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Hawaii Senate Passes Bill To Create Psychedelics Task Force And Study Pathways To Access Psilocybin And MDMA

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2 months ago

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Hawaii’s Senate has passed a bill that would create a psychedelic task force tasked with studying and making policy recommendations on providing access to breakthrough therapies like psilocybin and MDMA.

After moving through the committee process, the full Senate on Friday approved Sen. Chris Lee’s (D) legislation by a 24-0 vote and sent it to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The measure would create the Emerging Mental Health Therapies Task Force, which for two years will review the current scientific literature, support additional clinical research, and develop policy recommendations for the “safe, ethical, and culturally informed implementation” of a psychedelic therapy program.

“The Legislature believes in addressing the mental health crisis affecting the State’s residents, particularly among veterans, first responders and trauma survivors,” SB 3199 reads. “Suicide remains the leading cause of preventable death, and the State must explore all safe and effective treatment options supported by scientific evidence.”

Given that the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated psilocybin and MDMA as breakthrough therapies in the treatment of serious mental health conditions, which may be subject to future control under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Hawaii’s legislation states that the state must “proactively prepare public health, clinical and research systems for safe and equitable implementation.”

Team members should include representatives from the State Department of Health (DOH), the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of Wellness and Resiliency (OWR), the University of Hawaii School of Medicine, and more.

As in the draft, the task force was to be overseen by the DOH, but this was changed in the commission to be “the responsibility of an entity with proven experience in primary scientific research and pharmaceutical or medical education.”

“The administrative work of the task force within an entity with proven experience in primary scientific research and pharmaceutical or medical teaching shall not be construed to transfer, delegate, reduce, extend, or otherwise modify any regulatory, enforcement, licensing, programming, or regulatory authority vested in the Department of Health, the Board of Pharmacy, or any other billing agency. “All statutory authority relating to controlled substances, professional licensing, and public health regulations is provided by law. They will be left to the appropriate executive authorities.”

It seems invoice would be It was first assembled in 2023 based on prior work by a separate psychedelic task force.With a similar goal of exploring avenues for therapeutic access in breakthrough drugs approved by the FDA such as psilocybin.

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Meanwhile, Hawaii senators recently passed a bill to legalize low-dose, low-potency marijuanaalthough members of the House of Representatives say that the ban on cannabis will not end this year in the state.

A separate marijuana legalization bill, SB 2421, that contained provisions under federal reform law or amendments to the state Constitution, was delayed for action. The Senate and House panels also delayed action on a measure to sell certain hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

Senate committee action follows Senior lawmakers in the House indicated that proposals to legalize cannabis would not move forward In the 2026 session, citing the lack of sufficient support in their chamber.

On Thursday, another Hawaii Senate committee separately approved legislation to allow patients immediately enter medical cannabis after submitting their recordsinstead of waiting for the cards to be delivered, as is the case under current legislation.

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Texas Judge Allows Smokable Hemp And Other Products To Be Sold, Blocking State Ban From Being Enforced

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12 hours ago

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May 2, 2026

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A Texas judge has issued a temporary injunction that continues to prevent state officials from enforcing the news Regulations restricting access to hemp-derived products such as THCA combustible flower. Meanwhile, the state Supreme Court in a separate case allows regulators to ban delta-8 THC.

Friday’s ruling by Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle follows another judge last month who issued a temporary restraining order on the ban on hemp products. According to the latest order, sales of hemp products can continue until at least July 27.

Decisions a a lawsuit filed by a coalition of hemp industry leaders and advocacy organizations The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) have accused lawmakers of effectively circumventing the law. ban the sale and manufacture of certain hemp consumable products.

Under state law passed by the legislature and governor in 2019, the suit says cannabis products are legal if they contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC. But regulators at DSHS and HHSC recently approved a “total delta-9 THC” limit using a post-decarboxylation formula that includes tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) in the calculation.

Texas lawmakers passed legislation to severely restrict hemp products in the 2025 session, but Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed it and did not make it into law.

Lyttle said Friday that the plaintiffs have established “a possible right to relief on the merits of their claims.”

