Law The Cannabis Chronicles - Misc Cannabis News

[Baron23]

IMO, all of these politicians...of either party.....just reinvent their history as needed to justify them being elected to office. Pitiful bunch of truth challenged, spinmeisters, in my view.

What we learned about marijuana reform from the Presidential Debates

Marijuana reform inspired two serious clashes at the latest presidential debates, with Booker taking on Biden, and Gabbard going after Harris.
Sen. Cory Booker was “absolutely disappointed” cannabis reform wasn’t discussed at the first Democratic debates. But Booker and cannabis advocates got their money’s worth Wednesday, as marijuana reform was center stage for the debate’s more contentious moments.
After the fact, debates tend to be remembered for its showdowns—when two candidates square off directly against one another over a key issue. Wednesday’s debate in Detroit featured two such showdowns around cannabis reform. The contestants? In one corner, it was Booker vs. former Vice President Joe Biden. In the other, Sens. Tulsi Gabbard against Kamala Harris. Here’s what went down.
Biden vs. Booker
Tensions between these two had been broiling for weeks. When Biden unveiled his criminal justice platform last month, it included the former VP’s proposal to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule II drug, like cocaine and fentanyl. Booker slammed Biden, labeling it “an inadequate plan.” For his part, Booker has promised historic marijuana reform should he be elected President.

This prelude rendered any showdown between the two candidates as inevitable. Biden was the first candidate asked about criminal justice, and he attempted a reversal of his enduring image as an anti-drug crusader. Though Biden’s platform includes decriminalizing cannabis and expunging a portion of past marijuana convictions, he’s still against full legalization.
Right now, we’re in a situation where when someone is convicted of a drug crime, they end up going to jail and to prison. They should be going to rehabilitation,” Biden said, demonstrating change from his previous stance. “They shouldn’t be going to prison.”



But that didn’t satisfy Booker. When asked to explain why he found the plan inadequate by CNN moderators, he didn’t hesitate an explanation.

“The house was set on fire and you claimed responsibility for those laws and you can’t just now come out with a plan to put out that fire,” Booker said. “We have got to have far more bold action on criminal justice reform.”
Booker used the opportunity to expand upon his own plans, demanding the need for “true marijuana justice, which means legalizing it on a federal level and reinvest the profits in communities that have been disproportionately targeted by marijuana enforcement.”
By the way, “true marijuana justice” was a phrase that tickled many online.
Gabbard vs. Harris
The second showdown of the evening wasn’t as telegraphed as the first. While others have pointed to Harris’ record as prosecutor, none have called her out on the debate stage as pointedly as Gabbard.
“Kamala Harris says she’s proud of her record as a prosecutor and she’ll be a prosecutor president, but I’m deeply concerned about this record,” Gabbard said, as Harris served as California’s attorney general between 2011 and 2017.
“There are too many examples to cite, but she put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana,” Gabbard added.
Gabbard is of course referring to Harris’ radio interview with The Breakfast Club, in which she admitted to smoking weed in college and bragged about listening to Snoop Dogg.
Harris didn’t back down from the accusation, however. She explained why she doesn’t shy away from her time as prosecutor, and how it will ground her policies as president.
“I did the work of significantly reforming the criminal justice system of a state of 40 million people, which became a national model for the work that needs to be done,” she said. “And I am proud of that work.”
“That is why we created initiatives that were about re-entering former offenders and getting them counseling,” Harris added. “And because I know the criminal justice system is so broken, it is why I’m an advocate for what we need to do to not only decriminalize but legalize marijuana in the United States.”

 

[Baron23]

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Chair Calls for Ending Banking Restrictions on Marijuana
Sen. Crapo now supports allowing cannabis companies to access the U.S. banking system
https://www.wikileaf.com/thestash/g...il&utm_term=0_ec9b193d9a-5a72a72d61-171290525
Marijuana business owners from coast-to-coast just got a major – and surprising – boost, as one of the most powerful Republican committee chairs on Capitol Hill tells Wikileaf that he now supports allowing cannabis companies to access the U.S. banking system. And more than that, he’s exploring ways to make it the law of the land with either standalone legislation or through pushing the Department of Justice to ease regulations and allow it to happen without this divided Congress having to weigh in on the matter.


Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo is no fan of marijuana – after all, he represents one of the mere three states that still don’t allow medicinal marijuana (or even CBD for that matter). Still, the Republican chair of the Senate Banking Committee tells Wikileaf for the first time that it now seems evident that Congress needs to stop its blockade and finally allow federally prohibited, though locally legal, pot businesses to use banks like every other business in the nation.


“I think so,” Crapo told Wikileaf at the Capitol when asked if legislation is needed to end the federal hurdles that have forced cannabis retailers to run as all-cash businesses. “Yeah.”

Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) Source: WikiCommons

Last week Crapo turned heads when his committee held a hearing into even allowing marijuana businesses to access banks, which seemed to be a reversal from his previous position opposing even entertaining the idea of normalizing marijuana until Congress overturned its longstanding prohibition on the increasingly popular plant.


While pot proponents see it as progress that the senior senator is no longer blocking marijuana issues from being debated in his committee, that’s just the start of this sea change. Crapo says he’s actively exploring ways to solve this problem that’s been plaguing small-to-large cannabis companies for years now.


“I think all the issues got well vetted. We now need to, I think, move forward and see if there’s some way we can draft legislation that will deal with the issue,” Crapo said.


Crapo knows getting stand-alone legislation time on the Senate floor is an uphill battle, even on popular bipartisan proposals, like the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act – legislation aimed at tearing down the barriers in federal law that have made most financial institutions refuse to lend capital to many marijuana companies. That’s why he’s also planning to work with the Trump administration to see if there’s a way to bypass this hyper-partisan and utterly gridlocked Congress altogether.

“There are other ways it could be solved,” Crapo said. “For example regulatory – they could deal with the issue at the Department of Justice, but I don’t know.”

Merely having the hearing on marijuana banking issues was “a historic moment in the Senate,” according to Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Col.) – one of two senators who testified in the Banking Committee ahead of a panel of experts who were mostly supportive of overhauling banking rules in order to assist the nation’s burgeoning marijuana industry. And he says the growing support from Republicans and Democrats alike on the issue shows that times aren’t just changing – they’ve already changed.

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Col) Source: WikiCommons

“It shows that this isn’t just a regional issue, but a national issue that needs to be addressed,” Gardner told Wikileaf as he was walking through the Capitol.


While some national media outlets made a fuss that Crapo was the only Republican on the Banking Committee to bother to attend the hearing, Gardner says those outlets missed the bigger picture: the conservative media machine and many GOP senators – professional rhetorical bomb-throwers – surrendered at the feet of marijuana.


“There was some criticism that the Republican attendance wasn’t there, but if they wanted to blow it up they would’ve been there,” Gardner said. “So I look at that as sort of an acknowledgment that this is now just a status quo issue and not something that they’re going to try and interfere with.”


Many Democrats also see these latest developments as progress.


“I would like to see it as a positive step forward,” Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) told Wikileaf as she was walking underneath the Capitol. “I support doing something in this country for these states that have legitimised marijuana businesses, we’ve got to give them an opportunity to have a financial system for them and…not an all-cash system for them.”

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) Source: WikiCommons

The former Nevada attorney general says the current federal prohibition on marijuana, especially while coupled with the banking prohibition, makes the nation’s multi-billion-dollar – and ever-growing – cannabis industry ripe for abuse.


“I have always been concerned about potential money laundering or crimes that are sort of around these all-cash businesses,” Cortez Masto said. “By having a financial system, it helps.”


But the question still ominously hovering over the nation’s capital – and all the marijuana dispensary owners, growers, and suppliers nationwide – is whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will ever allow marijuana banking legislation, or any marijuana bill for that matter, to see the light of day on the Senate floor. That remains a multi-billion dollar question.


“We’ll find out,” Cortez Masto said as the elevator doors ushering her to McConnell’s tightly controlled Senate floor closed.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

Time to find out if McConnell can swim

 

[momofthegoons]

Scottsdale researcher sues U.S. government over quality of marijuana for studies

A federally-licensed marijuana researcher is suing the government agency that grants her a license to conduct research.

Dr. Sue Sisley has asked the District of Columbia Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals to compel the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to allow researchers to use cannabis from sources other than the feds, thereby ending the government’s monopoly on manufacturing the plant for studies.

“Simply put, this cannabis is sub-par,” Sisley’s attorney, Shane Pennington, wrote in the complaint filed in court.

Sisley a few months ago completed her research on the effects of marijuana for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but the results have yet to be published. The DEA had approved that study – the first time the agency has done so for this kind of research.

She said her suit, which she filed in June, is finally getting some traction.

“Groups are offering to submit amicus briefs … we are in good shape to succeed here,” she said, adding that her lawyers even took the case pro bono.

