Author: News Room

The mayor of Cleveland, Ohio said on Tuesday that the city will be moving forward with plans to seal thousands of marijuana records after a state law took effect empowering localities to process mass relief. Mayor Justin Bibb (D) said that the implementation of SB 288, which Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed in January, will allow the city to continue its work to facilitate about 4,000 cannabis expungements on behalf of its citizens. The now-enacted state bill from Sen. Nathan Manning (R) covered a wide range of issues, including sentencing reform for people in prison and broader criminal records sealing…

A Republican Massachusetts lawmaker has filed three new psychedelics reform bills, including proposals to legalize substances like psilocybin and reschedule MDMA pending federal approval while setting a price cap on therapeutic access. The measures from Rep. Nicholas Boldyga (R), who describes himself as the “most conservative” member of the legislature, are the latest examples of psychedelics reforms that lawmakers in the state are pursuing this session. “People are suffering from debilitating mental health issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, anxiety, and depression,” Boldyga said in a press release on Tuesday. “These psychedelic compounds and plant medicines are offering hope…

Hello stargazers and welcome to the wonderful month of April. This month is looking to be an exciting and transformative month for many of us. With the sun moving through impulsive and passionate Aries for the first few weeks, expect to feel a surge of energy and enthusiasm for starting new projects and taking risks. This is a time to go after what you want with all your heart, so take a chance and let your inner fire guide you.Mid-month, as the sun shifts into grounded and sensual Taurus, energy slows down a bit, but the focus on pleasure and…

April 20th is undoubtedly the most famous stoner holiday of them all. This year, the world’s 147 million weed lovers gather in every time zone to spark up together. Before you leave for the party, we want to make sure you’re laced up with the best gear on the scene. Here’s everything you’ll need to be the baddest set of lungs, from Hippy Hill, San Francisco to Washington Square Park, NYC when the clock strikes four and 20. Or really, any time.Beginner levelThe ZIG ZAG Flower MillCavemen grind. Modern man mills. (Courtesy Flower Mill/ZIG ZAG)Over the last two years, Flower…

The federal U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC) has approved an amendment to update sentencing guidelines advising judges to treat prior marijuana possession offenses more leniently. At a public meeting on Wednesday, members of the commission voted to promulgate a series of amendments to existing guidelines, including a multi-part criminal history revision that adds cannabis possession as an example of an offense that generally warrants sentencing discretion. As it stands, federal judges are directed to take into account prior convictions, including state-level cannabis offenses, as aggravating factors when making sentencing decisions in new cases. But as more states have moved to legalize…

A bill to legalize marijuana nationwide in Germany will be formally introduced by the government “immediately after Easter,” a top health official says. He also seems to be pushing back on recent reports that the measure has been significantly scaled back from an initial framework announced last year. The legislation was initially set to be released by the end of the first quarter of 2023, but that timeline was extended “due to scheduling reasons” as officials reportedly worked to revise it in order to avoid a potential conflict with international laws. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Wednesday that…

“Today’s votes show that hundreds of communities in every corner of the Show-Me-State want to be part of one of Missouri’s newest and most flourishing industries.” By Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent Marijuana will soon be more expensive in dozens of municipalities around the state following Tuesday’s elections where almost all of the local sales tax measures passed handily. Many voters around the state saw an extra question on their ballots, asking if they wanted to add a 3 percent tax to marijuana and other items sold by dispensaries to recreational users. In all but a handful of cases, the measure…

The Arkansas House of Representatives has passed a bill to clarify that medical marijuana patients can obtain concealed carry licenses for firearms, sending it to the Senate for consideration. Days after moving through the House Judiciary Committee, the legislation from Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R) passed the full chamber in an 82-5 vote on Tuesday. Pilkington said on the floor that the state’s medical cannabis law makes it so “no patient’s right or privilege could be infringed upon on the basis of having medical marijuana” but that “this wasn’t extended to concealed carry holders.” “Federal law says gun rights should not…

Top U.S. senators have filed a pair of bipartisan bills to lower mandatory minimum sentences for people with non-violent federal drug convictions and protect those facing such charges from having to undergo automatic pre-trial detention. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), who chairs the Judiciary Committee, filed both pieces of legislation with Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT). One measure that they introduced is titled the “Smarter Sentencing Act,” which would amend the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for federal drug offenses, including manufacturing and distributing certain amounts of illicit drugs. The mandatory minimum 15-, 10- and 5-year…

After an almost three-year hiatus, acclaimed psych rock band moe. is back on the road and ready to rock. The band is currently touring the United States through the end of the year and is absolutely stoked. “People are showing up, everybody’s psyched to see Chuck [Garvey] back and everybody’s psyched that we’re playing again,” said percussionist Jim Loughlin. “It’s been fantastic.” When we connect by phone with Jim and moe.’s longtime drummer, Vinnie Amico, the guys are feeling revitalized and excited to reconnect with their fanbase. Among other topics discussed was the potential for new music being created sometime…