420 with CNW — CDC Study Reports Teen Cannabis Use Decreasing as Legalization Spreads

Recent federal data reveals that rates of marijuana usage among high school students have decreased even as more states legalize the drug. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which was released last week, indicated that teen usage of all substances tracked, including alcohol, prescription drugs and marijuana, has fallen linearly over the past 10 years.

The federal analysis reveals that marijuana use among high school kids was high between 2009 and 2013 — before legal cannabis outlets began to open — but it has since been generally declining. Voters passed the first state laws allowing for recreational use in 2012, and regulated retail sales started in 2014.

According to the most recent statistics from the biennial survey, 15.8% of high school students reported consuming marijuana at least once in the previous 30 days in 2021. This is a considerable decrease from 23.4% in 2013.

Health officials are encouraged by the trend, although they have noted that social isolation policies brought on by the coronavirus epidemic probably played a factor in how much juvenile substance abuse fell in the most recent two-year measurement period. Nevertheless, the general trend runs counter to one of the most popular prohibitionist justifications for opposing cannabis legalization. Despite their assertions, research and surveys, including federally funded ones, have repeatedly demonstrated that legalizing marijuana for adults will not increase teen use.

In fact, the YRBS survey found that marijuana use in high schools peaked in the years before any recreational cannabis dispensary was opened. And since then, as more and more marketplaces have opened up online, fewer young people now report consuming cannabis. Additionally, fewer teenagers claim to have ever used marijuana. In 2021, 27.8% of teenagers reported having used marijuana at least once in their lives, a decrease of more than 10% from the figure in 2019, which was 36.8%.

While COVID likely also played a role in the sudden fall in cannabis use observed in 2021, cannabis patterns have remained constant throughout the reform. For instance, research financed by NIDA and released in the “American Preventive Medicine Journal” last year revealed no correlation between the legalization of cannabis at the state level and a rise in juvenile use. According to the study, teenagers who used cannabis more frequently during adolescence had no increased or decreased likelihood of doing so at the age of 15 compared to those who used it less frequently or never.

As more companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) register success in developing FDA-approved medicines from marijuana, it is possible that people will look at marijuana as a medicine, and juvenile use could decrease even further as access to these medicines is regulated through the healthcare system while recreational use is subject to age-verification in the states which permit adult-use marijuana.

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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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420 with CNW — New Bipartisan Bill to Seal Federal Cannabis Records Automatically

Bipartisan congressional legislators have reintroduced a measure mandating the automatic sealing of records for nonviolent federal cannabis convictions. The bill would also offer relief to individuals who’d been arrested for other offenses that didn’t end in conviction.

Representatives Nancy Mace and Lisa Blunt Rochester filed the Clean Slate Act last week. The previous version of the bill was advanced through the House Judiciary Committee in 2022 but was never voted on.

In a press release, Blunt Rochester stated that the Clean Slate Act was one of her top priorities, highlighting the importance of giving those who had paid their debt to society and served their time a second chance and a clean slate. Blunt Rochester added that she looked forward to working with her colleagues across the aisle and Congress to approve the bill and advance it to the president’s desk.

The measure would also set up a new process for individuals to petition the courts to seal records for nonviolent offenses that weren’t eligible for automatic sealing. If their initial request was denied, individuals could still petition for relief once a two-year wait period was over. Additionally, district courts will be allowed to nominate a public defender to help petitioners process their record sealing requests.

Mace stated that this measure was an important step in the right direction because it focused on rehabilitation and second chances.

Last year, President Joseph Biden issued a mass pardon for individuals who had committed federal marijuana possession offenses. However, this proclamation is limited, as presidential pardons don’t help seal conviction records.

The Mace measure is supported by various institutions, including R Street, the American Conservative Union, LinkedIn, Brennan Center for Justice, Justice Action Network (JAN), Center for American Progress, JPMorgan Chase, Code for America and Clean Slate Initiative.

