Author: Benjamin M. Adams

[ad_1] The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a request for applications (RFA) for proposals from its pool of researchers to study the vast potential of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin, the active compound is magic mushrooms, in treating post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The organization is funding this type of research for the first time in decades. Through this new research initiative, the VA intends to collect definitive scientific evidence on the potential efficacy of MDMA and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (or what they call psilocybin-augmented psychotherapy) to treat veterans living with PTSD and depression.  According to The New York…

[ad_1] Joining the team of NBCUniversal, Snoop Dogg is on deck to cover the Olympic Games Paris 2024 this summer. Snoop will relocate to Paris to provide regular reports for the Olympic Primetime Show, which is scheduled to begin on July 26 on NBC and Peacock.  According to a Dec. 31 announcement, Snoop is scheduled to join NBC Olympics host Mike Tirico and provide American primetime viewers with his own unique spin on the Olympics in Paris. He’s scheduled to do rounds of the city’s notable landmarks, attend Olympic competitions and events, and visit with the athletes, their friends, and…

[ad_1] A hemp-based battery manufacturing company is coming to a town in Wisconsin with a goal to hire former employees of Energizer. Portage, Wisconsin-based Wisconsin Battery Co. (WinBat) makes batteries out of hemp instead of graphene, for use in devices like hearing aids. Earlier this month, WinBat announced that it has acquired 17 acres of land in the Portage Industrial Park to develop its battery plant. According to a Dec. 21 press release, development will focus on: Industrial batteries: Creating energy storage solutions that enhance the efficiency and reliability of solar and wind power systems and maximize efficiency of connections…

[ad_1] Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) released a press release Wednesday, reminding residents that alcohol sales will be banned on Christmas and New Year’s Day, but cannabis and gambling is allowed. Connecticut officials told residents to buy alcohol ahead of time if they want booze on Christamas and New Year’s Day. “Every year we remind consumers and businesses that, due to Connecticut law, hours for some liquor permittees change during the holidays. If you choose to consume alcohol with your holiday celebrations, be sure to make those purchases ahead of time, and, of course, please drink responsibly,” said Consumer…

[ad_1] Over one-fifth of adults in America reported using hemp-derived cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in a survey of responses collected last summer.  Researchers not only identified the extent of how popular hemp-derived products are, but emphasized that states that prohibit cannabis lead to a higher rate of delta-8 THC use—probably because that’s all people can get legally in those states. The study, “Past-Year Use Prevalence of Cannabidiol, Cannabigerol, Cannabinol, and Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Among US Adults,” was published Dec. 13 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and referenced data gathered in a 2019 Gallup…

[ad_1] Long Beach, California is developing ways to teach local residents how to responsibly consume cannabis without getting behind the wheel. Given that cannabis sales in Long Beach contributed more tax revenue in 2022 than oil, it’s a big facet of the city and leaders hope to keep cannabis use safer.  The City of Long Beach announced that its Department of Health and Human Services was awarded a $285,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to educate locals about responsible cannabis use and its goal to reduce cannabis-impaired driving related…

[ad_1] Cleveland, Ohio’s mayor announced the city would end its “antiquated” rules for employment, specifically removing the practice of drug-testing job applicants for cannabis. Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced Dec. 7 that the City of Cleveland has “modernized” its Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy to remove certain language around pre-employment cannabis testing that previously automatically disqualified job applicants. It’s his latest move after pushing to expunge low-level cannabis convictions. Pre-employment testing for city jobs will now be limited to only a few select positions that are identified as safety or security-sensitive, as well as positions that fall under the federal…

[ad_1] Over-the-counter hemp products in Mississippi are not what they appear to be, according to a Steep Hill Mississippi analysis. Clarion Ledger reports that Steep Hill Mississippi President and co-founder Cliff Osbon said so-called hemp-derived products that were recently tested contain significant amounts of delta-9 THC and unsafe pesticides. He also said that the products would have failed the Mississippi Department of Health’s standards of medical cannabis as they contain pesticides. Steep Hill Mississippi is a branch of Steep Hill—an industry leader in cannabis testing and analytics, located throughout the U.S. and Mexico “On Nov. 27, I personally went around…

[ad_1] A series of amendments to state law prohibit employers from discriminating against job applicants based on past or off-the-clock pot use, and the list of jobs now includes police officers.  Per a bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last October, law enforcement officials in California are updating employment policies for police officers—specifically, removing questions for police job applications about past cannabis use. Dec. 7, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training issued a bulletin announcing changes in the way aspiring police officers are asked about prior pot use. The bulletin arrives 30 days after a new California law…

[ad_1] Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine claimed last week that fentanyl-laced pot is a threat to the state as he urged last-minute changes to the law Ohio voters approved last month, but one doctor—trained in the field of overdose prevention—said those stories have been debunked and shouldn’t be perpetuated by leaders. Instead, they should focus on real issues such as fentanyl that’s administered in other ways. On Nov. 7, voters in Ohio approved a ballot proposal, Issue 2, to legalize adult-use cannabis, making Ohio the 24th state to allow adult-cannabis, 14 of which have done so by way of a public…

[ad_1] A former Alaska Airlines pilot accused of allegedly trying to cut the engines of a passenger flight while off-duty and riding in a seat in the cockpit area was released from jail Dec. 7. An Oregon judge ruled that he should be released with conditions that include keeping far away from all flights. Adventures and bad trips on shrooms can cause a laugh, but certainly not for the family of the accused in this particular case. State prosecutors in Oregon initially filed 83 counts of attempted murder against ex-Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph David Emerson, 44, on Oct. 24 just…

[ad_1] Federal law enforcement agents sent a warning letter dated Nov. 27 to pharmacies across Georgia, warning them that dispensing and selling cannabis oil is illegal under federal law. The letter arrived a month into Georgia’s medical cannabis program. Last June, Georgia’s Board of Pharmacy released a set of regulations that enable the state’s independent pharmacies to dispense cannabis oil to eligible patients enrolled in a registry maintained by the state Department of Public Health. Beginning last Oct. 27, Georgia is the first state in the U.S. to permit independent pharmacies to sell low-THC oil. The move made it legal…