Texas to Expand Cannabis for Chronic Pain

Texas State legislators are moving ahead with a bill that will expand the conditions eligible for the state’s medical marijuana program, including chronic pain, and will allow for vaporized and aerosol products to be sold by prescription.
Patients who will be eligible under the chronic pain designation are most likely those who are already prescribed an opiate for it.
The Texas medical program can currently only sell gummies, lozenges, topicals, beverages, and tinctures, as smoking or vaping products have not been approved.
READ MORE

The Connecticut House of Representatives and Senate have passed House Bill 6863, which implements key reforms to the state’s workers’ compensation system.
A recent state Supreme Court ruling in Gardener v. DMHAS would have allowed certain disability payments to continue beyond their intended limits, resulting in a projected 235% increase in workers’ compensation insurance rates.
The critical provisions passed in House Bill 6863 clarify and reinforce the state’s compensation practices.
The changes included in this bill were a top priority of businesses, municipalities, and the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
READ MORE

The Mine Safety and Health Administration said that in the six months to April 2023, violations were likely to result in a serious injury or illness.
The agency’s new Informational Alert evaluated some 44,000 violations from Oct. 1 to April 1 to determine standing as significant and substantial.
More than 8,200, or 18.8%, of the violations earned the designation.
In the six-month period, the mining industry logged more than 2,200 injuries, including 14 deaths.
For the remaining injuries, 1,523 were non-fatal and resulted in days lost or restricted duty, 27 resulted in a permanent disability, and 637 resulted in no days lost or restricted duty.
READ MORE