California Senate Approves Canna-Banking Bill

5/22/2019

by

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.

End

Study: CBD Reduces Opioid Cravings

5/22/2019

by

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.

End

Kansas Gov. Signs Low-THC MMJ Bill

5/22/2019

by

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

End

Pet Owner Creates His Own Website on CBD for Dogs

5/21/2019

by

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.

End

DRAY Dry Herb Vaporizer Review

5/21/2019

by

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.

End

NFL to Research Cannabis for Pain Management

5/21/2019

by

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.

End

Grateful Dead Drummer Launches Cannabis Pre-Roll Brand

5/21/2019

by

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.

End

Cannabis Investment Firm Acquires Former Federal Lawmakers

5/21/2019

by

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.

End

California Committee Kills Cannabis Tax Reduction Bill

5/20/2019

by

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.”

End

Anti-Cannabis Church Official Works For Opiate Manufacturer

5/20/2019

by

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.

End

Study: Cannabis Evolved In Tibet 28M Years Ago

5/20/2019

by

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.

End

New York Lawmakers Push to Legalize Before Session Closes

5/17/2019

by

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.

End

A man uses a lighter and glass pipe to smoke some cannabis.

Massachusetts Cannabis Regulators Back Social-Use Program

5/17/2019

by

Cannabis regulators in Massachusetts voted 3-2 on Thursday in favor of a social-use pilot program that would allow cannabis consumption clubs to open in 12 cities throughout the state, the Boston Herald reports. The program would give social-equity applicants the first crack at new licenses.

The board still needs to craft regulations for the clubs – which could come as soon as the end of this month or as late as the fall, the report says. Vaping and edible consumption would be allowed indoors while smoking would be limited to outdoors until the rules for ventilation could be crafted.

Opponents of the proposal cited drugged-driving concerns, including Chelsea police Chief Brian Kyes who said the law enforcement community is “concerned” with permitting social use because there are no mechanisms in place to test for individuals driving under the influence of cannabis. Cannabis Commissioners Britt McBride and Jennifer Flanagan both voted against the plan, with McBride calling the sequence “all wrong.”

“I don’t think that we should be allowing social consumption unless and until the state addresses the ability to better detect marijuana impairment. … The potential for harm outweighs the potential for good that could come out of us moving ahead with this.” – McBride, during the meeting, via the Herald

Only Alaska allows social cannabis use statewide. Las Vegas and Denver, the largest cities in Nevada and Colorado, both allow for social-use within city limits, along with some California cities.

End

UW Researchers to Study Cannabis Use During Pregnancy

5/17/2019

by

The University of Washington is undertaking a study to measure the effects cannabis has on an infant’s brain development, cognitive and motor development, medical health, and social behavior after prenatal exposure. Unlike other studies that have not excluded alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, these study participants will only consume cannabis during pregnancy.

During the study, test subjects are required to report their cannabis use weekly, only use cannabis from a licensed vendor, and send digital photos to record CBD and THC concentrations. Leading the research are Dr.’s Natalia Kleinhans and Stephen Dager, who say they will track cannabis use through pregnancy and scan infant brains at six months to identify any negative side effects.

“The very few investigations that have studied prenatal cannabis exposure and infant brain development have all involved women who are polysubstance drug users. No one has looked at marijuana use exclusively.” — Dr. Kleinhans, in a statement

The researchers are recruiting seventy pregnant women less than thirteen weeks pregnant, thirty-five for test and control groups.  The control group will consume no cannabis, alcohol, tobacco or illicit drugs. The test group will consume cannabis at least twice a week primarily to control morning sickness. Participants will be drug tested during the study rather than mothers self-reporting their drug intake.   

“Most medications prescribed for morning sickness have not been rigorously tested in pregnant women and appear to have side effects that are not minor. Remember that thalidomide, a particularly extreme case, was given to women to reduce nausea during pregnancy,” Dr. Kleinhans said. “Pregnant women have minimal drug-safety information to rely on when deciding whether to take a pharmaceutical, but it’s marijuana that has the negative connotation.”

At six months, both groups of infants will be evaluated for cognitive and social development, communication, motor skills, temperament, and other behaviors. Researchers will also use Functional MRI (FMRI) technology to assess if cannabis exposure affected parts of the brain responsible for reward and addiction.

“Smell is one of the earliest developing senses, and it activates brain regions that have cannabinoid receptors and are involved in reward and addiction. We will use fMRI to look at the integrity of the reward system that we think could be affected by marijuana – to see if there is a change,” Kleinhans said in a press release.

The study comes at the same time as the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board are requiring all retail cannabis shops to display mandatory signage warning against using cannabis when pregnant and/or breastfeeding.

End

Adult-Use Bill Introduced In Delaware

5/17/2019

by

Delaware lawmakers have introduced recreational cannabis legislation nearly one year after the House rejected a different legalization proposal, Delaware State News reports. The new bill does not include home-grow provisions, as its predecessor did, but contains much of the same language.

The measure would impose a 15 percent sales tax at the point of sale, limits customers to one-ounce purchases, and allows municipal control to block industry operations.

Democratic state Rep. Ed Osienski, the bill’s main sponsor, said the measure would have “numerous benefits” for the state including “good-paying jobs” and weakening the illicit cannabis market.

“There’s a tremendous amount of public support for legal, recreational marijuana, and what we are proposing is a measured, reasonable approach that addresses many of the concerns people have raised while providing a framework that will allow for a successful industry.” – Osienski to Delaware State News

Like alcohol sale in the state, cannabis sales would only be allowed from certain hours. The state would issue 15 retail licenses within 16 months of the bill’s passage.

The measure does not have the support of Democratic Gov. John Carney, whose spokesperson said the governor “does not believe [Delaware] should move forward with legalization.”

“There are still unanswered questions, and he believes we should continue to monitor progress in other states that have legalized,” Jonathan Starkey said in the report.

Last year, the House received 21 votes of 41 in favor of legalization but the state requires 60 percent legislative support in both chambers to pass measures that would levy a new tax. That bill estimated the state would see $9 million to $50 million in industry-derived tax revenues.

End

New Jersey Voters Could Decide Legalization in 2020

5/16/2019

by

New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney is planning to put a recreational cannabis legalization question on 2020 general election ballots after proponent lawmakers couldn’t get enough votes to pass the measure legislatively, according to a Politico report.

“The votes aren’t there. I’m disappointed. The 2020 general election, I think, will be successful, and we will move forward with adult use.” – Sweeney, at a press conference, via Politico

During his remarks, Sweeney said that while Gov. Phil Murphy tried to get the bill passed, he “didn’t listen to the advice that legislators gave him” on the legalization issue. Sweeney suggested that Murphy’s decision to unilaterally expand the state’s medical cannabis regime hampered his ability to sway opposition votes.

Murphy, at an unrelated press conference, rejected that premise.

“I reject being blamed for trying to help citizens out who have nowhere else to turn, whose lives are at stake or quality of life is a stake,” he said during the presser. “I wouldn’t call that blame. This is my responsibility as governor.”

The Democratic governor did praise Sweeney for his support of an expungement bill for low-level cannabis charges, which Murphy said he is open to signing. The expungement legislation would allow offenders 10 years removed from their most recent conviction, fine, or successful complete of parole or probation, a “clean slate.” However, Murphy said he was concerned that the bill expunges charges for crimes that a person could still be arrested for under the state’s current laws.

Lawmakers are also considering the addition of language from the legalization bill allowing individuals convicted of possessing up to five pounds to expunge their records as well but Sweeney believes those limits are too high.

It’s unclear whether the legislature plans to take up the expungement bills before the session concludes.

End

Texas Senate Approves Industrial Hemp Bill

5/16/2019

by

The Texas Senate has unanimously approved an industrial hemp bill that includes legalization of the production and sale of non-smokeable CBD-rich products in the state, the Texas Tribune reports. The House passed the bill last month but the two chambers must agree to a compromise version of the legislation before it can be sent to the governor.

The Senate version includes language that would implement random testing of CBD products sold in the state and require retailers to obtain licenses to sell the cannabinoid-infused goods. The Senate version would also levy fines on people growing hemp crops over the 0.3 percent THC threshold. Manufacturers would not be allowed to produce products that could be smoked.

The upper chamber version of the bill also gives law enforcement broad powers to seize any crops or products they believe to be THC-rich or another controlled substance.

The state’s medical cannabis program only allows a small number of patients access to CBD products and it’s unclear how the law changes would impact that program. Earlier this month, House lawmakers approved a measure to expand that program but it does not raise the THC threshold.

Texas is one of just six states without a legalized hemp cultivation program but joins the list of states making changes to their laws following last year’s passage of the Farm Bill which removed hemp from the federal Controlled Substances Act. Under those changes, states who wish to allow hemp cultivation and production must submit their proposals to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for approval.