Under the Controlled Substances Act, anyone seeking to manufacture and distribute marijuana must apply to the DEA, but Sisley said for almost 50 years, the only legal source of cannabis for research comes from the University of Mississippi, which she has openly complained about before. Sisley said she just wants the DEA to follow through on its pledge to end the cannabis monopoly at Ole Miss.

“When they announced that [pledge], they were announcing other growers they invited applications in to become a DEA Schedule 1 bulk manufacturer,” she said.

Sisley said she applied to be one about three years ago, but her application has just been sitting there, even though the DEA accepted her application fee.

“My attorneys think it’s unlawful and maybe even unconstitutional,” Sisley said.

She noted that Congress amended the Controlled Substances Act to require the U.S. Attorney General to publish a notice of application no later than 90 days upon receiving an application to manufacture a Schedule I drug, and argued that the DEA is violating the law. But she doesn’t even blame the DEA, speculating that it goes much higher than them.

“We are also suing the Attorney General, not just the DEA because my gut tells me that the DEA is not responsible for impeding this,” she said.

Sisley also said that her research company, Scottsdale Research Institute, has a “great relationship with the DEA.”

“The local office here has been wonderful to work with. They’re very supportive of our work and I’ve never gotten the impression they were ever trying to block anything,” Sisley said.

It’s the national office that has to deal with federal politics, she said.

Sisley said she is not even asking the DEA to accept her application, just to process it, which she believes would open up processing for the other 30 or so applications also sitting there.

She argued that the cannabis Mississippi uses is “suboptimal.”

“Scientists need access to options and we are handcuffed by a government-enforced monopoly that has only allowed me to study this really suboptimal study drug from Mississippi,” she said, claiming the drug provided for studies is moldy, and contains sticks and seeds.

“They are providing this standardized green powder that is just cannabis ground up,” she said, adding that it also is not being tested like it should.

She says by grinding it up into this powder substance is an “overzealous effort to standardize the study drug batches for clinical trials” and the most optimal substance would just be the marijuana flower.

But right now, Sisley says the efficacy research has been systematically impeded by the government ever since the monopoly was put in place and that it’s the final barrier to cannabis research.

“If we don’t end this monopoly and license other growers, we will continue to see cannabis research sabotaged by this low quality study drug, and we will never be able to do real world studies,” Sisley said.

 

[Baron23]

"But, Kamin said, "the differences between the parties are stark enough" that it's unlikely a conservative Republican or Democrat would choose to cross over based on a candidate's stance on marijuana."​

I rather agree. While there seems to be a pretty good majority in favor of MJ legalization, I don't believe that this passion will exceed that for other political issues and will generally not be a deciding driver in voting decisions.


Push to legalize pot cements partisan divisions in 2020 race


Growing support for legalizing marijuana among Democratic presidential candidates may help them pick up some moderate voters in next year's election while also cementing the support of hard-line conservatives for President Trump.



The emphasis is on the word "may." While the Democratic slate represents the most pro-cannabis field to set its sights on the White House to date, political analysts say the extent of the issue's influence is still far from clear.


“The big question is whether support for marijuana legalization is both broad and deep,” said Sam Kamin, a law professor at the University of Denver and marijuana policy expert. “It’s clearly broader than we would’ve thought a few years ago. Whether it’s something that will make voters choose one candidate over another remains to be seen.”


The vast majority of Democratic candidates favor legalizing marijuana at the federal level, while two believe that decision would be best left to the states. One candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden, has limited his support to eliminating criminal penalties for possession of marijuana and erasing records of past convictions.


Their stances reflect an effort to take advantage of growing public support for legalizing marijuana, which hit 61% in 2018, according to the General Social Survey from NORC (originally the National Opinion Research Center) at the University of Chicago. Among the political parties, 69% of Democrats and 66% of independents back legalization, while only 42% of Republicans do.


Support among GOP voters has been steadily increasing since 2012, however, the survey found. An April CBS News poll showed support for marijuana legalization among Democrats at 72% and Republicans at 56%.


“It’s one of the most popular, bipartisan political issues in the country right now," and Democratic candidates realize "it’s something they can use to differentiate themselves and drive support,” said Erik Altieri, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.


Democrats in particular have “finally caught up” with public opinion, said Michael Collins, director of national affairs at Drug Policy Action. They’re “embracing marijuana legalization through a racial justice lens, talking about it not as a jobs creator, but needing to right the wrongs of the past,” he said. “If marijuana legalization were polling at 20%, I don’t think we’d see as much discussion, but it’s polling very high."


Republicans have taken a harsher law-and-order stance on criminal justice issues since the 1970s, when President Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs, and support for cannabis legalization among moderates may give Democrats an edge in 2020.


Moderates are "going to be among the most hard, sought-after voters,” Altieri said. “These are the kinds of issues they gravitate toward and care about. By taking these stances, you can win them over and win over younger voters and those who are typically apolitical. It drives nonvoters to the polls.”


But, Kamin said, "the differences between the parties are stark enough" that it's unlikely a conservative Republican or Democrat would choose to cross over based on a candidate's stance on marijuana.


"I can't imagine someone saying, 'Gosh, it's a coin flip, but the Democrats' marijuana policy stinks,'" he said. In the "partisan moment, it's choosing among Democrats here that seems to be an issue."


While candidates during this week’s debates were not asked directly about their positions on marijuana, Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California used their time on stage to raise the topic, as did Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.


“We have got to have far more bold action on criminal justice reform, like having true marijuana justice, which means that we legalize it on a federal level and reinvest the profits in communities that have been disproportionately targeted by marijuana enforcement,” Booker said. Critics have frequently said that minorities are arrested on low-level drug offenses far more often than whites.


Harris, too, reiterated her support of legalization at the federal level after fending off attacks from Gabbard over her record of prosecuting drug offenses.


While marijuana use still remains an illegal Schedule I drug under federal law, 33 states now allow medical marijuana use and 11 allow recreational use. The efforts at the state level likely helped influence the shift in public support.


“As the first couple states began to take those steps toward legalization, it took away the lingering fear of the 'just say no' era,” Altieri said.


The state-level action has also elevated debate over whether there should be a change in federal law, which some members of the Senate who are running for president are seeking.


In February, Booker introduced a bill that would remove marijuana from the government’s list of controlled substances, thus making it permissible at the federal level, and automatically expunge convictions of those who served federal time for marijuana use and possession.


Signing on to Booker’s legislation were Harris and Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Michael Bennet of Colorado, and Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, all of whom are seeking their party's presidential nomination.


But Kamin cautioned that lifting federal marijuana prohibition would be the first of many steps if a Democrat were to win the White House.


“This moves from a criminal justice to a regulatory issue, and that has lots of implications for policy, public health, business, taxation,” he said. “So it’s not like, ‘Elect a Democrat and legalize it and we’ll move on.’”

 

[momofthegoons]

These 7 Organizations and Programs Help Low-Income People who Need Weed

Going to see a doctor can be a complicated process. Getting medicine can be, too. Both can also be expensive. This is especially true when it comes to consulting with a doctor about the use of cannabis and figuring out where cannabis products are available.

And while it's not uncommon for low-income patients to need medical assistance, it can be even harder when that medication is cannabis.

The barriers are many — applying and paying for an annual medical card, the often prohibitive price of the medicine itself, and the fact that marijuana is almost exclusively handled on a cash basis and isn't covered by insurance. Seeing this need, there are a growing number of programs meant to help low-income patients bridge both the financial and informational gaps that prevent them from accessing medical cannabis.

“I don't think your healthcare should be dependent on your ZIP code or your financial well-being,” said Garyn Angel, the founder of Cheers to Goodness Foundation. “But around the world those are the two determining factors. If we can cause a positive impact on that, it's our duty as humans.”

Here are some of the programs across the U.S. available to low-income medical cannabis patients who need help accessing their medication. Besides these resources, some dispensaries offer discounts to low-income patients, so contact your local dispensary to see whether they have a need-based program and if so, how to sign up for it.

City of Berkeley
Where: The city of Berkeley, California
Help It Offers: A city ordinance helps residents living in the city to cover medical cannabis expenses. Patients making less than $32,000 per year or $46,000 for a family of four can access their medical cannabis for free from local medical dispensaries.
According to the ordinance, dispensaries must offer at least 2% by weight of their annual medical cannabis supplies to very-low-income customers for free. The cannabis has to be of the same quality as that sold to paying customers. Income is verified through federal tax returns.
While each dispensary has slightly different rules, typically, low-income patients need to fill out an application, provide documentation of Berkeley residency, and possess a California medical marijuana card. The Berkeley Patients Group, the U.S.'s oldest medical cannabis dispensary, offers an example of what to expect.

California Medical Marijuana Identification Card
Help It Offers: In order to access compassion programs in the state, California Medical Marijuana Identification Card (MMIC) is required. It typically costs about $100, but low-income patients who are eligible for Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, can get their card for $50. Fees are waived for indigent patients who participate in the County Medical Services Program, a state health care program for uninsured low-income and indigent California residents, according to the California Department of Public Health's website. Patients must apply for the card through their home county health department.

