This week’s newsletter covers a federal cannabis seed ban threatening to push genetics underground, the science of terpenes activating cannabinoid receptors, psychedelics and elite capitalism, safety concerns in the mushroom edibles market, and new research on cannabinoids for skin diseases and prostate cancer.
Noteworthy Read
New U.S. Federal Ban on Most Cannabis Seeds (The Guardian)
Growers and industry experts warn that a new U.S. federal ban on most cannabis seeds, tucked into the December 2025 spending bill, could dismantle the legal seed market by restricting seeds based on the THC levels their plants may produce rather than the seeds’ own content. This change could force cannabis genetics into unregulated underground channels, and could hurt small growers, limit access to medicinal strains, and concentrate market power among a few well-funded companies.
Read more
View more in THC
More Noteworthy Reading
Ego Death for the Rich? Psychedelics & Capitalism (A Quickly Changing Kaleidoscope – Substack)
This essay explores how wealthy Silicon Valley psychonauts are co-opting psychedelic culture while avoiding the political, ethical, and communal dimensions long tied to entheogens—raising questions about whether psychedelics can truly challenge ego and systemic power when used as elite self-optimization tools.
Read more
View more in Psychedelics
Booming Market for Mushroom Edibles Has a Hidden & Potentially Toxic Problem (PsyPost)
A new investigation highlights that many “psychedelic” mushroom edibles contain no psilocybin at all but instead include unlisted psychoactive plants or synthetic compounds. Researchers warn that mislabeled products pose safety risks and complicate public health monitoring.
Read more
View more in Synthetic Cannabinoids
The Psychedelic Informant Pickard (Psychonaut Files – Substack)
This article profiles William Leonard Pickard, one of the most notorious LSD chemists in U.S. history, and delves into the murky legacy of informants, surveillance, and mythology surrounding psychedelic culture and federal drug enforcement.
Read more
View more in Psychedelics
Research Round-Up
Cannabis Terpenes Activate Cannabinoid Receptors (NORML)
A new analysis reports that several common cannabis terpene can act as direct agonists at CB1 and/or CB2 receptors, offering biological support for the “entourage effect” rather than just aroma-based synergy.
Read more
View more in Endocannabinoid System
The Role of Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Skin Diseases (ResearchGate)
This review outlines how cannabinoids regulate inflammation, cell proliferation, barrier function, lipid production, and itch signaling in the skin, highlighting therapeutic potential for a variety of health conditions.
Read more
View more in Endocannabinoid System
CBD’s Effects on the Biology and Epigenetics of Prostate Cancer (UCD Research Repository)
Researchers summarize emerging evidence that cannabidiol influences prostate cancer progression through pathways involving apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, inflammation, and epigenetic regulation.
Read more
View more in CBD
A heartfelt thank you to all of the CBD brands whose generous support makes it possible for Project CBD to bring you the latest plant medicine research and journalism every week — we couldn’t do this work without you.
Be the first to comment