End

Nebraska Senate Kills MMJ Legalization Bill

5/16/2019

by

Medical cannabis legislation is dead in Nebraska even after the bill sponsor agreed to all of the opposition’s amendments to limit the products and delivery methods that would be allowed under the regime, the Lincoln Journal-Star reports. The measure did get hours of Senate floor debate before being pushed from the chamber’s agenda.

“Honestly, this was my colleagues’ chance to do something, and I was giving them the decision on whether they wanted to take action or not.” — Sen. Anna Wishart, the bill sponsor, to the Journal-Star

Wishart had worked with opponents of the measure and eliminated the home-growing and smoking provisions provided in the original version of the bill. She said she also would have supported a ban on edibles if it would have helped get the measure approved.

Opponents argued that cannabis products have not been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, warned of the dangers of drug-impaired driving, and other dangers associated with cannabis. One prohibition group, Moms Against Marijuana, brought in a physician who moved to the state from Colorado who said that after recreational legalization in Colorado about “a quarter” of her patients were suddenly “daily users.”

Gov. Pete Ricketts also opposed the bill, arguing that medicinal legalization will allow the cannabis industry to put down roots in the state and “pressure to legalize recreational use” will follow.

Wishart indicated that she, along with state Sen. Adam Morfeld, have already started gathering signatures for a petition initiative to get the issue on 2020 general election ballots. While Wishart gave the legislative path as 30 percent chances of success, she gives a voter initiative an 80 percent chance – and a successful ballot initiative measure would give less control over the law by the Legislature.

End

thcv

THCV: The Next CBD?

5/15/2019

by

During the last decade’s explosive cannabis market growth, consumers have been treated to a wide array of cannabis products high in relatively common cannabinoids like THC and CBD to the almost complete exclusion of lesser-known but potentially efficacious compounds naturally produced by the plant-like THCV. For years, cannabis aficionados have been hoping to get their hands on these rarer compounds to unlock health benefits related to anxiety, pain, diabetes, weight gain, and a host of other ailments.

What is THCV?

Among the lesser-known cannabinoids, THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) has emerged as a strong contender for being “the next big thing” from the cannabis industry. THCV has been shown to offer a unique array of effects and medical benefits that set it apart from other lesser-known cannabinoids.

The only structural difference between this cannabinoid and THC is the presence of a three-carbon “propyl” group, rather than the typical five-carbon “pentyl” group abundantly found in the more common components of cannabis. While this may seem subtle, it causes THCV’s effects on a consumer to greatly vary from those of THC. These have been shown to include a reduction in panic attacks, suppression of appetite, the ability to regulate blood sugar levels, management of motor disorder-related symptoms, and even cognitive enhancement.

Anti-munchies and more

“THCV is widely considered to be an appetite suppressant, offering people a ‘munchie free’ alternative to other cannabis products,” said Dr. Kymron DeCesare, chief cannabis research advisor at Steep Hill. “It is also known to reduce anxiety.”

“I have been most excited about its potential to help with PTSD and have worked with a group of veterans who have had positive interaction with THCV for health concerns.  The community is also hopeful that patients with Parkinson’s, MS and those with certain sleep disorders may get health benefits from THCV. More research is needed but this is all very promising. Having it widely available in the marketplace may lead to other applications as we found with CBD.” — Dr. DeCesare, in an interview

Meanwhile, several case studies and medical research conducted over the past several years appear to show many potential benefits of THCV.

The British Pharmacological Society, for example, reported that “THCV has a promising pharmacological profile for delaying disease progression in Parkinson’s Disease and also for ameliorating parkinsonian symptoms.”

While it’s still challenging to conduct human cannabinoid trials in the U.S., states like California have allowed cannabis for medical use for over twenty years, which has led to an accumulation of anecdotal data. During this time, THCV has proven to be a buzzworthy offshoot of cannabis products.

Additionally, researchers at the University of California School of Medicine have launched a clinical trial to assess the efficacy and tolerability of CBD and THC as a treatment for adults with essential tremor (ET). This is the first such research of its kind and could be an important step toward researching THCV as a potential remedy for ET and other ailments related to treating bone density, particularly osteoporosis.

“Given the wide array of human physiology, any individual person may benefit from THCV,” said Dr. DeCesare. “THCV is generally absent in the vast majority of cannabis products but is known for its unique properties which can only be experienced when it is consumed in higher amounts.”

Product lines incoming

Products infused with this cannabinoid have already burst onto the scene in California’s cannabis market.

According to David Lampach, CEO of California Cannabinoids, “For years, there has been high demand for THCV, but until now there have been virtually no products available. People are literally hungry for access to this rare but promising cannabinoid and we’ve seen a great deal of excitement.”

Lampach’s company recently released “Doug’s Varin,” a line of cannabis products including vape pens and more that emphasizes high THCV content.

Level Blends, another California company, also recently released a line of sublingual tablets offering doses of the cannabinoid in edible form.

As more consumers and cannabis product manufacturers become aware of this cannabinoid and its effects, both the supply and the demand for THCV products are likely to increase. “The market is wide open, leaving a blue-skies opportunity for THCV,” Lampach said.

End

Michigan Licenses First Cannabis Delivery Services

5/15/2019

by

Cannabis regulators in Michigan have licensed the state’s first cannabis delivery services in Detroit and Portage, according to an MLive report. The two Detroit licenses were issued to Utopia Gardens and BotaniQ, while Lake Effect received the Portage license; however, the services can only bring products to patients in municipalities where cannabis sales are outlawed.

Jevin Weyenberg, general manager of Lake Effect in Portage, called the new rules “life-saving for some people.”

“We know a lot of the patients we’re going to be delivering to – a lot of them are in wheelchairs. Convenient access to medicine – you can never put a price on that.” – Weyenberg to MLive

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency delivery rules require dispensaries to hire their own drivers, document delivered inventory, and track the delivery route with GPS, the report says. Delivery businesses can only deliver 2.5 ounces – the maximum daily limit – during home deliveries. Weyenberg said the company is taking security steps beyond what the agency requires including equipping cameras on delivery vehicles and drivers.

Utopia Gardens owner Stuart Carter said patients will be able to place orders online or by calling the shop, noting that their drivers will not accept cash but can accept debit cards. Carter said they are already doing two to three delivery runs per day.

Since voters approved legalization in 2016, the state’s industry has undergone many changes, including the closure of dozens of dispensaries over licensing issues and the elimination of the all-volunteer Marijuana Licensing Board. The approval for delivery services came last November as part of a larger overhaul of the medical cannabis rules and regulations.

End

Quebec Lawmakers Reconsider Public-Use Ban

5/15/2019

by

Lawmakers in Quebec, Canada are planning to amend the language banning public cannabis consumption and raising the legal age for purchasing and use from 18 to 21-years-old, according to a report from the CBC. The Quebec Union of Municipalities also opposed the public-use ban and officials determined it was unenforceable.

In most Canadian provinces, the legal age for purchasing and consuming cannabis is 19; Alberta is the only other province with a legal age of 18.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante also opposed the ban, telling the CBC that the restrictions posed “significant difficulties” for the province. While Lionel Carmant, Quebec‘s junior health minister, has revised the measure to give cities and towns more control over cannabis rules.

The proposed changes come as federal agencies adopt, or move toward adopting, new rules and regulations for the nation’s legal cannabis industry. Last week, Health Canada announced would-be industry operators would have to show that they have a fully built cultivation site before applying for a license; the agency said that 70 percent of applicants who pass the initial paper-based reviews over the last three years have not proven they have a facility that meets the national regulatory requirements.

Lawmakers are still devising rules for the rollout of edibles, which are not allowed in the current marketplace after lawmakers decided to wait one year until allowing the products for retail sale. In its budget proposal, the Liberal government included a THC-based tax rate for edible, and topical, products.

All of the proposed changes must be approved by the National Assembly, which adjourns next month.

End

The Vermont Capitol Building in Montpelier, Vermont photographed on a colorful, autumn afternoon.

Vermont Cannabis Sales Bill Likely Dead Until Next Year

5/15/2019

by

Legislative plans to pass cannabis tax-and-regulate laws in Vermont have stalled and are likely dead for the session, VT Digger reports. The bill is currently before the House Ways and Means Committee and, while Democratic House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski called the situation “fluid,” she indicated even getting the bill to the floor for a vote is “looking less and less likely.”

House Speaker Mitzi Johnson told VT Digger that creating a legal cannabis market is not one of her top issues and she is willing to wait until next year to pass the legislation.

“My attitude all along on that bill is that we need to be thorough on the policy. The policy needs to drive the timeline, the timeline cannot drive the policy.” – Johnson, to VT Digger

Republican Gov. Phil Scott has promised not to support any tax-and-regulate bill that does not include provisions for roadside testing for cannabis impairment and told NECN that the state could wait to pass the reforms until next year. Scott has also indicated he believes the bill as written violates the state constitution because it doesn’t allow governors the authority to determine the makeup of the panel to regulate the industry.

Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, who supports cannabis legalization and taxed-and-regulated sales, told VT Digger that “a few people at the top of the House” are the real challenge in getting the bill passed.

“It’s clearly a missed opportunity to bring the underground market above ground, generate revenue to put towards prevention, highway safety, and invest in any number of things,” he said in the report.

The Ways and Means Committee has only had the bill since the beginning of the month but Committee Chair Janet Ancel, a Democrat, said she had concerns that taxes would be used to run the Cannabis Control Commission for the first two or three years while the industry matures and tax revenues derived from it are able to foot the bill of about $1 million per year.

Cannabis legalization took effect in Vermont last June but the reforms did not include a legalized industry. Vermont is still the only state to enact adult-use legalization via the legislative process.

End

Five Predictions for the Pre-Roll Sector of the Cannabis Industry

5/14/2019

by

We estimate the pre-roll market to be about 492.8MM pre-rolls sold in 2018 across the United States and Canada. This was calculated by looking at public data regarding the percentage of cannabis sales that are attributed to pre-rolls, which is about 7.7% of the total market, equaling about $985MM in retail sales out of total cannabis sales of $12.8BN. We estimate the average wholesale price of a pre-roll is $2, so we can then estimate that 492.8MM joints are sold per year in Canada and the United States. Although the concentrate and edible categories are growing at an incredibly fast pace, pre-rolls are one of the quintessential forms of consuming cannabis and still make up a fair portion of the market.

As the industry continues to evolve it will be interesting to see how pre-rolls progress in the ever-expanding cannabis market – below are our five predictions for the pre-roll sector of the cannabis industry.

Smaller Pre-Rolls and More Multi-Packs

Prediction: Average pre-roll size will shrink from 1 gram sizes toward half-gram and even smaller sizes.

We’ve already seen this trend starting to take effect, based on pre-rolled cone sales at Custom Cones USA, we have started to see half-gram and ¾ gram overtake the full gram sized cone in sales. I think the average consumer does not want to smoke a whole one-gram pre-roll alone and even sharing between two people, one gram can be daunting. Further, as the price of cannabis continues to go down, companies are starting to realize it’s much cheaper per joint to offer multi-packs. When cannabis went recreational in 2016, there were not that many pre-roll multi-packs available; however, take a look during your next dispensary visit and you’ll notice many more multi-pack options.

Companies are getting really creative with their multi-packs by offering multiple different strains in each box. Multi pre-roll packs entice the consumer with variety. Compared to just selling one pre-roll to a consumer, you now have the consumer smoking your pre-rolls every time until that multi-pack runs out. At Custom Cones USA we have helped companies tell different strains apart with custom branding on the filter tips, this helps drive your branding home and makes for amazing social media posts.

Pre-roll Automation

Prediction: The pre-roll manufacturing process will soon become fully-automated, eliminating the need to manually weigh, twist, and packaging pre-rolls.

Automation is everywhere and if you thought it wasn’t going to find its way into the cannabis industry, you must be high on something. Pre-roll manufacturing is one of the most labor-intensive cannabis products because the current equipment is so new and super manual. Compared to extraction and edible equipment, which has largely been adapted from other industries, the pre-rolled cone-filling machine was invented solely for cannabis, thus it’s very new and not that advanced. That being said, automation is already here. There are a couple of companies that just released fully automated pre-roll manufacturing machines, which can produce up to 2,000 pre-rolls per hour with only 1 employee.

Based on our conversations with processors, your typical knockbox with a two-person team can fill 1,000 joints per hour, but the post-processing of weighing, twisting, and packaging the joints yields only 1,000 finished pre-rolls in an eight-hour shift. Some companies we work with have multiple pre-roll filling machines and a full team twisting and packaging pre-rolls. Don’t be surprised when a shiny new machine replaces almost your entire pre-roll team.

CBD Pre-Rolls and Cigarettes

Prediction: CBD pre-rolls will continue to gain market share and will eventually take over cigarette alternatives like clove and herbal cigarettes.

Compared to their THC counterpart, CBD pre-rolls are legal in every state and already have a national presence. Available online, you can even find CBD pre-rolls in your local head shop or gas station. CBD flower is still more expensive than recreational legal cannabis, but as the price of CBD flower continues to drop, you’ll see more and more CBD pre-rolls on the market. Multi-packs of CBD pre-rolls will be everywhere, especially as automation continues to develop into the pre-roll space.

