Author: Katsiaryna Bykov

Draft legislation sets a 2040 phaseout target alongside plain packaging rules and public beach smoking bans.

The Hawaii Department of Health halts sales of mood-altering hemp products, sparking a federal legal battle.

The provincial government of Gandaki has legalized the cultivation and medical use of cannabis, challenging Nepal's federal drug laws. Prabin Poudyal, spokesman for the Gandaki Province Chief’s office, confirmed the bill took effect on Monday. Under the new provincial rules, farmers must secure official permits and submit to close monitoring. This local legalization contrasts with the federal ban, under which personal possession carries a one-month jail sentence, and distribution leads to up to 10 years in prison depending on the seized amount. Gandaki, home to the resort city of Pokhara and major Himalayan hiking trails, is the first province to…

The Spanish government has approved a draft reform to tighten its national anti-tobacco laws, expanding smoke-free zones to outdoor public spaces and banning nicotine consumption for minors. This decision targets both traditional cigarettes and electronic vaping devices to curb youth nicotine addiction. The proposed legislation aims to protect public health by eliminating smoking exceptions in outdoor areas. Under the new rules, smoking and vaping will be banned on restaurant and bar terraces, beaches, public pools, university grounds, sports facilities, and outdoor event venues like music festivals. This shift directly impacts Spain's hospitality sector. Restaurant owners argue that outdoor terraces are…

Texas-based Christian nationalist pastor Joel Webbon has drawn widespread mockery after releasing a video claiming that marijuana makes men "spiritually gay" and urging Christian men to smoke tobacco instead. The controversial remarks, posted to social media on May 31, 2026, frame nicotine use as a tool for masculine resistance. In the viral video, Webbon dismissed decades of established medical research linking tobacco to cancer, labeling anti-smoking campaigns as one of the biggest "propaganda psyops" of the past half-century. According to Webbon, nicotine fosters strong, independent men who can resist government control, whereas cannabis supposedly feminizes users. "Marijuana makes you less…

A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has revealed that fewer than one in five older adults discuss their cannabis use with clinicians. This communication gap occurs within an increasingly permissive policy landscape, even as seniors' perception of cannabis-related risks continues to decline sharply. Analyzing data from 14,387 participants in the 2021–2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), researchers evaluated substance use alongside healthcare interactions. The findings highlight a significant disconnect between substance prevalence and clinical engagement among older demographics: Given the heightened health risks associated with substance use in older age, the study's authors emphasize…

How the DOJ's Schedule III reclassification impacts state laws, business taxes, and clinical research.

Researchers at Gentofte University Hospital in Denmark have identified a potential link between medical cannabis and an increased risk of heart rhythm disorders. Analyzing the medical records of 1.6 million chronic pain patients, the study comes at a crucial time as medical marijuana gains rapid global acceptance as an alternative to traditional painkillers and opioids. The Danish research team tracked approximately 4,600 patients who filled at least one prescription for medical cannabis out of a larger pool of individuals suffering from chronic pain conditions, such as cancer, arthritis, nerve damage, and back issues. The goal was to determine if cannabis…

The Ministry for Regulation and the Ministry of Health have officially enacted a landmark regulatory framework for New Zealand’s hemp industry, effective May 28, 2026. This historic reform, championed by Regulation Minister David Seymour, revokes the outdated Industrial Hemp Regulations 2006 to drastically reduce barriers for local growers. A coalition representing over 95% of the country's licensed hemp operators—including the New Zealand Hemp Industries Association (NZHIA), the Aotearoa Hemp Alliance (AHA), and the New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Council (NZMCC)—has welcomed the transition. By moving low-THC hemp regulation directly under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977, the government has established a…

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) has confirmed a dramatic nationwide decrease in cannabis arrests driven by state-level legalization. Analyzing Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) crime data, the advocacy group found that arrest rates for illicit possession and sales plummeted by an average of 85.53% in the 24 states with regulated retail markets. This shift validates advocates' long-held expectations that regulated markets would successfully absorb illicit demand. The MPP report emphasized that a primary goal of legalization is to stop entangling citizens in the criminal justice system over a substance widely considered less dangerous than alcohol. Nationwide, total cannabis arrests have…