The NFL Players Association has enlisted science and medical experts to actively study the use of cannabis as an alternative pain management therapy to opioid-based drugs, NFL.com reports. The move comes after two more states with NFL teams — Massachusetts and California — legalized cannabis for adult use.
Cannabis is currently barred by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the association and the league, but NFLPA Assistant Executive Director of External Affairs George Atallah confirmed that a committee will “look at pain management for NFL players,” but said it was “not a marijuana committee.”
According to an ESPNsurvey of NFL players released last week, 61 percent indicated they believed that fewer players would take painkiller shots if the league allowed medicinal use of cannabis. Another 42 percent said it would be more effective at managing pain than opioid- based pharmaceuticals.
According to NFL insider Ian Rappaport, the league has “not yet formed a consensus” on the issue, but if the committee recommends changes the NFL and NFLPA will meet to consider those proposals.
Of the 29 states that allow some legal access to cannabis – whether it is medicinal or adult-use – 14 of them host an NFL franchise. Five teams, excluding the Washington Redskins whose home turf is in Landover, not D.C., play their home games in cities that allow adult-use cannabis.
Newark in Licking County, Bellaire in Belmont County, Roseville, on the border of Perry and Muskingum counties, and Logan in Hocking County each passed the reforms, which only affect violations in those municipalities, not the entire county, the report says. Byesville, in Guernsey County, failed to pass their measure.
“If lawmakers don’t want to change the laws, we have the power to change them ourselves and that’s something we have the template to do,” said Bill Schmitt, who lead the Bellaire decriminalization effort.
The communities follow the city of Toledo in marijuana decriminalization, and advocates expect more municipalities to have their own initiatives in 2017 and 2018. The measures make possession a ticketed offense that carries neither fines nor jail time.
Toledo Law Director Adam Loukx said that officers could still choose to charge people with possession under state law but low-level convictions have been rare.
“No one’s called to say the schools have been overrun with pot-fiending hippies,” he said in the report. “But I don’t think there’s been any mass movement toward use of marijuana that’s any different than before the ordinance was adopted.”
A petition drive to decriminalize cannabis is already underway in the city of Cleveland.
Irish Health Minister Simon Harris has requested a report on medicinal cannabis from the Health Products Regulatory Agency, promising to consider introducing legislation based on the findings, according to an Irish Timesreport. He has asked the agency to provide recommendations on recent developments in the use of medical cannabis and an overview of the “wider ongoing and emerging clinical research” associated with the plant’s medicinal efficacy.
Harris is pushing for the changes after meeting with Vera Twomey, whose six-year-old daughter suffers from Dravet syndrome but is nearly seizure-free after starting a regimen of two doses of cannabis oil per day.
The republic’s legislative health committee is due to discuss allowing medicinal cannabis use later this month; meanwhile, TD Gino Kenny, of the Anti-Austerity Alliance—People Before Profit party, has introduced the Cannabis for Medicinal Use Bill 2016 but it’s unlikely to pass without the majority government’s support, according to the report.
The bill would allow for medicinal cannabis regulation, permitting the importation of the drug and making a “legally-protected, secure supply” available in pharmacies. It would also ban the advertising and sale of cannabis to minors.
Medicinal cannabis is available in the some U.S. states, Germany, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Canada, Australia, Croatia, Malta and some US states. CBD-only products will soon be available throughout the UK.
The most immediate effect the passage of Question 4 will have in Massachusetts is that, as of Dec. 15, adults over 21-years-old will be able to possess and use 1 ounce of cannabis and people will be allowed to grow up to 12 plants per household. Yet, retail sales are likely more than a year away, according to reports from Fox25and CBS, as there is a lot of bureaucracy that needs to happen before legal sales commence.
On Feb. 1, 2017, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker will make his first appointments to the state’s 15-member Cannabis Advisory Board – who will develop rules and regulations for the program. The following month, Treasurer Deborah Goldberg will appoint three members to the Cannabis Control Commission — which is expected to establish the initial regulations by Sept. 15 and issue its first cultivation, manufacturer, and retailer licenses by Oct. 1.
Under the plan, existing medical marijuana dispensaries will be given preference for commercial licenses until Jan. 1, 2018. Additional licenses will be awarded via lottery.
The tax rate — set at 12 percent under the initiative — is already being debated by officials and Goldberg is pushing for the rate to be more in line with Washington at 37 percent. Baker, who has protested against any tax increases in the state, has not said whether he supported raising the tax.
