Author: News Room

“Criminalization for drug addiction is not the answer. I fear it may be taking a step backward.” By Ben Botkin, Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon House on Thursday passed a proposal to reshape the state’s response to the fentanyl addiction and overdose crisis and put more power in the hands of police and prosecutors to rein in drug users. The bipartisan vote of 51-7 kicks House Bill 4002 to the Senate, the last step in a long legislative process that started last fall. The bill would unwind voter-passed Measure 110 by putting in place a new misdemeanor charge for drug possession, a move…

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) says it’s a “mistake” that President Joe Biden’s marijuana pardons don’t cover possession offenses under military code, arguing that cannabis should be broadly treated the same as alcohol under federal law. The senator said during an interview with Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo this week that cannabis reform is one area where his position departs from the president, as he’d like to see the substance legalized and regulated like alcohol and tobacco products. While the U.S. Army recently clarified in a branch-wide notice that marijuana possession violations under the military drug code weren’t eligible under the…

Marijuana use is associated with lower odds of subjective cognitive decline (SCD), according to a new study, with people who consume cannabis for recreational or medical purposes reporting less confusion and memory loss compared to non-users. The study—which showed that recreational cannabis use is “significantly” linked to lower SCD—is especially notable given that past research has connected subjective decline to the development of dementia later in life. The results, which were published in the journal Current Alzheimer Research this month, indicate that THC’s impacts on cognitive function may be more complicated than popularly assumed. “Compared to non-users,” the study says,…

“These piecemeal approaches are only going to cause a lot of victimization, frankly, for those who are falsely accused.” By Sophie Nieto-Munoz, New Jersey Monitor Cannabis experts are concerned about a lawmaker’s attempt to require motorists suspected of driving under the influence of marijuana to provide a blood sample to police. Critics of the recently introduced bill say it would not only give police more power that would likely be wielded disproportionately against people of color, but they also argue the testing methods called for in the bill don’t even work. Joshua Bachner, a cannabis attorney at law firm Mandelbaum Barrett,…

In the weed world, where unity is often celebrated, introverts—those drained by social gatherings with a need to recharge on their own—may often feel overlooked. Depending on your source, anywhere from 16% to over 56% of the population may be an introvert. Yet, why does it feel like 100% of weed events are geared toward extroverts? Are there events catered to both types of people? Are there any events made specifically for introverted people?  What is an Introvert? Introversion is a personality trait where individuals find solitude recharging and prefer deep, meaningful social interactions over extensive, surface-level engagement. Sometimes, they…

A Colorado hemp company has gone to court to try to collect $1.4 million from an Oregon farming operation in a cultivation seed deal that went sour.MH Consulting LLC, Boulder, Colorado, which also does business as Trilogene Seeds, said Oregon-based Four Seasons LLC ordered a shipment of 19 million industrial hemp cultivation seeds valued at $1.68 million, but has paid only $276,460 through Salt Capital LLC, a California-based financial advisory that was party to the deal.Trigolene sells seeds intended for the production of CBD and other cannabinoids, according to the company’s website.According to the lawsuit, Salt Capital was to assist…

A Maryland House of Delegates committee considered a Republican-led bill on Tuesday that would reinstate the ability of law enforcement to stop and search vehicles over the smell of marijuana. Democrats pushed back strongly against the proposal, however, noting the state’s history of police disproportionately stopping people of color. The panel did not take action on the measure, HB 320, which supporters first unveiled in November. Members instead spent more than half an hour debating the issue and taking testimony from law enforcement and civil rights advocates. As cannabis legalization that took effect last year, Maryland changed a number of…

“There’s a bill being worked on that should be introduced here in the next week or two. I’m being told it has all these conservative features.” By Time Carpenter, Kansas Reflector The Kansas House calmly went through the motions of passing a bill making certain the state’s list of controlled substances was compliant with federal law when Wichita Democratic Rep. Silas Miller stepped forward with an amendment to delist marijuana entirely. It was like a shot of adrenaline to the heart in the House chamber as Democrats rallied to Miller’s quest to end the listing of cannabis as a Schedule…

Delaware marijuana regulators have released a second batch of draft rules as the state prepares to implement a legal adult-use cannabis market next year. The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) published the draft regulations on Wednesday, covering issues such as product tracking, transportation, health standards, packaging and advertising. This comes about two weeks after the office posted an initial round of draft regulations providing a basic framework for various cannabis business license types and requirements for the application process. The office has said it will be regularly releasing draft rules as it prepares for the implementation of the legalization…

A day after the Virginia legislature sent a retail marijuana sales bill to Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), a spokesperson in his office told Marijuana Moment that there’s no new update on the governor’s stance on the issue, instead citing earlier comments in which he said he doesn’t “have any interest in” signing cannabis commerce legislation. While some supporters hope he’ll allow the measure to become law, others have predicted Youngkin will veto the bill. Reached by email on Thursday, Christian Martinez, the governor’s press secretary, was tight-lipped. “I would refer you back to the Governor’s comments during the gaggle after…