Nan Gibson, the executive director of the JPMorgan Chase Policy Center, stated that the bill would establish a process for clearing nonviolent federal records and streamline it via automation, helping individuals pursue stable career opportunities. Gibson then noted that this bill would allow companies such as JPMorgan Chase to continue connecting people to meaningful career pathways, strengthening the economy and uplifting communities.

The Clean Slate Initiative CEO Sheena Meade stated that Congress had the power to unlock opportunities for millions of individuals in the country by approving the Clean Slate Act.

This bill is the latest in a string of cannabis reform measures that have been introduced in Congress.

While many reforms have been put before Congress over the past years, not many have made their way through the legislative chambers and reached the president’s desk for enactment. This slow pace at which marijuana policy is reformed could soon accelerate if many companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are successful in seeing cannabis-based medicines through the clinical development process resulting in FDA approval. Such drugs could cause people to reconsider their perceptions about marijuana and a lot more pressure for reform could be exerted on federal lawmakers.

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420 with CNW — Study Shows Marijuana Helps Cancer Patients Manage Pain

According to a recent Canadian study, medical marijuana may be able to lessen cancer patients’ dependence on other medications by easing their discomfort. The study, published in “BMF Palliative and Supportive Care,” involved the examination of 358 cancer patients and concluded that cannabis could be safely combined with other medications to help in pain management.

Every three months, the researchers checked on the patients to see how much pain they were in and how many medications they were taking. Patients reported substantially less pain after using the cannabis-based medications and that their pain had less of an impact on their daily lives.

According to the study, one-third of cancer patients — about 38% — experience medium-to-high-level pain even after taking pain medications such as opioids. In particular, 66% of patients with metastatic, advanced or terminal illnesses, as well as 55% of patients receiving anticancer treatment, experience pain.

Additionally, the majority of patients report feeling nauseous, drowsy, constipated and — more seriously — restrained breathing. For these reasons, patients are increasingly asking doctors, including up to 61.5% of general practitioners, to consider medical marijuana for the treatment of pain and other symptoms related to cancer.

In the study, 38% of the patients used THC-CBD-balanced medications, 17% used CBD-dominant medicines, and nearly a quarter of the patients used THC-dominant products. Those who consumed THC-CBD-balanced products experienced less pain compared to patients who only used THC- or CBD-dominant products.

However, the researchers noted that the results need to be confirmed by more thorough studies that compare the effects of cannabis-based medications with those of a placebo in a control group.

There is a lot of interest in cannabis’ ability to relieve pain, particularly in light of the opioid epidemic that has sparked concerns about the long-term dangers of opiate addiction. In support of this, a large body of research has demonstrated a correlation between decreased opioid prescribing and overdose fatalities and legalized marijuana use. A study by the University of Colorado published last month indicated that regular marijuana usage is linked to better cognition and less pain in chemotherapy and cancer patients. Researchers discovered that patients who consumed products with higher CBD levels experienced less pain than those who used high-THC goods.

According to research conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA) and released earlier this year, people with chronic pain who used medical cannabis for more than a month had their need for opioids significantly reduced. Late last year, the AMA also published studies showing a link between legalized cannabis in some states and reduced opioid prescriptions for some cancer patients.

This study highlighting the pain-fighting potential of marijuana suggests that companies that are working to develop THC-based medications for chronic pain, such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), are likely to be successful in their R&D efforts.

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420 with CNW — Marijuana Department in California Gives Universities $20M to Study Cannabis

The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) revealed that on April 26, 2023, it had given 16 educational institutions funding totaling $19,942,918 for marijuana research. The funds will support projects researching how marijuana affects young people’s psychological wellness, innovative cannabinoids such as Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC, and a groundbreaking study of California’s historic cannabis genetics.

The DCC expects these activities will set the standard for marijuana research and enhance scientific study to better comprehend cannabis’ advantages and drawbacks.

Six divisions of colleges received awards, with Cal Poly Humboldt receiving the largest award of $2,699,178 for its grassroots study on heritage cannabis genetics. Additionally, $2 million each were given to the universities of California, Los Angeles, and Irvine to research the potency of marijuana. The first double-blind, federally acceptable, placebo-controlled drug administration trial comparing the consequences of inhaled marijuana plants to inhaled extracts will also be carried out through a partnership involving UC Irvine and UCLA.

