Alabama MMJ Bill Likely Dead Without House Support

5/28/2019

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Alabama House Speaker Mac McCutcheon expects state lawmakers to create a commission to study medical cannabis instead of legalizing its use, according to an AL.com report. The bill was approved by the Senate 17-6 earlier this month but has met strong opposition in the House.

Currently, the state does permit the University of Alabama at Birmingham to research the use of CBD products under what is known as Carly’s Law but the proposed CARE Act would extend that law until 2021. The measure would have established the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, which would set up a patient registry and issue patient identification cards and operator licenses.

The bill includes 33 qualifying conditions including addiction, autism, chronic pain, depression, Tourette’s, and several others included in medical programs throughout the U.S.

Despite the Senate support of the measure, McCutcheon told AL.com that medical cannabis is in “the educational phase” in the state.

“Members are studying. We’re listening to the opponents and proponents on it. We’re gathering information. And that’s one reason that this study commission idea, I think, is going to be very significant.” – McCutcheon to AL.com

The House Health Committee is holding a public hearing on the issue today as the legislature heads into what is likely its final session week.

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Colorado Establishes Cannabis as Opioid Alternative

5/27/2019

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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill last week that will allow doctors to recommend medical cannabis for any condition for which they might have prescribed painkillers, The Denver Post reports.

Senate Bill 13 — which passed the Senate 33-2 and the House 47-16 — is set to take effect on August 2, 2019. The bill is aimed at reducing opioid overdose rates by using cannabis as a potential offramp for opioid addicts. Specifically, the bill “adds a condition for which a physician could prescribe an opiate to the list of disabling medical conditions that authorize a person to use medical marijuana for his or her condition.”

“Adding a condition for which a physician could recommend medical marijuana instead of an opioid is a safer pain management tool that will be useful for both our doctors and patients.” — Ashley Weber, executive director of Colorado NORML, via The Denver Post

The legislation was introduced at the start of the year and drew wide support from medical cannabis advocates. A legislative hearing in January included two-and-a-half hours of testimony from 40 individuals, mostly in favor of the bill.

Concerned medical professionals, however, voiced some opposition to the proposal.

“Our real concern is that a patient would go to a physician with a condition that has a medical treatment with evidence behind it, and then instead of that treatment, they would be recommended marijuana instead,” said Aurora-based physician Stephanie Stewart. “This will substitute marijuana for an FDA-approved medication — something that’s unregulated for something that’s highly regulated.”

Research, meanwhile, has indicated that states with established comprehensive medical cannabis programs see an overall reduction in opioid overdose rates.

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Iowa Gov. Vetoes MMJ Expansions

5/27/2019

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) vetoed legislation on Friday that would have taken multiple steps toward expanding the state’s limited medical cannabis program, the Des Moines Register reports.

The bill had passed through both legislative chambers with sweeping approval — 96-3 in the House and 40-7 in the Senate — but the governor cited concerns about “the health and safety of Iowans” and said her veto was based on the state medical cannabis board’s recommendations.

“Ultimately, I believe Iowa must proceed cautiously to ensure that any expansion of our medical (cannabidiol) program is thoughtful and deliberate — particularly because Iowa’s program is in its infancy and the body of research that analyzes the efficacy of medical CBD is limited.” — Gov. Kim Reynolds, via the Des Moines Register

Iowa‘s five-year-old medical cannabis program is already quite restricted — THC inside of medical cannabis products is capped at just 3 percent and the program only allows for capsules, extracts, concentrates, lotions, ointments, and tinctures, while flower products that can be smoked or vaped are not allowed.

If it had not been vetoed, the bill would have:

  • Replaced the state’s THC cap with a new system that would allow patients to access up to 25 grams of THC over a 90-day period.
  • Changed the program’s “untreatable pain” qualifying condition to just “severe or chronic pain,” which would have given more patients access to the program.
  • Allowed additional health care professionals to make medical cannabis recommendations.
  • Removed a ban on felons participating in the program.
  • Established a system for state health officials to collect and analyze data associated with the program.
  • Given terminal patients a waiver allowing for unlimited THC.

On the day before the veto, activists submitted a petition with nearly 1,600 signatures calling for Gov. Reynolds to sign the bill.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, there are more than 2,800 active patient registration cards in the state’s medical cannabis program.

 

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Canada Invests $24.5M Into Cannabis Research

5/24/2019

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Canadian officials have earmarked C$24.5 million (US$18 million) for cannabis research to fund 26 projects throughout the nation, according to a CBC report.

The research will cover cannabis as a migraine treatment, cannabis education and harm reduction for youth, and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome – a rare condition that can cause severe nausea and vomiting after cannabis consumption.

Organized Crime Reduction Minister Bill Blair, who was in charge of legalization in Canada, said the research would “make the world a better, healthier, and safer place.”

“For too long many people have based their medical use of cannabis on anecdotal evidence, and frankly that’s not good enough.” – Blair, to the CBC

Researcher Rebecca Haines-Saah, who will head up the harm reduction among youth research, said that it will be an attempt to “mobilize different messages” noting that “‘just say no’ is not an effective strategy.” By the time Canadian students reach grade 12, 17 percent of them have used cannabis and half of Canadians have used cannabis by the time they are 24-years-old, according to Statistics Canada figures outlined by the CBC.

Haines-Saah said some students are already making their own harm reduction choices by choosing cannabis instead of tobacco or alcohol.

Alice Moon, Director of Communications for Blunt Talks and vocal advocate for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome awareness told Benzinga that she has been “desperately” searching for more information on the condition but there is a “major lack of research.”

The term was first coined by Australian researchers in 2004.

“I am beyond excited to hear that Canada is going to be leading the charge with research on this controversial topic,” she said in the report. “Canada’s dedication to education is groundbreaking and I think it’s going to inspire more doctors worldwide to study the topic as well.”

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Utah Gov. Criticizes Feds for Medical Cannabis Policies

5/24/2019

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Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, ripped the federal government for “their lack of action and attention” on medical cannabis policy, FOX 13 reports. The comments came during his monthly press conference in response to a question about why the state decided to treat medical cannabis like any other prescription drug.

Utah’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing recently announced that it will take no action against anyone who is legally using medical cannabis and will treat it like any other prescription – effectively preventing someone from being fired for being enrolled in the medical cannabis program.

“Putting the states now in an awkward position of following the will of the people who want to have access to medical cannabis and yet, there’s the potential of violation of the law and banking laws because of inaction by the federal government. They ought to be ashamed.” – Herbert, via FOX 13

The state is expected to roll out its limited program next year, which will see 10 licensed cultivators but just seven dispensaries.

Herbert did not support the voter-approved ballot initiative that was ultimately replaced by the state Legislature but he did back that legislative effort. Although he has criticized the state-approved program for policies that hinder physicians and federal policies that force canna-businesses to operate in cash only.

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Massachusetts Approves First Sale of Licensed Cannabis Firm

5/24/2019

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Massachusetts licensed cannabis company Sira Naturals has been sold to Cannabis Strategies Acquisition Corp. marking the first time the state Cannabis Control Commission has approved the sale of an industry operator, according to a MassLive report. Sira operates three dispensaries and one cultivation and production facility in the Bay State.

Cannabis Control Commission Chairman Steven Hoffman indicated that regulators are keeping an eye on who holds equity in the company in an effort to ensure that no state regulations are ultimately side-stepped by the deal. Earlier this year, the Boston Globe reported that the commission was investigating whether two licensed producers had thwarted state ownership rules by holding more licenses than allowed under the rules. The report alleges that the firms used a system of shell companies to exceed the three-license limit.

The Sira deal was announced by Cannabis Strategies in October, along with the purchase of three Nevada firms – including two Canopy-owned dispensaries. The details of the purchase were not disclosed. Cannabis Strategies is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

While this is the first takeover approved by Massachusetts regulators, it is not the only shakeup in the state’s industry. Last month, Vireo Health announced they had agreed to acquire Mayflower Botanicals, marking its first foray into the recreational cannabis industry. That deal still requires the approval of Massachusetts cannabis officials.

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Kristen Yoder: Calling Out BS in the Cannabis Industry

5/23/2019

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Kristen Yoder is CEO of cannabis business advisory firm Soil to the Oil and hosts The CannaBS Detector podcast.

As a veteran of California’s cannabis industry with professional experience in nearly every facet of the business, Kristen joined our own podcast host TG Branfalt for a chat about the state of cannabis as it moves out of the gray and into the heavily restricted legal marketplace. In this interview, we hear Kristen’s 14-year story of exploring the industry — from starting as a dispensary worker, advancing into cultivation, then edibles manufacturing, then as a project manager, and eventually becoming an independent strategic business advisor — and she shares important truths about the industry that may be hard to hear for entrepreneurs or investors who are considering a career in cannabis.

Tune in via the player below, or scroll further down for a full transcript of the interview.

