Law The Cannabis Chronicles - Misc Cannabis News

[Madri-Gal]

It's funny when people will choose illness and pain over a slight sense of euphoria.
For many people the euphoria may be the only good part of their day.

There are people in the community that are judgemental about THC and getting high. CBD is ok, but THC is suspect. They don't need it for their condition, so other medical patients must just be recreational in disguise. I don't understand it. Not being in pain would be a good part of my day, any day. I could handle a bit of euphoria. I know you understand, @Killick .

 

[Killick]

@Madri-Gal I do feel your pain. For me there was a time when pain was a constant daytime, nighttime, standing, sitting, walking part of my day. One day, in a pain clinic, i was introduced to a new-to-me therapy, and discovered that there might actually be a way to reduce specific pains. I started calling them pain vacations. These vacations started me on a quest to make them longer, and to include more pain regions.

Without adding more chapters to this note here's the point I'm slowly getting to - there is always hope that you can decrease your pain. Approach new treatments with an open mind. Find a new pain doctor - they aren't created equally, and a new one may have new ideas. Radiologists can be invaluable for pain management. Regarding cannabis, while there there are no wrong ways to medicate, there are more than one right way, so keep trying new methods and strains.

The worst thing about cannabinoid therapies is that pesky slight sense of euphoria, which isn't so bad. There are ways to avoid it, such as micro-dosing.

Again, the short response is never stop trying. Maybe, eventually, you'll discover that things are starting to get a little less painful, or you can do some task for longer than you could last time.

For you I wish you less pain, more euphoria, and peace.

 

[Madri-Gal]

@Madri-Gal I do feel your pain. For me there was a time when pain was a constant daytime, nighttime, standing, sitting, walking part of my day. One day, in a pain clinic, i was introduced to a new-to-me therapy, and discovered that there might actually be a way to reduce specific pains. I started calling them pain vacations. These vacations started me on a quest to make them longer, and to include more pain regions.

Without adding more chapters to this note here's the point I'm slowly getting to - there is always hope that you can decrease your pain. Approach new treatments with an open mind. Find a new pain doctor - they aren't created equally, and a new one may have new ideas. Radiologists can be invaluable for pain management. Regarding cannabis, while there there are no wrong ways to medicate, there are more than one right way, so keep trying new methods and strains.

The worst thing about cannabinoid therapies is that pesky slight sense of euphoria, which isn't so bad. There are ways to avoid it, such as micro-dosing.

Again, the short response is never stop trying. Maybe, eventually, you'll discover that things are starting to get a little less painful, or you can do some task for longer than you could last time.

For you I wish you less pain, more euphoria, and peace.

Thank you, @Killick . You are a sweetheart.

 

[Bcbud]

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/b...re-a-better-way-of-smoking-pot-190007917.html
Interesting and confusing

 

[ClearBlueLou]

It’s the Puritan strain in our makeup: feeling good for its own sake is indolent and sinful to some, and for a long time was mostly against the law in the USA. Entirely as a random example, my dad was obsessed with being clear-headed at all times; and even though he drank alcohol, he maintained an iron grip. I suppose spending most of 1944-45 behind enemy lines in Europe had something to do with it...

 

[CarolKing]

In this April 8, 2019, photo, Roberto Gonzalez, the general manager of Western Oregon Dispensary in Sherwood, Ore., poses for a photo in front of jars of medical marijuana. The dispensary is one of two medical-only marijuana dispensaries left in Oregon. An Associated Press analysis has found existing medical marijuana programs take a hit when states legalize cannabis


The Olympian: 2019-06-13 - After pot is made legal, medical marijuana takes hit - PressReader
14 hours ago · After pot is made legal, medical marijuana takes hit ... When states legalize pot for all adults, long-standing medical marijuana programs take a big hit, in some cases losing more than half their registered ...

 

[Baron23]

Americans Want CBD Available Over-The-Counter, Poll Finds

A majority of Americans familiar with cannabidiol (CBD) say it should be available as an over-the-counter drug and that the compound has multiple health benefits, according to a Gallup survey released on Friday.

