Author: A.J. Herrington

[ad_1] The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted last week to approve a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, marking the second time the chamber has passed the legislation. Members of the House voted 239-136 on Thursday to pass the measure, House Bill 1633 (HB1633), which would legalize pot for adults and set the stage for tightly regulated cannabis sales. Bills with financial elements must be passed twice under New Hampshire state law. The first time the marijuana legalization measure was up for a vote in February, the chamber advanced the bill by a vote of 239-14. The bill was then…

[ad_1] Researchers in the United Kingdom have detected the presence of the powerful sedative xylazine in cannabis vapes and illicit pills taken to treat pain, insomnia and anxiety, putting people who use the tainted drugs at risk of overdose or other serious health consequences. The prevalence of xylazine has been growing since 2022, according to researchers at Kings College London, when the first overdose death from the drug in the U.K. was identified.  Xylazine, a powerful non-opioid sedative commonly used as a veterinary tranquilizer, has been found in the drug supply in the United States for years. It is frequently…

[ad_1] The government of the United Kingdom has approved changes to the rules governing industrial hemp licenses designed to make it easier for farmers to grow the crop. The new regulations will support regulated farmers who grow hemp and encourage new investment in the industry while continuing to discourage illegal drug uses of the plant, government officials said this week. In the U.K., industrial hemp (cannabis with less than 0.2% THC) can be legally grown outdoors by licensed farmers for the production of fiber and seed. Under the current rules, initial hemp cultivation licenses are issued for three growing seasons…

[ad_1] Federal officials in New Mexico are apparently targeting state-licensed marijuana companies at border checkpoints and seizing regulated cannabis products, according to media reports.  New Mexico legalized medical marijuana in 2019, followed by the legalization of adult-use cannabis in 2021. Regulated sales of recreational weed began in the state on April 1, 2022, just under a year after Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the legalization bill into law. Since then, New Mexico’s licensed cannabis businesses have seen little interference from federal authorities, much like other weed-legal states over the last several years. The situation has changed recently, however, with U.S.…

[ad_1] Ohio cannabis regulators last week released a draft proposal of rules to govern recreational marijuana production and sales. Voters legalized recreational marijuana in Ohio with the passage of Issue 2 in the November 2023 off-year election, making the state the 24th in the nation to largely end the criminal prohibition of cannabis. Issue 2, which passed with 57% of the vote, legalized recreational marijuana in Ohio for adults 21 and older, who are permitted to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and up to 15 grams of cannabis concentrates. The new law also legalizes marijuana cultivation for personal…

[ad_1] A majority of cannabis consumers who are likely to vote in this fall’s general election say they would vote for a pro-cannabis candidate regardless of their party affiliation, according to the results of a recent survey. The poll, which was conducted by the medical marijuana telehealth platform NuggMD, found that 59% of likely voters who use weed would cast their ballot for a pro-cannabis presidential candidate regardless of that candidate’s political party. NuggMD’s 2024 Election Poll surveyed 755 cannabis users about their opinions surrounding the relevance of cannabis reform in the upcoming presidential election. When asked whether a presidential…

[ad_1] Democratic strategists see opportunities to attract Florida voters to the party’s candidates now that constitutional amendment initiatives to legalize recreational marijuana and guarantee broader abortion rights have qualified for the ballot. The Florida Supreme Court announced on April 1 that Amendment 3 to legalize adult-use cannabis and Amendment 4 to protect abortion rights had fulfilled state requirements and would appear on the ballot for this fall’s presidential general election. If passed, Amendment 3 would legalize cannabis for adults aged 21 and older and allow Florida’s existing licensed medical marijuana retailers to begin serving all adult consumers. Amendment 4 says…

[ad_1] A New York state lawmaker is proposing legislation that would give regulators the authority to revoke the liquor, lottery and tobacco retailer licenses from stores that sell weed without a license. If passed, the legislation would go into effect immediately, giving officials new tools to combat the illicit pot shops that have proliferated since the state legalized adult-use cannabis in 2021. Democratic Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr., a Democratic legislator from the Bronx, is the lead sponsor of the legislation in the New York State Assembly. The measure (A09520) has already attracted 70 co-sponsors in the chamber after being introduced…

[ad_1] The Iowa state Senate on Tuesday approved a bill to cap the THC potency of consumable hemp products, sending the measure to the desk of Republican Governor Kim Reynolds for consideration. The legislation, House File 2605, was passed by the Senate by a vote of 31-18 after receiving approval from the Iowa House of Representatives last month. If signed into law by the governor, the measure would amend the Iowa Hemp Act to cap the THC potency of hemp products at 4 milligrams per serving, with a maximum limit of 10 milligrams per package. The legislation also requires warning…

[ad_1] Officials at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado announced last week that the college will offer a minor in psychedelics studies to prepare students for careers related to the class of drugs, which show great therapeutic potential. The new program, which is slated to launch in the fall, is designed to give students a humanities and social science approach to studying psychedelics. The new minor was created for students who wish to study the historical and current applications of psychedelics and other natural medicines. The program will also explore the growing field of psychedelic therapy, which has the potential to…

[ad_1] Cannabis enthusiasts across Germany took to the streets at midnight early Monday morning to smoke joints and celebrate as the European nation’s legalization of cannabis took effect on April 1. German lawmakers gave final approval to a recreational weed legalization plan known as CanG late last month, making the country the largest in Europe to take the step. In the German capital of Berlin, weed enthusiasts gathered at the iconic Brandenberg Gate to smoke weed and celebrate their new freedoms. Other events were held throughout Europe’s most populous country, including one in front of the Cologne cathedral and others…

[ad_1] Massachusetts legislators held a joint legislative committee hearing last week to consider an initiative to legalize the therapeutic use of natural psychedelics. At the hearing, lawmakers heard from both supporters and opponents of the proposal, which can be approved by the legislature or referred to voters to decide the issue this November. The proposed ballot measure is supported by Massachusetts for Mental Health Options (MMHO). The group is affiliated with New Approach, a political action committee that supported successful bids to legalize psychedelics in Oregon and Colorado. If passed, the proposed ballot measure would legalize “naturally occurring” psychedelics such…