DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

A flicker of hope for the weed businessFor years, the dreams of the cannabis industry looked like they might go up in smoke, with the U.S. government classifying marijuana as a drug as dangerous as heroin. But the multibillion-dollar industry now has some hope that could change. The bet is that this will give the industry a new lease on life — though it shouldn’t expect big changes immediately. Shares in Tilray, a giant in the industry, jumped 39 percent on Tuesday, while those in Canopy Growth leaped nearly 79 percent. That’s welcome news for investors in both companies: Canopy Growth’s stock is down 97 percent over the past five years, while those in Tilray are down 95 percent.

Persons: Biden Organizations: U.S, Justice Locations: Tilray

☆ Read the Arizona Supreme Court’s Abortion Ruling
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

§ 13-3604, which had provided that a woman who has an abortion that is not necessary to save her life shall be imprisoned from one to five years. By affirmatively declining to hold women criminally responsible for seeking or obtaining an abortion, the legislature did not grant women a right to seek an abortion; it simply decided the state would not prosecute women for doing so. The majority misses the mark by asking and then answering whether § 36-2322(B) grants a limited right to abortion. ¶79 Fifth, the majority incorrectly elevates the construction note in § 36-2322(B)'s session law to equal its text. See Redgrave v. Ducey, 251 Ariz. 451, 457 ¶ 22 (2021) (concluding that if statutory text conflicts with a

Persons: KRISTIN MAYES, JUSTICE TIMMER, CHIEF JUSTICE BRUTINEL, Reg, Sess, ”, Dobbs, Redgrave Organizations: CHIEF

☆ Dubai’s bar scene is being redefined by artisanal champagnes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

While the city has over 13,000 restaurants, its bar scene has largely been confined to Michelin fine dining, nightclubs, and boozy brunches. Look through the gallery and see the region's other top restaurants, as selected by 50 Best list group. The 50 Best has unveiled its 2024 list of the best restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Al Muntaha, which was recognized by Star Wine List as having the best sparkling wine list in the UAE earlier this year, has 166 labels on its champagne list, including around 60 recently added grower champagnes, says Lacroix. Tina HillierAnd the culture around drinking is largely focused on dining or special occasions, with little in between, says Krister Bengtsson, founder of Star Wine List.

Persons: Lana —, Nicolas Caupain, ”, boozy, Caupain, Raz Rahav, Tala Bashmi, Em Sherif, Yasmina Hayek, Fawzi Al Mulki, 3Fils, Khufu's, Solemann Haddad, Moonrise, Gregoire Berger, Berger, Himanshu Saini, Pol Roger, Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, champagnes, Larmandier Bernier, Ulysse Collin, Samuel Lacroix, Al Muntaha, Lacroix, “, Josette, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Pérignon, Millau, Lana, Tina Hillier, Krister Bengtsson, it’s, Bengtsson, ” Bengtsson, Jean Imbert, — Organizations: CNN, High Society, United Arab, Michelin, Middle, Gulf, Jordanian, Trèsind, Burj, Star Wine, Arabian, BOCA, Michelin Star, Wine, UAE Locations: Dorchester, Dubai, Emirate, Islam, United Arab Emirates, UAE, East, North Africa, Tel Aviv, Tala, Manama's, Bahrain, Beirut, Giza, Cairo, Ossiano, Atlantis, BOBY, Africa, Emirates, Swedish, Dubai’s, Paris, London , New York, French

Tina Kotek urged lawmakers to concentrate on the most state's most pressing issues. “My number-one focus for the legislative session is to put as much as possible into the effort to improve housing production in the state,” Kotek said. Kotek's roughly $500 million housing package this session also would include $20 million in grants she described as “climate-friendly” incentives. Wagner said he spent the interim period between sessions traveling across the state to visit Republican senators in their home districts and described having “good and open conversations” with Knopp. “Let’s focus on housing, let’s focus on behavioral health, let’s focus on summer learning,” Kotek said.

Persons: Tina Kotek, ” Kotek, Kotek, decriminalizing, “, ”, Jeff Helfrich, Tim Knopp, Rob Wagner, Wagner Organizations: Republican, Democratic Gov, Republicans, GOP, Democratic, Oregon Supreme Locations: SALEM, Ore, Oregon, Knopp

“It just says, ‘test strips for deadly drugs will be exempted from drug paraphernalia,’” Rohrbach said. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesUnder West Virginia law, drug paraphernalia could be hypodermic syringes, needles, capsules, and balloons, among other items. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has described drug test strips as a low-cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses. The proportion of drug overdose deaths involving heroin has declined in recent years. Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues were involved in 76% of all drug overdose deaths occurring in West Virginia in 2021, up from 58% in 2017.