“In the absence of injunction, plaintiffs will suffer immediate and continuing harm to their business operations, legal rights and economic interests,” he said. he wrote. “These damages include disruption of established supply chains, loss of market access, impairment of goodwill and customer relationships, and the risk of significant compliance costs and enforcement consequences under the rules that plaintiffs have proven invalid.”

The hemp industry lawsuit, which also lists Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) as a defendant, also calls into question large increases in business license fees that were approved by regulators. Under the new rules, the cost of a manufacturer’s license increased from $250 to $10,000 per facility, while the retailer registration fee increased from $150 to $5,000 per location.

While the judge who issued a temporary restraining order on the product restrictions last month did not grant a stay on the new fees, Lyttle included them within the scope of his temporary injunction.

“These measures do not impose policy choices of the Legislature; they supersede them,” says the initial complaint filed by plaintiffs Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) and Hemp Industry & Farmers of America (HIFA). “And they do so against the backdrop of a constitutional legislative process that ran its entire course — from the legislative passage of Senate Bill 3 to the governor’s veto, two failed special sessions — and produced an ambiguous result: no new law. Texas law does not allow agencies to override that result through rulemaking.”

“Texas has long promoted itself as a national leader in economic growth and regulatory stability. It is a state committed to fostering innovation, supporting legitimate businesses, and maintaining a predictable legal environment in which businesses can operate and invest,” he says. “Consistent with that vision, Texas has chosen to authorize and regulate the manufacture, distribution and sale of consumable hemp products (‘CHP’) through a comprehensive statutory framework enacted by the Legislature in 2019.”

“Plaintiffs acknowledge this framework and the State’s interest in ensuring that CHPs are produced and sold in a safe, responsible and lawful manner,” the lawsuit states.

In a state Supreme Court ruling Friday, the justices overturned a lower court’s order that prevented regulators from treating delta-8 THC as a controlled substance.

“The companies that developed these products claim that the legislature opened up the market to them in 2019,” the court’s opinion says. “So when the commissioner sought to clarify that, in fact, the legislature had not clarified the potent levels of delta-8 THC manufactured in consumable hemp products, a group of businesses and consumers asked a court to rewrite the controlled substance schedules for him and the department, especially since the legislature legalized delta-8 THC in 2019 making the commissioner’s actions impossible and ultra vires.”

“The trial court granted that relief by way of a temporary injunction, which was affirmed by the appeals court. We now conclude that the lower courts exceeded their jurisdiction,” the justices said. find. “If the legislature wants to legalize powerful drugs, it has all the tools it needs to do so, and that is inevitable, as we expect such a big change in social policy. The role of the courts is simply to evaluate the state of the law as it stands.”

Separately, Texas officials conditionally approved more new medical marijuana business licenses As part of a law being implemented to significantly expand the state’s cannabis program.

A recent survey showed that Texas voters overwhelmingly support legalizing medical marijuana they still do not know, to a large extent, about the existing program.

in march Texas voters approved a question to legalize marijuana that showed up in the state’s Democratic primary voting.

Another statewide survey released in February found that Texas voters don’t like how state leaders and lawmakers have handled marijuana and THC policy issues. In the poll, many voters (40 percent) said they disapprove of how their elected officials have approached the issue, according to the poll. 29 percent said they approve of how cannabis issues have been handled, while 31 percent said they had no opinion either way.

A separate survey released last year proved this Many Texas voters want the state’s marijuana laws to be “less strict.” And among the issues examined by members of parliament in the last special sessions, the voters said that a proposal to deal with the regulation of hemp was one of the least important.

Meanwhile, the lieutenant governor and speaker of the House recently announced that the state will continue with their own ibogaine research program The drug companies did not submit proposals to meet the requirements and standards for receiving state funds under a recently passed law to begin clinical trials with the psychedelic.

Image courtesy of AnonMoos.

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Cannabis growth facility eyes new spot for growth facility near Crisfield

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2 days ago

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May 1, 2026

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The Somerset County Board of Zoning Appeals approved another special exception for a cannabis-growing facility after negotiations to purchase a previous location failed to reach an agreement.

Trilogy Group LLC was granted a license to grow by the Maryland Cannabis Association, with the condition that the business be operational by July 2026. Trilogy Group wants to operate on the county-owned, undeveloped industrial site on Revell’s Neck Road in Westover. However, this project time frame does not coincide with the license term.

