New research has found that roundworms exposed to marijuana compounds also get the munchies, just like humans. Cannabinoid molecules derived from the marijuana plant usually bind to endocannabinoids, whose receptors are found in the brain, other organs and connective tissues.

Popular cannabinoid molecules include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabigerol (CBG), 9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV) and cannabivarin (CBV).

The endocannabinoid system is said to balance key bodily functions and regulate functions such as eating, anxiety, memory and sleep.

Researchers found that roundworms, or Caenorhabditis elegans as they are scientifically referred to as, fed for longer than normal while under the influence of marijuana. The worms also demonstrated a higher preference for high-quality foods over less nutritious foods.

The research suggests that the mechanism by which marijuana impacts appetite evolved more than 500 million years ago, when the evolutionary paths of humans and C. elegans diverged. This mutuality across the animal kingdom suggests that these worms could be used to study how marijuana affected the nervous system in humans.

Shawn Lockery, lead author of the study and a neuroscientist at the University of Oregon-Eugene, stated that better understanding basic drug physiology would directly influence societal health as a whole.

The researchers were motivated to conduct the experiments after the state of Oregon legalized adult-use marijuana. For their study, the scientists divided the worms into two groups then submerged one group in a solution of the endocannabinoid anandamide before placing them in the maze.

They observed that the worms developed bigger appetites, noting that in the maze, these worms mainly preferred higher quality foods, in addition to spending more time eating.  Roundworms that were plunged in the solution also demonstrated less interest in bacteria that was nutritionally inferior, with researchers noting that these effects were pronounced in worms with working endocannabinoid receptors.

In separate experiments, the scientists tested endocannabinoids on worms with genetically engineered human cannabinoid receptors.

They observed that the worms responded in a similar way, with the scientists highlighting that the cannabinoids affected the worms’ food-detecting olfactory neurons, making them more sensitive to the odors of preferred bacteria.

Prior studies have demonstrated that cannabinoids cause hedonic hunger in other mammals such as primates and rats.

This latest research calls attention to similarities suggesting that Caenorhabditis elegans could offer a cost-effective way to model how compounds derived from marijuana affect the nervous system in humans.

The study reported its findings in the “Current Biology1” journal.

Plenty of research is currently ongoing, with enterprises such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) setting their sights on having FDA-approved formulations on the market to help patients with different ailments.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

About CNW420

CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.

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Two measures that would end marijuana prohibition for adult use are pending in the North Carolina state legislature as lawmakers work to make the drug finally legal in their state. The first bill, HB 626, was introduced by four Democratic members of the House on Monday. If approved, the bill would make it legal for adults aged 21 years and older to possess small amounts of marijuana.

Even though the possession of less than half an ounce of cannabis was decriminalized back in 1977, it is still illegal in North Carolina and carries a punishment of up to $200. Even medical cannabis is still illegal, and the only product that people with uncontrollable epilepsy may consume legally is CBD oil with little to no THC.

According to a SurveyUSA study conducted last year, 57% of voters in the state support making cannabis legal for adults. This indicates that the public is in favor of the decision.

HB 626 would also create guidelines for the manufacture and distribution of adult recreational products. Additionally, the measure has elements of social fairness that are intended to assist areas that have suffered because of prohibition. The legislation has been sent for review to the House Committee on Calendar, Rules, and Operations.

Another measure, SB 346, was introduced on March 21, 2023, by four Democratic senators; the proposed legislation is still pending in the state’s upper house legislature. Adults would be allowed to possess a maximum of two ounces of cannabis or 15 grams of concentrates, and they would be allowed to grow up to six plants.

The bill also establishes a regulatory structure for the recreational cannabis market and establishes a new Social Equity Office that would support and encourage people from communities that have historically been disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition and enforcement to participate fully in the regulated cannabis industry.

Reformers point out that lifting the prohibition on marijuana can result in increased tax income for the state, in addition to the economic advantages that businesses and their employees will experience as a result. SB 346 imposes a 20% tax on cannabis-related products and grants local governments the option of levying an extra 3% tax. SB 346 is currently being discussed by the Senate Committee on Operations and Rules.

A separate bill, SB 3 (the North Carolina Compassionate Care Act), is also awaiting approval in the House. The bill passed the Senate by a 36 to 10 vote on March 1, 2023.