The CBD craze emerged from the marijuana reform movement and escalated following the passage of the 2018 farm bill, which federally legalized hemp and its derivatives including CBD. The survey, which involved 1,017 phone interviews conducted from May 15-30, offers some insight into the substance’s widespread appeal.

Thirty-nine percent of Americans overall said that people should be able to access CBD as an over-the-counter drug, with 21 percent saying a prescription should be required. Thirty-six percent of respondents said they weren’t familiar with the non-intoxicating compound.

Via Gallup.

But when Gallup asked people who said they were familiar with CBD the same question, 61 percent said that CBD should be over-the counter and 33 percent said it should be available for those with a prescription.

Participants were also asked to rate their familiarity with CBD. Fourteen percent said they were “very familiar,” 33 percent said they were “somewhat familiar,” 17 percent said they were “not too familiar” and 36 percent said they were “not familiar at all.”

Via Gallup.

Again zeroing in on those who said they were familiar with CBD, Gallup asked what they thought about its therapeutic value.

Nine-out-of-ten respondents agreed that CBD does have health benefits. Breaking that down, 33 percent said it has “a lot of benefits,” 45 percent said it has “some benefits” and 14 percent said it has “only a few benefits.” Only four percent said it has “no benefits” and three percent didn’t have an opinion.

Via Gallup.

“The CBD-oil arena is extremely active right now, including medical research into its benefits, state legislation governing its sale, federal legislation encouraging its production and corporate investment growing in the business,” Gallup wrote. “Although medical research has a long way to go to investigate all of the claims made about CBD, half of Americans already believe it has at least some medical value, and that percentage is likely to grow as more become familiar with the product.”

The commercial interest in CBD is explosive, with lawmakers and industry stakeholders putting pressure on federal agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to streamline the regulatory process to provide for the compound’s lawful marketing in the food supply and as health supplements.

But even as the government develops those regulations, companies are wasting no time, flouting the FDA and putting CBD in everything from pricey lattes to Carl’s Jr. burgers. At the same time, CBD’s medical value has been strongly established; the FDA approved a CBD drug last year for the treatment of certain forms of epilepsy.

Gallup also released a separate survey on Thursday that explored the various reasons Americans support or opposed broader marijuana legalization.

 

[Baron23]

While I find it completely ignorant and stupid to have a list of substances for which medical research is banned; the key word is research. So, in that regard I support this defeated measure.

However, being rather old and a person of poor judgement when younger, I have experienced a VERY wide range of drugs used for recreational purposes...almost all of which tried to kill me or drive me crazy.

So, it is my personal position that just because I'm a fervent advocate for MJ legalization (and its the ONLY rec drug that hasn't tried to kill me), this does NOT mean that I'm an advocate for legalization of all drugs. Decriminalization of possession...yeah, might be able to support that. Crack dealers...fuck 'em, is my view.

We picked a lot of magic mushrooms in my college days in central FL. The biggest danger was that beef prices had gone up drastically (for unrelated reasons), people were actually rustling cows, so if you got caught in a pasture picking mushrooms in the dark there was a fair chance the farmer/rancher would take a shot at you! haha But aside from that, I found that for me, personally, hallucinegetics were a dangerous and damaging class of drugs and I can't say that I would want to see them legalized for rec use. Psychiatric use under a Dr's supervision with some controlled protocol...that's different. But just having Magic Kool-aid stands on street corners isn't a good idea in my view.

Ok, screed over with. haha

How Democrats Helped Republicans Shut Down AOC’s Psychedelics Research Measure

In a sweeping rejection of what advocates regarded as a commonsense drug reform measure, a large majority of Democratic House members joined all but seven Republicans on Thursday in a vote against an amendment that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) filed to expand research into the potential benefits of psychedelic substances.

The measure, which was cleared by the House Rules Committee and was initially approved in a voice vote earlier Thursday morning, was soundly defeated in a 91 to 331 afternoon roll call vote. Democrats accounted for 148 of those “nay” votes.

Ocazio-Cortez’s amendment would have removed a longstanding rider, first enacted in 1996, that prohibits the use of federal funds for “any activity that promotes the legalization of any drug or other substance in Schedule I.”

