Jan 21 2025

Hawaii Bill Allowing Telehealth and Easing Out-of-District Access for Medical Marijuana Passes First Reading

Hawaii House Bill 600, introduced by State Representatives Diamond Garcia (R) and Gene Ward (R), cleared its first hurdle today, passing its initial reading in the state’s House of Representatives.

This legislative proposal focuses on refining regulations for the medical use of marijuana, including addressing qualifying out-of-state patients and allowing for telemedicine appointments.

The bill would simplify access for non-resident patients by removing current registration requirements for those who are already authorized for medical marijuana use in other U.S. states, territories, or the District of Columbia. Additionally, the legislation proposes to eliminate the fees previously imposed by the Department of Health for medical cannabis registration certificates. By easing these restrictions, the bill aims to create a more seamless process for visiting patients, including enabling them to access medical cannabis without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
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Jan 21 2025

South Dakota House Committee Unanimously Approves Bill to Regulate Kratom Products

The South Dakota House Health and Human Services Committee unanimously approved House Bill 1056 today, marking a significant step toward regulating kratom products in the state.

Introduced on January 16 by eight Republican lawmakers, the bill now has 12 sponsors and outlines restrictions on the preparation, sale, and distribution of certain kratom products. It also establishes penalties for violations, classifying them as Class 2 misdemeanors.

House Bill 1056 would prohibit the distribution of products that fail to meet specific standards. The bill outlines six key requirements for kratom products, including limits on certain alkaloid levels, a ban on synthetic compounds, and labeling requirements.
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Jan 21 2025

New York Judge Halts Warrantless Raids on Licensed Marijuana Shops, Calls Them Unconstitutional

A New York judge has ordered law enforcement and state regulators to stop conducting warrantless raids on licensed marijuana businesses, a practice that has drawn sharp criticism for treating legitimate operators as if they were illegal dealers.

The ruling, issued by Judge Thomas Marcelle, addressed the actions of the New York City Sheriff’s Office and the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), which have come under fire for invasive and heavily armed inspections.

Despite the legalization of marijuana for adult use in 2021, New York law enforcement has continued aggressive tactics. Licensed cannabis shops have reported raids where deputies and inspectors, armed and without warrants, seized products and posted notices on doors accusing them of illegal activity. Business owners said these stickers harmed their sales, placing their stores at risk of closure.
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Jan 21 2025

DEA Has New Acting Administrator

Derek S. Maltz is the new Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Anne Milgram is no longer the administrator of the DEA, a position she held for over three years. Given President Trump has not nominated a new administrator, Maltz has filled in the role as acting administrator, a position he will retain until removed by Trump or until Trump’s pick to lead the agency is confirmed by the Senate.

The mix-up at the DEA comes at a crucial time: Recently DEA Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney cancelled a series of public hearings on marijuana rescheduling, which were scheduled to start today and run through March 6. In cancelling the hearings, Mulrooney left open the possibility that the DEA could continue the hearings at a later date. He has directed relevant parties to provide an update within 90 days.
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Jan 21 2025

Researchers Develop “Index of Cannabis Equivalence” to Standardize Doses Across Different Consumption Methods

A recent study by researchers from The University of British Columbia introduces the Index of Cannabis Equivalence (ICE), a user-centered approach aimed at standardizing cannabis doses across various modes of consumption.

The study, published by the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, involved 1,368 participants aged 18 to 93, with a mean age of 31.6 years, and included individuals with diverse cannabis use histories. Researchers sought to establish dose equivalencies that account for factors such as mode of use and tolerance, moving beyond the traditional focus on cannabinoid content alone.

Findings from the study revealed equivalencies for low doses of cannabis, as rated by users with lower tolerance levels. For example, two puffs on a joint, pipe, herbal vaporizer, or concentrate vaporizer were found to be equivalent to one bong hit, a 5 mg THC edible, or a quarter dab of a concentrate.
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Jan 21 2025

Study: CBD Protects Against Some of the Toxic Effects of Cadmium

A study conducted by researchers from Yozgat Bozok University Faculty of Medicine and Kırıkkale University Faculty of Medicine explored cannabidiol (CBD) as a possible treatment for cadmium-induced toxicity.

