December 2018 Newsletter Headlines
Cannabis Headlines
Congress Passed a Farm Bill That Legalizes Hemp. So What Happens Now?
The law would help increase research into the benefits of the plant and also spur new hemp-derived products. While the hemp industry has been growing in recent years thanks to the health-and-wellness trend of CBD, experts say bigger companies will likely wait before jumping in.
Novartis Unit Teams Up With Medical Marijuana Producer, Marking Milestone for Pharma
A global pharmaceutical company has inked a deal with a Canadian cannabis producer, marking the first deal of its kind for a marijuana company and a major pharma company. Tilray will collaborate with Novartis subsidiary Sandoz to distribute its medical marijuana products in the 35 countries that have legalized medical cannabis.
Adam Silver Discusses NBA's Evolving Marijuana Policy on B/R's Full 48 Podcast
The Commissioner of the NBA said the league has been in talks with the player’s association on revising its marijuana policy. Silver acknowledged that some players may use cannabis to deal with mental health issues, and banning the substance could lead players to use other drugs that are more harmful (like alcohol and pharmaceuticals).
New York Gov. Cuomo Calls for Statewide Legalization in 2019
New York’s governor is finally getting on board with cannabis after calling marijuana a “gateway drug” as recently as last year. Now, Cuomo says that legalization is among his legislative priorities. But he didn’t provide many details about how his vision of legalization would work.
Marijuana Use Doesn’t Actually Change The Structure Of Your Brain, New Study Finds
Researchers who scanned the brains of cannabis users and non-users found no differences in the brain structures that relate to cognitive function. Even people who started using marijuana from a young age had no changes in their brain structure, contrasting other research that has been done on the subject.
Trudeau Says Cannabis Shortage Likely to be Resolved Within a Year
A dire shortage of cannabis is plaguing the newly legal marijuana industry in Canada. A lack of quality product has driven consumers back to the black market and caused problems for entrepreneurs. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the problem would be resolved "during the coming months and perhaps the coming year.”
6 Cannabis-Loving Parents Share Tips for Consuming Cannabis at Home
Weed-loving moms who work in the cannabis industry offer advice to parents who also enjoy partaking, including waiting till the kids are asleep to childproofing your stash. These parents turned-cannabis pros all share one thing in common: they have open and honest conversations with their kids about cannabis.
Updates From Our Psychedelic Friends
Psilocybin Could Be Legal for Therapy by 2021
For the first time in U.S. history, a psychedelic drug is on the fast track to getting approved for treating depression by the federal government. Late last month, Compass Pathways, a U.K.-based company that researches and develops mental health treatments, announced the FDA granted them what’s called a “breakthrough therapy designation” for their trials into psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms.
Going Out on a High: The Doctor Advocating LSD for the Dying
“I’m a child of the ’60s,” Byock laughs. “And there are legitimate medical uses of psychedelics when we’re talking about end-of-life wellbeing issues.” With an eye to easing pain and creating comfort, Byock turns to the early, legal uses of psychedelics as an adjunct to therapy, as well as the recent and well-publicized benefits of using psychedelics to mitigate PTSD.
Welcome to the Trip of Your Life: The Rise of Underground LSD Guides
Some Americans searching for alternative paths to healing have turned to psychedelics. But how does one forge a career as a guide when the substances are illegal?
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