The awards were given out based on their capacity to produce fundamental research that will underpin expanding future knowledge, their capability to enhance the public’s comprehension of marijuana, their potential to deliver information beneficial for legislation, and their solid scientific approach. Sixteen concepts were selected from a list of 98 total submissions.

The DCC also unveiled a brand-new funding initiative in February, promising $20 million to boost and develop the state’s marijuana business. The retail access grant program aims to promote legal retail businesses in locations where existing customers do not have easy access to legally grown marijuana.

Last year, the department executed 155 warrants for search operations, an increase from 61 in 2021, based on the report issued by the DCC at the beginning of March. The DCC captured an estimated 41,726 pounds of marijuana in 2021, with a market value of almost $78 million. In 2022, the amount rose to 144,254 pounds, with a value of more than $243 million.

In general, the DCC’s funding program aims to increase security for customers, foster an equitable market and increase the availability of California’s retail marijuana market. The DCC is eager to share the findings after the research is finished since the awards will offer insightful information on issues that concern Californian’s consumers, businesses, and legislators.

The program is designed to provide funding for research projects that address gaps in knowledge and understanding of the marijuana industry. It is hoped that this will lead to better regulation and policymaking in the future.

These studies funded by the DCC in California will add to the work being done by companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), which lean more toward conducting research with the aim of commercializing marijuana-derived FDA-approved formulations.

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420 with CNW — Twitter Makes Additional Concessions on Marijuana Advertising in US

Twitter has further relaxed its restrictions on marijuana advertising, allowing verified, state-legal companies to include packaged marijuana goods in their marketing campaigns and permitting ads in additional U.S. markets. According to a blog post by Alexa Alianiello, Twitter’s head of partnerships and sales, certified marijuana advertisers are now allowed to responsibly link to their websites and online stores that sell THC, CBD and marijuana-related goods and services.

Alianiello also stated that the platform has made changes for those with medical licenses and offered up more markets for recreational use, but there are some restrictions. Twitter’s publicly available drug ad policy does not state which new recreational and medical markets are now accessible to cannabis advertisements. However, the social media site is now allowing medical marijuana ads that target users in Florida, Alabama, Minnesota, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, West Virginia and South Dakota, according to Mattio Communications CEO Rosie Mattio. The new adult-use cannabis market in Missouri will also be able to run cannabis ads.

In Mattio’s opinion, Twitter’s decision to allow images of packaged marijuana products allows these brands more potential to connect with consumers and inform them about the real product rather than just using the platform as a brand-recognition type of move. The privately owned social media site gave the nod to American marijuana advertising in February, a decision that was applauded by a lot of marijuana shareholders.

At the start, however, cannabis businesses reported conflicting outcomes when they attempted to market their products on Twitter. Lisa Buffo, CEO and founder of the Marijuana Marketing Association, says that she has witnessed all kinds of companies — big and small — attempt advertising with Twitter. Some have been approved, others have not, and others have had mixed results in the process. She goes on to say that advertising results vary and that a campaign’s and a brand’s success depends on how well they fit the platform.

In the blog post outlining the modifications to the ad policy, Alianiello stated that the company had received valuable input from the marijuana sector, which it had taken into account to expand opportunities. Twitter also accepts, subject to its restrictions, cannabis adverts directed at users in Thailand and Canada.

Other online platforms, including Alphabet, Google’s parent company, as well as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp platforms run by Meta, generally forbid the promotion of marijuana products. However, Google does make an exception for some ads promoting CBD and hemp.

For entities such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), whose focus is on developing FDA-approved treatments from cannabis, the rules on advertising marijuana set by Twitter and other such platforms are of little interest because there is a clear set of federal regulations governing how approved medicines can or cannot be advertised.

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420 with CNW — Marijuana Emerges as a Major Issue in Thailand Upcoming Elections

The Bhumjaithai Party, a Thai political movement credited with helping to partially legalize cannabis, has accused opponents of using the issue for political gain ahead of the country’s May 14 election, claiming that cannabis reform is a must if it is to join any governing coalition.

