Marijuana Legalization

Culture, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana NewsAugust 22, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

Stone Cold Reception for Roger Stone

Cannabis reform is under threat from extremist ideologies.

I’m not talking about one person or one ideology either. On the Left and Right, people are taking extreme stances that alienate potential allies. The most recent example of this is the controversy over Roger Stone (Alt-Right personality) being a keynote speaker at the Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo.
Stone is a racially controversial figure with close ties to the Trump administration. His radical views leverage racial tensions to drive home his points. Yet Stone supports cannabis reform and has attended CWCBExpo conferences before without issue.
But after the tragic events of Charlottesville and the subsequent support President Trump gave (even while denouncing) to white nationalists and Neo Nazis, everyone is up in arms. Tensions are at an all-time high and every passing day sees the pressure build as new lines are drawn in the sand.

Organizations are withdrawing from mutually supported causes.

On Thursday, the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) put up a Facebook post announcing its withdrawal from the CWCBExpo due to the presence of Roger Stone. “As a result of CWC choosing this guy as their keynote speaker, MCBA has decided to withdraw from attendance and speaking roles at this conference. CWC, you know better so there’s no excuse not to do better.”
The official reply from the CWCBExpo was a poorly thought-out and emotional response from Scott Giannotti. The managing partner of the CWCBExpo posted “How convenient MCBA is promoting CWCBExpo’s biggest competitor NCIA, who hosts ALL WHITE CONFERENCES. Meanwhile CWCBExpo works hard at producing the most politically and culturally diverse conference program in the cannabis industry. But we’re racists ok lol I’ll put our show guide up against NCIA’s any day you want and show you how dumb you people are.”
It is important to note that NCIA does not host “all white conferences”. They defended themselves but have deemed the attack beneath their attention. Instead of entering the rats-nest of ‘who is the bigger racist’, they continue to operate as normal. But the attack on the alternative conference left a bitter flavor in the mouths of several speakers.

The controversy is bigger than one speaker (Stone) or one conference (CWCB).

Several other prominent organizations dropped out of the conference so far. The biggest so far are Aunt Zelda’s co-founder Mara Gordon, as well as former Drug Policy Alliance California policy manager Amanda Reiman. Reinman is also the new vice president for community relations at Flow Kana.
It’s important to weigh the risk and reward before engaging in such a divisive strategy. Dropping the conference is a powerful way for companies to show their values. But too much of it has a detrimental effect on the entire community. It not only shuts down discourse, it delegitimizes the common ground we all share.
As longtime readers know, I do not support white nationalism or the Trump agenda. Our nation resembles an echo chamber and dissenting opinions are often absent consideration. We must recognize our common goals and actually work together on them. Otherwise, we are doomed to escalating violence.

Culture, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana News, MedicalAugust 22, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

The New Jersey Marijuana Justice Act

Senator Cory Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act

The Action Together New Jersey (ATNJ) Supports Senator Cory Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act. The ATJN advocates for fair and equitable drug policy reform. Sen. Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act would legalize marijuana at the federal level. It would also encourage states to legalize marijuana. One of the most important parts of the Marijuana Justice Act is the promise of expunging criminal records. This includes those convicted solely for possession and/or use. Also, to hold sentencing hearings for those currently serving time.
ATJN’s Director of Drug Policy Reform, Moira Nelson made a statement. “We know that communities of color and low income communities have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition. African Americans are three times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than white people even though both use marijuana at similar rates. This is a fact. These convictions are tearing families apart, it’s difficult to find a job once you’ve been convicted, it’s impossible to get a student loan and hard to obtain housing. Marijuana should not have prohibited in the first place. It was an oppression tactic. The time has come to regulate and tax marijuana in the same way we do alcohol”.
Several New Jersey groups have paired up with ATJN such as the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), and the New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform Coalition (NJUMR). In addition, thousands of citizens support the move. Also, the NAACP – NJ State Conference, National Organization of Woman NJ (NOW-NJ), New Jersey Policy Perspective, New Jersey Citizen Action, People’s Organization for Progress, Latino Justice PRLDEF, to name a few.