Supporters argued that the rider inhibits research into controlled substances that hold potential therapeutic potential, with Ocasio-Cortez pointing specifically to psilocybin and MDMA as examples of understudied drugs that could alleviate symptoms of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Cannabis is also a Schedule I substance that is more difficult to research due to its Schedule I status.

“It’s disappointing to hear folks say things like ‘the War on Drugs is a failure’ and that ‘we should treat drugs as a health issue and not a criminal justice issue’ then vote to uphold drug war relic language like this,” Dan Riffle, senior counsel and policy advisor in Ocasio-Cortez’s office, told Marijuana Moment. “It was last minute though, and a lot of folks weren’t sure what the amendment would do. I’m glad we brought some attention to the issue, and I think next year with more time to educate you’ll see a very different result.”

In a tweet posted ahead of the vote, the congresswoman acknowledged that while the amendment had bipartisan appeal, it also had bipartisan opposition. The opposition proved much stronger in the end, leaving reform advocates dismayed.

“It’s disappointing to see so many members vote to keep an outdated gag order in place,” Michael Collins, director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, told Marijuana Moment. “The road to ending the drug war is a long one, and we got a reminder of that today.”

Michael Liszewski, a policy advisor with Students for Sensible Drug Policy, told Marijuana Moment that Ocasio-Cortez introducing the amendment “helped raise the profile of this issue.”

“I think one reason the amendment failed was a lack of understanding of the issue by many members, so voting against the amendment was the instinctually safe move to make,” he said. “With increased awareness of how the ‘gag order’ provision prevents scientific research that we may see a different outcome next year if the amendment is offered again.”

Another reason for the amendment’s failure could be that Democratic leadership declined to give members a directive to support it in a list of recommendations distributed on Thursday morning. House Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), whose panel drafted the section of the overall bill that Ocasio-Cortez sought to amend, offered “no recommendation” for the measure, whereas every other listed Democratic amendment was given a “vote yes” directive.

The amendment’s opponents include several members who usually lend their support to drug reform legislation as well as committee chairs and members of Democratic leadership. Reps. Charlie Crist (D-FL) and Dave Joyce (R-OH) rejected the amendment despite their typical support for marijuana reform.

Opponents in leadership positions include House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Veterans’ Affairs Chair Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), former Democratic National Committee Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-NY) and DeLauro.

Many of the usual cannabis reform suspects did vote in favor of the amendment, however: Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Steve Cohen (D-TN), amendment cosponsor Lou Correa (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Denny Heck (D-WA), amendment cosponsor Ro Khanna (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Ocasio-Cortez, Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) and Dina Titus (D-NV) all voted aye.

Democratic leaders who voted in support include Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler (D-NY).

The Republicans who voted in favor of the amendment are Reps. Justin Amash (R-MI), amendment cosponsor Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Brian Mast (R-MI), Thomas McClintock (R-CA) and Don Young (R-AK).

Finally, three 2020 Democratic presidential candidates supported the measure. Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Tim Ryan (D-OH) voted aye. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who is also running for president, was absent during the vote on the psychedelics measure as well as those on other measures taken around the same time.

“Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s amendment would have removed the bureaucratic red tape and legal hoops that scientists currently have to navigate in order to study the potential medical benefits of controlled substances,” Khanna told Marijuana Moment. “This includes cannabis, which is legal for medicinal use in more than two dozen states, and other compounds that have shown promise in treating depression, PTSD, and addiction.”

“I am an advocate for robust research investment to maintain America’s global leadership in science and medicine, and I supported this amendment because it would have unshackled our scientists from restrictions implemented at the height of the failed War on Drugs,” he said.

“I applaud 91 of my Republican and Democratic colleagues for courageously standing up for medical research,” Correa told Marijuana Moment. “As elected leaders, we must never be afraid to take risks when our constituents’ lives and health are on the line. Schedule 1 substances may be controversial but they hold great medical promise.”