Thailand changed its marijuana laws in June 2022, allowing licensed companies to grow and sell the substance solely for medical purposes. However, parliament failed to adopt a comprehensive marijuana act before it was disbanded in March to make room for election campaigning.

Recreational smoking has flourished in the legal void, prompting worry among critics who argue the legislation is too broad and too fast. The main prodemocracy parties, Move Forward and Pheu Thai, both of which are anticipated to win the majority of seats, claim that the liberalization of marijuana has been chaotic, encouraged marijuana usage and has fallen short of helping impoverished farmers as promised due to the high costs of investment.

The issue has also divided a generally conservative populace in a nation with tight drug laws, and many are concerned by the easy access to high-strength marijuana, especially among young people.

In response to the criticism, Supachai Jaisamutr, the Bhumjaithai party’s top marijuana official, cautioned that politics is masking the contribution of cannabis to Thailand’s economy, which is expected to reach at least $1.2 billion by 2025.

Thais are expected to vote in leaders for the 500 seats in the lower house on May 14, 2023. A 250-member Senate that was appointed by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his backers, however, plays a controversial role in the election. The Senate is expected to back the conservative party that wins the elections. Furthermore, it holds one-third of the total 750 votes for the prime minister after the government is formed.

The main conflict is considered one between conservative parties, particularly Prayuth’s United Thai Nation, which wants to retake power, and prodemocracy parties, which have been out of power since Prayuth’s coup in 2014. However, the marijuana controversy is playing a surprisingly significant role. Experts predict between 80 and 100 seats could be won by Bhumjaithai, the second-largest party, which is led by Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The party would potentially have the final say in whether a government-forming coalition would be made up of prodemocracy forces or the conservative group.

Long-time supporters of marijuana decriminalization have been appalled by the politics of marijuana. They worry that the political commotion surrounding cannabis may result in restrictive regulations when the next administration debates the specifics of the Marijuana Act.

For small Thai cannabis businesses, the political conflict has overshadowed the biggest issue facing the domestic market: the illicit importation of marijuana from the United States or Laos, which is five times cheaper than Thai produce.

Marijuana is a divisive topic in many parts of the world, not just in Thailand, and enterprises such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) that have opted to come up with pharmaceutical-grade medicines from this plant somehow avoid the controversy surrounding the plant since their work involves adhering to the strict drug-development laws in the jurisdictions where they intend to get their medicines approved for use in the healthcare system.

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420 with CNW — Schumer Applauds Refiling of Cannabis Banking Bill

Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, has reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing marijuana banking legislation that includes criminal justice provisions and described the broader endeavor to undo the damage caused by the drug war as a moral duty for Congress. Schumer reiterated his intent to pass the SAFE Banking Act, which had been refiled the day before by bipartisan members of the house and senate, during his speech on the House floor this week. He also promised to keep working on a more comprehensive package that supports industry equity and justice for those impacted by the drug war.

The measure, which has undergone minor revisions since the previous session, would shield banks from federal regulators’ sanctions when they cooperate with cannabis businesses that are legal in their state. This most recent revision further clarifies that the safe harbor is extended to CDFIs and MDIs that provide commercial loans to minority-owned enterprises; this is a new clause that proponents pushed for during the previous Congress. The new bill also enables cannabis workers to access mortgage loans backed by the federal government.

While Schumer acknowledged the need for a banking fix, he also stated that work will continue on the SAFE Plus package, which is anticipated to include provisions for gun rights and expungements for marijuana users.

Earlier this month, Sherrod Brown, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, announced that his panel will handle cannabis banking reform on its own and leave equity and criminal justice recommendations to other committees with appropriate jurisdiction.

To enact any kind of marijuana reform this session, lawmakers will likely need to concentrate on smaller-scale marijuana laws such as the banking bill rather than more comprehensive justice-centered legalization due to the divided Congress and GOP-controlled house.