Rainy Day Foundation
Where: Florida
Help It Offers: Rainy Day Foundation is a nonprofit that helps cannabis patients who are low-income, disabled, and live in Florida. The foundation provides financial assistance to cover the cost of doctor's referrals and the Florida medical cannabis card. Anyone who has a disability award letter from the Social Security Administration and makes less than $1,000 a month may apply to the foundation. The Rainy Day Foundation currently has a waiting list of 400 patients.
What It Needs Help With: Financial donations. You can donate through the organization's website.

Oregon Health Authority
Help It Offers: This state agency oversees the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and offers reduced-price state medical cannabis cards. The basic application fee is $200, but patients in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) pay $60; patients enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan pay $50; and recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and veterans pay $20. For more information, visit the Oregon Health Authority website.

Sanctuary Alternative Treatment Center
Where: Plymouth, New Hampshire
Help It Offers: Sanctuary Alternative Treatment Center, a nonprofit therapeutic cannabis provider, offers medication discounts for qualifying New Hampshire patients based on financial hardships or their eligibility for Medicaid, SSI, or Social Security Disability Insurance. One-on-one consultations for new patients are used to determine a patient's qualifications.

Cheers to Goodness Foundation
Where: National
Help It Offers: Cheers to Goodness Foundation was started in 2012 by Garyn Angel, the founder and CEO of MagicalButter.com, the company that makes Magical Butter machines, which are botanical extractors. Cheers to Goodness Foundation has provided holiday gifts to families strapped for cash due to high medical cannabis expenses, donated 420 Magical Butter machines to medical cannabis patients who were victims of the devastating 2017 Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, and has paid the expenses of families who have needed to move to states with more progressive medical cannabis laws in order to access needed medications, according to Angel.
What It Needs Help With: Financial donations can be made on the Cheers to Goodness Foundation website.

Massachusetts Medical Use of Marijuana Program
Help It Offers: Massachusetts medical cannabis patients facing financial hardships can get the $50 program registration fee waived if they are enrolled in MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program, receive SSI, or their household income doesn't exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty level for their family size ($36,180 for a single person or $73,800 for a family of four). To apply, patients need to present proof of verified financial hardship, which can include an official acceptance letter or card for MassHealth, federal tax returns, an SSI benefit verification letter, or a SNAP statement for the current year; according to the Mass.gov website.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

Sorry, mom: I didn’t need to make political comments.

 

[Baron23]

Joe Biden Is Coming for Your Legal Weed
The former VP and 2020 candidate's plan for cannabis is the industry's worst nightmare: It could blow up the system across the country.
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/43kg3m/joe-biden-is-coming-for-your-legal-recreational-weed
This arguably makes Kogan "big weed," and as a white male who wears a business suit, an avatar for the well-capitalized newcomers that old-school and smaller-scale weed businesses view as a mortal threat. But under the terms of Biden's criminal justice plan, not just "mom and pop" weed operators but people like Kogan, too, would be pushed out of business, he argued.

After all, FDA-approved drugs must survive a battery of clinical trials before they can be marketed and sold. Many cannabis companies don't have the resources enjoyed by a Merck or a Pfizer to pay for those trials without a revenue stream. And selling cannabis in a pharmacy rather than dispensaries would likely trash both the normal sales model in which Americans legally access weed, as well as the taxation structure set up in those states.

"If it were actually enforced, there could be no recreational marijuana at all."—David Herzberg

It's not clear exactly how Biden hit upon Schedule II as the magic solution, or if he took input from drug-policy reform advocates or cannabis industry players—or took cues instead from the anti-legalization activists working against them. A spokesman for Biden's campaign did not respond to emails, text messages, or a phone call seeking comment.

"There's no way this [Biden's plan] will ever go far enough to remedy the damages these communities of color have suffered," said Solonje Burnett, co-founder of the Brooklyn-based cannabis brand hub Humble Bloom, adding that his was a "half measure" that put him on "the wrong side of history, again."

Indeed, within hours of the plan's release, Biden was critiqued—or subtweeted, really—by fellow presidential hopeful Cory Booker, who has proposed full legalization on the federal level. But he's not just behind his fellow Democrats. According to a bevy of industry players interviewed, Biden's plan would be worse for weed in America than anything proposed under Donald Trump.

"His stance is to blow up 90 percent of the existing regulated and traditional market," said Sean Donahoe, an Oakland, California-based cannabis-industry consultant. That could be a disruption worse, even, than any George Bush or Barack Obama-era crackdown—when many businesses and operators suffered raids or received threatening letters.

This "shows [Biden's] fundamental worldview is framed through a corporate lens with no regard for existing operators, nor good public policy," Donahoe added.

As absurd as it might be to list cannabis in Schedule I, lumping weed with opiates, coke, and pharmaceuticals in Schedule II is also intellectually dishonest, critics said.

"Cannabis, like anything, has risks, but it doesn’t have those risks," said the University at Buffalo’s Herzberg.

Fundamentally, though, the problem is that Schedule II "would still present a conflict with the existing state medical and adult-use cannabis programs that are on the books in 47 states," said Erich Pearson, who owns cannabis dispensaries in San Francisco and in California's Sonoma County, and sits on the board of the Denver-based National Cannabis Industry Association. (Pearson is also a longtime supporter of Sen. Kamala Harris and recently appeared at a Harris presidential campaign fundraiser, according to his Facebook page and FEC filings.)

Under most existing medical-marijuana laws, cannabis is available to sick people with a "qualifying condition" listed under state law who receive a "recommendation" from a physician to use the drug, which is then acquired from a dispensary or grown by a caregiver.

Most cannabis use "is not medical," period, Caulkins noted. Further, most medical cannabis use "would not meet standard FDA approval process."

Whether a Biden-led FDA would have either the ability or the desire to punish every cannabis operator who violated such a policy framework is doubtful. But the takeaway is that Biden's plan as proposed could destroy established businesses. Then again, it might be good for the likes of Altria, the tobacco-industry giant that invested $1.8 billion in Canadian cannabis company Cronos and has also patented dozens of vaporizer devices.

In his defense, Biden has expressed awareness that the war on drugs as he helped wage it is no longer tenable. Biden "is here saying no one should be in jail because of cannabis use," a senior Biden campaign aide speaking on condition of anonymity told reporters before the plan's release. Biden also "very much believes that we need more research and [to] study the positive and negative impact of cannabis use," added the aide.

But his plan wouldn't even do that, skeptics said.

The proposal would do for cannabis "the same thing it’s done for meth: Ensure reduced research initiatives, selective prosecution, and a thriving black market," said Michael Backes, a Southern California-based cannabis industry consultant and author of Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana.

Selling cannabis like other Schedule II drugs, in "a closed system, only by prescription, only sold by licensed pharmacies, would be massively disruptive," Herzberg concluded. "It would produce massive changes—and if it were actually enforced, there could be no recreational marijuana at all."

 

[Baron23]

Credit Unions Won’t Be Punished For Working With Marijuana Businesses, Federal Regulator Says

Regulators won’t punish credit unions simply for working with marijuana businesses that are operating in compliance with state laws, the head of the federal agency that oversees the financial services providers said in a new interview.


National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Chairman Rodney Hood also suggested that Congress could entirely resolve banking issues in the cannabis industry by federally descheduling marijuana.


“It’s a business decision for the credit unions if they want to take the deposits,” Hood told Credit Union Times, adding that the financial institutions must follow existing federal guidance and ensure that the businesses they choose to service are not violating anti-money laundering laws or other rules.


“We don’t get involved with micro-managing credit unions,” he said.


While the comments don’t signify a new shift in policy, and don’t take into account the fact that the Justice Department still maintains authority to potentially prosecute credit unions that allegedly violate the law by banking marijuana proceeds, they are the latest indication of a growing consensus that federal action is needed to clarify the situation.


Uncertainty around banking in the state-legal marijuana market has been a hot topic in the 116th Congress.


Legislation that would shield banks and credit unions that take on cannabis clients from being penalized by federal regulators was approved by the House Financial Services Committee in March, and the Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on the bill last month. That panel’s chair, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), said last week that he agrees a solution for the industry is necessary.


Though the NCUA head didn’t endorse specific legislation to give credit unions peace of mind when dealing with cannabis businesses, he did float the idea of descheduling marijuana as one way to provide unambiguous clarity for financial institutions.


“Hood said that Congress could remove all ambiguity if it enacted legislation to declassify marijuana,” the trade publication reported after its interview with the official.


Separately, the independent federal agency recently took one proactive step toward reforming policy partly in response to state-level legalization efforts. In a notice published in the Federal Register last week, NCUA proposed changing its rules so that individuals with prior low-level drug convictions would be allowed to work at credit unions.


