Cannabis News

2025
Highlighted Articles
- Bill to Ensure Accurate Testing and Labeling Medical Cannabis Products Advances in the Pennsylvania General Assembly
  
  March 18, 2025
  
  HB 33, led by Representative Dan Frankel of Alleghany County, recently passed in the house by a vote of 194-8. The bill would give the Bureau of Medical Marijuana added oversight powers “through audit testing, quality assurance testing, data transparency, and inspections.”
  
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- New Bill Seeks to Protect Medical Cannabis Patients from DUI Penalties Without Proof of Impairment
  
  March 10, 2025
  
  Representative Chris Rabb of Philadelphia County introduced HB 878 to remove DUI penalties for medical cannabis patients with a current medical marijuana card and without proof of impairment while operating a vehicle.
  
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2024
Highlighted Articles
- New PCOM Study Finds “Rapid and Significant Improvements” in Health-Related Quality of Life of Medical Marijuana Patients
  
  October 25, 2024
  
  The longitudinal study led by Michelle R. Lent, PhD, a professor of Professional and Applied Psychology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, found clinically meaningful improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana patients.
  
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- OHSA Launches New Federal Program on Workplace Safety for the Cannabis Industry
  
  September 30, 2024
  
  The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) recently sent a letter to Colorado cannabis businesses, with an emphasis on the growing and processing of cannabis, offering a free consultation to help identify possible dangers such as handling flammable and explosive materials and exposure to unguarded machinery, pesticides, molds, dusts, and chemicals such as hexane, heptane, ethanol, butane, and other potentially harmful solvents.
  
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- New Study Shows Clinical Evidence of the Entourage Effect as D-Limonene Mitigates Anxiety in Combination with THC
  
  April 10, 2024
  
  Researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Colorado conducted a double-blinded, placebo controlled crossover study which found that limonene, a commonly occurring terpene in cannabis, when combined with THC can significantly reduce anxiety that can be exacerbated by THC alone.
  
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- Opinion: Does marijuana cause psychosis? The answer is complicated
  
  March 20, 2024
  
  What is the relationship between marijuana use and psychosis? While cannabis has been associated with an increased risk of developing psychosis, the exact relationship between the two is not fully understood as described in a recent opinion piece by Dr. David Nathan and former MCRC Speaker Series presenter, Dr. Peter Grinspoon.
  
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2023
Highlighted Articles
- Significant and Sustained Reductions in Health Insurance Premiums Follow Medical Cannabis Legalization
  
  October 18, 2023
  States that have legalized cannabis for medical use report significant reductions in private health insurance premiums according to a recent study published in the Journal of International Drug Policy.
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- New Longitudinal Study Finds Lack of Association Between Clinical Psychosis and Cannabis Use in High-Risk Young Adults and Adolescents
  
  September 20, 2023
  Neither continuous nor occasional cannabis use has been found to be linked to an increased transition rate towards psychosis or worsened clinical symptoms, functioning levels, or overall neurocognition, according to the study authors of a new longitudinal study.
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- Rescheduling Cannabis to Schedule III Recommended by US Department of Health and Human Services
  
  August 31, 2023
  The rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III has been advocated by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg.
  
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- Unregulated Delta-8 THC Products Face New Scrutiny in New Jersey and from the FDA and FTC
  
  July 6, 2023
  There is growing concern over hemp-derived THC and CBD products that can be commonly bought at gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops.
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- New Study Finds That Cannabis Legalization for Adult-Use May Cause Tobacco-Related Health Benefits
  
  June 15, 2023
  
  A study that is scheduled to be published in the July 2023 issue of the Journal of Health Economics found that cannabis legalization is associated with a lagged reduction in adult tobacco use that includes cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and e-cigarettes.
  
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- Pennsylvania Court Rules that Employers Must Reimburse Out-of-Pocket Costs for Medical Cannabis in Workers Compensation Case
  
  May 10, 2023
  A Pennsylvania Court recently ruled that the mandate from the Workers’ Compensation Act that employers must reimburse workers for reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket costs of treatment from a workplace injury includes costs associated with the use of medical cannabis according to a ruling by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania in the case of Fegley v. Firestone Tire & Rubber.
  
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- Drexel MCRC Assistant Director Jim Seaberg Participates in 4/20 Panel on WURD Radio - More Than Green: The Color of Cannabis on WURD Radio
  
  April 24, 2023
  4/20, the unofficial day to celebrate cannabis, WURD held a frank and in-depth conversation about cannabis hosted by Brother Shomari entitled “More than Green: The Color of Cannabis.”
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- Anxiety and Cannabis: A Review of Recent Research
  
  April 10, 2023
  Anxiety disorders have become one of the top conditions for receiving medical cannabis since becoming a qualifying condition for the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana (PAMMJ) Program in 2019. Yet, the application of cannabis as a treatment for anxiety disorders has been a controversial issue in Pennsylvania. While the media coverage surrounding this has been largely negative, it is important to understand the broader context of why so many people are seeking out cannabis for their anxiety – and reporting that it does help.
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- Department of Justice Announces Applications for Cannabis Pardon Certificates
  
  March 9, 2023
  Persons pardoned for federal possession of cannabis – first announced in October, 2022 by President Joe Biden – can now receive a certificate demonstrating lawful receipt of the pardon via an application form launched by the Department of Justice on March 3^rd, 2023.
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- State-level Cannabis Legalization Not Associated with Increase in Psychosis-Related Healthcare Utilization
  
  February 9, 2023
  A recent cohort study found no increase in psychosis-related diagnoses or prescribed antipsychotics in states that have legalized cannabis for medical or adult-use compared to those that continue to uphold cannabis prohibition.
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- Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program Data Brief Released by Drexel-led State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup
  
  January 9, 2023
  The impact of the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana program as it relates to access, use, arrests, and perceptions of cannabis was detailed in data brief released on January 2023 by the Drexel-led State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup.
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2022
Highlighted Articles
- Update on Gov. Wolf’s Marijuana Pardon Project: Who Will Be Receiving a Pardon?
  
