The midterm election win of Illinois Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker signals one less barrier between Illinois and the legalization of adult-use cannabis, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Pritzker said shortly after being sworn in on Wednesday that legalization was an issue Illinois could work on “nearly right away,” telling FOX 32he would also look at vacating citizens’ prior cannabis convictions.
Notably, a cannabis-friendly governor does not mean that such reforms are guaranteed, as a legalization bill still must make it through the legislature and many lawmakers remain opposed. But, with Democrats strengthening their hold on both of Illinois’ legislative chambers after the midterms, advocates expect the real legalization debate will come down to how, not if, and will focus heavily on where cannabis tax dollars will go in the state budget.
“I suspect it’s a done deal. People see it as a new source of revenue. The true battle will be over who gets their cut of it taxwise.” — Pat Brady, cannabis consultant and lobbyist, via The Chicago Tribune
Officials say they will propose a legalization bill early next year.
Latest polling data suggests that two-thirds of Americans support the federal legalization of adult-use cannabis. There are now ten U.S. states that have ended cannabis prohibition entirely.
On Friday, Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly proposed amendments to the Health Ministry that would legalize both medical cannabis and Kratom for possession and distribution, according to the Washington Post.
The Health Ministry will now review the proposed amendments and forward them to the Cabinet. After revisions, the Cabinet will send a final version of the legislation back to the Legislative Assembly for a vote. If successful, Thailand would be the first Asian country to legalize medical cannabis.
The proposal allows for licensed and regulated medical cannabis operations, but not adult-use. Public hearings earlier this year showed strong support for using cannabis as medicine from Thailand’s general public.
“If we let it be used recreationally, our society is not ready yet, so I want to do this first step first — the issue of making medicine. From allowing the making of medicine, maybe in six months or a year’s time, if society is ready, it could become a food supplement,” said Somchai Sawangkarn, the lawmaker who proposed the amendments. “Eventually that could lead us to its recreational use.”
Somchai Sawangkarn said the legislation’s greatest obstacle is Big Pharma.
“I’ve been working on legislation in Parliament for the past 12 years, and I have to admit that this has been one of the toughest ones to pass because it affects the benefits of large transnational pharmaceutical companies as they sell chemotherapy, morphine, and so on, and we want to introduce something really cheap as an alternative.” — Somchai Sawangkarn, in the report
Some still hold reservations to the legislation due to child consumption worries and the difficulty of protecting small Thai businesses who want to participate in teh market.
The legislative process is expected to produce final medical cannabis legislation that will be voted on in the National Assembly by the end of the year.
The midterms are over and a switch to Democratic control of the U.S. House of Representatives could finally allow for regulated adult-use cannabis sales in Washington D.C., The Washington Post reports.
Mayor Muriel Bowser announced following her re-election on Tuesday that she will propose plans next year for a taxed-and-regulated cannabis marketplace in the District.
“We will prepare a tax-and-regulate scheme to present to the council at the beginning of the next year. … We have an untenable situation in the District. As long as we have the ability to possess marijuana, which is our law, we also need the ability to procure marijuana legally, which we don’t have now.” — Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, in a statement
D.C. voters approved adult-use legalization in 2014 but sales have been blocked by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Specifically, Maryland Rep. Andy Harris (R) pushed for a rider that blocked the city from spending federal funds on reducing cannabis penalties or implementing pro-cannabis policies. Rep. Harris’ amendment has been attached to federal spending bills since 2015. The amendment was later expanded to include all funds.
The amendment has infuriated D.C. voters, who approved legalization by an overwhelming 65 percent majority but have been powerless to prevent Rep. Harris’ interference (only his constituents in Maryland have the power to vote him out).
The District’s local government remains overseen by Congress. Until 1973, in fact, it was completely governed by Congress but the Home Rule Act passed that year handed some governance over to a mayor and thirteen-person council. Congress, however, maintains oversight power for any laws passed in the district.
Today, District residents can grow their own cannabis on private property and can gift up to an ounce to others — selling or bartering for cannabis, however, remains illegal.
Legislation has been introduced by District Council Member David Grosso to allow the city to license cannabis retailers, but there remains uncertainty about whether the GOP-controlled Senate will let it fly. The District’s non-voting House of Representatives member Eleanor Holmes Norton said the Senate “doesn’t seem to care much” — but that could change now that political power has been re-arranged in the House.
Grosso said that, if there is significant pushback from the Senate, he believes the District of Columbia could use that pressure to campaign for statehood.
A looming budget deadline could allow for regulation legislation as early as next month, but many don’t expect change until next year’s budget deadline on October 1, 2019.
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) announced yesterday the suspension of licenses held by North Coast Concentrates following the discovery of alleged product diversion by the license holder.
The WSLCB says it will “seek permanent revocation of the licenses.”
The alleged diversion was first discovered on September 20, 2018, when a North Coast Concentrates employee was pulled over by Lower Elwha Police, who discovered “three large jars and a large tote bin” of dried cannabis flower that had not been represented in the state’s traceability system. The officer also found 112 grams of traceable cannabis concentrates.
