Author: News Room
The Rhode Island House of Representatives has approved a bill to legalize possession and cultivation of psilocybin mushrooms, while taking steps to prepare for regulated therapeutic access pending federal reform. The legislation from Rep. Brandon Potter (D), which cleared a key committee last week, passed on the floor in a 54-11 vote on Monday, sending it to the Senate for consideration. A Senate companion version from Sen. Megan Kallman (D) also recently received a hearing in the chamber’s respective committee, but members agreed to hold it for further study before potentially scheduling a vote in that chamber. The legislation would…
Can you feel summer right outside the front door? Pack a lunch, a bowl, and grab your hiking boots or swim trunks, because it’s time to hit the open road. On the way to the mountains or the beach, you’re going to want to stop for some of Leafly’s best strains for Summer. But before you go, make sure your weed kit contains everything for a stellar adventure. Read this hit list of essential weed gear for summer 2023.Pipe pickHarold Ludeman Glass Spoon pipeA crushed opal spon pipe. (Courtesy Harold Ludeman)A good, solid spoon pipe is the traveler’s best friend.…
A key Minnesota law enforcement agency has issued a notice laying out the process for expunging prior marijuana convictions as part of the state’s new legalization law, saying that “work is underway” to provide that relief. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said in an update published on Friday that approximately 66,000 cannabis records are expected to be automatically sealed under the legalization law taking effect on August 1. Another 230,000 are set to be reviewed by the Expungement Review Board at the state Department of Corrections. “Criminal history records will soon contain a notice that cannabis-related offenses may…
Connecticut recreational marijuana sales hit a record high in May, with purchases in the adult-use market exceeding those of medical cannabis for the first time since adult-use retailers opened in January. The state Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) published the May sales data on Monday, showing about $11.5 million in adult-use marijuana purchases and $11.2 million in medical cannabis for a total of approximately $22.7 million for the month. May marked the first time that recreational marijuana sales outpaced medical cannabis transactions. Monthly adult-use sales have more than doubled since retailers opened shop. While the value of recreational sales eclipsed…
“Unionizing, without fear of retaliation or union-busting tactics, is one of the only ways in which cannabis workers can directly ensure their voices are heard on the job.” By Ademola Oyefeso, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union As states across the country legalize cannabis, Americans are confronted with the rare and remarkable opportunity to shape an industry that is still in its infancy. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of testifying before the Senate to advocate for the thousands of cannabis workers that the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents across the country. In…
Former Vice President Mike Pence has officially entered the race for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination, putting his drug policy positions and actions into focus again. Pence, who also served as governor of Indiana, has long opposed even incremental cannabis reform efforts at the state and federal levels. During his time in the White House, for example, he spoke out against an attempt to pass a marijuana banking measure as part of a pandemic relief package. Over his 16 years in Congress, he also consistently voted against legislation to protect state medical cannabis programs from federal interference. He’s asserted that…
In an interview with Book Club Chicago, Vic Mensa described the details of his Books Before Bars program, which aims to supply prisoners with books that can transform their lives. Mensa also mentioned his Books Before Bars program to High Times in 2022. Currently, tens of thousands of prisoners are currently locked up on federal and state cannabis-related charges, which is one of the reasons why some cannabis brands and the leaders behind them aim to change that. Mensa is one of the rappers trying to do that. He explained that Books Before Bars can trace its story back nearly…
An Oregon law expected to be finalized this week will make landowners responsible for environmental devastation brought by illegal cannabis plantations that have operated in the southern part of the state, many behind legal hemp licenses. With an oversupply of marijuana in Oregon and most other parts of the U.S., many of the illicit operators have departed the state, leaving a mess behind. Perhaps more critically, the operators often tapped illegally into local water supplies, which now are depleted in some areas. Under the bill, expected to be signed this week by Gov. Tina Kotek, local governments are authorized to…
“This ain’t your grandfather’s or your father’s marijuana…. This will addict you. This will kill you.” -US DEA Special Agent Mark Trouville, as quoted by the Associated Press. If lying about pot has become the Feds’ national pastime, then lying about the supposed dangers posed by the increased potency of cannabis is an annual tradition. Every spring for nearly three decades, government officials and prohibitionists have taken to the airwaves alleging that today’s pot is five, 10 or even 100 times more potent than the herb of yesteryear—all the while failing to explain why, if the weed of the past…
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) are calling for marijuana reform that prioritizes communities most impacted by the drug war and prevents monopolization by large corporations like Amazon and big tobacco firms. At an event focused on creating an equitable cannabis industry on Saturday, the senators thanked activists for holding the line for small and minority marijuana businesses, and they pledged to promote legislation that aligns with that goal. “We know that legalization alone is not enough,” Warren said in a prerecorded video played at the event. “We need to ensure that the communities most harmed by the…