The New Jersey Senate Bill 3195 / Assembly Bill 4872 would legalize marijuana in the state.

ATJN and other members of the coalition are working together to ensure policies are fair, equitable and just. The coalition is fighting for policies such as expungement for people previously convicted of marijuana offenses, investment of some portion of the revenue generated from the sale of legal marijuana back into the communities that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition, and equal opportunity to access employment created by the cannabis industry.
After the hearing, Nelson said that it was inspiring to see how thoughtful the state legislators were about this legislation. And how many people are in favor of marijuana legislation. Nelson also went on to comment that it was really uplifting hearing person after person speak on behalf of those communities. These communities have feel the deep impact of prohibition and speak for many. “I am very hopeful for our future. In this unsettling political climate, we need advocates and allies to speak up for those that are disenfranchised in some way. What I witnessed today brings me immense hope.”
For more information about what ATJN commits too and what they strive to accomplish, please visit them at www.ATJN.org.
For a closer look at the conference, check out this YouTube video. Any comments? We’d love to hear them. And as always, thanks for reading.

Marijuana Legalization, Science, TechnologyJuly 2, 2017 by Alley Rhodes

Cannabis DUI and Alcohol DUI Laws are Treated the Same

In many states, cannabis DUI laws are treated like alcohol DUI laws.

But a cannabis DUI and an alcohol DUI should be treated differently for many reasons. One example of their difference is how THC and alcohol levels are metabolized. THC stays in the body for weeks after consuming while alcohol is purged in several hours. Yet the highs last about the same amount of time.
Getting pulled over weeks after smoking results in drivers getting charged with a DUI. That’s because it’s difficult for cops to determine how recently a driver smoked a bowl. Traditional sobriety tests don’t correspond to cannabis effects either. For example, a stoned driver can stand on one leg while a drunk driver cannot.
Scott Leist was a Seattle police officer, and a defense attorney for the Washington Traffic Defense. Leist agrees that Washington’s Cannabis DUI laws are a problem. In Washington, there is a .08 limit for alcohol and THC, but THC is nothing like alcohol.
Leist said, “some studies suggest that driving with moderate levels of THC in one’s system can actually improve driving performance.” There is simply no good science about what determines impaired driving with weed and what doesn’t.

THC doesn’t metabolize quickly and completely like alcohol.

Leist found that alcohol can metabolize quickly, meaning that it is easy to test when the last time alcohol was consumed. Marijuana is different because a person can consume weed and be impaired for a few hours. But THC stays in the system long after the consumption and high phase.
How quickly and completely THC metabolizes depends on a few factors. Namely; how it was consumed and when, how often the person consumes, and the potency of the substance. Small amounts of THC can be found days or even weeks after consumption. At the other end, a heavy consumer can test over the 5ng/mL limit long after they are sober.
Alcohol has more exact prediction than weed. What is the marijuana equivalent of two beers? How much THC at what age and weight will get a person to 5ng/mL levels? How fast does THC wear off for each person? Nobody knows the answers to these questions because cannabis research is hampered by federal scheduling. Alcohol has no scheduling restrictions to prevent accurate studies so much more research is available.

There are no accurate field sobriety tests for THC intoxication.

Police Officers don’t have a lot of experience or training for marijuana DUI detection’s. Smell alone is not a good clue for recent intoxication. Physical signs like red eyes is not enough to prove that a person is THC impaired.
There are a variety of reasons a driver might experience the ‘signs of THC intoxication’. A person crying or struggling with allergies causes red eyes. Fatigue can also reproduce the short-term memory issues associated with weed.
The best method cops have available is a warrant granted blood test. But blood tests don’t reveal when the last time the driver consumed weed. Unlike alcohol, there is no way to check if a person has had too much THC. There is no breathalyzer that would reveal THC impairment. A person can’t give themselves a field sobriety test like the alcohol tests.

