Cannabis News

Connecticut Governor Signs Bill To Expand Psychedelics Pilot Program In Preparation For Federal FDA Approval

Published

4 days ago

June 5, 2026

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Connecticut’s governor has signed a bill to expand a pilot program explore the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as psilocybin and MDMA.

The legislation, sponsored by the Joint Committee on Public Health, cleared the House of Representatives on a 122-27 vote last month, after passing the Senate by a unanimous 35-0 vote in April.

Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed it into law Thursday.

The new law builds on it an existing psychedelic-assisted therapy program involving military veterans and first responders who choose to participate in clinical trials.

It also repeals and replaces existing statute, adults 18 or older who meet clinical eligibility criteria established by the medical school institutional review board selected to administer the pilot program. may be eligible for psychedelic treatment in a clinical settingwith researchers responsible for studying the effectiveness of novel therapeutics.

It also removes existing language specifying that the pilot program must end upon approval of federal approval of psilocybin or MDMA by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or a successor agency.

Finally, he calls the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to create and facilitate the program by January 2023.

Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey (D) said before the House vote that the legislation is “critically important,” citing recent moves by federal officials. accelerate research and therapeutic access to psychedelics after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the matter in April

“If fast track is successful and these drugs are approved, our study will be terminated, and as a result, we will not be able to continue the study and lose the benefit of the investment we have already made as a state, but will also make us ineligible for those federal matching funds,” he said on the floor.

According to the Connecticut bill, SB 191officials to “establish, within available appropriations, a pilot psychedelic-assisted therapy program to be administered by a state medical school.” That program will “provide MDMA or psilocybin-assisted therapy to qualified patients as part of a research program approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration,” or FDA, it says.

Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria (R) also spoke in support of the legislation, saying “this expanded access is groundbreaking research. It’s evidence-based research. Mental health and treatment are critical to the state of Connecticut.”

“Extending it to anyone over the age of 18 will really help us continue this pilot program,” he said.

To that point, McCarthy Vahey said that due to the constraints of the current structure there have been difficulties in recruiting enough participants.

“The current pilot is very focused and tailored. And in fact, the priority will be to make veterans, first responders and our direct health care workers the focus of the research,” he said. “But they tell us they’re having a little difficulty recruiting some people. The goal is to get to a cohort of 50, so this will give them a little bit of a chance to do that.”

Rep. Dave Yaccarino (R) said he voted against the original psychedelic program legislation a few years ago, but has since heard of studies showing benefits “for the men and women who come out of combat, our firefighters, our police officers who witness tragic events.”

“If this helps, and it’s controlled, I think you should accept it,” he said.

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Meanwhile, last year The Connecticut House of Representatives passed a bill to decriminalize psilocybin for adults—Despite being asked if the governor would accept it after rejecting a previous version of the reform measure.

This was the third consecutive session in which Connecticut lawmakers worked to decriminalize psilocybin. in 2023, the reform measure cleared the House but it did not move from the Senate. The The Judiciary Committee also approved a version in 2024.

Lamont also signed a major budget bill in 2022 that included provisions for statehood. providing some patients with access to psychedelic-assisted treatment Using substances like MDMA and psilocybin.

Lawmakers also sent the governor’s legislation this session address the THC potency limit of the cannabis product.

Separately, legislation allow the use of medical marijuana in health care facilities by some eligible patients such as hospitals, nursing homes and hospices received a committee hearing but did not move forward.

user photo Mark Groeneveld.

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Cannabis News

We don’t really deal with a lot of mites because of our IPM program

Published

7 hours ago

June 9, 2026

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Flora Farms Pest Management Program it is built to reduce to nothing depending on the harvestso the plant ends up clean. Luke Allenbrand, Flora Farms’ crop leader, leads an integrated pest management program that focuses on prevention. “We don’t honestly deal with a lot of mites because of the IPM program, because of the predatory mites that we’ve put down as a precaution,” says Luke. “It allows us to have a much cleaner garden in the back half.” Preventative work keeps spray volumes relatively low because the curative side of the program rarely needs to be heavy.

