Marijuana News

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.

Culture, Marijuana NewsJune 5, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

Insurance Companies to Cover Weed in California

Insurance can be hard to get.

Most Americans know how hard it is to deal with insurance companies. The coverage is confusing and Americans pay more than most other countries for health insurance.But what a growing number of business owners are discovering is that insurance companies can refuse to cover a marijuana business.
Because insurance is tied to federal regulations and oversight, insurance companies are playing a game of hot potato. Nobody wants to be holding the policy when the federal government comes knocking. Most simply refuse to touch the cannabis industry on principal.
“Many insurance companies flat out do not have an appetite for any business related to cannabis,” said Brian Marblestone with the San Carlos brokerage firm Stratton Agency. But one person wants to change the insurance companies tune. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones recognizes the problem and has solutions.

What is Commissioner Jones’ plan?

Both consumers and business owners are at risk if there isn’t sufficient coverage. So Jones is holding a series of meetings aimed at educating major carriers. The end goal is to convince them to start insuring the multi billion-dollar cannabis industry.
Jones recognizes that there is a lot of ground to cover but hopes that the shift will happen soon. Regulators want all canna-businesses to carry at least $1 million of liability. They are even planning to deny licenses if the business doesn’t have insurance starting in January.
This is important because only some industries are required by the state to be insured. Banks and landlords can also demand insurance coverage where the state doesn’t. Jones is looking to normalize the requirements across the state so everyone can benefit.

Why demand Insurance Companies change?

Jones has been monitoring availability of insurance to the medical marijuana industry since 2011. During the last six years, he has noticed that cannabis businesses have been getting coverage almost exclusively from the surplus line market.
This includes carriers that are approved but not licensed by the state. These carriers provide coverage for companies that have been turned down by major insurers. But surplus line policies tend to be more expensive and have stricter requirements than licensed carriers.
“I’m a big believer in competition,” Jones said. “Through competition we get better pricing, better quality and more choice in products.” Part of his plan to entice competition is to offer state support to major carriers entering the market.

Not everyone is on board yet.

“Insurance companies are conservative in nature,” said Ian Stewart, an attorney with the firm Wilson Elser in Los Angeles who specializes in cannabis law. “Before entering any new market, they want to have the law of large numbers on their side, meaning they are able to study the trends and loss ratios of the different classes of business in the industry. This way they establish pricing models to rate the business according to the risk while still remaining profitable.
That kind of information simply isn’t available yet so people have had to get creative. Many times, cannabis business owners secure insurance coverage from a willing carrier. The business owner then presents proof of that coverage to their landlord, who hand it off to their own insurance company. Hopefully the efforts by Jones and others will result in better insurance for cannabis businesses.

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.

Marijuana NewsJune 4, 2017 by Alley Rhodes

High Times Magazine Sold for $70 Million

Damion Marley and other investors just bought High Time Magazine.

America’s pioneering marijuana publication was sold to a Los Angeles investment group called Oreva Capital. Damion Marley, the youngest of Bob Marley’s sons, is a part of the group that purchased High Times. While there are still other owners, Damion’s investment group now own the controlling share.
Changes are incoming for the well-established publication as control shifts hands. The Oreva group plans to convert High Times Magazine into a new modern media organization. No longer will it represent a fringe of the population.

What Oreva Capital can purchase for $70 million.

The investment group purchased controlling interest in High Times Magazine. And that includes the print magazine, the website, the High Times brand name and the Cannabis Cup festivals. These assets make up the framework that is High Times.
With a plethora of content and brand awareness in addition to the physical assets, High Times is worth quite a bit. The estimated value of High Times Magazine is a cool $70 million. The new owners risk alienating their core base if they stray too far from their current content.

What sparked the purchase of High Times.

18 months after High Times chairman (Michael Kennedy) passed away, his portion of the company came up for sale. Kennedy was not just the High Times chairman though. He was a long time legal advisor, their guiding force and friend.

A brief history of High Times.

Tom Forcade founded High Times in 1974. In the 70’s, Forcade was an underground journalist and drug smuggler. During that time, magazines like the Rolling Stone, Playboy and National Lampoon published risky literature that defined American culture.
After Forcade’s death in 1978, the magazines’ parent company, Trans High Corporation (THC) broke the company into several held shares. Once that happened, Michael Kennedy, his wife Eleanora, and several members of Forcade’s family operated the company. That is when Kennedy became acting chairman of High Times magazine.

High Times overcome several hurdles.