“Subsequent investigation by WSLCB officers revealed that the untraced product had been removed from the licensees grow operation and that the traced concentrates were returned from a marijuana retailer in Tacoma several weeks earlier. Seized text messages from the employee’s cellphone indicated that the licensee was aware of both the diversion and the selling of product on the black market.” — Excerpt from the LCB press release
Officers who executed the suspension orders seized 556 pounds of cannabis flower, 24 pounds of cannabis oil products, and 204 cannabis plants from the license holder’s two registered locations.
“Emergency suspensions represent an extraordinary exercise of the state’s power and the WSLCB is mandated to ensure that an emergency suspension is reasonable, justifiable and legal in every way,” the agency wrote.
Washington‘s adult-use cannabis marketplace launched in 2014. The WSLCB issued one emergency license suspension in 2017 and six in 2018.
A request for comment from North Coast Concentrates was not immediately returned; this piece will be updated if a response is received.
The Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) in Manitoba, Canada is opening the first legal dispensary on First Nations land, according to the CBC.
The retail store, called Meta Cannabis Supply Co., is located in the northern Manitoba community’s mall. The shop carries eight different strains of cannabis with prices starting at $8 per gram. The OCN store will serve an area of approximately 30,000 people, 3,000 of which live on the reserve. They expect to take in about $5,000 a day in sales.
The store is a partnership between the OCN and National Access Cannabis, who will supply the store. The OCN owns 51 percent of the operation; National Access Cannabis owns 49 percent.
The OCN said profits from the store will pay down debt and fund programs for language revitalization, health, and recreation.
Unlike many First Nations reserves in Manitoba, the OCN is not “dry” and does not forbid alcohol or cannabis. The leader of the OCN, Onekanew Christian Sinclair said the decision to allow alcohol was made 20 years ago.
“It showed the maturity of our community in being able to allow our community to partake in those types of products, and the fact being that if they don’t get it there, they’re just going to drive across the bridge two minutes away and buy it in the local establishments. So why not be a part of that market and show that our community is mature like anybody else?” — Christian Sinclair, leader of the OCN, in the report
There exist unlicensed dispensaries operating on indigenous land elsewhere in Canada but there is contention over the tribes’ right to operate them. Indigenous peoples have asserted their sovereignty and law enforcement has yet to engage in any sort of crackdown.
President Donald Trump requested the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday as part of a house cleaning effort following the 2018 midterms, the New York Times reports.
Jeff Sessions, a former Alabama GOP Senator, was a longtime opponent to cannabis reforms before becoming the nation’s top cop and has been a looming threat to state-legal cannabis industries during his time as Attorney General.
“Dear Mr. President, at your request I am submitting my resignation.” — Jeff Sessions, in his one-page resignation letter, via the AP
Sessions will be replaced by his chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker — a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa who served under the George W. Bush administration from 2004 to 2009.
Sessions rescinded the Cole Memo, a set of protections for state-legal cannabis businesses left over from the Obama administration, in January. The move sparked panic in the cannabis industry about a potential federal crackdown by the U.S. government on what has otherwise remained a largely uninhibited experiment in statewide cannabis reforms.
In May 2017, Sessions issued a memo reversing some of the more compassionate drug conviction policies established under the Obama administration, signaling a return to Drug War-era mandatory minimum sentencing. One month later, he asked Congress to restore funding for the federal enforcement of cannabis prohibition in legalized states.
In September, a collection of U.S. senators wrote a letter to Sessions inquiring about delays in the licensing of additional cannabis cultivators for federally funded research. The additional licenses were requested two years ago by President Obama.
Sessions’ departure, while arguably good news for cannabis, is not necessarily surprising. President Trump and his attorney general have been on shaky termssince shortly after Trump took office when Sessions recused himself from the FBI investigation into the potential collusion with Russia by Trump’s presidential campaign.
During yesterday’s midterm elections, voters delivered a resounding message across the country in support of reforming cannabis laws.
Michigan voters approved adult-use legalization while voters in Utah and Missouri resoundingly embraced medical cannabis reforms. The plant’s only defeat this election season was in North Dakota, where voters rejected a bill that would have established the least restricted cannabis market in the country.
There were also some indirect victories for cannabis last night, including the defeat of incumbent Texas Rep. Pete Sessions and several gubernatorial victories by pro-cannabis candidates.
Michigan
Michigan voters approved Proposition 1 in a comfortable 56-44 percent margin, making Michigan the tenth state to legalize adult-use cannabis. Under the initiative, adults 21 and older can possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and cultivate up to 12 plants in their own home. Retail sales may not launch until sometime in 2020, but cannabis will become legal just 10 days after the election results are officially certified.
See our in-depth coverage to learn more about Michigan’s legalization victory.
Missouri
Missouri voters saw three opportunities to legalize medical cannabis on their ballot yesterday, but only one of them soared far ahead for an easy 66-34 percent victory.
Missouri’s Amendment 2 was approved ahead of another constitutional amendment and a statutory amendment. Amendment 2 was seen as the safest and most progressive option, containing one of the lowest tax rates of any medical cannabis proposal (just four percent) as well as the stipulation that funds generated by the program will go to health services for military veterans and to funding the new program’s regulatory agency(s).
