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Connecticut Man Busted with $8.5M Worth of Shrooms

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A Burlington, Connecticut man was busted for allegedly growing psilocybin mushrooms in a large, commercial-style factory with an estimated $8.5 million in street value. Weston Soule, 21, is accused of allegedly growing millions’ worth of psilocybin mushrooms. He was charged with possession with intent to sell narcotics and the operating of a drug factory.

An unidentified person snitched out Soule, police said. Agents from the DEA Hartford Task force and state police detectives received a tip that suggested a man was operating a clandestine psilocybin mushroom growing operation at a home on Lyon Road.

WFSB Hartford reported that law enforcement agents descended upon Soule’s home on Thursday morning. Once there, authorities said they talked to Soule and saw ventilation equipment throughout the residence that are consistent with psilocybin operations.

Soule led investigators to a detached garage on his property and police found his large mushroom growing operation, where Soule claimed he was simply growing a different type of mushroom.

When Soule initially denied police entry to his home, police submitted a search warrant to New Britain Superior Court, which was granted. Once the search warrant was approved, investigators said they found a large “mushroom factory” with multilevel racks neatly lined up with substrates, inoculation chambers, grains, nutrients, and other supplies. The grow factory contained psilocybin mushrooms in various stages of growth, with an estimated total street value of $8.5 million.

Soule was taken into custody at the scene and transported to state police headquarters in Litchfield, Connecticut where he was processed and charged. Neighbors say a series of factors indicated a grow operation was taking place.

“They were running air conditioners when it was a cold day which didn’t seem right. They had air conditioners in the top windows and front of the house. You also saw more cars there during the day which made it seem like a place of employment rather than someone sleeping there at night,” an eyewitness neighbor told WFSB Hartford.

UNH Criminal Justice Professor and retired FBI agent Kenneth Gray says that’s a usual sign in this operation. “In a marijuana grow house, the house is usually filled with lamps. In this case, mushrooms don’t need a lot of lamps, instead, they need a lot of ventilation,” Gray said.

Soule was held in jail on a $250,000 cash/surety bond and was scheduled to appear for arraignment at New Britain Superior Court on Friday.

Psilocybin Reform in Connecticut

People in Connecticut are also attempting to regulate the cultivation of it legally. In 2021, Dr. Bronner’s pushed for psilocybin reform in Connecticut. New Approach PAC, a lobbyist group, funded $14,000 in 2021 to local firm Grossman Solutions to promote drug policy reform in Connecticut. Dr. Bronner’s is among New Approach’s biggest donors.

CT Insider reported that a task force in Connecticut is examining the efficacy of psilocybin mushrooms for use in therapeutic settings. House Bill 6296, sponsored by Representative Josh Elliot and four other representatives, created a task force responsible for studying the efficacy of psilocybin for a variety of conditions—a key step in legalizing psilocybin for therapeutic purposes. Grossman Solutions will help New Approach engage with Connecticut’s psilocybin task force.

CEO David Bronner is the grandson of company founder Emil Bronner. He said his goal is to free psychedelics, specifically legalization of psilocybin for therapeutic purposes, adding it’s exactly what his grandfather would have done. “The passion of my grandfather was to unite spaceship earth,” Bronner said. “We honor that legacy in different ways,” among them “integration of psychedelic healing in medicine and therapy.” Bronner also said that he believes “psychedelic medicine can really help people heal and wake up, and grapple with pressing problems.”

A pilot program on the benefits of synthetic psilocybin for mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is launching soon at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. 

A study cohort will consist of 50 patients, mostly veterans and first responders, who are with mental health concerns like depression and addiction. Participants will take 25 mg of synthetic psilocybin, and after the psychedelic effects wind down, they will discuss issues and progress (or lack thereof) with trained therapists.

Connecticut Post reports that the goal is to fulfill the need for state data that has been lacking, according to state Rep. Michelle Cook (D-Torrington). “We need to have the data to show that there is documented proof of what that therapy does,” Cook said. “We know that it has some incredible outcomes when it is done right, when it’s done by people that are trained in how to use it for treatment of PTSD and so forth.”

Cases like Soule’s would disappear if people in Connecticut gained access to regulated psilocybin as reform bills make their way through legislation.



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Gen Z Is Ditching Relationship Labels While Millennials

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The growing popularity of situationships is changing how we define love, commitment, and emotional intimacy.

Gen Z is ditching relationship labels while millennials, they are conflicted. The groups are changing how we define love and commitment.In a world where ghosting is easier than a breakup and therapy-speak dominates TikTok, more young adults are choosing “situationships” over traditional relationships. But is this modern love style freeing or just confusing?

For Gen Z and Millennials, the term “situationship” has become a defining relationship status — not quite single, not fully committed, and often without a clear endpoint. Unlike casual hookups of the past, situationship

RELATED: 5 Ways Microdosing Cannabis Can Boost Work Performance

According to a 2024 study by Hinge, 67% of Gen Z users said they’ve been in at least one situationship in the last year. Millennials aren’t far behind. Many say it offers freedom and flexibility, especially in a dating culture shaped by mental health awareness, financial uncertainty, and a post-pandemic shift in priorities.

a man and a woman leaning against a wall

But that freedom comes with a cost.

