News of the Week

Cannabis Finds its Tic-ket: Medicinal Marijuana Proven Effective for Tourette Syndrome

In a groundbreaking study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Australian researchers provide comprehensive evidence supporting the use of medicinal cannabis in treating Tourette syndrome. The study involved a randomized controlled trial with a substantial number of participants, ranging in age from adolescents to adults. Over the course of six weeks, patients who received a carefully controlled dosage of medicinal cannabis experienced significant reductions in both motor and vocal tics associated with Tourette syndrome. These findings represent a major breakthrough in the field, offering hope for individuals with the condition who have been seeking more effective treatment options.

High Stakes: Minnesota’s Legalization Dilemma Puts Second Amendment Rights Up in Smoke

Federal Bureau Warns Minnesotans: Using State-Licensed Cannabis Means Sacrificing Second Amendment Rights As Minnesota recently legalized recreational marijuana, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) issues a strong advisory to residents. The ATF emphasizes the existing conflict between federal law and state-level cannabis legalization, particularly concerning the Second Amendment rights of individuals who choose to use marijuana from state-licensed dispensaries. According to federal law, anyone who uses cannabis, regardless of its legality at the state level, is prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. This announcement sparks a heated debate over the inconsistencies between state and federal regulations, raising concerns among gun-owning cannabis users in Minnesota about potential legal repercussions.

Dolphins’ Coach Caught in a Cloud of Controversy: Sideline Vaping Raises Eyebrows

During a critical playoff game, rumors circulate regarding Miami Dolphins’ Head Coach Mike McDaniel and his alleged use of a vaping device on the sideline. In response to the speculation, Coach McDaniel acknowledges the existence of the rumors but refrains from providing a direct confirmation or denial. While emphasizing the need to focus on the game itself, he suggests that there might be some basis to the claims. This statement generates further interest and discussion surrounding vaping policies in professional sports, raising questions about the potential health effects and regulatory implications for coaches and players.

Constitutional Conflict: Federal Gun Control Laws Penalize Marijuana Users

Critics direct their attention to the Biden administration, alleging that its support for certain policies creates a constitutional conflict regarding the Second Amendment rights of marijuana users. Under current federal gun control laws, individuals who consume cannabis, even in states where it is legalized, face severe penalties and restrictions on owning firearms. Advocates argue that this contradictory situation undermines the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and highlights the need for comprehensive reforms to align state and federal laws. The debate revolves around finding a balance between gun control measures and the rights of individuals who use cannabis legally.

Rhode Island Clears the Haze: Over 23,000 Marijuana Possession Records Wiped Clean

As part of Rhode Island’s comprehensive approach to rectifying the impact of previous marijuana laws, the state’s judiciary system successfully expunges more than 23,000 records associated with marijuana possession charges. This milestone achievement follows the state’s recent legalization of adult-use cannabis and aligns with an executive order from the Supreme Court. The expungement of these records marks a significant step towards addressing the historical disparities in marijuana-related convictions and providing relief to affected individuals who have faced social and economic challenges due to their criminal records.

Small Businesses Blaze a Trail of Optimism as Economy Ignites, Supply Chain Concerns Fizzle

According to a recent survey conducted among small businesses nationwide, a growing sense of optimism emerges as economic conditions continue to improve. The study indicates that small business owners are experiencing a more positive outlook due to factors such as increasing consumer confidence and a surge in demand for their products and services. Additionally, the easing of supply chain concerns, including reduced disruptions and improved availability of essential inputs, contributes to the positive sentiment among small businesses. This renewed optimism suggests a potential path to recovery and growth for independent businesses across the country.

“Leaf” it to Debate: Tolkien’s Pipe-weed Stirs Up Smoking Controversy Among Fans

In a newly published interview, author J.R.R. Tolkien confirms that the fictional “pipe-weed” mentioned in his novels, including “The Lord of the Rings,” is indeed tobacco. However, fans of Tolkien’s works continue to engage in spirited debate, speculating whether the descriptions and customs associated with pipe-weed may hold a metaphorical reference to marijuana.

While some argue that Tolkien’s pipe-weed was simply a metaphorical device or a harmless tobacco substitute, others suggest it could be a veiled reference to cannabis, giving rise to the “puff or puff pass” theory. The controversy has led to intense discussions within the Tolkien community, with avid readers and scholars analyzing the author’s words for hidden meanings and clues.

In The Lord of the Rings appendices, Tolkien details the Hobbits’ love of pipe-weed, stating, “They imbibed or inhaled, through pipes of clay or wood, the smoke of the burning leaves of a herb, which they called pipe-weed or leaf.”

Recent Articles

You’ve chosen to work in a gray area. You sell products that contain cannabis or cannabis-adjacent substances as well as accessories that can be used to consume it. And while that area has become less gray—you can see rays of sunlight peeking through—the skies are still cloudy. THC remains a Schedule 1 substance, even as medical marijuana has migrated to Schedule 3.
Running a cannabis business is notoriously complicated. For dispensaries, complex compliance burdens permeate every facet of the business, from zoning and licensing to marketing and payments. Whether you’ve been in the cannabis space for mere months or multiple decades, you’ve likely run into drawn-out approval processes, supply chain headaches, or constantly changing regulation that makes compliance challenging, not to mention the other micro and macroeconomic factors that plague all small business owners.
Blending traditional values with modernized, energetic branding, Not Ya Son’s Weed falls somewhere between the cannabis days of yore and today’s recreational cannabis boom. Not Ya Son’s Weed offers a variety of products—including pre-rolls, exotic flower, and gummies—that provide much-needed relief without being too overbearing.
The officials came for Lance Alyas once before. In 2023, they caught him in a sting, seized his merchandise, and tossed him in jail. But just seven days later, after he invoked Hawaii's version of a Freedom of Information Act request, the whole case fell apart. Alyas was released without bail, allowed to simply walk out the door. Now, he’s advocating for freedom from Hawaii’s state officials once again. Only this time, it’s not just his own freedom. As the owner of Oahu’s top-rated smoke shops, he’s fighting for everyone’s right to sell hemp products in the Aloha State.
Born Sara Benetowa in Warsaw, Poland, in 1903, Sula Benet may not be an immediately recognizable name in cannabis spaces today, but she should be. While she primarily studied Polish folk customs, Benet became known for her graduate thesis at the University of Warsaw, titled Hashish in Folk Customs and Beliefs. In the paper, she claims that the plant kaneh bosm—which is referenced throughout the Old Testament and Torah and often translated as “calamus”—actually refers to hemp. Benet’s theory remains both significant and highly controversial today, especially as various religious and evangelical groups continue to demonize the plant.
If the United States were ever a country based on strict adherence to the law, those days are long past. The modern game lies in devising methods to circumvent laws. It’s how the rich avoid taxes, the powerful avoid jail, and industries of all kinds bypass regulations. The paradox is that, despite its ubiquity, it’s not easy to stay beyond the reach of the long arm of the law. Well-moneyed, influential organizations still sometimes misjudge the political and legal playing field and have to pay up. The Sacklers (the family behind Purdue Pharma) eventually were bankrupted by the courts for their role in the opioid epidemic, and officials hit Meta with a $5 billion fine over privacy concerns.
When you walk into a smoke shop today, you might notice the glass cases that once held rolling papers and blunt wraps now display CBD tinctures, functional mushroom capsules, kava elixirs, and hemp-infused sparkling water. The staff might talk to you about terpene profiles, cortisol levels, and a new vape line.
I went home and told my girlfriend, who, after Googling the name of the business I bought it from, told me that, yes, it was technically weed. But it was CBD. She started laughing, telling me I had been ripped off.