Ganjapreneur.com

Poll: Majority of New Yorkers Support Legalization

6/10/2019

A Sienna College poll has found the majority of New Yorkers back cannabis legalization in the state by a 55 percent to 40 percent margin, up from 52 percent to 42 percent in April. The poll comes as the state’s session nears its end and some lawmakers are coordinating a final push to pass the reforms.

The poll found Democrats overwhelmingly support legalization, 61 percent to 34 percent – which remains virtually unchanged from their April poll. Independents also support legalization 57 percent to 41 percent.

Republicans oppose the reforms 53 percent to 40 percent but opposition appears to have diminished since Sienna’s April polling, which found Republicans opposed legalization 64 percent to 33 percent.

Young voters — those under 32-years-old — strongly supported legalization 75 percent to 23 percent, while voters 55-and-older oppose it 54 percent to 42 percent.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo included legalization in his 2021 Executive Budget but it was pulled from the plan after key lawmakers told the governor they would prefer to pass the reforms via the legislative process.

Late last month, lawmakers amended the cannabis legalization bill to make it more palatable to the governor – whose party controls both legislative chambers – including raising taxes, lowering possession limits, and expunging records for low-level cannabis-related crimes.

As the legislature pushes to pass the bill before the June 19 adjournment, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, an anti-cannabis group, has spent $10,000 on billboards in the state rallying against the plan and $14,500 on lobbying efforts, according to a LoHud report.

If lawmakers do pass the legalization measure before the end of session, New York would become just the second state to approve a taxed-and-regulated cannabis industry via the legislative process. Illinois became the first last month.

End

Oregon House Passes Expungement Reforms

6/10/2019

The Oregon House has passed a measure to make expunging low-level cannabis crimes easier, including removing all fees associated with the process and lowering the identification requirement thresholds, the Corvallis Advocate reports.

The measure, which passed 41-16, removes the requirements for fingerprinting and undergoing background checks for expunging cannabis-related records.

The bill does allow prosecuting attorneys the opportunity to contest an expungement “if the office believes the person’s conviction is not for an offense eligible for a set aside,” according to legislative documents.

The legislature initially passed expungement laws in 2014 but there is no available data on how many charges have been sealed in the state under the regime.

In neighboring Washington state, an expungement bill passed in April is expected to clear about 69,000 criminal records. Some California officials, meanwhile, have used an algorithm to speed up the expungement process for as many as 50,000 old cannabis charges.

Expungement has become a key issue in the legalization conversation nationwide; language for overturning cannabis convictions was included in the cannabis legalization bill passed by Illinois lawmakers last month. In other states, such as New York and New Jersey — where lawmakers are currently considering cannabis legalization bills — expungement language has been included in the proposals.

The Oregon Senate is expected to vote on the bill on June 30.

End

New Mexico Adds Opioid Addiction to MMJ Program

6/07/2019

New Mexico Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel has approved six new qualifying conditions to the state’s medical cannabis list, including opioid addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, and autism, the state Department of Health announced on Thursday.

The addition of opioid use disorder comes nearly two years after former Health Secretary Lynn Gallagher first rejected the recommendation and former Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed legislation to add the condition to the qualifying conditions list.

Gallagher, again, declined to add opioid use disorder to the program last year.

Officials also added three neurological disorders to the regime – including spinal muscular atrophy, Friederich’s ataxia, and Lewy body disease – bringing the total number of qualifying conditions for the state program to 28.

According to the report, Gov. Lujan Grisham (D) had directed state health officials to add the disorder to the medical cannabis qualifying list during her January State of the State address.

“We need to explore and pursue every available means of responding to the health and wellness needs of our neighbors here in New Mexico. Compassion must guide our decision-making. Today marks an important and long-overdue step forward after too many years of status quo.” – Gov. Grisham in a statement

The state Medical Cannabis Advisory Board voted to add opioid use disorder to the list in March while the other conditions were hold-overs from the Martinez administration. A 2017 study by the University of New Mexico found that 34 percent of chronic pain patients enrolled in the medical cannabis program were able to quit using all prescription medication by the last six months of the two-year study.

According to Health Department figures, as of May there were 73,350 registered patients in the state.

End

Minnesota Hemp Farmer Suing State Over Cease-and-Desist Letter

6/07/2019

A Minnesota industrial hemp farmer is suing the state arguing that the Department of Agriculture violated his constitutional rights by revoking his hemp cultivation permit and ordering that he destroy his crops, according to a Minnesota Public Radio report.

A May 1 letter from the Agriculture Department to hemp cultivator Luis Hummel claims that Fillmore County Sheriff’s pulled over an individual with hemp from Hummel’s 5th Sun Gardens that exceeded the 0.3 percent THC threshold to be considered hemp.

“MDA is revoking your license from the Pilot Project Program and revoking your industrial hemp license for one year,” the letter says, according to the report. “As a result, you are no longer in the pilot program, and must immediately destroy all viable propagative plant material.”

