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Law The Cannabis Chronicles - Misc Cannabis News

From The Hill

Here's what the Surgeon General gets wrong about marijuana

Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams sounded the alarm on cannabis.

There is nothing novel or altogether objectionable about the nation’s top public health official speaking out in an effort to discourage cannabis use, especially among young people and other potential higher-risk populations. However, the Surgeon General’s campaign launch emphasized a variety of questionable and inaccurate claims that not only undermine his credibility but also his cause.

For example, in an Aug. 30 tweet, the Surgeon General contended that youth access to cannabis has increased as a result of adult-use legalization laws. But this claim is not accurate. Adolescents self-reported ease of marijuana access has declined in recent years, according to peer-reviewed data.

Teen marijuana use is also falling, including in legal cannabis states. In fact, data published in July in the journal "JAMA Pediatrics" reports, “Consistent with the results of previous researchers, there was no evidence that the legalization of medical marijuana encourages marijuana use among youth. Moreover, … marijuana use among youth may actually decline after legalization for recreational purposes.”

National data compiled by the federal government affirms this. According to an August 2019 report issued by the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, past-year marijuana consumption by those ages 12 to 17 has fallen consistently since 2002, from 15.8 percent to 12.5 percent. Since 2012, when Colorado and Washington became the first states to regulate adult-use access, past-year youth use has fallen eight percent nationwide.

The Surgeon General also trotted out the long debunked "gateway theory" — claiming that marijuana “primes the brain” for “the addiction to other substances.” In fact, as the US National Institute on Drug Abuse acknowledges, “[T]he majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other 'harder' substances.” Furthermore, most people who experiment with cannabis cease their use of it by their late-twenties, typically as they enter the workforce and begin to raise a family.

More notably, several recent studies indicate that cannabis and its compounds may potentially mitigate cravings for other drugs. For instance, a British clinical trial determined that the use of CBD was associated with significant reduction in subjects’ desire to smoke tobacco cigarettes. A 2017 Canadian trial published in the journal "Addictive Behaviors: concluded, “elf-reported intentional use of cannabis ... was associated with subsequent periods of reduced use of crack [cocaine].” And most recently, researchers at The Mount Sinai Health System in New York City concluded that the administration of oral CBD reduces cue-induced cravings and anxiety in subjects with a history of heroin use.

Finally, the Surgeon General suggests that cannabis poses unique, deleterious effects to the developing brain. However, the relevant science on this topic is far from definitive. In fact, a recent meta-analysis on the topic, which reviewed 69 separate studies involving 8,727 subjects, concluded: “Associations between cannabis use and cognitive functioning in cross-sectional studies of adolescents and young adults are small and may be of questionable clinical importance for most individuals. … [R]esults indicate that previous studies of cannabis youth may have overstated the magnitude and persistence of cognitive deficits associated with marijuana use.

Most recently, investigators from Arizona State University and the University of Pittsburgh assessed the impact of adolescent cannabis exposure on brain morphology in adulthood. Researchers tracked differing adolescent use patterns — from no cannabis use (defined as four days of use or less) to heavy use (defined as, on average, 782 days of use) — in a cohort of 1,000 teenage boys. Writing in the current issue of the journal "Drug and Alcohol Dependence," authors reported, “We found no differences in adult brain structure for boys in the different adolescent cannabis trajectory subgroups. Even boys with the highest level of cannabis exposure in adolescence showed subcortical brain volumes and cortical brain volumes and thickness in adulthood that were similar to boys with almost no exposure to cannabis throughout adolescence."

Of course, none of this is intended to opine that cannabis is innocuous or that its use and access among young people shouldn’t be discouraged. But that it what regulations and evidence-based education campaigns are designed to do. And in most cases, they do so effectively.

In the case of tobacco and alcohol, such policies have succeeded in driving down young people’s use of cigarettes and booze to historic lows. These results were not achieved by banning the use of these products for everyone, or by sensationalizing their public health risks, but by better regulating the market and by better educating would-be consumers. Rather than engaging in fear-mongering and the telling of half-truths, the Surgeon General would be far better served advocating that we apply these same tried-and-true tactics to a tightly regulated, adult-use cannabis market.


 
So, Steny Hoyer's district is Greenbelt in the MD suburbs of DC...in Prince George county. PG is predominantly black Americans so perhaps she has a chance in unseating this 80 y.o.

Now, as to her story about being arrested for MJ when in college...and the cop telling her to just be honest and everything will be ok....well, she clearly never has heard the advise of the Pot Brothers at Law! haha




Pro-Legalization Primary Challenger Slams Top Democrat’s Marijuana Opposition

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Mckayla Wilkes is running a primary challenge to unseat the second highest ranking Democrat in the U.S. House, and part of her strategy involves contrasting her bold drug policy reform platform with that of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), who said recently he believes that consuming marijuana “leads to the use of harder, very harmful drugs.”

The candidate spoke to Marijuana Moment in a phone interview about how she has experienced the harms of drug criminalization firsthand, having been arrested for cannabis possession during her time in college. It cost her jobs and contributed to why her agenda goes beyond legalizing cannabis and also includes expunging past convictions.

She’s also calling for decriminalizing possession of all drugs to ensure that addiction is treated as a public health, rather than criminal justice, issue.

Compare that to Hoyer, who just last week told a constituent that he opposes marijuana legalization based on the widely disputed gateway drug theory. While the incumbent congressman supports medical cannabis, he remains out of step with the majority of voters in his party at a time when almost all Democratic presidential candidates are backing broad legalization.

The following interview with Wilkes has been lightly edited for clarity. Meanwhile, Hoyer’s office hasn’t responded to Marijuana Moment’s request for an interview.

Marijuana Moment: Can you tell me generally about your drug reform platform?

Mckayla Wilkes: I absolutely think that marijuana should be federally legal. I also think that we should have the right to grow our own plants. I also support expunging the records of those who are incarcerated for marijuana and those who have marijuana-related charges on their records, as well as investing in communities that the war on drugs has destroyed.

I also support the decriminalization of possession of all drugs in addition to marijuana—psychedelics as well.

MM: You’ve stressed the need to couple legalization with expungements. Why do you feel it’s important?

MW: I think that expungement is important, especially if we’re going to talk about federally legalizing marijuana. Because if it is in fact legal, there should be no reason for it to stay on your record. A lot of the time, it also hinders job acquirement. I also think that jobs should not be able to require drug tests for marijuana. I just think that would be completely absurd, and that has to go hand-in-hand with legalizing it on the federal level.

I chose to incorporate expungement into my policy not only because of my experiences with marijuana but also I believe marijuana is safer than opioids, especially in my district where the opioid crisis is very much real. Maryland has the seventh highest rate of mortality due to drug overdose, according to the CDC.

MM: Do you see cannabis as part of the solution to the opioid crisis as an offramp from drugs like heroin?

MW: Of course, most definitely. That’s something that I’ve thought about. It’s something I believe to be true as well.

MM: You’ve been candid about your experience facing a marijuana possession arrest. Can you walk me through what happened?

MW: I think I was about 21 or 22 years old. I was coming from a family member’s house. We had finished smoking. I drove in my car to go home from my cousin’s house a little bit later and I was pulled over by the police. One of my headlights were out or something like that. The officer pulled me over and claimed that he smelled an odor and he asked me if I had anything in the car.

Of course I was honest. I told him that I did in fact have marijuana in the car. He assured me that I wouldn’t be in trouble as long as I was honest, as long as I showed him where it was. I showed where it was and gave it to him and I explained that I had class the next morning because I was a college student. He told me to get out of the car, he searched me, he asked if that’s all I had. I was honest with him like he asked me to be and he arrested me, put in my handcuffs and told me I was being detained for possession of marijuana.

MM: How did that make you feel?

MW: I made me feel like I was a criminal and that was one of the first instances that I had with a police officer that made me not trust the police because here I am, clearly I’m not a bad person, I’m telling him I have class tomorrow and even showed him my books.

He didn’t care about any of that and I ended up being detained for about 12 to 13 hours in a cell with about 12 to 15 other women. Some of us were on the floor. There was one toilet inside of the cell, where if you had to use the bathroom, you had to use the bathroom in front of everyone else. That’s pretty much what they did to me. I went to court for it. They didn’t convict me of it. They put the case on what’s called a Stet docket on the condition that I completed a drug rehabilitation program for people who did drugs.

I felt completely out of place because to me it’s not a drug, it’s natural.

It was just absurd to me, and it’s something I still have to answer for to this day. I’m a government contractor so if I go to a new job and I have a security clearance to make, they always ask me about this. It’s another reason I support the expungement of records because of instances like that. I’ve been turned down for jobs for this reason, which shouldn’t be the case.

MM: When you talk to voters about your drug policy proposals, what kind of reaction do you get?

MW: I get a lot of positive feedback, even from people who have never smoked marijuana a day in their life. People are agreeing, like why is this illegal?

I haven’t met one person who doesn’t support legalizing marijuana—besides Steny Hoyer. To me, it’s no surprise. I mean he takes a lot of money from Big Pharma and you think about the impact that the legalization of marijuana will have on the opiate industry and the pharmaceutical industry, of course he’s not going to support that.

If you look at all of the things that marijuana does, it’s extraordinary. There’s evidence of it treating nausea, anxiety, depression—so many other things. I myself suffer from insomnia and can’t really sleep and I would much rather smoke a joint to go to sleep than to take any kind of medication. I have a lot of friends that have died from prescription drug abuse. It’s something that needs to be taken seriously. It shouldn’t be taken lightly.

And quite frankly, I’m disappointed in the majority leader for calling it a gateway drug, which is an absolute lie.

MM: How much do you think Hoyer’s opposition to legalization will impact his campaign?

MW: I think it’s going to impact his campaign quite negatively. I was actually surprised that he was bold enough to actually say that, but that just goes to show how safe he feels. He’s bold in the fact that he feels secure that his seat is safe, that he won’t be in jeopardy of losing it, that he won’t be in jeopardy of being primaried.