High Times survived the big War on Drugs during the 80’s. And in the 2000’s, High Times competed against the internet, video games and cable T.V. However, these hurdles never stopped High Times and its crew from staying on top of their game.
The High Times crew discovered new revenue opportunities over the years. One of the most lucrative was creating Cannabis Cup festivals hosted all around the U.S. and the Netherlands. By 2015, the Cannabis Cup festivals brought in 80 percent of the company’s revenue.

High Times new lifestyle branding.

Damien Marley and associates have some pretty big shoes to fill. The new push for High Times is going to be in merchandising, furniture and cannabis consumption lounges. There is also rumor about a possible High Times hotel and casino.
High Times is hoping to open a casino in Vegas, but Nevada’s gaming industry is concerned about all things cannabis. The Las Vegas gaming committee is worried about getting into trouble with federal agencies. And the alcohol distributors are worried about getting cut out of the profits. But the promise of a cannabis friendly casino is one step closer to reality.

Culture, Marijuana NewsJune 4, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

Secret Service Relaxes Marijuana Ban

The Secret Service needs help.

Law requires the Secret Service to provide round-the-clock protection for the properties owned by the president. That includes places where nobody is living. President Trump might have taken that as a personal challenge as his protection costs have soared. Trump has spent hundreds of millions of tax dollars in just the first few months on travel to and from his private resort and security.
Trump has actually doubled the cost of protecting the president three times over. It is so expensive, congress had to add $120 million to the budget already. The extravagant travel and security details the president demands are making it impossible to provide with current rules.
The Secret Service needs to add thousands of jobs in order to properly guard the many cheap hotels and overpriced properties the president uses to increase his personal fortune. There simply are not enough Secret Service members to protect all the properties of the current president.

Concessions have to be made somewhere.

The president cannot miss a chance to spend millions of dollars whenever he can. So the only reasonable option left is to add 3000 Secret Service members. The problem is that too many people flunk out of the program due to cannabis consumption.
We aren’t talking closet stoners that have been selling weed out of their footlocker. We are talking the people who want to protect our country and are actually qualified to do so. These are the guys who pass training, have solid credit, good eyesight and may have used cannabis when teenagers.
38 days into his new appointment as director of the Secret Service, Randolph Alles announced the decision to no longer disqualify candidates because of weed. He also acknowledged that the “very dedicated” agents were facing insurmountable demands and without the changes, there wouldn’t be enough candidates to provide the mandated protection.

Alles is looking to fix the staffing issue.

Alles outlined a new, “whole-person concept” in the new hiring practices that went into effect last month. Instead of simply yes or no questions about past use during a polygraph test, the Service now asks about history. Consideration is given for time between last use and testing but enough history is still considered a failure during the polygraph test.
“We need more people. The mission has changed,” Alles said before citing threats like al Qaeda and ISIS, as well has homegrown terrorists. “It’s more dynamic and way more dangerous than it has been in years past,” Alles said during his address. While his personal interactions with president Trump are singular, Alles is in charge of deciding who gets to protect the president.
The most interesting part of the equation is that the Secret Service is relaxing its ban on marijuana because it can’t hire enough people to protect the president. So Trumps refusal to give up control of his businesses has created a national security threat that will take almost $120 million to patch. This despite the danger level to president Trump being effectively the same as president Obama at 6-8 threats per day.

The challenge is more than just protecting properties.

“I think between that and the fact that he has a larger family, that’s just more stress on the organization. We recognize that,” Alles said when addressing logistics of the constant presidential trips to Florida and New Jersey. Alles assured reporters that he’s been allocating resources accordingly.
Despite having spent more on travel than any living president, Trump still hasn’t made it to Camp David. As the traditional escape of presidents, the Maryland military installation remains fully staffed and protected at all times. “Obviously, we won’t be able to dictate his travel,” Alles said. “We interface with his staff on how they schedule things and what works better and causes us less resource demands.”

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.

Marijuana NewsJune 4, 2017 by Alley Rhodes

Nevada's Early Start for Recreational Weed Sales in Trouble

Nevada liquor wholesale distributors challenged marijuana licenses.

Nevada’s Department of Taxation expected the first recreational sales to begin July 1^st, but alcohol distributors wanted to put a stop to that. A group of liquor wholesale distributors filed a temporary restraining order that prohibits Nevada’s Department of Taxation from distributing marijuana licenses.
Carson City District Judge James Wilson ruled in favor of the liquor wholesalers and granted the temporary restraining order. “The statute clearly gives a priority and exclusive license to alcohol distributors. In order to promote the goal of regulating marijuana similar to alcohol.” Wilson wrote in an opinion paper.

All hope is not completely lost.

The Nevada Department of Taxation still expects the July 1^st sales of recreational marijuana to proceed. But they are not clear as to how the process will play out due to the judge’s ruling.

Why did the liquor wholesale distributors go through all the trouble?

The liquor wholesalers argued that they have first rights to distribute recreational marijuana. They also claim that medical dispensaries could not apply for recreational licensing because there wasn’t enough interest among liquor wholesalers. The wholesalers also claimed that the November ballot gave liquor wholesalers exclusive rights to marijuana distribution licenses for the first 18 months of sales. The ballot measure states that marijuana should be regulated in a manner that is similar to alcohol.

Are liquor wholesalers worried they can’t compete with the M.J. market?

Sam McMullen stated, “We just want our rightful place. We don’t want to slow this down inordinately.” McMullen is the attorney for the liquor wholesalers. He fought hard so that the Nevada Tax Department can only distribute marijuana licenses to liquor wholesalers. According to Judge Wilson, the liquor wholesalers demonstrated irreparable harm if the department proceeds to issue cannabis distribution licenses to existing marijuana establishments.
Stephanie Klapstein is a spokeswoman for the Nevada Tax Department. She said that, “We are still looking toward a July 1^st launch of the program.” Klapstein also stated, “We expect a hearing on the matter to be scheduled for some time in the next couple of weeks.”

Why the big rush?

On January 1, 2017 recreational sale of marijuana became legal in Nevada. And on Jan. 1, 2018, the Nevada law requires permanent regulations for the sale of recreational weed to be in place. But the Nevada Legislator is expected to give final approval for the “quick start” program to allow existing dispensaries to sell recreation weed before that. The reason for the big early push is because the expected tax revenue from pot sales is expected to total $70 million over two years. That is a lot of money and alcohol wholesalers want exclusive rights to it.

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

420 Celebrations Hit the Mainstream

What are 420 celebrations to you?

The number 420 itself has come to represent a lot to the cannabis community. Twice every day, stoners remark “Happy 4:20” to each other. or otherwise having 420 celebrations. But why do they do that? Ask a smoker and the response can range from a simple “I dunno” to a lengthy explanation of college hippies, police codes and secret meetings in the 60’s.
The number has become so embedded in popular stoner culture that every April, cannabis users from all walks of life view April 20th as an actual holiday. They request time off, book events, invite friends, and otherwise celebrate like any other holiday. Except this one the main goal is to get high, like really, really high.

420 is bigger than the cannabis community.

Even people who don’t consume marijuana associate 420 with cannabis culture. Many bosses know why their employees suddenly ‘get sick’ and call in to work in the mid April. Word of mouth and social media has made 420 celebrations truly global. It can be almost impossible for someone to get out of work for the holiday without getting called out as a pot head.

420 has become a celebration of consumption.

Friends gather together and smoke as many bowls as seems fitting. Just like Superbowl parties, Halloween jamborees and 4th of July celebrations, 420 has a social focus. Even people who don’t hang out make the effort to see each other for the holiday. The popularity of 420 celebrations with consumers has been embraced by retailers.
Even Snoop Dogg performs special concerts for the holiday. Rappers aren’t the only ones getting in on the sales. The best business day for any dispensary is April 20th and almost all have specials. The deals can range from a single strain on discount to a full line of pre-rolls for $4.20 with music, food and all sorts of games.

What is 420 really about?

Unlike most religious holidays, the meaning behind the numbers are multiple. 420 is a police code, a secret meeting time and a code word all wrapped up in one. As stoners repeat these stories, they work to add a sense of mystery and intrigue to the holiday. The multiple origin legends boost off of each other, creating a mystery behind the ‘true origin’ that wouldn’t otherwise exist.
Instead of sharing a single origin story (like with Christmas or Easter), people engage in flowing conversations about the origins that shift and evolve as they go. This is partly due to the short attention span stoners are known for. But it’s also because there is always someone new entering the conversation who has heard different parts of the story.

Prohibition has been big for the 420 community.

America has a pretty bad track record when it comes to respecting stoners. In states like California (where recreational sales were recently legalized), getting caught with some weed could get you behind bars. The controversial ‘three strikes’ policy made life sentencing a real threat. Yet the threat of prison didn’t stop people from smoking, it just made them hide it.
When people have to fear incarceration for celebrating, it tends to make them less inclined to make a big deal about smoking weed. Yet even in the early 200’s when Operation Pipe Dreams was big news, people still held 420 celebrations, concerts and all sorts of gatherings.

