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US Attorney Promotes “Gateway Drug” Fears with Anti-Cannabis Editorial

10/20/2020

In an op-ed published Monday, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Kurt Alme called on voters to “review” and “understand” the “serious ramifications” of the ballot initiative to legalize cannabis. The op-ed relies on old “Reefer Madness” tropes including gateway theory, addiction, and the unsubstantiated claims that legalization leads to a rise in traffic fatalities.

In interviews with Reuters, two former federal prosecutors said Alme’s decision to publish his opinion on a state ballot question weeks before the election was unusual.

William Nettles, the former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina went so far as to call the move “an abuse of authority” and described it as “abnormal behavior” for a sitting state prosecutor.

Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, described Alme’s decision to weigh in on the question as “highly unusual and improper.”

A spokeswoman for Alme’s office, Clair Johnson Howard, defended the prosecutor’s decision, telling Reuters that the op-ed “was intended to educate voters on an issue that significantly impacts the enforcement of federal criminal law and is a topic about which U.S. Attorney’s Offices have much information.” The op-ed does stop short of calling on voters to reject the proposal.

Alme’s op-ed also claims that cannabis use – specifically smoking – “can increase the risk of severe complications from COVID-19” despite several studies that have found THC and CBD could be used as tools in mitigating cytokine storms, a potentially fatal symptom of the disease.

Montana is one of five states voting on initiatives to legalize cannabis medically or recreationally this November. Cannabis remains outlawed federally, although U.S. attorneys do not enforce federal law in states that have passed legalization laws as long as the businesses comply with state statutes.

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Boy Who Became Face of Medical Cannabis in UK Gets His Medicine

10/20/2020

The boy who became the figurehead of medical cannabis policy changes in the United Kingdom is set to receive his first bottle of cannabis-derived medicine on the two-year anniversary of the reforms, the Telegraph reports.

Billy Caldwell, now 15-years-old, suffers from epilepsy and has battled with the National Health Service (NHS) for two years to obtain the oil on a state-funded prescription. The fight included a legal battle in the Northern Irish High Court.

His treatment will be overseen by several physicians and is believed to be the first-of-its-kind in the nation to include THC. Other children approved for medical cannabis use in the UK receive CBD medicines.

His mother, Charlotte, said she received the news last week that a care plan had been drawn up for her approval.

“You can’t imagine how relieved I am to have received this confirmation after all these years of campaigning. I am incredibly grateful to the health authorities in Northern Ireland who have worked with Billy’s treating clinician and prescriber, his GP and the pediatric neurology team at Great Ormond Street Hospital to develop and approve this plan.” – Caldwell to the Telegraph

In July, the NHS indicated plans to manufacture medical cannabis products itself and that it had reviewed a clinical trial design for its potential use as a treatment for epilepsy, according to the Telegraph. In August, the agency announced a trial of the Medipen, a CBD vaporizer.

Last year, the NHS approved cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals Sativex and Epidiolex for use through the service.

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LA Sued for Prioritizing Social Equity Licensees for Cannabis Delivery

10/20/2020

Los Angeles, California and the Department of Cannabis Regulation are being sued over plans to issue stand-alone cannabis delivery licenses exclusively to social-equity applicants until 2025, the Associated Press reports. The lawsuit does not seek to limit such applicants to obtain licenses but wants all businesses the equal opportunity to apply.

The lawsuit was filed by cannabis firm Ganja Goddess, and trade groups Southern California Coalition and the California Cannabis Couriers Association. Ganja Goddess CEO Zachary Pitts described the regulations – which were revised in July – as a “death blow.”

The July regulation revisions came in response to a lawsuit against the city by the Social Equity Owners and Workers Assn. That deal saw the city agree to bolster its social equity program if the trade organization dropped its lawsuit.

Under the initial rules – scrapped under the reforms – Los Angeles was required by law to issue 20 licenses under a delivery pilot program. The lawsuit alleges that the plaintiffs’ rights were violated by “unreasonable delay and poor handling of the licensing process, followed by a change in the law,” according to the report.

Under Los Angeles’ adopted social equity rules, the city replaced its first-come, first-served system in favor of a lottery system, and narrowed the ZIP codes eligible for social equity licensing relief in the city after it was discovered that some wealthier, affluent, white neighborhoods were included among the list of ZIP codes eligible for the program. Licensing officials now use police reporting districts which officials say better target the communities most affected by the drug war for the licenses.

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Virginia’s First Medical Cannabis Dispensary Now Open

10/20/2020

Virginia’s first full plant medical cannabis processor has opened in Bristol. Dharma Pharmaceuticals is one of four medical cannabis processors allowed to open across the state. Dharma opened to provide both high CBD and high THC oil-based products. Three other processors are expected to open in Portsmouth, Richmond, and Manassas.

Lisa Smith, who lobbied for the new law, drove from Richmond to purchase the first dose for her daughter Haley, who suffers from the intractable seizure disorder Dravet Syndrome.

“There’s been so many people on this journey, it’s kind of surreal that it’s happening.” — Lisa Smith, via WJHL

Virginia was recently the 27th state to decriminalize up to an ounce of cannabis, and now is the 34th state to implement a full-plant medical cannabis system.

In Virginia, any diagnosed condition will qualify a patient for medical cannabis with a “practitioner’s signature.” Once certified, patients must register with the Virginia Board of Pharmacy to access medical cannabis from processors like Dharma Pharmaceuticals. Individual doses are limited to ten milligrams and flower is not allowed. Virginia is the latest state to pass medical cannabis rules but not allow for home cultivation.

In September, Virginia lawmakers advanced legislation to expunge cannabis criminal offenses that have been since been overruled or otherwise dismissed, such as under the state’s decriminalization law.

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Sean Worsley, Purple Heart Vet Jailed in Alabama, Released on Parole

10/19/2020

The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles on Wednesday released Sean Worsley, the disabled, Black, veteran who had been jailed for eight months for possessing legally-obtained medical cannabis, according to the Alabama Political Reporter.

