Author: News Room

Members of an Alaska House panel gave initial consideration on Tuesday to a proposal that would establish a state task force to explore how to legalize and regulate the therapeutic use of psychedelics in the state, a change supporters say is intended to prepare for eventual federal rescheduling of substances such as MDMA and psilocybin. While the committee took no formal action on the bill, HB 228, some members used the hearing to express sharp skepticism about the need for the task force—as well as the underlying issue of psychedelic-assisted therapy itself. Sponsor Rep. Jennie Armstrong (D) told members of…

Federally funded researchers have identified new methods of distinguishing between marijuana and hemp by detecting the exact amount of THC in flower and edibles. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which is part of the Justice Department, is promoting the results of two research projects it funded focused on cannabis lab testing, which it is now sharing with select law enforcement agencies. The aim of the initiatives was to streamline the testing process to help resolve crime lab backlogs that have increased since hemp containing up to 0.3 percent THC was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, complicating cannabis-related…

Two struggling Australian hemp companies have struck an AU $3 million (US $1.94 million) deal involving a hemp food company. Elixinol Wellness Limited has agreed to acquire the Ananda Food unit of Ecofibre Limited.Elixinol, primarily a maker of CBD products but also the owner of Hemp Foods Australia, is to pay Ecofibre AU $2.0 million in cash in late March, and the seller can earn an additional AU $1.0 million if sales goals are reached for its cat litter product that is part of the deal. The earnout applies to sales between April 2024 and June 2025.Elixinol shares dilutedElixinol shareholders…

A Brooklyn, New York dispensary moved into the premises of a former church with a wall that depicted iconic rapper Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls or by his real name, Christopher Wallace. But due to strict New York rules on cannabis advertising, the dispensary was forced to paint over the mural, and local residents aren’t thrilled about the decision to paint over Brooklyn’s biggest hero. The tribute to Biggie was painted by Huetek, featuring the artist as a baby with the name “Brooklyn” painted beside it. Huetek is a graphic designer, illustrator, and musician, and his pieces can be found…

New York lawmakers say there’s a “real chance” that legislation to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy will advance through committee this session, emphasizing that delaying action would “neglect” many “people who need help” with certain mental health conditions. At a briefing on Wednesday, Assemblymember Pat Burke (D) and Sens. Nathalia Fernandez (D) and Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D) detailed a pair of bills that aim to provide access to the psychedelic in a supervised setting and expressed optimism about the momentum they say could move them through the legislature. “We’re in a mental health crisis, and so we need every tool that’s available to…

A bill to legalize marijuana in Germany is officially on the legislative agenda for next week, signaling that plans to enact the reform by April are on track. Advocates are cheering the development in the Bundestag, though the planned vote in the Finance Committee on Wednesday will need to be followed up with action by the Health Committee and then the full chamber. The move to place the legislation on the agenda comes about two weeks after leaders of Germany’s so-called traffic light coalition government announced that they’d reached a final agreement, resolving outstanding concerns, primarily from the Social Democratic…

During a brief executive session on Wednesday, New Hampshire’s House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee approved to a bill that would legalize and regulate marijuana in the state, moving the measure forward despite ongoing concerns over how Gov. Chris Sununu (R) will greet the bill. Committee members voted 17–3 to advance HB 1633, which next heads to the House floor. The panel did not discuss the proposal in depth before taking action during executive session. Members adopted two small changes offered by the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Erica Layon (R), then proceeded to vote on the amended bill. One change removed…

The governor of New Jersey is marking a “huge milestone” for his state’s marijuana market as regulators announce that more than 100 medical and adult-use cannabis shops are now open across the state. “When the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission was established, our administration’s goal was to develop a stronger, fairer, and more equitable model for the rollout of an adult-use cannabis market,” Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said in a press release on Wednesday. “Reaching 100 cannabis dispensaries is a huge milestone that shows we are headed in the right direction.” “As we continue towards our goals for the cannabis…

“There’s zero reason why these THC products should not be treated like any other THC product in our state.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent Missouri lawmakers have heard hours of heated testimony at two hearings in the last week over bills aiming to regulate intoxicating hemp products that get people high the same as marijuana. Currently there’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy products, such as delta-8 drinks, or that stores can’t sell them to minors—though some stores and vendors have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up. And there’s…

South Carolina’s Senate passed a medical marijuana legalization bill on Wednesday, sending it to the House of Representatives for consideration. The vote on third reading passage was 24-19 and came one day after the body gave initial approval to the legislation from Sen. Tom Davis (R), which if enacted will allow medical cannabis access for patients with certain health conditions. In order to get to the desk of Gov. Henry McMaster (R), the bill still needs to clear the House—a prospect that’s far from certain. The Senate had passed an earlier version of the legislation in 2022 but it stalled in…