“Actually, we are at the lowest number of these sprays that we have. The milliliters that we are using are numbers that do not exist to be a prevention,” says Luke. “But as soon as you see an uptick of those mites or anything, we bring it up to a therapeutic amount, which is still a small milliliter. And as long as you’re on a fast track with it, you see them disappear within 10 days.” The targets are spider mites, which feed on the plant’s THC and terpene production and degrade the flower.

Tested solutions
The three products used by the company are derived from agricultural and food use. “We actually apply about three insecticides that are very common around the agricultural and food grade of these products, using a suite of IPM, Venerate and Grandevo, insecticides that will deal with these mites,” says Luke. The application is intermittent rather than constant. “We usually use a 5-day spray cycle so we can have rest periods in between, so it’s not just a consistent density of that spray,” says Luke. He sees progress against mites in the gaps between the successions.

However, at some point, the spraying stops. “We finish the spray cycle by day 40. We usually don’t want to spray anywhere after day 40. At that point, you’re going to damage the product,” says Luke. “And at that point, we’ll put predatory mites in. It really helps us get to that final push point by day 59, 60 of that harvest. So we actually have a lot less of our spray in that late period. So it’s a much better tasting product.” Predatory mites take over the job of spraying, leaving nothing on the flower.

Biological control
Biological control has two forms. “We usually use them, they’re called crazy mites, and honestly, it’s crazy to see,” says Luke. “Actually, I’ve seen some of the ones in a close-up photo kill a bug, some of the cocoons actually drive away, and even attack the spider mites themselves. Very beneficial. Callias are also slow. They’re little bags that we hang on plants and they’re very beneficial to us.” Different predators work at different speeds, which is why the program runs more than one.

Missouri’s testing regime is the context in which growers operate. Each plant is tested for pest control chemicals and must pass before the product goes ahead. “Other crops and other black market shops or smoke shops in Missouri don’t have to worry about the testing we have to do,” Luke says. “Everything we use here is natural. Each of our pest management is a lot of essential oils that fight these mites. Everything we would put on a plant is food grade.” The test covers foreign chemicals, heavy metals, and anything else that an unregulated supply should never consider.

The whole arc is from biology to chemistry and back to biology. “We go from predatory mites to a food-grade spray regimen, and then back to predatory mites at the end. That way, these plants will have time to finish with no chemicals, nothing,” says Luke. “The rest of that life cycle, about 15 to 20 days, is the most natural it will have. No spraying at all during that, just to push predatory mites off that end, so there’s no residual mite damage on those plants.”

For more information:
Flower Farms
florafarmsmo.com

Cannabis News

California Bill To Legalize Marijuana Dispensary Drive-Thru Windows Advances In Senate After Clearing Full Assembly

Published

7 hours ago

June 9, 2026

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It has been passed by a California Senate committee and passed by the Assembly bill that would allow marijuana dealers to offer car windows to serve customers.

The measure, which cleared the Senate Business, Careers and Economic Development Committee on a 7-3 vote Monday, says licensed cannabis retailers and micro-businesses with storefronts can sell marijuana products “in a motor vehicle to a customer in a drive-through located on the premises.”

Under Assemblywoman Gail Peller’s (D) AB 2697, cannabis businesses would need permission from the local jurisdictions in which they operate to add a drive-thru.

The sponsor told committee members before the final vote that the bill will “expand access to legal cannabis products while strengthening our ability to compete with the illegal market.”

Annie Aubrey of Chuck’s Wellness Center, a retailer in Placerville, testified that the legislation is “about improving access.”

“A large portion of our customers use cannabis as medicine, including seniors, veterans and people living with chronic conditions that affect mobility, the population that this regulated system seeks to serve,” he said. “For many, even simple tasks like getting out of a vehicle or navigating a retail space can be physically difficult or prohibitive…A drive-thru option removes that barrier, giving patients and consumers access to what they need in a way that’s dignified and consistent with their healthcare needs.”