Though bank and credit union representatives are calling for enhanced clarity when it comes to cannabis banking, more financial institutions do seem willing to take the risk anyway, with federal data showing a notable uptick in the number of marijuana-servicing banks in the last quarter.

 

[Baron23]

Marijuana usage among Americans getting higher and higher: study

America’s gone to pot, with the number of marijuana smokers spiking dramatically— even in states where it’s illegal — in recent years, a new study shows.
The number of folks who admitted to monthly weed use in states where the drug isn’t allowed recreationally has soared 33 percent since 2002, according to an analysis of federal data by the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
And the increase is even, well, higher — 47 percent — in states where lighting up is legal, according to the sprawling survey of all 50 states.
In New York, where marijuana is decriminalized but not legal for adult recreational use, nearly 10 percent of residents copped to getting stoned at least once in the past month, up from 7 percent in 2002, according to the study. New York also now allows cannabis for medicinal use.
Oregon — where pot is legal, and joints sell for as low as $1 each — topped the list as the biggest stoner state with 20 percent of residents saying they used marijuana monthly. Overall, the state reported that pot use more than double since 2002.
Weed lovers in Vermont also showed no sign of mellowing out, with 19.3 percent of residents copping to use of the green stuff in 2017 — the nation’s second highest.
By contrast, the smallest increase was in South Carolina, where only 6.7 percent of people said they used the drug.
Overall, the survey shows that the country views marijuana use as less risky than it did two decades ago.
“With the continued legalization and general increase in marijuana use, knowing the data and what they mean will be increasingly important,” said Rockefeller Institute Interim Executive Director Patricia Strach. “This analysis and new data tools offer valuable guidance for policymakers going forward.”
The analysis was based on data compiled by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

 

[momofthegoons]

Arizona Tea maker enters the cannabis market

• The maker of Arizona Tea is entering the market for vape pens and cannabis-infused gummies and drinks.
• It reached a licensing deal with Dixie Brands, a cannabis company that makes and sells drinks, gummies and topical creams that are laced with marijuana.
• Through the partnership, Dixie will manufacture and distribute goods branded with Arizona’s name.

Jeff Greenberg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images


Marijuana products will soon hit the masses, as the maker of Arizona Tea enters the cannabis market, starting with vape pens and THC-infused gummies.

Privately held Arizona Beverage announced Tuesday that it reached a licensing deal with Dixie Brands, which makes and sells drinks, chocolates, gummies and topical creams that are laced with marijuana. Through the partnership, Dixie, which operates in six U.S. states, will manufacture and distribute products branded with Arizona’s name. The products will be sold through licensed dispensaries.

The deal also gives Arizona the right to buy a stake of up to $10 million in the cannabis company.

Arizona Beverage’s namesake iced teas are a staple at convenience stores and supermarkets around the country, including 7/11s, Walmarts, and Walgreens, which might indicate marijuana products are edging closer to the mainstream. The agreement is one of the first examples of a major consumer company entering the cannabis market.

“The cannabis market is an important emerging category, and we’ve maintained our independence as a private business to be positioned to lead and seize generation-defining opportunities exactly like this one,” said Don Vultaggio, chairman of Arizona Beverages in a press release. “The cannabis category is an ideal space to bring the flavor and fun of AriZona into new and exciting products.”

Other beverage brands have also been dipping their toes into the marijuana space. In 2017, Corona beer maker Constellation Brands announced a near 10% stake in Canopy Growth Corporation, the world’s largest publicly traded cannabis company, and it increased the investment last year by $4 billion. California-based Lagunitas Brewing, owned by Heineken, also launched cannabis-infused sparkling water to be sold in select California locations.

However, as a private company, Arizona may have more leeway to take this step. Although marijuana is legal for recreational use in 11 states and for medical use in more than 30 states, it remains prohibited by federal law. This means it can’t be transported across state lines. Profits from marijuana sales also can be restricted from banks.

 

[Baron23]

Ah.....because they are a bunch of bloody wankers? Maybe? Nah, must be something else....haha


Why is the DEA dragging its feet to approve marijuana suppliers for research?
Don’t expect people in power to back up their promises, kids. This week marks three years since the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced it would administer additional licences for marijuana cultivations specifically designed for research purposes.
While in previous years, blame was placed squarely at the feet of former Attorney General⁠—and noted prohibition evangelist—Jeff Sessions, the excuses have run thin.
Legislators at the state and federal level have credited a lack of research for the reasons why they wouldn’t push through decriminalization or legalization measures.
In addition, the marijuana currently available to researchers is grown by the National Institute of Drug Abuse at the University of Mississippi. Scientists have complained that NIDA’s cannabis is sometimes mouldy and often comprised of blended marijuana flower, leaves and stems, which isn’t ideal to conduct specific research.

“We are still working through the process and those applications remain under review,” DEA spokeswoman Katherine Pfaff told STATS News.

But the actions from these federal departments reveal a contradictory nature. In a statement to STATS News, NIDA noted that “there has been no major increase in the level of demand for cannabis by researchers in recent years.” But just this month NIDA announced plans to grow its largest crop for marijuana research in five years and will also produce strains with varying levels of CBD and THC content, which wasn’t available previously.
At the same time, the number of researchers who received NIDA marijuana totaled nine in 2010. But that number rose to 21 in 2017 and 20 in 2018, reports STATS News.

So are there more researchers who need more marijuana or not?

This all explains, in part, why one doctor who received NIDA marijuana is suing the DEA. Dr. Sue Sisley recently completed a landmark study on the effects that cannabinoids have on veterans with PTSD. Her report will be published later this year, but Dr. Sisley fears her study’s results were compromised due to the quality of NIDA cannabis.
“Most scientists end up with this mishmash of different strains (including stem sticks, leaves etc.)—all of it seems to get thrown into a grinder in overzealous effort to standardize the study drug batches for clinical trials,” Dr. Sisley said in a statement. “I’m arguing that by doing that, they’re overprocessing the plant and decimating the natural efficacy contained in the flowering tops,” she noted.
“Further, in controlled trials, we issue patients the study drug by weight,” Dr. Sisley added. “So if the weight of study drug is being augmented with this extraneous plant material instead of just the dry flower/bud, common sense suggests how this dilution could harm the outcomes of efficacy data.”
Dr. Sisley argues in her lawsuit that the federal government has essentially created a monopoly around cannabis made available to researchers. If this cannabis isn’t to the quality found at dispensaries nationwide—which is the quality many patients following the conclusions of cannabis research will be using—then these federal organization are acting unlawfully.
“Maintaining only one federally legal drug supply for any clinical trials in the U.S. has been a huge impediment to research because it’s not allowing scientists access to necessary options,” Dr. Sisley said. “We can’t just study from one supplier who seems to be limited from purchasing new genetics. And when there’s a monopoly for this many decades, it tends to breed apathy,” she noted.
“That’s why I spend so much time educating about the limitations of this monopoly and the fact that if we could ever license other growers for research and have options for scientists, it could create a renaissance of cannabis research in the U.S.,” she said. “We could regain our rightful place at the helm of the most important cannabis clinical trials in the world.”

 

[Baron23]

This probably can go into the Atrocious thread, but let's start with it here and see

Israel’s ‘Tikun Olam’ founder forced to give up shares In medical cannabis scandal

While Israel’s medical cannabis program is a robust one, regulations and too much red tape are hindering the supply chain. Israel’s most prominent medical cannabis grower is now being sanctioned by the government and needs to give up shares in the company.

Israel has been the world leader of medical cannabis research for decades and is one of the first countries in the world to run a regulated medical cannabis program. While medical cannabis research has been halted in many countries, Professor Raphael Mechulam and his team continue to study it in Israel – as they have been since the 1960s. They were the ones that originally discovered THC, CBD, Anandamide and the ECS (Endocannabinoid System).



Tikun Olam, established in 2005, is one of the first and until recently the largest medical cannabis grower in Israel and has been for many years. When medical cannabis regulations began taking root in 2010, eight companies, including Tikum Olam started to sell cannabis to patients. Prior to 2010, these companies were giving cannabis away for free, waiting for the regulations to allow them to sell it.

In 2012 Tikun Olam introduced a High-CBD cannabis flower, which allowed the young medical cannabis company to offer low-THC flowers to their clients. It became a very popular choice among the patients.

Now, they not only have operations in Israel, but in recent years have also expanded to Australia, Canada, and the United States. In addition to cultivation, Tikun Olam has been at the forefront of many important medical cannabis studies and is still actively involved in research.

Recently, for various reasons (related to the new regulations), their license has been temporary put on hold. Now the founder of Tikun Olam, Tzahi Cohen, has been ordered by the courts to divest the majority of his 70% stake in the organization he created.

Tikun Olam can only have their growing license back once Cohen has divested his shares, and that fact sparked outrage. The scandal surrounds unproved police allegations about Cohen which are yet to be substantiated. In February, Tikun Olam notified patients that they were encountering “supply issues” even though their provision of CBD oil was unaffected.