Worsley served in the Iraq War and received a Purple Heart but was also diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and declared 100 percent disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He had received a medical cannabis recommendation for PTSD from his home state of Arizona.

In a statement, his wife Eboni said the couple is “grateful to be able to pick up the pieces and begin rebuilding” their lives. She expressed gratitude toward the Parole Board “for showing the public the heart of the warm welcoming spirit of the people” she’s met since moving to the state.

“My faith in THE MOST HIGH has been further solidified in the demonstration of the law functioning in Alabama to help and not harm individuals via the parole board.” – Eboni Worsley, in a statement, via the Political Reporter

Chey Lindsey Garrigan, executive director of the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association, called the “compassion” shown by the board “a commendable act that should be acknowledged.”

Worsley was arrested in 2016 for cannabis possession in Gordo after an officer approached he and his wife while they were getting gas claiming their music was too loud. Eboni complied but the officer claimed he smelled cannabis, searched the car, and found medical cannabis obtained through New Mexico’s program.

In 2017, as part of a plea deal, Worsley agreed to five years of probation, including drug treatment, but claims that the VA would not let him access their drug treatment program because he doesn’t have a drug problem.

The district attorney’s office in Alabama said Worsley was kicked out of the VA program for failure to comply and ordered him to appear in Pickens County court. Worsley claims that he did not know about the court date and was subsequently charged with failure to appear, which led to his probation to be revoked and being declared a fugitive from justice.

Worsley was then arrested in Arizona for possession of cannabis with an expired medical cannabis ID card and extradited to Alabama where, earlier this month, a judge upheld his five-year prison sentence.

Democratic State Rep. Neil Rafferty, a post-9/11 veteran who advocated for Worsley’s release, said news of his parole “is welcomed and to be celebrated.”

“The case of Sean Worsley deals with a convergence of several issues. It deals with Alabama’s harmful marijuana laws, particularly concerning medical marijuana,” Rafferty told the Political Reporter. “It deals with our country’s misunderstanding and treatment of veterans returning home and transitioning to civilian life. And it deals with excessive policing – that put suspicion on a man doing nothing more than listening to the radio and playing air guitar to his wife.”

Advocates had been calling for Worsley’s release since last summer.

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Explosion at New Mexico Cannabis Plant Leaves Two Workers Critically Injured

10/19/2020

An explosion at New Mexicann Natural Medicine on Thursday left two workers in critical condition, the Albuquerque Journal reports. It is the second explosion that caused injuries at the plant in the last five years.

The Department of Health told the Journal that the explosion occurred in the immediate vicinity of the company’s chemical extraction equipment, but the exact cause was still under investigation. DOH spokesman David Morgan said the agency immediately issued a notice of suspension to New Mexicann, revoking their manufacturing approvals. The notice, issued to New Mexicann Executive Director Carlos Gonzales, specifically references “compressed gas” extractions.

According to the report, the accident is being investigated by New Mexico and Santa Fe fire officials, the DOH, and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Officials said two male employees suffered from burns on their heads and torsos and were transported by air ambulance to the hospital.

Gonzales did not comment on the accident.

A previous explosion at the plant in 2015 severely burned two employees involved in the extraction process. Following that incident, OSHA cited the company for 12 “serious” health and safety violations and fined it $13,500. The state Occupational Safety and Health Bureau (OSHB) cited the company for seven serious violations and levied a $7,250 fine for that accident, according to NM Political Report.

The OSHB violations related to the 2015 explosion state that New Mexicann failed to provide a work environment “free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees” and workers “were exposed to being caught in an explosive atmosphere.” The violation also said the equipment was not designed for use with the “cannabinoid extraction process,” according to the Political Report.

The company has five locations throughout the state, including another in Santa Fe, Española, Las Vegas, and Taos.

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West Virginia Licenses Mainly Out-of-State Firms for Medical Cannabis Cultivation

10/19/2020

West Virginia officials have awarded 10 medical cannabis cultivation licenses more than three years after the state legalized medical cannabis, the Inter-Mountain reports. However, most of the licenses were issued to companies that are either based, or have principal offices and company officers in, other states.

The companies selected include:

Armory Pharmaceutical Inc.
Blue Ridge Botanicals Ltd.
Buckhannon Grow LLC
Columbia Care WV LLC
Harvest Care Medical LLC
Holistic WV Farms I LLC
Mountaineer Holding LLC
Mountaineer Integrated Care Inc.
Tariff Labs LLC
Verano LLC

Jason Frame, Office of Medical Cannabis director, called the license awards “a big step” in the process, adding that the state used a Scoring Review Team to make recommendations for licenses. That team, Frame said, was not required to give preference to West Virginia-based businesses. He indicated that four of the 10 chosen firms are “majority-owned” by West Virginians.

“We thought we had a well-rounded scoring team based again on their backgrounds. They were very diverse in that group. They looked at things, like the operational plans that the facility submitted, their security plans, plans to prevent diversion, which of course is our primary mission with the Office Medical Cannabis, and also the background and education on the folks that will be working there also.” – Frame to the Inter-Mountain

Of the denied businesses – 32 in all – 13 had principal offices in the state with residents as managers and directors; five included a mix of West Virginians and out-of-state interests, the report says.

Mike Weaver, owner of Redbud Hill Naturals LLC, which was denied a license, said he spent $250,000 trying to secure a license, which wiped out his retirement savings.

As part of the application process, cultivation applicants had to pay a nonrefundable application fee of $5,000, a $50,000 permit fee, and were required to have a minimum of $2 million in assets, with $500,000 in cash in deposit at a bank to be considered.

“If I can use what I had to try to help other folks – not only with the medical cannabis itself, but to create all these jobs here in our area – I was willing to stick my neck out and do that. And this is what I get out of it?” he said in an interview with Inter-Mountain, adding that the application reviewers “should have been given a priority” for in-state applicants.

The state’s law only allows medical cannabis products in pill, oil, topical, or vaporized products. In June, officials said medical cannabis sales were still two to three years away.