Hummel contends that the individual wasn’t arrested for cannabis possession, and he was never contacted by law enforcement or given any further information regarding the stop or given a test showing that the products were above the threshold.

“They haven’t given us due process, so we will sue them for everything they have if they destroy our property. You’re not supposed to be able to deprive me of life and liberty or property without a fair trial. Why do they think they are above the law?” – Hummel, to MPR

The state’s hemp pilot program requires hemp crops to be laboratory tested for THC content within 30 days of harvest. Hummel indicated he has been “very transparent” with Agriculture officials and has provided them “a lot of information that no one else is giving them.” Hummel estimates his business is worth at least $3.5 million.

The Agriculture Department declined to comment to MPR because the litigation is still pending. Hummel said no one has come to take his plants, likely because the case is pending in federal court.

End

The Delaware statehouse in Dover, Delaware.

Delaware House Committee Advances Adult-Use Bill

6/07/2019

Delaware’s House Revenue and Finance Committee has approved a recreational cannabis bill, moving it to the full chamber for consideration, according to a Delaware State News report. A similar proposal failed in the chamber by just four votes last session.

The measure would set up a taxed-and-regulated market but would not allow home growing. It includes a 15 percent sales tax – and, because it would implement a new tax, the bill would need a three-fifths supermajority, 25 votes, to pass.

It would initially license 15 retail stores within 16 months of the bill’s effective date. Medical dispensaries would also be able to sell to non-patients if there is a sufficient supply. Recreational customers would be able to purchase up to one ounce. The measure includes municipal control, allowing communities to ban industry operations. Much like alcohol sales in the state, cannabis sales would only be allowed during certain hours and industry oversight would be the responsibility of the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement.

Last year’s bill estimated that the state would see revenues between $9 million and $50 million from legal cannabis sales, but due to changes in this year’s version, it’s unclear how much the state could expect from cannabis-derived taxes and fees. A legalization task force widened that revenue estimate to between $9 million and $70 million.

Attorney General Kathy Jennings, a Democrat, supports legalization. Democratic Gov. John Carney does not. Last month a spokesperson for Carney told the State News that the governor “does not believe [Delaware] should move forward” with the proposal; following the committee approval, a spokesperson told the State News that Carney believes the state “should continue to monitor progress in other states that have legalized.”

Republican state Rep. Jeff Spiegelman, who voted to move the bill out of the committee, said he would not support the measure is it didn’t include some changes, including employer protection. Democratic state Rep. Ed Osienski, the bill’s main sponsor, indicated he was willing to amend the legislation so long as the intent remains intact.

Delaware decriminalized cannabis in 2015 and Carney signed an expungement bill for low-level cannabis offenses in September.

End

Seattle Hempfest Sues Washington Liquor & Cannabis Board

6/07/2019

by Lukas Barfield

Seattle Hempfest’s parent company, Seattle Events, and two licensed businesses are suing the Washington State Liquor Control board (WSLCB), contending the state legislature and WSLCB violated their first amendment rights.

The lawsuit stems from SB 5131, passed in 2017, and the WSLCB’s subsequent interpretation of state regulations. According to the Hempfest press release, the WSLCB issued Bulletin 19-01, interpreting the 2017 legislation in respect to “signs,” essentially barring cannabis retailers from displaying signs with the business name, or literature discussing cannabis science or potential cannabis public policy reforms.

“We believe that the new interpretation of Washington State’s I-502 ad guidelines are so overreaching and restrictive as to be unconstitutional,” said Vivian McPeak, Hempfest’s longtime director.

“It is imperative that Washingtonians have access it accurate and up to date information regarding the cannabis products they purchase and consume, and that those citizens and others are able to identify the source of that information. Businesses engaged in the cannabis industry in Washington State should also have the legal right to publicly show their support for political issues and causes of their choosing. The WSLCB’s interpretation of our state’s ad restrictions prevent businesses from doing so.” — McPeak, in the press release

The United States Supreme Court has a mixed record of protecting free speech in advertising. In the case Posadas de Puerto Rico v. Tourism Company, Puerto Rico banned gambling advertising for Puerto Rico citizens. The Court upheld the ban on the argument that if Puerto Rico could ban gambling, they could ban gambling advertising as well. Another case, United States v. Edge Broadcasting, involving lottery advertisements over state lines, said so-called “vice products” were not protected under the Constitution and therefore neither is advertising for said products.

Other cases, however — like 44 Liquormart v. Rhode Island and Lorillard Tobacco Co. v. Reilly — uphold a business’ right to advertise more regulated products such as tobacco and alcohol.

End

Study: Cannabis Consumers Seeking Relief, Not Just High

6/06/2019

If cannabis were legalized nationwide in the U.S., the majority of consumers would use it to treat some sort of ailment, according to a recent Nielsen survey.