Listen to the podcast:

Read the transcript:

Commercial: This episode of the Ganjapreneur podcast is made possible by 420 friendly service providers in the Ganjapreneur business directory. If you need professional help with your business, from accounting to legal services, to consulting, marketing, payment processing or insurance, visit ganjapreneur.com/businesses to find service providers who specialize in helping cannabis entrepreneurs like you. Visit the Ganjapreneur business directory today at ganjapreneur.com/businesses.

TG Branfalt: Hey there, I’m your host, TG Branfalt, and thank you for listening to the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, where we try to bring you actionable information and normalize cannabis through the stories of Ganjapreneurs, activists and industry’s stakeholders. Today I’m joined by Kristen Yoder, Soil to the Oil owner. She has more than 10 years in the cannabis industry, offering strategic advisement services to businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to enter the industry, and she’s the host of the CannaBS Detector podcast, which is a whole lot of fun. Really interesting stuff on that. How are you doing?

Kristen Yoder: I am good. Thank you so much for having me today.

TG Branfalt: I’m really, really stoked. Before we get into what you do and some of the BS that we’re going to talk about today, tell me about yourself. How did you end up in the cannabis space?

Kristen Yoder: Actually, I’ve been in the cannabis industry in Los Angeles since 2005, so I’m going on 14 years out here. I got my first job at a dispensary when I got my doctor’s recommendation, 2005. There was only one dispensary in the city of LA. The first time I went in there, I was just absolutely in heaven. I was like, “Oh my God. There are weeds stores. This is insane.” To clarify, I wasn’t really a medical patient. That’s just how you got weed in California. The dispensary, nobody smoked there, which was insane. I’m like, “Oh my God. You guys need me.” The second time I came in, they hired me and I mean, I was just … I loved it. For five years, it was my job to literally study weed and teach people about it. So I did that.

Then, between the politics in LA and repeating myself 80 times a day for five years, I got very burnt out. I took a couple of years off to learn how to grow cannabis indoor and outdoor. But I realized, when working in a warehouse, that cannabis growing is labor, and I don’t do labor. So I got another job running an edible company, one of the largest in California, for three years. When I started, I was doing supply chain management and then I took over product development, R&D, pretty much immediately. While I was there I had made 11 products, and I helped them start their Washington edible company. I left there when they got raided because there’s no operations to manage when you get shut down. But they opened up again and then they got raided again, and then they opened up again, but that’s another story.

After three years there, I went to work for the analytical testing lab that I did all the testing for the extract while I was at the edible company, and I did product development with them. They knew I was a good project manager, so I started working with cultivators to come up with custom terpene formulated vape cartridges. They also had just came out with a terpene training kit, which I took on as my pet project, and I would teach edible companies and dispensaries, et cetera, about terpenes. I did that for a year, and then I wanted to go out on my own and tried management consulting, and realize I absolutely hate that. I don’t want to spend my time doing SOPs and business plans for people that aren’t even going to use them or listen to you.

I did that for a year. I also did a podcast back then with my ex-business partner called Cannabis Business Minds, which was on cannabisradio.com, et cetera. Then once we split, I decided to be a strategic advisor, meaning I’ll help you figure out what you should do, I’ll put you in the right direction, but I’m not going to do your homework for you. I’m here to make sure that you know what you’re getting into and to put you in the right direction. So I do that, but really my focus and my passion is teaching people about terpenes and doing my podcast. I also have a dash radio show called Soil to the Oil Story Time, where I have people in the industry talk about their crazy, scary or funny stories.

I’m like, “Don’t talk about your positive stories because that’s literally every other show.” Because, I mean, I want people to know it’s a shit show in the industry. It’s not even fun once they legalize it. I like to bring people down to reality, and I’m also on the radio in San Diego every Friday. That’s about it.

TG Branfalt: You are a busy human being.

Kristen Yoder: Yeah, I really am. I’m losing my mind a little bit. My aspirations are much larger than my capabilities, but luckily I have a lot of awesome people there supporting me and helping me because they believe in me, which is pretty freaking awesome.

TG Branfalt: Even after you said that you were working at a place that was raided a couple of times, why at that point didn’t you walk away? A lot of people do.

Kristen Yoder: Because I freaking love cannabis. I mean, my dad, it’s so funny, he posted a picture of us 20 years ago when we ran his first marathon, and I was 15, and I was wearing a 420 shirt. It’s been … I mean, half baked, dazed and confused. I was your typical stoner child. I mean, I still am. I own that word. There are functional stoners. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater because you want to be all pious about medical cannabis. There are people that just like to smoke weed and hang out with people and listen to music or whatever. Yes. Did-

TG Branfalt: Were your parents-

Kristen Yoder: … I answer your question?

TG Branfalt: Yeah, yeah. Were your parents supportive or not? Maybe not supportive but accepting of your cannabis use, and do you think that that might have led you on the path that you’re on?

Kristen Yoder: My parents are all very Christian, nondenominational Christian. My dad and his wife are missionaries in Cambodia. My mom and her husband are … they have a little church in Las Vegas. No, they weren’t supportive when I was a kid, getting high, but they couldn’t stop me. I feel bad for them because they gave birth to a nightmare. But I got better when I moved out. I mean, they were scared. They were more worried than anything because at the dispensary I was at, that got raided by the DEA, and I was the only one there. Then the edible company got raided several times, but that’s because they pissed off ex-employees and, hey man, you get what you put out. Right? Then, the lab, I wasn’t there when they got raided, but this is California. That’s why California doesn’t have a lot of business people running cannabis businesses, because business people don’t want to take a risk of going to jail. You can’t stop me. I’m in it to win it, and I haven’t gone to jail. So, that’s a plus.

TG Branfalt: You are incredible. You spoke briefly about the advisement service that you’re doing now, and I know on your website there, you have something called the power hour. What does somebody get when they sign up for that power hour?

Kristen Yoder: I created the power hour because everybody reaches out to pick my brain. But you wouldn’t reach out to a lawyer to pick their brain about your divorce because they went to law school and they get paid by the hour. Generally, with a retainer. I didn’t do 14 years, running businesses in every sector, to have my brain picked. I do that. Whatever you want to know, I ask people to send me your questions ahead of time. That way, I have answers, I can provide guidance. But really as a strategic advisor, I’d say my main job is expectation management, and that means lowering people’s expectations greatly.

Because if you don’t lower your expectations, you’re going to lose your freaking mind, because whether or not we want the cannabis industry to be professional, it is not there yet. People really need to know that. There is no personal bankruptcy once you start a cannabis business, touching cannabis. These mistakes that you make, live with you like student debt. You really need to understand that if you don’t have the capital to get started, you should be really happy you found me first.

TG Branfalt: You’ve been in the industry for 14 years, you started a dispensary. Now, we’re in legalization in California, not where I am in New York, but how have the industries changed in those 14 years, aside from legalization? You’ve seen a lot. What’s been the biggest changes that you’ve noticed?

Kristen Yoder: The industry in California, the medical cannabis industry, started before the Compassionate Use Act or Prop 215, which was in 1996. But 1996 is when it got established, and until … Let me think, SB 420, I think that came out in 2008 or something. So before then, it was all medical dispensaries, and people, for the most part, were sick. Over time, I’d say around 2010, is when people started dabbing and people started doing open blasting, and the kids started getting attitudes. Then, people just get really jaded and it just … it’s sad, but I mean, that’s what happens with capitalism. But in Los Angeles, it’s always been run by quasi legal people. A majority of them are sociopaths. I’m not even kidding. That’s how you win in the industry, unfortunately, because you really need some balls.

It’s just gotten … It got more, at least in So-Cal more gangster in a way. I mean, there’s tons of gangs that own shops that will shut down and move somewhere else before they actually are shut down all the way, because no one can really afford to enforce it. Extracts were on the rise, big time. I got to tell you, if I was dabbing in high school, I don’t even know where I would be. It’s scary to think of what’s up with the youth, but maybe I’m just an old person.

TG Branfalt: No. I mean, to that point, when I talked to my friends about legalization, I always say the high potency products actually frighten me a little bit because it will give cannabis a bad rap, ultimately, I think. That’s not to say that I don’t love a 100 milligram edible, or dabbing. Do you fear that as well?

Kristen Yoder: I mean, straight up, I have a problem with dabbing. I freaking love dabbing. It tastes so good. I love just taking a fat dab and then laying back and be like, “Hmm, that was so good.” My problem is, is I wake up, I dab, I get on a call, I dab. I’m just dabbing till I run out of things to dab. I literally have my ex-boyfriend take all my bongs and everything out of my apartment because I have no self control. It’s a freaking problem for me, dude. I also turned into a Debbie Downer and I’m already really cynical. It’s not helpful for anybody. But I mean-

TG Branfalt: I’ve noticed that too.