Amendment 2 was endorsed by NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project.
Missouri is the 31st U.S. state to legalize medical cannabis.
Utah
Utah voters approved Proposition 2, which aims to establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program, in a narrow 53-47 percent victory.
While victory is sweet, medical cannabis was more or less guaranteed already for the state of Utah after advocates reached a compromise last month with the bill’s opponents, mainly lawmakers and the Mormon Church. Proposition 2’s passage, however, means cannabis patients are significantly less likely to suffer without access if lawmakers were to renege on their agreement (which is a concern that has bothered some advocates).
“The passage of Proposition 2 illustrates just how broad support has grown for medical marijuana in the U.S.,” Matthew Scheich, deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a written statement. “Even in socially conservative states like Utah, most voters recognize marijuana has significant medical value, and they believe it should be available to patients who could benefit from it.
The details of Utah’s Proposition 2 may be subject to change, but as it stands the initiative would allow patients with a physician’s approval to purchase up to two ounces of cannabis or up to ten grams of CBD or THC oil every two weeks. Patients who live at least 100 miles from the closest dispensary would also be allowed to grow up to six cannabis plants at home.
Notably, cannabis patients in Utah will not be allowed to smoke their medicine, relying instead on edibles, vaping, and other consumption methods.
Utah is the 32nd U.S. state to legalize medical cannabis.
North Dakota
North Dakota experienced the only cannabis defeat of the midterms. It was the first true legalization attempt in a resoundingly conservative state.
Voters rejected the state’s legalization initiative with a 59-41 percent majority. The proposal — which would have removed all penalties for cannabis from state law and allow anyone 21 or older to cultivate and sell the plant with no limitations, tax-free — was considered by some to be the most progressive legalization attempt ever undertaken in the U.S.
Legalize ND, the advocacy group behind North Dakota’s legalization push, posted the following message to their social media outlets this morning:
“Last night was not the result we wanted. We were outgunned in money, and the majority of voters said no. But we cannot give up. Our advocacy does not end. In the new legislative session, WE MUST fight tooth and nail for decriminalization of marijuana possession, and gear up for 2020. Start contacting your newly elected legislators now.” — Written statement from Legalize ND
Other elections
While only four states voted on statewide cannabis initiatives, there were many other cannabis-adjacent elections that are worth noting.
Incumbent Texas Rep. Pete Sessions (R) lost to Democratic challenger Colin Allred, a former NFL player. During his time in the House, Sessions personally blocked dozens of cannabis proposals from consideration. In fact, Sessions has been such a staunch opponent to anything cannabis that Marijuana Policy Project founder Rob Kampia worked with other advocates to launch a PAC earlier this year dedicated to unseating him in the midterms.
Five Ohio cities — Dayton, Fremont, Norwood, Oregon, and Windham —approved cannabis decriminalization laws, raising the total number of cities in Ohio with decriminalization on the books to 11.
Voters in 16 Wisconsin counties signaled support for reforming cannabis laws in the form of advisory questions. These questions appeared on the ballot but will not reflect any changes in state or county law — they were merely meant to gauge interest in the issue.
Last but not least, pro-cannabis candidates won gubernatorial racesin California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano weighed in with a written statement following the election:
“In four states — Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois — voters elected Governors who openly campaigned on a platform that included legalizing adult marijuana use. In two other states — California and Colorado — voters elected Governors who have a long history of spearheading legalization reform efforts. And in Maine and in New Mexico, two of the nation’s most rabid marijuana prohibitionists, Paul LePage and Susana Martinez, have been replaced by Governors who are open to enacting common-sense cannabis reforms.”
Michigan voters have resoundingly approved Proposition 1 to legalize adult-use cannabis and establish a statewide taxed-and-regulated cannabis marketplace.
Proposition 1 passed comfortably with 56 percent of the vote, making Michigan the first state in the Midwest to legalize, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Proposition 1 contains the most generous possession and cultivation limits of any other successful legalization initiative, allowing adults who are 21 or older to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and cultivate up to 12 plants in the privacy of their own home. The measure will take effect just 10 days after the election results are certified, likely sometime in December — retail sales, however, are unlikely until at least 2020 as officials must first craft and pass new regulations, allow time for applications, and issue business licenses.
Governor-elect Gretchen Wilmer, the Democrat who won last night’s gubernatorial race, said in her first official press conference as Michigan’s future governor that she would consider expunging cannabis crimes in light of Proposition 1’s passage — an issue that was not directly addressed by the initiative.
“I think that the people of Michigan have said that for conduct that would now be legal, no one should bear a lifelong record for that conduct,” Michigan Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer, via The Detroit News
Under Proposition 1, landlords will still be able to prohibit cannabis use and/or cultivation and employers can legally maintain zero-tolerance cannabis policies. Furthermore, cannabis gardens will have to be hidden from public view.
Michigan is the tenth state to legalize cannabis and the ninth state looking to establish a taxed-and-regulated cannabis marketplace.
The State Medical Board of Ohio is considering new additions to the list of conditions that qualify patients for medical cannabis and at least one doctor is campaigning for the addition of Opioid Use Disorder, The Boston Globe reports.
