All posts in Connecticut News

NEW HAVEN — The Board of Police Commissioners approved a new drug and alcohol policy for the department this week, barring officers from using marijuana, despite it being legalized for recreational use in Connecticut. The goal of the measure is to “deter the misuse or abuse of any legal or illegal substances that create a threat to the safety and health of any City employee or member of the public,” the policy says. But it leaves the door open for using products containing the marijuana derivative CBD. Commissioner Tracey Meares and Capt. David Zannelli revised the standard, which was last…

A Connecticut legislative committee on Friday approved a bill that would set the state up to provide certain patients with access to psychedelic-assisted treatment with substances like MDMA and psilocybin. Before the vote, several members of the joint Public Health Committee remarked on the compelling testimony of top military officials, advocates and scientists who spoke about their experiences and the potential impact of the reform at a hearing earlier this week. The legislation was approved on a noncontroversial basis as part of the panel’s consent calendar. It now advances to floor consideration. The measure, HB 5396, would create psychedelic treatment…

Mar 10, 2022, 11:08pmUpdated 9h ago By: News 12 Staff New York officially announced its plan to give people with previous marijuana convictions priority to the first cannabis retail licenses Thursday. The state’s Office of Cannabis Management says the first 50% of licenses will go to “equity entrepreneurs” in neighborhoods hit hard by marijuana law enforcement. Those with marijuana convictions will be pushed up higher on the list. Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander says instead of opening the market to operators who are dominating the national space, they decided to put those who have been most impacted…

Mar 10, 2022, 10:56pmUpdated 2h ago By: Associated Press After two years of the pandemic battering New York City, Mayor Eric Adams is hoping to steer his city toward an economic revival by luring tourists back, beautifying the streets and embracing New York’s looming legal pot industry. Adams, a Democrat who was elected last year on a pro-business, anti-crime message, unveiled an economic development plan Thursday that he said would usher in a “New New York.” “We will never be the same. COVID has changed the game. And we must be prepared to win in the game,” Adams said. New…

Mar 10, 2022, 10:41pmUpdated 3h ago By: News 12 Staff Farmers in New York could begin growing marijuana as soon as next week after the state Office of Cannabis Management voted to open the application window starting March 15. It also advanced to a 60-day public comment period a proposal that would give the first retail licenses to people convicted of a marijuana-related offense or their families. The state will also consider prior business experience before approving these licenses, with stores expected to open later this year. Officials say this is one step toward ensuring the people most hurt by…

Cannabis industry hiring platform Vangst released its annual cannabis industry jobs report on Wednesday, revealing trends in employment, pay and benefits in the nation’s legal marijuana industry. The new report breaks down salary ranges for different jobs in five sectors of the cannabis industry and shows that marijuana businesses experienced a 75% increase in employment over the last two years. “Our latest salary guide exemplifies how the cannabis industry continues to grow year-over-year despite recent hiring challenges in the mainstream business community,” Karson Humiston, founder and CEO of Vangst, said in a statement from the company. “As the industry broadens…

Indoor cannabis cultivation consumes a lot of energy, to put it mildly. This basic fact means that sustainable business practices and mindful energy conservation go a long way to limiting a company’s carbon footprint. Increasingly, companies are prioritizing that work by building out specific roles or even departments to manage goals and oversee implementation of new strategies. Elizabeth “Libby” Lee is the environmental health and safety manager at Veritas Fine Cannabis in Colorado. She has brought to the company a strong passion for drawing down wasteful habits and single-use products. And she’s done this through goal-setting and clear communication—within Veritas,…

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A federal jury convicted an Orangeburg, South Carolina man on Tuesday on charges of distribution of heroin and fentanyl, along with associated firearms violations including possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anthony Cyquan Herring, 40, was stopped by Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone on I-95 southbound for speeding.  Sheriff Stone smelled marijuana coming from the SUV, which other Deputies confirmed.  The ensuing search of Herring’s SUV resulted in Deputies finding over thirty-six grams…