Insights
House Approves Amendments to Authorize Medical Cannabis Recommendations for Veterans and Support Psychedelics Research
LOS ANGELES- The U.S. House of Representatives has approved amendments to a significant spending bill, enabling Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to issue medical cannabis recommendations to military veterans and support research into psychedelics. The amendments were passed as part of the appropriations legislation covering Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilConVA). The ...
Red Light Holland Completes Initial Phase of Psilocybin Extraction
LOS ANGELES- Red Light Holland Corp. a company specializing in the production and sale of functional mushrooms and psilocybin truffles, announced the successful completion of the first phase of psilocybin extraction. This milestone was achieved at Chiral Labs, in partnership with PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc. Following a Health Canada-approved import of Red Light Holland’s natural ...
Study Finds Cannabis Sativa Oil Enhances Social Interaction via Oxytocin Pathway
NEW YORK- A study titled "Cannabis Sativa Oil Promotes Social Interaction and Ultrasonic Communication by Acting on Oxytocin Pathway" has been published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, and made available online by the US National Library of Medicine. Conducted by researchers at the Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine at the University of ...
Minnesota Prepares for Cannabis Market with New Legislation
LOS ANGELES- Minnesota will allow some commercial cultivators to begin growing cannabis later this year in preparation for the state's upcoming retail market. The state will award cannabis business licenses through a vetted lottery system instead of the previously used merit-based application process. Governor Tim Walz signed a cannabis policy bill on Friday that implements ...
Martha’s Vineyard Dispensary Sues for Cannabis Transport Rights
LOS ANGELES- A dispensary in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, has filed a lawsuit against the state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) over rules prohibiting the transport of cannabis products by boat across the Vineyard Sound. The lawsuit, initiated by Geoff Rose, owner of Island Time, challenges the regulations that prevent him from importing cannabis from the mainland, ...
Louisiana Senate Bill Could Shift Medical Cannabis Cultivation to Private Sector
LOS ANGELES- If signed into law, Senate Bill 228 will allow private contractors to replace Louisiana State University (LSU) and Southern University (SU) in the cultivation of medical cannabis, ending their unique role in this industry. This bill, sponsored by Sen. Patrick McMath, aims to refocus these universities on higher education and transition cannabis cultivation ...
Daily Cannabis Use Surpasses Daily Alcohol Consumption in the U.S.
LOS ANGELES- Recent analysis of national survey data reveals that more Americans now admit to daily cannabis use than to daily alcohol consumption. Published in the journal Addiction, the research found that in 2022, approximately 17.7 million people reported using cannabis daily or near-daily, compared to about 14.7 million daily or near-daily drinkers. Survey Data ...
House Armed Services Committee Approves NDAA with Provision on Cannabis Testing for Military Recruits
LOS ANGELES- The House Armed Services Committee has approved the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a comprehensive defense bill crucial for funding national defense and military operations. A significant provision within the bill prohibits the testing of cannabis for military recruits and potential officers. Section 531, titled “Prohibition on Cannabis Testing for Enlistment or ...
Glass House Withdraws Defamation Lawsuit Against Catalyst Cannabis
LOS ANGELES- Glass House Brands Inc. has retracted its defamation lawsuit against Catalyst Cannabis Co., citing concerns over Catalyst's financial viability and the potential harassment of its customers. This withdrawal marks a significant turn in the legal conflict between the two cannabis companies. Background of the Dispute The dispute originated from allegations by Catalyst and ...
DEA Report Highlights Shifts in U.S. Drug Trafficking Trends
LOS ANGELES- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) released its 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA) on May 9, providing an in-depth analysis of illegal drug and trafficking trends in the United States. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram emphasized the evolving threats to public safety and national security, highlighting a shift from plant-based drugs like heroin and ...
47 Ohio Municipalities Ban Adult-Use Cannabis Businesses Ahead of Program Launch
LOS ANGELES- As Ohio prepares for the launch of its adult-use cannabis program, several dozen municipalities have implemented temporary bans on adult-use cannabis businesses. Research from Ohio State University, summarized by Cleveland.com, indicates that as of March 31, at least 47 municipalities had opted to prohibit adult-use cannabis operations enabled by the state legalization law ...
Analysis: Adult-Use Cannabis Markets Generate Over $20 Billion in State Tax Revenue
Washington, DC (NORML): Taxes derived from the licensed sale of state-regulated cannabis products totaled more than $4 billion in 2023, according to an analysis provided by the Marijuana Policy Project. MPP’s estimates do not include revenues derived from the sale of medical cannabis products or from the collection of state-imposed regulatory fees. Cannabis sales generated the greatest amount ...
