Month: March 2021

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Incoming Congressional Cannabis Advocates

Democrats gained no less than 40 seats in Congress on election day. That’s huge. In fact, it’s the biggest turnover in Congress since Watergate. But there are three incoming electees in particular whose presence in Washington bodes well for sunnier days for cannabis. 

Our first example, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is the top seed to chair the House Financial Services Committee. Waters told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that federal cannabis reform is “inevitable.” 

Waters has expressed that solving banking issues caused by federal prohibition is high on her list of priorities for the next Congress. This could have been a non-issue by now had Democrats won the House earlier. An amendment which would have protected banks from federal harassment was blocked from a vote last year by House Republicans. 

Another ray of sunshine for cannabis advocates is the victory of Massachusetts Representative Jim McGovern (D) who is also gunning for federal reform as he readies to take the helm of the House Rules Committee. 

The hugely important committee was previously driven by infamous Texas Republican Pete Sessions who has been staunchly opposed to reforms. Sessions has used (some say abused) his power over the powerful committee to thwart the will of U.S. voters by preventing any marijuana amendments from reaching the House floor for debate.

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) has described Sessions as a “leading marijuana prohibitionist.” He single-handedly killed almost 40 marijuana-related bills before they had a chance to be heard including popular bipartisan measures such as giving military veterans access to medical cannabis.

Sessions was beaten by Texas Democrat Colin Allred who has been instrumental in organizing the Texas cannabis and hemp sectors. 

Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), is the expected incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Nadler is not known to tiptoe around the issue. He has made clear that he supports ending federal prohibition altogether. The Judiciary Committee is responsible for oversight of the Drug Enforcement Administration. As chairman of the committee, Nadler has the power to assure that cannabis legislation comes up for a vote. 

Two long-time cannabis-friendly Republicans were also defeated. California Representative Dana Rohrabacher whose name graces the Rohrabacher–Blumenauer Amendment was beaten by Democrat Harley Rouda. And in Florida, MMJ champion Carlos Curbelo lost to Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsal-Powell. Although the two turnovers won’t change the balance of votes for federal reform, they do add to the breakup of Republican domination of the House. 

Representative Earl Blumenauer told reporters on Wednesday, “In terms of a victory for the continued momentum of cannabis legalization, it was a big night.” Blumenauer cited the fact that “three of the greatest obstructionists to progress are not coming back.”

Finally, Chalk up one more vote as influential Senator Joe Kennedy III (D) recently reversed his position on legal pot and is now calling for federal marijuana reform.

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New York Reaches a Deal to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

State lawmakers finalized a deal on Thursday to legalize recreational marijuana in New York, paving the way for a potential $4.2 billion industry that could create tens of thousands of jobs and become one of the largest markets in the country.

Following several failed attempts, lawmakers in Albany struck an agreement with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older, a move that officials hope will help end years of racially disproportionate policing.

The deal would allow delivery of the drug and permit club-like lounges or “consumption sites” where marijuana, but not alcohol, could be consumed, according to details obtained by The New York Times. It would also allow a person to cultivate up to six marijuana plants at home, indoors or outdoors, for personal use.

If approved, the first sales of legal marijuana are likely more than a year away: Officials must first face the daunting task of writing the complex rules that will control a highly regulated market, from the regulation of wholesalers and dispensaries, to the allocation of cultivating and retail licenses, to the creation of new taxes and a five-member control board that would….Read Full Article Here

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Marijuana use leads to White House staffers losing their jobs.

Anyone surprised that Joe Biden would scrutinize the weed-smoking habits of his White House staff hasn’t paid attention to one of the more consistent policy threads of his decades-long career.

He’s just not ready to embrace cannabis.

Despite a shift in public opinion toward legalizing marijuana over the past 30 years, the president’s more conservative approach to weed policy is well-known on Capitol Hill. When the Daily Beast reported late Thursday that “dozens” of young White House staffers had been suspended, asked to resign or placed in a remote work program after admitting to prior marijuana use, pro-cannabis lawmakers were dismayed Friday but hardly shocked.

“It is another vivid example of the clash between past policies, and where America is, and where America is going,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Capitol Hill’s unofficial weed czar, said in an interview. “It’s not, probably, surprising.”

Will Biden Legalize Marijuana?

Blumenauer is already putting together a letter with other lawmakers “seeking clarification” from the Biden administration on the dismissals.

Many Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including Vice President Kamala Harris, have shifted their positions on cannabis legalization in recent years. But Biden — who, as a senator, shepherded the 1994 crime bill that disproportionately…Read Full Article Here

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Limiting the levels of THC in Florida medical marijuana to 10 percent.

Medical marijuana and opioid use

Imagine a world in which politicians make policy based on false assumptions and Luddite ideologies without even considering all the facts. Oh, sorry. We live in that world.

Rep. Spencer Roach (R-Fort Myers) is pushing a bill that would limit levels of THC in Florida medical marijuana to 10 percent. Roach claims that limiting the percentage of THC in marijuana products will stave off a new “opioid crisis.”

