jeff sessions
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Culture, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana News, Medical by

Holland Takes Sessions to Federal Court

David Holland is here to defend marijuana.

Holland is a member of the legal team representing 5 plaintiffs in an ongoing suit against the current Attorney General.But he is no fledgling looking to make a name for himself. He is a litigator in New York City and the legal director of Empire State NORML. He also used to be on the High Times Magazine legal team and is a member of the New York Cannabis Bar Association.
So when it comes to productive stoners, he is one of the shining examples. But he feels that the current state of marijuana enforcement is unsustainable. Holland’s firm is suing Sessions and the DEA. The suit claims the classification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act is unconstitutional.
Their list of reasons include it violates rights surrounding travel, business and racial discrimination against communities of color. Basically, the law works to discriminate and criminalize communities that don’t have the power or money to resist. Sessions and the DEA failed to get the case dismissed.

The case is going forward.

Holland’s legal team managed to convince US District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein to let the case go forward. That decision was made in large part because of the personal experiences the plaintiffs had with medical marijuana. The medical efficacy of cannabis to treat patients suffering from a variety of ailments is so apparent, the court has to reconsider the constitutionality of the law.
Despite the strong support showed by the judge, it is still too early to break out the champagne. Despite a mountain of evidence showing the opposite, Jeff Sessions continues to blame marijuana for the opioid epidemic. And with almost no pressure from the White House to change his stance, there is little to stop him from waging a emotionally motivated war against the American population.
Attorney General Sessions is the same person that thought the KKK was OK. At least until he found out some of them smoked marijuana. And he is the same person who said “I can’t remember” in one form or another over 26 times when asked under oath. The performance showed how willing he is to stonewall and deflect about his questionable activities.

The CCC believes marijuana prohibition is racist.

Some plaintiffs claim that people of color are disproportionately targeted for prosecution for marijuana offenses. Armed with scientific evidence and confessions, the Cannabis Cultural Association (CCA) went to bat for its members. We still don’t know how Judge Hellerstein will rule on the racism claims presented by the CCA. But Judge Hellerstein seemed unconvinced by opening statements showing that the Nixon administration admitted to criminalizing marijuana for the express purpose of suppressing minorities and social backlash against the Vietnam War.
Both sides of the case are preparing for a long battle. But despite the court clearly favoring marijuana reclassification, there are many hurdles to overcome. One major hurdle is making sure the court doesn’t pass off the problem to a dysfunctional and ideologically insane Congress. But Holland hopes to keep that from happening.
There is always the possibility the court will decide to ship the final decision over to Congress because of the political controversy surrounding marijuana. But proving its controversial is harder than ever for Sessions defense team. There are more than 30 states and the District of Columbia that already passed legislation legalizing marijuana in some form. With so many, there isn’t much controversy left. But don’t underestimate the vitriol and determination of the diminutive lawyer from Alabama.

Do you think the court will reschedule marijuana? Do you think the Attorney General is doing the right thing or mad with power? What would you do if cannabis became federally legal tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below!

sessions
CategoriesCulture, Marijuana News by

CARERS Act Says No To Sessions

Congress uses CARERS Act to stop Jeff Sessions War on Drugs.

Congress recently introduced the CARERS Act in response to the Attorney General. AG Jeff Sessions recently petitioned congress for additional funds to pursue medical and recreational cannabis users. His deep ties to the prison-industrial-complex have raised concerns. That Session’s attempts to target law-abiding citizens is an attempt to enrich himself at any cost.
Sessions is drowning in the Russia scandal and desperate to impress the first president to demand senators grovel publicly. He also recognizes the current president will likely take no action to stop him from shooting every pothead in the nation. The only real thing stopping Sessions from rolling out the nonexistent FEMA coffins is the funding.
The Attorney General claims that his efforts are an attempt to slow the opioid epidemic that professionals prescribed the nation into. But that seems unlikely given how effective cannabis is at treating opioid addiction. Additional concerns about Sessions long history of racial bias and overt discriminatory behavior drastically weaken his position.