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Study: Cannabis May Help Patients with OCD Symptoms

10/16/2020

A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found a reduction in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms following inhaled cannabis use. The researchers analyzed data from 87 individuals who self-identified with OCD and tracked their compulsions, intrusions, and/or anxiety immediately before and after 1,810 cannabis use sessions over 31 months.

The Washington State University researchers found patients reported a 60 percent reduction in compulsions, a 49 percent decrease in intrusions, and a 52 percent drop in anxiety from before to after cannabis use. The researchers note that there was no placebo group.

“Higher concentrations of CBD and higher doses predicted larger reductions in compulsions. The number of cannabis use sessions across time predicted changes in intrusions, such that later cannabis use sessions were associated with smaller reductions in intrusions. Baseline symptom severity and dose remained fairly constant over time.” – “Acute Effects of Cannabis on Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder,” Journal of Affective Disorders, Oct. 6, 2020

In a statement, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said that there have been few studies assessing the “potential efficacy of cannabis for the mitigation of symptoms of OCD.”

“As such, these findings, though somewhat limited by the study’s design, indicate that cannabis – and, in particular, varieties high in CBD – holds promise as a therapeutic option for OCD patients and should be furthered examined in more rigorously designed controlled setting,” he said.

A study published in May in the journal Depression and Anxiety – the first-ever placebo-controlled study analyzing cannabis use in adults with OCD – included 12 participants and concluded that while self-reported OCD symptoms and anxiety were reduced by cannabis use, it ultimately “has little acute impact on OCD symptoms and yields smaller reductions in anxiety compared to placebo.”

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Cannabis Firms Consider IPOs Anticipating a Biden Presidency

10/16/2020

Several cannabis and hemp companies are planning initial public offerings in a bet that Democratic candidate Joe Biden will win next month’s election, Reuters reports. Representatives from Flora Growth, Gage Cannabis, BioMedican, and Vertical Wellness each indicated plans to go public next year, in part, due to the growing possibility of a Biden win in November.

The report notes that following the September 29 presidential debate, stock in cannabis companies with US operations, including Curaleaf Holdings, Cresco Labs Ltd, and Green Thumb Industries Inc, rose more than 20 percent. A post-debate FiveThirtyEight analysis suggests that Biden received a slight bump in the polls following the debate, while Republican President Donald Trump’s rating dipped slightly.

Flora Growth CEO Damian Lopez said he believes the election “will be a huge catalyst” for U.S. cannabis industry growth, adding that “regardless of who wins, more and more states are showing their support for cannabis.”

Polls also show Democrats have a strong chance at taking control over the Republican-led Senate, which would replace Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who has blocked cannabis-related legislation from reaching the floor for a vote. Last year, the Democrat-controlled House approved the SAFE Banking Act – the first time Congress had considered stand-alone cannabis-related legislation but it has not been introduced to the full Senate. The House had also scheduled a vote on the MORE Act, which would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, but that vote was delayed as lawmakers turned their attention to coronavirus relief.

Michael Underhill, chief investment officer at Capital Innovations, told Reuters that Congress would need to pass bills reforming cannabis law and normalizing the industry in order to put US cannabis firms on the same regulatory plane as their Canadian counterparts. However, he said, Biden’s recent rise in the polls is “a dramatic change in expectations from three months ago, when it appeared Donald Trump would most likely win re-election.”

Biden, along with his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris – California’s former attorney general – have expressed support for cannabis law reforms. Last month, Harris said a Biden Administration would pursue decriminalization policies – which she reiterated during the vice presidential debate last week. In February, Biden said that cannabis is “at the point where it has to be, basically, legalized” but his platform does not include outright legalization.

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Washington Social Equity Program Off to a Bumpy Start

10/16/2020

During the 2020 legislative session, the Washington State legislature passed HB 2870, making Washington the latest state behind Massachusetts, Illinois, and California to endeavor to create social equity provisions for the cannabis industry. The legislation was inspired by cannabis social equity movements from around the country and seeks to rectify the devastating effects that the “war on drugs” has had on communities of color, particularly African Americans.

Unfortunately, like other states, Washington is finding it difficult to dismantle institutional racism with the cannabis plant.

The social equity task force

Under the new law, Washington must establish a “Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force” (SECTF), which will make recommendations to the governor, before the state can implement any social equity provisions.

Slightly delayed by the coronavirus — Gov. Jay Inslee announced the SECTF members in July — the task force will hold their first public meeting on October 26, 2020. The task force is made up of members of the Washington State House and Senate, members of African American, Latin and Native American Communities, cannabis retail licensees, and representatives from several executive branch agencies, including the Department of Commerce who will oversee a 1.1 million dollar program designed to assist applicants in attaining a retail cannabis license.

According to government sources, the task force’s goal will be to, “…make recommendations to promote business ownership among individuals who have resided in disproportionately impacted areas of high poverty, to remedy the harms resulting from the enforcement of cannabis-related laws. The Task Force will work to center the voices of those who belong to communities that have been most impacted by enforcement of cannabis-related laws.”

Although the COVID-19 crisis has delayed the task force meeting, the LCB recently held three (down from the initially proposed five) virtual “community meetings” in order to explain regulators’ role in the social equity program and to hear from individuals looking to obtain a social equity license. Scheduled for late September and early October, the three meetings highlighted current regulations and LCB responsibilities. At the second meeting, some attendees expressed concerns about the SECTF.

Aaron Barfield, founder of Black Excellence in Cannabis said in an email after the meeting, “The task force has no authority, only the power to make recommendations to the LCB. The LCB pushed forward the legislation that created the task force because it allows them to appear to be working on solving the problem they created without significantly changing the status quo.”

“There is serious concern that the social equity licenses will not go to the industry pioneers who have been fighting for inclusion, but to rewarding opportunists who supported the LCB legislation.” — Aaron Barfield, founder of Black Excellence in Cannabis, in an email

The dismantled medical cannabis system

Other concerns center on the narrow applicant criteria. According to LCB officials at the community meeting, “applicants must live in a disproportionately affected area” — a term yet to be defined by the SECTF — or an applicant or an applicant’s family member must have been arrested for a cannabis crime.

