Oregon: Cannabis Social Consumption Bill SB 639 Is About Civil Rights

Nearly 10 years after opening the first cannabis cafe in the United States, Oregon NORML (ornorml.org) executive director Madeline Martinez is appealing directly to legislators in Salem to pass a bill sponsored by Senator Lew Frederick (D-Portland) that would finally legalize her trademark business, The World Famous Cannabis Cafe. Martinez played a crucial role in organizing local cannabis advocates to bring about Frederick’s legislation, Senate Bill 639.

Martinez says this isn’t just an issue of dysfunctional laws that allow adults living or visiting Oregon to purchase cannabis but not legally consume it, it is an issue of discrimination and equal rights.

“This is about equal rights because whenever you pick a certain group and treat them differently that is discrimination. Medical marijuana patients, renters, the poor, people of color and women are often the least likely to not have a safe legal space to consume legally purchased or possessed cannabis,” said Martinez.

Martinez points out that taking direct actions like opening a private social consumption space before public consumption spaces are legal to push the issue into the mainstream discussion and bring into question unjust laws is something that is much easier for white men, but dangerous territory to cross into for a woman of color. As a former corrections officer, Martinez says she knows how the law works, is friendly to law enforcement and firm that actions like hers are what propel the change of bad laws and make the cannabis space more welcoming to marginalized groups.

“You have to be bold, I never asked anyone for permission,” says Martinez. “When you don’t like the laws, you change them. All the gains in movements of social justice are made by people breaking bad laws. I have been called the ‘Rosa Parks of Cannabis’.”

S.B. 639 is currently awaiting assignment into a Senate committee. If passed it would require the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to regulate social consumption businesses and event spaces, allow for the sale of cannabis in these clubs, tasting tours on farms (similar to wine) and expanded legal cannabis delivery into private and temporary residences (like hotels).

A similar bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives, H.B. 2233. The fundamental difference between the two pieces of legislation is that while S.B. 639 creates a legalized framework for indoor smoking and vaping, H.B. 2233 does not. Martinez says this approach further marginalizes the poor, who are disproportionately punished for public consumption.

“In Oregon, due to the Indoor Clean Air Act, cannabis consumers must find a place outside in the shadows and elements, which is unsafe and has become a social justice issue. Cannabis consumers should be treated with dignity and respect. We are deserving of safe, regulated spaces to consume out of public view. Only S.B. 639 would accomplish this goal,” Martinez concludes.

About Oregon NORML & Women’s Alliance
The mission of the Oregon chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is to further the social justice goals of the marijuana legalization movement post-legalization. Cannabis is legal but still not “normal” in our society; Oregon patients and recreational consumers still risk housing and employment discrimination and loss of custody of their children for choosing to use cannabis legally and there are not safe legal public spaces for social consumption. Oregon NORML believes that although it is legal statewide, conflicts with federal law still threaten the liberties of Oregonian cannabis users. For more information visit: http://ornorml.org/.

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/31/cannabis-social-consumption-bill-sb-639-about-civil-rights/

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Survey: Three Of Four Military Veterans Would Consider Using Medical Cannabis

Seventy-five percent of military veterans say that they would consider using either “cannabis or cannabinoid products as a treatment option,” according to member survey data compiled by the group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). The organization represents over 400,000 veterans nationwide.

Under existing federal regulations, physicians affiliated with the Department of Veteran Affairs are forbidden from providing medical cannabis recommendations, even in jurisdictions that legally permit private practitioners to do so.

Overall, 83 percent of respondents expressed support for legalizing medical cannabis access, and 68 percent believe that the Department of Veterans Affairs “should allow for research into cannabis as a treatment option.” Proposed federal legislation to direct the agency to conduct clinical trials on the use of cannabis for PTSD and for other conditions is currently pending in the US House and Senate.

Twenty percent of those surveyed acknowledged having previously used cannabis for medical purposes. Other studies have estimated that as many as 41 percent of veterans acknowledge having consumed cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Available data documents that cannabis is effective in the treatment of chronic pain and may potentially mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress, along with other conditions commonly facing veterans.

Additional information is available from the NORML fact-sheet, “Marijuana and Veterans Issues,” here.

