Now that Connecticut has legalized recreational marijuana, how long will it be before the last two holdouts in New England—Rhode Island and New Hampshire—fall in line and allow legal weed? Marijuana supporters say the victory in Connecticut will grease the wheels for the final two states, believing that the lure of tax revenues and new jobs will spur legislators to take action. If Rhode Island and New Hampshire do move in that direction, they should take a page from the Connecticut law that includes much stricter guardrails and protections for public health than in many other legal states. Defying the powerful cannabis industry, lawmakers approved rules including a cap on intoxicating THC levels and an opt-out provision that allows municipalities to ban not only dispensaries but also home-delivery services.
Meanwhile, a Congressional committee has blasted the FDA for lax oversight of the vaping industry, and is urging the agency director to crackdown on e-cigarette manufacturers. The FDA is currently assessing new rules on vaping, after allowing the sale of flavored vaping products, so long as the device cannot be refilled—an approach many say contributed to a youth vaping epidemic of disposable products.
And finally, a new United Nations report finds that the number of people using drugs globally is projected to rise 11 percent by 2030, fueled by the socioeconomic and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as easier online drug accessibility. While the number of individuals with drug use disorders has increased, the report noted, the availability of treatment interventions has remained low, with just one in eight of those suffering from drug use receiving professional help in 2019.