California

California Psychedelics Legalization Advocates Push for 2026 Ballot Initiative

Published

7 months ago

May 29, 2024

Psychedelics policy reform advocates in California are calling for a ballot initiative to legalize certain drugs including psilocybin and MDMA after legislative attempts at change failed to cross the finish line two years in a row.

Last year, California lawmakers approved a bill from Democratic state Senator Scott Wiener that would have allowed regulated access to certain psychedelic substances. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the legislation in October, calling on the legislature to instead pass regulations to govern the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs.

Wiener responded earlier this year with a new bill he co-authored with several Senate colleagues to regulate the therapeutic use of psychedelics. But that measure is now apparently dead for the legislative session after a Senate committee failed to advance the bill earlier this month. After two unsuccessful bids at psychedelics reform in the legislature, advocates for change including Wiener are considering a ballot initiative to allow voters to decide the issue.

“We are not giving up, whether that means introducing a new bill or ballot measure, this issue is not going away,” Wiener told KQED public television news after the bill’s demise. “We know these substances are helping people turn their lives around.”

Wiener said that the psychedelics legalization ballot measure would likely appear on the ballot for the 2026 general election. He added that he may also return to the legislature with another bill, noting that both avenues of change can be pursued simultaneously.

Psychedelics advocates are considering whether a potential ballot measure should be broader than the bill to regulate the therapeutic use of the drugs sought by Newsom and are looking to the governor to take a leadership position on the issue.

“We hope Governor Newsom puts his action where his mouth is. He’s the one that suggested this bill. Now is the time for him to also be a leader in this space and help us find a path forward,” former Army Ranger Jesse Gould told KQED.

In 2017, Gould launched the Heroic Heart Project to help fellow military veterans gain access to psychedelics-assisted therapeutic services. Many vets seek out such services in foreign countries where regulations are more permissive to treat post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health challenges. Others make use of unregulated therapists in the United States. Advocates for change say all paths to reform are still under consideration.

“All options are on the table. A ballot measure certainly is,” Gould said. “It’s clear that if the politicians won’t speak for their people then we need to bring this to the people. And this is a popular subject for voters in California.”

Support for Psychedelics Reform Growing

Support for psychedelics policy reform is growing nationwide, with cities including Seattle, San Francisco, Denver and Washington, D.C. passing ordinances to effectively decriminalize possession of some psychedelic drugs. Public opinion surveys show strong support for reform, including a 2023 U.C. Berkeley poll showing that 61% of American registered voters support legalizing the therapeutic use of psychedelics.

“Californians will continue to seek out psychedelics for all sorts of reasons, including to help alleviate mental health challenges like PTSD, depression and anxiety. Many will do so without guided support and use psychedelics on their own, which increases risks,” said Jared Moffat, Campaign Director for the Alliance for Safer Use of Psychedelics, in a statement. “We’re not backing down, and will keep pushing to ensure facilitated access to psychedelics becomes a reality in California and that Californians are protected from harm.”

The calls for a psychedelics legalization ballot measure come less than two weeks after Wiener’s most recent legislation, Senate Bill 1012, was rejected by a legislative committee in the upper chamber of the California state legislature. Despite the failure, the San Francisco Democrat vowed to renew the fight. But future legislation could be a hard sell with state leaders facing shortfalls in the upcoming budget.

“We’ve been working for four years to legalize access to psychedelics in California, to bring these substances out of the shadows and into the sunlight, and to improve safety and education around their use,” Wiener said in a May 16 statement after the Senate Appropriations Committee declined to advance the bill. “We’re in a terrible budget year, where all bills with significant costs are at risk. Nevertheless, it’s disappointing for this bill not to move forward. Psychedelics have massive promise in helping people heal and get their lives back on track. It makes enormous sense for California to lead in creating regulated access under the supervision of a licensed professional. I’m highly committed to this issue, and we’ll continue to work on expanding access to psychedelics.”

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MScannaBIZ for all you Mississippi Cannabis News and Information.

Berkshire Hathaway

The Daily Hit: December 11, 2024

Published

1 week ago

December 13, 2024

mscannabiz.com

The Daily Hit is a recap of the top financial news stories for Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

On the Site

Berkshire unit seeks dismissal of Trulieve’s insurance coverage case over worker death

Berkshire Hathaway’s insurer says the worker’s death falls outside of Trulieve’s $3.1 million policy with the firm.

Read more here.

Tilray AMA: Cannabis beverages offer the biggest opportunity

The company’s chief financial officer also fielded numerous questions regarding the use of stock to pay debts and its plans to reach profitability.

Read more here.