CBD pre-rolls are being sold in the classic cone shape, as well are more traditional cigarette style tubes. There are already a few CBD pre-roll companies selling packs of CBD cigarettes made on old tobacco equipment. In Switzerland, Heimat was approved to mix tobacco with CBD flower, making them the first and only legal spliff. I know it’s not a real spliff and don’t expect anything like that soon in the U.S. — I don’t see any state governments getting anywhere near legalizing the mix of tobacco and cannabis (ignore the illegal companies still rampant in California).

Currently, the rules around mixing CBD flower and recreationally grown flower make it rarer than you might think, but we predict you will start seeing more CBD rich pre-rolls being sold as states loosen the regulations regarding CBD flower grown outside the regulated market.

Variety of Pre-Rolls

Prediction: The variety of pre-rolls will continue to expand, matching the huge variety of products seen in nearly every other industry.

When cannabis was first legalized, you had pretty much two options – half-gram or full gram pre-rolls. Now you are starting to see pre-rolls made with hemp wrap blunt cones, leaf cones, and really specialty pre-rolls with glass or wood filter tips. Pre-rolled blunt cones are giving producers an easy way to expand their pre-roll line, simply load the pre-rolled blunt cones in your knockbox and you’ve instantly got a new product – same with the pre-rolled leaf cones.

We are also starting to see more unique sizes of pre-rolled cones come up. Companies are now offering mini pre-rolls, measuring .35 or .25 grams. At Custom Cones USA we have had many inquiries on two-gram pre-rolled cones or cones with extra long crutches, so don’t be surprised if you start seeing a ton of new sized pre-rolled cones.

Advanced Filtration

Prediction: Selective filter technology will be developed, which will selectively filter out harmful carcinogens and tar while filtering out relatively little cannabinoids.

Despite the evidence that smoking any substance is bad for you, cannabis advocates see smoking cannabis as a powerful medicine. Scientists theorize the beneficial impact cannabinoids have in our bodies may offset some of the negative impacts of combustion. Edibles and concentrates have been exploding in growth, but smoking provides cannabis users with a unique smoking experience. There’s no doubt smoking will never fully fade away and we predict selective filter technology will help mitigate the dangers of smoking, while still providing cannabis users with fast-acting relief.

Compared to traditional cotton filters, which catch anything and indiscriminately filter out a little bit of everything from the smoke, the idea behind selective filtration technology is a filter medium that filters out the bad stuff, but passes through all the beneficial cannabinoids. Compared to edibles, which have a very slow absorption rate, smoking cannabis has almost immediate absorption into your body. Selective filtration technology will be seen as a huge advancement in the medical community.

End

Democratic Leaders Reintroduce Legalization Bill

5/14/2019

by

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries — the Senate leader and caucus chair respectively — plan to reintroduce the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act, which would remove cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act and authorize the feds to spend $100 million over five years to help states expunge old low-level cannabis-related records.

Schumer previously introduced the legislation last year, but it was never moved from the Senate Judiciary Committee. The previous version of the bill included 7 co-sponsors including former vice-presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine and current presidential candidates Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

“The Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act would give states the right to make their own choices when it comes to regulation; better equip all Americans, particularly communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana’s criminalization, to participate in the growing marijuana economy; and, by incentivizing sealing and expungement programs, provide Americans with low-level marijuana convictions the opportunity to move forward.” – Schumer, in a press release

The measure includes provisions dedicating funding to women and minority-owned cannabusiness through the Small Business Association; a $250 million authorization – over five years – for highway safety research to “assess the pitfalls” of driving under the influence of cannabis; a five-year, half-million investment for cannabis-related public health research; and restrictions on advertising to minors.

In a statement, Jeffries called the $100 million expungement investment helps “correct the injustice” of America’s “archaic” 70-plus-year-old cannabis laws.

The Senate, however, is controlled by Republicans and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell – who controls which bills make it to the floor for a vote – told The Hill last year he has “no plans” to endorse cannabis legalization. In December 2018, McConnell blocked the SAFE Banking Act, which would give legal cannabusinesses regular banking access, from being considered in the chamber.

Democratic Sen. Corey Booker has also introduced legalization legislation, the Marijuana Justice Act, which was referred to the Judiciary Committee in February.

End