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/31/survey-three-of-four-military-veterans-would-consider-using-medical-cannabis/

The following blog article Survey: Three Of Four Military Veterans Would Consider Using Medical Cannabis is republished from The Giggles N Dimples Blog

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Report: New Legal Cannabis Markets in Canada and California Driving Industry

Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics have released a “2019 Update” to the sixth edition of their report on The State of Legal Marijuana Markets, which was published last June. The update takes stock of events in the second half of 2018  and anticipates that worldwide spending on legal cannabis will grow 39.1% to $17 billion in 2019.

Recreational Surpasses Medical

The report’s chief editor Tom Adams writes in his introduction: “Legal cannabis continued its winning streak at the ballot box in 2018, but the industry is finding such victories can sometimes be hollow or at least an opportunity to learn patience.”

Case in point: California, which kicked off recreational sales on Jan. 1, 2018. “Legal cannabis launches have faced expensive regulatory regimes,” Adams acknowledges, “such as that in California that handicapped the legal business with a 77% price disadvantage against a robust illicit market.”

TOM ADAMS: “The science, product development and consumer marketing of a consumable that humans have enjoyed for at least 8,000 years is just beginning. There’s enormous potential in all of that.”

Of the four states that voted to go legalize in November 2016, “Maine remains medical-only, Massachusetts took until November 2018 to get stores open and California [became] the first state to actually shrink legal spending (from $3 billion to $2.5 billion) in its first year of adult-use legality. Only Nevada put reasonable regulations in place quickly, opened stores apace in July 2017 and is now seeing a shrinking illicit market.” 

In November, voters in three states backed major cannabis initiatives: Michigan legalized adult-use, while Missouri and Utah voters passed medical-marijuana initiatives. Additionally, in June, Oklahoma’s legislature approved medical use. Only North Dakota voted no on cannabis in 2018, rejecting an adult-use initiative.

With Canadian legalization, the report notes, “Adult sales surpass[ed] medical for the first time… The doubling of Canada’s market from a medical-only 2017 figure of $569 million to an estimated $1.2 billion in 2018 helped make the adult-use component of worldwide legal cannabis spending larger than the medical market for the first time ($6.5 billion versus $5.7 billion).”

The Global Picture

The two biggest global markets for cannabis are Canada and California, the report says: “Although their combined share of the worldwide market dropped from 49.1% in 2014 to 29.9% in 2018, it is forecast that Canada and California’s combined share will rebound to 36.3% by 2022.”

Besides Canada, the big international cannabis news stories in 2018 were the Mexican Supreme Court’s decision in October mandating legal personal use of cannabis (although the law has not yet been brought into conformity with the ruling) and legalization of medical use by the Home Office in the U.K. in October.

The global section, however, erroneously states that “South Korea became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize cannabis for medical purposes.” This claim—highlighted in bold type as a pull-quote—is inaccurate on two counts: Korea is not in Southeast Asia and the medical-marijuana initiative unveiled by the South Korean government in July only allows for cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products.

“Thailand followed suit shortly afterward,” the report adds. Thailand did pass a law legalizing medical use in December.

In addition, South African’s High Court decriminalized private use of cannabis in September and Lithuania passed a medical marijuana law in October.

Three Breakthroughs 

According to the report, the three “most significant events” of 2018 were: legalization taking effect in Canada in October, FDA approval of cannabinoid-based drug Epidiolex in September and the legalization of hemp in the U.S. due to passage of the Farm Bill in December.

The report finds that “Canada did one major thing differently than California that largely explains why its market grew in 2018 while California’s shrank: Provinces, unlike cities and counties in California, were not allowed to ban legal cannabis.” But cumbersome Provincial regs are blamed for bottlenecking growth of the Canadian industry.

The Semantics of Cannabis

 In critiquing the Farm Bill, which legalizes hemp and cannabinoids derived from it but not “marijuana” (varieties with a psychoactive effect), the report refreshingly states : “The distinction in the law between ‘cannabis’ and ‘hemp’ is artificial: the hemp now cleared for cultivation in the U.S. is the same cannabis sativa plant that produces what is sold as ‘cannabis,’ some strains of which are more than 25% psychoactive THC. The new Farm Bill simply enshrines in U.S. law that hemp is now defined as having no more than 0.3% THC.”

That 0.3% standard was actually first imposed in the 2014 Farm Bill, which allowed for cultivation of hemp for research, but not commercial purposes. The text of the new Farm Bill actually does make reference to “cannabis.” But the stigma still attached to psychoactivity has created a degree of semantic confusion.