“I am proud to have joined my colleague Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez in support of her potentially life-saving amendment,” he said. “For far too long, we have allowed the debate surrounding schedule 1 drugs to be informed by personal opinions and not science. This amendment would have given the power back to doctors and researcher so that they can tell us what these misunderstood substances can be used for.”

“I will not stop fighting for those yearning for new treatments and will continue to advocate for medical research—regardless the substance.”

Ocasio-Cortez said that while the amendment failed, she is “undeterred” and “proud we were even able to bring a vote on psychedelic research to the House floor.”

These drugs show extreme promise in treating PTSD + more,” she wrote. “Let’s keep at it.”

Natalie Ginsberg, director of policy and advocacy at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), said that advocates hope to keep building support over time for removing political roadblocks to research.

“As we see everyday in our work at MAPS, and as evidenced by the bipartisan support for this proposed amendment, we remain encouraged that our elected representatives will continue working together across the aisle to get politics out of the way of research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics and cannabis,” she said.

 

[momofthegoons]

Baby Boomers Are Consuming Pot at Ten Times the Rate of Past Senior Generations

A new study from the University of Colorado found that Baby Boomers are finding immense benefits from increased cannabis consumption, despite issues with access and stigmatization.

It is no secret that in the face of expanding legalization, elderly Americans are flocking to medicinal and adult-use cannabis like never before. From celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg and Willie Nelson getting in on the legal side of the industry, or grandmas and grandpas discovering an April holiday for the first time, Baby Boomers are consuming pot at exponential rates compared to previous generations of seniors.

According to CNBC, federal data has shown a tenfold increase in senior cannabis consumption over the past decade or so, with 0.3% of Americans 65 and older admitting to using cannabis in 2007, compared with 3.7% of the same age cohort in 2017. Of adults aged 60-64, the same research shows nearly 10% had used marijuana in 2017.

But while older folks across the US are exploring or rediscovering cannabis, a new qualitative research study from the University of Colorado found that American seniors are still running into societal stigma, uninterested doctors, and other significant barriers when it comes to accessing and experimenting with the plant.


In their study, “Qualitative Analysis ofCannabis Use Among Older Adults in Colorado,” published earlier this year in the journal Drugs & Aging, CU researchers conducted focus groups with 136 Coloradans aged 60 years and older, discussing everything from social perception of elderly cannabis use to lived experiences and ease of legal access.

“Older adults want more information about cannabis and desire to communicate with their healthcare providers,” the study’s authors concluded. “Older adults who used cannabis for medical purposes reported positive outcomes but highlighted difficulties in accessing medical cannabis. Older adults in Colorado also revealed how a stigma continues to be attached to using cannabis.”


During the focus group discussions, both cannabis users and abstainers discussed a continued negative social perception tied to pot use. They also mentioned that when discussing cannabis with doctors, the medical professionals were uninformed about the topic or ignored it, even when specifically asked.

“I think [doctors] should be a lot more open to learning about it and discussing it with their patients,” one study subject said during a focus group. “Because at this point I have told my primary care I was using it for my shoulder. And that was the end of the conversation. He didn’t want to know why, he didn’t want to know about effects, didn’t want to know about side effects, didn’t want to know anything.”

America’s green rush has helped thousands of elderly Americans ditch dangerous prescription pills and find medical relief and recreational pleasure into old age, but if doctors and societal forces don’t begin to come in-line with evolving senior attitudes, the number of older adults discovering the wonders of weed will never meet its full potential.

 

[momofthegoons]

Two Congressional Hearings Next Week On Marijuana

Next week, the two key committees will hold hearings on various aspects of federal marijuana policy.

The first will be held on Wednesday, June 19th, in the Small Business Committee, entitled Unlocked Potential? Small Businesses in the Cannabis Industry.

Currently, in the 10 states that have legalized adult use cannabis and the 33 states that have legalized medical marijuana programs, entrepreneurs and small businesses are unable to access the valuable programs and support of the Small Business Administration. Ultimately, this prohibition on access to resources hampers the potential to create a robust and competitive marketplace for consumers.

It is expected that members of the committee will soon introduce legislation to address this issue and this hearing will mark the first time that Congress has discussed the issue in a formal capacity.



