Sep 23 2024

Study: Psilocybin Shows Greater Benefits Than SSRI in Treating Depression

A new study has found that psilocybin may be more effective than the antidepressant escitalopram (an SSRI) in treating moderate to severe major depressive disorder.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The study was presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress in Milan, was was published in the most recent issue of the The Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine.

Led by Tommaso Barba from Imperial College London, the phase 2, six-month trial included 59 participants with moderate to severe depression. Thirty participants received a single dose of psilocybin, while 29 underwent a six-week course of escitalopram. Both groups received about 20 hours of psychological support.
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Sep 23 2024

Marijuana Legalization Campaign Raises Over $100 Million in Florida, Four Times More Than Any Other State Effort

Smart & Safe Florida, the nonprofit political committee behind Amendment 3 to legalize recreational marijuana, has now raised over $100 million.

According to the Florida Division of Elections, Smart & Safe Florida has raised $101,358,827.54 for Amendment 3, which would make recreational marijuana a constitutional right for those 21 and older. The state last updated their figures on September 16, meaning the actual total could be higher.

The vast majority of these funds came from Trulieve, a multi-state marijuana company that operates medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state. Other donors include Veranos Holdings, Curaleaf Inc., AYR Wellness Inc., Green Thumb Industries and hundreds of individuals.
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Sep 23 2024

Marijuana Tech Exec Denied Visa by Immigration Authorities for “Abetting” Federal Drug Law Violations

A cannabis software company is asking a U.S. judge to overturn a decision by immigration authorities that denied an employee a visa for allegedly “aiding and abetting activities related to violations of federal drug laws.”

This case, first reported by MJBizDaily, highlights the ongoing tension between state and federal marijuana laws, even as the current administration seeks to reschedule marijuana.

According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California, Ameya Vinayak Pethe, an Indian national, applied for an H-1B visa to serve as the director of development operations for Treez, a software platform used by cannabis businesses.
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Sep 21 2024

Study Introduces New Method for Accurate Cannabis Terpene Measurement, Which Could Enhance Entourage Effect Research

A new study published in the Journal of Chromatography B highlights a rigorous approach to identifying and quantifying cannabis terpenes and terpenoids, critical secondary metabolites that are believed to play a role in the entourage effect when combined with cannabinoids.

The study addresses a key issue in the accurate quantification of terpenes, which are responsible for the distinct aroma of cannabis flowers and potentially contribute to their therapeutic effects.

Researchers developed a precise gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method to study five commercial cannabis strains produced by Bedrocan International. These strains range from CBD-dominant to THC-dominant.
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Sep 20 2024

New Hampshire House Committee Schedules Executive Session for Bill to Legalize Psilocybin, LSD and Mescaline

Legislation that would legalize the therapeutic use of certain psychedelics for those 21 and older has been scheduled for a “full committee work session” and an executive session in a key committee in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms (left), mescaline (middle), and LSD (right).

The New Hampshire House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs has scheduled House Bill 1693 to a “full committee work session” at 9:30am on October 9 in Legislative Office Building 205-207. This will be followed by an “executive session” at 1pm. Executive session are typically when committees vote on proposals.

Filed in December by State Representative Kevin Verville (R), the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to create and administer a new program regulating the use of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes.  The bill models the proposed statute after the state’s law that established the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes.
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Sep 20 2024

Canada: $440 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in July, Most Since December

According to data compiled and released by Statistics Canada, there was over $440 million worth of marijuana sold legally in July.

In total, there was $440.7 million in worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold in July throughout Canada. This is the highest monthly total since the $448 million sold in December 2023.

Although July’s sales are the highest so far this year, they are around $18 million less than the total for July 2023.
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Sep 20 2024

SetSet Launches World’s First Clinician-Approved Psychedelics Community and Resource Platform for Women

SetSet, “the first platform to bridge the knowledge gap between consumers and medical providers for safe microdosing”, has officially launched.

Designed to help women navigate psychedelic experiences with community support, therapist-created curriculum, and access to trained practitioners, SetSet offers universal integration resources for both individuals and healthcare professionals.

“This launch comes at a crucial time: women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression as men, and many are turning to psychedelics like psilocybin and ketamine as alternatives to ineffective pharmaceutical treatments like SSRIs and benzodiazepines”, states a press release from SetSet.
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Sep 19 2024

Senator Warren Says Vote on Marijuana Banking Bill Could Happen This Year, Blames Republicans for Lack of Progress

In an interview with The Dales Report, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) stated that a vote on the SAFER Banking Act could occur during the lame duck session before the end of the year, while attributing the lack of progress to Republicans.

(Photo credit: Al Drago / Getty Images).

When asked by a reporter from The Dales Report “Do you think there’s any possibility that SAFE could happen during the lame duck session?”, Warren responded by saying “It could. And I very much would like to see that happen.”

She continued by saying “Look, we’ve got multiple paths for getting this done, and yet somehow we have never been able to stitch it together. Part of the problem has been that there still is significant Republican opposition, and the consequence of that is we have to have 60 or more votes in order to move forward.”
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Sep 19 2024

Fourth Circuit Court Rules Hemp-Derived Products Legal Nationwide, Contradicting DEA

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that all hemp-derived products, including those created through chemical synthesis, are legal under federal law.

Hemp gummies.

This ruling aligns with a 2022 decision from the Ninth Circuit but goes against more recent guidance from the DEA. In a letter from February 2023, the DEA stated that the 2018 Farm Bill was not intended to legalize synthetic cannabinoids, such as THC-O, even if their THC content is below the legal limit.

Despite acknowledging the disagreement, the Fourth Circuit sided with the Ninth Circuit’s interpretation, which held that the Farm Bill’s definition of hemp includes all cannabis plant derivatives as long as they contain less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC. The court stated that this interpretation is clear and that they did not need to defer to the DEA’s position.
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Sep 19 2024

Illinois Legal Marijuana Sales Top $170 Million in August

In Illinois, over $170 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products were sold through legal outlets.

According to data released by the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer, a total of $170.9 million in marijuana was sold in August, with $147.4 million in recreational sales and $23.5 million in medical sales. This is around $3 million more than the previous month, and around $5 million more than the previous August.

Of the recreational marijuana sold in August, $33.1 million was purchased by out-of-state visitors, while Illinois residents accounted for $114.3 million in sales.
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