[Legalization is] something that even people who support Hoyer would see and look at him differently. There’s so many people who agree with the federal legalization of marijuana. If you look at the war on drugs and you look at how many people are incarcerated for this—people are still incarcerated for the possession of marijuana while it’s being spoken about being legalized. That is a huge issue. Why are we still on the wrong history when it comes to this?

MM: Any thoughts on former Vice President Joe Biden and the role his opposition to broad reform will play out in the Democratic presidential primary?

MW: Oh, Joe. I don’t know if Joe Biden is purposefully trying to throw out the race or he actually believes in the crap that he says. Sometimes I have to think to myself, “wow did he really say that? Did he mean that?”

That’s pretty much my stance on Joe Biden. It’s Joe being Joe. I don’t support him, I’m Bernie all the way.

MM: Speaking of Sanders, what do you make of him recently stating that he’s not yet willing to embrace decriminalizing possession of all drugs, as you’re advocating for?

MW: I’m not really sure where Bernie Sanders is coming from with that. I will say that’s one thing that’s disappointing, but I’m hoping he will lean more left on that issue.

I think it’s important to decriminalize possession of all drugs because we have to look at substance abuse aside from marijuana. When you see people come into the criminal justice system and you see that they have multiple offenses of drug possession, whether it be heroin or prescription drugs or crack cocaine or PCP, prison is not going to rehabilitate them. These are instances where people need help. You can lock someone up who is addicted to cocaine, you can put him in jail for five years, but if they don’t get the treatment they need, they’re going to go get high again.

A lot of time that causes overdose as well because you spent this whole time not doing what you usually do and you get out and just want to chase that high. It goes to the fact that we need rehabilitation versus exploiting these people who have these issues, and that’s why the decriminalization of all drugs has to come into legislation and needs to be enacted because it’s going to help our communities and help people. We have to tackle that as well.

Fingers crossed that Bernie will see the light on that issue.

MM: You mentioned psychedelics earlier. Is that another issue you’re exploring?

MW: It’s something I’m interested in. I’m still doing a little bit of research. I have talked to a few people about how it’s proven to help people who suffer from PTSD and it’s something that I think we should invest in researching. I think that administered under the right care with the right dosage could be helpful versus just shoving prescription pills down our throats every chance they get.





 
President Trump Reiterates His Administration Will Let States Legalize Marijuana

President Donald Trump again said that his administration is allowing states to set their own marijuana policies.

At a press briefing on Friday, the president was asked by DC Examiner reporter Steven Nelson whether cannabis would be federally legalized while he was in office.

Nelson referenced studies showing that states with legal marijuana systems experience fewer opioid overdoses.

“We’re going to see what’s going on. It’s a very big subject and right now we are allowing states to make that decision,” Trump said. “A lot of states are making that decision, but we’re allowing states to make that decision.”

The comments come one day after the surgeon general issued a warning against the use of cannabis by adolescents and pregnant women—an advisory that neglected to mention that federal data shows that youth marijuana use has declined since states began enacting legalization laws.

Though this isn’t the first time that Trump has expressed support for a states’ rights approach to marijuana policy, it’s one of the very few times the president has been asked directly to weigh in on the issue.

During his presidential campaign, Trump said that he supports medical cannabis legalization and that broader legalization “should be a state issue, state-by-state.”

In June 2018, the president was asked—again by Nelson—about bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) that would protect states with legal cannabis systems from federal intervention. Trump said that he “really” supports the bill.

“I know exactly what he’s doing,” he said. “We’re looking at it.”

Trump’s attorney general, William Barr, has similarly expressed support for pursuing a legislative fix for conflicting state and federal marijuana laws, testifying at a Senate hearing in April that he would prefer for Congress to pass something like Gardner’s bill instead of maintaining the status quo.

The House passed an amendment to spending legislation in June that would protect all states with legal cannabis programs from federal intervention. But in the Senate, the fate of that measure—or other marijuana legislation such as Gardner’s bill—remains murky.

“The reiteration of a non-enforcement policy from the president is a clear sign that states should continue to defy the federal government when it comes to marijuana prohibition,” Justin Strekal, political director for NORML, told Marijuana Moment. “Congress should swiftly move pending legislation when it returns from the August recess to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and provide the legal relief needed to those individuals and businesses who are struggling under our nations cruel policy of criminalization.”

I wish I could trust them not to screw it up on purpose....
 
Re: Sanders and general liberalization of drug laws:

We should keep in mind that ‘the Left’ such as it is (‘even the most conservative D’) has been HAMMERED relentlessly os “soft on drugs, soft on crime”, and those who actually held genuine liberal positions got hammered (and marginalized) the worst and the longest. This has created some hardened positions among those who’ve been catching flak the longest.

Just like Obama didn’t campaign on reparations, just like positions on women’s health, ‘gay marriage’, etc had to ”evolve” as part of the national conversation, Sanders isn’t going to campaign for a general drug amnesty: the country is going to have to drag him to it, he’s not going to hang his value to the nation on that one nail during the campaign, nor will he address it during the first 100 days.

(“Criswell Predicts!”)
 
US and Canada cannabis market set to be worth over $47.3 billion by 2024

North America’s legal cannabis industry could be worth more than $47.3 (€43.23~) billion annually by 2024.
The North American Cannabis Report finds that despite Canada becoming the first G7 country to legalise adult-use cannabis, US cannabis market growth will greatly exceed its North American neighbour. Currently the most profitable industry in the world, the US, is expected to enjoy triple-digit growth by 2024, despite not having legalised cannabis on a federal scale.

The cannabis market report, published by Prohibition Partners, includes detailed market value forecasts, regulatory timeline analysis, consumption data, healthcare analyses and commercial opportunities across North America.

The report
The report found that although the US is currently the most profitable cannabis industry in the world, the model is imperfect. The lack of legislative clarity at the federal level is disrupting a market that could be worth $44 (€40.20~) billion within the next five years

It also showed that in the US, medicinal cannabis is legal in 33 states, while adult-use cannabis is legal in 11 (and Washington DC). In the near-term, data suggests that value sales of medicinal cannabis will dwarf the recreational market, although this will fall to just over half of value sales by 2024.

Conflicting adult-use laws in the US are sending business out of state and regulators are keen to protect tax revenue are accelerating legislative change. As western countries experience a long-term decline in smoking and stagnation in alcohol consumption, big tobacco and drinks businesses are looking to boost growth by investing in the sector as exemplified by deals from Constellation Brands and Altria.

Other key findings in the cannabis market report showed that the North American cannabis consumer goods market is the most advanced in the world and 2019/20 will see an unprecedented expansion of CBD lifestyle products. Also, as European countries such as Luxembourg look set to legalise adult-use cannabis, North American brands are best-placed to take advantage of the potential of the untapped European market.

The cannabis market
Ahead of the launch of the report, Daragh Anglim, Managing Director at Prohibition Partners, said: “Although North America’s legal cannabis industry could be worth more than $47.3 billion within the next five years, the true value of the cannabis market is likely to be much larger than current estimates. This is because, contrary to the hopes of regulators, legalisation is unlikely to eradicate black market sales, particularly in Canada.

“In the US, the model is imperfect. The legal disconnect between federal and state, and between states themselves, presents significant challenges for businesses looking to mature a market with significant potential. Moreover, conflicting adult-use laws in the US are forcing businesses to move to neighbouring states. On a positive note this is fuelling momentum behind legislation as state regulators look to generate and protect tax revenues

“From an international perspective, in many ways the regulatory frameworks across Europe mirror the patchwork of legislation across the US. Europe, and indeed the world, will continue to monitor developments in North America closely”.
 
Well, yes.....but some of these medical programs are truly Potemkin Village illusions of a program meant to cover politician's asses and no more.

I offer Virginia as an example.


Only 3 U.S. States have no medical marijuana

For all cannabis legalization’s progress, and all the excitement drug-policy reform and a booming CBD and cannabis market make, much of the United States remains outwardly hostile to marijuana — in some cases, outwardly so.

Against this backdrop, a few states stand out for soldiering on with the drug war.

In Mississippi, where CBD oil was legal even prior to the Farm Bill-sparked CBD craze, an Oregon man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for simple possession — a draconian punishment that was, in fact, a re-negotiated sentence that was meant to be kind. And in Oklahoma, which may be the most marijuana entrepreneur-friendly state in the country, a shipment of what was supposedly hemp was seized by authorities, who as of earlier this month remained hellbent on proving that what Mitch McConnell said was a legal commodity is grounds for imprisonment. With some notable exceptions, the entire American South has been a last bastion of cannabis prohibition and the drug war status quo.

But these are not the worst offenders. These are not quite as bad as Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota. In these three states, there is no medical marijuana access of any kind. Outliers, last redoubts of a failed idea, clinging desperately to a lost cause, these are the only three states in the Union with no cannabis reform laws on the books at all, according to NORML.

What “progress” there is here borders on an ironic joke. About the best there is to report from any of these legal cannabis-free zones is what the. Marijuana Policy Project called the “most restrictive and limited of any state law that acknowledges some form of cannabis’s medical value.” A 2017 law that says South Dakota residents can access CBD-only oil, but only if and when CBD products receive official federal Food and Drug Administration approval, a process that is likely to take years.

The good news is that all three states allow for citizen-driven ballot initiatives. And activists in all three states are trying to put substantive medical cannabis measures on the 2020 ballot. But even if they succeed, access could be years away and, in the meantime, state residents must contend with some of the country’s strictest possession laws.

Idaho

Idaho is in the West, where legal cannabis made its first and most lasting stand. Idaho also abuts several legal states. Ad Idaho, stubborn and obstinate, refuses to play the game and, in fact, joins states like California and Colorado in openly flouting federal law, but in favor of making cannabis more illegal than even the Controlled Substances Act calls for.

Simple possession of 3 ounces or less is a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine or a year in jail; more than 3 ounces is a felony. If you’re growing at home, as you can do across the border in Washington, you’re playing with a felony charge punishable by up to 15 years in prison, if authorities argue the cultivation is for sale.
Idaho is also where state police decided that the Farm Bill signed into law by Donald Trump last December doesn’t apply. Though federal law now says that cannabis sativa with 0.3 percent of less of THC is hemp and legal to possess, Idaho state law declares THC of any amount verboten and so hemp shipments here are subject to seizure, in open defiance of federal authorities who insist that hemp is OK.