“Cannabis” has, to an extent, become a euphemism for psychoactive cannabis—that is, for “marijuana,” a word now increasingly eschewed by the industry for its supposed negative associations. But clarity is being lost through disuse of the word, as both “hemp” and “marijuana” are cannabis. Some previous ArcView reports have ignored the word “marijuana” altogether. Happily, this one does not.

Despite decrying confused and overly zealous regulation, the report strikes an overall optimistic tone. “There’s every reason to remain bullish about the future of the legal cannabis business,” Adams  concludes. “The science, product development and consumer marketing of a consumable that humans have enjoyed for at least 8,000 years is just beginning. There’s enormous potential in all of that.”

The State of Legal Marijuana Markets report costs $597. Order it here.

Related Articles

Arcview Predicts $7.7 Billion California Cannabis Market by 2021

Arcview Predicts $57 Billion World Cannabis Market by 2027

Report Predicts $13 Billion Latin American Cannabis Market by 2028

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Maryland: Baltimore Prosecutor To No Longer Target Marijuana Possession Offenses

Officials will no longer prosecute marijuana possession offenses in Baltimore, as per a new policy unveiled today by the office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City.

Under the plan, which takes immediate effect, the office will also move to expunge the criminal records of an estimated 5,000 citizens previously convicted for cannabis-related offenses. The office’s decision to cease targeting minor marijuana violations is similar to actions recently taken by prosecutors in a number of major cities, including St. Louis, Missouri; Westchester, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Norfolk, Virginia, among others.

Commenting on the new policy, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “The State’s Attorney for the city of Baltimore is to be commended for taking this proactive stance. Branding individuals — many of whom are at an age when they are just beginning their professional careers — as lifelong criminals for minor marijuana possession offenses results in a litany of lost opportunities including the potential loss of employment, housing, professional licensing, and student aid, and serves no legitimate societal purpose. This change is a recognition that marijuana criminalization is a disproportionate public policy response to behavior that is, at worst, a public health concern. But it should not be a criminal justice matter.”

State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said at a press conference that the new policy will provide “a major step forward in making Baltimore city safer, fairer, and more equitable, and even more just.”

The Office will continue to take action against felony cases involving the possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, though prosecutors will refer all first-time offenders to diversion programs.

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/29/maryland-baltimore-prosecutor-to-no-longer-target-marijuana-possession-offenses/

Maryland: Baltimore Prosecutor To No Longer Target Marijuana Possession Offenses is available on The Giggles N Dimples Blog

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AG Nominee Reiterates Non-Interference Stance

First reported on Forbes, William Barr, former Attorney General, advocate for increased incarceration, and current nominee to be the next Attorney General reiterated his stance in writing to not “go after” state legal marijuana programs and expressed support for increased research.

His statements before the Judiciary Committee came response to questions from Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) — each of whom represent states where marijuana is legally regulated for either medical or recreational purposes.

NORML Political Director Justin Strekal said:

“William Barr is incredibly wise to acknowledge that the genie is out of the bottle when it comes to the marijuana reform movement. Now is the time for the Department of Justice to work in good faith with the Senate Judiciary Committee on legislative solutions that address the senseless waste of law enforcement’s precious time and resources due to the failed federal policy of prohibition and criminalization.”

Below is a clip of NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri discussing Barr’s nomination with CBS News shortly after he made the first comments in committee.

For background, in January of 2018, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded what is known as the Cole Memo, a 2013 Justice Department memorandum, authored by former US Deputy Attorney General James Cole to US attorneys in all 50 states. This memorandum directed prosecutors not to interfere with state legalization efforts and not to prosecute those licensed to engage in the plant’s production and sale — provided that such persons do not engage in marijuana sales to minors or divert the product to states that have not legalized its use, among other guidelines.

Thirty-three states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico have enacted legislation specific to the physician-authorized use of cannabis. Moreover, an estimated 73 million Americans now reside in the ten states where anyone over the age of 21 may possess cannabis legally. Additional states have passed laws specific to the possession of cannabidiol (CBD) oil for therapeutic purposes.

Members of Congress in recent years have approved amendments protecting those who engage in the state-sanctioned use and dispensing of medical cannabis from undue prosecution by the Department of Justice. The amendment maintains that federal funds cannot be used to prevent states from “implementing their own state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana.” However, this amendment does not provide protections to state-regulated activity governing activities specific to the adult use of marijuana.

Sixty-eight percent of registered voters “support the legalization of marijuana,” according to national polling data compiled by the Center for American Progress. The percentage is the highest level of support for legalization ever reported in a nationwide, scientific poll.