Kristen Yoder: I love it, dude. I love it, but I can’t function on it and I have a problem, and I think people need to realize. I mean, look, even this, I noticed, it takes about three days for me to stop wanting to dab after I stop dabbing, which is crazy. Not that I’m shaking or any sort of withdrawals, but it’s a habit. But after I quit dabbing, I feel so much better. Like so much better. I don’t know, dude. As a grownup, I’m 34, I don’t recommend it for kids, especially these diamonds. Dude, I freaking hate diamonds so much. It’s not natural at all.

TG Branfalt: Tell me a bit about the impetus behind starting the podcast. You say you don’t want people to pick your brain, but you have this podcast where you put everything out there. You’re very honest. I mean, very open-

Kristen Yoder: To a fault.

TG Branfalt: I wouldn’t say to a fault, but it’s incredible to me as somebody who appreciates that sort of thing. When did you decide that you were going to start the CannaBS Detector?

Kristen Yoder: My ex-business partner was literally the most optimistic, positive, energetic person I have ever met in my life, and I am the total opposite, which messed with my head because I’m like, “Wow, am I just the worst, or is she insane?” In the end, I think it was a mix of both. She’s amazing. I’m not talking shit, it’s just in comparison to me. It messed me up. Once I left, then I found comfort going back to being my cynical self, which is when I came up with the title Bullshit Detector, because all I’ve dealt with is bullshit. Literally, my entire career as a young woman in the most shady industry or the shadiest market in the industry, it’s just been nonstop bullshit.

Now, literally all I see is bullshit, so I’m actually really good at that. I created the podcast because I don’t want people to get fucked over. That’s it. I’ve been fucked over, everyone I know has, and if I can just save one person from getting into the industry with an idealistic expectation, then I’ve done my job. That’s the other thing, I made the podcast too, but people don’t want to listen. They just want to pick your brain because they’re lazy. I’m like, “Look dude, I put it up there so you can go check that, and when you’re ready to pay me, call me.”

TG Branfalt: During an episode, you say legalization is just another form of prohibition, and this is something that I firmly have believed in. I’m a libertarian leaning sort of guy. You say something along the lines of … Actually, I have it written down, but I’m not going to be able to find it. With more laws, there’s more laws to break.

Kristen Yoder: Exactly.

TG Branfalt: I’m in New York, Cuomo just took legalization out of the budget. My friends were all like, “Boo hoo,” and I’m like, “that’s great, man. The black market’s treated me fine for 16 years.” I think I know what you mean by that. A lot of people aren’t going to agree with the statement, legalization is just another form of prohibition. What do you mean by that?

Kristen Yoder: I mean, the key word is legal, and the laws are so restrictive, and the compliance is so difficult to follow, and then the regulations are changing all the time, that it kills small businesses. It makes it nearly impossible to make it through the first years of legalization, or legalization in general. Because it’s just too expensive for most people. When you have laws, you have an illegal market. I mean, literally, legalization turns a medical industry into a capitalistic industry, and anyone who can’t be a licensed whatever, they are now criminals straight up. I loved Prop 215 because it was gray, and if you’ve got a good lawyer, you could get out of things. But, I had someone telling me because he has been arrested for growing, he had to go to Federal Court and there is no medical cannabis defense in Federal Court.

He’s strongly for legalization, but I just disagree because legalization doesn’t mean you can have home grows. I think that’s what a lot of people think. Legalization has different flavors based on the state, and in California we aren’t the fifth largest economy in the world because we care about people or anything like that. We’re literally run by special interest. Prop 64, our legalization, just fucked everyone, literally. I mean, two thirds of our state hasn’t even adopted legalization. How does that work? I tell people, “You want to know what national legalization looks like? Look at California,” because all these states are going to be like, “Oh, states rights. We don’t want to do it.” That’s the way it works.

Why would … I mean, considering that special interests are the ones really behind legalization, besides the drug policy alliance, which I really question their motivations. But anyways, it just isn’t for the people in the most part. I mean, plus the taxes and it’s just really depressing watching people in the industry get basically screwed out of the industry they went to jail for, by wealthy capitalist that do not care about anyone in the industry.

TG Branfalt: What would you prefer to legalization?

Kristen Yoder: I mean, decriminalization would be awesome if decriminalization meant that it was not treated like a crime. The problem is decriminalization does not give you a regulated market, which means sales and distribution and everything like that is still illegal or quasi illegal, which people will still get arrested. But people are going to get arrested either way. It depends on who you’re asking. If you’re talking to someone who’s got a felony on their record and they went to jail for a home grow, they’re going to want legalization because it’s going to protect them. They think, but the key is to read the legalization measures before you vote for it.

TG Branfalt: Did you vote for the law? Can I ask you that?

Kristen Yoder: Oh God. No, dude. Hell no. I mean, I’ve read that shit, and you know what? I was going to debate it until they tried to put me on a panel with a crazy lawyer and I was up against a drug war victim and CBD nuns. I’m like, “Whoa, dude. You’re setting me up. I’m not supporting the police on this. This is just a bad deal,” and now everyone is crying, and I’m like, “you’re the one who fucking voted for it. No pity. I’m sorry, but it’s your fault.” Now it’s just too late. What are we going to do? We can’t turn back. It’s very depressing.

TG Branfalt: You mentioned that you were invited to a conference. You’ve spoken about … you’ve spoken at several conferences and some of the talks that you gave were about women in the cannabis industry, and I just want to talk to you a bit about that. Do you think that women are underrepresented in this space?

Kristen Yoder: Oh, my God. Yeah. The fact that people think women are breaking a grass ceiling because of a Forbes article in 2017, does not by any means mean that A, it’s true, or B, that we’re winning. They actually compared the fact that, in the conventional industries or in general business, women are 21% of the industry. But in the cannabis industry in 2017, women are 27%. Are we supposed to be glad that we’re only a little less marginalized? I mean, come on. That was 2017.

Women have been leaving the industry because it’s a boys’ club, and especially with all these Wall Street and investor wealthy people coming in, treating women like sexual objects, not investing in their companies, women getting pushed out of their companies by their board of advisors. I mean, in Canada, I believe 92% of all cannabis businesses are owned by men. I’m constantly out there trying to dispel these myths that make men feel better because it’s not true.

TG Branfalt: Is there any way to bridge this gap? I mean, there’s a minority problem in this space. There’s obviously a women … not a women problem, but in terms of equity, is there anything that can be done? I mean, short of more regulations?

Kristen Yoder: Well, more regulations doesn’t really help anybody. You can’t require a … I mean, I don’t know, dude. Okay. There’s social equity in California, and social equity for Oakland, example. There is social equity, which they go by neighborhoods that have been defined as being over-policed, then they go by income requirements. Meaning, if you had a nonviolent drug offense that fucked your life up and your income, where you make 80% less than the median average income of your neighborhood, you qualify to be a social equity applicant. By being a social equity applicant, you will get priority in licensing over existing businesses.

Here’s the problem. This is such an over-regulated industry that … Do you really think that people with no background in running these businesses are going to succeed? I don’t know, man. I mean, we really got to train people. Even business people fail at this. Second of all, guess what’s happening? Rich investors are just picking up social equity applicants. I mean, in a way exploiting them for the licenses, which defeats the purpose. I mean, I think all intentions are good or whatever, but are they actually going to make a difference? I don’t know, dude.

None of these social equity programs have actually worked yet. I think that’s what happens when the government gets involved. They fuck it up. They always do. I mean, it’s a definite problem, it’s something we need to address. But let’s not kid ourselves. Legalization is capitalism, and capitalism does not care about people. Who runs everything? Rich white people. I mean, who’s fucked up the world? White people. I don’t know, dude. Can we fix it? Mm-mm (negative) I tell people, “Don’t come to me for motivation.” You know what I’m saying?

TG Branfalt: No. I mean, it’s a really harrowing truth that I don’t think does get enough attention. To your point, two-thirds of California doesn’t even have … allow legal sales and it’s probably those same areas that were really bad to minorities when enforcement was in full effect. It’s not really helping anybody, to your point.

Kristen Yoder: Well, I think also something to consider is, if you don’t regulate your industry, you are willfully allowing an illicit industry, which will only cost you money and enforcement. Not only that, you’re fucking the state from their tax money, which they need to enforce legalization because if you don’t have enforcement, then what’s the point of getting licensed? Because you’re going to get over-taxed, over-regulated and probably grounded, destroyed. Then, there’ll be some wealthy dude who will buy up the shell of your company for pennies on the dollar because you don’t have any options to get out of it.

This is a freaking problem. I mean, I had this idea that will never happen, but we should charge any city or county, that decides to opt out of regulating their industry, a specific fee based on their population. Minimum $1 million a year, and if you want to fuck around and not regulate the industry and have an illicit industry, then you need to pay for it. Maybe if you pay for it, you might change your mind and actually tax it, regulate it and be a part of the system, not a problem. But until then, we’re fucked. Two thirds of the state, that’s insane. What were they thinking?

