The Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids (YC-SCAN²) announced on March 11 a new collaboration with the McGill Research Center for Cannabis (MRCC), taking an important step in strengthening international collaborations in cannabis and cannabinoid research.

As part of this partnership, MRCC will sponsor and help promote YC-SCAN²’s monthly educational webinar series. The webinars feature talks from leading researchers and clinicians who explore the science of cannabis and cannabinoids from a variety of perspectives. Open to the public, the series creates a platform where experts can present emerging findings, discuss key scientific questions, and engage researchers, clinicians, students, and the wider academic community.

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing rigorous evidence-based research in a rapidly evolving field. By connecting researchers from different institutions and disciplines, the two centers aim to accelerate scientific discovery while promoting the exchange of knowledge across borders.

Deepak C. D’Souza, MD, the Vikram Sodhi ’92 Professor of Psychiatry and director of YC-SCAN², said the collaboration builds on a longstanding professional relationship with colleagues at McGill.

“Romina (Mizrahi, director of the MRCC) and I have shared a long-standing interest in advancing rigorous research on cannabis and cannabinoids, and have collaborated for several years to achieve this goal,” he said. “This collaboration between Yale and McGill reflects the importance of bringing together researchers across institutions to exchange ideas, support trainees, and accelerate scientific progress in this rapidly evolving field.”

Mizrahi emphasized the opportunities the partnership creates for future collaboration and training.

“I’m excited about this new chapter for our centers,” he said. “This partnership brings together complementary expertise and creates new opportunities for joint training, knowledge exchange and collaborative research excellence. By working together, we can strengthen the scientific foundation across the full spectrum of cannabis research, from plant science to understanding the effects of cannabis on the body, brain and society.”

Going forward, both centers plan to expand the webinar initiative with virtual “Lunch and Learn” sessions specifically designed for interns and junior researchers. These sessions will provide opportunities for early career researchers to present their work, network with peers and learn from top scientists in the field. The programming will focus on mentoring, interdisciplinary learning and strengthening skills in communicating scientific findings.

The partnership reflects YC-SCAN²’s broader goal of developing long-term partnerships with organizations that share a mission to advance cannabis science. By building networks between universities and research centers, the initiative aims to support high-quality research, promote innovation and help translate scientific findings into informed public policies.

Founded in 2023, YC-SCAN² works to advance the understanding of cannabis and its derivatives, commonly known as cannabinoids. The center serves as a center for research, education and dissemination of information in the field. His work explores the potential therapeutic applications and risks associated with cannabis and cannabinoids, while helping to inform public policy through evidence-based research.

Source: Yale School of Medicine

A new Senate bill is being introduced that would encourage research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, create a new office at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop innovative treatments for serious mental health illnesses, and help review the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA.

The legislation, titled the “Veterans Health Administration New Therapeutics Training Act,” is sponsored by Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT). According to bill text obtained by Marijuana Moment, it would direct the VA to take steps to ease studies on psychedelics and other emerging therapies.

This is one of the latest examples of Congressional efforts to encourage scientific research on psychedelics, focusing on military veterans with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic pain, and more.

The bill is expected to be formally introduced on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the planning. Marijuana Moment reached out to Sheehy’s office for comment, but a representative was not immediately available.

“Ongoing therapeutic interventions, including some psychedelic-assisted therapies, that have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration since the enactment of this Act could significantly change the landscape of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other mental health conditions affecting veterans,” the bill finds.

“The administration of certain emerging therapies may require intensive clinical engagement, interdisciplinary teams, dedicated clinical space, structured preparation and post-treatment integration that differ significantly from traditional outpatient mental health services,” he continues, adding that the VA is “uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive veteran-centered care that combines mental health, medical health services and support into a single system.”

That’s the only explicit mention of “psychedelics” in the legislation, and it doesn’t list the specific psychedelic substances that would be prioritized for research, but that’s a common feature of recent bills on the subject, with many other examples using catchy terminology, such as innovative or novel treatments or therapies that effectively serve as “substitutes for psychedelics.”

The measure would establish a new Office of New Therapeutics under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to facilitate research initiatives. Studies examining alternative treatments would focus on substances such as psychedelics that are being considered for approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“In the absence of centralized governance and implementation planning, the Department may experience delays, safety risks, or inconsistent access following regulatory approval of these therapies,” the bill’s findings section says. “Establishing a dedicated Office of New Therapeutics will enable the Department to proactively evaluate, research and implement emerging treatment modalities consistent with patient safety and evidence-based practice.”

There would be at least one “Center of Excellence” in each VA regional district to help develop a national model for the program facilitation initiative. A Veterans Advisory Board, made up of veterans, experts and health professionals, would be created to advise on issues such as access barriers and safety protocols.

VA should also coordinate with other federal agencies—including the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), FDA, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), Department of Defense (DOD), and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—to explore regulatory issues, possible rescheduling action for new therapies, and resources to provide psychiatric health care access and treatment.

The VA should provide annual reports to Congress to update lawmakers on its progress. Within 180 days of the bill’s passage, the department would have to report on practical issues, such as staffing needs and regulatory hurdles.

The bill is somewhat Similar intent to another bipartisan measure introduced earlier this monthSponsored by Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and David McCormick (R-PA), it would provide $30 million in annual funding to establish psychedelic-focused “centers of excellence” at VA facilities where veterans can receive innovative treatments involving substances such as psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine.

Supplemental version of the house bill—Sponsored by the Chair of the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI)—were introduced last year, but have yet to advance in the House. The measures of the House and Senate are very similar, with minor format differences.

Lawmakers and advocates supporting those reform bills have allies in senior Trump administration positions, including VA Secretary Doug Collins and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Secretary of HHS, both of whom have endorsed psychedelic policy reform.