More California officials caught in cannabis bribery cases

Newly unsealed court records reveal that Baldwin Park officials were soliciting bribes for supporting companies.

Read more here.

Weedmaps to more than double its outstanding shares to raise $224 million

The regulatory filings also provided a glimpse into the inner workings of the company.

Read more here.

Minnesota cannabis regulators scrap lottery for standard licensing

The state will maintain its 50-50 split of licenses between social equity and general applicants.

Read more here.

FBI raids office of Michigan cannabis businesses’ minority owner

The legal troubles will pose a test for Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency.

Read more here.

In Other News

Cannabis advertising

A Vermont cannabis company is suing the state over advertising restrictions that it claims are free speech violations.

Read more here.

CBD Life Sciences

CBD Life Sciences announced its intent to acquire a cannabis growth license in North Las Vegas, a move that positions CBDL at the forefront of Nevada’s thriving cannabis cultivation market, which is projected to surpass $1.3 billion by 2025.

Read more here.

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MScannaBIZ for all you Mississippi Cannabis News and Information.

California

Grand Openings: Wu-Tang Clan opens shop in New Jersey

Published

2 weeks ago

December 6, 2024

mscannabiz.com

From the arrival of a New Jersey shop co-owned by a member of the Wu-Tang Clan to a dispensary located just minutes from San Francisco International Airport, here are the notable new dispensaries that opened in the past month.

Got a new shop? Put it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise.

California

Embarc—San Bruno, CA. Opened Nov. 15. Travelers of San Francisco’s SFO Airport had early reason to give thanks with the opening of San Bruno’s first dispensary — located just minutes from the bustling international travel hub. In addition to its sublime convenience, the location means Embarc now has an impressive total of 16 dispensaries across California. 120 El Camino Real, San Bruno.

The Showcase—Fairfield, CA. Opened Nov. 27. Located east of Vallejo, the Showcase provides Fairfield customers with a wide array of top-shelf cannabis products. Proving its name is no fluke, Showcase stocks premium flower, edibles, and more. They also offer a Compassionate Use Program in addition to a menu stocked with daily deals. 101 Grobic Ct, Fairfield.

Colorado

The Buzz—Grand Junction, CO. Opened Nov. 9. The arrival of the Buzz makes a total of seven retail dispensaries now operating in Grand Junction, Colorado. Family-owned and operated, The Buzz — the chain’s fourth store to open thus far — boasts a menu of unique strains at “competitive prices” made even more convenient thanks to the store’s drive-through option. 1022 N 3rd St, Grand Junction.

Connecticut

Sweetspot Farms—Stamford, CT. Opened Nov. 11. Founded by two Stamford natives, Sweetspot Farms prides itself on its “community-focused values, local discounts, and a commitment to consumer education.” Sweetspot’s second location also features an “innovative digital bud bar” and “licensed pharmacists on staff and available to answer questions.” 111 High Ridge Rd, Stamford.

Illinois

Mystic Greenz—Belleville, IL. Opened Nov. 6. You can cross Belleville off the list of cities in Illinois without a cannabis dispensary. Since early last month, Mystic Greenz has saved locals the drive to Collinsville or Sauget by offering quality cannabis products in Belleville proper. The location is the fourth for Mystic Greenz and is run by store manager Tabitha Brinkman: a lifelong Belleville resident. 360 S. Green Mount Rd, Belleville.

Massachusetts

EMBR Cannabis—Springfield, MA. Opened Nov. 27. More than $2 million was invested to build Springfield, Massachusetts’ first dispensary fully constructed “from the ground up.” Now open for business, EMBR represents the final product of a reclamation project that saw a long-time vacant lot transformed into a new dispensary that is also set to feature new green space in the form of a forthcoming “pocket park.” 461 Boston Rd, Springfield.

Michigan

Mango Cannabis—Lansing, MI. Opened Oct. 21. Known for their chain of medical dispensaries in Oklahoma, family-run Mango Cannabis has expanded to Lansing, Michigan to open its first retail location. With a second store set to arrive in Waterford early next year, Mango Cannabis is landing with a splash in the form of a new, 4,000-square-foot “flagship superstore” that features “sleek design elements” and an “intentionally minimalist layout” intended to “showcase products as the focal point.” 5620 South Cedar St, Lansing.

Simply Loud—Detroit, MI. Opened Nov. 1. Detroit’s newest dispensary is proudly Black-owned and absolutely stocked. Visit Simply Loud and choose from hundreds of products, including “260 types of vape cartridges and disposables” and “150 kinds of infused prerolls” while enjoying an interior “unlike any other dispensary in metro Detroit” complete with “stylish Herman Miller furniture” and sculpture work from local artists. 216 E. Milwaukee Ave, Detroit.