Roach said this to the House Professions and Public Health Subcommittee:

“We do know that people, doctors, and patients, are taking advantage of our medical program to do two things: get rich and get high. We have seen this play out here before in Florida, and we know how it ends. We don’t need a sequel.”

Where is this man getting his information?

According to the Tampa Bay Times, after Roach gave his ill-informed speech “he was asked if he could provide any evidence of any adverse reactions to high-THC marijuana among Florida’s dispensaries more than 500,000 medical cannabis patients.” Roach could not present even one single shred of evidence that his “Reefer Madness” thinking is warranted.

10% THC Cap

The fact of the matter is that opioids were involved in 46,802 (a rate of 14.6) overdose deaths in 2018—nearly 70% of all overdose deaths. Meanwhile exactly zero Americans have died from a marijuana overdose.(Marijuana is completely non-toxic.)

3 Good Reasons Why Limiting THC In Florida Medical Marijuana Is a Horrible Idea

 

Another fact is, opioid prescriptions, addictions, and deaths are falling on average in states that offer medical marijuana. That’s not hyperbole. This fact comes from a Harvard U. study on medical marijuana and opioid use. Simply Google “medical marijuana and opioid stats” and find reams of this kind of information from reliable sources that don’t have a horse in the race.

Opioid UsersAnother argument offered by proponents of the bill is the claim that the prolonged use of high-potency marijuana is associated with cases of psychosis. While this might be the case, the numbers are minuscule — minuscule! —  compared to the number of opioid users who become addicted. Addiction is a form of psychosis that ruins lives, breaks up families, often results in an untimely death, and costs Florida’s taxpayers millions of dollars.

About 500,000 residents have a Florida medical marijuana card. That’s .025 percent of the population. Meanwhile, Florida healthcare providers wrote 53.7 opioid prescriptions for every 100 persons in 2018. Many of those prescriptions resulted in addiction or death and so far next to nothing has been done to stop this plague. Why?

Rep. Carlos Smith (D-Orlando) appears to be correct when he says that “‘Reefer Madness’ is the ideology that is prevailing in this legislation.”

If you wish to express your opinion, you can find your local lawmaker and their contact information here:

https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative

 

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3 Good Reasons Why Limiting THC In Florida Medical Marijuana Is a Horrible Idea | OPINION

Florida Dispensaries Living

3 really good reasons why a 10 percent THC limit on Florida medical marijuana is a horrible idea:

Even if you set aside all the evidence against opioid use and in favor of medical marijuana use — even if you just ignore all that completely — here are three really good reasons why limiting Florida medical marijuana to 10 percent THC levels is a grotesquely rotten idea.

  1. Many medical marijuana patients will just use more.

If this bill becomes law, patients that can afford to buy twice as much sub-par medical marijuana will just use more of the products they consume in order to get the desired results. Or…

  1. Those who can’t afford it will just turn back to the black market.

Many patients with qualifying medical conditions find it hard to afford medical marijuana as it is — insurance doesn’t cover it.  And illicit marijuana is already cheaper than legal marijuana in Florida. Moreover, commonly used products such as cannabis concentrate syringes (which are easy to use and provide accurate dosing) will be outlawed. If THC levels are limited to 10 percent, we’re going to hear a giant sucking sound as millions of dollars gets sucked out of the Florida economy and put back into the black market. It will end up being an extremely costly move in the long run. Spend that money on drug abuse education may be a better option.

  1. Cannabis companies will think twice about investing in Florida.

In addition to limiting THC to 10 percent, the bill would also allow the Florida Department of Health to test crops to ensure they comply. If a crop tests at 11 percent THC, the law will require the entire crop to be destroyed. Does anyone doubt that multi-state operators such as Trulieve and Curaleaf will think twice about investing in Florida when they can spend those resources other states?

Florida Cannabis StocksFlorida Cannabis Stocks

 

Will a 10 percent limit on THC pass in Florida?

Ever since medical marijuana was approved by voters in 2016, opponents in the legislature have been trying to excoriate the law. First deciding that they know better than the experts and banned the sale and use of smokable flower. That rule was struck down by a state court. Now, this.

But will it pass?

According to the Times, “Roach’s bill cleared the committee with every Republican voting in favor of it, and every Democrat voting against it.” The bill will have to pass through at least two more committees before it heads to the House floor. Both of those committees are Republican-controlled. So it might pass the house.

Republicans made a similar proposal calling for a 10 percent THC cap for products sold to patients younger than 21 that passed the House in 2020. It died on the Senate floor. The Senate version of Roach’s bill, SB 1958, has yet to be heard by a committee.

Will it pass? Unknown.

If you wish to express your opinion, you can find your local lawmaker and their contact information here: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative

 

 

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Is New York going to Legalize Adult Recreational Marijuana in 2021

Will New York State legalize adult-use recreational marijuana in 2021? It’s looking more and more plausible. Time to discuss Governor Cuomo’s recent announcement, the likelihood that a marijuana legalization bill will pass in 2021, and the impact it could have on the state if it does.
For decades, there has been talk of legalizing marijuana in New York. And there have even been some hefty pushes from leading politicians in the state. But none have yet pushed the issue over the finish line.