Canadian agriculture company Maple Leaf Green World has agreed to purchase a Nevada cultivation permit from BioNeva Innovations of Henderson LLC for $500,000, according to a press release from Maple Leaf.
The deal will see a 33,500-square-foot facility located in Henderson, 16 miles from Las Vegas, be transferred to the Canadian firm, who will work with Bill Monroe, a primary member of BioNeva, on transferring the property and helping the company adapt to the new regulations in the state.
“We are thrilled to be able to purchase this cultivation permit so close to Las Vegas at a reasonable price, and we are especially pleased to have the opportunity to engage the services of Bill Monroe to assist us with the development of our operations in Nevada,” Raymond Lai, President & CEO of Maple Leaf said in the report.
The deal would have been reduced by half if Nevada voters had failed to legalized adult-use cannabis in the state.
Maple Leaf does not currently hold a license to produce medical cannabis in its home nation; however, it is working with Woodmere Nursery Ltd to lease a greenhouse for medical cannabis production, the release says.
The companies expect the agreement to be finalized by Dec. 7.
Initiative 300 is a Denver-local ballot initiative that would create a 4-year pilot program where existing businesses — such as a bar, cafe, or restaurant — would be able to apply for permits to allow cannabis consumption in designated areas.
Indoor consumption would be allowed only in vapor or edible forms, though cannabis smoking sections would be permitted if they were kept outdoors. The businesses would all operate on a bring-your-own-cannabis basis.
Each business would require an endorsement from a registered neighborhood organization, Business Improvement District, or other neighborhood group before it can be awarded a permit.
The ballot measure has been championed by Kayvan Khalatbari of Denver Relief Consulting and has spurred up opposition in some unexpected places.
NORML had been working on a social use initiative earlier this year, though it failed to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, and the organization issued a formal endorsement of Initiative 300 in September.
Check back to this post throughout the evening for more live updates as we follow Denver’s Initiative 300.
Update 10:45 a.m. (Wednesday) – After a series of landslide victories for cannabis measures and a near-unbelievable presidential upset, local ballot results have started to come in. As of early this morning, Denver’s Initiative 300 is in a neck-and-neck race that is currently too close to call, though the social use measure has a “razor-thin” lead, according to Colorado-based cannabis publications Marijuana Business Daily and The Cannabist.
Voters in California, Nevada, and Massachusetts have legalized adult cannabis use. Ballots are still being counted in Maine, and it looks extraordinarily tight, but the Yes On 1 campaign declared victory early this morning. Arizona voters turned down their recreational cannabis initiative.
Arkansas, Florida, North Dakota, and Montana each voted for either allowing medical cannabis use or expanding their current program.
Legalized states double in number
Erik Altieri, NORML executive director, called California’s vote “a fatal blow to federal prohibition.”
“This victory in California ensures another 12 percent of the United States population will wake up tomorrow in a state with the legalized adult use of marijuana,” he said in a statement. “Combined with our other recent victories, federal prohibition is truly on its last legs and it is just a matter of time before federal policy is reformed to accept this new reality.”
California was considered a must-win by activists, despite the Proposition drawing the ire of many growers and industry insiders over fears that the program will push out small operations and allow for a new kind of prohibition – pointing out that the law creates new criminal codes that are more onerous than current laws. Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Association said the win allows the state to “take its rightful place as the center of cannabis innovation.”
“We expect to add millions of new jobs to California’s economy, and we look forward to working with the state on creating a regulatory structure that will protect consumers and the general public as a whole,” he said.
Multiple cannabis nugs hang on a line during their curing process. Photo Credit: Cannabis Pictures
In what was considered by many to be a litmus test, Massachusetts becomes the first East Coast state to legalize cannabis for adult use; the second, Maine, is deadlocked at 50/50 with more than 90 percent of precincts reporting at the time of this writing, though the pro-legalization vote is leading by several thousand votes.
Nevada voters also embraced the legalization of adult-use cannabis, approving their measure with a 54/46 split of the popular vote. Nevada’s measure will allow for the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis flower and 3.5 grams of concentrate and is certain to drum up new money in the form of excise taxes and cannabis tourism.
Matthew Huron, CEO of Good Chemistry Nurseries, lauded the decision made by Nevada voters. “Legalizing cannabis for adult use makes it more accessible to those who need it, and brings cannabis out of the black market and into a regulated and taxable market,” said Huron.
