Elton John Slams Legalization of Cannabis
Elton John has said that if we:
“legalize recreational marijuana, it will be “one of the greatest mistakes of all time.”
Since 1990, John has seen cannabis as a gateway drug to other drugs, which, in turn, impairs judgment and leads to poor decision-making! This is not supported by scientific studies.
He emphasises that despite legalization in various regions, the risks associated with cannabis use remain significant. John’s personal experiences with addiction have profoundly impacted his life and relationships, shaping his firm stance against cannabis legalization.
His interventions came through Alcoholics Anonymous, Watford FC, and his close friend Ryan White, putting his life into perspective after the suicidal track he found himself on.
John’s comments followed the release of the new documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, which has been streaming on Disney+.
Most recently, he raved about artist Chappell Roan for Entertainment Weekly’s 2024 Entertainers of the Year and predicted her promising career.
Source: HuffPost
Seth Rogen Launches Line of Cannabis-based Drinks
Actor-comedian Seth Rogen’s lifestyle brand, Houseplant, just launched its newest product: THC-infused sparkling water.
It touts a smokeless way to get your cannabis boost, and each can contain only three milligrams of a pretty mellow dose that’s apparently even suitable for first timers.
Made with all-natural ingredients, this sparkling water comes in four flavours: pineapple, citrus, black cherry, and blackberry.
Houseplant’s line of THC drinks has been available in Canada since 2020 and is now available in the U.S. via its direct-to-consumer online channel and select retailers, including Total Wine & Spirits.
This move is in keeping with Houseplant’s mission to normalize and innovate cannabis culture.
Source: Food and Wine
Australian Study Finds Older Smokers Turning to Cannabis
A study by Curtin University found older Australian smokers over 50 are increasingly resorting to cannabis as the price of tobacco goes up with biannual federal tax increases.
Prices have increased from a few dollars in the 1990s to about 70 dollars a pack of 25 to encourage people to give up smoking.
The paper uses data from the Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey of 2001-2019. It found that while replacing tobacco with cannabis amongst older Australians, for younger Australians under 40, higher cigarette prices decrease cannabis use with no apparent changes for those aged 40-50 years.
This was not expected because there is often a relationship between cannabis and tobacco, though, in older age groups, it seems that cannabis tends to replace tobacco rather than complement it.
Researchers conclude that specific health policies and messaging are required rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to heterogeneous responses across demographic groups.
Source: The Australian
Organigram Acquires Motif Labs, Becoming Canada’s Largest Cannabis Company
Organigram Holdings Inc. said it’s buying Motif Labs Ltd., a maker of vape and pre-rolled cannabis products, for up to 100 million Canadian dollars-about $70.7 million USD. The deal includes C$50 million in cash and as much as C$50 million in Organigram common shares.
The acquisition gives Organigram the biggest share of the burgeoning Canadian market.
“The acquisition is aligned with Organigram’s vision to be a leading player in the cannabis industry across all major categories,”
Organigram’s Chief Executive Officer Beena Goldenberg said.
Motif Labs is among Canada’s largest licensed cannabis extractors and brand curators, recording revenues of C$79 million in 2023.
This news follows British American Tobacco’s announcement last year of an investment of C$124.6 million in Organigram to pursue more opportunities in the cannabis space.
Source: Business Insider
Minnesota Cannabis Regulators Shifting Licensing Process After Multiple Lawsuits
After a judge derailed plans for a lottery to select the first licensees for Minnesota’s legal cannabis market, the state office overseeing the market adjusted its licensing process.
They are ditching the “preapproval” process, which was devised to accelerate licensing for some businesses, including social equity applicants, to ensure that operations can be up and running quickly.
They will move forward with a general licensing period, opening applications in mid-February at the beginning of next year.
When there are more applicants than licenses in any particular category, the agency will hold separate lotteries between social equity and other applicants.
With this move, the agency will ensure that the principles of social equity are upheld while dealing with complications brought forward by ongoing litigation.
Source: Minnesota Reformer
