Author: News Room

A Democratic senator has refiled a bill that’s meant to lay the groundwork for federal marijuana legalization. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the legislation—titled the Preparing Regulators Effectively for a Post-Prohibition Adult-Use Regulated Environment Act (PREPARE) Act—on Thursday. The incremental reform would direct the attorney general to create a commission charged with making recommendations on a regulatory system for cannabis that models what’s currently in place for alcohol. It’s largely identical to a House companion version filed by Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in April, with some additional provisions related to commission membership and…

Top federal health officials say that psychedelics have “promising” therapeutic potential—but research into them has been stymied by ongoing federal prohibition. They also argue that as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers approving substances like psilocybin, it’s important to look at issues such as accessibility, affordability, health care reimbursements and ethics. In an opinion piece published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Psychiatry on Wednesday, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Nora Volkow and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Director Joshua Gordon discussed how interest in psychedelic medicines has risen rapidly as early studies…

As advocates work to once again put marijuana legalization on South Dakota’s ballot, a Republican activist has filed a pair of initiatives to repeal the state’s medical cannabis law and keep federally banned substances from ever being legalized by voters. The state attorney general released the draft ballot explanation for the medical marijuana repeal measure on Friday, opening a public comment period. The second initiative from Travis Ismay, which contains a typo on the proposed title (using the word “band” instead of “banned”), will likely need to be revised and resubmitted, as the Legislative Research Council (LRC) identified a number…

“The statute says, if you’re a public official, and you can’t be a member of the commission, and as a member of the South Alabama Board of Trustees, he’s a public official.” By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector The chair of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) faces a lawsuit seeking his removal from the position. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court, Kimberly Holcomb alleges that Dr. Steven Stokes cannot serve on the AMCC because he was a trustee for the the University of South Alabama when he was appointed in July 2021. The lawsuit cites state…

Albania has opened a wider berth for industrial hemp, setting the THC limit at 0.8% for crops in the field but placing CBD under highly restrictive rules that allow only exports. The Albanian Parliament recently voted 69-23 to pass a cannabis bill that embraces both hemp and medical marijuana. All marijuana and hemp extracts – including CBD and other minor cannabinoids derived from hemp – are considered medical cannabis products under the Albanian law, and may only be produced for outside markets. The new law calls for the establishment of a National Cannabis Control Agency (NCCA), which will be responsible…

“I don’t see the alcohol industry being treated in the same manner.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent As Missouri went to celebrate the first 4/20 after the state legalized recreational marijuana, a licensed cannabis business in Kansas City organized a huge festival. For the first time, people were able to smoke pot openly at a large public event in Missouri, with approval under local government rules. “It was the first of its kind,” said Amy Moore, director of the state’s cannabis regulation, during a legislative committee hearing in May. Organizers did an “excellent job” of trying to adhere to state…

“It’s good not just for our constituents, but it’s good for all Minnesotans.” Buy Max Nesterak, Minnesota Reformer The White Earth Nation Tribal Council voted on Friday to legalize recreational marijuana and could begin selling it on the reservation—to both tribal and non-tribal members—as soon as this week. The tribe follows the Red Lake Nation, which is on track to open the first recreational marijuana dispensary in Minnesota on Tuesday after the tribe’s leaders voted to legalize it earlier this month. White Earth Chairman Michael Fairbanks said in an interview that selling cannabis cultivated on the reservation represents a significant…

By Victor Bockris 1) At London’s Gatwick Airport, I went straight to the cafeteria, stationed myself at a deserted corner table, put an opium pellet on my tongue and washed it down with two cups of tepid tea, apparently a catalyst. On a jammed Laker flight to New York, I managed to read three novels undisturbed by the monster pushing my seat forward, the two monsters in front pushing their seats backward and the Frenchman beside me growing his beard, because airplanes make me feel secure. Soon they’ll have bedrooms again, and since the greatest American fantasy is sky sex,…

Washington State has officially launched an online portal that people can use to request reimbursement of their legal fees if they were prosecuted under drug criminalization laws that the state Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional in 2021. The state Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) launched the Blake Refund Bureau website on Saturday to facilitate the relief in coordination with courts, county clerks, public defenders, prosecutors, advocates and other stakeholders. “If you have a Blake-impacted criminal record, you must first have your Blake-related convictions vacated and refund eligibility determined by the court or courts where your convictions were issued,” AOC said. “Once…

Few cannabis operations in America can enjoy the level of respect from peers Preferred Gardens has through its rise in California to its massive Florida launch that has many calling its flower the Sunshine State’s finest. It’s the same story back home in California. Not only is Preferred Gardens a contender in the debate about the best flower, but it ranks high in both indoor and mixed light. Its winter light-assisted harvests are among the most flavorful things you’ll taste in California. Preferred Gardens is essentially as mom-and-pop as multistate cannabis operations can get. Founder David Polley and his wife…