 2024

The Six States Most Likely to Legalize Marijuana in 2024

24 states have legalized recreational marijuana, and that number could rise this year.

In 2023 three more states joined the list of those that have legalized recreational marijuana; Delaware, Minnesota and Ohio. Whether through the legislative or initiative process, multiple other states saw momentum build for legalization efforts last year, with proponents hoping to continue the wave in 2024.

With that in mind, below are the six most likely states to legalize marijuana this year.
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Jan 02 2024

Johns Hopkins University to Conduct $10 Million Study of 10,000 Medical Marijuana Patients

Johns Hopkins University has announced that they will be conducting a five-year, $10 million study on the potential benefits of medical marijuana.

A new National Cannabis Study will soon begin tracking how a nationally representative cohort of about 10,000 patients respond to cannabis treatment, according to a Johns Hopkins University newsletter. The study will be supported by a five-year, $10 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

As part of a larger Cannabis and Health Research Initiative, “the data will be combined with existing observational studies and a system for identifying medicinal cannabis users in electronic medical records, in order to compare their information with non-users.” The researchers also plan to create a library of publications and other education materials.
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Jan 02 2024

A Look at the Federal Marijuana Bills Most Likely to Pass the US House and Senate in 2024

As we enter 2024, there are several pro-marijuana bills and provisions in consideration in the United States Congress.

In December, 2022 President Biden signed into law the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, making it the first standalone piece of marijuana legislation to ever be signed into law by a US president. Since then, proponents of marijuana law reform have been working on several marijuana measures in hopes of bringing further progress in the near future.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the marijuana bills most likely to see significant movement in 2024.
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Jan 02 2024

Oregon: $81 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in December, $950 Million for the Year

In Oregon there was over $80 million in marijuana sold through legal outlets in December.

According to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, licensed marijuana stores sold $81,332,264 worth of marijuana and marijuana products in December. This is a roughly $5 million increase over the previous month, and a $2 million increase over the previous December.

In December Multnomah County by far sold the most amount of marijuana at $18.3 million, followed by Washington County with $8.9 million and Malheur County with $8.8 million.
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