The Governor of Arkansas has signed a bill to ban hemp-derived psychoactive cannabinoids, including delta-8 THC products. The bill prohibits the growth, processing, sale, transfer, or possession of hemp products containing certain hemp-derived psychoactive...
The Senate, in a rare move, considered - but ultimately opted against - whether to back cannabis research at the Veterans Affairs Department for generations of former troops who suffer from trauma, stress, chronic pain, and opioid addiction. Read the article here.
All patients undergoing procedures requiring anesthesia should be asked about cannabis use, according to guidelines released by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine). The first U.S. guidelines on cannabis use in relation to...
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says that both cannabinoids delta-8 and -9 THC-O, which have been growing in popularity in recent years, are to be considered illegal controlled substances. DEA's position on the legal status of delta-8 and -9 THC-O came...
Bipartisan bills were introduced this month in both the Senate and House to explore the use of medicinal cannabis for veterans suffering from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, as both the Senate and House versions...
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced final guidance that “outlines FDA’s current thinking on several topics relevant to clinical research related to the development of human drugs containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds.” Some of the most...
January 26, 2023 The Food and Drug Administration says there are too many unknowns about CBD products to regulate them as foods or supplements under the agency’s current structure and called on Congress to create new rules for the massive and growing market. Read the...
On December 2, President Joe Biden signed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (MMCREA) into law. The bipartisan legislation will roll back federal restrictions on medical marijuana research and the cultivation of research-grade marijuana, as...
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reportedly planning to announce a regulatory framework for products like CBD that are derived from legal cannabis in the coming months amid concerns about product quality and safety. A statement issued by FDA Principal Deputy...
It was a mixed outcome for cannabis advocates as measures to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana passed in Maryland and Missouri but were soundly rejected in reliably red Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota. Read the article here.
The Senate passed a bill that will expand research into the potential medical benefits of marijuana and CBD. The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act was passed through unanimous consent by a voice vote and will now head to President Biden’s desk...
On October 21, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a bulletin to Utah medical cannabis patients regarding the detection of synthetic cannabinoids in state-sponsored medical cannabis sales. The DHHS now requires that if a medical cannabis...
President Biden on Thursday pardoned thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law and said his administration would review whether marijuana should still be in the same legal category as drugs like heroin and LSD. The pardons will clear...
Voters in November will decide whether recreational marijuana can be used legally in five states: Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota. As it stands, 19 states, two territories and D.C. have embraced marijuana legalization over the last decade,...
At least a dozen states have banned the hemp-derived drug, including Colorado, Montana, New York, and Oregon, which have legalized marijuana. But delta-8 manufacturers call the concerns unfounded and say they’re driven by marijuana businesses trying to protect their...
The FDA has appointed Norman Birenbaum to be the its senior public health advisor on cannabis research and regulatory actions, reported Inside Health Policy. This is the first time the FDA has hired a cannabis research and regulation advisor. Read the article here.
More people in the U.S. are now smoking marijuana than cigarettes, according to a Gallup poll. Cigarette use has been trending downward during the past decades, with only 11% of Americans saying they smoke them whereas 16% of Americans say they smoke marijuana. Read...
California employers could soon be barred in many cases from screening for marijuana use in hiring or firing people. State lawmakers on Tuesday sent Assembly Bill 2188 to Gov. Gavin Newsom. If he signs it into law, it would go into effect Jan. 1, 2024. AB 2188,...
A group of attorneys general, led by those in legal adult use cannabis states like California, New York, and Virginia, are urging Congress to address the risks that unregulated “copycat edibles” pose to children. The group is “gravely concerned about the dangers of...
Oregon is set to become the first state to ban synthetic cannabinoids sold at grocery stores and other retailers beginning next month. Oregon regulators say they’re restricting sale of the products over concerns about the chemicals used in production. But the move...
Doctors and lawmakers in California want cannabis producers to warn consumers of the increased risk of psychiatric disorders and other health risks on their packaging labels and in advertising, similar to requirements for cigarettes. They also want sellers to...
The city council in Washington, D.C. unanimously passed a bill Tuesday that, if approved by Mayor Muriel Bowser, would stop employers from firing employees who fail marijuana drug tests. The bill, named the Cannabis Employment Protections Amendment Act of 2022, would...
A California federal appeals court ruled last week that delta-8 THC and other cannabinoids derived from hemp are legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, even if the substances have psychoactive properties. In an opinion from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals quoted by cannabis...
Recreational marijuana is officially legal in Rhode Island, with adults over 21 now allowed to possess, use and grow cannabis. Gov. Dan McKee signed a bill into law Wednesday afternoon that legalizes the plant, expunges past convictions and sets up a new framework for...
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to five companies for selling products labeled as containing delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC) in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). This action is the...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- State marijuana regulators are changing the definition of THC -- the psychoactive substance in the drug that produces a “high” -- to include more cannabinoids, including those traditionally found in hemp. The new rule, which goes into effect May 2,...
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Andy Beshear cleared the way Tuesday for a cannabis research center to open as he reviews whether he has the executive authority to singlehandedly legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky. The governor revealed his action on a bill authorizing...
The House passed legislation on Friday to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act would remove marijuana from the federal government’s list of controlled substances, impose an 8 percent tax on...
The U.S. Congress is poised to eliminate some obstacles for researchers trying to study the health effects of cannabis. Two bills, passed unanimously in the Senate on 24 March and by an 82% vote in the House of Representatives on 4 April, would ease storage rules,...
The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations has requested for the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to allocate funds and resources toward the establishment of a regulatory framework for all cannabis derivatives, including cannabidiol (CBD). The “Cannabis and Cannabis Derivatives” section of the appropriations package states that
The Kentucky House endorsed legalizing medical marijuana, passing a bill Thursday to strictly regulate the use of cannabis for a list of eligible medical conditions. Under the bill, doctors could prescribe medical cannabis for a specified list of conditions that include
Ohioans with autism would be able to use medical marijuana under a bill passed by the Ohio House Wednesday. House Bill 60 would add autism spectrum disorder to the list of qualifying conditions under Ohio’s medical cannabis program.
The New Jersey State Policy Lab at Rutgers University has released a first-of-its-kind report examining health, education, and law enforcement factors related to marijuana usage. It’s intended to be used as a baseline to measure the impact of legalization and identify...
Mississippi is legalizing medical marijuana for people with debilitating conditions such as cancer, AIDS and sickle cell disease. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed the legislation Wednesday and it became law immediately. It could be months before the first marijuana...
Cannabis is one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. even though the drug is banned under federal law. More Americans believe pot should be legal—68% according to the latest Gallup poll—and 18% of Americans now admit to using it, up from 10% in 2005. The...
More than a year after voters approved legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Montana, anyone older than 21 can now enter a dispensary and buy cannabis. For the approximately 55,000 Montanans who hold medical marijuana cards and use cannabis for cancer,...
The Texas Department of State Health Services has added a popular hemp derivative being sold in Texas to
The Colorado state legislature has approved a bill that significantly restricts access to medical marijuana. If enacted, House Bill 1317 would specify a THC dosage amount and require new medical and mental health reviews for patients seeking medical marijuana...
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