In court, judges discussed placing Cohen’s shares into a blind trust, while making him resign from the management board. Cohen will still be entitled to profit from the company, though. The high court in Israel rejected Tikun Olam’s appeal on the matter, claiming more research is needed to ascertain whether reinstating the license would “hold potential risk to the public.” Almost everyone agrees that that’s absurd and is making the Health Ministry look like a corrupt body with specific “self-interests.”

Tikun Olam told reporters, according to a report in Calcalist, that the company is now considering their next steps carefully. They may appeal to the Supreme Court, although that route is timely and costly. For the time being, Tikun Olam is doing what they can to provide their patients with medical cannabis, THC oil, and CBD oil.

 

[Baron23]

Well, Burn...that would be nice but I believe that there a few laws....that is legislation passed by the governmental body you are a member of....that may get in the way. Like the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970

The real issue is that Congress has NOT done its job in amending the various legislation that impacts MJ at the Federal level....among other things that they are neglectful of.


Bernie Sanders says he’d legalize marijuana by executive order

Joe Rogan’s podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” is quickly becoming a stop on the campaign trail, along with deli counters in New Hampshire and county fairs in Iowa. The entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have already made a visit to Rogan’s podcast, but Sen. Bernie Sanders is the biggest name in politics yet to stop by the show.
The podcast represents a platform where candidates can dive into their ideas on policy in-depth, and Sanders did just that in his Aug. 6 episode. In a back and forth with Rogan over a little more than an hour, they covered Sanders’ take on the minimum wage, Medicare for All and criminal justice — including the need to reform federal marijuana laws, and how Sanders would get it done via executive order.
Rogan posed a question to Sanders on cannabis legalization, noting the fact that the illicit market continues to fuel cartels who load their weed up with pesticides.
“Let me say this, when I ran for president, for the Democratic nomination in 2016, I talked about a broken criminal justice system — which ends up having, in the United States, more people in jail than any other country,” Sanders replied. “We have more people in jail than China does, which is a communist authoritarian country.”
Sanders said that he is calling for the legalization of marijuana in America, in part because the Controlled Substances Act is nonsensical, given that marijuana and heroin are categorized together.
“That is insane,” Sanders said. “Heroin is a killer drug. You can argue the pluses and minuses of marijuana, but marijuana ain’t heroin. So we have to end that, and that’s what I will do.”



Sanders said as president, he believes he will be empowered to change the law via executive order, “and I will do that.”
Sanders went on to say he is very proud of the states that have pushed forward on legalization and decriminalization.
“What seemed kind of radical, the need to legalize and decriminalize marijuana… still is spreading all over the country,” Sanders said. “And by the way, it blows my mind. The drive-thrus in Nevada, here in California, you see signs from corporations, ‘Buy our marijuana.’ Four years ago, people were getting arrested for doing that, right? Their lives being destroyed.”
“Particularly in Nevada,” Rogan replied. “There were life sentences given out in the ’70s.”

“Can you believe that?” Sanders quipped back. “And now you have corporations selling the damn product people went to jail for.”

Sanders said ultimately he thinks the United States will have to legalize marijuana and pointed to restorative justice measures across the country as part of the good news.
“Some cities are expunging records, so if you’re arrested or have a criminal record for selling marijuana, that is being expunged and that’s the right thing to do,” he said.
However, Sanders did make clear that he’s “not a huge fan of drugs.” He referenced a couple of times that he tried marijuana, but said it didn’t do much for him. When Rogan asked Sanders where he got it, he replied “Northern Vermont.”
“That’s the problem,” Rogan said, as Sanders laughed along. “You got to get some here [in California]. It’ll do something for you.”
Rogan spoke of the hard drugs in urban centers leading to cycles of incarceration, he asked Sanders if he had any plans on decriminalizing or legalizing all drugs.
“No, not at this point,” Sanders replied, “but you’re touching on a real tragedy. And when we talk about criminal justice in America we have over two million people in jail. They are disproportionately African American, Latino and Native American. I think in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, what we have got to do instead of building more jails and locking up more people, we really do have to invest in our young people. Especially young people in distressed communities.”
Sanders thinks one component to helping with substance abuse issues is just doing whatever we can to make sure the most at-risk youth finish high school.

 

[Baron23]

40% THC Flower?! How Lab Shopping and THC Inflation Cheat Cannabis Consumers

SAN FRANCISCO—Gold Seal brand co-founder and grower Neil Dellacava’s jaw dropped when he opened the email and saw the note from his lab: the new batch of his award-winning Gold Seal Cherry Cheesecake flower buds was just 17% THC by dry weight?!
Years worth of tests never had it below the mid-20s. He thought he had his licensed commercial indoor grow dialed in!
This was bad.
“It’s the mark of death,” he explained. “If I have something that’s super-fire that’s 19.1[% THC], that’s borderline. If it was 18 or below, buyers try to negotiate the price down.”
Gold Seal ended up firing its cannabis lab over that stinky 17% THC score. Today, Neil’s happy with the consistent, mid-20s they’re getting from their new lab down in Los Angeles. The new batches of Cherry Cheesecake and Red Congolese are most definitely fire.
“Every lab’s numbers are different. Consistency in THC percentage is the most important thing at this point in time for us,” he said. “We know what these strains are capable of. When a grow room has no changes to it whatsoever and gets a lower score, it’s a concern—especially in a world with consumers being number hunters.”
Five years into state-legal medical and adult use cannabis sales in the US, and it’s almost a mandatory business practice for growers and distributors to shop around for the lab that gives them the highest THC scores.
Excessive test result variance between labs—driven in part by THC potency inflation—remains the original sin of the lab industry. The problem varies in size from state to state, but efforts to standardize and monitor labs have been slow in coming.
“It’s a problem for everybody,” said Leafly scientist Nick Jikomes, who authored a damning paper on lab variance published in the journal Nature in 2018.

Related Articles

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Pesticides 101: Questions and Answers for Cannabis Patients and Consumers

What’s Lurking In California
Problems persist up and down the West Coast:

• In Washington, lab oversight failure in 2018 preceded lab reporting system collapse this year. Regulators and consumers are “flying blind,” expert Washington data scientist and consultant Jim MacRae told Leafly.
• In Oregon, THC scores peaked at a ludicrous 40% in January amid a scathing state Oregon Health Authority (OHA) audit that found instances of lab shopping and low lab oversight. “Without a mechanism for verifying test results, Oregon’s marijuana testing program cannot ensure that test results are reliable and products are safe,” the OHA audit concluded.
• In California, lab shopping appears endemic. At least a couple labs seem to be inflating THC scores, said Josh Wurzer of SC Labs. Other growers and distributors concurred.

A little ratings fraud might seem harmless—like Shell lying about fuel octane ratings, or McDonald’s going light on the quarter-pounder. But the effects are real.
THC inflation punishes craft growers who can’t pay to twist arms for higher THC scores like the big boys. Consumers are skipping great herb. Bunk scores also jeopardize consumers’ ability to take the right amount, increasing their risk of an accident.
“The devastation really sets in when you know it’s a great strain that’s testing less than 15%, at that point you’re almost dead in the water.”
Ben Grambergu, DYME Distribution, Oakland, California
“The devastation really sets in when you know it’s a great strain that’s testing less than 15%,” said Ben Grambergu, for DYME distribution in Oakland, California. “At that point you’re almost dead in the water.”
Furthermore, some growers and distributors have gone beyond mere lab shopping for THC.
In an era of tougher-than-organic standards, some have begun shopping for passing pesticide results as well, said Swetha Kaul, chief scientific officer at Cannalysis Labs in Santa Ana, California.
Lab Testing’s Original Sin
THC inflation—lying—might be the original sin of cannabis labs.
Consumers started seeing THC scores next to their cannabis in 2012 during the unregulated medical marijuana era in California. Technicians use mass spectrometry, and gas and liquid chromatography, to detect minute amounts of cannabis’ main active ingredient, THC, and other molecules.
State-licensed lab testing for cannabis purity and potency began in Colorado in 2014. Since its inception, consumers preferred high THC scores. The market signal travels up the supply chain to the stores, distributors, growers, and labs. If a lab starts producing low test scores, growers and distributors can switch to a different lab that consistently offers higher ones.
“How the scientist interprets the output and reports the results is up to them.”
Oregon Health Authority audit, 2019, Oregon Secretary of State
Who’s to say who is right? Higher lab results can be accurate, or they can be inaccurate due to error, or sometimes, fraud. The science is so new, every lab can legally come up with their own method for arriving at a THC score.
“The truth is, there is no single guidance that works,” states Marc A. Nascarella, PhD, chief toxicologist at MDPH, and a contributor to the Association of Public Health Labs cannabis guidance stated in 2017. “Cannabis is now being put into oils, resins, food products, suppositories, tinctures, creams, lotions, vape pens and, of course, cigarettes. It is much more than dry flower/plant testing.”
“How the scientist interprets the output and reports the results is up to them,” the OHA 2019 audit states.
Labs are subject to varying levels of accreditation, too. California mandates all labs be ISO certified by end of 2019, but not all are yet. Oregon and Washington do not require ISO certification. Instead, both states hired outside vendors to accredit—not license—labs. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) doesn’t have a single chemist. Instead, their vendor, RJ Lee, has accredited 13 labs.
California’s Emerging Issues
Lab shopping and THC inflation have dogged California’s market since 2012, but testing quality is looking up in the world’s biggest legal market, where regulators are on the prowl.
Lab numbers will vary by about 3 to 5% THC between labs, growers report. That’s enough to make or break a product launch. (By contrast, a 20% flower that tests between 19 and 21 would be considered a normal variance for the mainstream lab industry, Kaul said.)
“We work with every single lab in the state and we get different results from all of them,” said Christina Dipaci, CEO of The Weed Brand and Paradiso, during the 2018 harvest.
DYME distribution of Oakland said they are choosing not to lab shop right now, even though it may be costing them.

