NYC Legal Weed Shop Reaches $7M in Sales in 2024, Decades After Owner’s Cannabis Conviction
In a stunning twist of fate, a legal cannabis dispensary in New York City did $7 million in sales in 2024, compared to its owner’s prior incarceration for selling cannabis nearly two decades ago. It is a perfect example of how laws related to cannabis regulation are always in flux, with glaring disparities in its legal history.
An dispensary owner once facing severe legal consequences for his involvement with the cannabis trade, has now turned into an icon of resilience and redemption. When New York legalized recreational cannabis in 2021, they jumped at an opportunity to emerge from prohibition’s shadows and into the spotlight of a new industry.
The shop underlines the potential of legal cannabis businesses to create considerable economic activity and provide a source of legitimate livelihood.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. For one thing, the previous record of the owner made licensing and financing difficult. Advocacy groups hope for policy that favors people who have been directly affected by prior cannabis convictions and allows them fair access to the economic opportunity created by legalization.
Reaching $7 million is a huge financial milestone; it shows real-life proof of how policy change and people getting back on their feet looks.
This success story also shines a light on many of the lingering inequities of cannabis prohibition, including the estimated thousands who remain incarcerated because of cannabis-related offences. The dispensary’s journey is a beacon of hope as New York continues to work out its laws around cannabis and a reminder of what remains to be done to level the playing field.
Source: MSN
Portugal Emerges as Europe’s Medical Cannabis El Dorado
Portugal is rapidly establishing itself as Europe’s leading hub for medical cannabis production. Leveraging its favorable climate, progressive legislation, and strategic position within the European Union, the country has attracted significant investment and international interest.
Dubbed the “El Dorado of Medical Cannabis,” it has attracted serious investment and international interest.
Key to Portugal’s rise is a regulatory framework that caters to both cultivation and export, complete with a quality tag. In 2001, Portugal decriminalized all drugs, which was extremely progressive at the time. Thus, it became very hospitable to those with business interests in cannabis.
In 2024, Portugal had several large-scale cultivation spaces, many operated by some of the biggest players in the cannabis industry globally.
The economic benefits are huge: the industry has created jobs, boosted local economies, and made Portugal an important exporter into European markets where demand for medical cannabis is surging. Countries such as Germany and the UK-apparently with even more restrictive climates or higher costs of production-have become major importers of Portuguese cannabis.
However, challenges persist. The Portuguese medical cannabis market is still in its infancy, with limited accessibility and a lack of patient awareness.
International competition and the acuteness of various regulatory environments might further complicate sustained growth. Industry players want policy measures to increase patient accessibility and relieve the export burden to help Portugal consolidate its competitive position.
With the medical cannabis market still growing in Europe, Portugal has made strategic investments in relatively early policy adoption to hold pole position. Its pathway might be instructive for other countries that want to balance economic opportunity with public health and safety.
Source: Fortune
UK IBD Patients Report Improvements With Medical Cannabis
It has recently been reported in a study that patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease in the UK show tremendous improvement in symptoms when treated with medical cannabis. This, too, adds to the ever-growing evidence for cannabis in treating gastrointestinal conditions
Generally, those participating in this study reported that abdominal pain, nausea, and general discomfort from such conditions as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis were reduced.
The interaction with the endocannabinoid system, besides the regulation of inflammation and gut motility, may explain the ultimate efficacy of medical cannabis. Other cannabinoids, including THC and CBD, exhibit anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and, therefore, are promising symptom-modulating drugs in IBD.
Though the results are promising, the study does indicate that one barrier to access remains: strict regulations and the limited prescribed cannabis products in the UK have forced many patients to self-medicate, mostly without medical guidance.
Researchers and advocates are now calling for reforms to make access to medical cannabis easier and more affordable for those with chronic conditions.
These findings have raised some debate on the extension of clinical trials and the inclusion of cannabis in mainstream IBD treatment. As word gets out, medical cannabis may well prove to be one of the most important quality-of-life improvements for the thousands of IBD sufferers in the UK and beyond.
Source: CannabisHealthNews
Cannabis Enhances Enjoyment of Music, Study Finds
A new study has validated what many cannabis lovers have long claimed: cannabis increases the enjoyment of music. Researchers found that when users of cannabis report emotional experiences, a whole new dimension is opened compared to non-users.
In one peer-reviewed study, participants smoked cannabis and then listened to music from various genres. Using surveys and brain-imaging technology, the researchers observed increased activity in the parts of the brain responsible for emotional processing and auditory perception.
Music was described as more immersive, with greater appreciation for subtlety and emotional dept.
Findings are therefore in agreement with anecdotal evidence, cultural associations of cannabis use with music across genres, including reggae, jazz, and psychedelic rock. Researchers say this influence of cannabis on dopamine release and sensory processing explains the increased musical experience.
While the results are largely positive, possible downsides were pointed out by the researchers: too much use of cannabis would make people forgetful and less focused on music; a word of caution also not to conclude that cannabis is required to enjoy music—the reactions are too individualistic.
The research furthers our understanding of how cannabis influences the human experience. This paper has highlighted the complex interrelationship between cannabis, creativity, and sensory perception for both the artist and the aficionado.
As cannabis is more widely accepted, its uses for enhancing cultural experiences, such as musical events, will likely become increasingly interesting to study.
Source: MarijauanaMoment
This Company Wants to Pay You to Smoke Marijuana and Write Amazing Reviews
Any weed lover would love to be paid to smoke cannabis while performing detailed reviews of different products. This latest job ad attempts to recruit those passionate about cannabis to contribute words to its brand content after ‘product evaluation’.
The psoition will involve sampling various cannabis products, including, but not limited to, flower, edibles, and concentrates, and describing in detail the effects, flavors, and feelings produced by each product.
The applicant should possess intimate knowledge of cannabis culture and be able to convey that knowledge in a manner acceptable to the company’s readership.
This is all part of the company’s larger effort to breed customer trust and openness. The company strives to distinguish itself through candid, likable reviews in an increasingly competitive market that seems to be increasingly coveting it
The move has since gone viral online, with cannabis consumers more than keen to downgrade the opportunity of turning their hobby into a professional one.
However, the company involved stresses that it’s not for casual users; the candidates need to have a professional attitude and strictly adhere to the guidelines in place, which include being responsible with consumption and abiding by local laws.
As the legal cannabis industry continues to diversify its products, unique job opportunities are appearing that start to make the sector like a great opportunity for herb lovers.
From product development to marketing, cannabis companies are really pushing the envelope in terms of how they engage their audiences and balance quality and credibility in their products
Source: MarijuanaMoment