New Jersey

Hashtoria—Newark, New Jersey. Opened Nov. 13. It was a true party at the grand opening for Newark’s newest dispensary, Hashtoria. That tends to happen when your shop is co-owned by Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon and Charlamagne Tha God, who both turned out to celebrate the debut of an adult-use cannabis retail space which is set to “evolve into a premier consumption lounge” early in the new year. For now, customers can enjoy loyalty rewards via the Hashtoria app and marvel at the physical space: the result of a collaboration with award-winning architect Rachael H. Grochowski. 799-805 Broad St, Newark.

Main Street—Highland Park, New Jersey. Opened Nov. 22. Main Street was created “with the intention of bringing a truly local feel to the cannabis business.” That makes sense considering the store’s owners include both second-generation and third-generation Highland Park residents. Providing an “upscale establishment” located in the suburbs of New Jersey, Main Street’s menu features a curated list of premium cannabis products available for purchase seven days a week. 311 Raritan Ave, Highland Park.

New York

Northern Lights—Canton, NY. Opened Nov. 14. Northern Lights is a family-owned and operated dispensary named for its location in northern New York. Serving residents of St. Lawrence County and the greater Canton area, Northern Lights offers a menu ripe with all the latest brands to hit the market. The dispensary’s current offerings include premium products from the likes of Camino, Jetty Extracts, and Rolling Green. 51 Main St, Canton.

Strain Stars—Riverhead, NY. Opened Nov. 29. Clocking in at an impressive 14,400-square-feet, Strain Stars’ new location in Riverhead marks the second store for the chain previously credited with opening Long Island’s first dispensary — in Farmingdale — last summer. Strain Stars also puts a big emphasis on local community, having recently donated $100,000 to Farmingdale State College to help establish a new endowment. And get ready to browse because the Riverhead location boasts “nearly 2,000 products, including flower, concentrates, edibles, topicals, vaporizers and accessories.” 1871 Old Country Rd, Riverhead.

Did we miss any? Leave a comment with a new one.

Got a new shop? Get it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise.

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California

Leafly Buzz: 12 top weed strains of November

Published

4 weeks ago

November 25, 2024

mscannabiz.com

Let’s put a punishing election month behind us and get back in that joyful warrior pose.

Leafly Buzz—our hit West Coast fire flower roundup is back for Turkey Day and the holiday season. We’re talking rip-rorious, indoorious beasts. Plus, some truly stunning sungrown.

Here’s what we’d bring to a fancy feast all winter long.

Here’s Leafly Buzz for November 2024.

Data grinder

Here’s the highlights of the West Coast’s monthly change in traffic to the strains in our 5,000 strain database (Sasha Beck/Leafly) — Which strains are on the move in Leafly’s 9,000-strain database? (Sasha Beck/Leafly)

We broke out our calculators, plugged into the Leafly strain database, and ran a scan for zaza. Here’s what the stats tell us.

Durban Poison

Short, cold, wet days got you down? Some Durban and coffee will help you get the house ready for visitors. The classic sativa comes in flower, vape, and sometimes single-source edible format. We could all use a pick-me-up. Durban moved into the No. 12 spot from 16 across the Western US.

Glitter Bomb

We said that the strain Glitter Bomb would blow up in 2024 and yeah, it’s at No. 30, up from 33rd in October. Glitter Bomb is among the blingiest tree from breeder Compound Genetics. This relaxing herb has a loud, grape-fuel taste. It’s a cross of Grape Gas #10 to OGKB Blueberry Headband.

Piescream

This is that ‘impress your hometown friends’ weed. Piescream’s a mix of Wedding Pie x (Gelato #33 x Cherry Limeade F5) for a candied cherry lime pastry dessert flavor. Piescream has been organically climbing the charts for the past two years. It’s now a top 500 strain on the West Coast and one of our favorite Thanksgiving smokes. We just saw a phenomenal cut of it from Sense cannabis in SF. Piescream also won six medals at the California State Fair Cannabis Awards 2024. You can’t have Thanksgiving without Piescream.

Dante’s Inferno

Oreoz x Devil Driver is the Budtenders’ Choice of Maine 2024 and it has cracked the top 100 across the western US, landing at 84; for when you need that crazy bag appeal, crazy potency, with a dessert and melon note.