RELATED STORY
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“There are labs we could send our product to and get a higher test result and get a better chance of passing,” said Grambergu. “And can you tell me who is doing it right?”
Josh Wurzer, founder of SC Labs, said customers have switched away from SC after shopping for higher numbers.
“We certainly have clients that are comparing our cannabinoid results against other labs and telling us straight up that they’re making decisions based on cannabinoid results,” he said.
“We have seen one to two labs that are definitely, in comparison to other labs, pumping out really high THC results,” he said.
Kaul, chief scientific officer at Cannanalysis, has seen it, too. “They don’t outright say it, but there’s a lot of times where that’s the understanding.”
Smaller labs may be more subject to pressure, she said. “I’m OK walking away from clients, but if you’re a small startup lab with one client that threatened to walk away, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Still ‘Flying Blind’ in Washington
Washington is in the process of revoking testing oversight from the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board. This comes after private citizens busted the state’s biggest lab, Peak Analytics, for inflating THC scores. Straight Line Analytics founder MacRae and others found anomalies in Peak’s state reporting data. For example, Peak tested a Blue Dream flower at 37.1% THC—a statistical near-impossibility.
Peak subsequently failed auditing for microbial testing, the WSLCB suspended their license, and the lab closed. But there’s nothing in Washington’s rules to stop a disgraced lab operator from reopening. Several have.
Plus, a state system update to increase monitoring this summer achieved the opposite, watchers say. The tracking system is down due to bugs in the code.
“Those with oversight of the market are flying blind,” said MacRae. “Consumers in Washington, for the past 18-plus months, have simply had to ‘trust’ the label on their product and the wholesaler that placed it there.”
“I would fully expect that lab shopping, THC inflation, passing tainted products, or skipping purity tests is not an uncommon occurrence in Washington today,” he said.
Oregon Hits Rock Bottom
In Oregon, state auditors issued a scathing January report on lab oversight failures, including lack of inspections and evidence of lab shopping. Twelve of the state’s 22 labs hadn’t been inspected, “a critical and required component of the accreditation process,” the audit states.
The audit didn’t mince words. “Limited authority, inadequate staffing, and inefficient processes reduce OHA’s ability to ensure Oregon marijuana labs consistently operate under accreditation standards and industry pressures may affect lab practices and the accuracy of results.”
The audit also found behavior that looked like lab shopping, as “43% of processors used three or more labs between January 2017 and July 2018. During the same period, 38 growers and processors used five or more labs, and one processor used nine separate labs.”

RELATED STORY
Oregon’s Cannabis Lab Testing System Flunks State Audit
Wurzer concluded “Oregon is a mess,” though lab accuracy may have improved slightly this year.
Kaul—who also operates an Oregon lab—said Oregon’s rules are good, but regulators are just overwhelmed and not checking up on labs enough.
By contrast, Colorado’s small, five-lab industry seems to have far fewer problems.
Jikomes said, “In general, I think states with more licenses have a worse problem. Places like Oregon and Nevada seem to be the worst in terms of lab shopping and THC inflation, because there are lots of labs, lots of stores, and therefore regulatory oversight is that much more diluted.”
Beyond THC: Shopping for CBD and Pesticide Results
Growers and distributors are lab shopping for more than high THC scores. Some appear to be shopping for passing grades for pesticides, which is much more worrisome.
California’s cleaner-than-organic rules have bit down hard on growers. 20% of batches failed for pesticides when action limits kicked in Jan. 1, 2019. By July, just 5-6% of batches failed for pesticides. Kaul thinks normal pesticide fail rates should be around 9-10% of all batches.
Either California growers have really cleaned up their act, or they’re finding a way to pass dirty product, Kaul said. Customers have told her they use competing labs to pass pesticides screens they would otherwise fail at Cannalysis.

(Leafly)
“Padding THC scores, it’s annoying. But releasing pesticides into the market—that’s worrying,” Kaul said.
By contrast, Wurzer has not seen lab shopping for passing pesticide scores. “If they want to cheat at a safety test, I don’t want them as a customer.”
Both Kaul and Wurzer see this behavior as a relic of the Wild West medical marijuana days—where you got product to market by hook or by crook.
How to End Lab Shopping, THC Inflation
At this point, tougher rules, oversight, and a cultural evolution are the most promising strategies to end lab shopping and THC inflation. It’s just a matter of how fast they can be implemented.
Accreditation
Cannabis lab testing isn’t the dark art it was seven years ago. “Over the years the methods have started to solidify,” said Kaul.
Labs should be required to get accredited to ISO standards, said Jikomes. That involves on-site inspections and peer review. It’s a global standard that’s free to the state.
“Participating labs would conduct tests on each other several times a year, and if a lab’s results are too far off from the rest, they would lose their accreditation,” he argued.
Ongoing ISO mandates in California “will help a lot. You’ll see the cream rise to the top,” said Wurzer. SC Labs has two ISO certifications.
Auditing
There’s no substitute for good old-fashioned inspections and auditing. For example, Oregon lab staffers have no background check requirements. “Apart from an estimate of staff numbers, not much is known about who is employed at Oregon marijuana labs,” the OHA audit concluded.
California needs to standardize lab data tracking and automate auditing for anomalies. When everyone is reporting all analytes from all batches, norms and outliers emerge. That’s how Peak Analytics in Washington got caught.
“You can easily see if one lab is way out of the statistical norm,” Wurzer.

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For example, Wurzer reports maybe one out of 100 flower samples is testing at 30% THC these days. “It’s not impossible,” he said. “It should be extremely rare. We’ve definitely seen some legit samples over 30%.”
But if a lab constantly spits out 30-plus% THC scores, then that’s a red flag, he said. “It’s when you look at total overall output—you can see who is pulling a fast one or not.”
Wurzer suspects THC inflation in California “won’t last long. The BCC will catch wind of it. They’re looking at the data and when they get evidence of either bad practices or out-and-out tomfoolery they’ve been quick to react.”
The oversight of legalization is taming California labs, said Wurzer. “In general, you’re getting good testing in California. I think it’s getting better.”
Self-Policing
Competing labs hate it when peers cheat. It undercuts their business, and they’ll turn you in. The Cannabis Lab Alliance helped level Peak Analytics in Washington. Labs in emerging markets can volunteer for ring tests where every lab measures the same sample (passing it around in a ring) and outliers improve their methods.
Wurzer relates an example. “I’m looking at a concentrate they sent to four labs: [the THC results were] 84%, 83%, 85%, and then 99%.” Wurzer laughs. “OK, the BCC is going to catch that. Or the other labs you pissed off that you’re cheating are going to point that out to the BCC and they’ll take action.”
Consumers Must Get Wise, Trust Senses Over Scores
While oversight kicks in, consumers can do their part to move beyond THC scores. They’re not the true quality indicator for cannabis.
“The way you solve this is with the culture,” said Kaul.
“You don’t choose wine based on alcohol content, you choose it on taste and flavor,” Wurzer said. “I’m much more interested in the flavor of it and the experiences, and if I wanted to be a little higher I’d hold it in.”

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Beyond THC: It’s Time to Assert the Primacy of Terpenes
Kaul said consumers need to start trusting their senses. Is it terpene-rich? Do the trichome heads look full and fresh? Does it feel like your jam?
Judges at the industry’s most prestigious cannabis competition, The Emerald Cup, will tell you the highest THC flower never wins. The terpenes radically shape the effects of THC.
“In terms of flower, the connoisseur is often not looking at potency at all,” said Grambergu. “Nose and eyes are what we judge by. It’s majority the budget, economy, new smoker that is tying THC percentage to price point and deriving value.”
Grambergu said the best cannabis he’s smoked this year was 16.8% THC, and he didn’t notice till he threw the jar away.