TG Branfalt: That’s mostly … Where is that mostly? Is it pocked out or?

Kristen Yoder: Yeah, it really is. I mean, even if they allow cultivation, they don’t allow shops. I mean, the state had to pass the bill to allow delivery all over the state because they left two thirds of the state as a cannabis desert. Here’s the other thing that people don’t realize, legalization destroys medical cannabis because the government would rather just wrap two programs into one and not deal with medical. But the problem is, medical patients, A, need higher dosage products because they’re using it for medical things. But if it’s only a recreational market, they limit edibles at a 100 milligrams. Not only that, then you have all these crazy taxes. A chocolate bar that used to be 180 milligrams that sold for $20, is a 100 milligrams and it sells for $40. When you make legalization and all of these cities decided to opt out, the medical dispensaries are also fucked. Who wins?

TG Branfalt: I didn’t know that the medical dispensaries also weren’t allowed if they’d got rid of rec.

Kristen Yoder: I mean, look, man, if they had regulations in the first place, then they probably regulate the industry, but it’s coming up with their own specific greedy bullshit that makes them not do it in the first place. I mean, dude, literally one city in California was requesting … not requesting, requiring $50 per square foot of cultivation tax to be paid up front. What? That’s insane. I mean, another city, they were telling people that if they wanted to grow at home, they would have to get a permit through the city, which is unconstitutional because it’s our right to grow and they don’t need to know our business. It’s all of these different things where we got fucked. Totally.

TG Branfalt: Have you heard of anyone considering challenging that ban based on constitutional grounds?

Kristen Yoder: I mean, people are really just trying to survive right now, and I think … I mean, the first episode I did for the CannaBS Detector was with this incredible lawyer. I mean, I just quizzed him on every way to sue and be sued in the cannabis industry, and I asked, “Couldn’t we sue the State for fucking up?” People are suing the State for the delivery bill because they’re like, “We don’t want this in our area.” I mean, it’s just special interest in the end.

TG Branfalt: I do want to ask you this question that’s sort of unrelated to what we’ve been talking about. But I’m really interested to get your response. I was interviewing somebody … I was interviewing a company from Maryland which was led by females, and they … medical company, they offer products geared towards women. What they said was that they adopted these monikers for their products based on strain names being seen by some as too masculine, AK-47, green crack, things of that nature. I’m wondering first, what you think about that, whether or not strain names are too masculine. How do you feel personally about products that are marketed toward women with pinks and purples?

Kristen Yoder: I mean, A, I have been in the industry so long that if I actually had to buy cannabis, I think I failed somewhere in my career. With that said, I’m not a consumer like that. If it appeals to women, sweet dude, we’ve been marginalized in every other way, the thing is, it’s not different. But I mean, marketing is marketing. I think with the names, genetics actually matter. People don’t do the genetics, breeders, fino hunters, whatever. They don’t do this so you can change it into some fluff bullshit. You know what I’m saying? Okay. I don’t support green crack, but blue dream or … I mean, even AK-47, that’s very established genetics. If you’re going to change the name, you at least owe people what it actually was in the first place.

There’s a company called Canndescent in California. They’re cool. Love it. I love their approach, but they changed all the names to like Calm, or Relax, or whatever. But it doesn’t work like that for everyone. In my opinion, I mean, A, independence sativa is bullshit because it’s the terpenes that affect it. When you’re calling something Calm, that’s placebo effect right there. You’re actually influencing people to think that that’s what’s going to happen, and if you didn’t, what would they actually feel? Which is the whole point of my terpene class that I teach, is that stop guessing. Don’t … It’s not sativa or indica. What if you just bought cannabis and consumed it with no expectations? It will probably have a different effect than if you bought something called Calm. You know what I’m saying?

TG Branfalt: Yeah. Do you think terpenes are the next … I guess-

Kristen Yoder: Totally. Yeah, no. It is. Dude, I mean, I always ask people in my class, “What do you do when someone hands you a nug?” You smell it. That’s what you do. We follow our noses. I know if it’s sour diesel or not because of the terpene profile. I learned this at the lab I was working at. It took me about a month to come into acceptance that I was spreading bullshit for five years at a dispensary, which is another reason why I’m so passionate about dispelling this to make up for that. But, I mean, even this, I would tell people whatever they wanted to hear to get them to leave, and that’s exactly what they want it to feel. Which then made me wonder, what does cannabis do?

But now we know that it’s the terpene profile, not necessarily the potency. It’s not just THC, it’s THC and other cannabinoids and the terpene profile. Once you figure out what strain you like, look it up online, look up the terpene profile, and then find other strains that have the same dominant terpenes. The other thing is, this is not strains, it’s cultivars or chemovars, but you can only be so anal, really, before you start turning people off.

TG Branfalt: What’s your favorite strain? What’s your favorite terpene profile? [crosstalk 00:32:15]

Kristen Yoder: I love Bubba Kush or Master Kush or Hindu Kush. It’s got this meaty mentholy spicy flavor. But it’s so hard to actually find those strains because people mislabel things, which is so annoying. It’s like, “Dude, if it’s not OG, don’t call it OG just to charge more money because it doesn’t even smell like OG.” Which is a problem. I mean, do we have so many issues to deal with? I mean, dude, you don’t go to a grocery store and buy a green apple and call it a red apple. I mean, rose growers don’t spend all their time coming up with specific rose breeds or species or whatever so that you can just call it a rose. You know what I’m saying? We need to respect the growers. I mean, after all, they get fucked by everybody, yet they are the basis of the industry. I mean they get fucked by everybody because they’re at the bottom of the supply chain. They do the most work and they get the least amount of money.

TG Branfalt: Is there any push to at least change that set up by people in the industry that you’ve spoken to?

Kristen Yoder: Well, I know that there are companies like … What is it? Bio something. Oh, Phylos and other companies that are like, “Look, send us your products so we can map the genome and add it into our systems, so when big businesses and corporations come in and start patenting different things, we can show that this existed before them and they don’t own it.” The thing is, is once that company gets bought up by a big company, then a massive company now has everybody’s information. It’s a catch-22, and really, who’s going to regulate it? There is no such thing.

TG Branfalt: How bad is the corporate problem in California?

Kristen Yoder: It’s huge. I mean, most states don’t allow outside investment into their state when they’re starting because that fucks everyone in the state. California was like, “Hey, dude. Anyone can come in.” Now we have all of these investors making stupid investments, really investing with their penis or something because they’re not thinking about what they’re doing, and they’re fueling a bunch of sociopaths that don’t know how to run businesses, and everyone suffers working for them. They keep getting bigger. I’m not going to say any names, but there’s some really big companies run by super shitty people and it’s because stupid investors keep giving them money. I think this is a big problem. Plus these people don’t get high. They waited. I mean, dude, John Bayner. Okay. He’s like-

TG Branfalt: Yeah, Bayner.

Kristen Yoder: He’s pushing for federal legalization. I questioned his motives. He runs … I mean, he’s-

TG Branfalt: It’s got to be money.

Kristen Yoder: … on the board of Acreage Holdings, which wants to own the industry. I say, “Fuck those guys. Fuck John Bayner. Fuck the ex Canadian prime minister.” None of them were supportive of cannabis when we were going to jail, yet now they’re all about what? Making tons of money off of it? No, I’m not going to support these people exploiting my industry.

TG Branfalt: In lieu of support though, I mean, isn’t somebody like Bayner at least a big enough to maybe get some of these conservatives Republicans who are … if he can help change their mind then maybe less people go to jail and maybe-

Kristen Yoder: Dude, if he changes their mind and national legalization happened, we’re fucking done. We’re done. That’s the last thing protecting small businesses. Look, the cannabis industry is a risk. If you’re not willing to take the risk, you don’t really deserve to be in the industry in the first place. I haven’t gone to jail, so obviously I’m not representing everyone, and that sucks, dude. But federal legalization — dude, Hemp Farm bill that just passed. That doesn’t mean you can grow hemp wherever you want now because states-

TG Branfalt: No.

Kristen Yoder: … can control it. If we do federal legalization, the next step is globalization. Let me give you an example of globalization. There is a company called … I think it’s InstaDose Pharma in Canada. They have spent a ton of money investing in the DRC and Colombia or something, in South America. They grew so much hemp. Supposedly that they had 2 million liters of CBD that’s going to come into the Canadian industry. They propose that that will drop the prices of CBD wholesale by 96%. There’s no way Americans could compete with third world countries. I mean, ask any farmer. Let me tell you, this depresses people, but this is a reality.

There was an article by The Guardian that said that farmers have the highest suicide rate by all industries combined. The thing is, is you don’t hear about it because farmers stage their deaths to look like accidents so their family can get life insurance to bail them out of debt. That’s a fucking problem.

TG Branfalt: Holy shit.

Kristen Yoder: But why don’t you add on the fact that you were growing cannabis for 20 years, and now you’re still … A, it’s still illegal even with federal legalization because you’re not licensed. Then, if they had a global market, even then, everyone’s fucked. I actually know of three … I’ve heard about three people that were in the industry that took their lives last year because of the stupid regulations fucking up their livelihoods. I think government needs to understand what they’re doing, but honestly, I don’t think they care.

TG Branfalt: I mean, I’m there with you. Taxation staffed and-

Kristen Yoder: Like …

TG Branfalt: … the government is the biggest murderer in the world.

Kristen Yoder: No taxation without representation. You know what I’m saying?

TG Branfalt: Nobody believes that anymore.

Kristen Yoder: Whoops! People are done. That’s the problem. That’s why we don’t want John Bayner talking. Dude, all he is, is talking Republicans into exploiting our industry, not protecting us. No, I don’t want that. I don’t want these guys in the industry. They don’t fucking deserve it.

TG Branfalt: I could sit here and I could talk t youo for another hour and a half, but I cannot.

Kristen Yoder: I know. I could go off. I go off every day these … If you can’t tell, this shit makes me heated, which is the whole point-

TG Branfalt: No, you’re passionate. You’re passionate, and you rightfully should be. I mean, you’ve been part of DEA raid several times. You’ve been in the industry before there was this industry, and I mean, I admire your forthrightness and it’s a breath of fresh air. I think, in an industry that people want so badly to call it a win, when the reality is it’s just fucking people, fucking farmers, and it’s-

Kristen Yoder: Fucking themselves, man.

TG Branfalt: … ultimately, more people are going to go … ultimately people are still going to go to fucking jail over this.

Kristen Yoder: Yes, exactly. Come on, guys, let’s pay attention. This is the other thing. I’m putting together a tour for my terpene class and my podcasts, and I’m calling it the Common Scents tour, but a scents spelled like S-C-E-N-T-S, and the whole point is I want to teach you about terpenes but also critical thinking, and maybe get you to start sniffing out the bullshit instead of believing it. Because unless we start questioning the motives behind the things that are coming up, we are going to fuck ourselves. There’s really no excuse. If you hear me talk, then I’m holding you personally responsible for fucking things up if you vote for stupid things. Don’t even tell me if you voted for it. You know what I’m saying?

TG Branfalt: I’ve never had an opportunity, I’ve never lived in a legal state, but like I said, When Cuomo was pitching it in the budget, people around me are excited and I’m just like, “Guys, it’s not going to be what you think it is.”

Kristen Yoder: None of these governments pass this to help people. Okay, they pass it for money, period.

TG Branfalt: When I was in Vermont, they legalized … basically decriminalize it. There was no shops or anything in the regulations and a little gray market occurred. But it was basically just the same people just doing the same thing, just no longer afraid that when they get pulled over with an ounce or two that they’re actually going to go to jail for it, or even have it taken from them.

Kristen Yoder: That’s the way to go.

TG Branfalt: They’re talking about regulations, probably as we speak.

Kristen Yoder: I mean, they probably are because they want money. But, look, if you are a part of the regulations, if you don’t vote for things that are going to fuck you up, that’s the key. You got to keep fighting. If you want to do something better, then you need to pull together and come up with a better solution. Because just being against it … I mean, it’s not going to work if we just buy everything, maybe we could influence some things. It might not be as bad if people were really pushing what would help people. But if we leave it to lobbyists and government officials, no one’s going to win but them.

TG Branfalt: Well, that’s how it’s been, at least, our entire lifetimes. I feel that.

Kristen Yoder: It’s called capitalism, straight up.

TG Branfalt: It’s crony capitalism. It’s a goddamn shame.

Kristen Yoder: Look at our president. Need we say more?

TG Branfalt: You’re going on this tour, terpenes Common Scents, just going in California or?

Kristen Yoder: No. No. I’m starting off in Jamaica next month, and I’m going to be teaching doctors about terpenes. Then California, I’m going to go up the coast in May. June, I’m hoping to go across Canada. July, I don’t know. Wherever people pay me to go. I’m not coming to the East Coast until autumn because I’m not trying to sweat. You know what I’m saying?

TG Branfalt: It’s 40 degrees here right now. It’s perfect.

Kristen Yoder: Yeah, but not during the summer. It’s horrible. Plus I always wanted to see the leaves change.

TG Branfalt: Yeah. It’s a good time. I’ll definitely look for you if you do make it under the East Coast. Where can people find the Bullshit Detector and more about you?

Kristen Yoder: I highly recommend anyone in the cannabis industry to get on LinkedIn. It has the best industry. This is where the future is. It’s the smart people. People don’t put up with Facebook emotional bullshit. I mean, that’s what I love about it. People actually really hold their feeds seriously. So LinkedIn, I am linkedin.com/in/thatskristenyoder. If you connect with me, I’ll keep you informed and I have over 22,000 connections that are, for the most part, awesome people. You can find me on Instagram at Soil to the Oil, and on my Instagram page there are links to my other Instagrams for both of my shows, and on those bios, there is a link to a document that has every episode on it. Then you can find me. My website is soiltotheoil.com.

TG Branfalt: Thank you so much for coming on the show, taking the time. I know that you’re busy. Like I said, breath of fresh air. I’m excited to keep listening to your podcast, and hopefully I get to catch this Common Scents tour if you make it out east or into parts of Canada, because I’m close to the border, just in case shit goes south.

Kristen Yoder: I know, dude. I’m planning on marrying a Canadian for an exit. Because … Don’t marry for love, marry for benefits. The other thing that I didn’t mention was my podcast, the part of my tour with my podcast is to go around and get the voices of everyone that’s getting fucked over by their regulations. I mean, dude, Canada, wow. They’ve really messed. Everywhere has messed up and there are victims everywhere, and it is my goal to give them a voice because I feel like they’ve really been marginalized. Stay tuned, everyone.

TG Branfalt: It’s incredible. You’re incredible, man.

Kristen Yoder: Thank you.

TG Branfalt: Thank you so much again for coming on the show.

Kristen Yoder: Thanks for having me.

TG Branfalt: Dog, what are you doing? My dog just showed up. You said enough. You can find more episodes of the Ganjapreneur.com podcast in the podcast section of ganjapreneur.com, and in the Apple iTunes Store. On the Ganjapreneur.com website, you’ll find the latest cannabis news and cannabis jobs, updated daily along with transcripts of this podcast. You can also download the Ganjapreneur.com app in iTunes and Google Play. This episode was engineered by Trim Media House. I’ve been your host, TG Branfalt.

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Five Ganja-Inspired Gifts for Your Friends and Family

5/23/2019

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What do Valentine’s Day, Christmas, and birthdays all have in common? They are all gift giving occasions. Unfortunately, picking the right gift is not always easy. In many cases, gift giving can be a tedious and stress-inducing task. Sure, you can go with safe options like socks and chocolates, but if you ever want to be invited anywhere again, you might want to consider something more personal and original.

Lucky for you, we got you covered for the next time you need a unique gift for someone in your life. Here are five cannabis-inspired gifts for everyone from your significant other to your co-workers:

For Your Partner: Heart Shaped Bong

Surprisingly, bongs can give you the opportunity to be creative and romantic in a very unique way. Can’t find a heart-shaped bong? Look for other shapes that might hold a special meaning for your partner and you. Was your first date a visit to the zoo? Maybe an elephant-shaped bong will do. Does your partner love Harry Potter? Look for a lightning bolt shaped bong! When it comes bongs, combinations of shapes and colors are almost infinite.

For Your Parents: CBD Oil

Oils and tinctures made with CBD are quickly becoming the most popular cannabis-based product in the market today. Thanks to its proven anti-inflammatory properties, a daily dose of CBD can help with symptoms related to chronic pain, insomnia, and anxiety. The best part is that Hemp Oil can be mixed into foods and beverages like coffee making them the perfect gift for mom or dad. Just make sure to buy hemp-derived CBD products free of THC, so your parents only feel the medicinal effects of cannabis.

For Your Friends: Hemp Edibles

Edibles like gummy bears and candy are the most delicious and fun way to benefit from all that CBD has to offer. Your friends are guaranteed to enjoy the delicious assortment of flavors which make these CBD snacks perfect for both new and experienced users. Hemp Gummies are also available in night-time versions in case you know of any insomniacs in your social circle. These relaxing CBD gummy bears are infused with melatonin which is the natural compounds responsible for regulating sleep cycles in humans.

For Your Grandparents: CBD Cream

Used by athletes, fitness experts, and yogis, CBD pain relief rub is widely used by many to alleviate muscle and joint pain. CBD creams can be particularly effective for localized pain associated with conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia which is why it has become a must-have item for thousands of older adults. If you want to go the extra mile for your grandparents, get them a CBD cream bundle which comes with a bottle of CBD oil. Incorporating oil and cream into one’s daily routine can maximize the effects of CBD, providing faster and stronger relief.

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The Lone Star State's state flag flying between two U.S. flags at the Texas state capitol building.