The numbers ebbed all evening in Arizona, but ultimately the state fell to prohibitionists, with 52 percent of support. Polls had suggested Arizona would be close – but polls were not a great barometer in this election. It’s extremely likely Arizona voters will take up this issue again in two years after being narrowly defeated this time around.
Medical marijuana wins the day
But it’s patients who really came out victors during this historic election – Arkansas, located in the heart of the bible belt, might have blazed a path to medical cannabis access in the South. Although the victory was narrow, with 53 percent support, it adds a green state to the swath of states that continue denying medical cannabis access to patients.
Voters in Florida approved that state’s medical marijuana amendment with 71 percent support — the highest rate of support ever for any cannabis measure in the U.S. Experts predict that the medical cannabis program there will thrive due to the state’s high population, advantageous climate, and general attractiveness to older citizens, who often will benefit the most from medicinal cannabis.
North Dakota also passed its first form of medical marijuana legislation by wide margins, with 62 percent of voters turning out in support of the cannabis reform measure.
Montana voted once more in favor of medical marijuana, riding a 56/44 split to undo the harsh restrictions passed by state lawmakers and upheld by the Supreme Court earlier this year. Dispensaries will be able to re-open and patients will soon once again have access to the robust medicinal cannabis marketplace that the establishment fought to subdue.
A jar of Purple Diesel on display in a California medical cannabis dispensary. Photo Credit: Dank Depot
Future of cannabis
Following last night’s victories, more than one-quarter, or about 30 percent, of the U.S. now has access to some form of legal cannabis.
“These historic decisions, chosen by the citizens of these states, make it clear that cannabis prohibition will be over in a matter of time,” said Jonathan (Yoni) Ofir, CEO and founder of LEAF, a Colorado-based cannabis tech company. “These decisions transcended race, culture, religion, and political party affiliation. The people want to end prohibition and see cannabis as a viable part of a healthy everyday life.”
It’s totally unclear what kind of policies we can expect out of a President Donald Trump administration but on the campaign trail, he indicated that he would allow the states to codify their own policies.
Many fear that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will have a seat at his administration table, which could spell disaster for all of the progress made last night.
Nevertheless, layers of cannabis prohibition were stripped away last night in an epic and telling blow — and we can’t lose sight of that victory.
New Zealand’s Hikurangi Enterprises has been granted a license from the Health Ministry to grow a trial crop of hemp in the eastern region of Ruatoria, according to a report from the Gisborne Herald. The trial aims to determine if the crop would benefit local farmers.
According to Hikurangi chairman Panapa Ehau, the first plot, set for 400-square-meters, is due to be planted this month.
“The focus is on building our knowledge of this crop and developing the necessary relationships that will lead to a successful entry into a small New Zealand market,” he said in the report. “Industrial hemp might provide such an opportunity, with favorable growing conditions and a skilled workforce.”
Manu Caddie, business development manager for Hikurangi, said they will target hemp oil for the first round of crops and are seeking cultivation experts that will help maximize the gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), omega 3 and 6 content and protein in hemp seed.
“The oil is known to help with a range of ailments, including diabetes, obesity and eczema,” Caddie said. “The trial will help us gauge the potential for the crop under different growing conditions.”
This is the third hemp trial in the region and the most recent bid in 2004 showed promise for the crop in the district.
Montana’s “Medical Marijuana Act” is not much of a medical cannabis legalization vote, it’s more of a re-legalization vote. Specifically, this law repeals a whole heap of restrictions that were put in place by state lawmakers years ago and upheld earlier this year by the Montana Supreme Court. Starting August 31, medical cannabis providers in Montana were limited to serving only three patients. This effectively gutted the marketplace and likely pushed thousands of patients into the unregulated or “illicit” market for their medicine.
In response, advocates rapidly came together and assembled and drafted Initiative 182, which essentially undoes all of the unnecessary and noncompassionate legislative restrictions.
Update 1:00 am PST — Montana voters have once again chosen to allow for a sophisticated medical cannabis industry, coming out in a 56-44 split in favor of medicinal marijuana, according to the Associated Press.
Update 11:00 pm EST – Early returns in Montana show 57 percent support for I182, with 43 percent opposed, with 5 percent of precincts reported, according to the Associated Press via Google’s Election Tracker.