Persons: Jim Justice, Justice hasn't, we’ve, Matthew Rohrbach, Rohrbach, ” Rohrbach Organizations: Republican Gov, Justice, Republican, West, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, CDC, White, National Drug Control Locations: CHARLESTON, W.Va, West Virginia, U.S, Carfentanil

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Democratic lawmakers in Oregon on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has soured on the measure amid rampant public drug use during the fentanyl crisis. It also aims to make it easier to prosecute dealers, to access addiction treatment medication, and to obtain and keep housing without facing discrimination for using that medication. The Legislature adjourned over the summer, but concern over the state's drug crisis led Democrats to launch the committee in between sessions. Measure 110 directed the state’s cannabis tax revenue toward drug addiction treatment while decriminalizing “personal use” amounts of illicit drugs. Those arrested for small amounts would be referred by police to a peer support specialist to schedule an assessment or intervention.

Persons: “, Sen, Kate Lieber, Lieber, decriminalizing, “ We're, ″ Lieber Organizations: — Democratic, Portland Democrat, Associated Press, Voters, Democratic Locations: SALEM, Ore, Oregon, Portland

☆ Why No One Goes Out to Eat in D.C. Anymore
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Michael Saltsman | Rebekah Paxton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Wonder Land: Whether it's the migrant crisis, gender identity, shoplifting, student loans or decriminalizing federal laws on cannabis possession, Republican presidential candidates should not stop talking about the culture. Images: Bloomberg News/AFP/Getty Images Composite: Mark KellyWashingtonThe restaurant scene in the District of Columbia is dying, and public policy is to blame. As recently as 2016, the nation’s capital received its first Michelin Guide and accolades from the country’s top food magazines. In 2018 the editor of Bon Appétit declared that Washington was “having a moment,” with some restaurants so popular that patrons would wait an hour to get a bite. Rising crime and last year’s mandated increase in tipped wages have restaurateurs lining up to leave town.

Persons: Mark Kelly Washington, Bon Appétit Organizations: Republican, Bloomberg, Getty, District of Columbia, Michelin, Washington Locations: District

☆ A Labor Strike Over Shoplifting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Wonder Land: Whether it's the migrant crisis, gender identity, shoplifting, student loans or decriminalizing federal laws on cannabis possession, Republican presidential candidates should not stop talking about the culture. Images: Bloomberg News/AFP/Getty Images Composite: Mark KellyUnion walkouts these days are common for pay raises, but get this: Over the weekend hundreds of workers at three Macy’s stores in the Seattle suburbs went on strike to protest rampant shoplifting and risks to employee safety. United Food & Commercial Workers Local 3000 says Macy’s “is not doing enough to address shoplifting, violent shoppers, and other safety threats to workers and customers.” Among other evidence, the union points to an incident involving Liisa Luick , a longtime employee at the Macy’s store some 20 miles north of downtown.

Persons: Mark Kelly, Macy’s “, Liisa Organizations: Republican, Bloomberg, Getty, Mark Kelly Union, United Food & Commercial Workers Locations: Seattle

Possession of under a gram of heroin, for example, is only subject to a ticket and a maximum fine of $100. Some lawmakers have suggested focusing on criminalizing public drug use rather than possession. Backers of Oregon’s approach say decriminalization isn’t necessarily to blame, as many other states with stricter drug laws have also reported increases in fentanyl deaths. Despite public perception, the law has made some progress by directing $265 million dollars of cannabis tax revenue toward standing up the state’s new addiction treatment infrastructure. Horvick, the pollster, said public support for expanding treatment remains high despite pushback against the law.