The AG wants to reinvigorate a racial war but congress won’t fund it.Youtube Bong

The long-running War on Drugs has produced drastically unequal outcomes across racial and social lines. One in three men of color between the age of 20 and 29 are currently in the criminal justice system. White populations use drugs as often as anyone else, they are 4 times less likely to be arrested for marijuana.
The effect of the war is targeted violence by the dominant group against smaller groups. Such acts are commonly known as racism. While individuals can claim they were “just following orders”, the denial rings as hollow and delusional. The Nuremburg Trials after WW2 established an international consensus about orders. They are not justification for committing acts of evil and terror.
Yet America is a country constantly at war with itself. It claims to be a free democracy and bastion of capitalism, it is anything but. The united states account for 5% of the global population yet account for over 25% of the world’s prisoners. But Sessions doesn’t believe that enough people are in overcrowded cages.
The Justice Department does a lot of good but there is also plenty of vile behavior that it protects. Black men are legally shot dead by police for following that officer’s orders. Homes get invaded and the residents are killed with surprising regularity. Generations of people grow up only knowing the inside of a cell.

Whole communities are ripped apart emotionally, physically and socially.

And it’s not just time behind bars that is the issue; arrests stay with a person, often for life. And the consequences of a criminal record are most dire for the poor. A conviction disqualifies anyone from many social safety nets. Public housing and student financial aid, employment opportunities, child custody determinations, and immigration status evaporate after a conviction.
These are systems overwhelmingly used by poor and minority populations. And it seems that the Justice Department willfully misunderstands basic facts. Sessions continues to refer to the “historic drug epidemic” in his letter but appears to conflate opioids with cannabis.

Despite his desperate pleas, congress told Sessions no.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the bill. It allows state medical marijuana laws to supersede current federal prohibition of marijuana. The bill is called the CARERS Act, which stands for the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act.
Rep. Blumenauer said, “The people have been pretty clear that this is something they don’t want the federal government to interfere with.” The legislation allows the different laws legalizing medical marijuana in 30 states, and multiple territories including Washington D.C. to remain.
The CARERS bill submitted through congress but it failed. In 2015, it was the first medical marijuana bill ever introduced into the U.S. Senate. The latest version is better positioned to pass than the original which only had three sponsors. The newest version has six and includes names like Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski and Al Franken.

Trump is the randomizer on this subject.

While running for president, Trump claimed marijuana laws are a state level issue. He then appointed Jeff Sessions to be his attorney general. Presidential support gives Sessions the daring to ask congress for permission to blow up a functioning portion of the economy.
Sessions sounded like a Hipster Hater when he said, “I believe it would be unwise for Congress to restrict the discretion of the Department to fund particular prosecutions, particularly in the midst of an historic drug epidemic and potentially long-term uptick in violent crime.” Especially after calling the KKK “OK, till I found out they smoked pot”. Sessions continued “The Department must be in a position to use all laws available to combat the transnational drug organizations and dangerous drug traffickers who threaten American lives.”
But the new bill’s proponents argue Sessions’ thinking is flawed. Cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD) have been clinically proven to reduce epilepsy and other seizures by up to 45%. Cannabis shows great promise in treating opioid addiction, cancer, mental disorders and many other conditions with minimal side effects.

The bipartisan commission understands the potential consequences.

“I dare him to sit down with families and listen to their stories and then pursue a policy like he’s advocating for now,” Booker says of Sessions’ letter. In addition, allowing states to set their own policies, the CARERS Act would take CBD off the controlled substances list.
The FDA and DEA only recently made CBD a controlled substance. If the decision were reversed, it would allow children to access life-saving medicine. It would be especially impactful in states where medical marijuana isn’t legal.
The bill’s sponsors know it will be difficult to correct the course of the Justice Department. They feel that their bill has the backing it needs to send a message to Sessions. That spending additional time and money pursuing medical marijuana is not OK.

The bill aims to remove current restrictions at Veterans Affairs hospitals.