Abby McLean drove sober and received a DUI.

Northglen, Colorado resident Abby McLean went through a DUI roadside checkpoint on her way home. She is 30, had nothing to drink or smoke that night and had no worries. When the cop walked up to her car he saw that she had blood shot eyes and smelled weed in the car.
The cop pulled out his handcuffs to arrests McLean when she exclaimed that she was on her way home to her children. McLean was forced to take a blood test which tested positive for THC intoxication. Her blood test was 5 times over the legal limit. She didn’t go to jail that night but she did go to court. It was a hung jury, but McLean settled for a lesser punishment.
Mark Kleiman is a professor of public policy at New York University. Kleiman said, “you can be positive for THC a week after the last time you used cannabis. Not subjectively impaired at all, not impaired at all by any objective measure, but still positive.”
It didn’t matter that McLean hadn’t smoked at all that night. If she smoked a week ago, she still got a cannabis DUI. Denver, Colorado’s District Attorney Mitch Morrissey says that Colorado won’t completely throw out the THC blood test. He then explained how it gives courts an extra piece of evidence during trials.

How to travel with cannabis in the car.

Scientists at UCSD are researching a new generation of cannabis field sobriety tests. One of these tests is called critical tracking. A person moves their finger around a square on a tablet to measure time distortion, because time can slow down when a person is high.
There is still a long way to go before an accurate field sobriety test exists. Tests like critical tracking are still in their experimental phase. But the nation is in desperate need for an accurate cannabis sobriety test.
Leist advises that drivers keep their weed in the trunk or in other inaccessible parts of the car. Crossing state borders with weed can result in significantly higher penalties and fines. Drivers should try to remember what they have stashed in their glove box. And don’t consume while driving or you will get a cannabis DUI .

Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana NewsJune 10, 2017 by Alley Rhodes

Ohio Cannabis Legalized but Patients are Left in the Dark

Ohio Cannabis Legalized but Patients Still Waiting.

One year after medical marijuana became legalized, patients still can’t buy legal cannabis within the state of Ohio. No licenses are given to cultivators, processors, labs or dispensaries. Doctors cannot become certified to recommend it. Ohio officials say that dispensaries will open by Sept 8^th, 2018. That is a long time before anyone sees a single legal joint for sale in Ohio.
In the fall of next year, Ohio plans to license several cannabis facilities. This includes 24 growers, 40 manufacturers of cannabis oils, tinctures, patches and medibles, and 60 dispensaries. They are also going to grant licensing to testing labs but Ohio officials are not sure how many.

The application process will not be cheap in Ohio.

The application process will not be streamlined, and the state fees will not be cheap. Larger cultivators are expected to pay $20,000 for a non-refundable application fee. And another $180,000 license fee if they are approved. The application fee is renewable for $200,000 per year.

Not all Ohio cities are joining the bandwagon.

Ohio allows cities to say whether they want marijuana businesses in their neighborhoods. Over 50 municipalities said no, they don’t want medical dispensaries in their towns. Slowly but surely entrepreneurs are changing the minds of these cities. Normally by showing them the huge potential income they would be losing if they don’t participate in the medical dispensary movement.
In recent months, more than a dozen communities have lifted the ban or let their own bans expire. Cities like Youngstown, Columbus and Johnstown have agreed to allow marijuana businesses to begin cultivation.
Columbus was one of the first cities to allow cannabis cultivation. They soon ran out of qualified cultivation grow space because of the large number of people petitioning for a license. Many cultivators almost lost their grow space when they realized how big the bill was for local licensing. “Even if you’re welcoming, there are other communities who are welcoming now,” Johnstown Village Manager Jim Lenner said.

Too bad ailments can’t take a two-year hiatus.