Persons: — Oregon's, ”, John Horvick, Sen, Kate Lieber, Tina Kotek, Kotek, Jason Edmiston, Alex Kreit, Lily Morgan, Heather Jefferis, ” Lieber, “, Geoff Mulvihill, ___ Claire Rush Organizations: DHM Research, Democratic, Democratic Gov, Republican, Survey, Northern Kentucky University, Addiction Law, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Health, Networks, Oregon Council, Behavioral Health, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: PORTLAND, Oregon, Portland, Hermiston, California, Washington, U.S, Portugal, Philadelphia

Law enforcement officials came across a staggering find after being tipped off about possible drug-dealing: dozens of dog-food-size bags of psychedelic mushrooms worth an estimated $8.5 million at a home in rural Connecticut. About 20 other states have active legislation on changing laws on psychedelic drugs, according to Psychedelic Alpha, a group that tracks such legislation. Contact information for him could not be found in public records, and court records did not list a lawyer for him. Two years later, Colorado voters passed a ballot measure to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms and to create state-regulated centers where participants can experience the drug under supervision. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have decriminalized the possession and personal use of several hallucinogens, including psychedelic mushrooms, saying the state first needed regulated guidelines.

Persons: “, Gavin Newsom Organizations: Alpha, Authorities, Burlington, State, Food and Drug Administration Locations: Connecticut, Burlington, Hartford, U.S, Federal, New Britain, Oregon, Colorado, California

☆ Kari Lake Quits Stopping the Steal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Mark Kelly Three, Donald Trump, Kari Lake, Lake, year’s Organizations: Republican, Bloomberg, Getty, Arizona’s U.S, Senate

☆ What Thailand's new coalition government means for the cannabis market
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Nyshka Chandran | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

In June 2022, the Southeast Asian nation became the first in Asia to decriminalize the cannabis plant, allowing it to be grown and consumed freely. Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai party and one of Srettha's coalition partners, was a key figure responsible for legalizing recreational cannabis. Currently, many outlets claim to be medical cannabis platforms but they often prioritize profits rather than patient health, a number of clinics told CNBC. "This could foster a more positive perception of the cannabis industry among the public, and for the industry to sustain in the long run," Jintana said. "The prospect of exporting cannabis products to legal foreign markets aligns with Thailand's medical hub policy propelling both medicinal cannabis and other traditional herbs to the forefront," said Jintana.

Persons: Dimas Ardian, that's, Srettha Thavisin, Soratat, Srettha, hasn't, Soratat Pongsangiam, Sornkanok, Anutin Charnvirakul, Anutin, Jintana Manorompatrasal, Jintana, May's Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Greenhead, Reuters, Greenhead Clinic, Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, Deputy, CNBC, Sawasdee Clinic Locations: San, Bangkok, Thailand, Asia, Phuket, U.S

☆ Thomas Sowell on the Trouble With ‘Social Justice’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Jason L. Riley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Wonder Land: Whether it's the migrant crisis, gender identity, shoplifting, student loans or decriminalizing federal laws on cannabis possession, Republican presidential candidates should not stop talking about the culture. Images: Bloomberg News/AFP/Getty Images Composite: Mark KellyThomas Sowell is best known for his insights on racial controversies, but race isn’t the main topic of most of his books in a career that spans more than six decades. Mr. Sowell, 93, is an economist who earned a doctorate from the University of Chicago, where his professors included Milton Friedman , Friedrich Hayek and other future Nobel laureates. His specialty is the history of ideas, and his most recent book, “Social Justice Fallacies,” harks back to his writings on social theory and intellectual history, which include “Knowledge and Decisions” (1980), “The Vision of the Anointed” (1996) and “The Quest for Cosmic Justice” (1999).

Persons: Mark Kelly Thomas Sowell, Sowell, Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, ”, Justice ” Organizations: Republican, Bloomberg, Getty, University of Chicago, Justice

☆ Wallet, Keys, Cellphone . . . Narcan?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Mark Kelly Organizations: Republican, Bloomberg, Getty, PSA Locations: New York

☆ Why Thailand's having second thoughts about decriminalizing cannabis
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Little more than a year after cannabis decriminalization, following an election that saw a more conservative coalition government come into power, there are signs Thailand’s laws on cannabis could be rewritten once again. Most cannabis dispensaries like his he says, have been responsible and diligent from the start in checking buyers’ IDs and educating customers about cannabis rules. “Thousands of cafes, stores, and other cannabis businesses have sprouted and hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent by tourists in a short amount of time,” Zaytsev said. The debate comes just as the quality of domestically produced cannabis in the country was improving, she added. “The quality of Thai cannabis has gotten better and better.