While these steps are being taken to legalize recreational marijuana, plenty of work is being done by entities such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) to develop therapeutic formulations from many marijuana cannabinoids, including THC.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

About CNW420

CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that the state is initiating a campaign to urge persons 21 years and older to purchase cannabis from licensed dispensaries. The move is meant to make sure that people buy safe products and that profits are directed toward achieving equity and reinvestment objectives.

Hochul stated the “Why Buy Legal New York” initiative will debut around April 20, 2023, the unofficial cannabis holiday, to capitalize on the heightened awareness surrounding cannabis-related issues.

The campaign is premised on reaching consumers aged 21 or older via educational materials; digital advertisements, such as a handbook on safe consumption habits; visuals as well as movies that feature licensed marijuana business owners; and messaging about the benefits of participating in the legal market.

The state has come under fire for the way its adult-use market has been implemented, with only a handful of businesses currently licensed to sell cannabis among an uncountable number of unregulated outlets that officials are intent on rooting out.

Although New York has taken several measures to expedite the launch of online stores, there are still a few channels of entry because the administration and regulators are giving priority to licensing enterprises owned by individuals that were disproportionately impacted by prohibition. In addition, regulators recently published a how-to manual on how consumers can read cannabis dispensary receipts, as they explain how taxes from their cannabis purchases are distributed between community reinvestment programs, local governments, and the state.

Hochul emphasized that even though New Yorkers’ options are limited in the present market, seeking out permitted stores is important for supporting local reinvestment through marijuana taxes.

The initiative in New York is akin to the “Buy Legal” drive, which was started by significant cannabis businesses and the Governor Phil Murphy administration in New Jersey last year. Its objective is to inform buyers about the risks of purchasing cannabis products outside of legal marketplaces.

Last month, New York officials stated that the number of allowed conditional cannabis licenses would be increased from 150 to 300. This resulted from applicants’ suggestions that they could be in position to open stores more quickly and independently thanks to a state initiative designed to assist qualifying organizations in establishing physical locations.

The state emphasizes its role in promoting public awareness about the bill legalizing cannabis. For example, the state has released a taxpayer-financed cannabis PSA that focused on the racially biased results of marijuana criminalization and emphasized efforts that state regulators were taking to make up for the mistakes of prohibition. This was broadcast during NBA finals in most of NYC last year.

In addition, Hochul has sponsored measures to strengthen police authority to crack down on illegal marijuana merchants as the state goes about establishing a regulated market.

As the recreational market gets underway in New York State, there are also some enterprises such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) that are hard at work developing therapeutic formulations from select constituents of this plant.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

About CNW420

CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.

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In February, the state of Missouri launched its recreational cannabis market. This was after voters in the state approved amendment 3 in November 2022, making Missouri the 21^st state in the country to legalize adult-use marijuana. Almost two months later and the market is set to hit $1 billion in sales in its first year.

However, increasing demand from local and out-of-state customers as well as medical cannabis patients has greatly surpassed operators’ expectations, resulting in higher wholesale prices and product shortages.

In some areas, such as near the Kansas border, retailers have observed significant increases in foot traffic since recreational sales were launched. In the southwestern region of the state, consumers from Illinois have been crossing the Mississippi River for St. Louis marijuana, which is said to be more affordable. Of the eight states bordered by Missouri, only Illinois has legalized adult-use marijuana.

Even illicit cannabis in the neighboring state of Oklahoma hasn’t affected demand in the state, causing inventory shortage throughout the supply chain and huge spikes in wholesale prices of flowers.

This is a sharp contrast from other markets such as Oregon, Michigan and Massachusetts, where a supply glut and declining prices are affecting businesses’ ability to grow. A strategy analyst at Leaflink, Ben Burstein states that there isn’t enough flower in Missouri to meet the demand in the market, noting that the demand in the state’s recreational market is exceeding supply. Data from Leaflink shows that since the launch of the recreational market, the price of bulk flower has doubled to $3,000 per pound.

Availability of bulk flower has also declined by almost 79% while the number of product stock-keeping units has also dropped by two-thirds during the same period.

Despite these issues though, medical and adult-use marijuana in the state of Missouri brought in more than $126 million in sales last month, a more than 20% increase in sales from February. Projections expect total cannabis sales in the state to reach $1.3 billion in the first year of recreational retail.

The heart of Missouri’s problem lies in underproduction, despite the abundance of cultivation capacity in the state. Manufacturing issues are also affecting major players, with Clovr experiencing a distillate shortage caused by a flower shortage. Clovr is the biggest producer in the state, with almost 100% coverage across more than 190 stores in the market.