Texas Senate to Hold Public Hearing on Delta-8, Delta-9 THC Products
LOS ANGELES- The Texas Senate will hold a public hearing on May 29 to discuss a potential ban on delta-8 and delta-9 THC products. These products have been widely available in Texas since 2019, following a decision that allowed the sale of hemp products containing these compounds. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has called for ...
New York Cannabis Regulatory Chief to Resign Amid Program Overhaul
LOS ANGELES- Chris Alexander, the Executive Director of New York's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), is set to resign at the end of his three-year term in September, as announced by Governor Kathy Hochul. The announcement, made during a news conference that Alexander did not attend, comes at a time when New York is poised ...
Idaho Medical Cannabis Initiative Gains Momentum Amid New Signature Drive
LOS ANGELES- In Idaho, one of the few states without any legal cannabis framework, the advocacy group Kind Idaho is making strides to place a medical cannabis initiative on the 2024 ballot. The organization faces the daunting task of collecting approximately 63,000 signatures from registered voters by April 14 of the next year to qualify. ...
Product Recall in Arizona Due to Contamination Concerns
LOS ANGELES- The Arizona Department of Health Services has issued a recall for a product known as Onion Bhaji after laboratory tests detected possible contamination with Aspergillus, a fungus known to cause allergic reactions or infections. The state health department is urging consumers who have purchased this product to dispose of it immediately and seek ...
Massachusetts Orders Cease on THCV Products by Hemp Company
LOS ANGELES- The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) has issued a cease and desist order to Bay State Extracts, a state-licensed hemp business, directing it to stop the production and sale of products containing the cannabinoid THCV. The state agency declared that such products are illegal under current state law. The CEO of Bay ...
A Delays Hearing on Psychedelic Compounds
LOS ANGELES- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has postponed a crucial administrative hearing originally scheduled for June on the proposed ban of two psychedelic compounds, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC). This decision follows a legal challenge by Panacea Plant Sciences which contests the constitutionality of using administrative law judges in DEA's rulemaking process. The challenge, ...
U.S. Policy Shifts on Cannabis and Psilocybin for Chronic Pain Management
LOS ANGELES- In a landmark policy shift, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has announced plans to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance, a category that includes less restricted drugs. This change reflects a growing recognition of the potential medicinal benefits of cannabis, historically used for pain relief and ...
South Dakota Moves Toward Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization
LOS ANGELES- South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws (SDBML), a cannabis advocacy group, has recently submitted 29,030 signatures to South Dakota's Secretary of State in a bid to get an adult-use cannabis initiative on the November ballot. The Secretary of State's office, headed by Monae Johnson, must verify at least 17,508 of these signatures by ...
Vermont Legislature Passes Overdose Prevention Center Funding
LOS ANGELES -The Vermont legislature has recently passed a measure that aims to address the state's overdose crisis by establishing an overdose prevention center in Burlington. The Senate approved the proposal on May 2 with a 21 to 8 vote, and the House followed suit on Tuesday with a 96 to 35 vote. The measure, ...
New Hampshire Senate Committee Approves Cannabis Legalization Bill
LOS ANGELES- For the first time, a Senate committee in New Hampshire has approved a cannabis legalization bill, marking a significant milestone in the state's legislative history. House Bill 1633, which recently passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a narrow 3-2 vote, previously garnered strong support in the House of Representatives with a 239 to ...
Illinois Expands Cannabis Retail Licenses to Enhance Social Equity
LOS ANGELES- The Illinois state government has introduced an additional 35 social equity cannabis retail licenses to its recreational market, a move announced late last week, with expectations to issue another 13 in the forthcoming weeks. This expansion brings the total number of dispensaries in Illinois to 202, which includes 92 social equity establishments, as ...
Cannabis Industry Licensing Trends
LOS ANGELES- The rapid expansion of the cannabis industry in North America has shown signs of cooling in the first quarter of 2024, with a noticeable decline in the number of both active licenses and new applicants in the U.S. and Canada. This slowdown reflects a broader trend of market saturation and economic challenges impacting ...
Minnesota’s Strategic Early Cannabis Licensing Initiative
LOS ANGELES- Minnesota lawmakers are evaluating a measure to issue some cannabis cultivation licenses prematurely to circumvent delays in the upcoming adult-use cannabis program. The move, reported by the Star Tribune, aims to utilize existing medical cannabis regulations to facilitate early cultivation by select companies, potentially prior to 2025. This initiative targets preempting bottlenecks anticipated ...