Check back to this post for live updates as we follow the evening’s developments.
Initiative 182, “Montana Medical Marijuana Act”
Taxes: There are no changes to the tax structure.
Fees: License fees for providers and producers may not exceed $1,000 for 10 or fewer registered cardholders; no more than $5,000 for more than 10.
Lab license fees cannot exceed $1,200.
Revenue disbursement: A special revenue account will be created to pay any administrative fees associated with the changes.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
Arizona is making its first attempt at cannabis legalization this year in hopes of catching up with other western states. Under Proposition 205, Arizona adults would be entitlted to the possession, use, and cultivation of up to six cannabis plants for personal use.
Arizona’s cannabis advocates have faced steep opposition to their bid to legalize the adult use of cannabis, including major contributions from both a pharmaceutical company and a prison services company. Arizona is one of the few states where prohibitionist efforts have actually outfundraised cannabis advocates.
Recently, several Colorado lawmakers penned an open letter to the Anti-205 campaign, asking them to stop misrepresenting the facts of Colorado’s legalization law and accusing that the group’s campaign commercials of being “highly misleading” and “wholly inaccurate.”
Check back to this post later for live updates. We’ll be updating and making notes about Arizona’s and other states’ legalization votes.
Update 12:18 am PST (Wednesday) – The Associated Press (via Google’s Election Checker) has declared that Prop. 205 failed to garner enough support to pass, with 52 percent of the popular vote in Arizona opposing cannabis legalization.
Update 11:11 pm PST – With 80 percent of precincts reporting, Proposition 205 is still behind in the popular vote — though support has risen to 48 percent and 52 percent are opposed.
Update 9:11 pm PST – Proposition 205 is still trailing in the popular vote at 47 percent support and 53 percent opposed, with 59 percent of precincts reporting.
Update 11:08 pm EST – With 30 percent of precincts reporting, Prop 205 is on the short end of a 47-53 percent vote, according to The Associated Press via Google’s Election Tracker.
Proposition 205, “Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act”
Personal possession limits: 1 ounce of flower, 5 grams of concentrates.
Taxes: 15 percent excise tax.
Fees: Distributor and product manufacturing fees cannot exceed $15,000 for the initial license; $5,000 for renewal.
Retail fees cannot exceed $20,000 for the initial license; $6,000 for renewal.
Cultivation fees cannot exceed $30,000 for the initial license; $10,000 for renewal.
Revenue disbursement: 80 percent allocated for education; 20 percent, Department of Public Health.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment — a.k.a. Issue 6 — would create a five-member Medical Marijuana Commission that would oversee the program and advise the Department of Health on cannabis-related issues.
Earlier in the year, Arkansas experienced a unique internal struggle on the cannabis front: two different and competing medical cannabis initiatives originally qualified for the general election ballot, and — though each initiative polled favorably on their own — it was a widespread concern that the initiatives might split the popular vote, thus sabotaging the larger MMJ effort.
Late last month, however, the Arkansas Supreme Court disqualified the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act over an allegedly illegal petitioning process — this proved to be a controversial move which sparked a series of lawsuits from voters who had already submitted their ballots through early voting.
The AMCA had been favored by many advocates and had an endorsement from NORML because it allowed for more widespread cannabis use and for patients to grow their own medicine, though popular opinion had been leaning toward the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment. Now, with only one initiative left to vote for, Arkansas voters will hopefully unite in approving a medical marijuana program for those patients who need it.
You can follow along on this post for live updates as election results come in.
Update 9:43 pm PST – Arkansas voters have passed Issue 6 to legalize medical marijuana, with reports from Politicoshowing a 53-47 split in favor of the amendment.
Update 7:55 pm PST – Support for Issue 6 has risen to 52 percent support with 39 percent of precincts reporting.
Update 7:25 pm PST – Arkansas’ Issue 6 is caught in a tight race. According to the Associated Press via Google Election Tracker, the current numbers are being reported at 51 percent support and 49 percent against, with just over 25 percent of precincts reporting.
Issue 6, “Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment”
Taxes: The AMMA invokes local and state taxes.
