Canadian Supreme Court Upholds Quebec’s Ban on Cannabis Home Grows

4/17/2023

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The Canadian Supreme Court last week ruled that Quebec’s ban on home cannabis cultivation is constitutional despite federal law allowing four plants to be grown by individuals for personal use, Reuters reports. The court’s ruling said the prohibition on home growing is intended to “ensure the effectiveness of the state monopoly on the sale of cannabis in order to protect the health and security of the public.”  

“The Quebec legislature saw the possession and personal cultivation of cannabis not as a social evil to be suppressed, but rather as a practice that should be prohibited in order to steer consumers to a controlled source of supply.” — The Supreme Court ruling via CBC  

The home cultivation ban challenge was brought by Janick Murray-Hall in 2019. Murray-Hall won in Quebec’s Supreme Court, but the ruling was overturned by the province’s court of appeals, leading to the Supreme Court of Canada case.  

On Twitter, Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette said officials “are satisfied with the judgment of the Supreme Court confirming Quebec’s full capacity to act in the matter,” the report says.   

In Quebec, fines for home growing run between CAD$250 and CAD$750. 

Maxime Guérin, Murray-Hall’s attorney, told the CBC that “There is certainly some disappointment, but it is the decision of the highest court, it’s a constitutional decision and we don’t have much choice but to rely on this.” 

The ruling by the court was unanimous.  

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Illinois Proposals Would End Vehicle Searches Based on Cannabis Odor & Let Parolees Use Cannabis

4/17/2023

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Illinois lawmakers are considering bills that would ban police from searching vehicles based solely on the odor of cannabis and allow some people on probation to use cannabis and alcohol, Capitol News Illinois reports. The bill prohibiting police from searching vehicles based on cannabis odor would still allow the practice for drivers under 21-years-old. 

During floor debate on the vehicle search reform bill, State Sen. Rachel Ventura (D) said “People – especially people of color – are unnecessarily pulled over far too often.”  

“The odor of cannabis alone shouldn’t be one of those reasons (for cars to be searched). Cannabis is legal in Illinois and it’s a pungent scent that can stick to clothes for extended periods of time.”— Ventura via Capitol News 

Atticus Ballesteros, an attorney for American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, testified that the organization has “concerns that the amendment to the bill creates a workaround, or a loophole, that could have the effect of incentivizing police to target youth for unnecessary traffic stops or vehicle searches.” 

The legislation passed the Senate last week 33-20. 

The bill allowing some people on probation to consume cannabis and alcohol would not allow use of either if the person is sentenced to a crime that involved “the presence of an intoxicating compound in the person’s body” and courts could still impose restrictions on offenders under 21 or those participating in courts designed to help people with mental health or substance abuse problems. 

That measure passed the Senate 34-21. 

Both bills move next to the House.   

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Curaleaf Chairman Plans to Use ‘Any Legal Means Necessary’ to Restore New Jersey Adult-Use Permits

4/17/2023

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In a statement released following the decision by New Jersey regulators to deny the renewal of Curaleaf’s adult-use cannabis license, Boris Jordan, Curaleaf’s chairman, said the company would use “any legal means necessary” to “ensure renewal” of the permits. 

In the statement, Jordan called the action by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s (CRC) Board “unprecedented” and “disappointing” and that the decision “overrode the Commission’s own staff recommendation that our adult use licenses be renewed.”  

“We believe the CRC Board has wrongly interpreted the applicable regulations and that its decision to retaliate against Curaleaf for our need to consolidate production into one local facility is lacking in merit. Curaleaf has never been cited for such a violation and we believe there is no regulation requiring permission for the staff reduction we announced. Curaleaf is in good standing with the CRC and has fulfilled the requirements necessary for the renewal of our licenses.” — Jordan in an April 14 statement     

The CRC, on April 13, cited a decision by Curaleaf last month to close one of its cultivation facilities and lay off 40 employees as one reason for revoking the company’s adult-use license. Regulators also cited Curaleaf’s clash with unionization and the company’s lack of transparency as reasons for rejecting the license renewal. New Jersey’s adult-use cannabis law requires licensees to maintain business peace agreements as a condition and requires collective bargaining within 200 days after a dispensary first opens if the majority of employees vote to form a union. 

Curaleaf’s adult-use license expires on Friday. In the statement, Curaleaf said it “remains open for business and will continue working with the CRC Board and its staff to ensure renewal” of its adult-use licenses.

