Opioids

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) recently wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) arguing the chamber should prioritize a measure to permanently schedule fentanyl-related substances under federal law over the SAFER Banking Act, which would normalize cannabis banking.

The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission is considering the use of ibogaine, a naturally occurring psychedelic, as a treatment for opioid addiction after hearing from more than a dozen people about their personal and professional experiences with the substance.

New York regulators on Thursday shut down multiple unlicensed cannabis shops in Ithaca, Binghamton, and New York City. The companies face fines of up to $10,000 per day of operating without a license.

The Texas House voted 121-23 in favor of a measure to increase allowable THC levels in the state’s medical cannabis program and add chronic pain to the program’s qualifying conditions list.

Three out of 10 adults with chronic pain in states with legal medical cannabis access use cannabis products to manage their pain, according to a recent study.

A federal survey found 52.5 million Americans aged 12 and older, about 20%, reported having used cannabis over the past year.

The administration of Gov. Tom Wolf (D) will have to reveal the number of cannabis patients enrolled in the program for opioid addiction treatment after a panel of Pennsylvania judges sided with a news agency’s request.

A federal report found that cannabis samples in Connecticut linked to opioid overdoses had been cross-contaminated with fentanyl by a single dealer, and did not constitute a repeated pattern of adulteration.

Canada will temporarily decriminalize opioids, cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine in British Columbia as the province looks to fight its record overdose rates.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said that he doesn’t think it is the right time to legalize cannabis in the state because they are just getting the opioid crisis under control.

The biotech pharma firm ANANDA Scientific Inc. announced it has received FDA approval to study a CBD-based drug as a treatment for opioid-use disorder.

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., the U.S. arm of a pharmaceutical firm that recently announced an international medical cannabis distribution deal, was found guilty in New York for contributing to the opioid crisis.

A set of GOP companion bills in the House and Senate seeking to curb illegal fentanyl sales would also streamline the research of cannabis, psychedelics, and other Schedule I substances.

Plymouth, Connecticut Police Capt. Ed Benecchi called for opening adult-use cannabis dispensaries “as soon as possible” in the name of public safety after at least 39 overdoses in the state were linked to fentanyl-laced cannabis.

A recent survey found 65% of patients were able to reduce or eliminate taking at least one prescription medication after obtaining their medical cannabis registration.

Cara Wietstock, host of Fresh Cut by Ganjapreneur, meets with Colin Wells, a US Army Infantry veteran and founder of Veterans Walk and Talk. Cara and Colin explore how he overcame his own addiction after experiencing homelessness, the veteran experience, and how the combination of cannabis, psychedelics, nature, and community can improve veterans’ lives.

Pennsylvania officials will disclose for the first time how many of the state’s medical cannabis patients are certified as a treatment for opioid use disorder, as well as each of the state’s other qualifying conditions.

A recent study found that cannabis legalization leads to lower prices in a state’s unlicensed cannabis market and an increase in the prices of illicit drugs and illegally obtained pharmaceuticals.

Men’s Tribal House in Utah is the first sober living home in the state to let facility residents utilize medical cannabis on their path to recovery.

A recent survey of 525 chronic pain patients found that 40.4% of respondents had replaced their opioid-based medications with medical cannabis.

A recent study shows that cannabis can improve treatment outcomes for people in care for opioid addiction.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court has ruled that employees who use medical cannabis to treat a work-related injury cannot rely on workers comp insurance to cover it.

Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, pleaded guilty this week to illegally marketing its deadly and addictive opioid products. As part of its federal settlement, the company faces over $8 billion in penalties.

A former NYPD officer is suing the department after being forced into early retirement due to his status as a registered medical cannabis patient. The lawsuit alleges extreme instances of workplace harassment, disability discrimination, and retaliation.