The second hearing is to be held on Thursday, June 20th, in the Veterans Affairs Committee to discuss various bills that are pending regarding medical cannabis programs and veterans access. For years, NORML has supported legislation introduced by Congressman Earl Blumenauer, entitled The Veterans Equal Access Act, which would allow veterans living in states that have a regulated medical marijuana program to discuss cannabis as part of their healthcare plan and allow VA doctors to fill out state-legal paperwork.

Presently, V.A. doctors are forbidden from providing the paperwork necessary to complete a recommendation, thus forcing military veterans to seek the advice of a private, out-of-network physician. Passage of either of these bills would lift this prohibition.

You can send a message to your lawmakers in support of the Veterans Equal Access Act by clicking here.

In the 114th Congress, majorities in both the US House and Senate voted to include similar language as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. However, Republicans sitting on the House Appropriations Committee elected to remove the language from the bill during a concurrence vote. Similar language was also included during the 115th Congress in the Senate yet stripped out by Republican leadership.

Veterans are increasingly turning to medical cannabis as an effective alternative to opioids and other conventional medications. A retrospective review of patients’ symptoms published in 2014 in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs reported a greater than 75 percent reduction CAPS (Clinician Administered Post-traumatic Scale) symptom scores following cannabis therapy.

A recently released poll conducted by The American Legion showed that nearly 1 in 4 veterans self-reported using marijuana to alleviate a medical or physical condition.

You can see a full list of pending federal efforts and contact your lawmakers in support at https://norml.org/act.

 

[momofthegoons]

China Calls Marijuana Legalization a ‘Threat’
Canada legalized marijuana last year and the drug is legal in 10 U.S. states.

Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the China National Narcotic Control Commission, called marijuana legalization in North American a "threat" to China.VCG/VCG VIA GETTY IMAGES

CHINA'S DRUG enforcement body called the legalization of marijuana in Canada and some U.S. states a "new threat to China," blaming it for an uptick in the quantity of drugs smuggled into the country.

"In two years, we have found increasing cannabis trafficked from North America to China," Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the China National Narcotics Control Commission, said Monday at a press conference, according to CNN.

Liu said the number of marijuana users in China grew more than 25 percent last year to some 24,000 people, though he acknowledged that the number is relatively small compared to China's population.

Liu also said China intercepted 115 packages in international mail containing 121 pounds of marijuana or marijuana products, according to CNN. Most of the people suspected of being connected with the packages were foreign students or students who returned home after studying abroad, Liu said, but he did not say how many of the packages came from Canada or the U.S.

Canada last year became the second country to fully legalize marijuana. In the U.S., marijuana is currently legal for recreational use in 10 states. An eleventh state – Illinois – recently passed a legalization bill that will take effect next year. More than 30 U.S. states have medical marijuana programs.

China enforces severe penalties on those caught trafficking or smuggling drugs in the country. Any person found with more than 50 grams of a controlled substance can face the death penalty, CNN notes.

However, the U.S. has for years attempted to get China to clamp down on the production and distribution of fentanyl, a powerful prescription opioid that has been integral to the U.S.'s opioid epidemic.

 

[Shredder]

China Calls Marijuana Legalization a ‘Threat’
Canada legalized marijuana last year and the drug is legal in 10 U.S. states.

Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the China National Narcotic Control Commission, called marijuana legalization in North American a "threat" to China.VCG/VCG VIA GETTY IMAGES

CHINA'S DRUG enforcement body called the legalization of marijuana in Canada and some U.S. states a "new threat to China," blaming it for an uptick in the quantity of drugs smuggled into the country.

"In two years, we have found increasing cannabis trafficked from North America to China," Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the China National Narcotics Control Commission, said Monday at a press conference, according to CNN.

Liu said the number of marijuana users in China grew more than 25 percent last year to some 24,000 people, though he acknowledged that the number is relatively small compared to China's population.

Liu also said China intercepted 115 packages in international mail containing 121 pounds of marijuana or marijuana products, according to CNN. Most of the people suspected of being connected with the packages were foreign students or students who returned home after studying abroad, Liu said, but he did not say how many of the packages came from Canada or the U.S.