At the community meeting, Barfield and other applicants said they already had successful cannabis businesses prior to 2015 but have been left out of the new system. One applicant at the meeting, who went by “Sammy,” said, “The LCB should fix the problems they have already created before starting a new program.”

Barfield agrees. “The licensing issue has been extremely stressful and financially disastrous for many Blacks,” he said. “We went from running successful enterprises as medical cannabis providers to having our businesses hijacked and being told we had to run through an LCB obstacle course to get them back. An obstacle course that the LCB made impossible for us.”

Barfield is referring to the 2015 merger of Washington’s state’s longstanding medical cannabis program and the adult-use cannabis system created under the state’s successful legalization initiative I-502. At the end of that process, the LCB withdrew nearly two thousand retail cannabis licenses. Several attendees at the meeting said many of these applicants were members of communities of color.

“Ultimately, we’d like to see cannabis taken out of the hands of the LCB as they’ve destroyed their credibility and proven incapable of regulating in an honest and fair manner. Cannabis should be regulated by the Dept of Health and the Dept of Agriculture and licenses should be much more widely available.”

Lacking producer/processor considerations

Others at the “community meeting” were concerned the new program only addresses retailers, not producers or processors. Dr. Darlene J. Conley Ph.D., a Black Tier 1 producer in Tacoma, WA who is still fighting to open her cannabis business, said at the meeting that, “Many African Americans have experience in growing and processing cannabis, not only retail.” In a communication after the meeting, Dr. Conley said she doesn’t think adding producers and processors to the social equity program would affect current licensees as many are only small producers like hers. She believes the LCB, similar to the retail social equity program, could make licenses available that were either revoked or never used.

In a letter to Gov. Inslee commenting on HB 2870, Dr. Conley explained why she believes communities of color were left out of the process.

“Many African Americans and LatinX developed highly specialized skills learning to grow marijuana, but were not able to enter the legal market because of a number of factors linked to institutionalized racism in the economic and criminal justice system. Virtually all of the top growers and processors in the industry learned their craft when marijuana was illegal. However, because African Americans were disproportionately targeted for surveillance and arrest in their communities, they were ineligible to apply for licenses once the industry was legalized.” — Dr. Darlene J. Conley, in a letter to Gov. Inslee

Multiple studies corroborate Dr. Conley’s statement, including a study by the Multnomah County Health Department in Portland and the Oregon Public Health Division. The study published in “Substance Use & Misuse” in 2019 looked at cannabis arrests between 2012 (legalization) and 2015, showing that overall cannabis arrests have gone down in Washington for both Black people and white people since legalization. However, since the retail market opened in 2014, cannabis arrest rates for African Americans have doubled and African Americans went from being arrested 2.5 times more than their white counterparts to being arrested 5 times more.

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Why Choose Cannabis with High THC Content?

10/16/2020

If you’re hoping to experience the psychoactive effects of cannabis, then THC-rich cannabis is the smart choice for you. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary cannabinoid that makes people feel high after consuming cannabis. The chemical is metabolized and enters your bloodstream, binding to cannabinoid receptors in your brain and Central Nervous System to produce a euphoric effect. In some ways, THC is considered the plant-based equivalent of the neurotransmitter called anandamide, which impacts feelings of bliss, memory, pain, appetite, and more.

Why do people want high THC content?

Many cannabis patients use THC-rich cannabis for its positive medicinal effects. They consume it for relief from various health problems, such as chronic pain. It’s also helpful for bringing back lost appetites and maintaining healthy body weight. Other consumers use THC-rich cannabis to beat insomnia, or they might appreciate its anti-inflammatory effects — many elder patients, in fact, consume cannabis to help alleviate their arthritis symptoms. People also argue that THC acts as an antioxidant that protects the skin. Moreover, THC is sometimes even used to combat seizure disorders such as epilepsy.

Be careful with potent strains

High-grade marijuana has been known to carry some paradoxical effects, and each person can experience the effects of THC differently. Anecdotal evidence suggests that THC can elicit opposite effects at high doses versus low doses — for example, when someone treats their anxiety with a low dose of THC to help them relax, it works. On the other hand, high THC concentrations can trigger panic attacks in some consumers and semi-frequently results in paranoia. Some people have even reported that high doses of THC can lead to depression.

The same notion of THC having potentially paradoxical effects has been noted in the human vascular system, as well: while low THC content cannabis has been shown to increase blood flow, high THC content cannabis can lead to vasoconstriction and decrease blood flow. Lastly, while THC is frequently used to help treat nausea in cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, there are rare cases where patients consuming high THC content cannabis can’t stop vomiting and experience intense abdominal pain. This health condition is called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome and, currently, the only known way of dealing with it is stopping all cannabis use — this is especially unfortunate for patients who rely on cannabis for relief from other conditions.

Doctors and scientists believe that some people are more vulnerable than others to any potential negative effects of THC-rich cannabis. Adolescents and young adults in particular are susceptible because their brains are still developing. Studies have suggested that cannabis use among adolescents affects memory and executive functions that are important for mental flexibility and the ability to alter our behavior.

Notably, most major studies into the medicinal properties of cannabis have involved low doses of THC due to the low-quality nature of the marijuana crops approved by the federal government for research purposes. Therefore, if you choose highly potent cannabis products in the legal market, know that you may face unexpected or unwelcome effects.

The only way to identify a cannabis product as being rich with THC is through lab testing or personal consumption.

Top THC-rich strains

The following is a list of some of the most popular cannabis strains that tend to be particularly high in THC content.

Cookies Gelato
Cookies Gelato is frequently one of the most potent cannabis strains with THC levels of around 28%. It combines the sugary sensations of cookies and gelato and sports a sweet aroma. This hybrid strain can bring about a euphoric rush with a relaxing touch. Cookies Gelato is not for novice smokers, however, but for those with a bit of tolerance.

Royal Gorilla
Royal Gorilla is a knockout strain known to reach 26% THC content. This balanced hybrid produces an incredibly euphoric high and comes with mouth-watering citrus flavors with pine tones. Royal Gorilla provides a beautiful, euphoric, couch-locking experience and can be suitable for therapeutic use.

