Jan 30 2025

New Mexico Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Establish Medical Psilocybin Program

Legislation to create a program for the medicinal use of psilocybin was introduced today in the New Mexico Senate.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Senate Bill 219, the Medical Psilocybin Act, would allow those in New Mexico to receive psilocybin-assisted treatment for certain behavioral health conditions, including major treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, end-of-life care, and other conditions approved by the Department of Health.

“When we’re facing epidemic levels of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other debilitating mental health conditions, we owe it to those suffering to explore promising new treatments like psilocybin,” says State Representative Elizabeth Thomson (D). “By establishing a highly regulated, state-run program, we can provide alternative options to those not responding to traditional treatment, in a safe, controlled environment.”
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Jan 30 2025

Study: Opening Recreational Marijuana Stores Has No Impact on Emergency Room Visits

A study being published soon by the International Journal of Drug Policy, published online ahead of print by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, analyzes the impact of recreational marijuana retailer allocation on emergency department visits in Ontario.

(Photo credit: Pablohart / Getty Images).

Researchers from York University, Western University, and the University of Toronto conducted a longitudinal study using health administrative data from ICES (a nonprofit research institute), covering all Ontario residents with public health insurance.

The study examined 278 communities, using Forward Sortation Areas (FSAs) as a proxy, and tracked 11,156,100 adults aged 18 and older from January 2016 to March 2023. The randomized lottery system used to allocate marijuana retailers provided a natural experiment, allowing for a comparison of emergency department visits in FSAs with and without retail stores.
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Jan 30 2025

North Carolina’s Only Legal Marijuana Store, Located on Tribal Land, Open Nearly 150 Days to Everyone 21+

The Great Smoky Cannabis Company in Cherokee, North Carolina—the only legal marijuana retailer in the state—has been open for nearly 150 days, generating millions in sales without any reported arrests.

The store, operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), remains the state’s sole outlet where recreational marijuana can be legally purchased, as North Carolina has not legalized marijuana at the state level for recreational or medical purposes. The EBCI’s store is open to anyone 21 and older regardless of tribal or medical status.

Since launching in early September, the store has generated millions in sales. They offers a range of products, including flower, edibles, and concentrates, sourced from the tribe’s cultivation facility. Despite marijuana being illegal under state law, EBCI’s sovereign status allows the tribe to regulate cannabis sales on its land. Up to this point, there has not been a single reported marijuana possession arrest connected to marijuana purchased legally at the Great Smoky Cannabis Company, and no police checkpoints have been setup outside tribal land as some feared.
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Jan 30 2025

Heavy Drinking Alters Brain Function—But Adding Cannabis May Not Make a Difference

A study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence suggests that co-using alcohol and cannabis does not produce additional changes in brain connectivity compared to heavy alcohol use alone.

(Photo credit: RespectMyRegion.com).

For the study, researchers from the University of California conducted a secondary analysis of three clinical laboratory studies, examining resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in 60 individuals.

Participants were categorized into three groups: controls with no regular drug use (16), heavy alcohol users (27), and individuals who regularly used both alcohol and cannabis (17). Resting-state fMRI scans were analyzed to assess connectivity differences in the salience network, a brain system associated with attention and addiction.
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Jan 30 2025

Scotts Miracle-Gro to Separate Cannabis Arm Into Independent Company

Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. is preparing to separate its cannabis-focused subsidiary, Hawthorne Gardening Co., into a fully independent company—a decision executives believe will enhance its financial value.

This marks a departure from the previous stance of Scotts CEO Jim Hagedorn, who had favored keeping Hawthorne within the parent company despite the marijuana industry’s instability, according to Green Market Report.

With Hawthorne’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) expected to reach approximately $20 million this year, Scotts’ leadership determined that the business would operate more effectively on its own.
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Jan 30 2025

Smart & Safe Florida Begins Mailing Petitions to Put Marijuana Legalization on November 2026 Ballot, Petition Also Available Online

Smart & Safe Florida has begun mailing thousands of petitions to households statewide in its renewed push to legalize recreational marijuana.

The petition can also be downloaded online here. Although the petition is available online, it was still be mailed back or dropped off to be counted.

The group’s initiative, similar to its 2024 proposal Amendment 3, would legalize marijuana for those 21 and older, allowing for regulated sales of products such as edibles and concentrates while maintaining restrictions, including a ban on public consumption and child-attractive marketing. It would also grant Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers the ability to grow, sell, and distribute marijuana to adult consumers, while creating a framework for licensing new businesses in the market.
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Jan 30 2025

Clinical Trial Finds High-Fat Meals Increase Bioavailability and Alter Absorption of CBD-Rich Cannabis Extract

A study published yesterday by the journal Scientific Reports found that consuming a high-fat meal significantly enhances the bioavailability and alters the absorption pattern of high-CBD cannabis extract in both men and women.

(Photo credit: GETTY Images).

Researchers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands conducted a randomized crossover study involving 11 healthy participants—five men and six women—to assess how a standardized high-fat meal affects CBD absorption compared to fasting. Participants received a single oral dose of a CBD-rich “Cannabis sativa extract equivalent to 70 mg of CBD.

The study found that consuming a high-fat meal led to a substantial increase in CBD bioavailability. The geometric mean ratio (GMR) for peak CBD concentration (Cmax) was 17.4 (90% CI 12.4-24.2), while the total exposure (AUC) increased by a factor of 9.7 (90% CI 7.7-12.3).
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Jan 30 2025

Mississippi House Overwhelmingly Approves Bill Allowing Limited Telemedicine for Medical Marijuana Evaluations

The Mississippi House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a measure that would allow certain patients to receive medical marijuana recommendations through telemedicine.

House Bill 611, sponsored by State Representative Lee Yancey (R), passed with a 113 to 5 vote and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

If enacted, the bill would allow “telemedicine evaluations” for medical marijuana certification, but only for individuals who are homebound or bedbound. The legislation specifies that eligibility must be confirmed by a separate practitioner who is not the one issuing the medical marijuana recommendation.
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Jan 29 2025

New Connecticut Bill Would Guarantee Minimum Wage for Cannabis Industry Workers

A new bill introduced in the Connecticut House of Representatives would ensure that employees at cannabis establishments receive at least the state’s minimum fair wage.

House Bill 6842, filed today by the chair of the House Labor and Public Employees Committee, and referred to that committee. The legislation would amend state law to clarify that cannabis industry employees must be paid the full minimum wage and that employers cannot count gratuities as part of that wage.

Under current law, certain industries—such as restaurants and hospitality—can apply gratuities toward meeting minimum wage requirements. However, HB 6842 explicitly prevents cannabis businesses from doing the same.
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Jan 29 2025

Michigan Led Per Capita Marijuana Sales in 2024, Followed by Montana and New Mexico

In 2024, legal marijuana sales totaled $23 billion across the 21 states with operating recreational markets. Michigan led in per capita sales.

Using data from state regulatory agencies, cannabis commissions, and the U.S. Census, Michigan had the highest per capita marijuana sales in 2024, averaging $304 per person. Montana followed at $293 per person, with New Mexico at $260.

The full rankings are as follows:
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