Dr. F. Stuart Leeds is registered to recommend cannabis through the state’s currently incomplete medical program. He’s also a strong proponent for using cannabis to fight the record number of opioid-related deaths in the state. While Dr. Leeds admits the number of studies that favor using cannabis for the condition is limited, he said he’s seen strong evidence directly from his patients.
‘‘Patients have been conducting their own self-experiments on a variety of street drugs for decades. ‘They know more about what marijuana will do for their chronic pain and addiction problems than we do.’’ — Dr. F. Stuart Leeds, in the report
Other Ohio doctors are not so sure, some citing the lack of clinical evidence. Dr. Brad Lander, who specializes in addiction medicine, said that cannabis is only a temporary patch and not a true treatment.
“Patients smoking marijuana don’t have the real motivation to do therapy to maintain long-term recovery or improve their lives,” said Lander. However, even he admitted that cannabis can be a favorable treatment for the initial withdrawal symptoms.
Ohio has had trouble rolling out its medical cannabis program in a timely fashion, though support remains strong in the state.
Meanwhile, five Ohio cities have decriminalized the possession of marijuana as of yesterday’s midterm elections: Dayton, Fremont, Norwood, Oregon, and Windham. That’s on top of the previous six: Toledo, Logan, Roseville, Bellaire, Newark and Athens.
The state Medical Board will weigh applications for new medical cannabis conditions later this year.
Canadian licensed producer Zenabis, who recently merged with Bevo Agro Inc. via a reverse takeover, saw its share price surge more than 70% in the first day of trading following the merger, according to a press release.
Zenabis’ parent company Sun Pharm is forming a new company with Bevo Agro Inc. called Zenabis Global Inc. that will fuse the business model of a cannabis LP with agricultural plant propagation. Bevo Agro’s current agricultural business model will not be abandoned but instead shifted into other greenhouse facilities as Zenabis converts the company’s previous facilities into cannabis production centers.
Zenabis was producing only cannabis flower but is expected to expand into concentrates, oils, and pre-rolls when it opens its third production facility in Nova Scotia sometime next year. The company is attempting to scale its growth in time with the development of Canada‘s cannabis market.
Though trading of the shares has opened, the merger will not technically be complete until sometime in December. While all majority shareholders involved have finalized the deal, it still needs to be approved by TSX Venture Exchange and the British Columbia Supreme Court.
Mexico’s president-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador said last week he would not interfere with the Supreme Court’s decision to end cannabis prohibition, the Latin America News Dispatch reports.
Last Wednesday, Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that cannabis prohibition is unconstitutional; it was the court’s fifth such ruling and the last step for determining jurisprudence in favor of cannabis reforms.
Obrador, commonly known by his initials AMLO, said that lawmakers should honor the Supreme Court’s decision during a brief televised interview.
The decision sets Mexico up to become the next nation to fully legalize adult-use cannabis. However, the responsibility for moving forward now lies with lawmakers, who must take the court’s decision one step further and establish regulations to create a federal cannabis industry — hopefully sometime during the 2019 legislative session.
Following his landslide victory in July, members of AMLO’s transition team hinted that decriminalizing cannabis was on the president-elect’s agenda.
If Mexico were to successfully legalize adult-use cannabis, the United States would be flanked on both sides by federally legal cannabis jurisdictions, as Canada’s landmark legalization bill took effect last month.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., eight states have established rules for an adult-use marketplace; Vermont and Washington D.C. have legalized cannabis cultivation and possession, but not sales; and two more states are voting today on the issue of adult-use cannabis legalization.
Researchers at McGill University in Montreal have shown that cannabinoids can increase the responsiveness of retinal cells to light, according to The Guardian.
At least two other studies looking at cultures where cannabis is prevalent have revealed a potential correlation between good night vision and cannabis use.
Fishermen in Jamaica had long attributed their excellent night vision to smoking cannabis or using a rum-based cannabis tincture. That effect was confirmed by pharmacologist M.E. West 25 years ago.
In 2002, researchers in Morocco were also able to confirm cannabis’ effects on night vision in fishermen and mountain-dwellers in that country, using a new device that measured the sensitivity of retinal cells in the eye.
The new study focuses on retinal cells using animal models. Researchers applied a synthetic cannabinoid directly to the eyes of tadpoles and used electrodes to measure changes in retinal nerves, measuring directly how much light the tadpoles could perceive. The cells were shown to be more sensitive to light following the cannabinoid’s administration.
The tadpoles are also known to instinctively swim away from dark moving dots. In a second experiment, researchers applied the synthetic cannabinoid to some and then tracked the behavior of the tadpoles using video-tracking software. Under normal, bright light conditions they observed no difference in behavior. Under low-light conditions, however, tadpoles treated with the synthetic cannabinoid were able to avoid more moving dark dots than those who were not, apparently confirming the suspicion that cannabinoids can increase low-light vision.
Researchers now have a basis of understanding for the specific effect that cannabinoids have that increases night vision. The research could lead to the investigation and development of treatments for many eye conditions, such as retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma — both of which can cause blindness.
A new study has shown that people with Type I Diabetes are about twice as likely to experience a complication known as diabetic ketoacidosis when using cannabis, the CBC reports.