Revenue disbursement: AMMA – 5 percent to the Department of Health; 4 percent to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Administration, and Enforcement divisions; 1 percent to the Medical Marijuana Commission; 10 percent to the Skills Development Fund; 50 percent to the would-be-created Vocational and Technical Training Special Revenue Fund; 30 percent to the General Revenue Fund.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
California this year may be experiencing the most-watched cannabis legalization campaign in history. Under the Adult Use of Marijuana Act — which is appearing on California’s 2016 general election ballot as Proposition 64 — the possession, consumption, and personal cultivation of recreational cannabis would become legal for adults aged 21 and older. As the eighth-largest economy in the world, California choosing to reject the status quo of cannabis prohibition would be a momentous achievement for the reform movement.
Recent polling data has indicated that Prop. 64 has a fairly comfortable lead, though many medical cannabis advocates and entrepreneurs have voiced opposition to the state’s latest attempt at adult use legalization.
Keep your eyes on this article for live updates as the election results roll in!
Update 8:40 pm PST — Though it’s still early into the ballot counting process, the Associated Pressvia Google Election Tracker and Politico have both called Proposition 64 successful, and is likely to legalize recreational cannabis for adults. Currently, Prop. 64 is showing 55 percent support and 45 percent opposed, with 15 percent precincts reporting.
Proposition 64, “Adult Use of Marijuana Act”
Personal possession limits: 28.5 grams of flower, 4 grams of concentrates.
Taxes: 15 percent retail sales tax plus state sales tax, $9.25 tax per ounce of flower, $2.75 tax per ounce of leaves. Municipalities can impose local taxes.
Fees: The bill does not outline a fee structure; it delegates power to Bureau of Marijuana Control.
Revenue disbursement: 60 percent, Youth Education, Prevention, Early Intervention Account; 20 percent, Environmental Restoration and Protection Account; 20 percent, State and Local Law Enforcement Account.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
North Dakota’s Measure 5 would create a medical cannabis program for patients suffering from “debilitating medical conditions” — including in this case cancer and it’s treatments; HIV/AIDS; Hepatitis C; ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease; post-traumatic stress disorder; Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and its treatments; Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia; spinal damage/stenosis; chronic back pain; glaucoma; epilepsy; neuropathy; and wasting syndrome. The North Dakota Health Department would be able to add conditions after the fact, and citizens would be permitted to petition for condition approval under the program.
Update 11:04 pm EST – North Dakota voters have approved Measure 5 to legalize medicinal marijuana, according to numbers from the Associated Press via Google’s Election Tracker.
Update 10:34 pm EST – The gap has widened to 62-38 in favor of Measure 5 with 55 percent of precincts reporting, according to the Associated Press via Google’s Election Tracker.
Update 9:50 pm EST – The Associated Press via Google’s Election Tracker reports 60 percent to 40 percent in support of Measure 5 with 20 percent of precincts reporting.
Update 9:20 pm EST – The Associated Press via Google’s Election Tracker reports voting on Measure 5 is, so far, close at 54 percent to 46 percent in favor with 6 percent of precincts reporting.
Stay tuned to this article to learn more about North Dakota’s MMJ election results as the day carries on — we will be making updates as the news breaks.
Taxes: There are no tax implications.
Fees: $25,000 license fees following Health Department approval.
Revenue disbursement: A Compassionate Care Fund will be created, comprised of donations, fees, and civil penalties imposed.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
Maine joins Massachusetts as the earliest East Coast attempts at a state legalization initiative (the District of Columbia legalized by voter initiative in 2014). Question 1 on the Maine general election ballot would legalize adult-use cannabis for anyone 21 years old or older.
The Maine legalization story has drummed up a lot of controversy and support throughout its course this year. In March, it was said that the initiative had been disqualified due to a group of 17,000 allegedly faulty petition signatures, as per a decision made by Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap — however, that decision was later overruled by Kennebec County Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy.
The initiative has a slim majority support among voters, though many state officials have come out against legalization. Maine Governor Paul LePage made headlines when he posted a Facebook video in which he made accusations hearkening to the days of Reefer Madness propaganda, including a false claim that cannabis-related traffic deaths had risen in Colorado since that state voted to legalize.
If you check back to this post throughout the evening, we will be live updating the article as election results come in.
Update 6:15 pm PST – Ballot counting has begun in Maine, and the early numbers are looking good for Question 1, with 53 percent in favor and 47 percent opposed, according to numbers from the Associated Press.
Question 1, “Marijuana Legalization Act”
Personal possession limits: 2 1/2 ounces (includes transfer without renumeration).
Taxes: 10 percent retail sales tax.
Fees: Application fees for any industry license could range from $10 to $250.