Eighty-five percent of survey respondents indicated they would use cannabis products to treat chronic pain, followed by 82 percent who said they would use it to improve mental health. 81 percent indicated it helps with minor injuries and 77 percent said they would use cannabis as a sleep aid.

Another 74 percent indicated they would use cannabis for recreational purposes, specifically relaxing, while 48 percent responded that they would use cannabis “to have a good time with friends and family,” and 46 percent said they would consume cannabis to enhance experiences and entertainment at home.

The U.S. Consumer Research Study also found that 88 percent of cannabis-interested adults suffer from headaches and migraines and actively use an over-the-counter or prescription medication for treatment. Another 64 percent suffer from back and neck pain, 63 percent from arthritis pain, and 61 percent from feminine pain.

“Seventy percent of adults who are interested in cannabis and who today treat their ailment with OTC/Rx medications say they would consider treating with cannabis because of the perception that it’s more effective than OTC/Rx alternatives.” – Nielsen, U.S. Consumer Research Study, May 15, 2019

The survey found 67 percent of respondents believed cannabis was “healthier” than their over-the-counter and prescription drugs. 69 percent said they believed cannabis was “more natural” than traditional medications.

While this isn’t the first Nielsen study asking cannabis-related questions, it is the first since their acquisition of Cannabiz Consumer Group. Nielsen is also partnering with cannabis analytics company Headset to release a report on the cannabis market from its infancy through 2018.

End

Louisiana Legislature Approves MMJ ‘Inhalation’ Bill

6/06/2019

The Louisiana House has unanimously approved a measure that allows “inhalation” under the state’s medical cannabis program but still prohibits smoking, the LSU Manship News Service reports. The law allows patients to inhale medical cannabis through an apparatus similar to an asthma inhaler.

The measure, which moves next to Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, also includes provisions allowing out-of-state physicians to recommend medical cannabis treatments.

According to an Associated Press report, the Senate had shelved the measure on June 1; however, after Republican Sen. Fred Marks amended the legislation to include “metered dose inhalers,” specifically, the measure was approved by the chamber.

Despite the legislative efforts to expand the program, patients in the state are still without access to medical cannabis products four years after the bill initially passed the legislature due to an ongoing feud between Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain and the LSU AgCenter over cultivation methods. According to the report, medical cannabis products are expected later this year.

On May 7 the House Health Committee voted 6-4 to move oversight of the medical cannabis program from the Agriculture and Forestry Department to the Health Department, according to an AP report. Only LSU and Southern University are allowed to grow the crops in partnership with private firms.

The current law only allows edibles, oils, and extracts and for in-state physicians to recommend medical cannabis to patients. The state’s qualifying condition list allows for “debilitating medical conditions,” including cancer, epilepsy, intractable pain, HIV, and Parkinson’s disease.

Additionally, the House passed hemp-legalization legislation – which includes language allowing CBD products in the state.

End

South Dakota Tribe Sues USDA Over Hemp Plan

6/06/2019

The South Dakota-based Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and agency Secretary Sonny Perdue over the failure of not approving the tribe’s hemp cultivation plan within 60 days, as required under last year’s Farm Bill, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports.

According to the report, the tribe submitted its plan on Mar. 8 and explained to the USDA that it had already invested in the project with plans on planting crops this year.

“A delay in approval of the tribal plan and unlawfully withholding tribal authority curtails receipt of the tribal revenue from hemp production at grave cost to tribal members, putting tribal members’ health, safety, and welfare at risk,” the lawsuit states.

The USDA argues that it cannot approve hemp programs until it develops its own rules and regulations for the crops. Sonia Jimenez, deputy administrator of specialty crops for the USDA, said the government shutdown from December to late January delayed work on the hemp program.

The Farm Bill does allow states and tribes to create their own rules for hemp cultivation programs; however, the rules must be approved by the USDA. The USDA did send the tribe a letter on Apr. 24 explaining that plans would not be approved until the agency crafted its regulations, which are expected this fall.

According to court records, the USDA has received hemp cultivation plans from seven states and eight tribes and has yet to approve even one.

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe made headlines in 2015 after announcing plans to open a cannabis resort but then quickly abandoned those plans due to federal and South Dakota laws.

End

Researchers Map Cannabinoid and Terpenoid Gene Pathways

6/05/2019

by Lukas Barfield

Researchers at Washington State University have mapped the gene networks that regulate the production of cannabinoids and terpenoids found in cannabis trichomes. The study was published in the journal Plant Physiology.

Due to federal and University restrictions, samples were handled off-campus at EVIO Labs, an Oregon Liquor Control Commission certified lab. The team isolated trichomes from nine commercially available strains and a third party sequenced their RNA. The WSU researchers only handled a high-resolution data set that clearly marked each gene and its end product. By creating unique genetic fingerprints for each strain, the researchers say improved breeding techniques, proper strain identification, and the testing of various CBD health claims and the validity of the synergistic entourage effect are now possible.

“One of the things that needs to happen in the emerging market is that you know what you’re selling,” said Mark Lange, a lead researcher on the study. “You can’t just call it something and then that’s good. We need to be very clear that this is the cannabinoid profile that is associated with, say, Harlequin – it has a specific cannabinoid profile, a specific terpenoids profile, and that’s what it is. If it has a different name, then it should have a different profile. Currently you can do whatever you want.”

“There is a reason why all these have different names – because a lot of them are very different. But some strains with different names are actually very similar. The bottom line with strains is there is a lot of confusion.” – Lange, in a WSU News Report

Cannabis genetic testing is emerging as a hot topic as the legal cannabis industry matures. For example, a recent controversy involving an announcement by Phylos Bioscience that they were starting a cannabis breeding program with genetics that was collected for a so-called “Galaxy Strain Database and mapping project” outraged growers who had donated their genetics to the project.

In 2015, the Biotech Institute filed three strain patents that if enforced could cause major disruptions to the cannabis industry as most strains fall within the THC, CBD, and terpene concentration ratios outlined by their patent, according to a High Times report.

Using blockchain technology, services like Strain Seek are registering strain genetics to protect breeders’ intellectual property.

End

Tennessee Updates Hemp Rules

6/05/2019

Hemp processors in Tennessee no longer need to register with the state Department of Agriculture and farmers can now apply to grow the crop year-round under new rules for the industry, according to a WREG report. Cultivation licenses will still expire on June 30 of each year but growers no longer have to meet a deadline to renew.

Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M., pointed out that after four years of crop research under a pilot program, the state’s hemp industry is maturing.

“The hemp industry and federal laws have changed in recent years, and we’re updating our program rules to be more consistent with how other crop programs are managed.” – Hatcher, to WREG

Under the new rules, growers are now required to obtain movement permits for transporting harvested crops from the grow site; previously, those permits were only required for rooted plants. Additionally, hemp regulators will no longer issue licenses for certified seed breeders but operators manufacturing, distributing, or labeling seeds should be licensed through the Ag Inputs section, according to the rules.

Hemp licensing in Tennessee has grown more 10 times from 2018 – when the Agriculture Department approved 226 licenses – to more than 2,900 this year.

Earlier this year, the University of Tennessee released an Industrial Hemp Extract Budget in an effort to help the state’s farmers understand the costs, and risks, associated with growing the plants for CBD extracts. That report estimates that the state’s farmers could net $6,562 per acre if they grow their plants for extraction purposes.

Although the federal Farm Bill legalized hemp cultivation federally, the law says that states must require licenses and codify hemp-growing programs.

End

Minnesota MMJ Companies Lose Combined $2.4M in 2018

6/05/2019

Minnesota’s two medical cannabis companies lost a combined $2.4 million last year, even after one turned a profit in 2017, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports. Leafline Labs reported a $1.8 million loss, while Minnesota Medical Solutions – which was profitable in 2017 – lost $610,000, according to documents obtained by the Pioneer Press.

According to the report, both companies invested in operation expansions last year in an effort to meet demand from the state’s 16,000 registered patients which contributed to the operating losses. According to the report, both companies plan on taking on debt in order to open four new dispensaries each throughout the state, doubling the current number.

The losses, however, are significantly less than previous years when, from 2015 to 2016, the companies lost a total of $11 million. In 2015, Leafline ran $2.5 million in the red and posted $4.7 million in losses the following year. In 2017, the company lost $5.3 million.

Minnesota Medical recorded $3 million in losses in 2015 and another $1.2 million in losses in 2016.

“To the public, it’s going to look extremely negative that we’re still posting (losses). I think what is a positive sign is how much we’ve decreased that loss compared to previous years. … We have righted that financial ship and we are heading in the correct direction.” – Leafline Labs CEO Bill Parker, to the Pioneer Press

The legislature did pass laws this year to allow the state’s medical cannabis companies to write off their business expenses, which Medical Solutions CEO Jay Westwater said would have “a significant impact” on the company’s bottom line.

State lawmakers rejected a measure this session that would have given patients access to flower products – a move that cut the average price-per-patient in half when enacted in Pennsylvania. Westwater said the company is “ready to provide that service.”

“We know from our own internal deliberations and calculations it would have significant effect on reducing costs,” Westwater said in the report. “We’re going to be advocates for our patients and make sure that if that’s the way the Legislature wants to go maybe in the next session, that we’ll make sure we can do it in as safe a way as possible.”

End

Connecticut May Approve Five New MMJ Qualifying Conditions

6/05/2019

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has approved five new conditions for the state’s medical cannabis program bringing the total to 36, the Hartford Business Journal reports. The conditions must still be approved by the legislature’s Regulations Review Committee.

On Monday, the agency approved interstitial cystitis, a chronic bladder pain syndrome, intractable neuropathic pain that is unresponsive to traditional medical treatments, medial arcuate ligament syndrome, which causes severe abdominal pain, Tourette syndrome, and vulvodynia and vulvar burning, which causes pain in female genitalia. Some of the conditions are only approved for adults, while others are approved for both adults and patients under 18-years-old.

According to the report, the DCP will consider and define chronic pain at a future meeting.

According to state statistics, there are currently 33,206 registered medical cannabis patients in the state with 1,114 recommending physicians. There are nine dispensaries serving patients and four medical cannabis producers.

“Our program relies on the advice and guidance we receive from the medical community including the board. I’m pleased with how our program has grown to support well over 30,000 patients with severe debilitating conditions in the state, all while keeping the integrity of this truly medical program in mind.” – DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull, to the Business Journal

Last month, the legislature’s Finance Committee advanced a recreational cannabis bill but according to a Hartford Courant report, that bill will not be voted on in the General Assembly this session. Medical cannabis was legalized in the state in 2012 and sales began in 2014. The state has updated its medical cannabis qualifying conditions twice before, in 2016 and 2018.

End

FDA Holds First-Ever CBD Hearing

6/04/2019

During the Food and Drug Administration’s first-ever CBD hearing last week, Acting Commissioner Ned Sharpless said that while the agency has seen “an explosion of interest” in the cannabis-derived products, “there is much [they] don’t know,” PBS reports.

The hearing included speakers from the nutritional supplement industry, private citizens, medical cannabis patients, hemp businesses, and Greenwich Biosciences – the company behind FDA-approved CBD pharmaceutical Epidiolox. Alice Mead, the company’s vice president of U.S. professional relations, testified that the agency’s “approval process is the only way to answer important questions about a drug, about the disease it seeks to treat, and safety considerations that are unique to the patient who will take the drug,”

She added that, following 20 years of studying the compound, the company found evidence that the cannabinoid was “potentially toxic to the liver.”

Megan Olsen, assistant general counsel of the dietary supplement lobby the Council For Responsible Nutrition called the CBD industry “out of control” and urged the agency to act quickly.

“FDA does not have the luxury of time,” she warned regulators, according to the report.

At least one CBD proponent, Jonathan Miller, the general counsel for the Hemp Roundtable, an industry association, echoed the “urgent need for an efficient regulatory framework.” He added that the association was willing to help the FDA “establish measures of quality, safety, and transparency” for the emerging industry.

According to the report, it was clear the FDA wanted more data but Sharpless did not indicate what data the agency was seeking or when it anticipated the crafting and release of any federal CBD regulations.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also working on crafting hemp rules following last year’s passage of the Farm Bill, which legalized the crop federally. To date, the USDA has released guidance for importing hemp seeds and a memo clarifying that interstate transport of hemp is legal.

End

Canadian Edibles, Topicals Market Estimated At $2.7B Annually

6/04/2019

Canada’s market for alternative cannabis products, such as edibles and topicals, could be worth about $2.7 billion a year, according to a study by consulting firm Deloitte outlined by Global News. The firm estimates edibles will drive the market — to the tune of $1.6 billion a year.

Deloitte suggests cannabis-infused drinks will comprise $529 million per year with tinctures, topicals, concentrates, and capsules representing $400 million per year in sales.

Edibles, topicals, and concentrates are currently not permitted under the nation’s legal cannabis regulations; however, regulators in the state are crafting rules for the products, eyeing an October 17 rollout. The government has proposed basing the tax rate of edibles and extracts on THC content.

Recently, a Dalhousie University study found that interest in edibles has dropped post-legalization, with 36 percent of survey respondents saying they were interested in trying edible products – down from the 46 percent pre-legalization.

“The introduction of cannabis-infused edibles will clearly threaten the alcohol industry as consumers are using the product for similar usage occasions.” — Jennifer Lee, Retail & Consumer Analytics Practice Leader for Deloitte, via Global News

Canadian regulators released their draft rules for the alternative products last year, which include THC-per-serving caps, and other standards for packaging, additives, and delivery methods.

End

New Jersey Eyes 100-Dispensary Expansion

6/04/2019

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is proposing adding nearly 100 medical cannabis dispensaries in the state as part of his industry expansion plan after the legislature failed to pass adult-use legislation, according to an Asbury Park Press report. The plan would see a total of 108 dispensaries in the Garden State, up from just the six that are currently active and another six that are licensed but have yet to open.

The expansion is part of a broader bill — the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act — which would make broad changes to the state’s medical cannabis program, including reducing the number of times per year patients need to see their recommending physician; increasing the amount of cannabis that patients are allowed to purchase per visit; phasing out the state sales tax on cannabis by January 1; allowing home delivery; and setting a goal of awarding 15 percent of licenses to minority business owners and 15 percent for veterans, women, and disabled people.

The measure passed both legislative chambers last month but the legislature needs to reconcile some of the amendments before it moves to the governor.

Murphy’s administration is seeking applications for up to 24 cultivators, 30 manufacturers and 54 dispensaries with 38 in northern New Jersey, 38 in the state’s central region, and 32 in the southern part of the state, according to the report.

“It will mean an enormous difference for patients. We have a demand-supply imbalance.” — Gov. Murphy to the Asbury Park Press

The administration has previously expanded the state’s medical cannabis qualifying conditions list and the legislature is considering a bill to expunge low-level cannabis convictions. Senate President Stephen Sweeny, the governor’s Democratic colleague, indicated that the state could put the recreational legalization issue to voters in 2020 after the reforms stalled out in the legislature.

End

Sunday Scaries CBD Products Review

6/03/2019

Sunday Scaries is an all American CBD company that strives to help professionals, students, and literally anyone else overcome the weekly dread of returning to work, school, or whatever other responsibilities Monday can bring. A care package for our review team recently came in from Sunday Scaries sharing some of their top sellers.

The Sunday Scaries CBD Gummies are an all-around very enjoyable experience: not too sweet but still chewy and delicious. Likewise, the gelatin-free Sunday Scaries Vegan AF Sour Gummies live up to their name (great news for any sour candy-lovers out there! And for vegans, obviously) and they match the default gummies in appealing flavor, texture, and consistency. Notably, the default CBD gummies come in the classic gummy bear design while the vegan sour gummies are shaped like gumdrops, so if you get a combo of both products you can easily tell them apart without having to taste them.

I used the gummies as their namesake recommended, starting on a sunny Sunday morning before having to return to work the next day — and continued to scarf the gummies on repeat throughout the rest of the week until they were all gone.

Each of Sunday Scaries’ gummies contain 10 mg of CBD, which was perfect for dosing as you could easily limit yourself to just one or two to start with but if ever you felt particularly anxious about an upcoming project (or if you were just hungry!) you could just as easily chow down four or five for a stronger dose.

We also received a sample product of the Scary Sundays CBD Tincture and, since I’m not typically much of a sweet tooth, this product had excited me the most. It did not disappoint!

The tincture is slightly sweet tasting but is an otherwise completely unobtrusive, herbal concoction. If you would prefer to not taste the herbal sweetness, however, or if you are averse to the tincture’s slightly oily consistency, the tincture works wonderfully as an addition to another beverage such as fruit juice, a smoothie, or milkshake. The flavor is definitely not at all overpowering and blends nicely with pretty much anything.

For myself, however, I followed the recommended instructions of letting the tincture dissolve under your tongue for ten seconds before swallowing. Easy-peasy, and deliciously chill. The tincture’s effect itself was completely laid back — not much more can be said about it, but I’m certainly going to appreciate having the bottle lying around for the next few weeks.

Each dropper full of the tincture contains three doses of 10 mg of CBD, making it quite easy to measure out exactly the right dosage of CBD.

Lastly (but certainly not least), all of the Sunday Scaries CBD products are made from industrial hemp grown legally by U.S. farmers under the 2018 Farm Bill, meaning all the hemp was grown in accordance to rules set out by the states’ Agriculture Departments. The hemp has also been lab-tested to show it’s completely devoid of THC, so you don’t need to worry about experiencing any unwanted psychoactive effects or accidentally failing a drug screening in the near future.

All in all, I’d call the Sunday Scaries CBD experience a great option for CBD beginners and experts alike. Depending on your mood or planned activity — from business conference calls, group brainstorming sessions at the office, or a long backpacking trip to the mountains — you can guarantee yourself a little more chill with some Sunday Scaries.

If you’re interested, visit SundayScaries.com and see how they can help chill you out. There’s even a discount thrown in for Ganjapreneur readers: enter “ganja10” at checkout to save 10 percent!

End

Idaho Police to Continue Confiscating Hemp Shipments

6/03/2019

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a memo explicitly allowing interstate transportation of legally cultivated industrial hemp products; however, the Idaho State Police told the Associated Press that it will continue to confiscate the products and arrest drivers if they are found in the state.

While the May 28 USDA memo is not legally binding, the agency says the 2018 Farm Bill removed industrial hemp from the federal Controlled Substances Act and, while the agency doesn’t expect to issue rules for hemp until later this year, transportation of the products is lawful.

An Idaho State Police spokesperson told the AP that the federal rules need to be updated before they will change their policies.

“It is important to recognize that the 2018 Farm Bill preserves the authority of States and Indian tribes to enact and enforce laws regulating the production (eic) of hemp that are more stringent than federal law. Thus, while a State or Indian tribe cannot block the shipment of hemp through the State or Tribal territory, it may continue to enforce State or Tribal laws prohibiting the growing of hemp in that State or Tribal Territory.” — May 28 USDA Executive Summary of New Hemp Authorities

In March, the Idaho House approved an industrial hemp bill but it has not been voted on by the Senate.

At least three men have been arrested in Ada County for transporting hemp in the state. According to the report, two of them have pleaded guilty to lesser felony charges. The third, Denis Palamarchuck, has pleaded not guilty and the company he works for, Big Sky Scientific, have sued Idaho State Police in federal court. That arrest happened prior to the federal law changes but the USDA memo points out that interstate hemp transportation was also permitted under the 2014 Farm Bill. Big Sky argues that the police violated interstate commerce laws and asked for an injunction to get their product back before it’s no longer viable.

The USDA memo says the federal court erred in denying that injunction, which is currently awaiting a hearing in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Elijah Watkins, a lawyer for Big Sky, told the Ap that the USDA opinion was “welcomed news.”

“Hopefully Idaho takes note and changes course because I think it would save the Idaho taxpayer a lot of dollars on fighting a legal opinion or a legal case that seems all but conclusive at this point,” Watkins said in the report.

Republican Gov. Brad Little has indicated he would sign the hemp legalization legislation if it included amendments sought by law enforcement officials.

End

Arkansas Medical Cannabis Sales Top 100 Pounds In First Month

6/03/2019

Arkansas’ only two functioning medical cannabis dispensaries have sold more than 100 pounds of cannabis since legal sales commenced on May 10, according to Department of Finance and Administration data outlined by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Doctor’s Orders RX, the Garland County-based dispensary that made the state’s first legal sale on May 10, has sold 37.74 pounds of medical cannabis through 3,408 transactions as of May 31. Green Springs Medical, in Hot Springs, sold 70.09 pounds of medical cannabis over 6,533 transactions from its May 12 opening to May 31.

Both dispensaries are currently getting their products from Bold Team’s Cotton Plant facility as the other four licensed cultivators are still working to get their products ready. According to the report, both dispensaries are charging about $15 per gram.

A spokesman for Doctor’s Orders told the Democrat-Gazette that Natural State Medicinals is expected to bring its strains to market soon.

“Our goal is to provide the highest medical-grade cannabis with purity and consistency that our patients can trust. We are looking forward to our partnerships with other dispensaries opening soon and putting our product in the hands of people who need and rely on it for a number of medical issues.” — Joseph Courtright, chairman for Natural State Medicinals, via Arkansas Business

Two more dispensaries, Clinton-based Arkansas Natural Food products and Greenlight Dispensary in Helena-West, are expected to open later this month.

The state law — a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2016 — allows patients to purchase up to 2.5 ounces every 14 days.

Officials at the Department of Finance and Administration said the dispensaries’ first monthly sales reports are due this month.

End

Ontario Inn Is First to List on Cannabis Tourism Website

6/03/2019

Canada’s Sir Sam’s Inn and Spa has received a ‘cannabis-friendly’ designation by Cannabis Hotels making it the first in the nation to give cannabis-users the green light, the Toronto Sun reports. The adults-only resort is about 2-and-a-half hours north of Toronto, Ontario.

Jon Massey, the inn’s business development director, told the Sun that the company wasn’t seeking “to become a signature pot smoking hotel,” rather to acknowledge the legality of cannabis.

“Really, it’s a natural progression,” he said of the inn’s inclusion on Cannabis Hotels, a cannabis tourism resource. “We thought it was a unique opportunity. It was simply finding a way to say ‘yes.’”

Wendy Forwell, CEO and founder of Cannabis Hotels, told the Sun that Sir Sam’s is “more of an experience resort” and “boutique hotel” which gives them more autonomy to allow cannabis use on their property.

“(Many hotel owners are) waiting to see what others do. It’s still very early days so they’re all holding back a little bit. Sir Sam’s is fully embracing this.” – Forwell, to the Sun

The Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association’s website states that cannabis smoking or vaping is only permitted for registered guests, and their guests, in designated smoking rooms that align with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. Many Canadian indoor hotels and motels no longer allow smoking or have smoking rooms; however, Sir Sam’s — a 25-room resort — is located on the shores of Eagle Lake, making it remote with plenty of outdoor space.

End

Illinois Lawmakers Approve Adult-Use Legalization

5/31/2019

The Illinois House of Representatives has approved the Senate’s legalization bill, sending the plan to the governor’s desk and putting Illinois just one likely signature away from becoming the 11th state to legalize adult-use cannabis, The Chicago Tribune reports.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker — who focused on cannabis legalization as a major part of his election campaign last year — has already promised to sign the legislation.

