Aug 01 2024

US Citizen Jailed 14 Years in Russia for Medical Marijuana Not Included in Prisoner Swap

The US and Russia have agreed to a prisoner swap, including former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. However, Marc Fogel, an American teacher sentenced to 14 years for possessing medical marijuana, is not among those being released.

Marc Fogel.

Fogel, detained since 2021, was arrested for bringing marijuana prescribed for his chronic pain into Russia. Despite speculation and hopes that he might be included in the recent prisoner exchange, Fogel remains incarcerated and will for the foreseeable future. This decision comes despite a resolution passed by the U.S. Senate in June, urging the Biden administration to prioritize his release, citing concerns over the severity of his sentence and his health.

“Marc Fogel has undergone three back surgeries, a spinal fusion, a hip replacement, and two knee surgeries to correct various injuries and health issues, which have left him with chronic back pain and a permanent limp”, states the resolution. “[He] did not wish to use opioids to manage his pain and was instead prescribed medical marijuana for pain management in a manner consistent with the State law of Pennsylvania.”
Continue reading

Aug 01 2024

North Carolina Tribe to Open Marijuana Megastore to Everyone 21+ on September 7

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) will open its marijuana megastore to everyone 21 and older on September 7.

The Great Smoky Cannabis Company, currently open exclusively to tribal members and medical marijuana patients, will open for recreational use to all those 21+ on September 7. The store is located near Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, roughly three hours from Charlotte and 4.5 hours from Raleigh, in a former bingo hall that cost over $50 million to refurbish.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Tribal Council voted in June to legalize recreational marijuana. The vote followed a September ordinance approved by tribal members, requesting the council to develop legislation to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana.
Continue reading

Aug 01 2024

Minnesota Preapproves Over 3,000 Marijuana Business Licenses

A little over a year after legalizing recreational marijuana, Minnesota has preapproved over 3,000 marijuana business licenses in hopes of getting the legal marijuana market up and running in early 2025.

According to Charlene Briner, the interim director of the Office of Cannabis Management, over 3,100 individuals have been pre-approved for a state license since the application window opened this summer.

After the application period concludes, eligible candidates will enter a lottery system to determine who will proceed. Briner says the state is “on track to have our regulations and rules in place by early 2025,” indicating that this will initiate the final stages of pre-opening inspections, necessary local approvals, and business readiness.
Continue reading

Aug 01 2024

Florida Senator and Former Republican Party Chair Endorses Amendment 3 to Legalize Marijuana

Florida State Senator Joe Gruters (R), the former chair of the Republican Party of Florida, has announced his endorsement of a YES vote on Amendment 3.

“By legalizing recreational marijuana for adults, we can give Floridians access to safe products, generate significant revenue for critical public services and create new job opportunities for Floridians,” said Gruters, Chair of the Florida Senate’s Regulated Industries Committee. “I urge you to join me in voting ‘Yes’ on Amendment 3 this November. Together, we can build a safer, smarter future for the Free State of Florida.”

“Supporting Amendment 3 is a common-sense decision that prioritizes individual freedom, health, safety and economic growth”, said Gruters, Chair of the Florida Senate’s Regulated Industries Committee. “By legalizing recreational marijuana for adults, we can give Floridians access to safe products, generate significant revenue for critical public services and create new job opportunities for Floridians. I urge you to join me in voting ‘Yes’ on Amendment 3 this November. Together, we can build a safer, smarter future for the Free State of Florida.”
Continue reading

Aug 01 2024

Federal Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana Nears 100 Sponsors in US House, With Kamala Harris in Support

Federal legislation to remove marijuana from the controlled substances list and allow the expungement of past convictions has nearly 100 sponsors in the US House of Representatives.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act now has 94 sponsors, more than any other marijuana-related bill in the US Congress other than the SAFE Banking Act.

The MORE Act has passed the US House of Representatives twice (in 2020 and 2022), but both times it failed to advance in the then-evenly split Senate. The measure has gained renewed interest now that Vice President Kamala Harris is the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee for president. Harris, a longtime supporter of the MORE Act, previously cosponsored the bill during her time in the Senate. Continue reading

Jul 31 2024

Nebraska Senate Judiciary Committee Schedules Public Hearing on Marijuana Legalization Bills

Two Nebraska marijuana legalization bills, Legislature Bill 71 and Legislature Bill 52, are set for a public hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on August 2 at 1:30PM.

This hearing represents a significant step in Nebraska’s legislative journey toward marijuana legalization, and it comes three months before voters will consider an initiative to legalize medical marijuana.

Introduced by Senator Terrell McKinney and Senator Justin Wayne, these bills propose to legalize and regulate marijuana use for adults aged 21 and older. While both bills share the common goal of legalizing marijuana including licensed stores, they offer different regulatory frameworks.
Continue reading

Jul 31 2024

Study Finds Psilocybin Offers Significant Relief for Advanced Cancer Patients

A new study, published in the World Journal of Clinical Oncology, reveals that psilocybin may significantly improve the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms. (Photo credit: Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite).

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of New Mexico and published online by the US National Library of Medicine, highlights the compound’s potential in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression among this patient group.

The meta-analysis included seven studies with a total of 132 participants, assessing the effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Continue reading

Jul 31 2024

US Department of Health: Teen Marijuana Use Declines by Nearly 20% Since 2014

Survey data released today by the US Department of Health and Human Services shows that legalizing marijuana at the state level is not associated with an increase in teen marijuana use; instead, it correlates with a significant decrease in teen usage rates.

According to data provided by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health, teenagers are notably less likely to consume marijuana now than they were in 2014, the first year in which any state allowed licensed marijuana sales (that year Colorado and Washington became the first states with legal marijuana stores). In the decade since, 22 other states have legalized recreational marijuana.

The NSDUH data indicates that from 2014 to 2023, the percentage of individuals aged 12 to 17 who reported ever trying marijuana decreased by 18%. Additionally, the number of teens who reported using cannabis in the past year declined by 15%, and those currently using marijuana fell by 19%.
Continue reading

Jul 31 2024

Get Paid to Smoke Free Joints for Science: It’s the Final Day to Sign Up

DaySavers and the Cannabis Research Coalition are wrapping up recruitment for their groundbreaking study, “The Science of Smokeability” (SOS).

Today marks the final day for participants to enroll in this unique research opportunity.

The study aims to explore how various cultivation and processing techniques affect the quality and experience of smoking cannabis, addressing a significant gap in existing research.
Continue reading

Jul 31 2024

Nebraska Marijuana Legalization Bills Receive Committee Assignments

On Monday, Nebraska lawmakers introduced two bills to legalize and regulate marijuana. Now, these bills have been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, marking a crucial step in the legislative process.

Senator Terrell McKinney’s Legislature Bill 71 and Senator Justin Wayne’s Legislature Bill 52 both aim to establish a regulated cannabis market for adults aged 21 and older, albeit with different frameworks. For example, LB 71 sets the possession limit at 2.5 ounces of dried marijuana and 15 grams for concentrates. LB 52, on the other hand allows for possess of just one ounce, and no concentrates. Both, however, allow for the personal cultivation of up to six plants.

Legislature Bill 71, named the Nebraska Cannabis Legalization and Revenue Allocation Act, proposes a comprehensive regulatory system, including establishing the Nebraska Cannabis Control Commission to manage its cultivation, processing, and sale. The bill includes social equity measures, mandating that a portion of licenses go to individuals from communities disproportionately affected by prior cannabis laws.
Continue reading