After yet another session in the state Legislature ended with no reform, activists will try for the 2020 ballot. If they can collect 55,000 signatures from registered voters by the end of April 2020, voters will have the chance to bring the state “up to speed with states like Oklahoma, Arkansas, and West Virginia,” as campaign spokesman Bill Esbensen recently told reporters. That might not seem like much of a benchmark — West Virginia’s program is not yet operational and it took Arkansas, governed by a former DEA chief, several years to get a voter-approved measure off the ground — but deliberately comparing Idaho to other conservative states who are far ahead is a wise move.

Nebraska
Of the three medical-less states, Nebraska may offer the safest harbor, but lurking behind every slight crack in the prohibitionist facade is nuclear-level punishment.
The maximum penalty for possessing small amounts of cannabis is $300, though sales of “any amount” can be punished with a mandatory minimum of one year in prison. Possessing cannabis concentrates — like a vape-oil cartridge — can land you in state prison for five years.

That’s all bad. A bill that would legalize medical marijuana stalled out in the state Legislature earlier this year and during debate, a crowd of protesters assembled outside the state house to demand that prohibition be kept in place.

To understand why, perhaps it’s helpful to peek into some Nebraskans’ mindsets. Lincoln resident Margaret Wall described herself to Omaha.com as a “pot refugee,” who specifically moved to Nebraska because it was one of the Last Three states without any marijuana reform laws on the books — and that opposing even a limited medical-cannabis bill is necessary to keep the state from slipping towards legalization. Wall and all of her friends may have to repeat the performance next year if advocates are successful in putting a measure on the ballot.

South Dakota
This may be the final frontier for cannabis reform in America.

It wasn’t always this way: South Dakota actually decriminalized cannabis in 1977, but experienced a severe case of reformers’ remorse and “almost immediately” repealed the law, as the Marijuana Policy Project notes. But in the decades since, South Dakotans have consistently shown they’re not interested: medical-cannabis ballot initiatives were voted down in 2006 and 2010 by increasingly wide margins — the last effort lost by nearly two-to-one — and a proposed initiative last year did not qualify.
It seems likely that cannabis reform here may hinge on federal action in Congress, which shows you how entrenched prohibition remains in the minds and in the law books of a select few Americans.
 
These Congressional Republicans support the cannabis industry

The marijuana legalization movement has a lot of friends in high places these days that were not always there for the cause.
It goes without saying that, despite just how popular cannabis has become over the past few years, it was not always the opinion of those who write our laws in the United States that we should embrace the herb similar to alcohol and tobacco and allow it to become a part of legitimate society.

It was the Democrats that initially took the reins on this issue, fighting for it on Capitol Hill without any success. But them something bizarre started to happen.
Republicans, a group staunchly opposed to legal weed since the dawn of time, started to come out of the pot closet. There are now more Republicans in Congress that support the cannabis movement in one way or another than ever before. The following is a list of those fighting to give the cannabis industry more rights to operate without antiquated federal controls.

Representative Steve Stivers: Republican Representative from Ohio, where medical marijuana is now legal. He is a co-sponsor on a bill designed to give banks permission to do business with the cannabis industry. It is known as the SAFE Banking Act.

Senator Cory Gardner: Republican Senator from Colorado, where marijuana is legal for both medical and recreational use. He supports bringing an end to federal marijuana prohibition and is considered one of the primary voices for the movement on the Hill.

Representative Rodney Davis: Republican Representative from Illinois, where marijuana is legal for both medical and recreational use. In addition to his support for the SAFE Banking Act, he has also cast several votes in favor of giving veterans access to medical marijuana.

Representative Duncan Hunter: Republican Representative from California, where marijuana is entirely legal. He is a co-sponsor on the SAFE Banking Act.

Senator Mitch McConnell: Republican Senator from Kentucky. He hates marijuana (at least for now) but played a huge role in the legalization of industrial hemp production last year, giving the agricultural community, as well as the CBD sector a boost.

Representative Dan Newhouse: Republican Representative from Washington, where marijuana is legal for recreational use. He is a co-sponsor on the SAFE Banking Act and has voted in favor of medical marijuana access for veterans.

Representative David P. Joyce: This Republican Representative from Ohio is the co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, a group pushing for marijuana reform at the national level. He is a supporter of several marijuana legalization efforts, including the SAFE Banking Act and the Marijuana Data Collection Act.

Representative Don Young: Republican Representative from Alaska, where marijuana is legal for recreational use. He recently joined forces with Democrat Tulsi Gabbard to introduce the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019. He is a state’s rights supporter and a co-sponsor on the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Matt Gaetz: Republican Representative from Florida, where medical marijuana is legal. He recently introduced the Medical Cannabis Research Act of 2019 because, he says, “we cannot reform cannabis law without researching its safety, its efficacy, and its medical uses.” He is also a co-sponsor on the SAFE Banking Act.

Senator Kevin Cramer: Republican Senator from North Dakota, where medical marijuana was made legal by way of ballot initiative. He is part of a group working to give marijuana-related businesses access to comprehensive and affordable insurance coverage.

Representative Denver Riggleman: Republican Representative from Virginia, which has a medical marijuana program. He is a supporter of all things medical marijuana and eliminating prosecutions for petty pot offenses. He is also a co-sponsor of both the STATES Act and the SAFE Banking Act.

Senator Lisa Murkowski: Republican Senator from Alaska. She believes states should be permitted to make their own rules when it comes to marijuana, and that financial services should be made available to the cannabis trade. She is presently a co-sponsor of the Secure And Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019.

Representative Mark Amodei: Republican Representative from Nevada, where marijuana is legal for adults 21 and over. He has called out the federal government for accepting tax money from the cannabis industry, all while refusing to legalize. He supports the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Troy Balderson: Republican Representative from Ohio. He is a supporter of medical marijuana. Balderson was part of the “yes” crew that legalized it for therapeutic purposes in his state in 2016. He is presently a co-sponsor for the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Tom McClintock: Republican Representative from California. He is all about keeping the federal government out of state marijuana business. And while he admits that he’s not a big fan of the substance, he doesn’t believe prohibition is working. He has supported medical marijuana legislation and is presently a co-sponsor on the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Chris Collins: Republican Representative from New York, where medical marijuana is legal. Co-sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act.

Senator Rand Paul: Republican Senator from Kentucky. He is a huge supporter of medical marijuana. He has sponsored cannabis legislation from the CARERS Act to the STATES Act. He is also favor of eliminating policies that force pot offenders to be sent to prison.

Representative Gregory Steube: Republican Representative from Florida. He is a supporter of giving veterans access to medical marijuana. In fact, he introduced the Veterans Cannabis Use for Safe Healing Act, earlier this year, aimed at preventing Veterans Affairs from denying patients the use of medicinal cannabis in states where it is legal. He is also a supporter of the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Thomas Massie: Republican Representative from Kentucky, which has a restrictive low-THC medical marijuana program. He is a big supporter of eliminating policies that prevent medical marijuana cardholders from owning guns. Massie has championed legislation to remove the cannabis question on the ATF forms. He is also a co-sponsor on the SAFE Banking Act.

Senator Dan Sullivan: Republican Senator from Alaska. Not always a supporter of marijuana reform, but advocates for state’s rights and cannabis research. He is also a co-sponsor of the Secure And Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019.

Representative Guy Reschenthaler: Republican Representative from Pennsylvania, where medical marijuana is legal. In addition to being a co-sponsor on the SAFE Banking Act, he is also one for the Federal Clean Slate Act, which aims to seal the marijuana convictions of those involved in non-violent crimes.

Representative Fred Upton: Republican Representative from Michigan, where marijuana is completely legal. He has received a B rating from NORML with respect to his position on cannabis. Upton is a supporter of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and co-sponsor of both of the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act and the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Jim Banks: Republican Representative from Indiana, which still locks people up for cannabis crimes. He is a co-sponsor on the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Daniel Meuser: A newbie Republican Representative from Pennsylvania. He believes veterans should have medical marijuana access. He is also a supporter of the SAFE Banking Act.

Senator Andy Barr: Republican Senator from Kentucky. He is pushing for industrial hemp and CBD companies to be given access to financial services.

Representative Kelly Armstrong: Republican Representative from North Dakota. He is a supporter of ending federal marijuana prohibition. Armstrong is a co-sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Bob Gibbs: Republican Representative from Ohio. He has supported widespread medical marijuana legislation in the past, including the dusty CARERS Act. He is currently a co-sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative James Comer: Republican Representative from Kentucky. He is a massive supporter of legalized hemp. He worked closely with Senate Majority Leader itch McConnell to include the legalization of industrial hemp on the 2018 Farm Bill. He also supports allowing cannabis operations to deposit cash, which is just one of the reasons he is presently a co-sponsor of the SAFE Baking Act.

Representative Tom Graves: Republican Representative from Georgia, where low-THC medical marijuana is legal. He is a co-sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act.

Representative Anthony Gonzalez: Newbie Republican Representative from Ohio. He has signed on in support of the SAFE Banking Act.
 
Flying with legal weed: Does TSA care about marijuana?

Ever since states began legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use, there has been the question of whether it can cause a person any trouble to try and smuggle legal weed on a plane. There have been countless reports published on this subject over the past few years, most of which seem to indicate that it is a relatively riskless feat to challenge airport security to sniff out a bag of dope – at least in legal jurisdictions.

Regardless, most folks in possession of marijuana still get pretty nervous during the pre-flight screening process. But is there really any cause for concern?

In Massachusetts, for example, it is now perfectly legal for adults 21 and over to be in possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. A recent report from the Boston Globe indicates that there are no rules at Logan International Airport prohibiting people from bringing weed onto airport property. But since marijuana is still illegal in the eyes of the federal government, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a federal agency, cannot allow anyone to bring weed aboard a plane. Instead, anyone caught with pot is simply referred to the state police. Still, as long as the passenger is at least 21, and the amount they are holding does not exceed the possession limit, the cops have to let them go. What’s more, they cannot seize the weed or paraphernalia.