“The state of Illinois just made history, legalizing adult-use cannabis with the most equity-centric approach in the nation. This will have a transformational impact on our state, creating opportunity in the communities that need it most and giving so many a second chance. … In the interest of equity and criminal justice reform, I look forward to signing this monumental legislation.” — Gov. J.B. Pritzker, in a series of tweets

The bill will take effect on January 1, 2020 and will allow adult Illinois residents who are 21 or older to possess up to 30 grams of cannabis flower, five grams of cannabis concentrate, and 500 milligrams of THC in an infused product, such as an edible or tincture. Nonresident visitors to Illinois, however, will only be allowed to possess 15 grams.

The bill establishes a taxed and regulated plan for a cannabis marketplace that includes licenses for cannabis cultivators and dispensaries. Home grow, however, is not allowed under the plan except for registered medical cannabis patients.

The bill also creates a system for the expungement of prior cannabis convictions.

“Prohibition hasn’t built communities. In fact, it has destroyed them,” said Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), one of the bill’s co-sponsors. “It is time to hit the reset button on the war on drugs.”

End

Federal Court: DEA Must Reconsider Cannabis Schedule

5/31/2019

Last year the Southern District Court of New York threw out a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Schedule I classification of cannabis on the grounds that the plaintiffs had not exhausted the administrative remedies – a petition process through the Drug Enforcement Agency – before filing their suit. However, yesterday a federal appeals court decided that, while they agree with the lower court’s assessment, they will keep the case open so that it can take action against the Drug Enforcement Administration if it fails to change the legal status of cannabis in a reasonable amount of time, Marijuana Moment reports.

“It is conceivable that, in response to a petition from Plaintiffs along the lines advanced before us now, the DEA would reschedule marijuana, rendering the current case moot. And if the DEA did not, the administrative process would generate a comprehensive record that would aid in eventual judicial review.” – U.S. Circuit Court Judge Guido Calabresi, in the majority opinion for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

In the opinion, Calabresi said the panel was “troubled” by DEA’s “history of dilatory proceedings.”

“Accordingly, while we concur with the District Court’s ruling, we do not dismiss the case, but rather hold it in abeyance and retain jurisdiction in this panel to take whatever action might become appropriate if the DEA does not act with adequate dispatch,” the opinion says.

The judges called the case “unusual” because the plaintiffs – who are predominately medical cannabis patients – “plausibly allege that the current scheduling of marijuana poses a serious, life‐or‐death threat to their health.”

“Taking the facts as alleged, and, accordingly, taking the supposed benefits some Plaintiffs have experienced from marijuana as true as well, we—like the District Court below—are struck by the transformative effects this drug has assertedly had on some Plaintiffs’ lives,” Calabresi said. “As a result, we are troubled by the uncertainty under which Plaintiffs must currently live.”

Michael Hiller of Hiller, PC, the lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said via Twitter that it’s “the first time in history that a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the [Controlled Substances Act] has survived dismissal.”

Joseph A. Bondy, an attorney who has worked pro bono on the case, told Marijuana Moment that he and his team will be working to draft a petition for DEA to take action on cannabis scheduling and, while the court didn’t give DEA a timeline for acting, Bondy said 180 days seemed reasonable. Previously, petitions of similar nature have taken an average of nine years to go through the process, and none have been successful.

If DEA fails to comply, Bondy indicated the court could take action including “compelling them to act” or issuing a writ of mandamus – which would sanction the agency.

The court wrote that while it does not “intend to retain jurisdiction indefinitely,” the plaintiffs may return to the court for relief.

“To be clear, we repeat that this case remains in our purview only to the extent that the agency does not respond to Plaintiffs with adequate, if deliberate, speed,” the opinion states. “In other words, we retain jurisdiction exclusively for the purpose of inducing the agency to act promptly.”

End

DEA’s Media Contracts Allow it to Control Narratives

5/31/2019

As cannabis has become legalized medically and recreationally throughout the U.S., the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is requiring interviews by its personnel to be approved in advance by the agency’s head of congressional and public affairs in an effort to control the narrative, according to a Mint Press News report.

The policy is part of a larger media effort by the agency to control how it’s represented in documentaries, reality shows, and dramas, according to more than 200 documents obtained by Mint Press News through a Freedom of Information Act request. The publication found that DEA supported dozens of media projects, including “Cops and Coyotes,” “Drugs, Inc.,” “Gangsters: America’s Most Evil,” “Lethal Cargo,” “The Notorious Mr. Bout,” “Pure,” and “Declassified: Untold Stories of American Spies.”

Some of those shows include real-time filming of the agency at work but producers are required to give on-scene DEA supervisors “the final say in approving any filming during real-time law enforcement operations,” according to the documents outlined by Mint Press. Senior DEA officials have control over the final edit and the agency has the right to “modify, delete or otherwise change” what ends up being aired in order for the agency to be depicted in a positive light.

The agency also requires that all materials provided by DEA be destroyed as soon as the film or TV show is broadcast and that producers provide them with a non-exclusive license copy of the work for “recruiting, training, professional development, community relations, or demand reduction efforts.”

End

Get the daily briefing