Canada last year became the second country to fully legalize marijuana. In the U.S., marijuana is currently legal for recreational use in 10 states. An eleventh state – Illinois – recently passed a legalization bill that will take effect next year. More than 30 U.S. states have medical marijuana programs.

China enforces severe penalties on those caught trafficking or smuggling drugs in the country. Any person found with more than 50 grams of a controlled substance can face the death penalty, CNN notes.

However, the U.S. has for years attempted to get China to clamp down on the production and distribution of fentanyl, a powerful prescription opioid that has been integral to the U.S.'s opioid epidemic.

50grams = death? Sounds like Oklahoma, with better food.

There goes my plans for a Chinese dispensary, lol. Too bad, I already had a name, " one hung lows"

Glad they're not threatening dhgate. That would just be too much.

 

[CarolKing]

China doesn’t seem to have had much of a problem in the past smuggling Fentanyl patches to addicts in the mail. I guess they make more money on that so it’s OK. How about all that crazy shit they sell at the gas stations its the bath salts etc.. they may have started to crack down on that.

 

[momofthegoons]

How about all that crazy shit they sell at the gas stations its the bath salts etc.. they may have started to crack down on that.

God let's hope so. That stuff is pure poison.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

China doesn’t seem to have had much of a problem in the past smuggling Fentanyl patches to addicts in the mail. I guess they make more money on that so it’s OK. How about all that crazy shit they sell at the gas stations its the bath salts etc.. they may have started to crack down on that.

China’s been pumping out designer steroids for decades, and “research chemicals” for the psychedelic analogue crowd...whatever you order, China will make ‘something’ and send it to you...hell, it might even be like something you actually wanted, but you’re playing Chinese roulette (remember the melamine they used to make “milk” look white?)

 

[momofthegoons]

Tell you what.... I would have felt a whole lot more comfortable and less paranoid had these laws been in effect when I was in Columbia. I spent most of the time scared we were going to get thrown in jail for the rest of our lives...

Public Cannabis Consumption Now Allowed In Colombia: Is Full Marijuana Legalization Next?

A legal cannabis grow operation in Colombia
JAVIER HASSE
It’s been seven years since Colombia decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis and other illicit drugs, and about three years since the South American country legalized medical cannabis – and while home cultivation for personal use is allowed, recreational cannabis remains illegal to date.

In another big step for a country blessed with the ideal conditions to grow marijuana, the legal framework and labor costs needed to make it profitable, and an export quota second to none – which represents more than 25 percent of the world’s total cannabis that can be traded worldwide, Colombia’s Constitutional Court overruled a ban on the public consumption of cannabis this week – as reported by L.A. Weekly’s Cannabis Editor Michael Miller.

Creating A ‘Fair And Reasonable Regulatory Regime’
According to sources close to the matter, Colombia’s Constitutional Court ruled that portions of President Iván Duque’s 2017 Police Code, which banned public cannabis consumption among other things is unconstitutional, as it violates citizens’ fundamental rights instead of protecting public and children’s safety as it was supposed to.

“The Police Code was put into effect in 2017 as a political attempt to limit and punish cannabis usage after medical use was approved, and many portions of its code are considered onerous and unjustified” opposition Senator Gustavo Bolívar told Miller. However, the author adds, the ruling was actually based on “technical legislative errors,” rather than a political will to change laws.

A legal cannabis grow operation in Colombia
JAVIER HASSE

Natalia Springer explains what these technical problems are in a Spanish-language website. She assures the Police Code was so badly drafted that the Court had to overturn it. The law considered drinking a can of beer during a picnic at noon as the same kind of offense as selling a kilo of cocaine by an elementary school, she says, explaining that the Court’s ruling is not about supporting drug consumption in public spaces, but rather about forcing Congress to re-write the Police Code in a more sensible fashion.

This decision pertains to “place and circumstance (…) reasonableness and proportionality,” the Court said. President Duque, who’s been a vocal opponent of legalization – even though he understands the economic potential of medical marijuana, was not happy with the ruling. However, he said he’d accept it.