“Situationships can feel safe because there’s no pressure, but they also leave people emotionally confused,” says Dr. Maya Collins, a relationship therapist based in Los Angeles. “You’re investing time and emotions without knowing where it’s going.”

For Gen Z, who often value emotional nuance and resist traditional binaries, the situationship can feel aligned with broader social values — autonomy, exploration, and authenticity. Meanwhile, older Millennials, many of whom are navigating fertility timelines or recovering from divorce, often find themselves torn between the appeal of low-pressure intimacy and the need for clarity.

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Social media has only amplified the trend. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are flooded with memes, breakup stories, and “therapy talk” about attachment styles, emotional unavailability, and breadcrumbing — all of which fuel both the popularity and the pitfalls of situationships.

So, is this a generational fear of commitment — or are we just rewriting the rules of love?

Maybe both.

As romantic norms continue to evolve, one thing is clear: communication is key. Whether you’re vibing with someone casually or looking for a long-term partner, defining the relationship — even if just for the moment — is the healthiest move.

 



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Florida Lawmakers Pass Bill To Revoke Medical Marijuana Cards From People With Drug Convictions, Sending It To DeSantis’s Desk

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Lawmakers in Florida are sending legislation to the governor’s desk that would revoke state medical marijuana registrations of people convicted of certain drug crimes.

On Monday, both the House and Senate signed off on a compromise version of SB 2514, a broad bill that touches on cancer, dentistry and other health-related matters. It also contains a provision that would force the state Department of Health (DOH) to cancel registrations of medical marijuana patients and caregivers if they’re convicted or plead either guilty or no contest to criminal drug charges.

On Monday, both legislative chambers approved a compromise committee’s revised version of the bill and sent the measure to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

Language in the latest version is slightly different than what the Senate approved earlier this year. It says that a patient or caregiver would have their registration immediately suspended upon being charged with a state drug crime. The suspension would remain in place until the criminal case reaches a final disposition.

DOH officials would have authority to reinstate the registration, revoke it entirely or extend the suspension if needed.

Authorities would be required to revoke a person’s registration if the patient or caregiver “was convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendre to, regardless of adjudication, a violation [of state drug law] if such violation was for trafficking in, the sale, manufacture, or delivery of, or possession with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver a controlled substance.”

The revised language appears to eliminate an earlier restriction that would have also revoked registrations for people who merely purchased illegal drugs, including more than 10 grams of marijuana for their own use. The new version focuses more specifically on production and distribution.

It also clarifies that patients and caregivers would have a process to request their registrations be reinstated. That would involve submitting a new application “accompanied by a notarized attestation by the applicant that he or she has completed all the terms of incarceration, probation, community control, or supervision related to the offense.”

It’s not clear from the plain language of the revised bill whether it would impact only future criminal cases involving medical marijuana patients and caregivers or whether DOH would need to review the records of existing program registrants and revoke registrations of an untold number of Floridians with past drug convictions.

Notably, lawmakers defeated several proposals to expand the medical cannabis program during this year’s regular legislation session—including by allowing home cultivation, adding new qualifying conditions, protecting employment and parental rights of patients and letting military veterans register for free.

Separately in Florida, advocates are working toward putting a new adult-use marijuana legalization measure on the 2026 state ballot following the failure of Amendment 3 at the polls last November.

After filing the measure and launching a signature drive earlier this year, the campaign Smart & Safe Florida has collected 377,832 valid signatures—about 150,000 more than required to kick off the review process, according to Division of Elections numbers from earlier this month.

The state is now statutorily obligated to conduct a judicial and financial review of the measure that will determine its legal eligibility and inform the electorate about its potential economic impact.


Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.


Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

Smart & Safe Florida is hoping the revised version will succeed in 2026. The campaign—which in the last election cycle received tens of millions of dollars from cannabis industry stakeholders, principally the multi-state operator Trulieve—incorporated certain changes into the new version that seem responsive to criticism opponents raised during the 2024 push.

For example, it now specifically states that the “smoking and vaping of marijuana in any public place is prohibited.”Another section asserts that the legislature would need to approve rules dealing with the “regulation of the time, place, and manner of the public consumption of marijuana.”

Gov. DeSantis had repeatedly condemned the 2024 initiative over that issue, claiming there were not parameters to prevent public smoking, while expressing his distaste for the smell of cannabis.

The governor said in February that the newest measure is in “big time trouble” with the state Supreme Court, predicting it will be blocked from going before voters next year.

Last year, the governor accurately predicted that the 2024 cannabis measure from the campaign would survive a legal challenge from the state attorney general. It’s not entirely clear why he feels this version would face a different outcome.

While there’s uncertainty around how the state’s highest court will navigate the measure, a poll released in February showed overwhelming bipartisan voter support for the reform—with 67 percent of Florida voters backing legalization, including 82 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of independents and 55 percent of Republicans.