Persons: “, ” Iemvijan, –, Nitikrist Attakrist, ” Attakrist, Chiang Mai, Srettha Thavisin, ” Thavisin, Iemvijan, Cannabis, ”, Wisawa Mcintyre, Anutin Charnvirakul, Athit Perawongmetha, hasn’t, Ley Singdam, Ley, ” Ley, Kitty Chopaka, Chopaka, Michael Zaytsev, LIM, ” Zaytsev, Gloria Lai, ” Lai, ” “, Thavisin, Manan Vatsyayana Organizations: CNN, Thai, Bloomberg, Thailand’s Public, Thai Health, Staff, Reuters Observers, ” Farmers, Thais, International Drug Policy Consortium, Bhumjaithai Party, Getty Locations: Thai, Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, San, Thonglor, Phuket, ‘, ”, Athit, New York, Asia, Singapore, Indonesia, AFP

The Supreme Court last week voted against establishing a cut-off date for new reservations on lands Indigenous people did not live on by Oct. 5, 1988 when the Constitution was enacted. The offensive could deepen a divide between a conservative-led Congress and a Supreme Court that many lawmakers criticize for judicial over-reach. Across Brazil, Indigenous communities claim land that farmers have settled and developed, in some cases for decades. "If the government wants to demarcate (Indigenous lands), it must know that it will have to pay," he said. The farm lobby is confident it can muster the votes for the legislation it seeks.

Persons: Agriculture Pedro Lupion, Adriano Machado, Pedro Lupion, Marcos Rogerio, Lupion, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Anthony Boadle, Barbara Lewis, Grant McCool Organizations: Front, Agriculture, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Justice Committee, Supreme, Indigenous Peoples, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, Rights BRASILIA

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s top court opened a session Friday that will decide whether abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy will be decriminalized nationwide. He then said he opposes abortion although he believes women should be allowed the choice as a matter of public health. The girl, who was 10 when she was raped, was in her 29th week when the abortion was finally carried out. The survey of 2,002 Brazilian women found higher rates of abortion among those with less education and income. Wealthier Brazilian women for many years travelled to the United States or Europe to get abortions without facing risks and legal obstacles they find at home.

Persons: —, Rosa Weber, Weber, ” Weber, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Debora Organizations: SAO PAULO, Brown University Locations: Santa Catarina, Brazil, United States, Europe, Argentina

☆ It costs up to $3,400 to experience magic mushrooms at the first legal psilocybin center – and thousands want to take a trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

America's first licensed psilocybin service center opened in Oregon this June. AdvertisementAdvertisementMore than 3,000 people are on the waitlist for America's first legal psilocybin service center, according to The Associated Press. EPIC Healing Eugene in Eugene, Oregon opened in June offering patients over the age of 21 a six-hour guided experience with the psychedelic drug, better known as magic mushrooms. A mushroom sculpture at EPIC Healing Eugene. The Oregon Psilocybin Services, charged with regulating the state's industry, says it has received "hundreds of thousands of inquiries from all over the world," per ABC News.

Persons: America's, Cathy Rosewell Jonas, EPIC Healing Eugene, Jenny Kane Organizations: Associated Press, EPIC, EPIC Healing, ABC, Food and Drug Administration Locations: Oregon, Eugene , Oregon, Colorado, New York, Washington

☆ The Census Exposes Bidenomics
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Mark Kelly You Organizations: Republican, Bloomberg, Getty, Biden White House, Census Bureau

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican Supreme Court ruling that invalidated all federal criminal penalties for abortion continued a regional trend of widening access to the procedure, but left in place a patchwork of varying state restrictions. Political Cartoons on World Leaders View All 226 ImagesPolitical Cartoons View All 1146 ImagesSome 20 Mexican states, however, still criminalize abortion. Those laws were not affected by the Supreme Court ruling, but abortion rights advocates will likely ask state judges to follow its logic. Abortion-rights activists will have to continue seeking legalization state by state, though Wednesday's decision should make that easier. Some American women were already seeking help from Mexican abortion rights activists to obtain pills used to end pregnancies.