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New Jersey Regulators Deny Curaleaf Cannabis License Renewal

4/14/2023

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New Jersey cannabis regulators on Thursday declined to renew the license of Curaleaf to grow and sell cannabis for the state’s adult-use market, the New Jersey Monitor reports. Curaleaf is a multistate cannabis company and the biggest player in New Jersey’s cannabis industry.

With the denial, Curaleaf’s adult-use license expires on April 21; it’s unclear what the move means for the company’s medical cannabis patients.

The vote came a month after Curaleaf said it confirmed to state regulators that it was closing one of its cultivation facilities and laying off 40 employees. Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) members on Thursday cited the closure, Curaleaf’s clash with unionization, and the company’s lack of transparency as reasons for rejecting the license renewal.

CRC Chair Dianna Houenou said during Thursday’s meeting that “it’s important for the board to have staff at large to have proper insight and timely notice of major changes to facility operations.”

New Jersey’s adult-use cannabis law also requires licensees to maintain business peace agreements as a condition. The law requires collective bargaining within 200 days after a dispensary first opens if the majority of employees vote to form a union.

During the meeting, Commissioner Krista Nash noted that that provision “is an explicit mandate.”

“People have different definitions of what ‘maintain’ means. If you maintain your car, I don’t know if that means letting it sit in a garage. But it doesn’t mean, in this term, filing an agreement away in a drawer, but rather to implement the terms of what parties agreed to do.” — Nash via the Monitor

During the meeting, James Shorris, Curaleaf’s chief compliance officer, touted the company’s investments in the state, high sales to medical and adult-use consumers, and job creation with an emphasis on diversity. He also defended the closure of the Bellmawr cultivation site, citing changes in demand for flower and cost concerns.

Curaleaf has not responded publicly to the license denial.

The board did approve the annual licenses for other dispensaries run by Acreage, Rise, Terrascend, and Verano during the meeting.

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Survey: Majority of Finland Supports Cannabis Decriminalization

4/14/2023

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A survey by Finland’s Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) found 53% of respondents said cannabis use and possession should not be a crime, YLE News reports. Another 24% said cannabis should be legal for any use and 56% said cannabis should be legal for medical use. In 2018, those figures were 18% and 54%, respectively.

Additionally, the survey found 29% of Fins would support decriminalization of all drugs – a 9% increase from the previous survey in 2018. The survey found the same percentage of Fins had tried cannabis – a five-fold increase from the 6% of Fins who said they’d tried cannabis in 1992.

Another 57% of respondents said they thought trying cannabis once or twice carries minor health or other risks, while 20% said the same about other drugs. Karoliina Karjalainen, THL specialist researcher, told YLE News that the increase in drug use among Fins was expected.

“We know from previous research that a significant proportion of age groups born in the 1980s and 1990s have tried drugs.” — Karjalainen via YLE News

Pekka Hakkarainen, THL research professor, added that “Opinions about the criminality surrounding drug use are clearly changing.”

The survey also found increased support for monitored drug use facilities as a way to prevent drug overdoses, with 65% of respondents favoring the plan – an increase of 15% from the 2018 survey.

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New Hampshire Senate President Says Chamber Unlikely to Approve Cannabis Legalization Bill

4/14/2023

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In an interview with the Conway Daily Sun on Thursday, New Hampshire Senate President Jeb Bradley (R) predicted the chamber would not pass the cannabis legalization law approved by the House last week. The House has passed an adult-use cannabis legalization bill three times, but the reforms have never been approved by the Senate. 

“I have supported medical marijuana and decriminalization of three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana, I am not going to vote for recreational marijuana. I think when all is said and done, it’s not going to be enacted into law.” — Bradley to the Daily Sun 

Bradley added that “in the middle of a drug crisis,” he doesn’t “think it’s a good idea to legalize more drugs.” 

State Rep. Michael Costable (R) told the Daily Sun that while “the Senate has been a disappointment in the recent past” he was “optimistic that this time is different and the Senate will pass this on to the governor.”  

“I do believe pressure on the Senate and governor from constituents could help nudge them into accepting this excellent legalization bill,” he said in an interview with the Daily Sun. 

State Rep. Anita Burroughs (D) added that the “word on the street” is that Republican Gov. Chris Sununu – who has long opposed the reforms – would not veto the law but rather allow it to take effect without his signature.  

The Senate is expected to vote on the legislation next month. 

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Survey: Portland, Oregon Is Best American City for Cannabis

4/13/2023

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A survey published Monday by Real Estate Witch found Portland, Oregon is the best city for cannabis in the U.S., while Birmingham, Alabama ranked as the worst. Among cities where cannabis is legal for adult use, Richmond, Virginia was the lowest-ranked, followed by Virginia Beach and Washington, D.C. 

Portland earned the top spot due, in part, to the affordable cannabis prices in the city, where an ounce of “high quality” cannabis costs about $210 – about $106 less than the national average ($316). The survey found that an ounce of high-quality cannabis in D.C. costs $590 – 87% more than the national average.   

Portland also had the second most dispensaries per 100,000 residents – 13.7 – which is nearly 4.5 times the national average of 3.1. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma had the most with 48.7 dispensaries per 100,000 residents.  

According to the survey, the 10 best cities for cannabis in the U.S. are:

  • Portland, Oregon
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Buffalo, New York
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Baltimore, Maryland
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Sacramento, California
  • San Diego, California
  • Los Angeles, California
  • San Francisco, California

The five worst cannabis cities in the U.S., according to the survey, are:

  • Birmingham, Alabama
  • Memphis, Tennessee
  • Louisville, Kentucky
  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Nashville, Tennessee
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Houston, Texas
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • San Antonio, Texas

The report analyzed various criteria including the legality of cannabis, dispensary data, and cannabis prices.

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Connecticut Confiscates Thousands of THC Products from Stamford Vape Shops

4/13/2023

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Law enforcement in Connecticut announced on Tuesday they have confiscated thousands of delta-8 THC, delta-8 THCO, delta-9 THCO, and other high-THC products at three vape shops in Stamford. Attorney General William Tong said he is preparing to take legal action against Zaza Smoke Shop 2, Breeze Smokeshop, and Worlds Exotic Smoke Shop for alleged violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. 

The action followed an investigation by Tong’s office at the three shops. At one shop, investigators discovered a fake electrical panel with a hidden drawer containing cannabis flower, other illicit drugs, cash, and a ledger. At another shop, investigators found illegal THC products stashed above ceiling tiles.   

“My message to retailers is clear – if you continue to sell unregulated, untested, illegal cannabis, I will hold you accountable. Fake Oreos, Cheetos, and Sour Patch Kids packed with THC put kids in danger and are not legal anywhere in Connecticut. In partnership with the Stamford Police Department, thousands of these illegal cannabis products have been confiscated and their sellers now face legal consequences. I have sent letters to every licensed vape shop and publicized the law in every way that I can. There is zero excuse for the continued sale of these illegal, unregulated, and untested products.” — Tong in a press release 

Under Connecticut law, cannabis products that exceed 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight, including delta-8 THC, are considered cannabis and may only be sold in the regulated market and must meet testing and packaging requirements. 

In February, Tong sent warning letters to all Connecticut licensed retailers of vaping products advising them that sale of delta-8 THC by unlicensed retailers may be illegal. 

To date, the Office of the Attorney General has sued five Connecticut retailers for alleged violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act over the sale of illegal delta-8 THC products mimicking popular youth-oriented snacks and candies. The first five complaints were filed in February and remain pending. 

Adult-use cannabis sales commenced in the state in January. 

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Charlotte’s Web Partners with British American Tobacco, AJNA BioSciences on Novel Hemp Drug

4/13/2023

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Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc. is partnering with a subsidiary of British American Tobacco PLC and AJNA BioSciences PBC to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for a proprietary full spectrum hemp extract botanical drug using Charlotte’s Web hemp genetics. 

AJNA is a botanical drug development company focused on mental health and neurological disorders. The company’s chief medical advisor, Dr. Orrin Devinsky, will lead the project. The joint venture plans to engage with the FDA to file an Investigational New Drug application and commence Phase I clinical development in 2023. 

Devinsky is an early stakeholder in AJNA and is the director of New York University (NYU) Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and a professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He was also a principal investigator for the development of the cannabis-based FDA-approved drug, Epidiolex. 