License fees for retail locations and marijuana social clubs range from $250 to $2,500.
License fees for testing facilities are $100.
Cultivation license fees range $10 to $100 per 1,000-square-feet.
Product manufacturing licenses range from $100 to $1,000
Revenue disbursement: Revenues will be deposited into the General Fund.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
Many eyes are watching Florida this year as it takes its second attempt at establishing a workable medical marijuana program. Advocates tried and narrowly failed to pass a constitutional amendment in 2014, and they are at it again for the 2016 general election.
Florida’s Amendment 2 would legalize cannabis treatment for patients suffering from the following conditions: cancer; epilepsy; glaucoma; HIV/AID; post-traumatic stress disorder; ALS; Crohn’s disease; Parkinson’s disease; multiple sclerosis; “or other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class.” In order to succeed, the amendment must receive 60% or more of the popular vote — which was why the state’s 2014 amendment attempt ultimately failed, though it had majority support.
This year, Florida advocates have witnessed massive campaign contributions both in support and against their efforts.
If you’re interested in live updates on Florida’s medical marijuana progress tonight, check back to this article: we will be making notes as the results come rolling in.
Update 8:43 pm EST – The Associated Press and local Fox 13 reports Amendment 2 has passed 71 percent to 29 percent. The initiative required 60 percent support to pass.
Update 4:55 pm PST – Politico is beginning to tally the votes for Florida’s medical cannabis vote. With only 7 percent of the vote currently counted, Amendment 2 is boasting major support among Florida voters: 68.6 percent in favor and 31.4 percent against.
Amendment 2, “Use of Marijuana for Debilitating Conditions”
The Department of Health would be tasked in rolling out much of the program details, which need to be in place 6 months if the measure is passed by voters.
The amendment text permits Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers and caregivers, but it does not lay out any of the details included in other ballot initiatives, such as fees, taxes, possession limits and revenue disbursement.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
Massachusetts is one of two East Coast legalization attempts for the 2016 general election.
Polling has shown that a majority of Massachusetts voters support the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, though the campaign faces steep opposition in the form of anti-legalization adverts and a $1 million contribution towards the anti campaign by casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. Nevertheless, advocates have out-fundraised and have hopefully out-performed their opposition throughout the year.
Check back later for updates to this post as election results come in!
Update 11:54 pm EST – Question 4 has been declared successful, with 53 percent support and 47 percent opposed, making Massachusetts the first state to legalize recreational cannabis on the East Coast.
Update 9:41 pm EST – The Associated Press via Google Election Tracker shows Question 4 polling at 52 percent in favor and 48 percent opposed with 18 percent of precincts reporting.
Update 9:02 pm EST – The Associated Press via Google Election Tracker shows Question 4 polling at 50/50 with 5 percent of precincts reporting.
Question 4, “Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act”
Personal possession limits: 1 ounce of flower in public, 10 ounces at home, 5 grams of concentrates in public.
Taxes: 3.75 percent excise tax, plus state sales tax. Local government can add up to a 2 percent tax.
Fees: $3,000 retail, product manufacturer, cultivator, and testing application fee.
$15,000 for retail, cultivation, and product manufacturing licenses.
$10,000 for a testing license.
Revenue disbursement: Does not specify, will be determined by commission.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
Nevada will play host to yet another well-watched legalization vote in the West during the 2016 general election. With Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and now maybe California, Nevada is sure to be feeling worried it might miss out on the early green rush. If approved, the Initiative to Regulate and Tax Marijuana would legalize recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older. Recent polling data showed a very slight majority in support of the initiative, with 47% percent in favor and 43% opposed.
And — with Las Vegas being one of the most prevalent tourist destinations in the U.S. — the state’s cannabis tourism market is almost certain to explode if voters choose to embrace legalization.
Keep your eyes on this article as election results come in, as we will be following the vote closely and will provide informational updates along the way.
Update 10:25 pm PST – Question 2 has been approved by Nevada voters in a 54-46 split, according to media sources with the Associated Press and Politico.
Update 9:15 pm PST – It appears to be a close race for Question 2 in Nevada: with 29 percent of precincts reporting, the move to legalize is up 53 percent support to 37 percent opposed, according to Politico.
Question 2, “Initiative to Regulate and Tax Marijuana”
Personal possession limits: 1 ounce of flower, 3.5 grams of concentrates.