However, a recent senate vote has prompted some to wonder whether any minimal cannabis reform is feasible given the current makeup of Congress. A procedural attempt to advance a bipartisan measure that would have simply called for investigations into the medical benefits of marijuana for veterans with PTSD and chronic pain was rejected by senate Republicans.

In recent years, the House has enacted the standalone SAFE Banking Act in various forms, generally with bipartisan support. However, it has come to a standstill in the senate despite having both Republican and Democratic leadership.

Advocates had assumed that the bill would begin in the Senate this time, but it seems that legislators chose to press for bicameral action instead.

Many of the challenges that marijuana companies face, such as lack of access to banking services, don’t impact enterprises such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) which follow federal rules guiding the way medicines are developed for human or animal use, even if those treatments include marijuana compounds including THC. As a result, the preclinical and clinical drug-development processes undertaken by such pharmaceutical companies often result in FDA approval once those drugs are found to be safe and efficacious.

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420 with CNW — Legislators in Hawaii Pass Measure Urging Governor to Establish Clemency Program

Legislators in the state of Hawaii have passed a measure urging the governor to establish a clemency program for individuals with previous cannabis convictions on their records. The measure, which was approved by the House earlier last month, was championed by Representative Jeanné Kapela.

The legislation states that the prosecution of marijuana offenses has deprived many of access to housing, higher education, individual liberty, the right to vote, and employment, with the overall drug war destroying indigenous, immigrant and low-income communities. It also calls attention to the mass pardon issued by President Joseph Biden in October 2022 for persons with simple federal marijuana possession offenses. In addition, it mentions that some states have legalized cannabis and included expungement pathways for previous convictions.

LPP Senior Policy Associate Frank Stiefel argues that setting up a clemency program would be an important first step in addressing the harms caused by failed policies implemented as a result of the war on drugs The measure also encourages Governor Josh Green to work with advocacy groups such as the Hawaii Innocence Project and The Last Prisoner Project.

Earlier in November, the governor announced that he’d sign a legislation to legalize marijuana for adults, adding that he had ideas on how taxes from cannabis sales could be used. Despite this, the state has yet to legalize the recreational use of marijuana after an adult-use marijuana legalization measure that was approved in the Senate ultimately stalled in the House.

Legislators hope to enact the reform in the second half of the two-year legislative session. That hope was strengthened after the AG announced that her office would not oppose cannabis legalization anymore and would, instead, liaise with stakeholders and legislators to help advance reform. Attorney General Anne Lopez revealed that her office would develop a comprehensive regulatory legislative package that could be attached to any measure to legalize cannabis.

Additionally, the state was the first in the country to legalize medical cannabis in 2000. More than a decade later, the law was expanded to include a regulated cultivation and dispensary system. With an already established medical cannabis system, recreational use is not far behind.

In other news, the state’s senate passed a resolution to establish an advisory council to explore regulations on access to breakthrough treatments such as MDMA and psilocybin for mental health conditions. The resolution from Representative Adrian Tam would also evaluate FDA breakthrough therapies within three months of the substance receiving its designation.

As states such as Hawii move to expand their marijuana laws beyond medical marijuana, several companies, including IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC). are investing research dollars with the aim of bringing to market cannabis-based medicines that meet the strict requirements of the FDA so that more people can access these treatments even if the jurisdictions in which they live don’t permit the use of marijuana.

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420 with CNW — Study Finds No Elevated Risk of Psychosis Resulting from Marijuana Use

Even though some experts claim the association between cannabis use and psychosis is exaggerated, a recent study found a connection between high-potency cannabis addiction and a higher risk of psychosis. However, another study that was just released in the “Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences” journal offers a different viewpoint, concluding that cannabis usage does not raise the chance of psychosis, even in people who are predisposed to the condition.

The study was carried out by an international team of researchers from Europe, Australia and the United Kingdom. The authors discuss the background of previous research on this particular topic, pointing out that there have been few prospective studies on it and that the direction of this relationship is still up for debate.

The researchers state that the study’s main objective was to investigate the relationship between cannabis usage and the prevalence of psychotic illnesses in individuals with a clinically high risk of developing psychosis. Additionally, the researchers wanted to determine whether cannabis usage was associated with functional outcomes as well as the duration of psychotic symptoms.

