If there’s one country with a contradictory relationship with cannabis, it’s Colombia. On one hand, medical marijuana has been legal since 2016, with the foundations for a thriving industry that already exports the plant to multiple countries. On the other hand, the same plant exported for medical purposes is not available to Colombian patients; and that’s without even mentioning adult use: Congress has tiptoed around the subject of legalization so many times we’ve lost count.
Last year, there were signs of change, with the proposed amendment to Decree 811 of 2021. The decree currently prohibits the sale of medical cannabis flowers in Colombia, and if amended, the flower could be legally available for distribution in clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies. Currently, medical cannabis is only accessible through derived products. No progress has been made on this front since October.
Now, it seems, the wait could finally be over. The Colombian government has reportedly drafted a decree that would allow the domestic trade of medicinal cannabis flowers under prescription,according to El Tiempo.
Although the decree has not yet been published, it is already being discussed in the media by various actors, such as Congressman Juan Carlos Losada. In an interview with El Tiempo, the legislator behind the measure noted that while the move is positive, it comes very late.
“It should have been published by the first year of the government at the latest,” he said. “The regulations for this new decree are still pending, which could take more than six months, or a year. In that sense, it is very likely that the regulations will have to be implemented in the next four years, which leaves a clear uncertainty.”
Why so certain of this uncertainty? Because within this timeline, the proposed regulation could fall into the hands of the next government, which is still a mystery.
Legalizing the Sale of Medicinal Cannabis Flower in Colombia: What the Decree Says
Under the new regulation, Colombian patients would be able to access unprocessed medicinal marijuana flowers with a medical prescription. The decree modifies the concept of “finished product” under a broader definition that classifies the plant as suitable for “human or veterinary consumption” with prior authorization.
One of the most innovative advances included in the proposal is a 1% THC limit for domestic commerce. Most countries impose a 0.3% limit to differentiate hemp from psychotropic cannabis: now, in Colombia, medicines with more than 1% of the cannabinoid will be considered “specially controlled.”
Likewise, cultivation licenses for the foreign and domestic markets are being expanded, including “activities involving the import or acquisition, by any means, of seeds for sowing; sowing; harvesting; post-harvest; storage; marketing; transportation; distribution; and final disposal,” El Tiempo reports.
However, only micro, small, and medium-sized growers with licenses granted by the Ministry of Justice and the National Narcotics Fund will be permitted to cultivate the plant during the first two years after the decree is signed.
All in all, this measure represents progress and hope not only for national industries forced to compete in the international market, but also for thousands of patients who, until now, have not been allowed to enjoy the fruits harvested on their own soil.
[PRESS RELEASE] – VANCOUVER, Wash., July 29, 2025 –RollPros, the industry leader in pre-roll joint automation technology, announced the launch of the Blackbird XXL, the first and only commercial machine that automates the rolling of full-size blunts. The release of the Blackbird XXL marks a significant milestone for the cannabis industry, offering operators a solution to meet growing demand for premium, large-format pre-roll products with precision, speed and consistency.
RollProsUnlike traditional cone-stuffing machines, the Blackbird XXL rolls blunts the way skilled hands do, delivering a slow-burning, hand-crafted-style product without relying on pre-made cones. This launch builds on the success of RollPros’ flagship product, the Blackbird, the industry’s first automated joint rolling machine, which has rolled over 100 million joints to date and is trusted by operators in legal markets across North America. That proven performance is now coming to the blunt category, delivering the same level of scale, consistency and craftsmanship to one of the industry’s fastest-growing product categories.
“The original Blackbird set the standard for cone-free joint automation, and the Blackbird XXL pushes that boundary even further into the premium blunt space,” RollPros founder and CEO Kyle Loucks said. “This machine was engineered specifically for brands looking to scale up blunt production without sacrificing quality, consistency or creative control.”
The Blackbird XXL accommodates weights ranging from 1.25 to 2.5 grams, with a 1.75-to-2.25-gram sweet spot, and supports a range of crutch types and sizes, including paper, glass and ceramic. Operators can use hemp wraps up to 50gsm, or rice or wood pulp papers as thin as 13gsm, with wider roll widths being fully supported. Output rates reach up to 850 units per hour with standard paper and approximately 250 per hour using traditional blunt-thickness paper, depending on material consistency.
