420 with CNW Archives - Page 37 of 309

ThursdayJul 11, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Florida’s Marijuana Legalization Ballot Measure Could Face Heavily Funded Opposition

The recreational cannabis legalization campaign in Florida is up against a significant new challenge: heavily funded opposition. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) recently created the Florida Freedom Fund, allowing him to receive unlimited donations aimed at achieving the fund’s specific goals. A primary objective of the fund is to thwart Amendment 3, which proposes to legalize recreational marijuana and permit sales at already-existing medical cannabis dispensaries. In the unlikely event that DeSantis is successful in garnering national attention and support for this cause, the legalization of recreational marijuana may not be supported by a larger financial advantage throughout its campaign.…

WednesdayJul 10, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Kentucky to Start Receiving Applications from Medical Marijuana Companies

Businesses in Kentucky looking to grow, process or sell medical cannabis can start submitting applications for licenses on Monday, July 1, 2024. Governor Andy Beshear announced this as part of an expedited effort to have products on the market by early 2025. Healthcare providers, including advanced-practice registered nurses and doctors, can also start applying to certify qualified patients for purchasing medical cannabis. The process will be overseen by the state’s Board of Medical Licensure and Board of Nursing. The state’s medical marijuana program is officially scheduled to kick off on Jan. 1, 2025. The legislation, passed in 2023 with bipartisan…

MondayJul 08, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Brazilian Supreme Court Ends Criminalization of Cannabis Possession for Personal Use

The Brazilian Supreme Court recently voted to decriminalize cannabis possession for personal use, joining other Latin American nations in this reform and potentially reducing its substantial prison population. The majority of the justices, since the discussions began in 2015, have supported this move. The justices now need to decide on the maximum amount of cannabis considered for personal use, with the effective date of the ruling expected soon. The justices who favored the decision noted that decriminalization should only apply to personal use amounts, keeping the sale of drugs illegal. A 2006 bill passed by the U.S. Congress sought to…

FridayJul 05, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Marijuana Operators in Pennsylvania Complain About Software Mandated by Regulators

Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis market generated more than $1.3 billion in sales in 2023, despite numerous issues and outages with the state’s mandated track-and-trace software. Operators claim these problems could be avoided if the software provided by MJ Freeway functioned correctly. Although MJ Freeway recently merged with BioTrack to form Alleaves, it remains the sole provider under a contract established in 2017. Industry operators and a few legislators have voiced frustrations regarding MJ Freeway’s lack of a two-way Application Programming Interface (API) with other approved software used for sales and inventory management. This means businesses must manually input data, such as…

TuesdayJul 02, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Study Finds Older Medical Marijuana Patients Experience Marked Health, Well-Being Improvements

A recent study has revealed that medical cannabis can offer numerous therapeutic benefits for older adults, positively impacting their mood, sleep, health and well-being. The study observed significant reductions in both pain interference and severity in older adults who use cannabis to manage chronic pain. Published in the “Drugs and Aging Journal,” the study addresses the limited high-quality studies on marijuana use among older adults. Typically, clinical trials exclude participants older than 65 years of age, even as this demographic increasingly turns to medical cannabis for relief. The research, which was carried out by a group from Drug Science and…

MondayJul 01, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Florida Medical Cannabis Patients Surprised by Email Blast

Florida boasts more than 700,000 medical cannabis patients, and GOP Governor Ron DeSantis, who is currently opposing a proposal to legalize recreational cannabis, wants to highlight his achievements to this targeted group. Recently, Florida’s Health Department sent out an email to medical-cannabis patients, praising DeSantis for signing the state’s budget. The email also promoted a cancer research initiative by First Lady Casey DeSantis and highlighted various health issues addressed in the budget, including syphilis, HIV and hepatitis. However, the email did not mention medical cannabis, which has raised concerns among advocates and patients who argue that the administration misused the…

FridayJun 28, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Ohio Companies Prepare for Recreational Cannabis Sales Launch

Ohio’s move from solely medical cannabis sales to also allowing recreational sales is taking a unique path compared to other states. The specific date for the start of recreational sales remains unclear, even though the application period for converting medical cannabis licenses to dual-use began on June 7, 2024. Industry insiders anticipate that the first dual-use licenses might be approved in the coming weeks, but state officials have not confirmed this timeline. Ohio’s regulators are also prioritizing applications from testing labs, cultivators and processors over retailers. This means cannabis businesses and consumers will see approvals happen in stages based on…

ThursdayJun 27, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Study Finds Opioids, Alcohol Cause Worse SecondHand Harms Compared to Marijuana Use

A recent nationwide study has revealed that secondhand harm from cannabis use is significantly less common than that from alcohol. The study, which surveyed thousands, found that respondents were almost six times more likely to report secondhand alcohol harm than cannabis harm. The perceived risks associated with opioids and other substances also outweighed those associated with marijuana. The study analyzed responses from 7,799 participants in the 2020 United States National Alcohol Survey. It showed that more than one-third (34.2%) of respondents had experienced alcohol-related secondhand harm at some point in their lives. In contrast, only 5.5% reported experiencing secondhand harm…

WednesdayJun 26, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Opponents of Cannabis Rescheduling Slam Process FDA Relied On

Representatives of the prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) have expressed their disapproval of the government’s plan to categorize cannabis as a Schedule 3 substance. They criticized the move as politically driven and not based on scientific evidence. The group is now exploring all legal avenues to challenge this change and is rallying its supporters to oppose it. Kevin Sabet, SAM president and CEO, spoke during an online meeting, expressing strong disapproval of the federal officials behind the rescheduling proposal. He argued that the recommendation seemed outdated and inappropriate for 2024. Sabet emphasized that the process is far from…

TuesdayJun 25, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Florida Medical Cannabis Doctors Concerned About Possible Disruptions Once Recreational Use Legalized

Florida’s initiative to legalize recreational marijuana is causing a significant divide within the state's medical cannabis sector. Florida’s largest medical cannabis company, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF), is supporting Amendment 3, which seeks to legalize recreational cannabis for adults over age 21. However, approximately 2,000 doctors certified to prescribe medical marijuana are expressing concerns. They warn that this amendment could disrupt access for the state’s 882,000 medical-cannabis patients. The influx of recreational users could deplete the marijuana products and specific strains that patients rely on for conditions such as severe pain. The passage of Amendment 3 may also…