Author: News Room

The number of people in federal prison over marijuana dropped 61 percent from 2013 to 2018—a greater reduction than any other drug type—as the first states enacted legalization, according to a new report from the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Overall, the federal prison system saw the number of people incarcerated over drugs decrease by 24 percent during that time period. However, as BJS Director Alexis Piquero pointed out in a press release on Thursday that prisoners of the war on drugs “still accounted for a large share—almost half—of the people in [Bureau of Prisons] custody in 2018.”…

House and Senate appropriators have approved large-scale annual spending bills that once again include language to protect state medical cannabis programs, as well as a controversial rider to block Washington, D.C. from implementing a system of regulated marijuana sales. The Senate and House Appropriations Committee both held markups of Fiscal Year 2024 spending legislation for Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) on Thursday. And the Senate panel, as well as a House subcommittee, have also advanced their appropriations measures for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS). Aside from the state medical cannabis and D.C. marijuana sales provisions, House lawmakers…

Millions of people worldwide use cannabis to treat mood issues as legalization continues to spread.People smoke pot to reduce anxiety, and depression, and many have found lifesaving relief. Considering its status as an effective neuro-modulator, it’s no surprise that people experiencing nervous system dysregulation seek out cannabis for its many effects. But cannabis’ ability to help also exists alongside its potential for misuse, and potential to cause harm.Last week, the Wall Street Journal ran a column under the headline “Cannabis is linked to mental illness” that referenced a paper published this May in JAMA Psychiatry: The study concluded that patients…

The way people are using psychedelics is changing as awareness about substances like psilocybin and MDMA increases and more jurisdictions enact reform. But while a majority of American voters support regulating psychedelics therapy or decriminalizing them, according to a new poll, there are still some lingering negative sentiments toward the use of entheogens. The complete findings from the UC Berkeley’s Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP) survey were released earlier this week, offering one of the most comprehensive examinations of public attitudes toward the substances at a time when the laws governing them are being debated everywhere from the…

Michigan marijuana sales hit another record high in June, reaching nearly $261 million. Adult-use cannabis purchases accounted for the majority of the total, at $254,153,133. Medical marijuana sales were at $6,643,877.  This beats the prior record set in March by more than $10 million. Most of the cannabis purchases came from flower, followed by vape cartridges and infused edibles, the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) data, first reported by New Cannabis Ventures, shows. The state is seeing these record-setting sales even as the average cost of marijuana has remained at record lows, with the price of an ounce for adult-use cannabis now…

“We want to hear the public’s thoughts, concerns, and feedback, especially from those within the cannabis industry, the medical patient community, and those who have been disproportionately impacted by criminal enforcement of marijuana laws.” By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current Rhode Island’s newly-formed Cannabis Control Commission wants to know what issues surrounding marijuana are important to you. The three-member commission is tasked with overseeing regulation and licensing of recreational and medical marijuana in the state. The tour was announced by Commission Chair Kimberly Ahern during the panel’s inaugural meeting on June 29. “The purpose of these public meetings is for the…

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Conservative media, as well as certain Republican lawmakers, have a new White House drug fixation after it was disclosed by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) that agents discovered small amounts of marijuana in the West Wing twice last year, in addition to the cocaine that they more recently found. Ever since cocaine was identified in the West Wing, which was disclosed to lawmakers during a closed briefing earlier this month, the news cycle has been filled with routine updates on the status of the Secret Service investigation—fueled by speculation around the unsubstantiated possibility that it belonged to President Joe Biden’s…

“I am an honest and hard-working person and I will do whatever I can to improve our community.” By John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight Two law enforcement hopefuls were offered forgiveness for cannabis use by the South Dakota Law Enforcement Officers Standards Commission on Wednesday in Pierre. The vote for Parkston Police Officer Kody Beckers makes him eligible for certification in the state in spite of a seven-year-old guilty plea to THC wax possession during his freshman year of college in Minnesota. THC is the compound that gives marijuana its high. A future Roberts County sheriff’s deputy, meanwhile, was offered…

While world-renowned hashmaker Frenchy Cannoli may have been a true cannabis evangelist, educating the masses on how to make high quality hash, unfortunately, the country he hailed from, France, has very different views of cannabis. Seeing how restrictive French laws on cannabis have been until very recently, it is no wonder that Frenchy left his home for greener pastures and greener buds in other countries. Read on to learn the basics of cannabis in France before your next visit to Paris. Drug Trafficking Before getting into French cannabis laws, a word on drug trafficking. In France, like most countries, a…