However, the results conflict with another recent poll from the Florida Chamber of Commerce, a proactive opponent of legalization, that found majority support for the reform among likely voter (53 percent) but not enough to be enacted under the 60 percent requirement.

In the background of the campaign’s signature development, DeSantis signed a GOP-led bill last month to impose significant restrictions on the ability to put initiatives on the ballot—a plan that could impair efforts to let voters decide on marijuana legalization next year.

Separately, a Florida GOP senator claimed recently that the legalization campaign “tricked” Trump into supporting the 2024 measure by misleading him and the general public about key provisions.

Ahead of the election, Trump said in September that he felt Amendment 3 was “going to be very good” for the state.

Before making the comments, Trump met with the CEO of Trulieve, Kim Rivers, as well as with a GOP state senator who is in favor of the reform.

While Trump endorsed the Florida cannabis initiative—as well as federal rescheduling and industry banking access—he has since been silent on cannabis issues. And his cabinet choices have mixed records on marijuana policy.

Marijuana And Drug Groups Press Meta About Shadowbanning And Censorship Of Content On Facebook And Instagram

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North Carolina Lawmakers Advance Bill To Regulate Hemp THC Products And Restrict Kratom

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“I wish we had done this back in 2021 when we figured out the whole hemp problem. The genie is pretty far out of the bottle now, so we’re trying to stuff it back in.”

By Clayton Henkel, NC Newsline

In a political climate in which Republicans and Democrats rarely find themselves on the same side, House Bill 328 provided a vehicle for common ground on Tuesday. Lawmakers praised the bill to regulate hemp-derived consumables as something that was long overdue in North Carolina.

The new proposed “committee substitute” rolled out in the Senate Health Care Committee defines hemp-derived cannabinoids to include delta 9 THC, delta 8, cannabidiol (CBD) and a variety of other synthetic products derived from hemp. The bill would limit sales to adults 21 and older.

While hemp may legally have 0.3 percent or less THC, lawmakers said some unregulated products may be delivering a more potent hit than advertised.

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main ingredient in marijuana that provides users with a high.

Senator Julie Mayfield (D-Buncombe) praised Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance) for shepherding the bill through the Senate.

“I wish we had done this back in 2021 when we figured out the whole hemp problem,” said Mayfield. “The genie is pretty far out of the bottle now, so we’re trying to stuff it back in.”

HB 328 would also ban hemp-derived consumables on educational property, requiring local boards of education to have a written policy barring the products from school grounds along with electronic cigarettes and other vaping products.

Bill Croft, executive director at NC Respiratory Care Board, joined those urging regulation of the products that increasingly appear in vape shops.

“I would highly support this simply because vaping is destroying lungs. We already have a huge problem in North Carolina,” Croft said.

Attorney General Jeff Jackson attended Tuesday’s hearing with his 10-year-old son, Owen.

“While I would trust him with many things, the notion that he can go into one of these shops and be presented with what is branded as candy by the misappropriation of actual brands that he’s familiar with like Oreos, like Sour Patch Kids, to try and sell him an intoxicating substance…the notion that that is somehow lawful in North Carolina is very difficult for parents,” said Jackson.

Jackson said even as the legislation evolves with time, his office supports this initial step forward.

“We have been meeting with Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) over the last several months in anticipation of a bill like this to talk to them about what enforcement would actually look like on the ground. They are very well positioned to move on this,” the attorney general told lawmakers.

Jackson said the Department of Justice was also ready to work with ALE to aggressively enforce this law to protect kids.

Sen. Benton Sawrey, chairman of the Senate Health Care Committee, said it was ‘bizarre’ the state had not placed restrictions on these products in prior sessions.

“I’ve been shocked by the pictures and the packaging that I’ve seen that these products are sold in,” said Sawrey in acknowledging the colorful graphics were intended to catch the eye of young consumers.

“It’s not something we would permit [with] anything else.”

Under the legislation, retailers would be prohibited from selling THC-infused candies and drinks to anyone under 21. Retailers would also be required to have a valid license to sell hemp-derived consumables.

Producers selling their products illegally could face an initial civil penalty up to $500. Repeated violations within a three-year period would result in a $2,000 fine and the revocation of the seller’s license.

A separate section of the bill would add kratom to North Carolina’s list of controlled substances.

Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia whose leaves are generally smoked, brewed with tea, or placed into gel capsules. In low doses it can provide a stimulant effect, but it high doses it has a sedative effect. Kratom is currently not a controlled substance and is unregulated and legal under state and federal law.

Sen. Sawrey said he believes there is finally broad consensus to raise the age and place restrictions on the packaging of these consumables that come with a potent punch.

“I hope that we’re able to achieve that in this session and get that across the finish line.”

HB 328 won unanimous support Tuesday in both the Senate Health and Senate Finance Committees. The measure now moves to the Judiciary Committee as senators appears intent on fast-tracking the bill ahead of a floor vote.

Florida Lawmakers Pass Bill To Revoke Medical Marijuana Cards From People With Drug Convictions, Sending It To DeSantis’s Desk

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