Author: News Room

Delaware lawmakers are taking another shot at legalizing marijuana in the state, filing a pair of complementary bills on Friday that would end prohibition and set up a basic regulatory framework for the market. And committee hearings on the proposals are already set for next week. Rep. Ed Osienski (D) is sponsoring the legislation, HB 1 and HB 2. He took a similar, bifurcated approach last session and saw the legislature pass the simple legalization proposal while narrowly defeating the regulatory measure. Gov. John Carney (D) vetoed the former legislation, and the House didn’t have to votes for an override.…

The list of states where lawmakers are pursuing psychedelics reform this session continues to grow, with new bills being filed in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Oklahoma. More than a dozen state legislatures have seen psychedelics proposals introduced in the first weeks of 2023 as the local decriminalization movement expands, bringing in legislators from diverse political backgrounds. Here’s a rundown of the latest proposals:  Connecticut A placeholder bill from Rep. Michelle Cook (D), who serves as deputy speaker, would appropriate a currently unspecified amount of state funds to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for the current fiscal year to…

Hawaii lawmakers have officially filed bills to legalize marijuana in the state on Thursday, and advocates are optimistic that the reform may finally be enacted with a new pro-legalization governor in office. Rep. Jeanné Kapela (D) and Sen. Chris Lee (D) are sponsoring the companion legislation in their respective chambers, with more than a dozen initial cosponsors signed on in total. The measures were partly informed by the finalized recommendations for legalization that a state task force developed last year. Kapela talked about her plans to file the legislation during a press briefing last week with representatives of major advocacy…

“One of a legislator’s main responsibilities is to protect Hoosier citizens. The creation of a system to regulate cannabis is right in line with that important duty.” By Former Indiana Sen. Jim Merritt (R) | Indiana Capital Chronicle The 2023 session of Indiana’s General Assembly has commenced, and I am certain you’re thinking about the biennial budget that features K-12 & higher education funding along with how you can make Indiana a healthier state. As you know, another issue that has gained prominence and support in the minds of many Hoosiers is the regulation of cannabis. I write you this…

The Air Force is granting far more marijuana waivers to recruits than it expected after launching a pilot program that’s meant to give more leniency to would-be service members amid the state legalization movement. The program launched last year, authorizing the branch to grant waivers to recruits who test positive for THC metabolites during their initial drug screening and giving them 90 days before they’re retested. Previously, Air Force candidates who tested positive would be automatically barred from joining. The Air Force said that it anticipated that roughly 50 recruits would be eligible for the waiver per year based on…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began sending out thousands of surveys to hemp farmers across the country on Thursday as part of its annual effort to learn about how the market has evolved since the crop was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill. USDA launched its first annual survey in 2021 and released a report detailing the results the following year. Now the questionnaire has been revised to “improve data quality and reduce respondent burden,” USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) said. In general, the department is asking questions about plans for outdoor hemp production, acreage for operations,…

Think about the last stoner comedy you watched: Did any of the characters, amongst their prolific smoking seshes and slapstick antics, ever stop to eat a vegetable? The enduring stoner myth positions cannabis users as diametrically opposed to health and wellness, but research supports the idea that people who smoke cannabis do enjoy exercise.  In fact, Leafly has previously reported  growing research indicating that cannabis may positively impact consumers’ metabolisms, and that regular cannabis users have lower rates of obesity and lower BMIs than non-users.  As a new year begins, many people are implementing changes in their diets, like incorporating…

Now that the dust has cleared on the drama surrounding the selection of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the GOP-led House of Representatives is wasting no time in filing the 118th Congress’ first cannabis bills.On Jan. 13, Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) filed the Second Amendment Protection Act. The bill would seek to allow medical marijuana cardholders to legally purchase and possess firearms. Federal law currently prohibits them from doing so.A few days later, on Jan. 18, Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) filed the Veterans Cannabis Use for Safe Healing Act. That bill would codify existing policy that permits military veterans to discuss…

Following New York’s legalization of cannabis in 2021, at least 1,200 unlicensed stores have reportedly popped up in New York City. Here’s what officials said they are doing to ensure a healthy licensed market for consumers and operators.Officials claimed in a New York City Council meeting on Wednesday that at least 1,200 unlicensed weed dispensaries, bodegas, and smoke shops are openly selling unregulated cannabis flower, edibles, vapes, and tobacco products across the city. So far, New York’s only licensed weed store is Manhattan-based nonprofit Housing Works, with dozens more promised to come on a rolling basis this year. Although two more…

The governor of New York announced on Thursday that the state’s second adult-use marijuana retailer—which will also be the first to be owned by a person previously criminalized over cannabis—will open next week. The new dispensary, which like the first currently operating one will also be located in Manhattan, is scheduled to open for a soft launch on Tuesday. Smacked LLC will be owned and operated by Roland Conner, who met the state’s eligibility criteria for a Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license as a justice-involved individual. “This dispensary is the latest example of our efforts to build the most…