Mar 24 2023

South Dakota Bill to Expand Medical Marijuana Program Signed Into Law by Governor

A bill that greatly expands the list of conditions that qualify an individual to become a medical marijuana patient in South Dakota has been signed into law by Governor Kristi Noem.

Senate Bill 1 was passed by the state’s Senate in January by a vote of 20 to 15 and was approved by the House of Representatives in a 36 to 32 vote earlier this month, with some minor amendments. The Senate then voted 19 to 15 to concur on amendments, sending it to Governor Noem.

The measure, filed by Senator Ernie Otten with cosponsors Senators Erin Tobin and Taylor Rehfeldt, was signed into law yesterday by Governor Kristi Noem, according to the official website for the South Dakota Legislature. The new law expands the number of eligible patients by explicitly allowing medical marijuana for those diagnosed with: Continue reading

Mar 24 2023

Colorado House Passes Bill Allowing for Overdose Prevention Centers (aka Safe Injection Sites)

Colorado’s full House of Representatives has voted 43 to 21 to pass legislation that would allow localities to operate overdose prevention centers (aka safe injection sites).

A safe injection site located in Canada.

Colorado House Bill 1202 was filed by State Representative Judith Amabile along with a massive list of 38 cosponsors (all Democrat). The bill specifies that “a city may authorize the operation of an overdose prevention center within the city’s jurisdiction for the purpose of saving the lives of persons at risk of preventable overdoses.”

The bill states that “Preventable drug overdoses are a public health crisis that impact every Colorado community and are a matter of both local and state concern. For far too long, Colorado has disproportionately favored a criminal justice approach to substance use disorders instead of prioritizing public health.”
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Mar 24 2023

Report: Global Cannabis-Infused Edibles Market Valued at $5.14 Billion, to Grow to $9.28 Billion by 2028

According to a new report the global cannabis-infused edibles market is currently valued at over $5 billion, and is anticipated to grow rapidly in the coming years.

Conducted by Research and Markets, the report found that as of the start of 2023, the global marijuana-infused edibles market is worth $5.14 billion. It’s expected to grow at an annual compound growth rate (CAGR) of 12.26% between now and 2028 to reach a value of $9.28 billion.

“The global cannabis-infused food have gained momentum due to the increasing popularity and consumption of cannabis by the mainstream population”, states the report.

According to the report some of the key drivers in the market include:
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Mar 24 2023

Legislation to Legalize Medical Marijuana Filed in Idaho

Idaho is one of just 12 states that have not legalized medical marijuana, but that would change under a new bill filed today in the state’s legislature.

“In enacting this bill, it is the intent of the legislature to authorize the use of medical cannabis for persons diagnosed with a substantial health condition”, states House Bill 370, filed by Republican State Representative John Vander Woude (who is Chair of the House Health and Welfare Committee ). The measure is titled the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act.

Under the relatively restrictive proposal, those with a qualifying condition would be authorized to possess and use up to 10 mg of THC processed to a “tablet, chewable, droplet, or pill”, meaning that actually smoking medical marijuana would remain prohibited.
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Mar 24 2023

New Mexico Committee Approves Legalizing Safe Injection Sites

A bill that would establish an overdose prevention program to allow for safe injection sites has been passed by its initial House committee.

The New Mexico flag.

House Bill 263 has been passed by the House Judiciary Committee, moving it closer to a vote by the full House. According its official synopsis the bill would amend the Harm Reduction Act to create an overdose prevention program, which would allow for the operation of overdose prevention facilities, and provide liability protections for individuals operating or utilizing overdose prevention programs.

The amendments “would limit the data the Department of Health could collect in association with harm reduction programs, require the department to promulgate rules about the operation of overdose prevention programs, and require the department to provide program participants with a safe and hygienic space to consume previously obtained substances under the supervision of trained personnel.”
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Mar 23 2023

Group of Rhode Island Lawmakers File Bill to Legalize Psilocybin

Legislation that would legalize the possession and personal cultivation of psilocybin has been filed in Rhode Island.

Legalize Psilocybin

Rhode Island Senate Bill 806 would amend the state’s law on controlled substances “to permit a person to possess less than 1 ounce of psilocybin and would allow psilocybin to be cultivated at a person’s residence for personal use.”

The measure was filed by Senator Meghan Kallman, with cosponsors Senators Alana DiMario, Joshua Miller, Tiara Mack, Jonathon Acosts, Pamela Lauria and Bridget Valverde. The move would legalize psilocybin, which is the hallucinogenic ingredient found in magic mushrooms.
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Mar 23 2023

Study: CBD Can Mitigate Opioid Cravings

Administering marijuana-derived CBD significantly reduces opioid cravings in animals, according to a new study published in the journal Addiction Neuroscience.

For the study researchers from Washington State University and Legacy Research Institute in Portland examined the efficacy and safety profile of vaporized CBD in female rates. They found that rats provided with CBD were less likely to self-administer morphine.

“The ability of WPE [whole-plant marijuana extract] to reduce opioid reward and drug seeking behavior appears quite robust and of great clinical utility,” states the study.
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Mar 23 2023

Rhode Island Bill Would Allow Animals to Join Medical Marijuana Program

Legislation to add animals to Rhode Island’s medical marijuana program has been introduced in the state’s Senate.

Legislation to expand the definition of “qualifying patient” to include “any animal having a debilitating medical condition as determined by a veterinarian for purposes of a recommendation for medical marijuana”, has been filed in the Rhode Island Senate.

Filed by Senator Frank Lombardo, the measure is cosponsored by Senators Louis Dipalma, Frank Ciccone, Ryan Pearson and Joshua Miller. It has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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Mar 23 2023

Medical Marijuana Expansion Bill Becomes Law in Washington D.C.

In January Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed legislation to significantly expand the district’s medical marijuana program. After a required congressional review period, the proposal is now officially law.

The legislation (Bill 24-0113) was first introduced by Council Chair Phil Mendelson on behalf of Mayor Bowser back in February, 2021. In December, 2022 it passed the D.C. Council in a unanimous 13 to 0 vote, and it officially became law yesterday.

The new law removes the cap on the number of plants that a cultivation center can grow and removes the cap on the number of permitted dispensaries in the District. The law also creates new business categories within the industry including on-site consumption facilities and marijuana cooking classes, and it makes permanent the option for patients to self-certify that they’re qualified medical marijuana patients.
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Mar 22 2023

Missouri Bill to Study Medical Use of MDMA, Psilocybin and Ketamine Passes Second House Committee

Two legislative committees in Missouri have voted “Yes” on a measure that would require a study on the efficacy of using alternative medicines and therapies including, but not limited to MDMA psilocybin, and ketamine.

(Getty Images)

Missouri House Bill 1154 was passed on March 7 by the Veterans Committee in a unanimous vote (11 to 0), and on Monday it was given approval by the Administrative Oversight Committee. The vote Monday was also unanimous, 10 to 0.

Filed by Representative Dan Houx, this bill “requires the Department of Health and Senior Services, in
collaboration with a Missouri university hospital and medical center operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs in Missouri, to conduct a study on the efficacy of using alternative medicines and therapies, including, but not limited to, the use of MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine for the treatment of patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment-resistant depression, substance abuse disorders, or who require end-of-life care.”
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