Connect with us

Cannabis News

Former Senator Details Psychedelics Conversations With Two Trump Cabinet Members

Published

5 months ago

on

A former US senator says he has personally spoken with the heads of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as ibogaine, and both members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet welcomed reform on the issue.

Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), who was a Democrat for most of her career in Congress before becoming an independent, said there is a great opportunity under the Trump administration to free up access to psychedelics for therapeutic purposes, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His “close” relationship with the HHS secretary and swinging around alternative political views.

In an interview with Politico, Sinema spoke about the country’s “magical and unique time” for psychedelic reform at a recent event hosted by Americans for Ibogaine, the advocacy organization co-founded by former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R).

“Is there an opportunity to do this in this administration? Hell, yes,” he said, adding that Kennedy “is disruptive and supports psychedelic medicine.”

“The opportunity is ripe in this administration, and we should strike while the iron is hot,” said the former lawmaker, who has publicized the therapeutic use of the psychedelic ibogaine.

In addition to Kennedy, Sinema said he advised VA Secretary Doug Collins about the potential of psychedelics to help veterans with serious mental health issues.

“He hadn’t heard of it. He hadn’t even heard of psychedelic medicine,” she said. “He was skeptical at first. He’s a conservative pastor in Georgia. Then he got together with some veterans and saw the science and as you’ve heard, he’s the most prominent proponent of psychedelic medicine in the administration.”

“Historically, I think you’ve seen psychedelics — not necessarily psychedelic medicine — but psychedelics, left-wing hippies dominated,” he said. say Political “Psychedelic medicine as a treatment for disorders is important to many people on the right. I want to be clear: the reason is not because they are psychedelics, but because nothing else works.”

The former senator said that “in a conservative’s brain, psychedelics are not a drug, they are a medicine.”

“In the old-school left-wing psychedelic movement, they’re seen as a drug. That drug has medicinal properties, but it also has other non-medicinal properties that they celebrate,” he said. “I think what you’re seeing from the mainstream blue community is a concern that if they accept psychedelics they’ll look like left-wing weirdos and hippies. It could also be a commitment to mainstream medicine. Politically speaking, it could also be skepticism if conservatives like it.”

As the Arizona legislature advanced an ibogaine research project earlier this year, the former senator—who also championed psychedelic legislation while serving in Congress—.he gathered support for the reformWhile pledging to personally raise $5 million in philanthropic donations to support psychedelic research, if it ultimately materializes.

Last year, a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official, who has since moved into an advisory role, praised Sinema. his “knowledge of psychedelic literature and all related subjects” while praising the agency’s work to advance research into novel therapies.

For his part, Kennedy, the health secretary, he is believed to still use psychedelics, although he is otherwise soberThe following book by a journalist who allegedly had a romantic relationship with her states.

Last month, Kennedy, Vice President JD Vance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner and other Trump administration officials attended the “Make America Healthy Again” summit. it was a session dedicated to studying psychedelic medicine.

While Sinema noted that Collins was not particularly familiar with psychedelic therapy before joining the Trump administration, the secretary has become one of the most vocal advocates for advancing reform to ease access for veterans.

In July, for example, VA Secretary He proclaimed his mission to promote access to psychedelics for veterans with serious mental health conditions, it was possible to say that it “opened that door wider than most probably thought”.

“I’m the first secretary of the VA—actually, in a cabinet about a month and a half ago— really brought psychedelics to a Cabinet meeting” Collins said at the time. “I think what we need to look at is we need to put the alternatives on the map. The VA will do our job. We will do it within the law and we will do what we have to do.”

The secretary also said in the summer “very open” to expanding access to psychedelic therapy for veterans-he emphasized that he intends to find ways to “cure” people with serious mental illnesses and not just to treat superficial symptoms.

Collins noted that the VA is actively conducting a dozen or so clinical trials either internally or through private partnerships “on a number of different substances where we’re seeing really good results,” among others. One based at VA Bronx Health Care researching MDMA-assisted therapy “Actually, with very good results.”

—
It’s Marijuana Moment tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

In June, Kennedy said that his agency “Fully committed” to expanding research into the benefits of psychedelic therapy. and, along with the head of the FDA, aims to give military veterans legal access to these substances “within 12 months.”

The secretary also said that in April He had a “wonderful experience” with LSD at the age of 15He took it because he thought they would be able to see dinosaurs, as depicted in a comic he was a fan of.

Last October, Kennedy specifically criticized the FDA under the previous administration for the agency’s “eradication of psychedelics” and a laundry list of other issues that he said was a “war on public health” that would end under the Trump administration.

Photo elements courtesy of the user carlosemmaskype and Apollo.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Become a patron on Patreon!

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Livermore Falls debates cannabis licensing fees

Published

11 hours ago

on

May 13, 2026

By











Existing medical cannabis licensing fees will be temporarily applied to recreational marijuana businesses, the Select Committee decided on May 5. Board members agreed 4-1 to the temporary change, as long as officials say the fees are higher than necessary and accurately reflect the town’s oversight costs.

Bryce Cobb, Livermore Falls’ code enforcement officer, plumbing inspector, health officer and E-911 dispatcher, said voters approved the amended cannabis ordinance on April 28. Cobb said the amended ordinance allows recreational marijuana businesses and the next step was to establish a fee schedule. Recreational cannabis businesses operating in town would require local licensing approval under the ordinance.