Current chelation therapies for cadmium poisoning are associated with severe side effects, prompting interest in safer alternatives. The research involved four groups of mice, with groups II and IV receiving 50 mg/L of cadmium in their drinking water. Groups III and IV were administered daily doses of cannabidiol (25 mg/kg) through intragastric gavage.

After 30 days, blood and tissue samples were collected for analysis of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, including glutathione, catalase, myeloperoxidase, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Histological evaluations of the liver, kidney, and testis were also performed.
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Jan 21 2025

Oklahoma Lawmaker Files Bill to Establish Employment Protections for Legal Cannabis Consumers

Legislation to establish employment protections for legal consumers of cannabis has been prefiled in the Oklahoma Legislature.

Oklahoma State Representative Forrest Bennett (D) has prefiled House Bill 1714 for the state’s 2025 legislative session, set to begin on February 3. The measure would provide employment protections for individuals who lawfully consume marijuana. Currently, that would apply to medical marijuana patients, but it would extend to recreational consumers if the state were to legalize it down the road.

House Bill 1714 prohibits employers from discriminating against job applicants based on their lawful off-the-job use of marijuana. Specifically, it addresses the results of drug tests that indicate nonpsychoactive cannabis metabolites, ensuring such findings cannot be grounds for denying employment. The bill, however, includes several exemptions for safety-sensitive positions and those requiring federal government background checks or security clearances.
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Jan 20 2025

Six Marijuana Studies Remain Open for Participants at UCSD

The University of California San Diego (UCSD) continues to seek participants for six clinical trials focused on marijuana and its compounds.

Each study explores unique aspects of marijuana’s potential therapeutic effects. In one trial, researchers are examining the brain mechanisms behind cannabis-induced pain relief. This study seeks to identify how vaporized cannabis alleviates acute pain by focusing on neural activity and the pathways activated during pain relief. Insights from this research could enhance the development of targeted pain therapies.

Another trial investigates the effects of cannabis on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people with HIV. This two-phase study involves assessing chronic cannabis use’s impact on ART drug levels, mood, and cognitive function in 120 participants, followed by a controlled phase where cannabis or a placebo is administered to evaluate its acute effects on ART metabolism and neurotoxicity.
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Jan 20 2025

Senator Warren Asks RFK Jr. to Clarify Positions on Marijuana Legalization, Rescheduling and Other Reforms

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary-Nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a 34-page letter detailing her concerns with his nomination and asking him to reiterate his support for legalizing marijuana and other reforms.

In total, Warren asked RFK Jr. to answer 175 questions ahead of his committee nomination hearing before the Finance Committee, with several involving cannabis and cannabis law.

“As a presidential candidate, you said that if elected you would legalize marijuana and use the tax revenue to fund programs for people seeking treatment pertaining to use of controlled substances”, said Warren in the letter. “Section 6 of the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act has a provision that would require the Secretary of HHS to make grant money available for substance use disorder. In the Senate, I am a cosponsor of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), which would provide hundreds of millions of dollars for substance use disorder treatment programs. Do you support the MORE Act and the CAOA?”
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Jan 20 2025

Virginia Officials Push to Seal All Marijuana Possession Records Without Court Orders

Virginia officials are urging lawmakers to seal all criminal records related to simple marijuana possession and streamline the record-sealing process for cannabis paraphernalia offenses as the 2025 legislative session begins.

(Photo credit: Shutterstock.com).

The Virginia State Crime Commission (VSCC) recently approved several recommendations on record-sealing policies, including those focused on marijuana.

Colin Drabert, VSCC’s Deputy Director, says the proposals ensure “that all possession of marijuana offenses are sealed, regardless of whether they’re a conviction or not a conviction, without the entry of a court order.”
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