In the days of the Armada, a fleet of warships, the scuttlebutt was the rumor or gossip that would spread throughout the ship. Today, Armada Law Corp presents The Scuttlebutt, a daily summery of news articles that people within the cannabis, hemp and plant medicine industries are chatting about along with links to the full articles.
In today’s news:
Cannabis and crime- is there a relationship?
#californiacannabis – “Jesse Gomez, a realtor based in Sacramento, said he thinks legalizing marijuana has lessened crime, now that cannabis is regulated and taxed.
“I think we’ve seen less crime because of having access to cannabis.” He said, “I do think the black market is still contributing to crime in some ways, even since we legalized cannabis.’…”
Read More: https://news.yahoo.com/cannabis-crime-relationship-154017291.html
New cannabis businesses face a years-long queue in California. Lawmakers will weigh cutting the wait
#cannabispolitics – “The bill set for consideration, SB-508, seeks to speed permitting by consolidating the requisite environmental review process. All California cannabis businesses must currently comply with the state’s environmental laws, as mandated by Proposition 64 in 2016.
Supporters of the bill argue that it would reduce excess oversight that could encumber small business owners. Opponents, however, fear that the proposal would both fail to accomplish this goal and harm natural resources….”
Federal Lawsuit Challenges Mississippi’s Ban On Marijuana Advertising, Citing Free-Speech Rights
#cannabislawsuit – “Though medical marijuana is now legal for Mississippians with qualifying conditions and a medical cannabis card, state law prohibits dispensary owners and cultivators from advertising cannabis products.
“It’s a daunting task to stay in the industry when you can’t advertise,” Cocroft told the Mississippi Free Press on December 8. “And it’s legal. If they allow you to get licensed, they should allow you to promote your business.”…
The Institute for Justice (IJ), a national libertarian nonprofit law firm, is representing Clarence Cocroft in the lawsuit. One of Cocroft’s attorneys, Katrin Marquez, said IJ looks at “commercial speech regulations” and advertising laws through the lens of the First Amendment and how “different regulations on advertising really hamper people’s business.”
“What’s really important here is that Mississippi already regulates things like advertising to children and making false medical claims, so we think those regulations make sense,” she told the Mississippi Free Press on December 8. “The State of Mississippi can keep that; what it can’t do is blatantly say, ‘You can’t advertise at all.’”
Johns Hopkins Undertaking National Cannabis Study
#cannabisresearch – “A new National Cannabis Study led by a researcher at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine will track around 10,000 medical cannabis patients across the USA.
While medicinal cannabis is legal in various forms in the vast majority of US states, and in some for many years, more data about its efficacy as a therapy is still needed.
“We have the availability of cannabis as a therapeutic, but we’re lacking the quality of data that we have with other medicines,” says Johns Hopkins’ Ryan Vandrey, one of this new research initiative’s creators. “We hope to provide some starting points for understanding what types of products may or may not be helpful and what types of products may be more risky for use in certain populations or for certain therapeutic purposes.”
Professor Vandrey is collaborating with Johannes Thrul, associate professor of mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and others on the project….”
Read More: https://hempgazette.com/news/johns-hopkins-cannabis-hg2116/
New York State’s Cannabis Market: Year One in Review
newyorkcannabis – “In the first year of legalized sales, New York State has sold over 3.5 million units of cannabis products, amassing nearly $16.3 million in tax revenue and generating an anticipated $150 million in total sales. The state’s fledgling cannabis market, which has seen 40 licensed dispensaries open their doors, is projected to surge even further in the coming year….”
Read More: https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/health/new-york-states-cannabis-market-year-one-in-review/
Wisconsin Lawmakers Plan Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill For 2024
#cannabisindustry – “Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin will introduce legislation to legalize medical marijuana in the coming year but say they do not have plans to legalize recreational pot, according to multiple news reports. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said last week that the bill will be ready for the chamber as soon as next month, adding that he believes the GOP majority could approve the bill without support from Democrats who have called for broader cannabis policy reform measures.
“We have a bill that we’ll introduce in January on medical marijuana,” Vos told reporters recently. “Our caucus has spent a lot of time reaching a consensus among itself to make sure that we knew we had 50 Republican votes to be able to pass it. Because unfortunately my Democratic colleagues have said if we don’t go full recreational marijuana they’re not interested.””
Marijuana industry advocates, critics and regulators reflect on 10-year anniversary of legalization
#cannabisindustry – ““Colorado’s launch of a regulated adult-use cannabis market was a major inflection point in our nation’s relationship with marijuana. It set a compelling example not only for other states, but also for countries around the globe,” said Mason Tvert, who co-directed the legalization campaign….”
Why fears about Biden’s marijuana moves are overblown
#cannabispolitics – ”
Howard Sklamberg, an attorney and former top official at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, argues those fears are alarmist and misguided. He doesn’t believe the cannabis industry needs to worry about a crackdown if the drug is moved from Schedule I to III under the Controlled Substances Act, as recommended by the Food and Drug Administration after a review of the scientific evidence.
“If you’re going to launch an enforcement initiative against cannabis, why would you start off with saying, ‘Oh, by the way, it’s less of a risk than we thought,’” Sklamberg said in an interview with POLITICO. “You would use your power under Schedule I and go after it.””
Read More: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/01/biden-marijuana-fda-scheduling-fears-sklamberg-00132890
How Magic Mushrooms Affect Each Of The 5 Senses
#psychedelics – “Have you ever felt that you perceive all of your surroundings very differently when on mushrooms? You’re not alone in this experience, and we’ve explored the numerous ways that magic mushrooms can alter your perception.
It’s no secret that waking life feels different on mushrooms, but you may wonder what produces these changes. Most of the responsibility falls on psilocybin, specifically its prodrug psilocin binding to the brain’s serotonin receptors.
These bindings increase serotonin levels, which can trigger changes in the way we perceive things. While shrooms don’t alter your senses directly, they modify how your brain processes external stimuli, heightening sensations or producing deep emotional reactions….”
Cannabis Users Less Reliant on Traditional Sleep Aids
#cannabisresearch – “More than 80% of the 1,255 cannabis users surveyed for the Washington State University-led analysis reported no longer using over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids such as melatonin and benzodiazepines. Instead, they had a strong preference for inhaling high-THC cannabis by smoking joints or vaporizing flower, two fast-acting methods that previous research has shown can help with difficulty falling asleep.
Interestingly, around half of the people in the study also specifically reported using cannabis strains containing CBD and the terpene myrcene, an aromatic plant compound found in hops, basil and other plants in addition to cannabis….”