Asked if he had fee schedules from other towns to compare, Cobb said he did not. Additionally, the town’s fee schedule specifically mentions medicinal cannabis.

“So it could be medical and adult use,” Cobb said when discussing whether the existing fee structure could apply to recreational businesses.

Read more at Sun Magazine










Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Georgia Governor Signs Bill To Expand Medical Marijuana Access By Allowing Vaping And Adding New Qualifying Conditions

Published

11 hours ago

on

May 13, 2026

By

The governor of Georgia has signed a bill expand access to medical marijuana in the state.

SB 220, which was approved by Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Tuesday, will add new requirements to the program, allow patients to vape medical cannabis, and change THC potency limits, among other reforms.

Under the legislation, patients with lupus will be allowed access to medical marijuana, under current state law that allows people with cancer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, autism spectrum disorder, intractable pain and other conditions to qualify.

The bill by Sen. Matt Brass (R) removes many of the requirements for a patient to be in a critical or terminal condition to enter the medical cannabis program.

The reform will also expand how patients can use medical marijuana. Until now, they have been able to obtain oils, tinctures, capsules, lozenges, topicals and transdermal patches, but the new law will also allow vaping as a form of vaping for patients over 21, while continuing to ban smoking for all patients.

The Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act also replaces the current 5 percent THC potency limit on medical cannabis products with a limit of 12,000 milligrams of THC that a patient can possess at any one time.

“These changes, while meaningful to affected patients, do not materially change where Georgia stands in the national landscape on this issue,” Kemp said in a signing statement. “This bill passed with a constitutional majority in both houses of the General Assembly.”

“I, like many who opposed this bill, have reservations about legalizing recreational cannabis. Many states that have legalized recreational cannabis have regretted that decision,” he said. “I also recognize that for some patients, medical cannabis provides significant relief from symptoms that would otherwise be untreated or treated with even more harmful opioids.”

“I do not believe that a well-implemented medical cannabis program should inevitably lead to the legalization of recreational use in Georgia, nor is the issue of recreational use on the bill on my desk for signature,” the governor said.

The invoice also replaces references to “low THC oil” in current laws with “medical cannabis.”

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

The Georgia Medical Cannabis Access Commission, which oversees the program, “will have a new duty to inform citizens, law enforcement and health care providers about the effective uses of medical cannabis and its products, including publishing materials and conducting outreach and public education activities to inform the public, law enforcement and health care providers about this state’s medical cannabis program and the potential benefits for patients.”

Last year, the leaders of the Chamber a Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Georgia’s Medical Marijuana and Hemp Policies to examine state cannabis laws.

Georgia lawmakers have also considered the legislation supporting research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Become a patron on Patreon!

Continue Reading

Cannabis News

EU regulators say Charlotte’s Web hemp CBD safety “cannot be established”

Published

1 day ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

The growing tension between international scientific findings and US health policy has raised questions about whether Medicare beneficiaries are being exposed to cannabinoid products whose safety profiles have not been fully established.

In March 2026, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) carried out a formal scientific evaluation of a shipment of Charlotte’s Web hemp product, concluding that the safety of a carbon dioxide extract derived from Cannabis sativa L. “cannot be established”. The agency identified several gaps in the available data, including significant portions of the product remaining uncharacterized, a lack of reliable toxicological studies on the actual material, a lack of human clinical data, and an unknown allergenicity and long-term safety profile.

At the same time, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) program. The initiative allows participating healthcare providers to discuss and supply certain hemp and marijuana-derived cannabinoid products to Medicare beneficiaries under the authority of the Center for Innovation, and does not require approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. That distinction is at issue in a pending federal case: Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), et al. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. et al., Case 1:26-cv-01081 (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia).

Under the FDA’s standard framework, products intended for therapeutic use typically undergo controlled clinical trials, dose standardization, safety and toxicology evaluation, and manufacturing and stability validation. The BEI program operates outside of this structure. Some observers point out that this could introduce products into federally funded care settings before those benchmarks are met, while proponents of the program characterize it as a legitimate model of innovation.

Medicare beneficiaries represent a medically complex population, with many patients managing multiple medications, chronic conditions, and increased susceptibility to drug interactions. Cannabinoid compounds, including THC, interact with metabolic pathways such as CYP450 enzymes, which process many common medications. The safety profile of these products in this population has not been fully characterized through controlled studies.

Following the launch of the program, several companies publicly announced their positioning within the emerging healthcare supply chain. Charlotte’s Web highlighted alignment with CMS drivers and Cornbread Hemp announced institutional distribution through a national group buying organization, reflecting broader commercialization activity in the category.

SAM v. In Kennedy, the court is evaluating whether CMS overstepped its statutory authority by introducing avenues for the supply of cannabinoids without formal regulations, public notice and comment, or FDA validation standards. A resolution will determine whether the program is scaled back, modified, or stopped pending further review as implemented.

The EFSA’s conclusion does not ban the marketing of CBD products, but indicates that the scientific evidence necessary to fully establish their safety remains incomplete. The political debate reflects a broader question in health care regulation: how to balance the pace of innovation for therapeutic products with the standards of evidence typically required in federally funded systems of care.

Source: MMJ International Holdings

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2021 The Art of MaryJane Media