  December 21, 2022
  
  A recent article from the Philadelphia Inquirer found that only 231 people of the 2,600 that applied to the Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Project will receive a final public hearing on their pardon application.
  
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- The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Director Announces Pilot Program to Assist Low-Income Medical Cannabis Patients
  
  December 1, 2022
  
  Pennsylvania’s new Medical Marijuana Program (PAMMJ) Director, Laura Mentch, announced a pilot program at a recent PAMMJ Advisory Board Meeting that will offer low-income senior citizens $50 per month to assist with the high cost of medical marijuana (cannabis) in the PAMMJ program.
  
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- Issues in Lab Testing Cannabis Products: A Work in Progress in State Level Programs
  
  November 18, 2022
  
  As states continue to advance cannabis legalization efforts and President Biden orders a review of federal cannabis policy, the issue of lab testing for cannabinoid potency and contaminants in cannabis is a key issue for legislators and regulators to address.
  
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- “No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana”: What Biden’s Announcement on Cannabis Reform Means for Consumers, Advocates, Public Health and Legalization Moving Forward
  
  October 7, 2022
  President Biden announced a massive shift in American policy related to cannabis by issuing mass pardons and ordering the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to review the scheduling of cannabis in the Controlled Substance Act.
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- Are Outdated Cannabis Testing Policies Contributing to the Supply Chain Crisis, Worker Shortages, and Inflation?
  
  September 15, 2022
  
  On May 16^th, 2022, US Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg asking him to address outdated cannabis (marijuana) testing practices to help address the supply chain crisis.
  
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- Gov. Wolf and Lt. Gov. Fetterman Launch a Streamlined Pardon Project for People with Marijuana Charges: Deadline to Apply Sept. 30^th, 2022
  
  September 1, 2022
  Pennsylvania is starting a one-time, statewide pardon program for people with specific minor, non-violent marijuana convictions. Applying is free and entirely online. The program is time sensitive as the deadline to submit the application for a pardon is September 30th, 2022.
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- Unregulated Hemp-derived CBD and THC Products are Often Mislabeled and May Contain Toxic Metals
  
  August 4, 2022
  Since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act that effectively legalized hemp-derived CBD and THC products, there has been growing concern over the safety and accuracy in labeling of these products.
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- Colorado Department of Public Health Data Shows Significant Drop in Teen Cannabis Use Rates
  
  July 15, 2022
  On June 15^th 2022 the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) posted a press release highlighting the most recent statewide data from Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, which included dramatic declines in cannabis and other substance use by Colorado youth in 2021.
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- Pennsylvania Cannabis Banking Bill heads to Governor Wolf’s Desk
  
  July 1, 2022
  On June 28th, 2022, the Pennsylvania State Legislature saw a banking and financial services bill advance in the legislature that will impact cannabis business and medical marijuana patients.
  
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- Federal Cannabis Legalization Could Reduce Foster Care Admissions and Save Taxpayers Significantly
  
  June 27, 2022
  A research article published in the journal Economic Inquiry revealed the significant impact that cannabis legalization has had on the foster-care system in the United States.
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- New York Senate Bill has Major Implications for the Future of the Medical Marijuana Industry
  
  June 17, 2022
  On Wednesday, June 1^st, 2022 the New York Senate passed a bill that would require public health insurance providers to cover medical marijuana costs in the state Medicaid and workers compensation programs.
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- "I Feel Validated": Participation in a Medical Cannabis Program in the Context of Legalized Recreational Use
  
  June 9, 2022
  A team of Drexel Researchers examined the effects of California’s 2016 law legalizing cannabis for recreational use among young adult medical cannabis patients (MCP) and non-patient users (NPU).
  
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- Research by Drexel Alums Advocate Earmarking Cannabis Tax Revenue for Mental Health Services
  
  June 3, 2022
  Research led by Drexel alumni Kylie Brinson, MPH ’22 and Jonathan Purtle, MPH ’10, DrPH ’14 examines the potential impact of earmarking tax revenue from cannabis legalization for mental health services.
  
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2021
Highlighted Articles
- Cannabis Legalization Not Linked to Increases in Cannabis Use Among High School Students
  
  September 15, 2021
  Study explores whether adult-use cannabis laws are associated with current or frequent marijuana use in adolescents.
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- Congress Drafts New Bill to Deschedule Cannabis and Increase Cannabis Research
  
  July 27, 2021
  Democratic Senators announced The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act; an initial draft of a bill to deschedule cannabis and increase cannabis research in the United States.
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- Cannabis Use Lower among CBD Users, New Study Reports
  
  March 22, 2021
  A new study surveyed young adults who currently used cannabis in Los Angeles in 2019-20, and compared CBD-dominant and THC-dominant product users.
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