Dec 02 2024

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Announce New Bill to Legalize Marijuana

Pennsylvania State Representatives Rick Krajewski (D) and Dan Frankel (D) have unveiled plans to introduce a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana, with the pair emphasizing the social justice, public health, and economic benefits.

The legislation, announced via a co-sponsorship memo published earlier today, proposes the creation of a regulated marijuana marketplace that prioritizes communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. According to the lawmakers, the bill aims to raise state revenue, support social equity, and incorporate robust public health measures.

Representative Krajewski, who has previously chaired five hearings on cannabis legalization, highlighted the lessons Pennsylvania can learn from other states.
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Dec 02 2024

President-Elect Trump Names Sheriff Who Backed Marijuana Decriminalization as New DEA Chief

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.

Chronister, who has supported decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana in the past, was nominated Saturday. If confirmed by the Senate, Chronister will replace Anne Milgram, a Biden administration appointee and former New Jersey attorney general.

Chronister, a lifelong law enforcement officer, has served as sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, since 2018, overseeing Tampa and its surrounding areas.
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Dec 02 2024

Rhode Island Marijuana Sales Hit $10 Million in November, Year-to-Date Total Exceeds $108 Million

Rhode Island’s legal marijuana market brought in a combined $10 million in sales for November, according to the state’s Department of Business Regulation.

Adult-use marijuana dominated the market with $8.15 million, while medical marijuana sales totaled $1.85 million.

These figures contribute to a year-to-date sales total of $108,209,948, demonstrating steady growth in the state’s marijuana industry. The average transaction amount across all sales was $36.34, resulting in approximately 2,977,709 total transactions for the year.
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Dec 02 2024

Oregon: $78 Million in Marijuana Sold in November, $881 Million in 2024, Prices Drop to All-Time Low of $3.57 Per Gram

Legal marijuana sales in Oregon remained robust in November, with over $78 million in revenue, pushing the yearly total past $880 million.

Data from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission shows $78,562,441 in legal marijuana sales during November, a slight decline from October’s $79.5 million. These figures bring the year-to-date total to $881 million and the all-time total to $7.1 billion.

The average price of dried marijuana flower in November reached an all-time low of $3.57 per gram. Marijuana concentrate prices also fell, dropping from $16.21 per gram to $15.83, though they remain slightly higher than April’s average of $15.36.
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Dec 01 2024

Study: CBD May Reverse Behavioral Impairments Linked to Autism

A new study published in the journal Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior shows that CBD may reverse the behavioral impairments associated with autism spectrum disorder.

Researchers from the University of São Paulo and the Oswaldo Cruz Institute examined the effects of CBD on adult male mice exposed to valproic acid (VPA) during embryonic development, a model commonly used to study autism spectrum disorder (ASD) characteristics.

The study explored the impact of acute CBD treatment on mice subjected to various behavioral tests, including the Pre-Pulse Inhibition Test (PPI), Marble Burying, Social Interaction, the Actimeter Test, and the Novel Object Recognition Test (NOR). Results revealed that CBD significantly improved several behavioral deficits in VPA-exposed mice.
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Dec 01 2024

Study: CBD May Offer Neuroprotective Benefits to Fetuses Exposed to Inflammatory Conditions During Pregnancy

Researchers from Suleyman Demirel University in Türkiye have published a study in the journal Reproductive Toxicology examining the potential of cannabidiol (CBD) to mitigate neuroinflammation and enhance neurogenesis in the offspring of pregnant rats subjected to systemic inflammation.

The findings, available through the U.S. National Institute of Health, highlight the therapeutic potential of CBD during pregnancy under certain inflammatory conditions.

The study involved 30 pregnant rats divided into five groups: a control group, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-only group, and three LPS groups treated with varying CBD doses (5, 10, and 30 mg/kg). Following LPS injections to induce systemic inflammation, researchers collected blood, fetuses, and placentas for analysis, performing histopathological assessments, immunohistochemical staining, ELISA, and immunoblotting.
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Dec 01 2024

The Six Federal Marijuana Bills Most Likely to Pass With a Republican Congress and Trump as President

As the United States prepares for a Republican-controlled Congress and the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January 2025, we take a look at federal marijuana bills that may stand a chance of being enacted into law.

Despite the GOP’s historical reservations about cannabis reform, several bipartisan bills have garnered support and stand a decent chance of enactment. This is especially true when you consider that in the leadup to the election, Trump endorsed legalizing marijuana in Florida, rescheduling marijuana federally and establishing federal marijuana banking reform.

With that said, here are six federal marijuana bills that are the most likely to advance under the forthcoming administration and Congress.
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Dec 01 2024

Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy Reduces Anxiety, Depression, and Other Psychiatric Symptoms in Cancer Patients

Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has demonstrated promising outcomes in addressing multiple psychiatric symptoms in patients with cancer-related distress, according to a new study published in Nature Mental Health.

Psilocybin mushrooms.

Conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Columbia University, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, and Yale University, the study analyzed data from two randomized, placebo-controlled phase II trials involving 79 participants.

While PAP has previously been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, this study evaluated its impact on a broader spectrum of psychiatric dimensions. Researchers assessed nine categories, including interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, obsession–compulsion, somatization, phobia, paranoia, and psychosis.
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Dec 01 2024

The Top Marijuana Strains in the United States as of December 2024

With an ever-growing number of marijuana strains available, these ten have captured the attention of consumers across the U.S., dominating menus and online discussions.

Permanent Marker.

This list, crafted from data provided by various state regulatory agencies and Leafly, features strains celebrated for their flavor, effects, and versatility.
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Dec 01 2024

Judge Rules Nebraska Medical Marijuana Initiatives Legally Sufficient, Will Go Into Effect December 12

A Lancaster County District Court judge has upheld the validity of petitions circulated by Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, rejecting a legal challenge that sought to invalidate the ballot initiatives.

Judge Susan Strong determined that attorneys for former State Senator John Kuehn and Secretary of State Bob Evnen failed to demonstrate a sufficient number of invalid signatures to disqualify the petitions. In a 57-page ruling, Strong noted that evidence presented showed only a few hundred invalid signatures on each petition, far below the threshold needed to declare them insufficient.

“The court finds that they have fallen short,” Strong wrote, concluding that both initiatives met the legal requirements for signature validity.
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