Filed under: Weekly Burn
FEARMONGER OF THE WEEK GOES TO: The UK Telegraph’s Gummy Bear Panic
This week’s winner in fear-based cannabis journalism goes to The Telegraph, which published a hand-wringing warning about the supposed cardiovascular dangers of THC-infused gummy bears. The article, wrapped in alarmist language and sensational stats, claimed the sweets were linked to anxiety, heart disease, and even strokes.
No new study was cited. Just a repackaging of older data, cherry-picked to feed UK regulators and pearl-clutching politicians.
This isn’t new. The UK press has a history of turning cannabis into tabloid horror, especially when edibles are involved. The panic button gets slammed any time cannabis looks like candy. But gummies aren’t the problem. Overdose risk comes from prohibition-driven ignorance, not flavor or shape.
If the UK spent half as much time on public education as it does on reefer hysteria, perhaps it wouldn’t be lagging behind nearly every other Western democracy.
CHECK OUT OUR COVERAGE: – Scare Bears: Fear & Chewing in the UK
SHIT SHOW OF THE WEEK: Illinois and Texas Expunge and Expand (Sort Of)
It was a tale of two headlines this week, one red, one blue, both messy.
On June 21, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 46, expanding the state’s ultra-limited medical cannabis program. New qualifying conditions now include chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, and traumatic brain injury. The law also raises THC dosage limits and allows for new delivery formats like inhalers and vapor.
The number of licensed dispensaries will jump from three to fifteen, and satellite locations will now be allowed.
Then, two days later, Abbott vetoed SB 3, a proposed ban on all hemp-derived THC products like Delta-8 and THC-A. The veto preserved the state’s $1.9 billion hemp economy and avoided destroying over 50,000 small business jobs. Abbott called for a special session in July to explore stricter regulation without a total ban.
So Texas legalized more access, blocked a ban, and punted everything else.
Meanwhile, in Illinois, the state has already cleared 492,129 cannabis-related arrest records, over four years ahead of its mandated 2025 deadline. The expungements cover non-violent offenses from 2013 to 2019, largely benefiting people impacted by the pre-legalization war on weed.
In other words, while Texas figures out how not to trip over itself, Illinois quietly delivered the biggest cannabis record-clearing in U.S. history. Grade accordingly.
You Can Read More About Texas Here
STONER ODDITY OF THE WEEK: Thailand Rolls Back Legal Weed
In 2022, Thailand made global headlines for becoming the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis. That party is officially over.
This week, the government announced new restrictions that effectively recriminalize most of the weed market. Under new rules, buds are reclassified as controlled herbs. Anyone who wants to sell them needs a medical license. Vending machines and online cannabis shops are now illegal.
Violators face serious jail time or fines. It’s a total reversal from a government that once handed out free plants and encouraged home growing.
This is what happens when cannabis reform isn’t locked in by law. A few elections, a little backlash, and a billion-dollar market get pulled out of the market overnight.
POLICY SPOTLIGHT: Chicago Says ‘No’ to Weed Smell Searches
The Chicago Police Department just agreed to stop searching vehicles based solely on the smell of raw cannabis. After facing public pressure and legal challenges, CPD officers will now need additional evidence to justify probable cause.
This change aligns with the legal logic of Illinois’ adult-use cannabis law, which doesn’t criminalize possession under 30 grams. And it addresses the uncomfortable truth that odor-based searches disproportionately targeted Black drivers across the city.
Starting next month, CPD will retrain officers on the difference between the scent of raw versus burnt cannabis, and vehicle stops will be documented for compliance.
FINAL GRADE FOR THE WEEK: B
Texas expands, Illinois expunges, Chicago reforms, and Thailand implodes. The UK loses its mind over gummies, and for once, nobody died eating them. The week was heavy on reversals, light on progress, but not without its moments.
© 2025 Pot Culture Magazine. All rights reserved. This content is the exclusive property of Pot Culture Magazine and may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher, except for brief quotations in critical reviews.
Discover more from POT CULTURE MAGAZINE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Leave a comment