“As one of the first clinicians to research novel cannabinoids, I am very excited to work on this project. I believe the properties of cannabis and hemp are well suited for the FDA’s new Botanical Drug Development pathway.” — Devinsky in a statement 

In a press release, Jacques Tortoroli, CEO of Charlotte’s Web said the joint venture “is a capital efficient way for Charlotte’s Web to unlock the value of its intellectual property to advance development of effective botanical alternatives to current neurological pharmaceuticals.”   

The joint venture plans to use its initial $10 million investment for the clinical development of a novel hemp botanical drug. The drug will target a neurological condition that will be identified by the joint venture’s leadership team.  

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Germany Scales Back Its Cannabis Legalization Plan

4/12/2023

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German officials have announced they are scaling back their widely anticipated cannabis legalization plan following a discussion with European Union officials, the Associated Press reports.

The new plan, revealed on Wednesday, is to legalize cannabis possession of up to 25 grams and establish nonprofit “cannabis clubs” where registered members who are 18 and older can go and purchase the plant for recreational purposes. The clubs will be limited to 500 members each and individuals will not be allowed to hold memberships at more than one cannabis club. The clubs will be tasked with growing and processing the cannabis for its members, although adults will also be allowed to home-grow up to three plants, the report said.

Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir said the new plan will be finalized by the end of this month and should take effect by the end of the year.

The country’s original cannabis liberalization plan, first outlined in October by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, had been to establish licensed cannabis retailers across the country. But the plan shifted following talks with the EU’s executive commission, according to the report.

German officials, however, announced they would still be holding five-year regional test runs of “commercial supply chains” for cannabis products with the goal of — assuming the tests are successful — creating pressure for an EU cannabis policy shift and clearing the way for the country’s original plan.

Lauterbach said the EU‘s feedback was “something that perhaps disappointed us,” but that he also sees it as an “opportunity to build the basis for a European cannabis policy,” according to the report.

Limited medical cannabis access has been available in Germany since 2017.

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Texas House Passes Medical Cannabis Expansion Bill

4/12/2023

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The Texas House on Tuesday passed a measure to expand the state’s medical cannabis program by increasing the THC levels allowed in cannabis products and adding chronic pain to the state’s qualifying conditions list, the Dallas Morning News reports. Under the proposal, THC levels in medical cannabis products sold in Texas would be raised to 10 milligrams per dosage unit – up from the current 1% limit.    

The bill would allow patients who would otherwise get an opioid prescription for pain to access medical cannabis products. 

State Rep. Stephanie Klick (R), who is also a nurse, told the Morning News that officials have “been trying to cut back on opioid use for a number of years.”  

“Prescription opiates became a problem. We’ve done a number of measures over the last decade to try and reduce that, but this is another tool in the toolbox.” — Klick to the Morning News 

The last program update occurred in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill to include post-traumatic stress disorder and cancer to the state’s qualifying conditions list. 

The measure still requires one vote in the House before moving to the Senate. The bill passed the House by a 121-23 vote. 

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Survey: 40% of Employed Cannabis Consumers Plan to Take Day Off for 4/20

4/12/2023

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A recent survey by Ayr Wellness found 40% of employed cannabis consumers plan to take off April 20 from work, with 31% of respondents saying 4/20 is a special occasion along with 42% of medical cannabis patients that agreed that 4/20 is an important day. 

In all, 23% of those polled indicated that their cannabis consumption habits would increase on 4/20 while 71% of respondents said their consumption habits would stay the same. 

David Goubert, president and CEO of AYR Wellness, said the survey “revealed interesting trends and insights related to cannabis consumption habits.”  

“The data proves that 4/20 is an important holiday for cannabis consumers of all types, so much so that nearly 40% are planning to take off work to celebrate. The survey also revealed notable trends in consumption formats and habits among various demographics, which is helpful for us when engaging with our customers in meaningful ways. At AYR, we aim to foster deep connection and loyalty among our customers and patients each time they enter one of our stores, browse online or use one of our products and we look forward to providing a memorable experience this 420 holiday.” — Goubert in a press release 

The survey found most respondents – 73% – typically consumed cannabis between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Another 78% of respondents typically consumed cannabis by themselves. Eighty-eight percent of consumers who shared cannabis with others contributed to the supply with gummies (32%) and flower (40%) cited as the most shared products. 

The survey found that 43% of respondents said they are somewhat comfortable interacting with people after consuming, while another 45% said they are somewhat comfortable being in public after consuming; 44% said they are somewhat comfortable consuming cannabis at social occasions when not everyone is partaking. 

More than a quarter of survey respondents (26%) that are considered experienced cannabis consumers (between six and 20 years of consumption) indicated they smoked cannabis out of homemade or improvised devices.    

The survey was conducted in February and March 2023, and included 900 Americans aged 21-74, who have purchased and consumed cannabis within the past six months. 

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Maryland Passes Bill to Prohibit Police Vehicle Searches Based on Cannabis Odor

4/12/2023

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Maryland lawmakers on Monday night passed legislation to prevent police officers from searching a vehicle based on the odor of cannabis, FOX 5 DC reports. Democratic lawmakers, in the final hours of the state session, had also tried to push through a bill to change the sentencing for individuals caught selling large amounts of cannabis; however, Republicans walked out of the chamber before voting in protest over the actions of House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D). 

The row between Republicans and the Democratic House speaker occurred during a debate on the drug trafficking bill when Republicans were trying to explain their “no” votes with about 10 minutes of the session remaining, according to Twitter posts by FOX Baltimore reporter Mikenzie Frost. In a Washington Post report, Republicans said the issue was Jones was not letting the Republicans talk – which the Post described as a “minority party… tactic” often deployed “to run out the clock” on legislation they disagree with.

In an interview with the Post, Del. Nicholaus R. Kipke (R), who led the walkout, said he was “happy” that the protest killed the bill. 

In a statement on Tuesday, Gov. Wes Moore (D), who was seated in the House chamber balcony during the dustup, said, “We can govern through partnership, bipartisanship, and a set of common values. What happened last night did the opposite, and we should all expect better from our leaders.”   

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Firearms Ban for Cannabis Users Ruled Unconstitutional By Another Federal Court

4/11/2023

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A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas last week found the federal ban on cannabis consumers possessing firearms to be unconstitutional, Marijuana Moment reports.

The ruling led to dropped charges against El Paso resident Paola Connelly, who had been convicted of possessing and transferring a firearm in 2021 while being an admitted cannabis consumer. The charges were ultimately dropped after the Supreme Court ruled last year that any restrictions on firearms must honor the historical context of the Second Amendment.

In the ruling, Judge Kathleen Cardone disputed the Justice Department’s arguments that the firearms ban leaned on the historical precedent of denying guns to intoxicated and “unvirtuous” citizens, the report said. Instead, the ruling suggested, “the historical tradition of disarming ‘unlawful’ individuals appears to mainly involve disarming those convicted of serious crimes after they have been afforded criminal process.”

The ruling also noted that the defendant was never actually convicted of a cannabis-related crime; rather, she had simply admitted to using cannabis to help with anxiety and sleeping. “The longstanding prohibition on possession of firearms by felons requires the Government to charge and convict an individual before disarming her,” Cardone said in the ruling.

Additionally, the ruling referenced the blanket pardoning last year of federal cannabis possession convictions by President Joe Biden, suggesting that, “even if Connelly were convicted of simple marijuana possession, that conviction would be expunged by the blanket presidential pardon of all such marijuana possessions that, like Connelly’s, took place before October 6, 2022.”

The case is just one of at least four ongoing cases drawing into question the legality of the federal ban on gun ownership for cannabis consumers, according to the report. Another federal judge in February found the ban on gun ownership for cannabis consumers to be unconstitutional under the Second Amendment — that decision, however, was ultimately appealed by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and will go next to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

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Florida Physician Sues Health Officials Over Unsuccessful Medical Cannabis Sting Operation

4/11/2023

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A medical cannabis physician in Florida is suing the state Department of Health and two investigators who posed as patients in a sting operation during which officials tried to strip him of his medical license, WUSF News reports. Dr. Joseph Dorn was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing in March 2022. 

The Health Department had alleged Dorn violated state law by not performing physicals on the undercover agents who posed as patients seeking medical cannabis cards, which agency officials called employing a “trick or scheme” in the practice of medicine. Dorn has practiced medicine in Florida for more than 30 years and the allegations stem from a 2019 complaint related to the sting. 

In his 2022 order clearing Dorn, Administrative Law Judge W. David Watkins recommended that the complaint against Dorn be dismissed, saying that health officials “failed to present competent substantial evidence, in this case, establishing … that Dr. Dorn acted, or failed to act, in any manner to defraud or trick any patient, or that any patient was actually defrauded or tricked.” 