Ohio lawmakers understand that medical patients can’t wait two years before receiving treatment. That is why they put a few safeguards to help protect them from being prosecuted for possession. If patients have some form of letter or paperwork certifying that they have a qualifying condition, this protects them from prosecution. However, the law doesn’t state where they can legally obtain their weed.
Because Ohio physicians aren’t certified yet, they are reluctant to sign off for potential medical marijuana patients. That hasn’t stopped everyone though. A small percentage (7%) of Ohio doctors are willing to take the risk and help medical cannabis patients with recommendations.

But is simply isn’t enough.

Many patients like Amanda Candow are refraining from purchasing marijuana. Candow has multiple sclerosis and has a doctor’s note. But because of the current state of Ohio laws she doesn’t trust the letter and therefore is too afraid to buy weed.
Candow and others who have debilitating conditions like terminal cancer want to stay on the right side of the law. Even though Ohio cannabis is legal, delays and outrageous fees in the licensing process stop progress.

Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana NewsJune 10, 2017 by Alley Rhodes

Nevada Officials Rush to Legalize Recreational Weed

Nevada officials are moving too fast.

The tourist season is just around the corner and many are wondering if Nevada officials are moving too fast. Nevada expects tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue from recreational sales. Rafael Lemaitre is the former member of the Obama administration’s Office of National Drug Policy. Lemaitre sees how sloppy implementation of recreation marijuana is going. He says Nevada is moving in a manner like a college student who skipped classes all term and is now cramming for finals.
Supporters are worried that the state won’t be ready to begin recreational sales on July 1^st. “We’re not certain we’re going to be able to hit the July 1^st date.” says Scot Rutledge. He ran the campaign to legalize cannabis is 2016.
Nevada officials are scrambling to meet the early July 1^st due date because the tourist season is just around the corner. Recently there was a hiccup about who could be allowed to distribute cannabis when marijuana dispensaries initially attempted to obtain a recreational distribution license. Carson City Judge James Wilson recently issued a temporary block to only allow the Nevada Alcohol Wholesale Distributors the ability to distribute cannabis products.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R) spoke with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper (D) several times about his states experience with the marijuana movement. “We want to learn from the experience of other states,” says Sandoval.

Cannabis Clubs

The issue about where to legally smoke pot outside consumer’s homes is a big deal. Nevada officials worry that consumers will smoke on the Las Vegas strip and smoke pot to their hotel rooms. Causing law enforcement to be called several times a day, all summer. If vacationers want to smoke in public, Nevada officials want to provide a safe-space for them to do it. Police time and energy won’t be spent harassing the Las Vegas strip and hotels all summer long.
Nevada legislators argued over whether to allow pot clubs. According to Nevada attorneys, it doesn’t need to be a state issue on who gets to open cannabis clubs. These safe-spaces to smoke can be more of a local jurisdiction matter. The potential to attract tourists from around the world is too great to not allow cannabis clubs in places like Vegas.

Nevada’s Cannabis Tax Income

The state of Nevada expects to sell $700 million in weed products within the next two years. But they expect their projections to be on the low end of reality. They expect a gold rush scenario similar to what happened in Colorado, Washington and Oregon when they legalized and began selling recreational marijuana

Nevada is hoping to stop the black market for good.

When recreational sales become legalized, Nevada officials are optimistic that the black-market sales of cannabis will stop. And the money from cannabis sales will go pouring into the state instead. However, Nevada officials worry that rushing the process will give Jeff Sessions another excuse to enforce federal control. “The situation with federal enforcement is already tenable as it is. Rushing the process could also give Sessions another excuse to reassert federal control. Which should surprise no one given his track record this far,” Lemaitre said.
Featured Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast.

Culture, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana NewsJune 6, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

Prop 64 Starts Rolling Recreationally

Prop 64 is getting recreational weed rolling.