Sandra Carrillo, M.D., is a well-known Colombian medical doctor, certified as an expert in cannabis medicine. When prompted about the Court’s move, she applauded the overturning of “a badly written law, as it places the onus to write a clearer and more sensible law on the government. Carrillo acknowledges “cannabis consumption has health risks. But those risks are smaller than those of alcohol or tobacco,” she told me. “The government needs to think through and create a fair and reasonable regulatory regime, instead of repeating the mistakes of the past.”

Adding to these comments, Michael Miller told me he thinks the Constitutional Court’s action is “extraordinary from a legal and historical standpoint.

“In furtherance of its original ruling in 1994, the Court maintains the high principles of civil liberty and free choice predicated upon fundamental United Nations Human Rights conventions. Personal freedom, honor and ethics are the victors here, along with the Colombian people.”

Is Adult-Use Cannabis Next?
The Court ruling this week might be just a stepping-stone for full legalization, some experts believe. According to local Colombian media, a multi-party block is preparing to propose a “total shift in the War on Drugs,” in the form of a far-reaching drug policy reform bill. Led by Senator Bolívar, the group plans to introduce the legislation into Congress at the end of July.

“We are going to formulate a new drug policy for our country; one based on evidence and numbers, one that will allow us to think of an effective strategy, since all data we examined shows a big fail in our war against drugs,” said Senator Bolívar, as he explained the reason behind the new initiative.

Colombia has spent more than $140 million fighting traffickers in the last 15 years.

Michael Miller tours a legal cannabis operation in Colombia
JAVIER HASSE
By means of conclusion, Miller said, “if the Duque government is able to puts politics aside for the benefit of all Colombians, the country has the potential to be the Canada and Israel of cannabis in Latin America, and drive a new economic revolution."

As the market develops in this beautiful country, investors should keep a close eye on legislative and legal developments. Opportunity abounds. Some of us having been calling it for a while; others, like Barron’s, are only now arriving at the party.

 

[CarolKing]

Top 10 Trends in Cannabis for 2019

Jan 30, 2019 · We have released our top 10 trends in cannabis to keep an eye on for 2019. The trends span the full industry ... People in their 20s indeed do stand tall as active marijuana consumers.

 

[Baron23]

I have no idea why they think this is historic. This is a rider to an appropriations bill that does NOT enjoin the Federal government from interference in state approved cannabis programs but rather, once again, is a rider on an appropriations bill. To me, this is exactly like the previous Rohrabacher–Blumenauer spending bill amendments that were in place.

This is better than relying on vague promises from DOJ about honoring Cole Memo principles, but its still far, far, far short of what should be done by our lead from behind politicians.

All IMO only, of course! haha

In ‘historic vote,’ US House protects state-legal cannabis programs

In a landmark move Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives soundly approved by a 267-165 vote a bipartisan amendment that would protect state-legal cannabis programs from interference by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The amendment to the fiscal year 2020 Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill specifically prohibits the Justice Department from using funds to prevent states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories from implementing their adult-use and medical marijuana programs.

A similar amendment protecting tribal programs passed by a voice vote on Wednesday, as did an amendment that would protect Veterans Affairs doctors who recommend medical cannabis in states where it is legal.

Thursday’s vote marks the first time a congressional chamber has voted to fully protect state-legal cannabis programs from Justice Department interference.
Neal Levine, CEO of the Cannabis Trade Federation, characterized Congress as making a “historic vote,” in effect declaring “that the federal government should defer to state cannabis laws.”

It’s unclear whether the provision will be supported in the Republican-controlled Senate.

And, even if the provision does make it in the final spending bill approved by Congress, it will be in effect only for one year.

The final version of the House amendment was submitted by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat, Tom McClintock, a Republican from California, and Eleanor Norton, a delegate from Washington DC.

The marijuana industry has been lobbying for more permanent reform, such as through the STATES Act.

Since 2014, spending bill amendments have been passed that protected only state-legal medical cannabis programs. Such an MMJ protection provision also is part of the Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill this year.

 

[momofthegoons]

Three days late with this..... but better late than never.