In September 2025, the producer was approved for a special exception for a facility at 4630 Crisfield Highway. The existing building houses Jed’s Auto Refinishing, which would be renovated to accommodate the growing operations. When the sale of that property ultimately failed, Trilogy Group purchased the land at 4381 Crisfield Highway and obtained another special exemption.

Jesse Drewer, Somerset’s Director of Technical and Community Services, said: “They looked for a site they already owned before coming to us and working through the process. “They are landlords and developers all in one.”

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Trump’s New Surgeon General Pick Said Using Marijuana Can Give You ‘Man Boobs’

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2 days ago

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May 1, 2026

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President Donald Trump’s new surgeon general nominee has raised concerns about marijuana, at one point saying its use is linked to the development of large breasts, or “man boobs,” in men. However, he also admitted that medical cannabis has “potential benefits”.

Trump announced Thursday that he would tap Nicole Saphier, who is now the director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering, to be the surgeon general of the United States.

Saphier has repeatedly discussed what he sees as the dangers of marijuana use, and has been more open to the potential benefits of its non-intoxicating ingredient CBD.

“There is a common misconception that marijuana is safer than alcohol and other drugs,” he wrote on Fox News in 2019. “As a doctor I know that marijuana is not harmless and can have serious adverse effects on the health of users.”

“And as a mother of three (one in college), I’m concerned that legalizing the drug for adults sends a clear message to kids that they can get pot without negative health effects,” she said.

Saphier went on to criticize the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates who supported marijuana reform, saying it’s “politically a popular cause, especially among young voters.”

“These candidates are more interested in how legalization of pot will affect their electoral prospects than how legalization will affect public health,” he said. he wrote.

Among the health concerns he has raised is that cannabis use is “directly linked” to “man boobs”.

“Physically, we know that marijuana is directly linked to respiratory problems (if smoked), cardiovascular disease, and gynecomastia (“man nipples”). As a breast radiologist, the first question I ask men when they come in for breast augmentation is whether they currently smoke marijuana or have smoked it in the past. Often, the answer is “yes.”

Trump’s appointment of Saphier comes just as his administration is moving forward with federal rescheduling of marijuana.

Although the surgeon general has no formal involvement in the drug program, which is administered by the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, the position is seen as “America’s doctor” and plays a role in addressing health issues on behalf of the government.

In a podcast earlier this year, Saphier admitted that there are “potential benefits” to medical cannabis.

“Of course, there is evidence supporting cannabinoids for chemotherapy-induced nausea, certain seizure disorders, chronic pain syndromes, multiple sclerosis,” he said. “But that’s very different than, you know, the general normalization of high-potency recreational cannabis on a daily basis, especially in developing brains, which doesn’t happen until age 25.”

In the same podcast, he said that he personally “doesn’t like” and has “never tried” cannabis.

“I think CBD products are probably significantly less harmful if they don’t have THC. I’m not a fan of THC,” Saphier. he said. “I think if people are trying to get away from alcohol and want to take low doses of CBD, not inhale it, not smoke it, I’m sure it’s probably less risky than some of the other things out there.”

“Let’s be honest, today’s cannabis is not your parents’ marijuana. The potency of THC has increased dramatically over the last two decades. High-concentrate products, vapes, dabs, edibles, what the kids are doing these days, I don’t even know.”

In another interview focused on concerns about cannabis use by pregnant women, Saphier he said “As we continue to legalize marijuana, people are equating that to, ‘it has to be safe.'”

In a separate interview, he suggested that the legalization of cannabis is increasing its use among young people, which he said increases rates of addiction and psychosis.

“One in six children who try it, becomes addicted. Cannabis use in children, the risk of psychosis is four times higher,” he said. “What have we done? Legalize. Normalize.”

Trump’s predecessor, now retired Candidate Casey Means discussed his “significant experiences” with psychedelics beforehand Saying that marijuana “can greatly decrease your ability to generate good energy.”

Means himself said during a confirmation hearing in February he would not advise Americans to experiment with psychedelics as he has donebut noted that there is “exciting” research indicating that substances such as psilocybin can effectively treat serious mental health conditions.

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