Also known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), Prop 64 passed with a wide, 57-43% margin in November 2016. There were nearly 8 million people who voted to legalize marijuana but there were still close to six million voters who liked the status quo. A big part of the broad support for legal weed may be from the deep history California has with the plant.
Cities like Mendocino, Orange County, Weed, and San Francisco all have a vibrant horticultural culture. They were also some of the heaviest hit by the AIDS epidemic. Reducing suffering for terminally ill patients was enough motivation for California to allow medical marijuana. This is part of the reason so many popular strains come from the sunshine state.
Granddaddy Purps, SFV OG and countless others have become internationally recognized, California based genetics. An entire region of northern California is known as the Emerald Triangle because of how prevalent weed is. But up until now, only medical cannabis has been legal in California. The new bill marks a new chapter in California’s cannabis legalization legacy.

Prop 64 Updates the California laws in a few ways.

The new law makes possession of up to one ounce of sticky icky or eight grams of concentrates legal. Every adult (21 and over) is also allowed to grow up to six plants each. And prior offenders can file to have their records changed to reflect the new standard. But they don’t stop there.
California has a prison population issue from the harsh mandatory minimums that the War on Drugs brought about. Prop 64 reduces penalties for most cannabis related crimes (like cultivation, transport and sale) from felonies to misdemeanors. But repeat or violent offenders can expect to get some of that prison guard love that made Alcatraz such an attractive destination.
Part of how they distinguish the happy hippie from the dangerous drug dealer is if they have a license. The plan is to have a full regulatory system in place for commercial/personal cultivation and sales by January 2018. Like other states, they will pay for the regulations (and then some) through taxes and fees.

What kind of taxes are we talking about?

Glad you asked! Prop 64 establishes a flat production tax of $9.25/ oz. of flower to start. That means that small operations will earn orders of magnitude less profit than their industrial counterparts. This helps attract investment but also puts huge financial pressure on small and even medium sized operations.
Another tax concession was a new tax on both medical and recreational sales. The state decided to implement a new 15% excise tax for retail sales. This new tax is scheduled to take effect in January of 2018 for both medical and recreational users. To make up for the new tax, California gave resident medical patients with ID an exemption. They don’t have to pay the current 7.25% sales tax. They made the exemption effective immediately which shows how much they care about their medical patients.
Industrial hemp also got some love with the bill. Effective Jan 2017, farmers have been allowed by the state to grow hemp in their fields. Hemp genetics are mostly comprised of several extremely low THC strains of cannabis. This means it can often be high in the non-psychoactive compound CBD. The decision of the DEA to make CBD a schedule 1 drug (and thereby prevent most hemp production) made this inclusion especially important.

Legalization means regulation, not anarchy.

A lot of people confuse the word legalized with the word unregulated. Legalization means that every penny needs to be accounted for and every dot needs to be crossed because someone is watching. You can’t just roll up to a dispensary with a bag full of chronic and expect to walk away with a check. You can expect to get a night stick massage and a new pair of linked bracelets.
Illegal sale, transport, manufacture, cultivation or possession with intent to sell are all big no-no’s. You also can’s smoke or consume in any “public place”, on school grounds or have an open container while driving. Even having a spliff tucked into your beanie while mountain biking down a trail is can get you a DUI or misdemeanor.
If minors are caught in possession, they no longer have to fear imprisonment though. They will get to spend plenty of time in drug education and community service as long as weed is all they get hit for. But if anyone happens to be a three-time offender, they get special treatment that may be more in line with the federal guidelines.

Oh, and none of this applies of federal property.

The entire state of California (and the entire West Coast from Canada to Mexico to be honest) has started legalizing recreational cannabis. But federal law still Trumps state law most of the time. Anywhere that is considered federal property is exempt from the new laws. This includes places like the post office, courthouses, parks and military posts. Get caught with weed there and it’s in federal prosecutors hands.
While individual states have taken measures to reduce penalties for cannabis consumption, they still maintain that is a federally illegal Schedule One substance. In any special cases that prosecutors feel justified in, they can choose to pursue federal charges and penalties. And with the new edict from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, federal prosecutors were ordered to seek the most severe punishments possible.
Federal charges are normally only brought forward in large cases where commercial distribution is suspected. This is normally in the hundreds of plants so small growers feel a modicum of safety. But recent political upheavals have shown that America is dominated by increasingly authoritarian and obnoxiously ignorant ideologies. This bill is a step in the right direction and gives Californian’s the opportunity to treat each other with compassion. But as great as this step is, don’t expect it to stop the federal ban hammer on its own. With all the documentation required to get a license, there will be no escape if Attorney General Sessions has his way.

Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana NewsJune 5, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

California Passes Sanctuary Bill 1578

What happens now that California passed Bill 1578?

California has taken a major step in ending the War on Drugs. By passing Assembly Bill 1578, California has drawn a line in the sand. While the Justice Department attempts to put a whole new generation of Americans behind bars, California is doing the opposite.
The new legislation basically prevents local and state agencies from assisting federal agencies in prosecuting people that are following state marijuana laws. This despite demands by the Justice Department to renew draconian enforcement of racially biased laws. It’s kinda like California is giving Attorney General Jeff Sessions a big middle finger.
There will almost certainly be a challenge in the courts. ICE and other federal enforcement agencies rely on the ability to offload their work to or acquire intelligence from local agencies. Without those resources, Attorney General Jeff Sessions will have to work harder to destroy hard-working Americans lives.

Who is affected by the change?

Bill 1578 pretty much only people in California are affected right now. But that isn’t guaranteed for long. Depending on how the new law gets handled in the courts, more states may pass similar legislation. Just don’t expect police to go along quietly.
It is possible to challenge the law and get it removed but the likelyhood seems slim. Partly because of the overwhelming support for the measure and partly because of who it protects. City and State workers are already stretched thin and having to do the dirty work for a racially insensitive and politically toxic Justice Department is not something they are excited for.
The new law prohibits law enforcement from “using agency money, facilities, property, equipment, or personnel to assist a federal agency to investigate, detain, detect, report, or arrest a person [and/or transfer them to federal authorities] for commercial or noncommercial marijuana or medical cannabis activity that is authorized by a law in the State of California.”

What does it mean for citizens?

This is one more way to keep people from going to prison. Without the assistance of local authorities, federal prosecutors have to collect their own evidence. It also prevents local and state agencies from having to spend resources on investigating law abiding citizens.
Up till now, business owners, medical patients and commercial growers have all had to watch their back. Federal prosecutors could swoop in and hammer people following the state rules. Even terminally ill patients could be hit with penalties so steep, they might as well have thrown away the key.
Officials warn that police may not be able to uncover wrongdoing as easily once Bill 1578 come online in January. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León responded to the warnings by saying “Our precious local law enforcement resources will be squandered if police are pulled from their duties to arrest otherwise law-abiding maids, busboys, labors, mothers, and fathers,”
He went on to emphasize the cost of not passing this bill. “Trust will be lost. Crimes will go unreported for fear of deportation. Criminals will remain free to victimize others.” Truer words have rarely been spoken.

Analysis/Opinion, Culture, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana NewsJune 4, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

Government Targeting Marijuana Next

How could you tell if the government was targeting marijuana users?

Weed smokers often complain the government is targeting marijuana users. Complaints of government tracking is almost as common.But could there be any truth to the claim that the government will begin targeting marijuana users soon? Would their actions even be legal?
There was a time when the claim “someone might be listening.” was evidence of a damaged mind. But modern technology has cameras, phones, drones, GPS, Google, toaster armies massing for DDoS attacks and a whole world of connectivity. That connectivity has made that ancient feeling of being watched all too justified. But surely, the government isn’t targeting cannabis users is it?
International news stories (real and fake) abound of secret investigations, abused innocents and government executions. Many of these stories cannot be verified without extensive investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was tasked with finding truth behind allegations that now president Trump colluded with the Russian Government. When it seemed like the truth was close at hand, Trump sent his body guard to inform Director James Comey that he was fired and needed to find his own way home.
With revelations about how the F.B.I. (Federal Bureau of Investigation) conducts extended surveillance and the unbelievable size of N.S.A. (National Security Agency) Data centers, how can you not feel eyes upon you? But is the government putting together lists and planning to take out cannabis once and for all? When FBI Director Comey looked too deeply into presidential corruption, he was fired before he knew it. The prospect of government surveillance of stoners is troubling but government is already tracking how much weed we each buy and from where. The only real question is what they plan to do with it.