RELATED STORY
Leafly’s Visual Quality Guide to Selecting Cannabis
“The only thing 30% means to me anymore is that the consumer wants it,” he said. “It has almost nothing to do with the actual effect.”.
Ultimately, chasing THC is comical, since most THC is burned or exhaled anyway.
“The consumer just doesn’t understand,” Wurzer said. “If it’s 30% THC or 10%, if you’re going to roll it into a joint you’re inhaling, then 80-90% of the cannabis’ THC is gone in every breath.”

 

[Bcbud]

Good vibes.

Outside Lands Music Festival Will Have Legal Cannabis Retail, Consumption

The designated areas will be called "Grass Lands."

hightimes.com

 

[Baron23]

"I believe we can do that through executive order, and I will do that."

Can't say I really "feel the Burn" but he's right in this. The schedule 1 status is NOT designated specifically by legislation and the schedules are maintained by the DEA who works for the DOJ who works for the President. It really is that simple and don't let a bunch of mealy mouthed politicians tell you otherwise. Well...all in my never humble opinion! hahahaha

Bernie Sanders Just Suggested a Unique Way to Legalize Marijuana

Whether you're ready for it or not, it's election season in America. For the next 15 months we'll be hearing political ads and debates, and reading columns concerning which political candidates give our city, county, state, or country the best chance to thrive.

But what's particularly interesting about the 2020 elections is that, for the first time ever, there's likely to be a real focus and debate on cannabis reform.

As you're probably aware, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States. That means it's wholly illegal, prone to abuse, and not considered to have any medical benefits, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the very first cannabidiol (CBD)-based oral medicine in June 2018. Yet according to various polls, the American public favors the legalization of recreational cannabis, and overwhelmingly supports patients' access to medical marijuana.

This bifurcation between what the public appears to want in surveys, versus a body of lawmakers that has been unable to advance serious discussion on cannabis reform, is likely to come to head in the 2020 election.

View photos
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaking behind a podium.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaking behind a podium. Image source: Bernie Sanders' Senate website.

Feel the (cannabis) Bern?
Whereas President Trump, the expected Republican nominee for a second term, has wavered on his support for legalizing marijuana at the federal level, nearly all Democratic candidates have come out in support of some form of legalization or decriminalization of the drug. But perhaps no candidate has been more vocal about this stance than Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

In 2016, when Sanders ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, ultimately losing out to Hillary Clinton, one of his many campaign promises was to reform America's justice system by legalizing marijuana. This made Sanders the first major presidential candidate to support legalizing cannabis, with many of his fellow Democrats also taking that view ahead of the 2020 election.

But whereas many of Sanders' fellow Democrats have offered their support for legalization or decriminalization without laying out a specific plan on how to get that done, Sanders has proposed a unique means of bringing the green rush to the United States. As reported by Newsweek, Sanders would use a presidential executive order to make it so.

While speaking with Joe Rogan on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Sanders had this to say:

When I ran for president for the Democratic nomination in 2016, I talked about a broken criminal justice system, which ends up having in the United States more people in jail than any other country. And what I call for then, and I call for now, is the legalization of marijuana in America.

That [marijuana's Schedule I classification] is insane. Heroin is a killer drug. You can argue the pluses and minuses of marijuana, but marijuana ain't heroin. So we have to end that, and that's what I will do as president of the United States. I believe we can do that through executive order, and I will do that.

View photos
A black silhouette outline of the United States, partially filled in by baggies of cannabis, rolled joints, and a scale.

Image source: Getty Images.
Election fever has Canadian pot companies excited
As you can imagine, any possibility of change at the federal level in the U.S. has cannabis companies excited. More specifically, it has established Canadian growers with deep pockets very intrigued. Let's remember that, even though Canada has legalized adult-use weed, legalization in the U.S. would dwarf Canada's annual pot sales, and any other country around the world, for that matter.
This expectation of eventual reform is what enticed Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC), the largest marijuana stock in the world by market cap, to offer to buy Acreage Holdings (OTC: ACRGF) for $3.4 billion (when announced) on a contingent-rights basis. Shareholders have already approved the combination. The contingency, however, is that the U.S. federal government has to legalize marijuana. If that happens, in addition to Canopy paying Acreage shareholders $300 million upfront, they'll receive 0.5818 shares of Canopy Growth for each Acreage share they own.
Sure, this deal gives Acreage access to Canopy's leading brands, but it's far more important for Canopy Growth, which would gain access to 20 U.S. states, as well as Acreage's more than seven dozen retail store licenses. Acreage has the infrastructure needed to make Canopy an instant success in a budding U.S. market, and the timing of this announcement (mid-April) suggests that the two parties see legalization occurring at the federal level sooner than later.
Of course, Canopy Growth is far from alone. Around half of Canada's major weed growers have made plans to enter the U.S. hemp and/or cannabidiol (CBD) market in order to build business relationships and get valuable infrastructure in place on U.S. soil before a hopeful change in scheduling at the federal level.

View photos
A judge's gavel next to a handful of dried cannabis buds.
Image source: Getty Images.

Hold your horses
While public opinion, and recent investments, would appear to favor the legalization of cannabis happening fairly soon in the U.S., this may not prove to be the case.

For instance, only Sanders has suggested that an executive order to legalize marijuana is on the table. That means such a scenario may only work if Sanders becomes the Democratic nomination, and wins the election. There are no certainties, at the moment, who'll win the Democratic presidential nomination or the 2020 presidency. That makes it very difficult to predict whether or not cannabis has a shot at reform anytime in the near future.

In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has made it clear through his actions that cannabis-related legislation isn't going to reach the Senate floor for debate. This suggests that the Senate may have to change hands from a Republican majority to a Democratic majority if marijuana reform is to stand a chance at passing on Capitol Hill.

There's no doubt that cannabis reform has more potential to occur now in the U.S. than at any point over the past couple of decades. But that also doesn't mean it's a guarantee to happen anytime soon. Invest accordingly.

 

[Baron23]

We have Harvest here in MD. They have the business ethics of Tony Soprano and their product, is to my mind, middle shelf at best.

They are pulling the management contract and front person crap here too and I actually do hope that PA and OH smack their pee pees strenuously.

These are EXACTLY the kind of Wolf of Wallstreet, big corporate, scum bag operators that we all (or many of us) fear taking over the MMJ market.

This is an article well worth reading and is an example of what is going on in the legal industry right now....corp lawyers flying circles around hapless and incompetent politicians. Sigh....

What medical cannabis firms might learn from Harvest’s compliance conundrums

Harvest Health & Recreation is in high-stakes clashes with medical marijuana regulators in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and the disputes could potentially offer other MMJ firms cautionary lessons around the necessity to maintain extremely pristine regulatory compliance in state-legal markets.


At stake for Harvest are more than a dozen dispensary, processing and cultivation licenses in the young and growing MMJ markets.


Under scrutiny is whether the Arizona-based multistate operator potentially skirted rules by:

• Obtaining seven dispensary licenses in Pennsylvania, when the cap is five.
• Winning a cultivation license in Ohio by virtue of being an “economically disadvantaged” applicant.

Harvest also is butting heads with regulators in Pennsylvania over a cultivation license that was revoked because of the lack of marijuana tracking records and security footage kept by a predecessor company.

For its part, Harvest defends its actions and is fighting to retain and regain the various licenses.

Communication with regulators

Pennsylvania cannabis attorney Judith Cassel said Harvest’s issues speak both to the importance of forging good relationships with regulators, and understanding challenges they face.

“What I have found is if you are keeping the agency in the loop as you make decisions and move forward with transactions, you can get guidance and approvals instead of the wrath of these agencies,” Cassell wrote in an email to Marijuana Business Daily.

“Most highly regulated industries have their casualties, but medical marijuana is especially susceptible to fines and forfeitures for entities that violate the regulations,” she added.

“States are under a lot of pressure to roll these medical marijuana programs out without becoming targets themselves of the federal government.”

The state regulatory disputes come as Harvest is in the process of completing a massive $850 million deal to acquire Verano Holdings that has been under a federal antitrust review.

Cassel said she doesn’t believe Harvest’s regulator run-ins are the result of a target on its back because of its size.

“If you break the rules, you will be caught and you will suffer the consequences – no exceptions,” Cassel wrote.

“I am currently defending both small operators as well as multistate entities before regulatory agencies.”

What follows are the status of three of Harvest’s major disputes in Ohio and Pennsylvania, which MMJ industry watchers are carefully tracking:

Dispensary caps in Pennsylvania

Harvest earlier this year claimed in a news release and in a call with investors that it had seven state dispensary licenses allowing it to open up to 21 retail locations. The state’s cap is five.

In April, John Collins, the state’s director of medical marijuana, wrote a letter to Harvest CEO Steve White warning Pennsylvania might revoke the licenses because of “blatant misrepresentation.”

Collins wrote that Harvest itself didn’t win any permits and that each of the seven must operate as independent entities.