Taxes: 15 percent excise tax, plus state sales tax
Fees: $5,000 application fee for retail, cultivation, product manufacturing, distributor, and testing licenses.
Distributor and testing fees cannot exceed $15,000 for the initial license; $5,000 for renewal.
Retail fees cannot exceed $20,000 for the initial license; $6,000 for renewal.
Cultivation fees cannot exceed $30,000 for the initial license; $10,000 for renewal.
Product manufacturing fees cannot exceed $10,000 for the initial license; $3,300 for renewal.
Revenue disbursement: Revenues support K-12 education.
VIDEO: Overview of Cannabis Initiatives
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
Dozens of Oregon communities are asking their voters tonight to approve a 3% retail cannabis sales tax, which would be added on top of the state’s mandatory tax on cannabis sales. The extra 3% tax would be earmarked for local government use.
Currently, Oregon cannabis sales are subject to a 25% state tax. Starting January 1, tax rates will drop to 17% or 20%, depending on whether or not local voters chose to embrace the extra 3% retail tax.
The state of Oregon collected more than $25.5 million in taxes during the first six months of 2016 and the marketplace is on track to meet state economists’ predictions.
Check back later for updates on the many Oregon localities voting on this issue tonight!
It’s been a wild ride in the build up to today’s 2016 general election. We are witnessing a historic number of states putting the question of cannabis reform before voters: five states are considering recreational legalization, and four more might join the ranks of states with medical marijuana programs. There is also an opportunity for Denver, Colorado to create a regulatory structure for social use clubs in the city, and countless votes in municipal districts throughout the country.
By tonight’s finish, we will know which states have succeeded and who must try again in later elections. Check back here for regular updates across all of the initiatives that are going in front of voters! We will be updating this piece throughout the evening and late into the night.
Below, you will find specific articles covering each of the major cannabis-related votes:
Below is a brief overview of all the different state-level cannabis initiatives on the ballot this election cycle. With nine total states voting on expanding access to cannabis, this year presents an unprecedented opportunity for legalization advocates and medical cannabis patients.
New Mexico’s Medical Advisory Board has voted 5-1 to add “opioid use disorder” to the list of conditions approved for access to the state’s medicinal cannabis program, according to a report by the Santa Fe New Mexican. The lone dissenting vote was cast by the Board’s chairman Dr. Mitch Simson, who said he was concerned about substituting one addiction for another.
The plan was supported by health professionals, addiction specialists, and lawmakers who attended the meeting of the Advisory Board last week. Board member Dr. Laura Brown, who works at the Santa Fe Addiction Center, told her colleagues that among her patients battling opiate addiction the ones “who are using cannabis are doing better than those who are not.”
Anita Briscoe, the nurse who proposed the measure to the board, indicated that about 25 percent of her patients addicted to opioids have told her that cannabis stems their craving and relieves their pain. Three of her colleagues who certify patients under the medical cannabis program estimated that they have seen roughly 400 patients use cannabis to help break their opioid addiction. Briscoe provided board members with 21 pages of research, including articles from the American Medical Associates, the American Journal of Public Health, and the American Journal of Addiction to back up her anecdotes.
“Just imagine if [addicts] had access to cannabis and were able to kick their habits, how our state would change for the better,” she said during her appearance in front of the board. “Crime would go down, health care costs would diminish, overdose deaths would fall, and it would help our economy to flourish. Without the familial crisis of opiate dependence, New Mexico’s children would also be safer, families would be more stable.”
State Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, and Rep. Deborah Armstrong, both Democrats, also submitted letters backing the proposal.
During the meeting, the Advisory Board also voted to allow Alzheimer’s disease to the qualifying condition list, allow patients to be certified under the program via telemedicine — to help rural New Mexicans gain access to the program — and to raise the cap on the number of growers permitted under the program. They also tabled proposals that would add autism, attention deficit disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
State Health Secretary-designate Lynn Gallagher must sign off on any new qualifying conditions before they would be permitted for medical cannabis therapies.
Denmark’s Health Ministry has announced they will launch a four-year trial, costing more than $3.2 million, to assess the possible use of medical cannabis for patients suffering from serious and chronic illnesses, such as spinal damage and multiple sclerosis, the Copenhagen Postreports. Officials plan for the trials to commence on Jan. 1, 2018.