Texas Senate Approves MMJ Expansion Bill

5/23/2019

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The Texas Senate has unanimously approved a measure to expand the state’s list qualifying conditions list for its medical cannabis program, the Texas Tribune reports. The measure still needs to be reconciled by the House, who can approve the Senate’s changes or amend the legislation in a conference committee before the legislature adjourns in five days.

The bill changes the medical cannabis law to include all forms of epilepsy; seizure disorders; multiple sclerosis; spasticity; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease; terminal cancer; autism; and incurable neurodegenerative diseases. It also removes provisions requiring patients to receive the approval of two licensed neurologists to access the program.

The Senate version of the bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Donna Campbell, keeps the 5 percent THC cap on medical cannabis products and removes a requirement by the House bill that calls for a research program to assess the efficacy of medical cannabis for various conditions.

“This bill is about compassion. For patients participating in the [Compassionate Use Program], they have had a remarkable and life-altering change because of this. That’s compassion.” – Campbell, to the Tribune

During the debate, some lawmakers had called on the Senate version to add post-traumatic stress disorder to the regime; however, Campbell said there isn’t “good scientific data” that supports adding PTSD to the qualifying conditions list.

“I hope — I hope — that we can get the definitive research necessary to be able to include PTSD, traumatic brain injury and those other illnesses that are very difficult to measure,” Campbell said during the debate.

Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had indicated that the medical cannabis expansion bill was dead on arrival in the Senate, but Campbell said that Patrick had actually helped craft the newly-approved bill.

The bill initially passed the House 133-10 with two members voting present. If the chamber approves the Senate version, it will move to Gov. Greg Abbot for his signature.

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Hemp Farm

Washington Hemp Farmers Plan 6K Acres

5/23/2019

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Washington farmers intend to plant more than 6,000 acres of hemp this year after planting just 140 acres last year and 175 acres in 2017, the Capital Press reports. In 2018, the hemp crop was grown by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the majority of the hemp grown in 2017 was also by one farm.

The massive increase in Washington hemp crops comes after state officials approved hemp cultivation for CBD oil production. Since the April reforms, the state Agriculture Department has licensed 35 new growers, 21 of which also obtained a processing license. The department is reviewing another 20 to 25 applications. According to state data, the state issued 11 hemp cultivation licenses in 2018.

Despite the increased interest, Washington’s industry is scant compared to neighboring Oregon where 1,342 growers are licensed to plant 46,219 acres of hemp this year – up from 7,808 acres in 2018. Other states are also showing massive licensing increases following the passage of the federal Farm Bill last year, which removed hemp from the federal drug schedule. Tennessee has issued more than 2,600 licenses this year after issuing just 226 last year and most of the 2019 licenses are for fewer than five acres.

Industrial Hemp Association of Washington lobbyist Bonny Jo Peterson said she expects even more licenses to be issued in Washington, adding that she is “completely overwhelmed with everything going on, but at the same time excited.” However, she predicts there will be an oversupply.

“I’ve been saying that all along. Like with any industry, there will be an over-saturation,” she said in the report, adding that the infrastructure for the more industrial uses – such as products from fiber and seeds – “isn’t there like it is for CBD.”

The Food and Drug Administration has not approved CBD for consumption but is holding a public hearing on May 31 as part of its rule-making process.

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Pro-Legalization New Jersey Senator ‘Skeptical’ of Decrim Plans

5/23/2019

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New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a Democrat, is “very skeptical” of plans to decriminalize cannabis possession in the state, preferring comprehensive legalization instead, NJ.com reports. The push for adult-use legalization in the Garden State stalled earlier this year after Sweeney and Gov. Phil Murphy were unable to get the 21 votes needed to pass the bill.

“I’m still struggling with it. I want to legalize marijuana. But having dealers on the corner where the worst that’s gonna happen is they get a $50 ticket, in my mind, people will be less fearful.” – Sweeney, to NJ.com

Sweeney indicated that Murphy also favors legalization to decriminalization, but the Senate leader said he is “willing to listen” to the sponsors of the decriminalization bill – which would impose fines of $50 on possession of up to 2 ounces of cannabis.

Sweeney suggested that in lieu of on-the-books decriminalization, the “best course of action” might be for the governor to instruct the state attorney general to not prosecute low-level possession crimes. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal told NJ.com that while city prosecutors can’t adopt their own decriminalization policies, they should use their discretion and prosecute such crimes on a case-by-case basis.

Alyana Alfaro, Murphy’s spokesperson, said that while giving municipal prosecutors leeway in enforcement is “an important step,” the governor “believes that legalization must be the ultimate end goal in order to prevent continued injustices.”

State Sen. Ronald Rice said Murphy is “wrong” about his decriminalization position and “trying to find reasons to justify his wrongness.”

“It was OK to get us out immediately if we legalize it. But now they can’t make money, we’re gonna stay in jail because they can’t make money,” Rice said.

Following the failed legislative legalization bid, Murphy used an executive order to expand the state’s medical cannabis regime to reduce patient and caregiver fees and change the permitting structure. Sweeney said earlier this month that he plans on putting the issue to voters via a 2020 ballot initiative.

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First Annual Bellingham Budfest Coming July 14

5/22/2019

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BELLINGHAM, WA – May 2019 — The city of subdued excitement welcomes Bellingham Budfest, the first education driven cannabis culture extravaganza of its kind in town at Zuanich Point Park on Sunday, July 14th from 12pm to 9pm.

Attendees of the Whatcom County festival will enjoy five educational panels, seven live bands, eight silent disco DJs, and over 50 vendor booths. Event coordinators have partnered with Sustainable Connections to ensure a Toward Zero Waste festival including a water bottle filling station to cut down on plastic use.

Varying musical acts will grace the stage throughout the day while silent discos carry on into the night. Those looking for education can take part in panels moderated by Founder and Executive Director of the Cannabis and Social Policy Center Dr. Dominic Corva. Also enjoy meeting various businesses and nonprofits in the vendor area, or cool down in the refreshment section where vegan and vegetarian options will be bountiful. Don’t miss out on a cooking demo with Bong Appetit featured chef Unika Noiel or the Art Bazaar featuring beloved Whatcom glass artists.

Since the inception of recreational cannabis, Bellingham has been a cornerstone for cultivating the plant. On top of this, this city on the bay is rich in musical talent and appreciation. With these two symbiotic cultures feeding the pulse of the town, Bellingham Budfest felt like a natural next step for co-founder Amanda Mac. As a prominent professional in the cannabis industry, Amanda Mac has a vision for the future of cannabis culture. Legalization came first, but now it’s time to break the social stigma associated with cannabis-use.

Bellingham Budfest co-founder Stacy Bloch eloquently expressed this vision, “By focusing on community, tourism and economic activity, the mission of Bellingham Budfest is to normalize and legitimize cannabis culture’s place in society. This is the right time and Bellingham is the right place to move the cannabis industry’s image into the future.”

Bellingham Budfest is a Whatcom County lifestyle tourism festival that celebrates all that Whatcom County has to offer including our blossoming cannabis culture. This region is home to numerous successful companies from an array of industries and we want to showcase the special creative nature of this community, including cannabis.

Contact: Amanda Mac Co-Founder hello@bellinghambudfest.com

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California Senate Approves Canna-Banking Bill

5/22/2019

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California’s Senate has approved legislation 35-1 to create state-chartered banks to serve the state’s cannabis industry, CNBC reports. Under the law, private banks or credit unions would be able to apply for a limited-purpose state charter to provide financial services to licensed canna-businesses.

The measure would allow cannabis operators to use specials checks to pay for state and local taxes, licensing fees, and rent. However, it’s unclear how many financial institutions would participate in the program due to federal cannabis laws.

In March, the federal House Financial Services Committee approved the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act which would explicitly allow banks to work with state-legal cannabis companies; although, earlier this month Sen. Mike Crapo, the Republican who heads the Senate Banking Committee, could not “make a commitment” as to whether the committee would take up the legislation citing the Schedule I status of cannabis.

“As long as cannabis is illegal under federal law, it seems to me to be difficult for us to resolve this,” he said during a conference for the Independent Community Bankers of America, who support financial services access for canna-businesses.

Robert Selna of the Oakland, California-based law firm Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean said that, while the bill would “improve commerce incrementally,” it wouldn’t allow cannabis operators to get loans from the institutions.

“It will help cannabis companies pay the rent, but how it corresponds with federal law is still a question.” – Selna, to CNBC

Only West Virginia has passed a law allowing cannabis companies to access banking services. That plan allows one bank to receive a state charter to serve the industry. Currently, officials are still seeking that institution as the state’s request for proposal undergoes a legal review.

The California measure still needs approval from the Assembly and Gov. Gavin Newsom before becoming law.

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Study: CBD Reduces Opioid Cravings

5/22/2019

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A new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that CBD could reduce addiction cravings associated with opioids, according to a Fox 8 report outlining the research.