Evidence is mounting that the Trump regime is targeting marijuana.

The Trump administration is shaping up to have a willfully inaccurate view of everything from climate change to cannabis. The use of “alternative facts” (which is code for lies) and the inability to maintain a single thought across two sentences have been defining elements of recent American politics.
The Attorney General (Jeff Sessions) has made claims that support the idea he would begin targeting cannabis if ever allowed. Sessions recently told law-enforcement officials, “I reject the idea that we’re going to be better placed if we have more marijuana,” and “It’s not a healthy substance, particularly for young people.”
Sessions isn’t the only one to voice concerning rhetoric about targeting marijuana that ignores logic. After signing a recent government funding bill, Trump issued a statement where he singled out the provisions that prevent him from blocking states implementing medical marijuana bills. Trump promised to “ treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed,”.

It always hurts more when you see it coming.

Trumps public question piñata and press secretary John Spicer has also voiced concerning views about targeting marijuana. He told reporters recently “I think that when you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around this country, the last thing we should be doing is encouraging people,” He couldn’t leave it there though. Sessions continued,” There is still a federal law that we need to abide by.”
So far, there have been no open moves by the federal government to interfere with states passing marijuana laws. Although they have set records for using the biggest bombs ever made and continue to expand drone pilot programs. Only time will tell if the Trump regime hates cannabis enough to risk public opinion backlash. Trump seems fine with the idea of targeting marijuana users deemed recreational. In states like Washington, medical marijuana has been replaced with recreational laws. The Trump regime has warned us that the military grade gloves are ready to come off.

Culture, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana NewsJune 4, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

Governor of Vermont Veto's Pot Bill

Just when Vermont was about to make history, the governor stepped in.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, is vetoing a bill to legalize marijuana. His reasoning may be odd but at least he isn’t fundamentally opposed to legalized weed. But he is sending the bill back to the legislature for changes.
“We must get this right,” Scott said at a press conference. He then said something that makes people familiar with climate deniers and religious zealots groan.”I think we need to move a little bit slower.” He was quick to clarify that is views cannabis “through a libertarian lens” so isn’t trying to prevent legalization in principal.
Scott claimed that his actions are due to concerns about detecting and penalizing impaired drivers. He also cited protecting children, and the role and makeup of a Marijuana Regulatory Commission as areas he felt the bill didn’t do well enough.

When the door closes, look for a window.

“I recognize there is a clear societal shift in that direction.” The governor said. He plans to send recommended changes to the Democratic-majority legislature. If they address his concerns, the governor claims “there is a path forward on this issue.” One point that the governor wants defined is “how impaired is too impaired,” according to the governor’s communications director.
He also wants the legislation to define what devices might be effective at detecting people high on marijuana. But police “do not yet have reliable roadside toxicology tests that can say for sure if someone’s too high to drive in the way a breathalyzer or blood test can show if someone’s too drunk.”
Despite recreational use being illegal up till now, the Vermont Department of Health found that the state has among the “highest prevalence of marijuana use” in the country. The Vermont DOH also claims the state has the most users across all age groups, and the second highest of all states among those age 12 to 25.

Vermont was almost 9th and 1st.

If the bill hadn’t been vetoed, Vermont would have become the 9th state to legalize recreational marijuana. But it would have been the first to have done so via a legislative body. Everyone else has used a public referendum. In November, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada voters legalized recreational pot.
Vermont joints Arizona voters as the only states to have rejected it. But the Green Mountain State looks to be a lot closer to getting adjusted legislation passed. Partly because of the cooperation of the state house and senate on this issue so far. While it was difficult to come to a compromise before, the governors demands seem to be road bumps instead of roadblocks.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 states have pending legislation to legalize marijuana for adults. And more than half of states allow medical use of marijuana. Hope is not lost for Vermont though. With a few tweaks, the legislation may be able to make it back to the governor’s desk. Only this time, let’s hope he actually signs it.