While other research has shown that cannabis can be helpful in treating symptoms of Type II diabetes — the variety of diabetes that is linked to obesity and often develops later in life — the plant’s effects on Type I diabetes are not as well investigated.
Researchers surveyed 450 patients with Type I diabetes who were being treated at Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes in Colorado. 30 percent of those surveyed used cannabis — that population showed elevated blood sugar as a whole.
While risk factors varied, the cannabis-using patients were generally younger, less educated, and also in lower income brackets. Researchers admit that many other factors may be at play, including access to healthcare, but urge caution when using cannabis with Type I diabetes until more is known.
“Why cannabis would increase the likelihood of diabetic ketoacidosis is unknown. But we have also shown that in the presence of cannabis, the diabetic ketoacidosis is harder to diagnose, and therefore it may be missed, with deadly consequences.” — Dr. Annemarie Hennessy, dean of medicine at Western Sydney University
Researchers theorized that vomiting may accompany extended cannabis use and that changes in gut conditions due to cannabis may be responsible for the increased risk. Treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis involves intravenous re-hydration and insulin.
As always with the federally restricted cannabis plant, more medical research is desperately needed.
Hardworking growers now have protection for today’s grow environment.
San Diego, October 15, 2018 — RayWear’s revolutionary gear protects growers from light radiation in modern cultivation environments. The industry has turned a blind eye to worker health and safety despite promoting the plant’s health benefits. A safe work environment for cultivators and growers are not a priority for lawmakers. RayWear Clothing Company’s mission is to protect growers, with a line of durable, incredibly soft apparel, from intense radiation produced by modern grow rooms and prolonged outdoor cultivation.
RayWear’s founder, Daniel Jordan, has been concerned about the health risks of light radiation. He believes cultivators making a living in grow rooms deserve a safe, non threatening working environment; that’s why he researched light radiation and ways to protect people from it.
Although there is UV-protective clothing, grow lights emit an entire spectrum of light — ultraviolet (UVA, UVB), visible (VR) and infrared (IR) — that harms humans when under prolonged exposure. Health-conscious workers wearing UV-protective clothing are shielding themselves from only a fraction of light spectrum radiation present.
More people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer than all other cancers. Melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer among adults under 30, accounts for 75 percent of skin cancer deaths. Both the American Cancer Society and the National Institute of Health agree light radiation causes skin cancer and other health issues. Currently, unprotected growers are exposed to extreme levels of indoor and outdoor light radiation.
Daniel worked with dermatologists and designers to develop a line of full-spectrum protective gear using the best fabric with the highest protective properties for cannabis cultivators. Initially branded as UVPPE — short for ‘UV Personal Protective Equipment’ — for commercial cultivation and large-scale operations, Daniel wanted his products available for cultivators and growers who need protection now.
Daniel selected 4Blooms.Guru, a professional cannabis marketing agency for a full rebrand. With new strategy, branding, messaging, and a digital marketing plan, RayWear Clothing Company will launch October 2018. A protective clothing bundle is available at special introductory price with delivery in time for the holidays.
RayWear’s shirts and pullovers are made from a durable, patent-pending fabric that provides protection against full-spectrum light radiation. RayWear gear is breathable, lightweight, and extremely soft, allowing it to be worn on its own or underneath work coveralls and uniforms.
RayWear advocates for employees to have a safe work environment today. It took decades before tobacco risks were sanctioned. In fostering and promoting a safe and healthy cannabis community, RayWear is protecting lives and the future of the cannabis industry.
About RayWear
RayWear believes worker safety and the cannabis industry should grow hand in hand. Our mission is to shield workers from light radiation. Together, we can make a difference in protecting the health and well-being of the grower community.
Results from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health have revealed that while pregnant women are drinking less and smoking less tobacco, they’re using more cannabis, Time reports.
Between 2002 and 2016, about 12,000 pregnant women responded to the survey. The women were between 18 and 44 years old. 3,500 of the women were in their first trimester, which is considered a crucial time for fetal development.
Tobacco smoking fell considerably compared to previous results, down from 17.5% of expectant mothers to just 10% — this is slightly more than the national decline in overall tobacco use. Alcohol use among pregnant women also dropped slightly, from 10% to 8.5%.
Cannabis use, however, rose from 3% to 5%. Some theorize the rising instances of cannabis use by expectant mothers are due to cannabis reforms across the country, particularly for medical cannabis.
While researchers have not studied cannabis use nearly to the extent of other substances, the Centers for Disease Control and other public health organizations have advised against consuming the plant during pregnancy due to concerns about fetal development.
Researchers behind the survey said, “Greater public awareness regarding the consequences of prenatal cannabis exposure in offspring health is necessary.”
Medical cannabis patients are abandoning the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) at a rapid pace, the Associated Press reports.
The number of state-registered medical cannabis patients has plummeted 41 percent in the last year, from 59,137 in to 34,892. Likewise, the number of sanctioned medical cannabis growers has also dropped at least 40 percent in the last year, from 23,175 to 13,959.
Both declines can be tied to the state’s prolific recreational marketplace, which voters established via a 2014 ballot initiative.