Other chart news:

American budtenders’ best strains of 2024

New in the Leafly strain database

Leafly adds or fixes 1,000 strains in its database each year. Here’s some of the new-new. (Sasha Beck/Leafly)

Tropical Juice Box

Award-winning Southern California indoor growers Team Elite Genetics has come out of their lab with a grip of new crosses. Smoking up quick at our house—Tropical Juice Box, a cross of Orange Juice and Pearadise #4. Expect a delicious, tropical fruit smoothie layered with flavors of citrus, sugar, mangos, & pear. A nice, mood-enhancing sativa high also includes mellow vibes and body relaxation.

Dulce Con Gas

Fresh in the Leafly database, the Terphogz seeds catalog—popularizers of the Original Z. Notable this month—their new collaboration with Kounter Kulture—Dulce Con Gas. It’s a savvy mix of Lemon Cherry Gelato x Crop Duster and the packs run a stiff $300. LCG remains a top 5 national best-seller, and Crop Duster is a reported Daily Driver x Chem D cross that’s extra-pungent. Take 10% off with code LEAFLY (Leafly gets an affiliate fee for purchases).

Detroit Diamonds

Compound Genetics releases 26 new crosses to its hit, blingy weed Eye Candy. We’re eying Detroit Diamonds for a strain that drills down into pure aesthetics. Detroit Diamonds is (Pure Michigan x Baby Shark) crossed with Eye Candy and should be a killer.

Sour Peaches

Sour Peaches is yielding some of the best hash the folks at Purple City Genetics are smoking this winter. It’s a cross of their hit hash dumper Moroccan Peaches and the classic New York strains AJ’s Sour Diesel. Sour Peaches grows into huge plants with a 6 to 7% hash yield—so keep an eye out for it. It should hit hybrid and strong with a sour caramelized sour peach note.

Picks of the dispensaries

New on shelves

Mandarin Cherry Tree by Sticky Fields

Impress your sesh with arguably the most lip-smacking strain around—Mandarin Cherry Tree grown by industry icon Sticky Fields, Mendocino County, CA, and sold by Solful across Northern California. It’s a Mandarin Tart crossed to a volunteer Sticky Fields calls Cherry Tree, with thick mandarin, cherry, and lavender notes. The rare linalool-dominant strain comes hand-picked from the full-sun run at 26% THC. Limited batches.

Burning up the charts

Nova Cane by Team Elite Genetics

Need to get comfortably numb? This Novacane strain from more-than-living soil growers Team Elite Genetics in California went fast at our house in November. It’s Squirt x Kush x Grandma’s Cookies, bred by T.E.G, with a smell like blue raspberry sour gummies and a 50-50 hybrid effect on mind and body. A three-time Cannabis Cup-winner.

Best-sellers

Ballin out

Empanadas Diez by A Golden State

A Golden State grows large-scale indoor buds up in Shasta County, CA. Leading off their holiday lineup is Empanadas Diez—a Purple Churro x Cinnamon Horchata cross. When you want to chill after dinner and pre-game for dessert, hit this dessert strain with notes of banana bread, elote, berries & cream.

Ballin’ on a budget

Sour Diesel by Alpenglow

Plenty of great Sour Diesels have come in with the harvest. But the standout is a Sour Diesel Bx4 bred by Garden of Grease Seeds in Oregon, and organically grown by Alpenglow as outdoor, living-soil, full-term. Half-ounces of it sell out the door at Solful for $100, making it a killer, best-selling, budget option that won’t stick around. Just make sure you have the right mindset and place for taking it. It’s 31% THC. “It’s freaking strong, you got to be careful. It’s just zippy.”

High Note

Storz and Bickel Venty

two black handheld vaporizers standing vertically on a white table. the vaporizer on the left shows a temperature reading of 180 degrees and an orange "up" and "down" arrow — The name “Venty” references the 20 liters of air per minute this pocket Volcano can heat. ‘Venti’ is Italian for 20. And it’s got vents. Get it.
(Courtesy of Storz & Bickel)

Get your flu and COVID shots, even if you’re strong like bull. You can save yourself a secondary infection, and a second week in bed. If you already got bit by this year’s bug, consider giving your sinuses and lungs a smoke break with a flower vape. Flower vapes heat, instead of burn bud for the same effects. The makers of the famed Volcano vaporizer have a new, portable ripper called the Venty. You can pack it thick and full, it heats up in seconds and it rips pretty substantial clouds with big effects. The battery life is outsized as well. Another medical-grade best-seller from German leaders Storz and Bickel.

OK—that’s Leafly Buzz for November 2024, full of trees we’d personally pack during our ‘cousin’s walk’ before dinner. You bring the breath mints.

About Leafly Buzz

So good they steal it—the popular, monthly strain review roundup Leafly Buzz is in its third year. We report independently on the connoisseur cannabis conversation, focusing on strains and branded flower of the US West. Reporting includes: