WeedWeek, September 24, 2016

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Lot's of news:

Politics

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is the latest high-profile Republication to show hints of evolving on cannabis policy. He’s a cosponsor of the CARERS Act which would, Politico writes: “reclassify marijuana so that it is considered to have some medical value; permit banks to handle money from legal marijuana businesses; prevent the government from interfering with state-legal medical marijuana programs; exclude non-psychoactive marijuana extracts from the definition of marijuana; grant military veterans access to medical marijuana; and break the government’s monopoly on medical marijuana research.”

This summer Graham chaired a subcommittee hearing on how the DEA classifies the plant, a major step towards getting a vote on the bill. It had languished since introduced last year by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) is teaming up with the casino industry to oppose REC. Casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson donated $1M to fight MED in Florida. He donated $5M in 2014.

Body care company Dr. Bronner’s said it will give $660,000 to support legalization in five states.

A plurality of Coloradans think legalization has benefitted the state, and a majority think it’s good for the state economy, according to a new poll. It’s more popular in Oregon.

The L.A. Times endorsed REC in California. Marijuana Business Daily games out the two MED initiatives that voters will decide in Arkansas. You can put money on which REC and MED initiatives will pass at the site PredictIt.

Three Oakland City Council members have proposed that all permitted cannabis-businesses should give the city a 25% equity stake in their business and at least one board seat. “We’ll be able to use a resource that generates millions,” Council Member Noel Gallo told the San Francisco Chronicle.

One established executive called the idea a “gut punch.” State Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), lead author of California’s new MED rules, said the proposal is likely not legal. “If the city is an owner, it’s also a regulator. So it’s regulating itself.”

Colorado Springs Mayor and legalization opponent John Suthers (R) told an Arizona audience to decriminalize, don’t legalize. Colorado Springs ordered 9 consumption clubs to “ cease and desist” operations.

LSU is moving forward with plans to grow Louisiana’s MED supply, a rarity for a university. A bill in New Jersey would allow convenience stores to sell pot.

Colorado’s tourism agency will start “ educating” visitors about state cannabis laws. It will not promote cannabis as a reason to visit Colorado. Without information provided by the state, Cathy Ritter, head of the Colorado Tourism Office says the burden has fallen on hotel clerks to explain.

Nevada will allow patients to apply for MED cards online. They will still have to visit a doctor in person. Oregon is pushing MED shops to follow Washington state and go REC. REC will not appear on the Missouri ballot following a dispute over 23 signatures.

Nashville loosened possession penalties, but Vice says it still allows police to “ decide who to arrest.”

Even in legal states, cannabis use remains risky for foreign nationals. In Alaska, soldiers can’t attend cannabis events.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte lambasted the U.S. and Europe for criticizing his violent drug war.

Business

Bloomfield Industries, one of the five licensed businesses in New York State, is facing financial difficulties.

The SEC is bringing charges against FusionPharm for “ scheming investors.” The agency suspended trading in the over the counter stock in 2014.

Cannabis activist and former NFL-player Eugene Monroe is part of a company suing Maryland regulators for rejecting its permit application. Maryland lawmaker Dr. Dan K. Morhain faces an ethics investigation. He championed MED and serves as the medical advisor to a MED company.

The Denver Post profiles publicly-traded lawncare company Scotts Miracle-Gro as it makes a high-profile foray into cannabis. Arizona-based Ultra Health, is working with Native American tribes to grow.

Denverite talks to African-Americans trying to make inroads in Colorado's industry.

If California legalizes, it could multiply the amount of venture capital going into the industry. Entrepreneur offers tips on how to succeed in the cannabis economy.

Ohio attorneys now have permission to work with cannabis business clients. There’s a complicated dispute in Puerto Rico over who which inventory tracking software company will win the government contract for the U.S. territory’s MED program.

Macleans has a big feature on the Canadian industry. Weed prices have spiked in Colombia following a major trucker strike. Irish cannabis pharma company GreenLight Medicines secured €500,000 in funding.

In Washington, Friday is the most popular day to buy.

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Health and Science

Rand Corporation behavioral scientist Elizabeth J. D’Amico writes on what your kids need to know about pot, “ legalized or not.” She co-authored a study that found teens exposed to marijuana advertising are more likely to use.

A study linked teenage drug and alcohol use to poor sleep habits in young men. Vice explains, “ Why you don’t dream after smoking weed.”

Oregon faces a product testing crisis.

The Boston Globe speaks with patients who use MED for their chronic pain. An Illinois judge ordered the state to add post-operative chronic pain to the list of qualifying MED conditions.

The Analytical Scientist released a “ mini-magazine” on cannabis science.

Fifteen percent of Portuguese 15 and 16 year olds copped to using, twice the rate as when stricter laws were in place. Across Europe, teenage cannabis use is on the rise. PRI visits Barcelona’s smoking clubs.

Criminal Justice

Two women were arrested for detaining four brothers on a California pot farm and forcing them to work for six months. In Colorado, 14 Chinese nationals were arrested at an illegal grow. Authorities are investigating whether they were “labor trafficked.”

In SFWeekly, I recommended that the industry adopt an abuse-free product certification to curtail worker exploitation.

Three Phoenix cops resigned and face criminal charges after allegedly forcing a 19-year old to eat marijuana or go to jail.

Pro-legalization activists say opponent Kevin Sabet broke the law by displaying a bag of infused gummies on a television panel in Boston. Sabet didn’t return an email requesting comment.

Mexican police discovered a 10-foot “ air cannon,” that U.S. authorities said shot a 60-pound payload of cannabis into the U.S.

According to Vice, The Islamic State has “ very little involvement” in the global drug trade.

Maine Public Radio looked at the “ modern bootleggers” in Colorado who ship product to illegal states. Weed arrests are up in Nebraska, following legalization in Colorado, but it’s unclear why.

In Northern Ireland, a former senior cop said “the time has come to consider [decriminalizing cannabis.]”

Law enforcement charged an Australian man after he tried to dump 100 kg of stems and leaves and a recycling center.

A truck carrying 400 pounds of weed ($2.2M) crashed in Texas. Authorities seized “ cannabis-related oils” from a pharmacy in Texas and are testing it for THC.

Culture

Angelina Jolie’s exhaustion with Brad Pitt’s cannabis use, reportedly contributed to her filing for divorce. The Guardian asks what that means for custody of their children. Vulture chronicles Pitt’s “ battle with marijuana.”

Travel guide author and personality Rick Steves will visit Massachusetts to support the coming REC vote. He also donated $100,000.

Rolling Stone looks at the NFL’s cannabis ban. The league “ignores that just because something is federally illegal, that doesn't mean that an employer has to test for it or punish its employees.”

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe visited Willie Nelson’s trailer during Farm Aid, raising eyebrows.

Marijuana Business Daily spoke to Matt Cohen of TriQ Systems about how to grow high-quality cannabis in a greenhouse.

Some very busy people wonder if the characters in “ Lord of the Rings” got high.

In the tradition of Presidential Debate drinking games, PR firm Refined Bud has created a debate smoking game. Representative directive: “If a candidate mentions socialism, light up another!”

Here's the WeedWeek list of pot journalists on Twitter and the new list of cannabusiness people on Twitter. Both are works in progress. Recommendations welcome.

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Bye,

Alex

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