So now the matter is back in TSA’s court. But the agency still has absolutely no interest in cracking down on people for pot.
“We would not retain drugs in the same way we wouldn’t retain fraudulent IDs or credit cards — we would kick those over to law enforcement,” Mike McCarthy, a spokesman for the TSA, told the Globe. “Our agents do administrative searches, not criminal searches.”

“Our officers are looking for any item that could cause catastrophic harm to the aircraft,” he continued, “but, as part of their duties, if they detect anything that they believe to be illegal, they will refer the passenger and the baggage over to local law enforcement, and it is up to local law enforcement how to respond.”

So if law enforcement in a legal state cannot do anything about marijuana found at an airport and TSA agents are unwilling to deal with it, then is the passenger simply free to board a plane with marijuana after the heat dies down? Probably not. TSA agents would certainly prevent that person from traveling until they have ditched the weed.
A couple of years ago, “amnesty boxes” began to appear in a Colorado airport in an effort to give travelers a chance to dispose of marijuana before entering the security gates. Interestingly, a month after this system was implemented, all of the boxes remained unused – completely empty. Apparently, people would rather risk a slap on the wrist than not travel with marijuana. Either that or they are simply leaving it at home.

So here’s the rub: As long as a traveler is flying out of a legal state, the worst-case scenario is that dealing with police and TSA over the matter could cause them to miss their flight. If the weed happens to be discovered in an area of prohibition, however, that person could be arrested and/or fined.
 
Two Things Happening Right Now That Could Force U.S. Government To End Marijuana Prohibition

Ready or not, marijuana legalization is on the verge of happening nationwide. Or so they say.

Although Congress really hasn’t made much progress on the issue of cannabis reform in the past nine months, some federal lawmakers still insist that the nation is close to tearing down the walls of marijuana prohibition in the United States, potentially before the end of the year.

Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, one of the founders of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, recently told a Portland television station that the stars were aligning on Capitol Hill with respect to legal weed.

The lawmaker is as confident as ever that we still have a fighting chance of seeing it come to pass in 2019.

"We are in really great shape," he told KATU-TV. "We’ve got things keyed up. I think there’s a great chance of doing it this Congress—maybe even this fall—depending on how crazy things get.”

So, smoke 'em if you got em!

From where I am setting, however, it seems highly unlikely that the same grey-haired Congress that hasn't yet managed to pull it together on a simple banking bill is all of a sudden going to rise up and legalize the leaf nationwide as its Christmas gift to the nation.

Sure, the SAFE Banking Act has a heck of a lot of sponsors in the House of Representatives — and more Republican support than you might imagine — but there is still no sign that Senate leadership, a crucial component to all of this bill passing business, is prepared to embrace any pot-related legislation.

As far as we know, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell still isn't willing to make even the slightest move toward legal weed, especially if it means assisting the Democrats in furthering their “socialist” agenda.

In fact, earlier this year, McConnell called himself the “Grim Reaper” when pledging to put a stop to any Democratic proposal that crosses his path. "They won't even be voted on,” he said.

However, McConnell only has so much control.

There have been some wicked, unforeseen developments to fester to the surface of the cannabis scene over the past month or so that could twist the arms of prohibitionist dregs and force old Uncle Sam to throw his hands up with respect to marijuana prohibition and legalize once and for all.

The following are two of the most pressing matters that might give Congress absolutely no choice but to surrender to marijuana legalization in the interest of public health and safety.

Law Enforcement Confusion Over What Is Hemp and What Is Marijuana
Police confused on how to distinguish the difference between hemp and marijuana.

Police confused on how to distinguish the difference between hemp and marijuana.

Getty
When Mitch McConnell made it his mission last year to legalize industrial hemp in the United States for the first time since 1937, he probably didn't think for a second that it was going to inadvertently lead to marijuana legalization. But ending pot prohibition at the federal level might be the only way out of the conundrum that he has created.

You see, law enforcement can’t seem to distinguish between legal hemp and marijuana. After all these decades, the cops still don't have the technology to tell the difference between the two plants.

And that spells trouble.

It is already causing a slew of problems in states like Colorado, Tennessee and Texas. So much, in fact, that some prosecutors are now abandoning pot-related cases simply because they cannot prove whether an alleged offender is mixed up with illegal marijuana manufacturing or if they are simply part of the new legal hemp industry.

Sure, at least one state Attorney General has stepped up and offered to prosecute pot crimes using federal statues for states mixed up in this mess. But how long can such a thing go on?

As more states move to establish their own hemp laws, which is inevitable, the confusion is only going to become more problematic, creating a situation where felonious marijuana-related crimes can no longer be tried fairly in a court of law. And if pot cases can no longer be prosecuted, well, what's the point of it being illegal?

There is none.

Fake Cannabis Vapes Leading To Health Epidemic
Fake vapes could force the federal government to change marijuana laws.

Fake vapes could force the federal government to change marijuana laws.

Getty
People all across the United States are developing potentially life-threatening lung issues as a result of using marijuana vaporizers. There have been hundreds of cases reported nationwide where vape users have been admitted to Intensive Care Units of local hospitals for pneumonia-like respiratory infections.

In some instances, victims have fallen into comas and have needed machines to keep them alive and kicking. At the time that this article was written, there has been at least one death connected to this scourge. This health problem is a direct result of federal cannabis prohibition.

Just like the days when alcohol was outlawed in the United States, back when thousands of people died every year as a result of tainted liquor produced in the underground, black market criminal organizations are counterfeiting popular cannabis brands.

These knock offs are being sold all over the country — even in states where weed is legal – and it could get worse before it gets better.

As I pointed out in my last column for Forbes, as much as 80 percent of all package cannabis vapes are imposters and not to be trusted. Even if a vape product appears to be legit – and many of them do — that doesn't mean that they are fit for human consumption.

The only way to curb (or stop) this sort of thing from happening is to end marijuana prohibition at the federal level and allow weed to be taxed and regulated like tobacco and alcohol. It is conflicting state and federal law that has allowed the black market to swell into the monster that it has become. So, if fake cannabis vapes end up spawning a vicious health epidemic that puts more Americans at risk of life threatening health issues, that might be enough to inspire the federal government to make a change.

Let’s just hope that something happens, though, before more people end up sick or dead.





 

Cannabis: While the US waits, the world opens up


Cannabis legalization is spreading its roots globally. Uruguay was the first country to fully legalize recreational cannabis in 2013. Canada became the second country to legalize marijuana in 2018. Many other countries have followed suit. However, the legality of medical and recreational cannabis varies for different countries. The US still hasn’t made a decision about cannabis legalization.

Thailand promotes medical marijuana products

Last year, Thailand became the first southeast nation to legalize medical cannabis. Thailand is ready to advance its medical marijuana market. According to a Forbes article this week, Thailand removed low-level cannabis and hemp extracts from its list of banned narcotic substances.
As part of the new development plan, Thailand will allow CBD extracts with less than 0.2% THC. Thailand plans to include CBD extracts to make medicine, cosmetics, and food. The country plans to grow its agricultural income through hemp.
Thailand’s medical cannabis market is gaining popularity. On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Southeast Asia’s venture capital firm Expara plans to raise $30 million by December to invest in cannabis-related technology.
Canada on track to lead in the cannabis industry
Canada legalized cannabis in 2018. Now, the country is set for “Cannabis 2.0” next month, which is the legalization of cannabis-infused edibles for recreational use. Stay with us to learn more.
Canada leads the cannabis industry. The country introduced the four major marijuana players that dominate the industry. Canopy Growth (CGC) (WEED) is the largest marijuana company. Constellation Brands (STZ) invested in the company. Canopy Growth generated a 94% increase in recreational dried cannabis sales in the first quarter of 2020. The company also saw a 209% YoY increase in international medical cannabis revenues. Canopy Growth plans to launch new products after Cannabis 2.0 with Martha Stewart. The stock has gained 12% in September.
Aurora Cannabis (ACB) has a strong international presence. The company generated strong revenue growth in the third quarter. Canadian consumer and medical sales rose 37% and 8%, while international sales rose 40%. The company expects to generate net revenues of 100 million Canadian dollars and 107 million Canadian dollars. The company is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter results on September 12. Aurora Cannabis has risen 6.5% in September.
Aphria (APHA), a new entry in the marijuana market, focuses more on medical cannabis. The company did well in the recent quarter. Aphria’s revenues for adult-use marijuana rose 158% YoY. The company also reported a positive EBITDA of 0.209 million Canadian dollars. The stock has risen 9.4% in September.
With Canada hitting the second wave of legalization, the companies are expanding their edible business. The FDA still challenges the use of CBD-based products in the US. The FDA could hinder some of the companies if they plan to launch their products in the US.
What is Mexico’s stance on cannabis?