420 Reform has actually helped kids.

As more and more states pass marijuana reform, people have taken notice how much better the communities have been. 31 states provided less state funding per student in 2014 than in 2008, and in at least 15 states, the cuts to school funding exceeded 10 percent. Yet schools in states like Washington and Oregon (among others) have had millions of dollars added to their budgets from weed taxes.
Also, with less parents going to jail, there are less children going into state agencies like foster care. This frees up a lot of time and energy for social workers to focus on the ones that need them. And since the parents aren’t in jail, they can keep on working and paying their taxes instead of becoming a drain on the state.

Some cities are taking a better approach to 420 celebrations.

Some towns engage with their stoner populations better than others which can morph the conversation. In cities like Denver, Seattle or Portland, there are all sorts of events. These cities embrace the revenue that stoners provide and work to allow safe consumption. Stoners flock to these areas when on vacation or looking to relocate which provides a very real economic boost.
In Denver recently, the city partnered with law enforcement, Mothers Against Drink Driving, dispensaries and Uber to provide a safe way for people to get around during 420 celebrations. Instead of driving intoxicated, riders were offered a $4.20 discount on fares. The effort was a resounding success and steps are underway to make similar arrangements in the future.

420 isn’t going anywhere.

In small towns and cities where cannabis is less loved, consumers still host extravagant parties or simply get together and smoke out every day. 420 became a cultural phenomenon long before legalization so people have had a long time to think of ways to celebrate without drawing much attention. Even if the federal government (read Jeff Sessions) cracks down on states and starts a new crusade, the community will find a way.
It wasn’t too long ago that hikes, spring festivals and camping were the only places stoners could openly consume. If need be, we can always go back to that. But for now, we get Snoop Dogg concerts and great deals on legal weed.
Remember to consume responsibly and let us know how you enjoyed the 420 holiday. Thanks for reading and Happy 420!

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

Culture, Marijuana News, MedicalJune 3, 2017 by Adam Rhodes

New Zealand Finally Legalizes CBD

A new day is dawning.

New Zealand is finally joining the cannabis liberation movement. Proposals to amend the Food Standards Code go as far back as 2002 and have had little success until now. Australian and New Zealand state and federal health ministers have bucked that trend by finally allowing hemp to be sold as a food.
The Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation approved the sale of hemp as food in April. But according to the Australian industry publication Grain Central, they also imposed strict guidelines around the products’ marketing and labeling.
The newly released guidelines ban any references to the presence of CBD in the product. This is to prevent any brands linking the products to illicit cannabis or suggest that the products have psychoactive or therapeutic effects. Even though they don’t want anyone associating food with weed, the government is aware of the benefits of hemp.

Hemp is good for pretty much everyone.

Hemp food are popular because they contain high levels of protein. A tablespoon of hemp seed can contain almost double the protein found in eggs. Not just any protein either, cannabis has near-perfect ratios of Omega 3 and Omega 6.
New South Wales Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair was excited for “Australians to reap the benefits” of both hemp food (which is legally sold in 21 nations) and an expanding hemp industry. “Low THC hemp is legally already grown in NSW under strict licensing conditions and it is a hardy and sustainable crop that has enormous potential for both domestic and export markets,” Blair claimed in the report.
“The standard will take effect six months after it has been gazetted and ministers acknowledged that there is still a range of New Zealand and State and Territory legislation that currently prohibits the sale of low-THC hemp seeds as a food which will need to be amended,” the health ministers wrote at the Forum of Food Regulation on Friday.

New Zealand hemp cultivators are working to be ready for the changes.

Australia legalized industrial hemp production nationwide in 2008 but not as a food. Opening the food market increases the demands on production as well. One key for domestic production to keep up with demand is developing drought resistant hemp. Specifically varieties that can then be grown locally and exported legally.
But CBD providers have to be careful about how they market their products. THC, cannabis and marijuana are all words that can get a product pulled from the shelves. Special steps are necessary to ensure compliance with advertising regulations.
It’s understood that labels on hemp foods cannot even allude to psychoactive effects or use the words “cannabis” and “marijuana”. But producers who can work around this might get their products to hit shelves as soon as November.
The big difference between cannabis/marijuana and industrial hemp is the THC levels. Hemp has about 0.03 per cent THC, while marijuana can contain up to 30 per cent THC. This makes it so smoking a whole field of hemp physically can’t get you high. So while cannabis remains restricted, Australia and New Zealand both get to look forward to a new dawn for CBD and hemp.