The study included 67 healthy control volunteers as the baseline and 334 people who were identified as highly susceptible to developing psychosis. The subjects were then monitored by the researchers over the course of two years using a modified Marijuana Experience Questionnaire. The psychotic disorder developed in 16.2% of individuals in the highly susceptible cohort, with 51.4% of those who did not experience psychosis reporting persistent symptoms while 48.6% were in remission.

The authors concluded that there was no significant correlation between any baseline measure of cannabis usage and functional outcome, symptom persistence or transition to psychosis. The team continued by pointing out that its results were at odds with epidemiological evidence that suggests cannabis usage raises the incidence of psychotic illness.

Although the results are in opposition to several recent studies on marijuana and psychosis, there may be more to this discussion than first appears. According to a 2016 review of earlier data published by the Lancet, reducing or quitting cannabis use altogether can help people who are already experiencing psychosis. This effectively demonstrates that there is no causal link between cannabis use and psychosis.

While studies suggest that chronic marijuana-induced psychosis is relatively uncommon in the general population, psychosis patients may use marijuana and other drugs more frequently than other people.

This study notably demonstrated that prior cannabis usage is not linked to a higher risk of developing psychosis, even in people who are predisposed to the condition. The authors acknowledged that further research is required to fully understand the connection between cannabis use and outcomes related to mental health, but they also suggested that these findings may serve to alter current views on healthcare and policy.

The development of pharmaceutical-grade formulations from marijuana compounds by entities such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) could help to shift attitudes further in a way that people will increasingly view it as a plant with therapeutic benefits and not as one that can only be used recreationally.

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420 with CNW — Coalition Urges Biden Administration to End Federal Prohibition, Deschedule Marijuana

A coalition made up of more than 80 groups recently penned a letter to President Joseph Biden asking that he put an end to the federal prohibition of cannabis. In the letter, the coalition stated that too many lives had been affected by the country’s failed approach to marijuana and urged that the administration support comprehensive cannabis reform bills in Congress.

This includes measures such as the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act. which deschedules cannabis, establishes a regulatory framework for marijuana markets and repairs the past harms of prohibition.

Marijuana criminalization has led to the unfair targeting of Black, Indigenous and other people of color, despite the fact that the drug’s use is roughly equal among whites and Blacks.

Late last year, the president issued a proclamation pardoning individuals with simple marijuana possession offenses at the federal level. While this did help a few, the majority of those affected by federal criminalization of cannabis weren’t granted relief. This is mainly because federal sentencing usually jails individuals for higher-level offenses that are more complicated than simple possession.

Removing marijuana completely from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act instead of classifying it in a lower schedule would not only bring the cannabis industry into compliance with existing federal laws and regulations but also reduce sentences, stop future arrests and offer a pathway for resentencing.

Descheduling would also afford workers in state-legal cannabis industries the protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act, which are available to workers in other industries. This is in addition to eliminating the regulatory barriers that prevent research on marijuana from advancing. Furthermore, veterans would be allowed access to medical cannabis programs through their VA physicians.

The coalition noted that while descheduling marijuana and other administrative actions would greatly advance criminal justice reform efforts, a comprehensive regulatory framework was needed to ensure no parties involved in the industry were affected.

In the letter, advocates added that other actions that could end the current harms of cannabis prohibition included reducing the harms of state law convictions that make up majority of low-level cannabis convictions in the country. The letter also encourages that the White House work with Congress to approve comprehensive descheduling bills that include repairing and centering communities most harmed by criminalization and prohibition, criminal justice reform, and a regulatory framework rooted in justice, equity and public health.

Organizations involved include the Second Chance Clemency Project, Marijuana Policy Project, Minorities for Medical Marijuana, Students for Sensible Drug Policy and VOCAL-WA, among many others.

The calls for reform, if heeded, could have a beneficial effect on the operations of companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) since there would be fewer hoops to navigate as studies or different needed manufacturing processes are undertaken.

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

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