The national opioid epidemic and the struggle by many people to overcome addiction are in the spotlight in the George Floyd murder trial in Minneapolis. Testimony offered by Mr. Floyd’s girlfriend, Courteney Ross, provided a glimpse into how opioid addiction often begins with seeking relief from chronic pain, and can spiral into addiction and periods of recovery and relapse. Lawyers for the Floyd family said this testimony was important to raise awareness about substance use and how people should be treated with dignity, respect, and support rather than brutality.
Meanwhile, what do the rapper Snoop Dogg and the rightwing billionaire Charles Koch have in common? Not much, perhaps, except their support for marijuana legalization. The two have come together in the new Cannabis Freedom Alliance, a group that joins the Koch brothers’ political advocacy with the rapper and a libertarian think tank along with marijuana businesses to support legalization efforts. While cannabis reform has mostly involved left-leaning organizations, the Alliance aims to garner Republican backing at a time when many lawmakers in Congress are pushing to end federal-level marijuana prohibition.
And finally, the CBD craze apparently knows now bounds as companies bring to market CBD-infused clothing. They claim that socks, yoga pants and gloves saturated with CBD oils can ease stress, anxiety, and pain—although there is no evidence proving that the marijuana component is an effective treatment.