Bruce Banner
Bruce Banner is a heavy-duty hybrid with an average THC content of 23%. It won the Denver Cannabis Cup in 2013 and was rated the strongest strain by High Times in 2014. Since then, Bruce Banner has carved itself out quite the reputation. This strain delivers a dizzying euphoria that anchors your body in deep relaxation.

Green Gelato
Green Gelato is a must-try for any cannabis fan with a sweet tooth. It has a sweet flavor with a mix of fruity tones, sharp mint, spicy kush, and warm cookie flavor. Green Gelato gives a strong high that chills your body out because of its average THC content of about 27%.

Hulkberry
Hulkberry is one of the most impressive hybrids with THC content frequently surpassing 27%. This 65% Sativa-dominant strain is heavily advised for experienced smokers. Hulkberry keeps the high focus only in the brain and gives a clear and energetic feeling. Additionally, Hulkberry has a delicious fruity taste.

Triple G
Triple G is an Indica-dominant strain that can make you fly away. It contains 26–28% THC and can be used to treat insomnia, chronic pain, or appetite loss. Triple G can calm the nerves, relieve psychological stress, and allow the mind to rest from the thoughts that keep us up at night. If you decide to try Triple G, pay attention to the taste of berries, candy, and chocolate.

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San Francisco Dispensary Employees Ratify Union Contract

10/16/2020

Workers at San Francisco, California dispensary Stiiizy Mission have ratified a contract with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. The deal includes a salary increase that averages $3 an hour over the three-year life of the contract, a pathway to full-time work, and employer-provided health insurance and retirement accounts.

The workers approved the contract unanimously.

Kat Gonzalez, a budtender at Stiiizy Mission, described the process as “long” but “worth it in the end.”

“It feels good to know we have a team like UFCW 5 behind us to protect our rights as workers and help us advance in our careers within the cannabis industry. Every position is important in cannabis and being a part of the union ensures that budtenders are the backbone of the cannabis industry. We are not disposable, and our jobs deserve protection; it feels great to have that recognized.” – Gonzalez in a statement

According to the press release, UFCW 5 represents hundreds of cannabis industry workers throughout the Bay Area. In California, cannabis businesses over a certain size must enter labor peace agreements.

The UFCW has also recently reached agreements with cannabis workers in Massachusetts and Illinois. The union says it represents more than 10,000 industry employees nationwide.

According to the UFCW website, the union represents workers at major cannabis brands, including Wonderland, The Joint, Mr. Nice Guy, NRX, Modern Buds, Long Beach Green Room, McKesson, Have a Heart, and Garden State Dispensaries.

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Washington DC Bill Would Let Cannabis Convicts Work In Medical Industry

10/15/2020

The Washington, DC City Council is considering a bill to allow individuals with felony or misdemeanor cannabis offenses to work in the District’s medical cannabis industry, the DCist reports. The measure would repeal a section of the District’s 1999 medical cannabis law, which prohibits those with cannabis-related convictions from serving as an employee, director, agent, or member of a medical cannabis business.

The bill also proposes a program to provide incentives for industry applicants that are 51 percent-owned by formerly incarcerated returning citizens. That program would waive industry application fees and offer technical assistance for such businesses applying for a license, according to the bill text.

At-Large Councilmember Robert White, who co-introduced the bill, said on Twitter that “there is no reason why those who’ve paid their debt to society should be locked out of this industry any longer.”

In 2014, DC voted to legalize cannabis for adult use, but Congress has ultimately blocked attempts to implement adult-use sales in the District. Returning citizens are allowed to grow their own cannabis and possess cannabis under that measure.

Adam Eidinger, of DC Marijuana Justice who helped introduce the legalization measure, said the organization has “generally been asking for rights for returning citizens to be in the industry.”

“People who have served their time should be able to work in this industry, regardless of whether they’ve had a past drug conviction, or really, any other conviction.” – Eidinger to DCist

Last May, Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced a bill to allow recreational use dispensaries. That measure remains under city council review. The medical cannabis industry reform bill was referred to the Committee on Business and Economic Development.

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Connecticut Aligns State Hemp Program with Federal Rules

10/15/2020

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) on Tuesday signed a bill aligning the state’s hemp rules with the federal government’s, the Hartford Courant reports. The measure expands the state’s pilot program, under which there already about 170 hemp-based businesses in the state with farmers cultivating about 500 acres of the crop.

The bill requires the state Agriculture Department to prepare a permanent hemp plan for federal approval, extends the licensing period for producers and manufacturers from two to three years, increases license fees for some industry sectors, outlines more stringent testing requirements, and expands the types of information exempt under the Freedom of Information Act to include hemp location and a producer’s testing results.

During the signing ceremony at a refurbished tobacco factory in Suffield – now a hemp cultivation site – state Agricultural Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt called hemp “the future of Connecticut agriculture,” according to a Journal Inquirer report.

“I’m very proud that the governor made hemp one of his priority issues last year and made sure that in the small call of a special session that we included it to make sure that we still have the opportunity for businesses like this to be successful in the state.” – Hulburt, during the ceremony, via the Courant

Lamont remarked that “CBD is remarkable for the variety of different uses it has.”

“We continue to evolve, and that is what hemp is about,” he said. “Farming is a big piece of our past, and it’s a big piece of our future.”

During the ceremony, U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Courtney (D), called industrial hemp “a tremendous opportunity for eastern Connecticut farming families.”

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University of Cincinnati Offering Cannabis Studies Certificate Program

10/15/2020

Ohio’s University of Cincinnati is launching a cannabis studies certificate which includes history, culture, society, and regulatory topics, the News Record reports.

Sue Trusty, a horticulture program professor in the College of Design, Art, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), had already been teaching Introduction to Hemp and Medical Cannabis when school officials approached her about expanding the offerings to a certificate program.

“It really was these other UC professors saying, ‘I have a class that if you were to offer this as a certificate, that would work,’” she said in the report. “That was the stimulus to put this certificate together.”