While Mexico decriminalized the possession of a small amount of marijuana in 2009, it hasn’t fully legalized marijuana. However, the country legalized medicinal marijuana with a THC content of less than 1% in 2017. Mexico could benefit from New Mexico’s medical marijuana program, which focuses on out-of-state patients. Last week, the Boston Globe reported that a new ruling passed in New Mexico allows out-of-state patients to access the program.
Previously, I discussed that Texas has strict marijuana laws. Recreational marijuana is illegal. However, Texas legalized medical marijuana in 2015.
The THC content allowed in medical marijuana is pretty low in Texas. The state only allows less than 0.5% THC with a doctor’s approval. Also, less than 0.3% THC marijuana is allowed without a doctor’s approval. The program could help patients from neighboring states and Mexico. Mexico’s economy could benefit from cannabis legalization since it generates higher tax revenues and employment growth.
New Zealand’s 2020 referendum
The fate of recreational cannabis legalization in New Zealand depends on the referendum next year during its general elections. Recreational marijuana is still illegal in the country. New Zealand considers cannabis to be an illegal drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1975. New Zealanders have an opportunity to vote for cannabis legalization. In order to make the case stronger, a Guardian article stated that the Helen Clark Foundation published a report. Specifically, the report presents a case favoring cannabis legalization.
What about other countries?
The cannabis plant has two components—CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is the psychoactive component that’s responsible for the “high.”
CBD’s benefits are widely known. A Harvard Health Blog in January discussed how CBD helps relieve insomnia, stress, anxiety, and spasticity. CBD also helps treat epilepsy. Medical marijuana is legal in many countries due to its various health benefits. Notably, medical marijuana is legal in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Peru, Poland, and Portugal.
Based on a team of marijuana experts, a Vice article mentioned a few countries that might be next to fully legalize cannabis. The report predicts that Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile will legalize marijuana soon.
Luxembourg also plans to legalize cannabis. Recently, the country’s health minister confirmed the plan. Luxembourg already legalized medicinal cannabis. Possession for recreational use is decriminalized for a small amount.
Where’s the US heading with cannabis legalization?
Currently, medical marijuana is legal in 33 states in the US. In contrast, recreational marijuana is legal in ten states and Washington DC. Marijuana isn’t legal at the federal level. Cannabis is gaining popularity among Americans. A Gallup showed that 86% of Americans support legalizing marijuana due to its health benefits.
Previously, I discussed how marijuana’s popularity and benefits pushed presidential election candidates to support legalization.
Also, I discussed that since cannabis is recession-proof, it can help boost US economic growth. We should also consider how the agriculture industry could benefit from cannabis legalization.
Two drug officials at the White House want more research at the state level to learn about marijuana’s pros and cons before it reaches the federal level. President Trump reiterated his administration’s decision to leave marijuana at the state level. Celebrities endorse making cannabis mainstream. Legalizing marijuana at the federal level could keep illicit and black market deals in check, which would ultimately boost tax revenues. There are a few disadvantages due to certain headwinds.
Considering that other countries are legalizing marijuana, will the US follow suit? Can all of these efforts push the US to step up and legalize cannabis?
Stay with us for the latest updates.
 
"But without a comprehensive understanding of the correlation between that amount and the driver's level of impairment, the device may not be particularly useful to police."

This has been, and remains, the reason why these devices should not be used. They cannot correlate presence of a certain amount of THC detectd in this manner and impact on driving.

Scientists Unveil Weed Breathalyzer, Launching Debate Over Next Steps

starsejdic_wide-1d1aba9dd79079e95fd2d3b4e11886fcfdb05c7d-s800-c85.jpg

University of Pittsburgh researchers Ervin Sejdic and Alexander Star hold up their prototype Breathalyzer-style device for detecting THC — the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana — in a person's breath.

The alcohol Breathalyzer came to life slowly, over the course of decades.


From the 1930s through the 1960s, scientists, lawmakers, police and the public quarreled over the veracity of the numbers spit out by the device, the appropriate legal limit for drivers and whether they could trust a machine over a cop's testimony.


Today, the same debate is playing out over cannabis.


As 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized pot in some form, Breathalyzer-type devices that could theoretically aid police enforcement have begun appearing in various stages of development. But legal experts and scientists say there's a long way to go before those devices can actually detect a driver's impairment.


Scientists Still Seek A Reliable DUI Test For Marijuana
Shots - Health News
Scientists Still Seek A Reliable DUI Test For Marijuana


Last week, a team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh announced the latest tool to detect THC — delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component in pot — in breath.


The university's Star Lab, led by Alexander Star, began developing the box-shaped device in 2016, in the midst of a wave of pot legalization across the United States. Star, a chemistry professor, partnered with Ervin Sejdic, a professor of electrical and computer engineering who's also at the university, to build the prototype.


The device uses carbon nanotubes, which are 1/100,000 the size of human hair, to recognize the presence of THC, even when other substances are in the breath, such as alcohol. The THC molecule binds to the surface of the tubes, altering their electrical properties.


"Nanotechnology sensors can detect THC at levels comparable to or better than mass spectrometry, which is considered the gold standard for THC detection," says the news release from the university's Swanson School of Engineering.




And the device is nearly ready for mass production.


"If we have a suitable industrial partner," Star told Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson, "then the device by itself would be quite ready in a few months."


The remaining steps, he says, include testing the prototype and correlating the device's output to the driver's level of impairment.


With alcohol, you can figure out impairment by measuring the amount of alcohol in someone's blood, which you can determine from a Breathalyzer using the "blood to breath," or "partition," ratio. Make that translation from breath to blood to brain, and you have a relatively accurate sense of how drunk someone is.


"So when it comes to these marijuana breath tests, that's the million-dollar question right now," says Chris Halsor, a Denver lawyer who focuses on issues around legal cannabis.


Is there a ratio that links the amount of THC in someone's breath to the amount in the person's blood — and then to exactly how stoned that person is?


No, says Sejdic. The correlation "is basically missing, from a scientific point of view."


thc_breathalyzer_prototype-647246cd2e16be72764f3993b20352ceeb2eddef-s800-c85.jpg


University of Pittsburgh researchers developed a prototype device that can measure the amount of THC in a person's breath.
Courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh

Sejdic and Star have figured out how to set a threshold on their device to detect only a certain amount of THC, which they say will help avoid flagging pot use from several days prior. But without a comprehensive understanding of the correlation between that amount and the driver's level of impairment, the device may not be particularly useful to police.


On top of that hurdle, there's the legal question of what level is safe for driving, which may be hard to answer. It took American courts several decades to settle on today's blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.08%. States have already set various legal guidelines, though some scientists argue that none of them are backed by hard science.


Halsor, who has taught police about marijuana DUIs for years, says some officers whom he works with are hesitant about the devices. They worry that a cop with less training might use one as a crutch "instead of actually evaluating the individuals and looking at how they're performing physically, mentally and cognitively," Halsor says.


He advocates for a more hands-on approach: training officers to understand and detect marijuana usage without blood or breath tests.


"It's not to say that five years from now we won't have some great device," Halsor says.


Researching Medical Marijuana May Soon Get Easier
Shots - Health News
Researching Medical Marijuana May Soon Get Easier


But, for now, to say that he's skeptical would be an understatement. And he says he's especially concerned about a lack of human testing as a result of federal regulations around cannabis.


Star and Sejdic understand that challenge. They say it took six months to even get started on their research because they had to get permission from the Drug Enforcement Administration to work with THC.


"It's a kind of both ethical and legal issue," Sejdic says. "Given that the marijuana is still a Schedule I substance, it's difficult to actually carry out any research related to this substance."


The breakthroughs that would make this kind of device effective might happen first in Canada, Halsor says. The country's decision to legalize cannabis last year "now opens the door to research being able to be conducted unencumbered," he says.


But the University of Pittsburgh researchers are hopeful that the U.S. might get the ball rolling.


"I think there will be some push even for the federal government to actually allow researchers to look and correlate these levels of smoking and impairment," Sejdic says.


Until the government and the legal system catch up, they say, creating an accurate Breathalyzer-type device itself is the first step toward enforcing those "Drive High, Get A DUI" roadside signs.


https://www.npr.org/2019/09/05/7578...breathalyzer-launching-debate-over-next-steps
 
Researching Medical Marijuana May Soon Get Easier

Researchers hoping to study marijuana for scientific and medical purposes are one step closer to expanding their limited supply of the plant.

This week, the federal government announced it would begin processing dozens of pending applications for permission to cultivate the plant for scientific research.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's decision comes after several years of delay for some applicants and a lawsuit filed against the agency by one cannabis researcher.

"I am pleased that DEA is moving forward with its review of applications for those who seek to grow marijuana legally to support research," said Attorney General William Barr in the statement on Monday.

Barr said the Department of Justice will continue to work to improve research opportunities wherever it can.

Even as many states have legalized marijuana for recreational and medical use, scientists who want to conduct rigorous studies of the plant still have only one place where they can get it: a facility at the University of Mississippi, which contracts with the National Institute on Drug Abuse.


This arrangement, which has existed for more than 50 years, amounts to a "monopoly," says Dr. Sue Sisley who heads the Scottsdale Research Institute in Arizona, which studies cannabis.

"The bottom line is scientists need access to options," says Sisley.

Monday's announcement is a long-awaited follow-up to an earlier policy change. In 2016, the federal government signaled an end to limiting research on cannabis to only one grower when the DEA announced a policy change allowing new cultivators.

More than 30 organizations, including Sisley's, applied for a license to grow cannabis for research purposes. But the agency didn't act on the applications, so earlier this year, Sisley filed a lawsuit in federal court demanding it take action.

The government's latest decision to move forward on the applications arrives just ahead of the court's deadline for the agency to respond to Sisley's lawsuit.

"We're cautiously optimistic," says Matt Zorn, who represents the Scottsdale Research Institute in the lawsuit. "It's a positive first step because we were stuck in a kind of administrative limbo."

Marijuana's status as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, which is reserved for drugs with "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse," has hindered scientific research into its clinical applications.

Zorn calls it a "catch-22."

"On the one hand, you can't do the research with good, high-quality cannabis because it's a Schedule 1 drug. On the other, it's a Schedule 1 because nobody can really do the research," he says.

But how soon aspiring growers will actually get the green light from the agency remains unclear.

In its filing, DEA announced it will be introducing new rules for its program on growing marijuana for scientific and medical research — before deciding on any application.

This additional step has left some advocates for marijuana reform skeptical about whether the DEA's latest decision indicates real progress.

In a blog post on his group's website, NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri says he believes the agency's "foot-dragging will continue."

"For the past three years, the DEA has failed to take any steps to follow through on its promise to facilitate clinical cannabis research," writes Altieri.

Sisley's other attorney, Shane Pennington, says the agency's latest public statements "that it is behind scientific research to get to the bottom of the safety and efficacy of marijuana is a very big deal."

Given the years of delay, Pennington says researchers aren't taking anything for granted yet.

"I have high hopes, but I'll believe it when I see it," he says.

"Since the announcement appears to be in response to pending litigation, it's more likely that they will actually begin to move on this, in response to the pressure from the courts," University of Washington School of Law professor Karen Boxx said via email.

Members of Congress are increasingly taking notice of the DEA's slow progress in bolstering the supply of research-grade marijuana.

In May, a bipartisan group of 30 members of the U.S. House sent a letter to Barr and the DEA's acting administrator, Uttam Dhillon, urging them "to do whatever you can to speed up and improve the research application process" in order to "provide better raw materials for research."