The two-week study by Mount Sinai researchers found that study participants who were given CBD had a two- to three-fold reduction in cravings compared to those given a placebo; participants in the study had used heroin for an average of 13 years.

“The intense craving is what drives the drug use. If we can have the medications that can dampen that [craving], that can greatly reduce the chance of relapse and overdose risk.” – Addictions Institute of Mount Sinai Director and lead researcher Yasmin Hurd to Fox 8.

The study included 42 adults who were divided into three groups: one given 800 milligrams of CBD, another 400 milligrams, and a placebo group. The participants were dosed daily for three consecutive days. Over the course of the study, the participants were shown images or videos of nature scenes along with images of heroin paraphernalia and drug use and asked to rate their cravings and anxiety levels. The researchers also measured heart rate and the stress hormone cortisol and found that those levels were lower in the participants who were given CBD.

Dr. Julie Holland, a psychiatrist in New York and former assistant professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine who was not involved in the study, called it “extremely significant.”

“We need to utilize every possible treatment in helping people with chronic pain to find other ways to manage their symptoms and in people with opiate addiction to find relief,” she said in the report. “CBD not only manages the anxiety and cue/craving cycle, it also diminishes the original pain and inflammation that leads to opiate use in the first place.”

This isn’t the first study to find a link between cannabinoids perhaps playing a role in fighting opioid addiction – which is even acknowledged by the National Institute on Drug Abuse – and several states include opioid use disorder as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis access.

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Kansas Gov. Signs Low-THC MMJ Bill

5/22/2019

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Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has signed the low-THC medical cannabis bill which is set to take effect July 1.

The measure, known as Claire and Lola’s Law, defines “debilitating medical conditions” as “a medically diagnosed chronic disease or medical condition causing a serious impairment of strength or ability to function, including one that produces seizures, for which the patient is under current and active treatment by a physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery in Kansas.”

Under the law, patients would be able to access oils containing no more than 5 percent THC, which would be tested by an independent laboratory.

“I’m pleased to sign Claire and Lola’s bill into law today. This is the first step in addressing the health needs of many Kansans, but we still have a long way to go. I’m hopeful the legislature will review this issue comprehensively next session.” – Kelly, in a signing statement

The measure includes language prohibiting state agencies from removing children from homes based on the parent’s possession of medical cannabis oils.

With Kelly’s signing, just two states, Idaho and South Dakota remain without some form of medical cannabis access – either CBD only or full plant. Kansas’ bill does not create an in-state industry, rather an “affirmative defense” allowing possession of the oils.

According to an Associated Press report, Kansas lawmakers had considered a stronger medical cannabis regime and potentially considering legalization legislation; however, the state’s law enforcement community strongly opposed those reforms

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Pet Owner Creates His Own Website on CBD for Dogs

5/21/2019

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After his dog was diagnosed with cancer, Blake Armstrong started  Cannabis Supplements For Pets, a website dedicated to educating pet owners on the benefits of CBD for their furry friends.

A few years ago, Blake Armstrong and his family got the news every pet owner dreads: Rosie, the family’s Golden Retriever, was diagnosed with cancer.

And while Rosie’s vets were excellent, they made it clear to Blake and his family that there was no cure for her. Instead, they encouraged Blake and his wife to focus on giving Rosie the best quality of life in her remaining time with them.

“Our vets were great,” says Blake.

“They talked to us about all our options and made it clear from the get-go that there was no saving Rosie. I think it’s important to manage expectations in these kinds of situations,” he said.

Rosie had previously also been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, a malformation of the hip that’s common in dogs and, over time, leads to severe pain and inflammation of the hip joint.

Gradually, Blake and his family watched Rosie’s condition worsen.

“Time went by, and Rosie started to change. The changes were subtle at the beginning, but when she hit rock bottom, Rosie seemed like a completely different dog,” said Blake.

“She’d hardly move due to all the pain, and her appetite had almost completely disappeared which, to any pet owner, is a huge red flag,” he said.

Desperate to find something to help Rosie, Blake and his wife learned about CBD. And, while they were skeptical about giving their dog cannabis, they decided to give it a shot once they learned that CBD was safe and didn’t produce an intoxicating high.

“And I’m so glad we did,” said Blake.

“Within just a few weeks, CBD worked wonders for Rosie. It greatly reduced her pain, which meant she also got some of her mobility back, and her appetite started to return, too.”

Now, CBD isn’t a miracle cure for cancer, and it wasn’t able to save Rosie. What it did do, however, is greatly reduce Rosie’s suffering in her remaining time with Blake and his family.

“After seeing what CBD could do, I decided every other pet owner out there needed to be informed about this stuff. I know CBD is no miracle cure, but for Rosie and countless other dogs, it offers natural, effective, and safe relief.”

In order to help pet owners like himself, Blake built CannabisSupplementsForPets.com, a website where he shares research about the health benefits of CBD for pets and reviews leading CBD pet brands.

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of research testing CBD on companion animals. However, research on lab animals and humans is growing, and there’s a growing body of research which shows cannabinoids can effectively treat a wide variety of symptoms and conditions.

Studies show, for example, that CBD can help relieve pain, inflammation, anxiety, improve sleep, and much more.

“Dogs, like humans, have an endocannabinoid system, and targeting that system can help treat a wide variety of conditions,” says Blake.

“By writing about CBD, I hope to help pet owners all across the globe improve the health of their pets, whether they are dealing with an acute symptom, a chronic condition, or even a terminal illness like Rosie,” he says.

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DRAY Dry Herb Vaporizer Review

5/21/2019

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Before this review, I had never used a portable vaporizer before — I’d never really had a need because if I’m going to smoke, it’s usually a CBD strain, and even then I don’t consider myself a heavy smoker. But the DRAY vaporizer by Mig Vapor caught my eye with its brightly colored packaging and futuristic typeface. As a dry flower vape, I was also able to put some CBD-heavy flowers in. I loved having this option because as someone who isn’t a huge cannabis consumer, an oil-based vape seemed like a big investment.

At first glance, the DRAY vaporizer is soft with a design that allows for a solid grip. The red buttons against the black base feed further into the futuristic feel of this device. I was initially nervous that these buttons were not labeled, but the user manual was very intuitive and clear regarding layout and function.

Once the device is on, the display shows the battery life and temperature. Another great thing about this device is the adjustable temperature, which ranges from 385° F to 430° F (196° C to 221° C). Different compounds in cannabis are expressed at different temperatures (linalool, a common terpene responsible for the scent of lavender, has a boiling point of 388.4° F), so, although some websites have recommended lower vaping temperatures for a milder high, this could mean you are missing certain flavor profiles in the strain you’re smoking.

The strain I put in the DRAY was CannaSol Farm’s Pine Tsunami, which has 11.6% CBD, 0.07% THC, and a lot of a terpene called α-pinene (aka “pine” scent and flavor). I was shocked by how different this smelled and tasted in the vaporizer compared to when smoking it in a pipe. I had set it to 400° F to be right in the middle of the spectrum of temperatures this vaporizer offers, and I believe not only did it express a modified flavor profile, but I felt a cleaner high as well.

Other features about this vape include the additional cleaning supplies, replaceable filters, and the charger it comes with. Mig vapor included a cleaning brush, tweezers, cleaning swabs, etc. in addition to extra mesh. The DRAY also turns off after three minutes without use, as an additional safety feature. This could be a pro or a con depending on your use patterns, but it’s nice to know the company is prioritizing safety in their products. Another aspect of the DRAY I liked was its vibrations. It vibrates when you turn it on and off, as well as when the device has reached your desired temperature — a small thing, but a very tactical way to create communication between device and user.

Overall, I enjoyed using this vaporizer and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys using dry-flower vapes and likes some customization in their herbal vaping experience. The DRAY was intuitive and easy to use and provided a strong but clean feeling to my high. If I had to give any critique on aesthetics, it would be that it is a little bit clunky, not the sleekest of vaporizers out there, but for a retail price of $149.99, you’re paying for quality, and Mig vapor delivers.

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NFL to Research Cannabis for Pain Management

5/21/2019

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The National Football League and league player’s union are creating a Joint Pain Management Committee that will include cannabis and cannabinoids as part of its research into pain management and alternative therapies. Allen Sills, the chief medical officer of the NFL, said that while the committee’s research “will include cannabis, cannabinoids and CBD … the goal is “much broader and bigger than [cannabis].”

“The goal of this effort is well beyond marijuana,” Sills said in an NFL.com report. “It’s to look at pain treatment.”

The committee will include medical experts appointed by the league and the NFL Players Union and will also investigate the use of prescription medications by players; those medications will be monitored by the newly-formed Prescription Drug Monitoring Program which will send reports to the committee. Teams will also be required to hire a pain management specialist prior to the start of the 2019 season.