Many patients, for example, have decided to forgo the annual $200 renewal attached to OMMP ID cards in favor of the convenience and relatively low (albeit taxed) prices of adult-use retailers. Furthermore, Oregonians are now allowed to grow up to four plants for their own use, which is particularly attractive for rural patients.
Growers, meanwhile, are also turning away from the OMMP as regulators — who have become increasingly worried about the issue of Oregon cannabis product diversion into out-of-state markets — wrap more and more red tape around the program.
“The regulations around providing for other patients are quite onerous. I actually think that’s the biggest factor. Many patients are just unable to find a grower to supply them. …With the (regulatory) changes they’ve made, it’s much more difficult to care for other patients. Therefore, the number of growers willing to do that has dropped significantly.” — Cedar Grey, licensed grower and member of the Oregon Cannabis Commission, via the AP
The industry changes have created some unfortunate circumstances, including patients being pushed back underground to find unlicensed or illegal sources and growers who are abandoning Oregon and the OMMP as newer, friendlier programs pop up in other states.
Home grow advocates in Washington State are getting ready for the upcoming 2019 legislative session and they have high hopes the state will finally pass an adult-use home grow bill.
Washington is the only fully legalized state that does not allow adults over 21 to grow cannabisat home without a medical cannabis qualification.
Last year, a home grow bill passed the House Commerce and Gaming Committee only to stall before key deadlines were met. Despite the defeat, advocates are back this year with a new bill and new strategies.
“The energy for passing home grows definitely feels up this year, which has been a pleasant surprise. I think our opposition in the legislature have been just waiting for us to go away, but we’re not. We’ve changed our tactics and aren’t just showing up during the legislative session. We’ve been holding meetings around the state and people are really engaged.” — John Kingsberry, a home grow activist
“The Cole Memo was the legislature’s main argument against home grows but, since Jeff Sessions revoked the Cole Memo, that argument is out the window,” Kingsberry said.
“There is still a lot to do but, with a little luck and hard work, 2019 is the year Washington will get adult use home grows.”
Rats exposed to cannabis vapor in the womb appear to struggle to learn switch problem-solving strategies, The Scientist reports.
The study was presented on November 4 at the annual Society for Neuroscience conference. Results were “indicative of an inability to acquire and maintain a new strategy” after exposure to cannabis in utero. Researchers indicated the study was part of a move to better understand the effects of cannabis on pregnant mothers.
Most prior studies have simply injected rodents with pure THC, but that methodology has been criticized as the cannabis plant contains more than 100 other cannabinoids and compounds that can affect the mammalian body. The new study used vaporized extract which included the additional compounds.
At two months old, the rats were trained to press a lever beneath a light for a sugar reward. Once the rats learned to press the lever beneath the light, researchers changed the task, and rewards were always given when the rats pressed a specific lever, regardless of light position.
The rats who were not exposed to cannabis vapor while in the fetal stage had little trouble figuring out the change, but the rats whose mothers had consumed cannabis while pregnant showed difficulty switching to the new task. The rat pups would frequently revert to the old strategy or simply choose the wrong lever if the light wasn’t lit on either.
McLaughlin said the results do not indicate a general learning disability, but rather a specific issue with switching to new strategies.
Researchers theorize that the cannabinoid system is extremely important for early brain development. Disrupting the normal biological role of cannabinoids during development may result in different pathways in the brain. McLaughlin plans to look for differences in gene expression and protein levels in the brain to account for the difference.
Researchers were clear: further research is needed and the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure are still poorly defined.
Next Tuesday, Election Day 2018, voters in four states will decide whether or not to adopt huge reforms to their state’s cannabis laws.
Michigan and North Dakota will be voting on full legalization while Utah and Missouri voters will decide whether or not to allow medical cannabis access.
But also, in a nation of just two major political parties which have grown more and more polarized, the 2018 midterms represent an opportunity to push cannabis reforms — currently one of the most bipartisan political issues among voters — back into the mainstream spotlight.
Michigan
Michigan’s legalization initiative, a.k.a The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, is appearing on ballots as Measure 1.
Measure 1 legalizes the recreational use and possession of cannabis for adults 21 and older. Individuals would be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and grow up to 12 plants at home with a 10-ounce possession limit on cannabis kept in a citizen’s residence (amounts over 2.5 ounces would need to be kept in a locked, secure container).
The initiative would also establish a taxed-and-regulated system for commercial cannabis cultivators and distributors, with tax revenue earmarked for local governments, K-12 education, and road and bridge maintenance. Local governments would be able to establish local bans and/or restrictions on the industry.
Poll results show that voters strongly favor Measure 1, with 56 percent in support according to a Glengariff Group, Inc. poll in September.
MI Legalize, the group behind Measure 1, first started collecting signatures in 2015 for a planned 2016 ballot appearance. In a ruling of questionable legality, however, Michigan’s Bureau of Elections declared half of the group’s 350,000 signatures were invalid and advocates had to delay their push until this year.
If successful, Michigan would become the first state in the Midwest to fully legalize.
North Dakota
North Dakota’s Measure 3 is arguably the least restrictive legalization planever seriously considered in the U.S.