Even if the federal government acts quickly and starts approving applications, Sisley cautions, it could still take several years for operators to begin producing cannabis that is up to research standards.

"We haven't really won anything until scientists are finally utilizing real-world cannabis flower in their clinical trials," she says.

Sisley recently completed a clinical trial, under FDA guidance, testing smoked marijuana as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans.

She says she was disappointed by the cannabis she had to use for the study, which came from the Mississippi facility. She described it as "generic batches of moldy, green powder full of stems, sticks and leaves" — far below the quality of what most people are obtaining from dispensaries.

The results aren't published yet, but Sisley says they are "exactly what you would predict given the poor quality of the cannabis" supplied for the study.

"The scientific community is concerned this is harming our data — our outcomes," says Sisley.
 
These 3 States Will Begin Selling Recreational Pot Fairly Soon

Pardon the cliche, but the marijuana industry is budding before our eyes. Even though cannabis sales have existed behind the scenes for decades, we're beginning to see the impact of how big a legalized marijuana industry could be. Last year, legal global sales sprouted to $10.9 billion, which more than tripled worldwide legal weed revenue from 2014. Looking ahead, sales could quadruple by the time 2024 rolls around.

Although the entire world is an opportunity for the cannabis industry, it's the United States that happens to be the crown jewel. Despite estimates varying wildly on Wall Street, one constant is that the U.S. will run circles around other countries when it comes to total sales.

To date, 33 U.S. states have given the green light for physicians to prescribe medical marijuana to patients for select ailments. Additionally, 11 states have given the all-clear for recreational consumption, with eight states – Washington, Colorado, Oregon, California, Nevada, Massachusetts, Maine, and Alaska -- currently selling adult-use marijuana in licensed retail dispensaries.

What happened with the other three recreationally legal states, you ask? Well, as you're about to read, sales should begin fairly soon.

A tipped-over clear jar packed with cannabis buds that's lying atop a small pile of cash.

View photos
A tipped-over clear jar packed with cannabis buds that's lying atop a small pile of cash.
Image source: Getty Images.

Illinois: Sales to commence on Jan. 1, 2020
In late June, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, put pen to paper and officially signed HB 1438 into law, legalizing recreational weed in the Land of Lincoln, and expunging the criminal records of nearly 800,000 residents with nonviolent crimes who had previously possessed or purchased cannabis. The bill sets up a timeline to commence marijuana sales as of Jan. 1, 2020.

Among U.S. states, Illinois has a chance to be one of the major players in the marijuana industry. When the duo of Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics released their newest report, "State of the Legal Cannabis Markets," they pegged Illinois for $1.14 billion in annual pot sales by 2024. That should be good enough for 10th-highest among the 50 states.

Illinois represents an intriguing market for a number of U.S. multistate operators, including Cresco Labs (OTC: CRLBF), which aims to have a presence in 11 states. Through organic expansion and acquisitions, Cresco has five retail locations near highly populated Illinois cities and suburbs, and is likely going to be one of the state's top-three cannabis players by market share. According to a June press release from the company, Cresco will also be allowed to open up to five additional dispensaries come January 2020, doubling its presence to the state-maximum of 10 retail locations.

This upcoming sales launch in Illinois nicely complements Cresco's push into the California market via its pending acquisition of cannabis distribution company Origin House.

A large marijuana sign in front of a dispensary store.

View photos
A large marijuana sign in front of a dispensary store.

Image source: Getty Images.
Michigan: Sales should start in the first quarter of 2020
Unlike most states, which have set relatively concrete dates when adult-use marijuana sales would begin, Michigan's official launch date has been met with a lot of question marks and shoulder shrugging as the state outlines its game plan. Residents voted to legalize recreational marijuana in Nov. 2018.
What we do know is that licensed medical marijuana dispensaries are initially the only businesses that'll be able to obtain a recreational retail license. Since these stores have already been vetted by Michigan's regulatory agencies, this should speed up the licensing approval process.
Unfortunately, recreationally licensed stores will still to wait for growers to obtain state licenses for adult-use production. Yes, the state differentiates crops between medical and recreational, and will therefore require growers to obtain separate licenses depending on where their cannabis will wind up (cue the eye roll). This puts the first crop of recreational cannabis in licensed dispensaries sometimes in the first quarter of 2020 (most likely), with sales commencing no later than late March 2020.
Michigan's legalization should be viewed as a nice boost for MedMen Enterprises (OTC: MMNFF), which is in the process of establishing a significant presence in California and Florida. MedMen's pending all-stock acquisition of PharmaCann will give the burgeoning upscale retailer access to six new states, including the Wolverine State. Arcview and BDS Analytics has forecast $1.48 billion in legal weed sales for Michigan by 2024, making it the fifth-most valuable state in the country for marijuana spending.
As a side note, it's also worth mentioning that MedMen expects to open up to 10 retail locations in Illinois, too.
A clear jar on its side that's full of cannabis buds, with a clear scoop holding a large bud next to the jar.

View photos
A clear jar on its side that's full of cannabis buds, with a clear scoop holding a large bud next to the jar.
Image source: Getty Images.

Vermont: Retail sales may begin by July 2021
The wait will also be over for Vermonters in due time, although they'll be waiting a bit longer than folks in Illinois and Michigan.

In January 2018, Vermont became the first state to use the legislative process to legalize recreational marijuana. This is a fancy way of saying that the state's lawmakers voted in favor of legalizing adult-use marijuana, rather than putting the measure to vote on a statewide ballot. Though this history-making moment did legalize adult weed consumption, it did not authorize the sale of recreational pot.

Vermont's lawmakers have been discussing and formulating a plan on a recreational sales timeline for more than a year. One of the most recent bill iterations called for cultivation license to be issued in Feb. 2021, with laboratory testing and wholesaler shipments commencing in April and May 2021, respectively. By sometime in mid-July 2021, retail sales could begin.

The issue has been the difficulty in reaching a consensus on the excise tax rate to be charged, and in assuaging Gov. Phil Scott's (R-Vt.) concerns about impaired driving. Scott has said he wouldn't sign any retail legislation that didn't include specific guidelines on saliva testing for cannabis impairment. Assuming some sort of consensus can be reached, Vermonters should be less than two years away from adult-use sales beginning.

Though Vermont is a relative small fry compared to the likes of Michigan and Illinois, legal retail sales will be a positive for Curaleaf Holdings (OTC: CURLF). That's because Curaleaf is in the process of acquiring privately held multistate dispensary operator Grassroots for $875 million in a cash-and-stock deal. Grassroots will provide Curaleaf with access to seven new states, including Vermont.

It's possible new states could launch recreational pot sales before Vermont, but for the time being, these are the three states that are "on-deck" to commence recreational sales next.
 
Why? They are asking WHY!! For the same sole reason politicians do anything....political calculation and self-interest....that's why. Wow

Now as to this:

"Many Democratic activists believe they could have won the 2016 presidential election if they had more successfully engaged young voters"​

All I will say is there may...just may...have been another reason for them not being able to beat a reality TV star. haha

Presidential pot: Why 2020 Democrats are ready to legalize marijuana


Once a politically dangerous subject, legal marijuana has become something of a de facto platform plank for the 2020 Democratic candidates: All support either legalizing or decriminalizing its use, and the differences lie in just how far the candidates are willing to take it

But those differences — particularly former Vice President Joe Biden's reluctance to embrace full federal legalization and the lack of enthusiasm that increasingly organized young marijuana activists have for him — may play a role in determining who faces President Donald Trump next fall, experts said.
“People from both parties are just thinking ‘Duh, we should be legalizing this at the federal level,’” said Rachel Gillette, a Denver-based cannabis activist and attorney. “It would be great if they could focus on this. It’s time.”

Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bennett are all co-sponsors of a Senate proposal that would make marijuana legal, expunge criminal records and create a reinvestment fund to aid communities hurt by the War on Drugs.
[IMG alt="Patrick Bettis, who performs as Uncle Dan, lights a joint before giving it away at the Denver 420 festival.

“The debate has changed dramatically in the past couple years. It’s very new. It’s very new, and it’s very welcome," said Andy Bernstein of HeadCount, a voter-registration nonprofit targeting concertgoers and cannabis users. "A decade ago, mentioning marijuana made you a fringe candidate. Today, you’re out of the mainstream if you don’t have a position, and a position to provide greater access.”

The 2020 election is a far cry from the 2016 race, when Sanders was the only major-party candidate to call for legalization. Relentless behind-the-scenes lobbying has helped shift the conversation among Democrats during this election cycle, taking place at a time when 65% of Americans now say medical marijuana should be available to adults, according to an April CBS News poll.

The poll highlighted a major demographic split: while only 49% of people 65 and older support legalization, the number jumps to 72% for people aged 18-34. The poll also found that 56% of Republicans supported legalization compared to 72% of Democrats.

Many Democratic activists believe they could have won the 2016 presidential election if they had more successfully engaged young voters, who tend to lean liberal. In the 2016 presidential election, about 66% of eligible voters aged 30 and above cast ballots, compared to just 50% of eligible voters aged 18-29, according to the nonpartisan Nonprofit VOTE and the U.S. Elections Project.

"We think this is the biggest opportunity to turn out people who otherwise don’t vote," Bernstein said. "This could be the thing that brings those people out, and makes non-voters into voters.”

Political analyst Kyle Kondik said while younger voters might potentially be more interested in a candidate with a strong legalization platform, the overall trend across the country favors legalization. The broad support for marijuana reform by all the candidates suggests that primary voters might be looking elsewhere for significant distinctions, Kondik said.

"It's not just something that's registered to me as something that's important to voters," said Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "It just hasn't happened yet, and it may never will."


For many activists, the conversation has swept past whether people should be allowed to smoke pot and is now more often focused on how hard the federal government should be working to mitigate the devastating impacts of the War on Drugs, which for generations has disproportionately hurt minority communities.

"Supporting legalization is no longer enough," said Queen Adesuyi, 25, the national affairs policy coordinator for Drug Policy Action, the political advocacy arm of the nonpartisan Drug Policy Alliance. "There's a large segment of the public that purely cares about marijuana. And then there's other people who come to the table principled by the concept that mass incarceration is destroying lives and destroying communities."