In addition to its compaction and rolling capabilities, the Blackbird XXL features the new RingWrap feature, a built-in tip banding mechanism similar to what is commonly seen on cigars. This provides a new branding opportunity that stands out in retail environments and adds a premium, finished look to the product. Crutch depth is variable, and options include “full reveal,” “no reveal,” or hybrid styles, offering flexibility to create any desired look.
For operators producing infused products, premium blunt lines or glass-tipped SKUs, the Blackbird XXL provides a scalable, high-performance solution that meets the expectations of both consumers and regulators.
“We built the Blackbird to eliminate the tradeoff between scale and quality. With the XXL, we’re bringing that same innovation to blunts,” Loucks said. “It’s a machine for operators who care about how their products perform and who are ready to grow without cutting corners.”
The first production units of the Blackbird XXL will begin shipping in mid-September. Pre-orders are now open.
To learn more or reserve a unit, visit rollpros.com.
I was on the side of the stage as he was preparing to perform. Thanks to a brief stint as a touring musician that got me backstage access to Ozzfest in 2002, I had the privilege of watching the inner workings of that fine-tuned music festival from a vantage point few will ever know.
To be clear, I didn’t actually “meet” Ozzy. He just walked next to me as I stood starstruck. Something that doesn’t happen to me often, by the way. He looked back and waved to me. I think he clearly recognized my excitement and threw me a bone. I suppose this was just part of his life, though: acknowledging his fans without a fuss or any sense of self-importance. And I think that’s one of the reasons so many people loved Ozzy. It’s one thing to be a music legend. It’s another thing to be a music legend while also just being a kind and decent person who loved his fans as much as we loved him. And he vocalized that love, which is why I think his death hit us all so hard.
Memorializing Ozzy with Mushrooms
It’s hard to believe that it was 26 years ago when Ozzy graced these pages with an interview. An interview, by the way, that showed Ozzy’s true personality: not an arrogant “Rock God” or untouchable celebrity, but a genuinely funny, approachable, and gracious man. Something that I think all of his fans already knew, but it was nice to see that person break proverbial bread with High Times.
Last week, Kyle Rosner published a beautiful piece highlighting Ozzy’s life, and of course, his love of our favorite plant. But today, I want to share with you something that’s been on my mind since Ozzy went gently into that good night.
Given Ozzy’s hardcore partying days and extreme drug use – which was likely enough to kill a Tsavo Lion – it’s hard to believe that the thing that did him in was Parkinson’s Disease: a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that, after being identified as a real medical condition in 1817, still has no cure. Which is unfortunate, given that around 10 million people across the globe are currently living with this crippling condition.
To be sure, there are a number of pharmaceutical treatments that can help manage some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease – but no actual cure.
What may interest you, however, is that there is also growing evidence to suggest that psilocybin – the “special sauce” in magic mushrooms – could also help treat those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease.
According to a clinical trial conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, Parkinson’s Disease patients who experience debilitating mood dysfunction in addition to their movement impairments (and didn’t respond well to other medications) found relief with psilocybin.
Participants of the study that were given psilocybin, “experienced clinically significant improvements in mood, cognition, and motor function that lasted for weeks after the drug was out of their systems.” This is not trivial.
Of course, who knows if a specialized psilocybin treatment would’ve helped Ozzy live a longer, and less painful life in his later years? But certainly, we’re excited to see this amazing tryptamine alkaloid potentially offer an effective treatment for those desperately seeking relief from this horrible disease.
Indeed, this is just more evidence that mushrooms are medicine and should be treated as such.
This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before beginning any treatment involving psychedelics or other controlled substances.
Members of the Reading (population: 95,000) city council have approved a municipal ordinance decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession offenses.
The ordinance, which passed by a 5-2 vote on Monday, imposes civil fines rather than criminal penalties for violations involving either the possession or use of up to 30 grams of marijuana. Under state law, marijuana possession is classified as a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by jail time.
Regional NORML coordinator Chris Goldstein spoke before the council in favor of the ordinance, opining that its adoption will save city resources and prevent thousands of low-level arrests. “Decriminalization is well proven, not just in Pennsylvania, but around the country,” he said. “One small arrest can have a huge impact [on people’s lives.]”
Numerous other Pennsylvania cities, including Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, have enacted similar ordinances.
Since 2018, nearly 90,000 Pennsylvanians have been arrested for violating state marijuana laws. Over 85 percent of those arrests were for marijuana possession.
Additional information on municipal decriminalization ordinances is available from NORML.