Measure 3, proposed by advocacy group Legalize ND, would legalize adult-use cannabis with nearly zero restrictions and establish a system for automatically expunging the criminal cannabis records of North Dakota citizens. Measure 3 would not establish a taxed-and-regulated system for commercial cannabis cultivation/distribution — instead, it opens the door for private citizens to grow and sell their own cannabis with no limitations, tax-free.
Polls suggest Measure 3 will be a tight race, with one Legalize ND poll showing 51 percent of voters in support of legalization. Opponents to the measure, however, suggested those poll results could be skewed.
If successful, Measure 3 would take effect in just 30 days and would require lawmakers to almost immediately begin working on the state’s expungement plan.
Commercially grown cannabis plants inside of a licensed production facility in Washington. Photo credit: Sarah Climaco
Utah
Utah’s medical cannabis legalization initiative, the Utah Medical Cannabis Act, is filed as Proposition 2. Proposed by The Utah Patients Coalition, Proposition 2 would establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program in the state, giving patients with a doctor’s recommendation the right to grow their own medicine. The initiative would also create a system for state-licensed growers and dispensaries. Notably, the proposal would not allow for patients to smoke any cannabis products.
Utah’s push for medical cannabis this year has been wrought with opposition from both lawmakers and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but advocates have persevered.
The measure enjoyed strong support among voters until the LDS church announced its opposition and pushed out several anti-Proposition 2 campaign ads. Polls suggest the vote could still be close, however.
Recently, however, reports surfaced that cannabis advocates had reached a compromise with lawmakers and church leaders that would see a medical cannabis measure adopted by the legislature next session, regardless of whether or not Proposition 2 is successful.
Voters could — and should, according to state Sen. Jim Dabakis — still approve Proposition 2. Utah law, however, allows lawmakers to alter voter-approved measures, which is how the legislature would still be able to follow through on the compromise it made with The Utah Patients Coalition.
Despite the compromise’s announcement in early October, opposition ads against Proposition 2 have continued on full-blast in recent weeks.
Missouri
Missouri voters will face not one but three different medical cannabis initiatives this Election Day. All three initiatives — Amendment 2, Amendment 3, and Proposition C — would legalize the growing, manufacturing, consumption, and distribution of medical cannabis. According to state law, the initiative that receives the most votes would override the others, although the constitutional amendments, if successful, would automatically take precedence over the proposition.
Between the three options, cannabis advocacy group NORML recommends Amendment 2. Proposed by New Approach Missouri, Amendment 2 is also the only MMJ option on Missouri’s ballot that would allow patients to grow their own medicine.
Amendment 2 is popular because it lets doctors, not lawmakers, dictate who should be allowed to use medical cannabis. The measure would also establish just a four percent medical cannabis tax with proceeds going directly to funding health care programs for veterans, one of the lowest in the country.
In contrast, Amendment 3 would establish the nation’s highest tax on retail purchases of medical cannabis products (15 percent) and, according to NORML, “Amendment 3 was funded entirely by one person, who drafted his amendment for his own personal benefit.”
Proposition C is not recommended because it would leave the door open for elected officials to tamper with the program, potentially diluting the industry and its effectiveness for patients.
The New Hampshire commission studying cannabis legalization has released its final report on a potential structure for future legislation, according to a New Hampshire Public Radio report.
The report totals 264 pages and takes no position on whether or not the state should legalize adult-use cannabis. Instead, the commission was tasked with making recommendations about the possible structure of such a program. Some discussion about the report was made public earlier this year. Ultimately, the decision will be left to lawmakers and possibly voters.
The commission studied the eight states that currently have legalized cannabis. Based on that research, they recommended limiting possession to one ounce for adults 21 and over and up to 5 grams of concentrate. The commission recommended banning public consumption of any kind, including cannabis lounges. The commission also recommended an opt-in structure for towns and cities, allowing unenthusiastic municipalities to avoid the industry.
The upper end of potential tax revenue for the state was estimated at an annual $58 million; the lower end was pegged at $15.2 million.
The report also recommends allowing a path for the state’s existing non-profit therapeutic cannabis centers to become for-profit adult-use dispensaries, as well as upgrading the number of plants allowed for home-grow from six to 12.
The commission recommended allowing internet sales, though said it would be necessary to ensure all customers were 21 and over.
Some issues with legalization were pointed out by the commission, specifically: a lack of accuracy for roadside intoxication tests and conflicts with OSGHA in regards to workplace safety.
The state recommended spending up to $5 million on education for safe use and the dangers of addiction.
Two different taxation structures were explored — a per-ounce excise tax at the cultivation level or a retail sales tax of 7 to 15 percent. The New Hampshire market was estimated, based on New York’s recent methodology, at somewhere between $218 million and $385 million.
Legislators will have to decide whether to act on the recommendations in the coming session.
Famed film director Francis Ford Coppola — director of the Godfather movies — has partnered with a Humboldt grower to add a cannabis brand to the director’s extensive wine and hospitality holdings, The Press Democrat reports.
Coppola’s holding company Sana Co. has inked a deal with licensed producer Humboldt Brothers to establish a limited edition cannabis brand offering three different strains. The brand will be called “The Grower’s Series.”