April Hutcheson, communications director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, told MJBizDaily the case is an “ongoing legal issue” so she couldn’t provide specific comments.

She wouldn’t comment, for example, when asked why the state had issued more than five permits when six of the seven limited liability companies went by the Harvest name.

Alex Howe, Harvest’s communications director, wrote in an email to MJBizDaily: “Harvest has been working closely with Pennsylvania’s Department of Health to resolve all matters involving the licenses we have been granted by the state.”

In a June regulatory filing, Harvest characterized the seven licenses as “managed” by Harvest and then later described the permittees as “Harvest-affiliated.”

Troubled PA cultivation facility

Harvest claims it acquired the Agrimed Industries cultivation facility on May 17, but the state didn’t transfer the permit.

In July, Pennsylvania regulators refused to renew the cultivation license, a month after a surprise inspection found inadequate records of what happened to the marijuana grown there.

Harvest claims the state’s decision to revoke the license unfairly penalizes Harvest for Agrimed’s alleged mismanagement and that it was in the process of mitigating the problems.

Howe wrote to MJBizDaily that Harvest hopes to resolve the issues with the state and reopen the cultivation facility.

But Harvest also has said it is prepared to take legal action if necessary.

Hutcheson would only say that “Harvest is not the permittee” and only Agrimed can file an appeal to the state’s decision to rescind the license.

‘Economically disadvantaged’ status

Ohio regulators earlier this year concluded Harvest’s operation isn’t majority-owned by an African-American woman as claimed on license applications.

That previously enabled Harvest to get extra points as an “economically disadvantaged” applicant and win one of 12 prized cultivation licenses.

If Harvest didn’t have that status, other applicants claimed they had higher scores.

The issue has put a cultivation license, three dispensary licenses and an application for a processing facility in limbo.

Howe said Harvest “objects to the (state’s) unfair characterization of both the nature and intent of our business relationship” with the African-American woman, Ariane Kirkpatrick, listed on the application.

While Harvest didn’t require a capital investment from Kirkpatrick, she contributed “expertise and sweat equity” and is the majority owner and “important contributor” to the cultivation entity, according to Howe.

A proxy statement filed with securities regulators in June identifies Harvest as the 100% direct and indirect owner of various Harvest limited liability companies in Ohio.

However, later in the document, Harvest Growers LLC and Harvest of Ohio LLC are listed as the entities that won the cultivation and three dispensary licenses and an unidentified third party is described as owning 51% of those entities.

Howe said “while we don’t disclose our internal company structure, Ms. Kirkpatrick has always been the majority owner of Harvest of Ohio LLC.”

He added the company is working closely with Ohio regulators to “modify our agreements to more accurately reflect Ms. Kirkpatrick’s ownership and control.”

Kelly Whitaker, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Commerce, which regulates MMJ cultivation facilities, wrote in an email that state regulators are “working with Harvest to make sure they fulfill their obligations as set forth in their application to comply with the (economically disadvantaged) provision.”

“These discussions are ongoing and we have not yet reached a final decision,” Whitaker added.

 

[momofthegoons]

Key Congressional Chairman Sends Marijuana Email To NORML Activists

The chairman of the influential House Judiciary Committee authored a message to NORML's email list on Monday—a notable signal of how the cannabis legalization movement has entered the mainstream corridors of power on Capitol Hill.

CQ-Roll Call,Inc.
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Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who last month filed legislation to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and begin repairing the harms of prohibition enforcement, asked the advocacy group's supporters to write their own members of Congress in support of his bill, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act.

"America has a moral responsibility to pass my legislation to end the prohibition of marijuana and take on the oppression at the heart of the War on Drugs," Nadler wrote. "I’m proud to work with NORML to create a more just national marijuana policy."



The bill will "once and for all end the destructive policy of federal marijuana prohibition in America" and "remedy the widespread inequities and injustice this policy has brought upon tens of millions of Americans," the chairman told the legalization group's members.

Beyond descheduling cannabis, the MORE Act would create processes for the expungement and resentencing of prior convictions and prevent government agencies from blocking access to federal benefits or impeding citizenship status for immigrants due to marijuana use.

Additionally, it would levy a five percent federal tax on cannabis sales, with some revenue earmarked for job training and legal aid programs for people impacted by prohibition enforcement as well as loans for small marijuana businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people.

Its introduction comes amidst what observers are saying is the most marijuana-friendly Congress in history. Less than eight months into the two-year session, dozens of cannabis proposals have been filed, seven hearings have been held on the issue and legislation to increase marijuana businesses' access to banking services has cleared a key committee.

"With Chairman Nadler's leadership, we believe that the MORE act will likely be the first bill to end federal marijuana criminalization ever to pass in a chamber of Congress," NORML Political Director Justin Strekal said in an interview. "Representative democracy is not a spectator sport. Now is the time for the majority of Americans who support legalization to demand reform from their legislators, just as Mr. Nadler's message to our members indicated."

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), a 2020 presidential candidate, filed a companion version of Nadler's bill in the Senate.

"In 1977, I cast my first vote as a freshman member of the State Assembly to decriminalize marijuana in my home state of New York," the chairman wrote to NORML's supporters. "Since then, I have been committed to ending the criminalization of marijuana. The criminalization of marijuana is a mistake and caused grave harm, disproportionately to those who are poor or people of color, and we must take action."

Nadler's bill was endorsed by a group of justice-focused organizations such as ACLU and NAACP in a letter to House leaders earlier this month.

"Criminal justice involvement deprives individuals from low-income communities of color equal access to economic opportunity," the groups wrote. "Incarceration robs families and communities of breadwinners and workers. Thus, any marijuana reform bill that moves forward in Congress must first address criminal justice reform and repair the damage caused by the war on drugs in low-income communities of color."

Calling the proposal an important step "to bolster communities ravaged by the war on drugs," the groups are pushing congressional leadership to see that it is "swiftly marked up and immediately scheduled for floor consideration" following the August recess.

"The hysteria around marijuana is starting to lift as states across the country lead the way in reforming their marijuana laws. It is time for the federal government to follow suit," Nadler wrote in the new message to NORML's list. "Marijuana is a public health and personal freedom issue, not a criminal one. We can no longer afford the moral or financial costs of the War on Drugs."

The New York congressman sent a separate email to his own campaign list last month asking his supporters to sign a petition backing his cannabis bill.

Also last month, a Judiciary subcommittee held a hearing on marijuana prohibition at which members of both parties express broad support for ending or scaling back federal prohibition, with disagreement mostly focusing on the details or competing proposals to do so.

 

[Baron23]

Greece approves licenses for 26 medical marijuana grow-ops

The approval of 26 new medical marijuana grow operations has brought with it hope for economic recovery in Greece.
Greece approved 26 licences to grow marijuana for medical purposes, The National Herald, a New York-based newspaper for the Greek community, reported on Aug. 12.
A newly sworn-in government in Greece hopes the grow operations will revitalize the country’s economy, which is slowly recovering from the debt crisis a decade ago that led to three international bailouts totalling US$364.22 billion, the Herald reported.
Greece approved the licences for cultivation and processing, the U.K.-based cannabis publication, Prohibition Partners, reported on Aug. 9. Of the 72 applications, four were rejected and 42 others are still under review.

The Greek government legalized cannabis for medical use in 2017, and in March 2018, lifted a ban on growing and producing marijuana.

A government spokesperson told Prohibition Partners that they are “very excited about the possibilities of medicinal cannabis,” and the country is “seeking international investment.”



Canadian companies are among those international investors the Greek government is hoping to attract.

“There has been a change in government, but the new administration fully supports this type of initiative,” said Costas Vamvakas, owner and managing director of the Athens-based VK PREMIUM Business Consultants. “The country needs cash, and this is pure foreign direct investment. Ministers have told me explicitly they fully support the medicinal cannabis industry and will do everything to back it.”

Firms from Canada, Israel and the Netherlands will look to partner with Greek businesses, Vamvakas told Prohibition Partners.
Getting more foreign investment is a top priority for Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Herald reported.
Most of Europe’s medical cannabis comes from Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, Marijuana Business Daily reported in February 2019.
Greece’s first medical marijuana cultivation licences were awarded in November 2018 to Bioprocann SA and Biomecann, Greek City Times reported. Biomecann has 11 acres in the Larissa area and the operation is expected to create 51 jobs, the article noted.
Bioprocann’s 46 acres in Corinth will create an estimated 66 jobs, the Times reported, adding that Greek investors are part of the two companies, but the majority of stakeholders are international.

Greece approved 26 licences to grow marijuana for medical purposes.
Cultivation and production have been slow to start in Greece as businesses need three separate licences to start operations, Prohibition Partners indicated.
There is some confusion around THC production in Greece, it reported. “The market wants packaged dry flower, so expect a lot of high-THC production for medicinal use,” Vamvakas said. “The problem is there are some grey areas around THC production, and firms may require more explicit guidance from the government.”