The lawsuit filed on Dorn’s behalf seeks damages of more than $50,000 and says the doctor “suffered millions of dollars of damages due to loss of revenue and the damage to his reputation due to the actions and inactions” of the Department of Health.  

In the lawsuit, Dorn’s attorney Ryan Andrews wrote that health department officials “had no basis to visit” his client. 

“The predicate for why they visited Dr. Dorn’s office unannounced was so lacking that calling it a ‘hunch’ would be gratuitous,” Andrews wrote in the lawsuit.   

The lawsuit was filed last week in Leon County Circuit Court. 

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Study: Hair Evidence Suggests People Used Psychedelics During the Bronze Age

4/11/2023

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Hair found in a cave in Spain shows people used psychedelics 3,000 years ago, according to a study published on April 6 in the journal Scientific Reports. The hair sample was discovered in a cave in Es Càrritx, which was used for rituals and burials during the Bronze Age.   

The hair sample contained several alkaloids, including atropine, scopolamine, and ephedrine, which researchers described as “highly psychoactive.” Atropine and scopolamine are “deliriant drugs” which cause “extreme mental confusion, strong and realistic hallucinations, disorientation, alteration of sensorial perception, and behavioral disorganization” as well as “out-of-body experiences,” the researchers said. The effects of ephedrine include “excitement and enhancement of mental alertness and physical activity, reduction of fatigue, improvement of concentration, and suppression of hunger,” the study said.  

Researchers could not identify which plants carried the alkaloids and noted that because none of the plants found at the site contained the substances, the individuals must have ingested them, purposely, prior to their death.   

“The results presented here indicate that several alkaloid-bearing plants were consumed by Bronze Age people from Menorca (although Solanaceae and Ephedra were not the only ones to have been consumed),” the authors write. “Interestingly, the psychoactive substances detected in this study are not suitable for alleviating the pain involved in severe palaeopathological conditions attested in the population buried in the cave of Es Càrritx, such as periapical abscesses, severe caries and arthropathies. Considering the potential toxicity of the alkaloids found in the hair, their handling, use, and applications represented highly specialized knowledge. This knowledge was typically possessed by shamans, who were capable of controlling the side-effects of the plant drugs through an ecstasy that made diagnosis or divination possible.” 

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Washington Officials Shut Down Cannabis Operations at Former Orchard Due to Prior DDT Use

4/11/2023

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Washington State cannabis regulators have stopped operations at several outdoor cannabis farms and processing facilities located on a former fruit orchard after testing found high levels of a dangerous pesticide used at the site decades ago, the Associated Press reports. The Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) found DDE at the site, a byproduct of the pesticide DDT which was banned in the U.S. in 1972.

LCB Spokesperson Brian Smith said that while the agency is “very concerned about the jobs and businesses” at stake by closing down the site, the agency felt “it needed to get a message out to our licensees and to take action for public safety.”

Regulators last week issued “administrative holds” on 16 producer licenses and two processing licenses in the area, forcing them to cease operations until further notice. It’s unclear how many businesses were affected as companies can hold multiple licenses in the state.

In an interview with the AP, Walden Cannabis CEO Anders Taylor called the LCB’s decision “completely arbitrary” and said the agency has not provided him with test results or warned him that the hold was coming.

“Orchards used DDT for a generation, and that caused widespread contamination throughout the Pacific Northwest and the whole country, really. I’m still trying to process what this means.” — Taylor to the AP

The LCB is also working with businesses to determine whether products tainted with DDE contamination made it to market so they can be pulled from shelves. The agency is also asking the affected businesses to issue recalls.

This is likely to be the first time the LCB has issued an administrative hold related to the previous use of pesticides, and it is the first time it has issued a hold covering an entire geographic area rather than an isolated business, the board said in an email to the AP. DDE is not one of the pesticides screened for under the state’s cannabis testing protocols.

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Chicago Cubs Are First MLB Team to Partner with CBD Brand

4/10/2023

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The Chicago Cubs are expected to be the first Major League Baseball (MLB) team with a CBD sponsor and sell CBD drinks at its stadium, Front Office Sports reports. The Cubs are working with Chicago, Illinois-based MYND Drinks on the partnership, which received the NSF Certified for Sport designation required to work with MLB teams.

MLB, in June 2022, approved plans to allow teams to work with CBD brands. In October, the league named Charlotte’s Web the “Official CBD of Major League Baseball.”