Amy O’Gorman Jenkins of the California Cannabis Operators Association said the legislation will provide “operational flexibility” in a highly regulated system.

“It doesn’t expand who can access cannabis,” he said. “It allows retailers, with local approval, to serve existing patients and customers more efficiently.”

Jenkins also argued that this measure could improve security.

“Currently, road traction transactions are already allowed. This means that workers regularly have to leave a safe premises while transporting the product, and sometimes they have to deposit cash in parking lots,” he said. “AB 2697 provides an additional mechanism for obtaining product, but requires a fixed and secure transaction point, keeping employees inside and reducing exposure to theft.”

Pellerin, the bill’s sponsor, previously said that “California cannabis retailers lack a common and accessible transaction channel for consumers that so many other retailers in California offer, including fast food, pharmacies, banks and even liquor stores.”

“Cannabis consumers with mobility issues or other disabilities have limited options for obtaining cannabis without having to get out of their vehicles. And while home delivery is legal, there are restrictions on service areas,” he said. “Allowing cannabis sellers to add a secure ride option, if allowed by their local jurisdiction, will improve the consumer experience, increase the security of cannabis sellers and help expand California’s legal cannabis market.”

The California Association of Narcotics Officers opposes the proposal, however, as a representative, Ryan Sherman, testified that it would make it more difficult for dispensary workers to check the IDs of customers who are of legal age or to spot signs of current intoxication at drive-thru windows.

“This bill prioritizes speed of sale over public safety while undermining existing protections designed to prevent illegal sales and protect public safety,” he argued.

Under current policy during the COVID pandemic, dispensaries can already offer street pickup.

The invoice that moving forward in the legislature would mandate that auto sales “be made through a fixed panel security window with a security drawer or similar secure transfer mechanism that is part of a building located within the premises.”

California regulators recently approved emergency rule changes to the state’s marijuana licensing process. to make it easier for companies to receive benefits In line with the Trump administration’s latest move to federally regulate medical cannabis.

While Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) recently He took credit for helping lead the state’s push to legalize marijuana and discussed his limited experience with cannabis use.

In October, however, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have It allowed micro-marijuana companies to ship medicinal cannabis directly to patients Through common carriers like FedEx and UPS, he said the proposal would be “too burdensome and complex to manage.”

Newsom signed a bill earlier this month streamlining research into marijuana and psychedelics.

In September, the governor also signed a measure pause on the recent tax increase on marijuana products.

Separately, the state attorney general says Indian tribes cannot independently participate in the marijuana trade with licensed cannabis businesses without obtaining their own commercial license from state officials.

California officials have recently been rewarded nearly $30 million in grants for marijuana-focused academic research projects.

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Cannabis News

Concert Series Specials launched for state medical cannabis patients

Published

1 day ago

June 8, 2026

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Post Dispensary, Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary, is connecting with patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Hopkinsville and surrounding areas by aligning unique specials with the region’s summer concert calendar. Located at 300 N Main St. in Beaver Dam, minutes from major highways connecting these vibrant cities.

This summer, The Post Dispensary is offering special pricing and incentives for Concert Series Events at the Beaver Dam Amphitheater, SPARKS in the Park 4th of July celebration and surrounding events, such as Owensboro’s ROMP Festival (June 24-27, 2026). Patients can stop by before or after shows for big savings.

“We’re more than just a booty,” said a dispensary representative. “From Owensboro’s world-class ROMP Festival to Beaver Dam’s Amphitheater events, we’re making it convenient and budget-friendly for patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Hartford and beyond to combine our love of music with compassionate care and an affordable product.”

The Post Dispensary hosts regular Patient Guidance events on the second Saturday of every month. These units have professionals on hand to assess patients and issue written certificates at low cost, application support and expert consultations in a welcoming environment. The next Patient Drive aligns perfectly with summer travel patterns, making it easy for patients from Owensboro, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Henderson, Madisonville and surrounding towns to plan a trip to Beaver Dam that combines care with community and entertainment.

For more information:
Post-Dispensary
thepostdispensary.com/