Kennedy recently told Joe Rogan on a podcast episode The administration is “very keen” to create a pathway for novel therapies and that federal agency officials want to “get the public up to speed as quickly as possible.”

Multiple veterans groups also recently advised lawmakers in Congress about the need continue to explore psychedelics and marijuana as alternative treatments At hearings on Capitol Hill for the military veteran population. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) specifically cited the Innovative Therapy Centers of Excellence Act as an example of a reform they are supporting.

Correa and Bergman, the sponsors of this legislation, submitted separately in January also to promote research into the therapeutic potential of certain psychedelics in the treatment of serious mental health conditions experienced by veterans.

January’s bipartisan pair also discussed it the importance of strategically advancing psychedelic reform in a way that mitigates bureaucratic conflict and the influence of external interests. They said even a single mistake could threaten to turn the movement upside down.

Last year, 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”. The department came under fire in 2024 after rejecting an organization’s grant application It helps connect veterans to programs overseas where they can receive psychedelic therapy to treat serious mental health conditions.

Meanwhile, in November, Kennedy, Vice President JD Vance, FDA Commissioner and other Trump administration officials attended the “Make America Healthy Again” summit. it was a session dedicated to studying psychedelic medicine.

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.

read it the text Under the Veterans Health Administration’s New Therapeutics Training Act:

Walk into most cannabis facilities and the grow rooms should (should) look clean. Plant lines under marked light, climate systems singing, nutrient programs marked to a decimal. However, inside the irrigation lines, a different story often unfolds. Out of sight, out of mind is not always applicable, unfortunately.

Biofilm accumulation in irrigation infrastructure is one of the most persistent and underestimated problems of CEA. Left unchecked, it creates the conditions for pathogen pressure, nutrient inconsistencies and costly crop losses. “However, in many operations, the solutions offered have historically come with their own trade-offs, phytotoxicity concerns, incompatibility with beneficial microbes, or less aggressive chemicals that require complete crop removal before application,” says Key Solutions Group’s Don Lund.

© Key Solutions Group

As the owner of Key Solutions Group, the manufacturer’s representative for PRO-OXINE® Horticulture, a unique chlorine dioxide-based chemical developed specifically for CEA environments, registered by the EPA as a disinfectant, sanitizer, algicide and fungicide and manufactured in the United States. Don is very aware of the space growers need to navigate. “There are a lot of chemicals on the market,” says Don, “and what usually happens on the irrigation side is that growers start dealing with biofilm and end up looking for something that creates phytotoxicity problems. Our chemistry is based on Integrated Disease Management (IDM) principles. The goal is to keep the growing clean from the start through prevention. We’re a science-based company, not a marketing-based one,” he says. “That makes a real difference in this space, especially for growers who have been burned before.”

One chemistry, many applications
What sets PRO-OXINE® Horticulture apart is a proprietary blend of purified sodium chlorite and highly refined oxychlorine species with dual-use flexibility, according to Don. “The same chemistry, activated on-site by a mild acid, can be spread across irrigation lines and hard non-porous surfaces. This means a single product handles what would otherwise require multiple SKUs, reducing inventory complexity and simplifying staff training.”

Activation occurs through a proprietary method, allowing for the persistent residual effect that Don describes throughout the growing cycle, a key difference from chlorine dioxide products, which tend to act in a binary mode: inactive or fully activated, while leaving mostly undesirable toxic byproducts.

© Key Solutions Group

“With standard chlorine dioxide, you’re either on or off,” Don explains. “Developed specifically by the manufacturer for CEA, it allows you to manipulate ppm levels while maintaining a near-neutral pH, which maintains a clean, healthy irrigation environment throughout the growing cycle, rather than hoping for the best.”

For facilities with existing biofilm problems, the protocol can be adapted accordingly. “Starting slowly or using a shock treatment at night when there are no plants, followed by a wash,” he says. “For clean operations, the focus shifts to prevention: injecting at low ppm during irrigation (2 ppm per EPA rule) keeps lines clean, nutrients effective and the root zone happy and healthy. We eliminate the need for shock between growths while being proven time and time again.”

The chemistry also addresses specific pathogen challenges that cannabis growers regularly encounter, including biofilm, fusarium, botrytis, HLVd, iron bacteria and other water sources, and algae and botrytis build-up on floors and tables. “Applications range from inlet water, storage tanks, irrigation, recycled water systems, tools, facility hard surfaces, equipment and more to disinfecting and effective sanitation with PRO-OXINE® horticulture.”

© Key Solutions Group

Organic word of mouth
“What’s interesting about our growth in the horticulture field is through word of mouth, as we do very little actual advertising and marketing. Our customers are our best form of marketing as they share their experiences with their industry contacts. Yes, we exhibit a few cannabis and produce CEA shows a year, however testimonials and relationship building have been very key.” Don estimates that about 90% of new business comes from existing customers recommending PRO-OXINE® to members of the Horticulture industry. It’s a dynamic that he attributes not only to product performance, but to the company’s approach to the relationship itself. “We don’t sell consumables,” he says. “We’re selling a solution through prevention…an IDM approach. The mindset is completely different. We want growers to succeed through a proven proactive approach, which is what Key Solutions Groups is all about.”

© Key Solutions Group

Key Solution Group (Altoona, IA) is currently expanding its presence in Europe, Australia and South America while continuing to grow and produce its own cannabis in North America. Key Solution Group is the manufacturer’s representative for PRO-OXINE Horticulture and the manufacturing facility of Kemin Bio Solutions (Des Moines, IA; Norman, OK).

For more information:
Key Solutions Group
(515) 802-2761
(email protected)
ksg-corp.com