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Biden represent the two extremes of the party's approach to marijuana. While Buttigieg on Aug. 23 called for decriminalizing all drugs, in addition to legalizing marijuana, Biden seeks to remove marijuana as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, and then let states decide whether to legalize it, in an expansion of the de facto Trump policy, which is to leave alone states with legal pot, while also moving toward greater research access.

Biden's plan calls for expunging marijuana-related criminal records but stops short of using federal resources to help communities of color launch canna-businesses via what's known as social equity programs. In Illinois, for instance, which is the most recent state to legalize recreational marijuana, the state's system was specifically designed to help minorities open cannabis stores, establishing a new tax base and creating potentially thousands of new jobs.

Adesuyi, of Drug Policy Action, said Biden's reluctance to endorse full legalization is a legacy of his role in creating and funding the War on Drugs during his lengthy Senate career that began in 1973 and included stints as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Especially for young voters, she said, a candidate's attitude toward marijuana is a proxy for a wide array of issues, including social justice and criminal-justice reform.
That might hurt Biden's chances in the early March 2020 primaries that include large sections of the South, along with California.

"Biden has been unapologetic for where we are in this country over prohibition. He is so far behind the tide it's embarrassing," Adesuyi said. "What Biden is proposing is garbage. His position on this is intended to mitigate the fact that he is a drug warrior."

In comparison, Buttigieg has dubbed his efforts to link criminal justice reform and marijuana legalization the "Douglass Plan," which also includes sweeping changes to the educational, health care and economic development systems and aimed at lifting up African American communities. Buttigieg's plan is named after Frederick Douglass, the former slave who became a famous abolitionist and newspaper owner.

But Skyler McKinley, a Colorado-based Democratic political activist who helped write the state's first-in-the-nation marijuana rules, said he doesn't think Biden's stance will cost him large numbers of voters. That's because 11 states and Washington, D.C., have now legalized without federal interference, generally attributed to the power of the 10th Amendment, which grants states' rights.

“I don’t think this is a top issue for any voter, because under Obama and now Trump, states can experiment with legalization themselves," he said. "If you’re running for governor of a state, this can be a major thing. But running for president, you’re either in support of the 10th Amendment or you’re not.”

And because the first primaries and caucuses take place in Iowa and New Hampshire, which are traditionally more conservative, Biden's approach might boost him there, giving him momentum going into the later contests.

Those kinds of calculations are the ones politicians are making every day, said Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader and South Dakota Democrat who recently joined the advisory board of Northern Swan Holdings, a multi-national cannabis company.

"I think that debate is only going to get louder and more pervasive as time goes on," said Daschle, who described himself as an "incrementalist" when it comes to marijuana legalization.

Daschle said politicians of his generation, such as Biden, generally favor a slower approach, like decriminalization and re-scheduling, along with criminal-justice reform.
He said Democratic candidates might be better served by talking more about the potential economic impacts of legalizing or rescheduling cannabis, from job creation to the impact on real estate prices and even the taxes marijuana businesses pay. That would be in addition to, not instead of, discussion of the social and criminal-justice issues, he said.

"There's enormous support for limited use of cannabis already, and I think there's there's little doubt that as younger generations take leadership roles in government and business and life, we're going to see a more rapidly evolving attitude on cannabis," Daschle said. "If you're just looking at the politics of this, what does this do in the general election? Well, you may win over this angry young activist, and then you can't win over the people who are not willing to go so far, so fast."
 
Medical marijuana patients can face problems in other states

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Medical marijuana users sometimes find rules in states other than their own can be different. Shutterstock/Atomazul


Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Medical marijuana has been legalized in 33 U.S. states, but for the almost 3 million patients who want to travel outside of their home state, laws elsewhere can be a confusing patchwork of differing rules.

To help clarify those rules, Americans for Safe Access, a medical marijuana patient advocacy group, has released an interactive safe travel guide for patients who want to acquire medicinal pot in different states across the country.

"The laws change so frequently that it's really important. if you're going to visit another state, to look up what the laws are for that state," said Debbie Churgai, the organization's interim director. For medical marijuana patients, "traveling can be a difficult undertaking," she said.

Many states have decriminalized marijuana, or passed laws allowing the sale of recreational and medicinal marijuana. But it still is illegal on the federal level to transport any amount of cannabis across state lines, even if it is only a small amount for medicinal purposes.

That means patients might have to visit a dispensary in the state they're visiting to acquire the drug. Some patients take cannabis daily for qualifying conditions in their own state, such as cancer, glaucoma, muscular dystrophy or post-traumatic stress disorder. But use of medical marijuana for those conditions might not be approved in another state, even if medical marijuana is legal there, Churgai said.

"Every state and sometimes even every county can have a different law regarding cannabis, how much you can have and where you can take your medicine," she said.

Fifteen U.S. states have a reciprocity agreement to honor a medical cannabis card from another state, Churgai said, adding, "But in some states, such as Arkansas, you have to apply about two weeks before you go for a visiting ID card and pay a fee."

Also, some states have different rules on the quantities visitors are allowed to buy, often half as much as local residents.

The travel guide also offers tips such as how to store medical cannabis (in a odor-tight container in the trunk of a car) how to take medical cannabis on an airplane or train and what legal rights exist for medical cannabis patients.

Legal issues are more common that many people believe.

Phoenix cannabis lawyer Tom Dean said he has handled "many, many" cases of medical marijuana patients visiting from another state who ran into trouble with the law in Arizona, which legalized medical cannabis in 2010. Some of his clients have been arrested for possession of marijuana paraphernalia for having a vape pen, for example.

In Arizona, visitors who stay for fewer than 30 days can buy medical marijuana with their local state card, as long as their condition is approved in Arizona, he said. Their purchase limits are smaller than local residents, he said.

Dean recommends that visiting patients always carrying a copy of a doctor's recommendation, as well as a state registry ID card.

Typically, if a visiting medical marijuana patient is stopped for a traffic violation, the patients who get in the most trouble are those who "have marijuana or paraphernalia visible in the car, or who have been smoking in the car," Dean said.

Most states allow the marijuana smell to be "probable cause" to search a car in a traffic stop, Dean said. "My advice is always to identify yourself as a medical marijuana patient and to have paperwork with you," he said.
 
"However, the Scottsdale Research Institute (SRI) doesn’t appear to be particularly impressed with its efforts."

Yeah, well neither am I and I hope Ms Sissley and SRI continue to pursue their suit against the DEA who grow shit none of us would vape and has sat on applications for research grow license for over three years without movement. Fuck them, sue their eyeballs out, SRI

US DEA wants more marijuana produced in 2020

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration wants to increase the amount of marijuana produced for research next year – and by quite a margin.
The DEA is proposing a boost from 2,450 kilograms in 2019 to 3,200 kilograms in 2020. This year’s level was also quite a jump on 2018, when it was just 443 kilograms.
“This will meet the need created by the increase in the amount of approved research involving marijuana,” says a statement from the Administration “Over the last two years, the total number of individuals registered by DEA to conduct research with marijuana, marijuana extracts, derivatives and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has increased by more than 40 percent, from 384 in January 2017 to 542 in January 2019.”


In other recent cannabis news from the DEA, last month it announced DEA registration would no longer be required to grow or manufacture certain types of cannabis, specifically hemp – but it won’t happen right away. It also said it would “facilitate and expand” scientific and medical marijuana research – and we see an indication of that with the announcement of proposed increased production.

However, the Scottsdale Research Institute (SRI) doesn’t appear to be particularly impressed with its efforts.

While the DEA is getting with the times somewhat, it’s still persisting in referring to marijuana as “marihuana” in some of its documentation. It seems continued use of the word has its roots in the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, which was the first step towards prohibition in the USA.

On a related note, the DEA is also proposing to reduce the amount of certain opioids produced next year – fentanyl by 31 percent, hydrocodone by 19 percent, hydromorphone by 25 percent, oxycodone by 9 percent and oxymorphone by 55 percent.

“Combined with morphine, the proposed quota would be a 53 percent decrease in the amount of allowable production of these opioids since 2016,” says the Administration.
The reduction follows the enactment of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act last year (and yes, that’s the full name of the Act – you can view it here).

The prescription opioid epidemic has wreaked a very heavy toll in the USA. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse; prescription opioid overdose deaths rose from 3,442 in 1999 to 17,029 in 2017.

In addition to the reduction in production, cannabis has shown promise as a tool in tackling the USA’s prescription opioid crisis.
 
Cannabis legalization: Will Mexico beat the US?


Cannabis regulation in Mexico is a key topic this week. The US, Canadian, and Mexican economies are more closely intertwined than other countries. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, about 14 million US jobs relate to trade with Mexico and Canada. Therefore, these countries might take cues on regulating an industry from each other.

Cannabis legalization

Cannabis regulation is a good example. After Canada legalized marijuana for recreational use in October 2018, legalizing marijuana in Mexico and the US gained momentum.
While several US states legalized recreational cannabis, Mexico wants to move in that direction as well. A bill to regulate cannabis was introduced in the Senate on September 3. Senator Julio Salazar, the bill’s sponsor, hinted at taking cues from Canada and the US on regulating cannabis. As a result, there will be a discussion on the bill this week.

Why does Mexico need to regulate marijuana?

Mexico has a history of drug-related crimes. The country has one of the biggest drug trafficking cartels led by El Chapo Guzman. Regulating marijuana could reduce drug crimes in the country.

For example, keeping “profits out of the pockets of criminals” was one of the goals for legalizing and regulating recreational cannabis in Canada. The country legalized cannabis to introduce a legal marketplace for companies. As a result, the companies would have access to capital markets to build the industry. The companies would also conduct research and develop advanced marijuana-infused products. Growth in the legal cannabis market would replace the illicit market.

Canopy Growth (WEED) (CGC), one of the biggest players in the cannabis market, offers several brands to recreational customers. Aurora Cannabis (ACB) doesn’t expect too much demand from advanced cannabis-infused products, according to a Bloomberg report. There’s also the potential for Aphria (APHA) to develop the vaping market in Mexico if legalization follows through.