Now, after a few years of research and haggling, just days before his 2021 “State of the State” address, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo presented bullet points for a comprehensive plan to legalize marijuana. At his address, the Governor promised additional details on the plan would be forthcoming and would include actual legalese to be used in developing legislation.

What’s in the Governor’s recreational marijuana legalization proposal?

Under Cuomo’s proposal, lawmakers would create legislation needed to implement a system for the statewide production and sale of marijuana. An Office of Cannabis Management would be created to oversee the current New York medical marijuana program, and the NY hemp/CBD industry, as well as the proposed recreational market.

Here’s some of what the Governor had to say in his announcement:

“We will legalize adult-use recreational cannabis, joining 15 other states who’ve already done so. This will raise revenue and will end the over-criminalization of this product that has left so many communities of…Read More
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Will Texas Legalize Marijuana In 2021?

With Covid-19 blowing a $4.6 billion hole in the state’s budget, Democratic lawmakers in Texas are hoping to legalize and subsequently tax recreational marijuana use. However, with the state’s Governor and Republican-controlled Senate pushing back, Texans are not holding their breath about this possible scenario becoming a reality anytime in the near future.   A majority of residents in the Lone Star State want to end prohibition and legalize marijuana in Texas. Will it happen in 2021?

Two-thirds of Americans are now in favor of marijuana legalization, according to a Pew Research Center survey last year. The numbers are smaller in a state where everything is supposed to be bigger, but those in favor of legalizing marijuana in Texas have a small majority, as indicated in a poll taken by the University of Texas/Texas Tribune. In fact, in a 2019 poll, 54 percent of Texans were in favor of legalized recreational marijuana.

But some lawmakers in the state feel they know better than their constituents.

Follow The Money…

If legalization gets the green light, it would effectively raise taxes for all Texas cannabis consumers. This would be a suitable tradeoff for most individuals currently using marijuana recreationally or for medical purposes.

Texas state Rep. Joe Moody stated recently that legalization could potentially “add hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, if not billions.”

“As we see a number of states engaging around the country in a retail market, this is no longer an experiment.” He went on to say that it’s also “no secret that we are heading into some rough economic waters…Read More

 

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How To Use Medical Cannabis Oil Concentrate Syringes

How To Use Oral Concentrate Syringes For Exact Dosage Measurement

One of the challenges faced by medical marijuana users is determining and delivering the proper dosage of medicine. Another is how to add cannabis oil concentrates to food or to wax/shatter vape pens in a way that is clean and doesn’t make a mess. Plastic syringes can also be used to accurately measure and deliver medicines in liquid form.

Many Florida dispensaries sell cannabis oil concentrates in convenient 500 and 1,000-milligram syringes. These concentrates are quite potent — generally anywhere from 60 to 90 percent THC. A 1,000-milligram concentrate syringe will contain anywhere from 600 to 800 milligrams of THC. A single dose the size of a grain of rice might be all the patient needs for relief. Widely hailed for its potency and efficacy, Rick Simpson Oil, aka RSO oil is one of the original concentrate syringes.

Squeeze a half grain of rice sized to a whole grain, and simply eat it. If the concentrate is hard to get out, submerge the tip in warm water for 5 – 10 seconds. Then squeeze the desired amount out. Remember, a little goes a long way.

What are these products? What are they used for? And how are they used?

What Are Medical Marijuana Oil Syringes?

Medical marijuana syringes, also called applicators, are similar in appearance to other syringes used for administering medicine but don’t have a needle. They are basically dosage measurement and delivery tools. And, as we mentioned, some syringes come pre-filled…Read More

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Will President Joe Biden Legalize Marijuana?

Advocates for Federal Cannabis Policy Reform Fear Not.

Let’s delve into past stances on this issue as well as the most recent comments from Biden, Harris, and the new administration’s spokespeople and explain what each of the options means for the cannabis industry and marijuana users. 

The 2020 Presidential election

The 2020 Presidential election proved to have the greatest voter turnout in American history. Aside from the multiple reasons for such enthusiasm at the polls, cannabis legalization in a handful of both red and blue states was a winner.

The numbers are encouraging. There is a level of eagerness in both camps to reform federal cannabis laws. Although, for the most part, Democrats have been the driving force behind both state and federal cannabis policy reforms, the percentage of Republicans that are now in favor of legalizing marijuana is rising and is soon to pass the 50 percent mark.

Does this mean that Washington is going to get the job done during the Biden administration’s tenure?

What Is Joe Biden’s Stance On Legalizing Marijuana?

In the past, Biden staunchly maintained a hard-line approach to drug policies, even when a majority of polled fellow Democrats were in favor of cannabis legalization.

Biden was, in fact, the author of the notorious 1994 Crime bill, a scathing measure demanding highly punitive measures for individuals arrested in drug-related crimes.

So there is still some doubt by certain parties in regard to Biden’s stance on legal marijuana …Read More