She explained that false information on the Internet was a driving force behind launching the program. Trusty’s class already includes UC professors from a variety of departments serving as guest speakers.

“Because it is illegal, a lot of the information on it is just garbage and faux. There is not a lot of research-based information. The government and universities have avoided doing that kind of research because it’s illegal.” – Trusty to the News Record

The two-year program includes five 3-credit courses, according to the university website, including Trusty’s hemp and medical cannabis course, a hands-on Hops and Hemp Field Experience course, and three courses chosen “from a menu of possible classes based on the student’s interest or job preference.”

“For example, a student who is interested in cultivation will focus on the horticulture and biology classes,” the program description states. “One who would work at a dispensary will be most interested in the classes related to public health, substance abuse, and public policy. A student interested in cannabis processing would be likely to choose plant chemistry classes as well as those dealing with the effects of cannabis on the body.”

Last year, the Cincinnati City Council voted to decriminalize cannabis possession up to 100 grams within the city limits. Medical cannabis is legal in the state.

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California Allows Regional Designation for Cannabis Marketing

10/14/2020

Under a new California law, cannabis brands grown in the “sun and soil” of a city or county can be labeled with a regional designation, the Sacramento Bee reports. The law allows products to carry an “appellation of origin” label similar to those featured on the state’s wines.

California is the first state in the nation to apply a “terroir” law to cannabis and the law will likely help California‘s small, craft, cannabusiness protect their brands.

State Sen. Mike McGuire (D) said he wrote the law because smaller cannabis farms needed an edge to compete with big companies. Brands grown in the sun and soil of Humboldt County or the Emerald Triangle might be more appealing, and farmers could ask higher prices for products carrying the appellation of origin designation, not unlike in the wine industry, he said.

“World class cannabis comes from the Emerald Triangle. … You know you’re buying quality wine if you’re purchasing wine from Sonoma (County) and Napa (County). And the same thing can be said for cannabis.” – McGuire to the Bee

Drew Barber, owner of Humboldt County-based East Mill Creek Farms, explained that “terroir is ultimately the fingerprint of a product.”

“The idea is that if you can have that fingerprint of place on the product, then you can really have something that is expressing your unique farm to the world in the best way,” he said in the report.

According to the bill text, the law “prohibits the name of a California county, including any similar name that is likely to mislead consumers as to the kind of cannabis contained in the product, from being used, as specified, unless 100 percent of the cannabis contained in the product was produced in that county.”

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Supreme Court Won’t Hear Cannabis Case Challenging Federal Prohibition

10/14/2020

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the case challenging the constitutionality of federal prohibition and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Schedule I classification. The decision likely marks the end of the road for the case.

Previous rulings by a U.S. District Court and Second Circuit Court of Appeals had previously dismissed the case, ruling that the plaintiffs – comprised of medical cannabis patients – had not first sought administrative relief such as petitioning the DEA to reclassify cannabis. The case had argued that those mechanisms are “illusory.”

When Attorneys Michael Hiller and Joseph Bondy asked the nation’s highest court to hear the case in August, they said the previous rulings directed plaintiffs “to proceed with an administrative review process doomed to failure.”

Sebastien Cotte, whose son Jagger was a plaintiff in the case, told Marijuana Moment – which first reported the denial – that while the court’s decision is “not surprising … it is still very disappointing.” However, he added that the case was “groundbreaking” because a federal judge said, on the record, “that it is undeniable that cannabis has medical properties.”

NORML Legal Counsel Keith Stroup agreed about the “unsurprising” outcome.

“This result is not altogether surprising. Courts have rarely provided relief to those of us who believe that marijuana prohibition violates our civil and Constitutional liberties. It is Congress that imposed the federal prohibition of marijuana and ultimately it is up to Congress to repeal this destructive and discriminatory policy.” – Stroup in a statement

A Federal District Court in Sacramento, California considered similar arguments in 2014 but ultimately made the same ruling that plaintiff’s needed to seek relief via administrative mechanisms and that they had not shown Congress acted irrationally when classifying cannabis as a Schedule I drug.

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Rwanda Approves Medical Cannabis Cultivation and Export Guidelines

10/14/2020

Rwanda officials on Monday approved guidelines for medical cannabis cultivation, processing, and export, the New Times reports. The rules do not decriminalize or legalize cannabis for any other purpose.

Minister of Health Dr. Daniel Ngamije explained that the decision “does not give room for those who abuse” cannabis.

“The law that punishes drug abuse is in place and it will continue to be applied as usual,” he said in the report.

The Rwanda Development Board reiterated in a statement that “medical cannabis produced in Rwanda will be solely for export markets,” adding that it plans to introduce a special export tax for cannabis products.

Aloysie Manishimwe, a Rwandan researcher in medicinal plants, told the New Times that while she supports the reforms, the government needs to have strong protections in place to ensure the crops are not diverted into the illegal marketplace.

“Already drug abuse, specifically cannabis is rampant among young people in Rwanda. The task will be upon the government to have strong law enforcement.” – Manishimwe to the New Times

According to a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report, more than 10,000 tons of cannabis is produced in Africa annually.

Cannabis industry operations are allowed in several countries on the continent, including Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Morocco, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia. Many of those programs include cultivation and export for medical purposes.

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Michigan Gov. Signs Expungement Bills

10/13/2020

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) yesterday signed bipartisan criminal record expungement bills aimed at clearing records of crimes legal under the state’s 2018 voter-approved legalization initiative, Fox 47 News reports. The reforms include provisions for expunging certain felonies and misdemeanors.

During a signing ceremony, Whitmer said it was “a historic day in Michigan.”