Culture, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana NewsJune 3, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

First Amendment Lawsuit Filed Against NM EXPO

EXPO New Mexico restricts access to info.

A state-licensed medical marijuana producer is suing EXPO New Mexico officials. The suit claims restrictions on what the company was allowed to display in an informational booth violated free speech laws. Mainly by preventing them from reasonably disseminating their info.
New Mexico Top Organics-Ultra Health explained why they filed the complaint this week in U.S. District Court. They claimed that the rules set forth by the EXPO officials are so strict the company couldn’t even display its logo. The logo features a stylized image of a marijuana leaf, but not displaying it would negate the benefits of presenting.
Last summer, Ultra Health ran into trouble with the EXPO as well. They were given permission to place a small marijuana plant at a booth on the fairgrounds. Ultra Health President Duke Rodriguez said that despite following all the rules, about seven hours after the plant went on display, fair officials ordered its removal. The officials demanded the removal citing complaints from “higher up.”

But that wasn’t the end of it.

The state Department of Health later contacted Ultra Health. They said that displaying the plant violated rules governing the nonprofit’s license to grow medical cannabis. Because of the violation, the producer was sanctioned by having to close all seven of their locations for five days.
The sanction couldn’t have come at a worse time either. April 20, the biggest cannabis consuming holiday of the year fell right in the middle of the penalty. Rodriguez estimated that closing his dispensaries around the state for five days would cost the company more than $150,000.
The insane fees and penalties prompted Ultra Health to sue the department in state District Court. They contended the sanction was excessive, not supported by law and would actively hurt patients. In April, Ultra Health learned that the penalties would be held off until a judge could hear the case.

This may be the first Lawsuit, but it won’t be the last.

This lawsuit is just an example of the tension between marijuana advocates and government officials. Ultra Health is part of a movement sweeping the nation and won’t let the personal prejudices of a few people get in the way of progress. And they won’t roll over to let members of a legal, regulated industry be subjected to unfair treatment.
In an effort to clarify what was and what was not allowed this year, Ultra Health asked EXPO officials for details. The e-mail reply from Riana Bingham, the Director of Concessions stated “You may not bring onto the EXPO New Mexico campus any and all cannabis and cannabis derived products including CDB products.” CDB stands for cannabidiol, a compound that does not make feel high but does provide medicinal benefits.
“Moreover, you may not bring any type of drug paraphernalia that could be used to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, test, analyze, pack, repack, store, contain, conceal, inject, ingest, inhale or otherwise introduce into the human body any type of cannabis or other controlled substance,” Bingham continued in the e-mail.

Ultra Health wasn’t having it.

The lawsuit says the restrictions presented above effectively ban them from participation. These rules prohibit Ultra Health from displaying a microscope, a scale, a shovel, or even a cardboard box, as those items could be used in the cultivation or storage of cannabis.
The suit claims that the next line in Bingham’s email goes even further in restricting the producer’s First Amendment rights. It states, “You are also precluded from displaying any image of the above restricted items in any way to include banners, flyers clothing or any other medium,”
Under those rules, booths can’t show even a drawing of a cannabis plant. Ultra Health claims the rules prevent retailers from displaying even “a T-shirt of Bob Marley holding a cannabis product.” When asked if the rules intended to prohibit such images, Expo Spokesman Erin Thompson said it was “hard to say” but that officials have the authority to do so and have in the past.
The company decided not to attend the upcoming state fair. Ultra Health asked the federal court to declare that the fair officials actions illegal. Ultra Health claims EXPO officials treated them “As if Ultra Health is engaged in criminal activity, instead of medical activity regulated by the State.” The company also requested the court to confirm Ultra Health’s right “to educate and inform the public … without being subjected to content and viewpoint discrimination.”
Featured image: via Flickr CC