Author: News Room

New state guidance for addiction services and treatment programs in New York advises against routine screening for marijuana use, an approach designed to parallel that used for alcohol. Some clinicians see the change, which is being implemented following the state’s legalization of cannabis, as a step away from an abstinence-only view of recovery and toward a more flexible approach aimed at minimizing harm. “With the legalization of adult-use cannabis in NYS, testing for the metabolite of THC routinely is not recommended unless the patient has identified a reduction in, or cessation of cannabis as part of their treatment goals,” says…

A Massachusetts company that bills itself as “the first and only licensed provider of psychedelic health plans” announced on Tuesday that it will cover psilocybin-assisted therapy in states where it’s legal. “Given the evidence of effectiveness seen in clinical trials in the U.S. and elsewhere, we have decided to give our employers the option of including psilocybin-assisted therapy in their benefit plans,” said Sherry Rais, CEO and co-founder of Enthea, a third-party health insurance benefits administrator. “Oregon and Colorado have already legalized the use of psilocybin, and we expect others to do so next year.” Enthea announced earlier this year…

A new guidebook examines possible avenues to regulating the nonmedical use of psychedelics, including psilocybin, LSD, DMT and mescaline, encouraging policymakers to take a thoughtful, evidence-based approach to regulation—one that authors say is too often overlooked amid the “madness” of the global drug war. “Regulating risky products and behaviors is just one of those things that governments around the world have been doing for generations, for centuries. And in many ways, they’re very good at it,” said Steve Rolles, senior policy analyst at the UK-based Transform Drug Policy Foundation, which published the new guide on Tuesday. Governments already weigh risks…

A top federal health agency has released its latest annual survey on drug use trends. And for this latest round, it made a series of notable changes to the national questionnaire’s marijuana section that are meant to account for the evolving cannabis policy landscape—including new questions inquiring about modes of consumption such as vapes, edibles, dabs, lotions and CBD products. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) that was released on Monday—shared on X (formerly Twitter) by U.S. Department Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra at precisely…

Temperatures might be dropping –– even in SoCal –– but listening to Tangerine Skies, Sublime with Rome’s latest EP, it feels like summer. It’s been 12 years since Sublime with Rome’s debut, Yours Truly, which served as the world’s formal introduction to Rome Ramirez, who, by the way, is not trying to be or replace the late Bradley Nowell, frontman of the OG Sublime. Head to any of the band’s live shows and you’re sure to hear the Sublime hits you’ve sung along to at least 420 times. BUT, with catchy beats, infectious grooves, and straight-talk lyrics, Sublime with Rome…

It’s a cool fall morning in California, and the aromatic steam from my cup of orange spice black tea is blending with the wisps of smoke from my bong. The taste pairing of cannabis flower and tea works well. The weed, OC Oranges, accurately mimics oranges in the smell and the smoke. It’s an Orange Sherb x Oz Kush F2 paired with The Menthol in a new line of The Menthol crosses from Compound Genetics, and I’m enjoying the balance it’s bringing to the morning.  Cannabis and tea are herbal medicines; with both, aromas and tastes go a long way…

Giving and ganja can both spark joy—and the holiday season offers a high time to combine them. All across the US and world, Christmas list-making and Black Friday deal-hunting has begun. Shopping for a white elephant exchange, the family gift assignment, or a lil’ something for yourself? Surely a stoner sits on your list, so don’t be a Scrooge. Since walking into a head shop is more daunting than ever, Leafly’s cannabis hardware experts traversed the world weed web to locate the best smoking presents of 2023 for budgets of $20 to $500. We personally vouch for all these 20 goodies, from…

The New York legislature has officially sent legislation to the governor that would provide tax relief to New York City marijuana businesses that are currently blocked from making federal deductions under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. About five months after the Senate and Assembly approved the proposal, both chambers transmitted their identical bills to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Monday. While Hochul signed a budget bill last year that included provisions allow state-level cannabis business tax deductions—a partial remedy to the ongoing federal issue—New York City has its own tax laws that weren’t affected by that…

A report the Medical Marijuana Authority commissioned last year found Oklahoma has 32 times more regulated marijuana than necessary to meet patient demand. By Carmen Forman, Oklahoma Voice Lawmakers extended a moratorium on new medical marijuana business licenses for two more years as the state tries to get a handle on the exploding industry. A new state law extends a two-year pause on granting new cannabis licenses for dispensaries, growers and processors into a four-year moratorium. The pause does not affect the state’s 339,938 medical marijuana patients and other license holders. The moratorium that was initially scheduled to end next…

“There exists one reason and one reason only that Plaintiffs seek to open different marijuana industry locations under the same license—they want to make money.” By Blair Miller, Daily Montanan A district court judge last week granted a 60-day preliminary injunction blocking the State of Montana from assessing and collecting increased fees from businesses that operate multiple marijuana dispensaries across the state—changes passed by the legislature this year in the final days of the session. The state and attorneys for three Montana marijuana businesses last Tuesday agreed to ask Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan to issue…