“These bipartisan bills are a game-changer for people who are seeking opportunities for employment, housing, and more, and they will help ensure a clean slate for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders. This is also an opportunity to grow our workforce and expand access to job training and education for so many people. I am proud to sign these bills today alongside Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist and many of the bipartisan leaders who worked on them.” – Whitmer, during an Oct 11 signing ceremony, via Fox 47

The provisions under House Bills 4980-4985 and 5120 include:

An automatic process for expunging eligible misdemeanors after seven years and eligible non-assaultive felonies after 10 years.
Expanding the number, and revises the types, of felonies and misdemeanors eligible to be set aside by application.
Revises eligibility waiting periods.
Treat multiple felonies or misdemeanor offenses arising from the same transaction as a single conviction, provided the offenses happened within 24 hours of one another, are not assaultive crimes, or involving possession or use of a dangerous weapon, or is a crime that carries a penalty of 10 or more years in prison.
Expands expungement eligibility to some traffic offenses.
Allows a person to petition to set aside one or more cannabis offenses if the offense would not have been a crime if committed after Dec. 6, 2018.

Republican House Speaker Lee Chatfield said, “far too many people enter the criminal justice system and end up cut off from those opportunities and are pushed toward a cruel cycle of poverty and crime.”

“That’s not right, and it creates bad outcomes for all of us,” Chatfield said during the bills’ signing. “These bills are an important step to righting that wrong and helping good people who’ve paid their debt get back on their feet. I am glad we were able to find common ground on this important issue and deliver reform that will help people statewide.”

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Study: Medical Cannabis Does Not Create Cognitive Decline in Seniors

10/13/2020

Senior citizens who use medical cannabis to treat chronic pain do not show evidence of cognitive decline, according to a study from Israel’s Haifa University School of Public Health outlined by the Jerusalem Post.

The study included 125 cannabis users aged 50-and-older – 63 with and 62 without government permission to use cannabis – whose psychomotor reaction, attention, new learning, and working memory was tested while both under the influence of cannabis and sober.

“These results suggest that use of whole plant [medical cannabis] does not have a widespread impact on cognition in older chronic pain patients. Considering the increasing use of [medical cannabis] in older populations, this study could be a first step towards a better risk–benefit assessment of [medical cannabis] treatment in this population. Future studies are urgently needed to further clarify the implications of late‐life cannabis use for brain health.” – Medical Cannabis and Cognitive Performance in Middle to Old Adults Treated for Chronic Pain, Sept. 22, 2020, Drug and Alcohol Review

Dr. Sharon Sznitman and Dr. Galit Weinstein, two of the researchers who conducted the study, noted that while “previous studies have shown that medical cannabis can have long-term effects on the brain when consumed at a young age,” those effects “are not necessarily the same effect when consumed in old age.”

The researchers said their findings “may reduce concerns among physicians who deal with chronic pain and among patients suffering from it regarding the possible effects of cannabis on brain function.”

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Mississippi Gives Patient Access to FDA-Approved Cannabis Medicines

10/13/2020

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) has signed into law a bill allowing patients to obtain Food and Drug Administration-approved cannabis-derived medications, Marijuana Moment reports.

In a tweet, Reeves said he remains opposed to efforts making cannabis “mainstream.”

“That said – helping people with safe treatments should not be off the table,” he wrote, adding that the measure will help “kids like Brady and Brianna with a rare form of epilepsy to get FDA-approved treatment.”

The tweet featured photos of the children.

The bill’s signing comes less than a month before Mississippi voters will decide whether to legalize medical cannabis in the state – and with two competing measures to choose from.

One, I65, is the product of a campaign led by Mississippians for Compassionate Care. The activists collected more than 105,000 signatures from each of the state’s five congressional districts in order to put the constitutional amendment to voters. The proposal outlines 20 “debilitating conditions” that would qualify a patient for the program.

The other, I65A, would require state lawmakers to enact a comprehensive medical cannabis program. That plan, according to Ballotpedia, would only medical cannabis access for terminally ill patients, require pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products, and leave tax rates, possession limits, and other details to the legislature.

The question on ballots will appear as a two-step process. Voters who choose ‘either measure’ want either I65 or I65A to pass and allow medical cannabis use by qualified patients. The voter must then choose their preferred version.

Voting ‘neither measure’ signals the voter is against both but can then proceed to the second question to choose their preferred version in the event the ‘either’ option gets more votes.

Jamie Grantham, communications director for Mississippians for Compassionate Care, told Marijuana Moment that she was “glad” the bill will help Brady and Brianna but I65 “will help thousands of families across the state.”

An FM3 Research poll from September found 81 percent of Mississippi likely voters support the reforms, including 89 percent of Democrats, 82 percent of independents, and 76 percent of Republicans.

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Alyssa Russell: Indoor Hemp-Derived CBD

10/13/2020

Hemp-derived CBD is legal in the state of Tennessee and urban hubs like Nashville have become home to a handful of CBD shops where visitors have access to CBD oil, flower, pre-rolls, and tasty edibles. In 2019, hemp farming grew 1100% according to the Department of Agriculture, including many small scale hemp farms looking to breed and grow plants for optimal CBD.

Alyssa Russell and Chad Cheadle were inspired by the positive role cannabinoids played in their own lives to open a CBD dispensary and cultivate hemp themselves, and that is how Clara Jane came to be. The California natives moved to Nashville in 2016 and found that cannabinoids were helpful when searching for comfort and relief. Clara Jane is a cozy, comfortable space that was built to be a cornerstone of the community around cannabinoid medicine but, for now, they are delivering in Nashville and shipping nationwide.

What inspired you and Chad Cheadle, co-owner and head grower, to start Clara Jane?

We were inspired to start Clara Jane for numerous reasons but when it comes down to it, we are in the business of helping people and wanted to share our passion for alternative methods of healing. In Tennessee, there is still a large need for education on cannabis. Our personal stories of how cannabinoids have supported us was our motivation and stories of those who are supported by the products we grow are what keep us motivated

When did CBD stores first start popping up in Nashville? When was Clara Jane founded and how many people work there?

Although the 2016 Farm Bill had been around CBD stores only started normalizing in early 2018. We originally opened in 2018 in a pop-up location under the name 615 CBD in Pleasant View, TN. Being part of a small community and helping people find an alternative approach to their own personal mountains made it apparent to us how fulfilling this work is!