The legislation removes penalties and procedures currently in place that silence doctors. It would essentially allow doctors to talk about and prescribe pot to their patients. The legislation also allows the nation’s veterans to access legal weed by removing the current restrictions. These policies bar doctors at Veterans Affairs hospitals from prescribing pot to their patients.
But it doesn’t approach the eight states that opted to legalize weed for recreational use. Many of the bill’s proponents promise that those efforts will come later. Washington State should keep an eye out for Sessions and his Hipster Haters. Sessions will eventually find a way around congressional roadblocks.

The full text of the petition can be found at:

https://rohrabacher.house.gov/sites/rohrabacher.house.gov/files/documents/Final%20MMJ%20Letter%20to%20CJS%20Subcommittee.pdf

war medical
CategoriesMarijuana Legalization, Marijuana News by

War on Drugs: Medical Marijuana

The war on medical marijuana is causing uncertainty.

The war on medical marijuana has arisen due to President Trumps latest document, causing uncertainty in the community. Medical marijuana programs exist in 29 U.S. states and have large public support.
White House aides argue that the President’s objections do not cause immediate policy changes. “It just creates a lot of uncertainty, and that uncertainty is deeply concerning for patients and providers,” said Michael Collins, deputy director of the Drug Policy Alliance. The public is concerned because the government insists that although weed is federally illegal, it will not impose strict punishments.
And yet, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently directed federal prosecutors to pass harsher punishments for drug defendants.

Does the government know what it wants?

Recreational weed smokers have more to fear from federal intervention. The President says that he sees a big difference between medical marijuana prescribed to patients by doctors and recreational weed.
The provision in question prohibits the Justice Department from spending money that interferes with state medical marijuana programs. “I will treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” Trump wrote in the signing statement.
Trump has objected on constitutional grounds to a program that helps black colleges and universities get low-cost construction loans.
According to Tom Angell, founder of Marijuana Majority, Trump is essentially saying that he reserves the right to ignore the congressionally approved provision. James Cole, a Deputy Attorney General had prosecutors enforce all federal drug laws, even in places where marijuana is legal. On the other hand, Cole wrote that federal authorities should stay out of states that have regulatory systems in place. Medical marijuana is to be revised again by Congress in the next few months. It seems like the trend is to allow the government to pick and choose who to prosecute for marijuana offenses.

Investing in the Cannabis Industry 2017
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Guides, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana News by

Investing in the Cannabis Industry 2017

Marijuana stock investing in 2016 has seen a meteoric rise.

Investing in cannabis is making some major money with one especially impressive company posting gains of well over 2,000%.  This despite how fraught with risk this industry is. Since marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I substance with “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” according to the federal government, there are still some hurdles to overcome.
The National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse issued a series of reports concluding that marijuana was “less a serious threat to public health than a sensitive social issue and recommended changes to federal law that would permit citizens to possess a small amount of it at a time, while still maintaining that the drug should not be legalized.” Yet investing remains risky because the people in power refuse to be moved to action.

Is $50 billion motivation enough?

Investing 101Ackrell Capital projects that the cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical market could clear $50 billion annually. Investors took special not of the prediction due to the explosive growth the industry has seen so far. They make sure to include plenty of caveats in their report that basically boil down to legalization=money.
AbbVie (ABBV) is ahead of the game in medicinal marijuana field because its drug (Marinol) is already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and in the market. Marinol is mainly used to relieve nausea and vomiting for chemotherapy patients. It has also been prescribed for AIDS patients to help stimulate appetite.
If you want to talk about AbbVie, let me just say that it has had 44 years of consecutive dividend increases. Over the past three years alone, the dividend has grown by 12.5%. the 4.13% dividend yield is considered attractive for income investors.
Just because they were first to the market doesn’t make them invincible though. Company revenues, gross profit and net income have been stagnant during the last four quarters. If Marinol can raise profits, AbbVie and others like it could be treated as an income play rather than a growth stocks for 2017.

