Author: News Room

Despite efforts by pro-pot politicians like Senator John Fetterman, Pennsylvanians still lack foundational knowledge about cannabis and culture. One woman is dedicated to changing that. The Black Dragon Breakfast Club started as an educational hub and grassroots political representation organization for greater Philadelphia’s Black and Brown communities in 2018. Tsehaitu (pronounced “say-hi-tu”) Abye created the organization to provide a Black-woman-led creative agency and safe space for healing the traumas of the War on Drugs.  The mission of the Black Dragon Breakfast Club is to “change the perception of weed through disruptive marketing practices, community outreach, and engagement advocacy.” Born and…

More Minnesota House and Senate committees have approved companion bills to legalize marijuana, moving them closer to the floor after weeks of legislative action. The House Human Services Policy Committee passed the legislation from Rep. Zack Stephenson (D) in a voice vote on Monday, marking the eighth panel in the chamber to clear the measure. Hours later, the Senate Transportation Committee approved the companion version, also in a voice vote vote. This is the sixth Senate panel to advance the legislation, which is being carried by Sen. Lindsey Port (D). “It’s time. Minnesotans are ready,” Stephenson said in opening remarks…

While North Carolina hemp farmers all but abandoned the flower market, flower-derived CBD products continue to flood the state, underscoring consumer safety threats amid a yawning regulatory gap. Growing and processing flowers for CBD drove hemp’s growth in North Carolina until that market became oversaturated beginning in 2020. While flower growers have now pulled back, CBD products have flooded the market in the state amid lax or absent regulations to guide retail sales. No licensing scheme exists for sellers, and the products are not age-restricted, for example, to name just two fundamental challenges. “It’s a weird state of affairs; a…

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says that two cannabinoids that have emerged in state markets do not meet the federal definition of legal hemp and are therefore considered illegal controlled substances. Attorney Rod Kight inquired about the legal status of delta-8 THC-O and delta-9 THC-O with the federal agency last year and followed up earlier this month. DEA sent a response letter on Monday, saying the two cannabinoids “do not occur naturally in the cannabis plant and can only be obtained synthetically, and therefore do not fall under the definition of hemp.” “Delta-9-THCO and delta-8-THCO are tetrahydrocannabinols having similar chemical…

A U.S. Senate committee is scheduled to vote on a bill to promote cannabis research for military veterans this week. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, which is intended to mandate studies by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to explore the therapeutic potential of cannabis for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain, is on the agenda for a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee business meeting on Thursday. The bill is being sponsored by panel Chairman Jon Tester (D), along with Sen. Dan Sullivan (R). If the legislation is approved it will be the first time a…

The governor of Colorado is promoting the state’s first-ever marijuana vending machine, which can package, label and dispense cannabis products to adult consumers—with transactions being completed in as little as 50 seconds. The Automated Cannabis Experience (ACE) recently launched at one of Terrapin Care Station’s retailers in Aurora. Gov. Jared Polis (D) said in a Twitter post on Sunday that it’s the “first fully automated cannabis kiosk on the market.” “You still need proof of ID and age to be granted entry,” he stressed, sharing a Denver Post article on the vending machine. This dispensary in Aurora is the first…

Hawaii senators have approved a bill in committee to promote research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin, MDMA and other alternative treatments for mental health conditions. And a House panel separately held a hearing of a measure to create a psilocybin-focused working group. There’s been significant interest in psychedelics policy in the Aloha State this session, with a main focus on creating a research framework that could inform future legislation on providing regulated access to the substances. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously approved an amended bill from Sen. Chris Lee (D) on Friday that would create a…

Enforcement officers at the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB), the agency tasked with administering the state’s alcohol, marijuana and tobacco and laws, can freely drink a beer or smoke a cigarette without risk to their jobs. But nearly a decade after the state legalized cannabis, they’re still forbidden from using it. The current restriction isn’t just while on the job, or even while employed with LCB. It extends back three years before they apply for an enforcement position at the agency. Candidates are drug tested and subjected to a polygraph test. That’s the case for now, anyway, as…

“I want to ensure that when it is legal, that it’s Louisiana citizens that have the opportunity to take part in this economic opportunity.” By Wesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator For the third year in a row, the Louisiana legislature will have the chance to vote on a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana and incorporate its cultivation and sale into the state’s economy. House Bill 17, sponsored by Rep. Candace Newell (D), is one in a package of bills that would build a new industry for recreational marijuana in Louisiana. In a phone interview Friday, Newell said the bill would establish…

California cannabis prisoner Luke Scarmazzo was freed from prison on Feb. 3, with help from Mission Green, a campaign led by The Weldon Project. “Today, after serving nearly 15 years in prison for operating a cannabis dispensary, I was granted my freedom,” Scarmazzo wrote on his Facebook page. “The feeling is surreal. We’ve worked toward this day for so long. This was a huge victory for my family, friends, community and the entire cannabis movement. I’ll take a moment to enjoy this, but make no mistake, there’s still much work to be done—my people need to be free—and that hard…