Author: Keegan Williams

[ad_1] Ohio became the 24th state to allow adult-use cannabis when state voters approved Issue 2 back in November 2023, though advocates and news outlets were quick to highlight GOP lawmakers in the state who immediately sought to amend the newly passed law. And more than five months later, it appears that Republican lawmakers are still grappling with potential changes and regulatory updates to Ohio’s legalization law. While it could shift depending on how lawmakers proceed, currently recreational sales are expected to begin in September, according to a WCMH-TV report. Lawmakers are looking into passing legislation that could jumpstart sales…

[ad_1] We’re abundantly familiar with the stereotypes surrounding cannabis use that still prevail in today’s world, namely tropes embraced over the years in the media and among anti-reform advocates deeming that regular cannabis use makes people lazy and unproductive. As cannabis use is becoming increasingly more common, many regular consumers will attest that this broad assumption is far from the truth, but a new study has provided further insight on how regular cannabis users tend to function after consuming.  Ultimately, researchers found that getting high was associated with more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions in consumers, with minimal effects…

[ad_1] Cannabis is widely used to help mitigate the symptoms of a variety of conditions and diseases. Specifically, a number of state medical cannabis programs list HIV/AIDS as a qualifying condition, as cannabis can help to eliminate a variety of symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS treatment. Though, some clinicians have expressed concern how regular cannabis treatments in this regard may impact patient cognition.  Researchers affiliated with the University of California at San Diego sought to investigate the cognitive impacts of cannabis use in people with HIV through a newly published meta-analysis in the journal Current HIV/AIDS Reports.  Ultimately, they conclude that…

[ad_1] Cannabis is widely used to help mitigate the symptoms of a variety of conditions and diseases. Specifically, a number of state medical cannabis programs list HIV/AIDS as a qualifying condition, as cannabis can help to eliminate a variety of symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS treatment. Though, some clinicians have expressed concern how regular cannabis treatments in this regard may impact patient cognition.  Researchers affiliated with the University of California at San Diego sought to investigate the cognitive impacts of cannabis use in people with HIV through a newly published meta-analysis in the journal Current HIV/AIDS Reports.  Ultimately, they conclude that…

[ad_1] According to a Swedish customs official, authorities confiscated approximately 1.4 tons of cocaine last week in a port near Stockholm, as reported by Associated Press. While the precise figure is still pending, Swedish customs official Stefan Granath told broadcaster SVT, “If it’s as big as we think, it is one of the biggest seizures ever made.” Authorities discovered the cocaine in a container in the Nynashamn port south of Stockholm on April 18, according to Granath. Six men have also been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the drug’s transport. The Latest of Many Record Drug Seizures in Europe…

[ad_1] It’s a given that Election Season comes with a slew of messages from all sides, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is throwing its hat in the ring with a new legislative agenda, “a vision for Congress to meet everyday Americans’ urgent needs and rebuild the American dream for the poor, working, and middle class,” according to a recent news release from the group. Specifically, the agenda includes a number of priorities like cannabis legalization and expungements that the caucus argues Democrats “can pass with congressional majorities” should they keep the Senate and take control of the House this…

[ad_1] Plentiful research and anecdotal evidence has suggested that cannabis could be a useful harm reduction tool to help folks wean off of other substances that are more addictive and harmful. While many studies have focused on cannabis to curb opioid use with some looking more broadly at stimulants, new research suggests that it could prove useful for those with crack use disorder (CUD). In fact, the popular non-psychoactive medicinal cannabinoid CBD, or cannabidiol, seems to be the key element. The study, published recently in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, utilized a double-blind randomized clinical trial comparing…

[ad_1] Florida has been front and center as of late, after the state Supreme Court recently ruled that its amendment to legalize adult-use cannabis is fit for the ballot in this year’s election. But the Sunshine State is not alone, as North Dakota may be taking another go this November at ushering in its own recreational market. Earlier this week, a group of 27 North Dakotans filed a 2024 ballot measure petition that would legalize adult-use cannabis in the state if approved, according to a report from The Jamestown Sun.  Advocates must gather 15,582 signatures from eligible North Dakota voters…

[ad_1] The campaign to legalize cannabis in Florida is alive and well, as the state’s Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that voters will be able to decide the next chapter of cannabis reform on this year’s November ballot. With an already bustling medical market, Florida’s potential move into the recreational cannabis space has been highly anticipated since the Sunshine State first moved to introduce medical reform in 2016. Cannabis businesses also have a hefty investment in the reform measure, with Trulieve contributing more than $40 million to the campaign, alongside an additional several million dollars from a handful of…

[ad_1] Among the many states currently looking to enact measures to investigate psychedelic regulation and increase psychedelic research, Maine is one of the latest to throw its hat in the ring.  Lawmakers supporting the initial reform bill were hoping to usher in a new era of psychedelic drug regulation for therapeutic use, though the amended bill would pump the breaks and instead set the groundwork to potentially legalize and regulate at a later time. The legislation would establish a commission to study and make recommendations on psychedelic regulation and related services, specifically examining what a legal framework “for the therapeutic…

[ad_1] It’s widely accepted that cannabis use in adolescence, while the brain is still developing, can lead to adverse effects. Of course, studies on cannabis as a whole are still catching up, and there are an abundance of gaps that researchers are still attempting to fill in. A recent investigation, published in the journal Psychopharmacology and performed by Portuguese researchers, attempts to close some of the gaps regarding adolescent cannabis use, looking specifically at the occasional use of cannabis among adolescent subjects. The research ultimately confirmed that subjects who occasionally used cannabis exhibited no significant changes in cognitive functioning compared…

[ad_1] Around this time last month, Hawaii lawmakers and advocates were preparing for a possible shift to an adult-use cannabis market after the Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill that would legalize and regulate recreational cannabis.  However, a key Hawaii House committee chair announced Tuesday that his panel would not hear the measure ahead of the legislative deadline next this week, effectively killing the bill for 2024. Hawaii remains the oldest medical-only cannabis market in the U.S., as the state legalized medical cannabis back in 2000. Another Year Without Adult-Use Reform for Hawaii The Hawaiian Senate approved the bill, SB 3335,…