What we think

While Mexico moves to regulate marijuana, Canadian companies might sell their products to a new market. However, enforcing the regulations will determine the success in Mexico. According to Transperancy.org, Mexico ranked 138 out of 180 on the Corruption Perception Index in 2018. Uruguay, which was the first country to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana, was ranked at 23. Canada was ninth on the same index.

Federal marijuana legalization in the US might be even more distant. Even individual states face setbacks regarding cannabis regulations. However, President Trump might legalize cannabis. With the 2020 election around the corner, we’ll have to see how he approaches the issue. The Trump administration might ban vaping, which could be one of the biggest markets for marijuana companies.
 
They needed a university study to figure this out..???? Just talk to people on the streets and the will tell you why.

Does overregulation drive black market marijuana?


A new study found that high taxes and cost of compliance keeps many small-time players within the black market in legalized states.
If you believe Donald Trump, you’d believe that all vaping is created equal. “People are dying with vaping,” he said in explanation of his administration’s decision to flavored e-cigarettes. “A lot of people think vaping is wonderful, it’s great. It’s really not wonderful.”
But in light of America’s vaping crisis, we know that isn’t true. The vaping illness that infects lungs should be separated into two different categories: the one caused by those flavored e-cigarettes, and the vaporizers that involve marijuana.



We know that the disease caused by marijuana vape cartridges is largely fueled by the black market. Brands found on the black market like Dank Vapes and Chronic Carts include vitamin E acetate, a substance that shouldn’t be smoked into the lungs, scientists explained, and could be behind the deadly illness. But in an era where more people theoretically have access to legal cannabis—which is regulated and monitored by states—why does the black market remain so potent? Furthermore, how is there still black markets in states with legal weed?
A new Portland State University exploratory study might have an answer. By examining data following legalization in Colorado and Washington, the paper showcases that excessive regulations by state markets could be driving consumers and producers alike to remain in the shadows.
“The qualitative analysis of news reports reveals that regulation is one of the main reasons that people stay in the illicit market,” reads the paper. “The comparison of marijuana crime trends in Colorado and Washington shows mixed findings. While marijuana offense rates in Colorado largely remained steady over the years, those in Washington increased dramatically after the implementation of more intensive regulations.”
cancer-patients-should-just-buy-marijuana-on-the-streets-says-alabama-senator-1024x614.jpg

Graduate student of criminology and criminal justice department Sikang Song is behind the research, as he presented the paper as his master’s thesis. Song pursued the issue, as he wanted to understand why illicit markets continue despite legalization, which many have argued would eliminate the black market for cannabis. But as the Associated Press reported earlier this year, 80% of California’s marijuana sales still occur “under the table.”
“The reasons behind the persistence of the marijuana black market are complex,” he writes. “One of the main arguments is that the legalized states have failed to establish a regulatory framework which effectively keeps both producers and consumers in the legal market. Instead, strict regulations and high cost of compliance have created an environment in favor of big players while driving small-scale businesses into the black market.”
Among the reasons people gave Song as to why they remained in the black market, some of the most frequent responses included “high taxes,” “overregulation,” and “cost of compliance.” Though as Colorado rates didn’t change over the years, as Song wrote, he saw the effect harsh compliance had in Washington. When the state introduced more regulations, Washington’s crime rate also rose, according to Song’s analysis.
“The fact that Washington’s marijuana black market kept growing after the implementation of more complex and sophisticated regulations at least indicates a correlation between regulation intensity and the increase of the black market in the case of Washington,” Song writes.
If we’ve learned anything over the past several years in the legalization era, and what this study speaks to, is that marijuana legalization is only half the battle. Regulation and legislation around cannabis that creates an even playing field for all playing field is just as important. Otherwise, the country might find itself in a worse vaping crisis than the one we find ourselves in.
 
If you don't know what this is REALLY about, consider this. McConnell is Sen from KY which has a large argricultural community. So, he fought for Hemp legalization because it directly benefits these farmers and therefore promotes his reelection potential.

Now medical MJ....nah, he doesn't give a flying fuck.

And he really doesn't care about any patients or he would be fighting for med MJ also.....he's just interested in bringing home the pork.

Mitch McConnell urges FDA to ease CBD regulations 'within 120 days'

Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell (R), a chief proponent of a hemp legalization provision in the 2018 Farm Bill, has put the pressure on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite the path for lawful marketing of hemp-derived CBD products. It's the latest push by the Senator to get CBD products more funding to educate consumers and to utilize the benefits in food items or dietary supplements.
Prior to today's movement from McConnell, the FDA has said that allowing CBD to be sold as food items or dietary supplements would require it to develop alternative regulations that could take years to complete if no congressional action was used.
McConnell's plan is to insert language into a congressional spending report that is asking the FDA to “issue a policy of enforcement discretion with regard to certain products containing CBD” within 120 days — something that will help stakeholders clarify rules, which, in effect, could make banks become more willing to service CBD companies.



Here's a look at the full report language from Mitch McConnell to the FDA:
“As previously mentioned, the Committee provides $2,000,000 for research, policy evaluation, market surveillance, issuance of an enforcement discretion policy, and appropriate regulatory activities with respect to products under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration which contain cannabidiol (CBD) and meet the definition of hemp, as set forth in section 297A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1639o). Within 90 days, FDA shall provide the Committee with a report regarding the Agency’s progress toward obtaining and analyzing data to help determine a policy of enforcement discretion, and the process in which CBD meeting the definition of hemp will be evaluated for use in products. Within 120 days, FDA shall issue a policy of enforcement discretion with regard to certain products containing CBD meeting the definition of hemp as defined by section 297A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1964 (7 U.S.C. 1639). Such enforcement discretion shall be in effect until FDA establishes a process for stakeholders to notify FDA for use of CBD in products that include safety studies for intended use per product, and makes a determination about such product. FDA is encouraged to consider existing and ongoing medical research related to CBD that is being undertaken pursuant to an Investigation New Drug (IND) application in the development of a regulatory pathway for CBD in products under the jurisdiction of FDA and to ensure that any future regulatory activity does not discourage the development of new drugs.”
CBD industry response
In general, the CBD industry has been receptive to McConnell's proposal to the FDA. Here's what both John Huemoeller, CEO of AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc., and Jenelle Kim, Founder and Chief Formulator of JBK Wellness Labs, had to say.
Huemoeller: "Last year, hemp and CBD were legalized through the 2018 Farm Bill. A few months ago, the DEA requested an increase in the amount of cannabis grown in the U.S. for research. Now it's time for the FDA to recognize that cannabis and CBD products aren't just a fad, but, because of their many wellness benefits, they are here to stay. We look forward to understanding how these new regulations may help the industry grow by setting needed safety standards and provide consumers with an overall improved level of trust in CBD and other cannabis products."
Kim: "Mitch McConnell’s move to call on the FDA is certainly a progressive and important move, which will help to open the doors for more people to reap the incredible benefits of CBD. It is vital to remember that hemp is one of the 50 Fundamental Herbs in Chinese Medicine and its healing properties date back 4000 years. For a medicinal herb that has been used responsibly for thousands of years as a treatment for pain and fatigue, among other conditions, to be given a larger opportunity is certainly a winning situation for all involved."
In order to hit McConnell's target of 120 days, there's some work still left to be completed.
On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture will mark up the provision of the spending report. Next, the Appropriations Committee will receive it two days later. Finally, The FDA would need to submit a report to the committee within 90 days, which opens up the possibility of a new policy. Lastly, if the new enforcement guidelines are established, they would continue to be implemented until the regulatory process is finalized by the FDA.
In support of Mitch McConnell’s proposal, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley praised the bill during the subcommittee meeting last Thursday, with Merkley specifically mentioning the revenue that hemp will bring to his state alone. “You might note that this year in Oregon, the hemp industry may well be a billion-dollar crop, and that is an incredible addition to income for our agricultural community,” he said.
Only time will tell where McConnell's proposal and timeline goes, but it is a big day for the CBD industry as a whole to have such support.
 
FDA, NIH Regulators Recommend Amending Regulations to Facilitate Clinical Cannabis Testing

Thursday, 19 September 2019

Washington, DC: The Director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Acting Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have acknowledged that existing federal regulations hinder clinical cannabis research, and are suggesting that scientists be able to legally access cannabis products from sources other than the University of Mississippi – the only federally licensed supply source of marijuana for research purposes.

In a letter to Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), first obtained by Politico, the officials acknowledge that the existing monopoly on federally authorized cannabis production limits "the diversity of [cannabis] products and formulations available to researchers, [thus] slowing the development of cannabis-based medications." The letter's authors suggest both "licensing additional entities to supply cannabis," as well as "enabling researchers holding Schedule I licenses for marijuana to obtain products from state authorized dispensaries" – changes NORML has long argued for.

They conclude that the current regulations governing the clinical study of cannabis, along with the Schedule I status of marijuana under federal law, create "significant administrative cost challenges that slow this research and may deter scientists from pursuing cannabis research altogether."

Since 2016, officials at the US Drug Enforcement Administration have promised to license additional, private producers of research-grade cannabis. As of yet however, the DEA has failed to take action on more than 30 applications pending before it, and the agency has yet to provide a timeline as to when they intend to do so.
Since 1968, only the University of Mississippi has been federally licensed to engage in the growing of cannabis for FDA-approved clinical research. Scientists familiar with the product have consistently said that it is of inferior quality and fails to accurately reflect the types of marijuana varieties commercially available in legal states. Further, the University only provides scientists with the option to access herbal cigarette formulations of the plant, not concentrates, edibles, or extracts. Strains high in the compound cannabidiol (CBD) – a chemical of particular interest to many scientists – are also not currently available from the University.

Earlier this year, Maryland became the first state to enact explicit legislation authorizing academic institutions and researchers seeking to study the "medical use, properties, or composition of cannabis" to obtain source materials from state-licensed cannabis dispensaries.

On Wednesday, members of the United States Senate Appropriations Committee expressed similar concerns that existing regulatory barriers unduly inhibit the clinical study of cannabis.
 

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