“The goal of the trial is to establish a defensible framework for the implementation of medicinal cannabis in the public health sector so patients with certain treatment indications can be treated with medicinal cannabis prescribed by a doctor,” the agreement states. “Hereby, some of the patients who self-medicate using illegal products can have a legal alternative that can be used within a more secure environment.”
The proposal — which has the support from the Socialdemokratiet, Dansk Folkeparti, Liberal Alliance, Alternativet, Radikale, Socialistisk Folkeparti, along with the government leaders Venstre — is expected to be similar to the model used in the cannabis-friendly Netherlands, who legalized medicinal marijuana in 2003.
Germany, which borders Denmark to the south, has had limited access to medicinal cannabis since a court decision in 2005. In May, Health Minister Hermann Gröhe proposed a law that would legalize the drug for medicinal use in Germany, and allow it to be covered by health insurance.
In the first year of medicinal cannabis sales in Illinois, there have been no serious problems or complications with the program, and not a single patient registered with the program has had their driver license revoked for diverting the drug, the Chicago Tribunereports.
And while calls to the Illinois Poison Control Center for cannabis exposure are up — from 13 children last year to 21 this year and from zero to two adults — the number is dwarfed by the 74,000 calls annually to the center for mostly prescription drugs. Carol Des Lauriers, director of the Poison Control Center, said it was not clear whether the marijuana calls were related to medical cannabis, but indicated that all of the patients recovered.
Presently, the program has about 12,000 enrollees who have spent about $28 million. Illinois courts have ordered the Department of Health to add seven qualifying conditions, ranging from migraine headaches to intractable pain, which would allow for more patients to access the program; however, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is appealing those decisions.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement,” Dan Linn, Illinois NORML executive director, said in the report. “Obviously, we’d like to see more conditions added.”
Over the summer, Gov. Bruce Rauner extended the pilot program until mid-2020, and added post-traumatic stress disorder and terminal illness to the qualifying condition list.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has modified its Rules of Professional Conduct to allow attorneys to work with medical marijuana clients without fearing action from the state Disciplinary Board, according to the report by the Legal Intelligencer.
“We can relax,” Andrew Sacks of Sacks Weston Diamond, who pushed for the rule change, said in the report. “It’s a happy day for Pennsylvania lawyers.”
According to the new rules, attorneys “may counsel or assist a client regarding conduct expressly permitted by Pennsylvania law, provided that the lawyer counsels the client about the legal consequences, under other applicable law, of the client’s proposed course of conduct.”
However, as is the case in other states with legal cannabis programs, some risk remains for lawyers due to federal law.
“Us lawyers are still violating federal law,” Sacks said. “We’re aiding and abetting.”
William G. Roark, of Hamburg, Rubin, Maxwell & Lupin said that the rule changes make it “easier for every firm” to operate without a “fog of uncertainty,” but that medical marijuana laws and regulations are complex.
“What I hope doesn’t happen is that the amended rule is now going to be an invitation or incentive for people to get in over their head in this arena without being capable of doing everything this entails,” he said.
The decision from the court follows the draft rules for the program released last week by the state Health Department.
Arcturus Growthstar Technologies Inc. has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase a 10-acre greenhouse in Florida that is already zoned for medical marijuana cultivation, according to a press release from the Canadian firm. The greenhouse falls under Florida’s strict criteria for cannabis manufacturing, which require applicants to have been in business for 30 years and to have grown at least 400,000 plants by the time of their application.
The greenhouse purchased by Arcturus has been family operated since 1959 and currently grows ornamental plants. Over the last year the property has generated over $2,600,000, with earnings before taxes, depreciation, and amortization of more than $400,000, the release says. William Gildea, Arcturus CEO and Chairman, said the company would continue producing the ornamental plants using the company’s Controlled Environment Agriculture technology “until Amendment 2 allow for the property to be converted for growing cannabis.” Gildea estimates that the company can quadruple the current ornamental plant yields.
“With this acquisition, Arcturus is potentially positioned as one of the public sectors first movers into Florida’s cannabis market,” Gildea said in the release. “This acquisition is in the designated legal grow zone with close proximity to Orlando, which has a local population of almost 2.5 million and attracts over 62 million visitors annually, making it a prime location.”
According to the release, if Floridians pass Amendment 2, the medical marijuana customer base in Florida could exceed a customer base of 400,000.
Florida joins Montana, Arkansas and North Dakota in considering implementing or expanding their medical cannabis programs during tomorrow’s general election.