Coppola’s primary business entity, the “Family Coppola,” already holds a number of wine brands.
“Wine and cannabis are two ancient and bounteous gifts of Mother Nature, linked by great care, terroir and temperateness. Expertise making one applies to the other. As with growing grapes, location matters, and the Grower’s Series reflects California agricultural expertise creating a true blend of art and science.” — Francis Ford Coppola, in a prepared statement
The Grower’s Series aims to be a top-shelf brand offering “the highest-quality, sun-grown cannabis products,” created through sustainable farming.
Humboldt Brothers founder and CEO Johnny Deim said the deal with Coppola was a “landmark on how the times are changing.” Humboldt Brothers is in talks with other non-cannabis brands but said he was glad to make The Grower’s Series his first partnership.
The three strains being offered in the Grower’s Series were grown in carefully selected microclimates in Humboldt County. 15-20 strains were tested by a panel of aficionados who settled on the final three.
Each package of three one-gram samples of the strains will retail for $99 alongside rolling papers and a pipe. They’ll be available at select licensed dispensaries across California as well as via the bay-area delivery service Chill.
Mexico’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the national ban on cannabis use is unconstitutional, signaling the end of prohibition, according to Reuters.
Ruling in favor of two legal challenges filed against the country’s drug laws — which were just the most recent filings in what has been an ongoing, honest look at the effects of cannabis prohibition — Mexico’s highest court has created a precedent for all courts beneath it to follow.
Mexico’s Supreme Court took its first step towards ending cannabis prohibition in 2015, ruling then that citizens should be allowed to cultivate and consume the plant freely. Federal law, however, requires at least five similar rulings in a row on the same issue to prove its unconstitutionality.
The court’s ruling does not immediately legalize cannabis but signals that its prohibition is a violation of Mexicans’ constitutional rights and that “…the effects caused by marijuana do not justify an absolute prohibition on its consumption.”
The court ordered Mexico’s federal health agency COFEPRIS to authorize citizens to use the plant for personal purposes, if they so wish, “albeit without allowing them to market it, or use other narcotics or psychotropic drugs.”
Now, it is up to the legislature to create regulations for the plant’s use, cultivation, and distribution.
Assuming nobody else beats them to the punch, Mexico will become the third nation in the world to unilaterally end its prohibition on cannabis.
“When Congress declares marijuana prohibition unconstitutional in Mexico, the federal government of the United States will be the only prohibitionist jurisdiction left in North America. Canada now has legal marijuana. More than 30 states in the U.S. have some form of marijuana legalization. And now with Mexico legalizing consumption and production, the only drug warriors remaining in North America are President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.” — Froylán Enciso, a drug policy researcher at the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas
Mexico’s President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador — who was elected in July but doesn’t take office until December 1 — was voted into office with the expectation he would take action on drug reforms, potentially decriminalizing cannabis and perhaps even regulating the country’s illegal opium trade.
Apparently, the blood-sucking sand fly Diptera Psychodidae is strongly attracted to the cannabis plant, the Independent reports.
The flies are known to carry infectious diseases, such as ulcer-causing leishmaniasis and many other viruses. Scientists studying the flies across the world, in regions from Brazil to the Middle East, have noticed that the flies’ stomach contents contain cannabis plant sap far more often than expected.
While the sand flies will suck blood during certain stages of development, they also feed on sugary sap from plants. In regions where the flies are common, however, cannabis sativa rarely grows naturally and comprises only a small fraction of the available food sources. The fact that it’s such a common food found in the flies’ stomachs must mean they are strongly attracted to it.
That’s was surprising, as there doesn’t seem to be any receptors for cannabinoids in the flies’ bodies.
The exact nature of the attraction is still not understood and will require further research. The flies are usually trapped using sugary bait to help control their populations in problematic areas. The addition of cannabis plant material or even extracts to the baits may help the traps catch more flies and further reduce the transmission of disease.
The first FDA-approved medication containing cannabidiol (CBD) sourced from cannabis plants is now available by prescription in all 50 U.S. states, CNN reports.
The epilepsy medication Epidiolex, created by the United Kingdom-based drug manufacturer GW Pharmaceuticals, is approved in the U.S. as a treatment for two different types of severe epilepsy: Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, both most commonly found in children. The drug is a twice-daily oral solution
According to GW Pharmaceuticals, the medication is expected to cost about $32,500 per year; the company says that is line with other epilepsy medications, and that Epidiolex should be covered under most health insurance plans.
“Because these patients have historically not responded well to available seizure medications, there has been a dire need for new therapies that aim to reduce the frequency and impact of seizures. We are committed to ensuring that these patients can access this novel cannabinoid medicine that has been thoroughly studied in clinical trials, manufactured to assure quality and consistency, and is eligible to be covered by insurance for appropriate patients.” — Justin Gover, CEO of GW Pharmaceuticals, in a written statement
Although Epidiolex is only approved for the treatment of two very specific and rare types of epilepsy, U.S. law allows doctors to prescribe the medication “off-label” for other conditions. In fact, according to the report, this is a common tactic in the U.S. medical industry, where one out of every five medical prescriptions is meant for off-label use.