In March 2019, we opened our doors in Nashville as Clara Jane Hemp Dispensary where we’re able to provide a comfortable retail space to our customers as well as an indoor grow operation. Most of the business is run by Chad and myself, just the two of us! But as we all know, nothing can be done alone and community is so important to success on a personal level and a business level. We also have a small crew of retail associates, trim partners, and a network of other growers and CBD Pros helping us out/mentoring us.

How long did it take to set up the indoor hemp operation? How many rooms and plants are in your cultivation site?

We’ve been increasing the grow operation in stages, starting really small and just about doubling the number of plants we grow each harvest. Just this week we harvested 60 plants in three different strains with 60 more ready to go into flower. Our indoor grown premium CBD and CBG flower is hand trimmed, slow cured, and organically grown. We have one big room at this time and are using tents for cloning, vegging and drying – we’re planning to build out rooms later this year. Much of our cultivation goes to flower sales.

What vetting process does Clara Jane have in place for outside CBD products that are sold in the store?

Because quality products are so important to us, we thoroughly vet every product that we bring to the sales floor. We insist that all products have legitimate 3rd party COA’s and only choose products with a unique story behind them, and that speak to us personally. We’re looking for clean ingredients, (no artificial colors/flavors, etc no additives and only want what is necessary in the products! A variety of Full-Spectrum and THC free products is really important to us so all customers have options to choose from. Additionally, a majority of the products we sell come from women-run businesses across the country.

Which category of products is most popular? Why do people seek these products?

Aside from flower, our second most sought out products are edibles! We carry a variety of gummies, chocolates, honey, mints and even marshmallows. People love their edibles so we’re sure to hunt down super clean products so our community can purchase edibles without all the extra additives.

Clara Jane is community-focused and driven by your customers, can you share any first-hand CBD success stories from your customers?

One of our most recent stories that just makes me so happy is about a customer who really struggled to sleep more than 1.5 hours at a time. They could get by taking their sleeping pills but we’re looking for a more natural approach without the side effects. We got them on a regimen of cbg & cbd and they’re not sleeping al the way through the night, well-rested. Sleep is so important and impacts so many areas of our lives so knowing that we were able to help this person, it’s also going to impact those around them, is so satisfying!

We get tons of customers who are from Recreational and/ or medical states that come in and are able to pick up products that support them and their ailments so they can enjoy their time in Nashville.

What type of licensing and regulations are in place for CBD stores in Nashville? Does the state require any licensing to sell or grow Hemp CBD?

In Tennessee we’re required to have a Hemp Growers License for cultivation and a resale licenses for selling. We’re required by the state to contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture 30 days before harvest for an inspection of the plants and are required to collect labs on the flower to maintain compliance.

Do you rent or own the grow and retail space? Did you meet any complications working with sellers/landlords/real estate agents due to the hemp stigma?

We lease the building where our retail and grow op are located. We did have a hard time finding the right space that could accommodate our grow and retail. A few companies we were ready to sign with came back and decided not to move forward due to the high risk. Same has happened with banking! But we really lucked out with our space. The real estate agent who leased our space is a huge advocate for the industry!

Have the neighboring businesses and establishments been welcoming of Clara Jane?

The neighborhood we are located in is up and coming so there aren’t a ton of immediate neighboring businesses. The few businesses in the area are super supportive and we do our best to support them as well! We have a few doctors and therapists in the city who encourage their patients to come see us when they’re looking for an alternative approach to supporting their well being.

What type of advertising do you invest in for Clara Jane? Do you suffer from the same shadowbanning and inability to advertise on social media like adult-use cannabis shops?

CBD companies face some of the same obstacles that dispensaries in legal states do. We’re prohibited from most traditional digital advertising like google ads and FB. So far we’ve mostly relied on print advertising and are looking into radio. We also have attended a multitude of marker’s markets and Pop-Up’s around the city!

What advice would you give to someone interested in entering the CBD market?

For people interested in entering the CBD industry I would say you have to be so passionate! There is room for everyone in this space but we also have seen so many more hemp growers pop up in the last year that did not go into their grow with a place to sell their product. It leaves the market a bit saturated. One of my favorite things has been developing relationships with other people in the industry who share the same passion and display their unique touch with the world. This state is so small, population-wise, and everyone knows someone who knows someone that grows hemp. It’s crazy! Both of us are from the SF Bay Area and Chad spent a lot of time in Sonoma county. In Sonoma county, everyone knows someone whose a vintner or is making wine themselves. Yet the entire population of the state of Tennessee Is the same population as the Bay Area. Hopefully, that gives some perspective!

Clara Jane has continued to ship nationwide and deliver locally during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining cleaning and safety protocols. Check out the Clara Jane store to see what products are available. Thank you, Alyssa, for taking the time to answer our questions.

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Maine’s First-Day Cannabis Sales Reach Nearly $100K

10/12/2020

Maine cannabis sales reached nearly $100,000 on opening day but retailers faced product shortages and customers paid high prices – a story familiar to the rollout of most cannabis markets.

Nearly four years after voters approved the reforms, recreational cannabis sales began last Friday at dispensaries in South Portland, Bangor, Auburn, Stratton, and Northport. The Office of Marijuana Policy said those shops reported $94,000 in sales, which amounts to $9,000 in sales taxes for the state, WPFO reports.

Green Cures Owner Tanya Rollins told WGME that the business sold $7,000 in product from 7 a.m. to noon. She said business could have been better but was hampered on day one due to there being just one testing facility to serve the entire state.

Theory Wellness of Maine CEO Brandon Pollock said the company had limited how much customers could purchase on the first day. Under the voter-approved law, recreational use customers can purchase up to 2.5 ounces of a combination of cannabis and concentrates, but no more than 5 grams of concentrates.

“People have been waiting their entire lives for the repeal of prohibition, and we get to witness it here today.” – Pollock to WGME

Maine officials are expecting $6 million in sales tax revenues from the space – set at 10 percent – in the first partial year of sales along with $6.8 million in excise taxes, which only apply to growers on flower and seeds.

Rollins said she did not expect the state will reach those figures as growers and testing will have to catch up after the strong opening weekend.

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