Author: News Room

In a major milestone on the path to expanding access to psychedelic-assisted therapy among the nation’s military veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has issued a request for applications to conduct in-depth research on the use of psychedelics to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The department, which said it’s the first time since the 1960s that it will fund psychedelics research, “intends to gather definitive scientific evidence on the potential efficacy and safety of psychedelic compounds such as Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin when used in conjunction with psychotherapy to treat Veterans with PTSD and depression,” it said…

The Democratic governor of Wisconsin says he’d be inclined to sign a restrictive medical marijuana legalization bill that GOP legislative leaders are planning to introduce this month, as long as there are no “poison pills” baked into the proposal. In a series of interviews this week, Gov. Tony Evers (D) emphasized that he still believes the state should enact comprehensive adult-use legalization, but he’s willing to take the more modest step of signing limited medical cannabis legislation into law in the interim. “I would think that getting it all done in one fell swoop would be more thoughtful as far…

A Democratic congressman is calling on the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to complete its marijuana review “as swiftly as possible” and abide by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’s (HHS) recommendation to reclassify cannabis under Schedule III. In a letter sent to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram on Thursday, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) said he “appreciated the opportunity” to address the scheduling review process during a House subcommittee hearing she testified at last July but that he wants the agency to move more quickly to complete the job. Since that hearing, HHS completed its scientific assessment of cannabis and…

Minnesota’s Department of Public Safety posted an update on the state’s mandated expungement of thousands of marijuana-related criminal records on Thursday, saying employees are “hard at work” to implement the automatic expungement process that was mandated under the legalization law signed by the governor last May. In the interim, the state has added a new notice to all criminal history records, essentially letting reviewers know that certain marijuana records that appear on records checks may be pending expungement. An initial analysis showed that more than 66,000 criminal records are eligible for automatic expungement under the Adult-Use Cannabis Act, the department’s…

This week, the Disney corporation must be delighted. Despite the company’s several attempts to prevent this news, Mickey Mouse – who debuted in 1928’s “Steamboat Willie” alongside Minnie Mouse – is now in the public domain. No doubt, production companies and artists were waiting in the wings for Mickey to join the public domain party, with a floodgate of adaptations ready to be told without the Bob Iger-led company. To kick off the fun, get ready for Screamboat Willie, people. The horror-comedy adaptation comes from filmmaker Steven LaMorte. The story will follow a “mischievous” and “monstrous” mouse with a “taste…

By Stephanie GanzWe’ve hit 2024 running, Leafly nation! The New Year brings with it a new batch of aspirational resolutions and a hard look at the past year’s habits. This might mean more time at the gym, reading an actual book cover to cover, and for many, cutting out alcohol. Or at least for the month of January, aka Drynuary. Personally, I like to strike a balance between avoiding alcohol and my craving for sessionable, fun cocktails with a Cali Sober approach, by incorporating cannabis-infused sodas and ‘spirits’ into classic cocktail recipes—all of the flavor without compromising my goals. Here…

The lack of rules for CBD and intoxicating hemp products continues to roil the industry, and sharp debate over policy is expected to continue until late this year following delay of the 2023 Farm Bill.The final quarter of 2023 saw a flurry of legislative initiatives, regulatory updates and court cases as state and local officials across the country work to reign in the synthetically made, hemp-derived cannabinoids that produce a “high,” and which are not regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).In the most recent development, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine this week reaffirmed that he wants to see legislators…

While President Biden does not appear keen to champion federal legalization anytime soon, the beginning of 2024 nonetheless finds us at the precipice of a remarkable crossroads: Since Ohio became the 24th state to legalize adult-use marijuana in November, nearly half of all US states have gone green. Furthermore, 38 states have legalized medical marijuana. And when it comes to the number of Americans who live in states with rec cannabis, we’ve officially crossed the halfway point.So whaddaya say, Leafly Nation? Let’s keep the ball rolling!In 2024, several more states could write bills—or send measures to voters—to legalize adult-use cannabis…

A new study of 1,886 cancer survivors found that nearly half either currently or previously used cannabis, with most of those who used marijuana after their diagnoses reporting that it was to manage symptoms like sleep disturbances and pain. About a fifth of cancer survivors, it found, “currently use cannabis for symptomatic relief while undergoing active cancer treatment.” Published late last month in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship, the study says that the prevalence of cannabis use among cancer survivors “was notable, with most reporting a great degree of symptomatic improvement for the specified reason for use.” Of all participants,…

The governor of Kentucky is urging lawmakers to significantly expand the state’s medical marijuana law by adding new qualifying conditions as the administration puts forward a series of initial proposed regulations to begin implementing the program. At a briefing on Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear (D) announced that two independent advisory groups he appointed have unanimously voted to recommend that the legislature add more than a dozen new conditions to qualify patients for medical cannabis under a law he signed last year. “This is a crucial step. While the legislation referenced several qualifying conditions, it left others out,” he said, adding…