In March, it was reported that the league was willing to make “major concessions” regarding its cannabis policy during the next collective bargaining session with players. Last year, free agent running back Mike James’ request for a therapeutic exemption to use cannabis was rejected by league officials; however, James was the first active player to seek such an exemption.

The groundwork for the joint committee was laid in 2017 when league officials told the NFLPA that they would be willing to work with the union on medical cannabis research for pain management. The union has pushed for relaxed cannabis use policies for players and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has indicated that cannabis policy would be “one of the subjects in the collective bargaining process.”

In 2014, the NFL raised its THC threshold for a positive test from 15 nanograms per milliliter of blood to 35 nanograms per milliliter.

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Grateful Dead Drummer Launches Cannabis Pre-Roll Brand

5/21/2019

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Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart is partnering with California company Left Coast Ventures on a new cannabis brand called Mind Your Head, according to a Relix report. The inaugural products include Magic Minis, one-third gram Chemdog pre-rolls that come in 10-pack tins featuring Hart’s artwork. Currently, the products are available only in California.

Chemdog was first discovered outside of a Grateful Dead concert in Deer Creek, Indiana in 1991 and spawned other strains like Sour Diesel and OG Kush.

“It’s the great mother to many elite strains,” Hart said in an interview with Relix. “Then it died out somehow. Now it’s having a gigantic comeback, because Chemdog is in business again.”

“Chemdog itself is a very interesting product, because it appeals to vision, getting in the moment, getting in the zone—that’s where real art is created. It’s very energetic, very heady, clean and smooth. It’s a very fun strain. It’s inspirational for me. I use it in my work—and play. There’s so much adventure to it.” – Hart, to Relix

Hart calls the Magic Minis “dogwalkers” – referencing the small size that can be consumed in the time it takes to walk a dog.

“Cannabis is powerful, but it has to be used correctly. You know, I can’t smoke a whole doobie and do anything—especially with this stuff,” he said.

Left Coast Ventures CEO Brett Cummings called it “a true honor” to work with Hart “who has inspired millions of individuals and shares our values and passion to legitimize the future of cannabis.”

Hart joins other legendary musicians, such as Jimmy Buffet and Willie Nelson, in launching a cannabis brand. The estates of deceased musicians, including Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix, have also released cannabis products.

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Cannabis Investment Firm Acquires Former Federal Lawmakers

5/21/2019

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Two more former federal lawmakers have entered the cannabis industry as former Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) have been named to the advisory board of Northern Swan Holdings, an investment firm focused on industry investments, according to a report from The Hill.

Kyle Detwiler, CEO of Colombia-based Northern Swan, called Daschle “a pre-eminent expert in health and wellness whose experience in healthcare policy reform will be invaluable to our company’s expansion in the global medical cannabis market.”

“Having worked tirelessly as a public servant for almost 30 years to ensure all Americans have access to affordable health care, we look forward to working closely with Senator Daschle as he brings a similar level of commitment and dedication to medical cannabis.” – Detwiler, to The Hill

Daschle was defeated by Republican John Thune in 2004; while Crowley lost his seat in 2018 after losing the Democratic primary to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

In 2018, Acreage Holdings added former Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner and former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, both Republicans, to its board of advisors. Last year, the former Speaker began selling tips for buying cannabis stocks while, earlier this year, he was appointed as the “honorary” chairman to pro-cannabis lobbying group the National Cannabis Roundtable.

Weld is currently seeking to challenge President Donald Trump for the 2020 Republican presidential nomination.

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California Committee Kills Cannabis Tax Reduction Bill

5/20/2019

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California lawmakers rejected a plan to reduce cannabis-related taxes but moved forward with a measure to require more municipalities to allow industry operations, the Los Angeles Times reports. Currently, two-thirds of the state’s cities outlaw the industry which has led to the licensing of 631 retailers – just 10 percent of state estimates.

The tax bill would have reduced the California state excise tax on cannabis from 15 percent to 11 percent and suspended the cultivation tax of $148 per-pound for three years. That bill was tabled by the Appropriations Committee who estimated it would cost the state $227 million in revenue for the next fiscal year and likely would have triggered a lawsuit against the Legislature for altering a voter-approved initiative.

The bill requiring municipalities to allow cannabis operations was advanced to the Assembly floor by the Appropriations Committee. It would require cities to allow canna-businesses if the majority of its residents supported Proposition 64 in 2016. The bill would require one retail dispensary for every six liquor licenses or every 15,000 residents.

“We must ensure legal cannabis businesses can compete against the black market. AB 1356 will bolster public health and safety, and help the regulated market succeed.” – Assemblyman Phil Ting, to the L.A. Times

Opponents argue that the measure violates the terms of the initiative, which allowed municipalities to opt-out.

California State Association of Counties spokeswoman Sara Floor told the Times that “the bill infringes on local control and the ability to decide when and where commercial business are permitted in cities and counties.”

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Anti-Cannabis Church Official Works For Opiate Manufacturer

5/20/2019

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As the Illinois legislature considers legalizing cannabis for adult use, the reforms face vocal opposition from one of the state’s most powerful groups – the Archdiocese of Chicago – and one of the organization’s top lay officials is COO Betsy Bohlen, who also serves on the board of Insys Therapeutics, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report.

Insys, in 2016, donated $500,000 to opponents of cannabis legalization in Arizona; earlier this month the company’s founder and four former executives were found guilty of bribing physicians to prescribe their opioid spray Subsys and other fraud and conspiracy charges. Insys also produces Syndros – a cannabis-based medication used to treat nausea and vomiting approved by federal regulators in 2017. Bohlen is paid more than $145,000 to serve on the company’s board.

The success or failure of the legalization measure could have an impact on Bohlen’s compensation with Insys, which is mostly stock awards and stock options. The archdiocese does not believe Bohlen’s work on the board in a conflict of interest with her work as COO.

“We do not see any conflict of interest in Betsy Bohlen’s role in helping INSYS recover from a troubled history and bring products to market to serve the unmet needs of patients,” the archdiocese said in a statement to the Sun-Times.

However, in their February letter to lawmakers opposing cannabis legalization, the archdiocese referenced the opioid crises and claimed that adult-use legalization “will only add to the problem.” Catholic Conference Executive Director Robert Gilligan said Bohlen had “zero influence” on the church’s opposition to the reforms.

In a statement, Bohlen told the Sun-Times that she joined the board of Insys to help it transition from a “difficult past” but did not clarify whether she played a role in the archdiocese’s anti-cannabis position.

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Study: Cannabis Evolved In Tibet 28M Years Ago

5/20/2019

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According to a new study by researchers at the University of Vermont, the cannabis plant may have evolved 28 million years ago on a Tibetan plateau around Qinghai Lake at about 10,500 feet above sea level, according to a New Scientist report. The study, led by John McPartland of the Family Medicine Department, searched other studies to find archeological and geological sites where cannabis pollen has been reported.

The cannabis plant prefers an open, grassy, and treeless habitat but identifying its pollen isn’t easy because it looks identical to that of the common hop plant, which grows mostly in woodland areas.

The researchers note that biogeographers have long believed that “Central Asia” is where wild cannabis first grew, adding that cannabis pollen first appeared in India more than 32,000 years ago and in Japan in 10,000 BCE. However, the study is the first attempt to pinpoint precisely where the plant evolved.

Robert Clarke, of BioAgronomics Group Consultants, told New Scientist that there are limitations to the research, which was published in the Vegetation History and Archaeobotany journal on May 14, namely that trees may grow on the banks of steppe environments so cannabis and tree pollen can occur.

Jean-Jacques Hublin, of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, told Huffs & Puffs that since that region was in a deep ice age 160,000 years ago it may have stalled cannabis growth on the plateau.

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New York Lawmakers Push to Legalize Before Session Closes

5/17/2019

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With about a month left in its legislative session, New York lawmakers are introducing measures to legalize recreational cannabis and expand the state’s medical cannabis program, the Times Union reports. Details of the recreational proposal are scant but Democratic Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes said the measure would mirror the proposal outlined in the governor’s budget proposal.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal estimated that cannabis-derived taxes would reach $300 million in the state and included social equity provisions but, at that time, legislative leaders said the home-growing provisions would need to be pulled from the proposal to gain support. In March, legalization was pulled entirely from the budget plan after Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat, said he preferred the legislature pass a stand-alone cannabis bill rather than use the budget as a vehicle for legalization.

The medical cannabis reform bill would create one regulatory body to oversee the medical cannabis and hemp industries, along with a retail industry once a legalization law is finally approved. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins said she supports the expansion but hopes the bill includes expungement language for low-level cannabis crimes.

“It is my hope that this legislation will be approved by the Legislature, and there will not be a need to take up separate legislation that updates the medical marijuana program and regulates hemp/CBD.” – Peoples-Stokes in a statement to the Times Union

The medical cannabis expansion bill is expected to get a vote in front of the Health Committee next week. The recreational bill has yet to be formally introduced.

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