Persons: Sen, Olga Sánchez Cordero, Irma Barrientos, We’re, ” Barrientos, “, we’re, Fernanda Díaz de, de León, Díaz de León, León, Roe, Wade, Marina Reyna, ”, Geoff Mulvihill Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Court, Group, National Institute for Women, Twitter, Civil Association for, U.S, Supreme, Observers, Guerrero, Women, Associated Locations: MEXICO, “, United States, Mexico, Aguascalientes, America, Mexico City, Argentina, Colombia, Guerrero, Cherry Hill , New Jersey

☆ Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalizes abortion nationwide
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Mexico's Supreme Court decriminalized abortion nationwide Wednesday, two years after ruling that abortion was not a crime in one northern state. That earlier ruling had set off a grinding process of decriminalizing abortion state by state. Mexico City was the first Mexican jurisdiction to decriminalize abortion 15 years ago. The impact also means that the federal public health service and any federal health institution must offer abortion to anyone who requests it, GIRE said. The court ordered that the crime of abortion be removed from the federal penal code.

Persons: GIRE Organizations: Mexico's, Group Locations: Mexico City, Mexico, Aguascalientes, America, United States

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Supreme Court threw out all federal criminal penalties for abortion Wednesday, ruling that national laws prohibiting the procedure are unconstitutional and violate women’s rights in a sweeping decision that extended Latin American’s trend of widening abortion access. Some 20 Mexican states, however, still criminalize abortion. After 40 years, the Supreme Court reversed its abortion decision, and we’re not going to stop until Mexico guarantees the right to life from the moment of conception." Some American women were already seeking help from Mexican abortion rights activists to obtain pills used to end pregnancies. Her state decriminalized abortion last year, but there are 22 open investigations against women accused of ending their pregnancies.

Persons: —, “, Sen, Olga Sánchez Cordero, Irma Barrientos, We’re, ” Barrientos, we’re, Fernanda Díaz de, de León, Díaz de León, León, Roe, Wade, Marina Reyna, ”, Geoff Mulvihill Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Group, National Institute for Women, Twitter, Civil Association for, U.S, Supreme, Observers, Guerrero, Women, Associated Locations: MEXICO, “, United States, Mexico, Aguascalientes, America, Mexico City, Argentina, Colombia, Guerrero, Cherry Hill , New Jersey

The California bill would make gender affirmation one factor among many that courts already have to consider in custody proceedings, including whether a parent has been abusive and how much contact the child has with the parents. The bill would not require judges to prioritize whether a parent affirms their child's gender identity over other factors. The state Senate passed the resolution, and it now heads to the Assembly. State Sen. Shannon Grove, a Republican from Bakersfield, said she didn’t think other states would agree to that. The bipartisan California bill would not legalize the sale of the drugs.

Persons: Democratic Sen, Scott Wiener, they’ve, ” Wiener, ”, Sen, Kelly Seyarto, ” Seyarto, Gavin Newsom, Assemblymember Lori Wilson, Wilson, “, Alexis Sanchez, Sanchez, Newsom, Aisha Wahab, Wiener, State Sen, Shannon Grove, DECRIMINALIZING, it’s, Bill Essayli, Adam Beam, Nguyễn, ___ Sophie Austin, Austin @sophieadanna Organizations: Democratic, Republican, Democratic Gov, Sacramento LGBT Community Center, San Francisco, State, ., Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California, San Francisco, Southern California, U.S, Bakersfield, DECRIMINALIZING PSYCHEDELICS California, . Oregon, Colorado

☆ Decriminalizing Drugs in Seattle
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/seattle-city-council-decriminalizes-drugs-ann-davison-kshama-sawant-4086777a

Persons: Dow Jones, davison Locations: seattle

☆ Fact Check-UN ‘chief’ did not warn Christians to embrace pedophiles or face exclusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A headline claiming that a United Nations official warned Christians to accept “minor-attracted persons” or face exclusion from society misrepresents a report by the UN’s independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal-Borloz. Madrigal-Borloz, a Costa Rican jurist who has served as the UN Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity since 2018 (here), did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The report does not mention the terms “MAPs,” “minor-attracted persons,” or “pedophiles.” Nor did Madrigal-Borloz’s remarks to the Council include the statement attributed to him. Reuters has previously addressed false claims linking pedophilia to the LGBTQ community (here) as well as false claims that the UN and other organizations endorsed pedophilia or decriminalizing sex with minors (here), (here ) and (here ). Reuters has previously addressed false claims by this website (here), (here), (here).

Persons: Victor Madrigal, Madrigal, Borloz, Borloz’s, ”, Read Organizations: United Nations, Reuters, UN, UN Human Rights Locations: Costa Rican

Search resuls for: "decriminalizing"

25 mentions found