Honoring the Legend: Jack Herer
Happy 80th birthday, Jack. Your legacy continues to inspire.

Courtesy of Herer Group


Are you familiar with “The Hemperor” Jack Herer? The world was a very different place when he was born 80 years ago today, on June 18th, but he dedicated his life to making it better. Whether his story is one you know and love—or one you’re just discovering—we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Let’s celebrate the birthday of the father of the cannabis legalization movement, and get to know the man behind the legend.

Meet Jack Herer
Cannabis and hemp crusader, Jack Herer, was called everything from a “crazy man,” to a “boisterous rabble-rouser,” and even a “cult folk hero,” but his inspiring story begins in an unlikely way.

Raised in a traditional Jewish family in upstate New York, he spent the first decades of his life as a patriotic Vietnam veteran and hard-working businessman. Living through the era of Reefer Madness propaganda, Jack was critical of the developing 1960’s era counterculture movement because its anti-war message was seen as un-American. However, Jack’s view quickly transformed when he discovered the power of the cannabis plant and its potential to change the world.

Fueled by his boundless curiosity, Jack devoured all the cannabis information he could get his hands on. He was moved by the therapeutic potential of cannabis and infuriated when he learned that hemp could have been embraced in our country as a sustainable source of paper, fiber, food, fuel and medicine.


Jack was inspired to develop a vision for a better America and made it his patriotic duty to fight for our freedom to legally access cannabis, a sustainable environment, and a peaceful planet. He set out on a mission to educate the world with the truth, and transform a government that was holding it back.


Courtesy of Herer Group
Jack, The Activist
Beginning in 1972, Jack’s passion for grassroots activism took him to the streets where he organized rallies and protests, collected petition signatures, and helped people register to vote. Jack captivated everyone he met with his rare blend of dazzling wisdom, fierce intensity, and gigantic heart. He opened the world’s first hemp store in Venice Beach, California where he taught people to see past the lies about hemp and worked to promote legalization initiatives.

In 1983 Jack refused to pay a $5 fine for registering voters in a parking lot and was forced to spend a two-week stint in federal prison. Luckily for the world, something during those two weeks sparked his intellectual diligence. Sitting in his prison cell, he began outlining the book that would become his bestseller; The Emperor Wears No Clothes.


His 1985 masterpiece tells the story of the lost history of hemp and its potential as a renewable source of medicine, food, and fuel. It teaches that hemp can replace fossil fuels and tree-based materials, therefore ending the related deforestation, pollution, and climate crisis. Selling almost one million copies in five languages, the book painted a new picture of a plant that had been demonized for decades and transformed Jack into the legendary father of the hemp movement.


Courtesy of Herer Group
Jack’s Victory
Jack spent almost 40 years traveling the country to speak and campaign for cannabis

decriminalization, and his fire burned fiercely right up to the end. He suffered a heart attack after giving an empowering speech at Portland’s Hempstalk 2009, and later passed away from complications in 2010.


Although he isn’t here to experience the cannabis movement today, he did live long enough to see his ideas become a part of mainstream American thought. His refusal to give up on what he believed was the fuel that pushed his ideas to the forefront of our culture, and to a place where lawmakers could no longer turn their backs to the truth.

Jack’s relentless pursuits changed the face of the cannabis industry in America, and his work continues to move it forward. The Emperor Wears No Clothes has become the manifesto of the current cannabis legalization movement and is still cited today by those fighting cannabis prohibition across the world.

The Original Jack Herer™ honors a man whose life work laid the foundation for cannabis legalization today. The brand helps continue Jack’s vision with their founder Dan Herer (Jack’s son) and the Jack Herer foundation, in honor of the global cannabis and hemp movement. Dan Herer continues his father’s legacy as a global advocate of cannabis and its continued acceptance and legalization around the world.


Courtesy of Herer Group
If you’re out there right now enjoying cannabis, take a moment to think of Jack. He was a force of nature that helped pave the way to your cannabis rights and to a better world for us all.

Happy birthday, Jack!

 

[Marlon Rando]

Been Honoring JH strain in the VC's all month.