Growers expanding their cultivation capacity and manufacturers scaling up their extraction capabilities will go a long way in helping meet consumer needs in the state.

Meanwhile, a number of entities such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are investing in coming up with pharmaceutical-grade medicines from THC and other marijuana constituents. These formulations will go a long way in addressing the symptom-relief needs of patients once the FDA gives those medicines the nod.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

About CNW420

CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.

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Federal law in the United States makes it unlawful to use or possess marijuana, but the majority of states have recently legalized it for either recreational or medical use. The shift in the law has coincided with a sharp rise in public support for cannabis legalization.

Based on surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center and other sources, we’ve highlighted seven key facts below concerning Americans’ perceptions of and attitudes toward cannabis.

About 90% of Americans believe cannabis should be legal for either recreational or medical use.

A survey by the Pew Research Center in October 2022 found that an overwhelming majority of Americans (88%) believe that marijuana should be legal for either medicinal or recreational use. Of this population, 30% believe that it should only be legal for medical purposes, while 59% advocate for its recreational use; 10% believe that the drug should never be authorized in any form.

Race, ethnicity, political party, and age all significantly affect public support for legalizing marijuana.

The October 2022 survey found that those 75 and older are significantly less likely to support the legalization of marijuana for adult use than younger adults. Only 3 out of 10 people above the age of 75 believe marijuana should be legal for adult use, compared to 53% of those between the ages of 65 and 74. In contrast, 72% of people under the age of 30 favor legalizing marijuana for recreational and medical use.

GOP and Republican leaners are less likely than Democrats and Independents with a Democratic lean to support marijuana legalization (45% vs. 75%).

Regarding race and ethnicity, 48% and 49% of Asian Americans and Hispanics, respectively, support legalizing marijuana, compared to 68% of Black and 60% of white adults who support it.

Those in for and against cannabis legalization have given various justifications for their positions.

According to a 2019 Gallup poll, the perception of marijuana’s medical benefits (86%) and the belief that legalizing the substance would allow law enforcement to focus on other types of crime (70%) were the two most frequently cited reasons by supporters of cannabis legalization.

An estimated 79% of Americans who opposed legalizing marijuana cited the rise of road accidents and fatalities as a major justification for their opposition.

Support for cannabis legalization has significantly grown over the past 20 years.

According to Gallup surveys from 2000 and 2019, there has been a significant increase in support for legalizing marijuana. Two-thirds of Americans in the 2019 study said they supported marijuana legalization, which is more than double the percentage who said the same in the 2000 survey.

Less than one-half of American adults (46%) claim to have used marijuana at some point.

This is according to a 2021 Survey on Health and Drug Use. The same survey found that while many Americans claim to have used cannabis in the past, much fewer actually do so now. At the time of the survey, 13% had used it recently, while 19% had done so the previous year.

The majority of Americans favor reducing the penalty for those who have marijuana-related convictions.

According to a survey by the 2021 Center conducted in October, 67% of adults supported releasing prisoners who were being imprisoned for marijuana-related charges. Additionally, roughly 6 out of 10 Americans (61%) are in favor of expunging or deleting marijuana-related charges from people’s criminal histories.

Black Americans, Democrats, and younger persons are more likely than older adults to approve these measures. For instance, almost 74% of Black adults support releasing prisoners who are only being detained for marijuana-related charges, and a similar percentage supports expunging or erasing marijuana-related convictions from criminal records.

As of April 2023, 21 states and Washington, D.C., allow adults to use recreational cannabis in modest amounts.

In addition to the 21 states and Washington, D.C., the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands have all enacted recreational cannabis legalization laws.

Approximately 48% of Americans currently reside in a state or territory where recreational marijuana is legal, according to a Center study of U.S. Census Bureau population projections for 2022.

Separately, some kind of medicinal marijuana program has been approved by more than 30 states, as well as Washington, D.C. The percentage of Americans (74%) who reside in areas with medicinal marijuana programs is about three-fourths of the total.

Additionally, many states have passed laws that decrease the severity of criminal penalties for some marijuana-related crimes or permit the expungement of prior convictions.

As more companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) venture into developing cannabis-based medicines that end up being approved by the FDA, attitudes to this plant could shift even more away from prohibition.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

About CNW420

CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.

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