As part of the promotional effort, the Cubs last week released “A Wrigley Field Guided Meditation” narrated by Pat Hughes, the team’s play-by-play announcer. In the video’s description on YouTube, the video is meant to “help Cubs fans unwind.” The video features images of the Cubs’ Wrigley Field and the iconic ivy that adorns the outfield walls.

When the league announced that it would allow teams to partner with CBD brands, MLB Chief Revenue Officer Noah Garden said MLB fans “are very much the kind of customers” CBD brands are “looking for.”

CBD is federally legal and several athletes – including golfer Bubba Watson, former National Football League tight end Rob Gronkowski, U.S. Women’s National Team star Megan Rapinoe, and the Richard Childress NASCAR team – have been sponsored by CBD brands.

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Maryland Lawmakers Approve Adult-Use Cannabis Licensing Plan

4/10/2023

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Maryland lawmakers have approved a measure to allow adult-use cannabis licensing by this summer, the Washington Post reports. The legislation sets the excise tax on cannabis products at 9%, includes social equity licensing, and allows conversion to the adult-use market by current medical cannabis operators.

The provisions allowing license conversion base the fees on operators’ 2022 sales and range from $100,000 to $2 million. The social equity licenses approved under the bill would be awarded during the second round of licensing in January.

The legislation earmarks 35% of cannabis-related tax revenues for the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund – a new fund for local organizations that serve communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. The Office of Social Equity would create the rules and regulations for identifying those communities, the report says. Another 5% of the revenues would be given to counties.

Legislative analysts estimate that Maryland would bring in about $13 million from cannabis taxes in fiscal 2023, the report says.

Under the state’s legalization law, adults can possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis and grow two plants out of public view. The regulatory bill increased penalties for smoking cannabis in public to a $250 fine for the first offense and $500 for a second.

The measure moves next to Gov. Wes Moore (D) who is expected to sign it into law.

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Washington Lawmakers Pass Bill With Hiring Protections for Cannabis Consumers

4/10/2023

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Washington state lawmakers have approved a measure that prohibits denying an individual a job due to their off-the-clock cannabis use, the Washington State Journal reports. The measure still requires reconciliation as the House version excludes safety-sensitive positions – such as first responders or corrections officers – from protection under the bill, while the Senate version does not include those exemptions.

Both bills would prohibit discrimination from employers in the hiring process if it is based on an applicant’s cannabis use off-the-clock or if an employment drug test shows non-psychoactive cannabis, such as CBD.

State Sen. Karen Keiser (D), the bill’s sponsor, said that because cannabis metabolites can remain in a person’s system for weeks, drug tests for cannabis do not determine whether someone is impaired.

“It simply doesn’t make sense to base an employment decision on that kind of unreliable outcome and test. It really comes down to discriminating against people who use cannabis.” — Keiser via the Journal

Washington state Rep. Shelley Kloba (D) noted that the measure does not affect post-hiring workplace drug policies.

“This bill simply says that a person can’t be expected to follow the rules of a workplace where they are not employed,” Kloba said in an interview with the Journal. “I think that this will have a positive impact on broadening the pool of workers available for jobs.”

The measure passed the Senate 28-21 and the House 57-41. The reconciled version of the bill must still pass both chambers before moving to the governor’s desk for final approval.

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Former Michigan Medical Cannabis Board Head Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes

4/07/2023

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The former head of a Michigan medical cannabis licensing board on Thursday pleaded guilty to accepting $110,000 in bribes in exchange for industry licenses, CBS News reports. Rick Johnson served as head of the board for two years and served as state House speaker from 2001-2004 when Republicans controlled the chamber. 

During a press conference on Thursday, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced the charges against Johnson, John Dalaly, Brian Pierce, and Vincent Brown. All four signed plea deals admitting the charges. 

Dalaly, who was granted a medical cannabis license during Johnson’s tenure, pleaded guilty to providing at least $68,200 in cash and other benefits to Johnson, including two private flights to Canada, according to court documents outlined by CBS News. 

Pierce and Brown were lobbyists who also pleaded guilty to conspiring to pass bribes to the former lawmaker.  

“Public corruption is a poison to any democracy. … That poison is especially toxic here. The marijuana industry has been likened to a modern-day gold rush, a new frontier where participants can stake their claim and just maybe return big rewards.” — Totten, during a press conference, via CBS News 

All four men are expected to be arraigned in the next one to two weeks, Politico reports. Johnson and Dalaly face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Pierce and Brown face a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. 