There are currently 28 states willing to sell.

Support for use of medical marijuana is rapidly expanding along with investing opportunities. After the November U.S. elections, 28 states plus the District of Columbia now have legalized use of medical marijuana. A handful of states have also chosen to allow recreational use.
Legalization should diminish some of the institutional barriers for companies investing in the marijuana industry. Although we can see how slow the movement is by looking at recent court decisions about drug testing. The advancement of legalization on a state level presents a special opportunity for investors but at great risk.
Weed’s mis-classification as a schedule-I compound creates restrictions for patients in non-weed-friendly states. Not to mention how much of a damper it puts on investors’ plans. The chief regulator of Wall Street (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or FINRA) blocked a S-1 filing from weed companies attempting to go public and trade stock. The ban will remain in place until the drug is re-scheduled.

There are only 3 approved options on the market.

While opportunities exist, current realities paint a stark picture. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a whopping total of three cannabinoid drugs. It took seemingly forever for another cannabinoid to join Marinol and Cesamet in the medicine cabinet.
In July of 2016, the FDA gave the go ahead for Insys Therapeutics’ (NASDAQ:INSY) Syndros to join the party. Like Marinol, the active ingredient of Syndros is the synthetic cannabinoid dronabinol. And don’t think that only drug companies are trying to get in on the action.
Investors sent shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. up 48 percent last year when they saw the lawn-care company as a relatively safe way to capitalize on the cannabis trend. It sells fertilizers, lighting and other supplies for hydroponics that are used by most indoor cultivators.

One person can tip the scales.

A very important fact for investors considering investing in marijuana to remember is who the next attorney general is. And the person who got the nomination to fill that role was Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions. A man who is an adamant opponent of legalized marijuana.
In a Senate hearing last April, Sessions cited a 20% increase in the traffic deaths in some states where marijuana has been legalized to show the drug is a problem. His continued vigorous attempts to demonize cannabis users signals major disappointment for those hoping for banking reform.
Marijuana companies have continued to struggle with limited access to basic banking services since most banks fear federal prosecution for dealing with pot businesses. Being forced to operate on a cash-only basis is a security concern and an expansion inhibitor for any business. With Sessions taking the helm, there is little hope for meaningful pressure to improve access to banking services. Additionally, marijuana businesses must pay tax on their gross profits instead of net profits. This is because they’re disallowed normal corporate income tax deductions.

How should you approach the industry?

Investing in cannabis weed
It has been said that getting rich during a gold rush is to easiest when you sell shovels. With that in mind, the best figure for investors trying to turn a profit from the “marijuana rush” are the companies that have zero marijuana-related products. The smartest play might be in companies that have the potential to benefit by serving people and companies that do sell cannabis.
But before you invest in any company, get as much information about that company as you possibly can. Find out if they are a legitimate company with a good management team. Look into who’s running the company and at the company’s finances. Don’t be afraid to go over the balance sheet, the cash flow, the income statement, and the shareholder’s equity.
Look at all of the info you can before making a decision. Call the nearby Chambers of Commerce, find out if they know the people or company. Don’t forget to look at the other officers and management to make sure the engine is firing on all cylinders if you catch my drift. Do all the research you can but don’t forget to talk to your financial advisor as well before pulling the trigger.
The early bird doesn’t always get the worm.

Companies are making serious efforts to develop effective medicines using on cannabis. These companies deserve all due diligence before investing in any of them. Understand that investing in potential is risky and any of the drugs discussed in this article could fail or disappoint. Some medicinal marijuana stocks will undoubtedly succeed in 2017, so research and be vigilant when navigating this exploding industry. But don’t forget all the good that cannabis can do.
Cannabinoids have been found to have potential in treating over 40 medical issues including cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, and glaucoma. Companies developing marijuana-related compounds rarely focus on cannabis alone. Be aware that some “mainstream” stocks may actually profit from loosened restrictions on marijuana even if they don’t grow or sell it themselves. Thanks for reading.