Under the plea agreement, Johnson agreed to forfeit the $110,000 in bribes and the U.S. Attorney’s Office agreed not to oppose his request for a reduction in offense level, which would impact his sentencing. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), in 2019, abolished the medical cannabis board and put oversight of the industry inside a state agency. 

 

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Missouri Total Cannabis Sales Reach $125M in March

4/07/2023

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Missouri total cannabis sales topped $125 million in March, according to the state Division of Cannabis Regulations data outlined by KSHB. The total includes $93.5 million in adult-use sales and $32.7 million in medical-use sales.  

In a statement, MoCannTrade Executive Director Andrew Mullins said Missouri has “one of the most customer-friendly cannabis programs in the entire nation.”  

“Between record cannabis sales and local communities voting to embrace the economic benefits of adult use sales, Missouri couldn’t be better positioned to make a real and lasting impact on our state economy.” — Mullins, in a statement, via KSHB 

Adult-use cannabis sales launched in Missouri in February and are so far on track to surpass $1 billion annually. The state sold $102 million worth of cannabis in February which represented the third-highest total for first-month adult-use cannabis sales behind only California and Arizona, according to a Flatland KC report. Comparatively, Illinois, which borders Missouri and has twice the population of Missouri, saw $39.2 million in cannabis sales the first month after adult-use sales commenced. 

Missouri’s high sales figures could be partly due to the prohibitionist policies of its border states – neither Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma, nor Iowa have legalized cannabis for adult use. 

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New Hampshire House Approves Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization Bill

4/07/2023

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The New Hampshire House on Thursday passed an adult-use legalization bill by a 272-109 vote, The Center Square reports. The measure moves next to the state Senate. 

New Hampshire is the lone New England state to not allow cannabis sales to adults.  

In a statement, Republican Rep. Jason Obsorne, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said he is “pleased to see New Hampshire take a step toward relieving gangsters and thugs from control of this market” and keep “dangerous untested products away from consumers, and protecting children from harmful age-inappropriate products.” 

Democratic Rep. Matt Wilhelm, who also co-sponsored the bill, described the bill’s passage as “decisive” and sending a “strong message that this is the year to legalize adult-use cannabis in the Granite State.”  

“Every year we fail to legalize marijuana, the state wastes valuable resources and ruins the lives of many young and poor Granite Staters by enforcing failed prohibition. New Hampshire remains the only state in New England that has failed to legalize cannabis, while our neighbors benefit from increased revenue and their cannabis users benefit from safer testing and regulation of the product. Legalization of adult possession of small amounts of cannabis is the right thing to do for New Hampshire and we must get it done in 2023.” — Wilhelm, in a statement, via The Center Square 

In January, Gov. Chris Sununu (R) told New Hampshire Public Radio that he didn’t expect a cannabis legalization bill to make it to his desk this session. Sununu opposed the reforms. The state Senate has never passed an adult-use legalization bill but the House has passed the reforms on two previous occasions.  

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Study: 1 in 10 Military Veterans Have Used Cannabis Over Past Year

4/06/2023

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A study published last month by researchers at the University of North Texas Health Science Center and College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found one in 10 military veterans reported using cannabis over the past year.  

The study was published in the Substance Use & Misuse journal using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2013-2019) comprised of 16,350 veterans 18-years-or-older. The researchers found that veterans aged 65-and-older were more likely to define their cannabis use as medical compared to younger veterans who most often described their cannabis use as recreational. 

“Our findings, taken in context with current federal policy, point toward a need for enhanced care coordination among veterans who may benefit from marijuana, but are unable to access it through the [Veterans Affairs],” the researchers concluded. “Additional research is needed to better understand veterans’ use of a marijuana in the context of federal VA restrictions, including the examination of how veterans obtain marijuana, what affect this has on their care coordination and health outcomes, and whether or not marijuana can play a role in reducing other drug use and drug-related harms among veterans.” 

According to a survey published last year by the group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), 75% of military veterans “would be interested in using cannabis or cannabinoid products as a treatment option if it were available.” That survey found 83% of respondents supported legalizing medical cannabis access, with 68% agreeing that the VA “should allow for research into cannabis as a treatment option.” Twenty percent of survey respondents indicated they had used cannabis for medical purposes. 

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