Majorities of Democrats (77 percent), Independents (62 percent), and Republicans (57 percent) back legalization. The results of a 2017 nationwide Gallup poll similarly found majority support among all three groups.

To date, these statewide regulatory programs are operating largely as voters and politicians intended. The enactment of these policies has not negatively impacted workplace safety, crime rates, traffic safety, or youth use patterns. They have stimulated economic development and created hundreds of millions of dollars in new tax revenue.

Specifically, a 2017 report estimates that over 149,000 Americans are now working full-time in the cannabis industry. Tax revenues from states like Colorado, Oregon, and Washington now exceed initial projections. Further, numerous studies have identified an association between cannabis access and lower rates of opioid use, abuse, hospitalizations, and mortality.

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/28/ag-nominee-reiterates-non-interference-stance/

The blog article AG Nominee Reiterates Non-Interference Stance was originally published to https://gigglesndimples.com/

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Marijuana Legalization in NY & Driving: Response to NYS Association of Police Chiefs from Roc NORML

The New York State Association of Police made a statement opposing legalization of cannabis for adult-use in New York, in response to Governor Cuomo’s announcement that he plans to pass legislation April 1st, with the budget, that will legalize cannabis for adult-use in New York. The New York State Association of Police said traffic safety is a major concern, citing an increase in vehicle-related fatalities by 62 percent in Colorado the first year cannabis was legalized in the state.

Roc NORML is the Rochester chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and we want to make sure the public is aware that statement is simply not true. Here are the number of vehicle-related fatalities, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation:

Year	Total Number of Vehicle Related Fatalities	% Change (+/-) from previous year	Notes
2002	743		2 years before medical legalization, the largest number of vehicle-related fatalities in the last 17 years
2003	641		1 year prior to legalization
2004	667	+4.1%	Sales began January 1
2005	606	-9.1%
2006	535	-11.7%
2007	555	+3.7%
2008	548	-1.2%
2009	466	-15.0%
2010	450	-3.4%
2011	447	-0.1%
2012	474	+6.0%	Adult-use passes by ballot
2013	481	+1.5%
2014	488	+1.5%	Adult use-sales go into effect
2015	547	+12.1%
2016	608	+11.2%
2017	648	+6.7%
2018	620	-4.3%	Four years into adult-use sales, net fatalities below 2002 despite rise in population and increased miles traveled
Total % change from pre-legalization (2003) until 2018 = -3.3%
Total % change from pre-legalization (2003) until 5 years post (2009) = -27.3%

Source: Colorado Department of Transportation

At the same time, we should also acknowledge the overall population in Colorado has increased significantly, an increase of 13.2% as estimated by the US Census. Furthermore, when we look at states that haven’t legalized cannabis for adult-use, take Alabama for example, we see similar trends related to number of vehicle related fatalities.

The conclusions we can draw from this data are as follows:

• – Legalization does not lead to a decrease in road safety, and the argument can even be made, with this data, that roads become more safe after legalization;
• – We need to approach this topic in the same way we approach any other substance that doesn’t have a biological field sobriety test associated with it, like Ambien or Xanax, and we need to put responsibility in the hands of the consumer and expect them not to operate a motor vehicle if they are intoxicated from the substance; and
• – As advised by the American Automobile Association (AAA), we urgently need more research, and we shouldn’t put arbitrary “per se” driving limits for the presence of THC, as they improperly classify motorists who are not behaviorally impaired.

While we can understand law enforcement’s hesitancy to embrace legalization after their efforts against the plant during the War on Drugs, we want to urge them to consider the benefits we’ve seen in other states that have legalized. Most notably, law enforcement from those states have increased the rate at which they solve more serious crimes, like automobile theft and assault, as well as an overall decrease in serious crimes, like murder and rape.

Roc NORML is dedicated to educating the public about the benefits of responsible cannabis use and we look forward to continuing these conversations with local law enforcement. Please visit www.rocnorml.org for more information about how you can get involved and follow ROC NORML on Facebook and Twitter. 

You can read more about marijuana and psychomotor performance on NORML’s factsheet here.

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/28/marijuana-legalization-in-ny-driving-response-to-nys-association-of-police-chiefs-from-roc-norml/

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Urge Kentucky Lawmakers to Support Medical Cannabis Reform Today!

 A medical cannabis bill has been filed in the Kentucky General Assembly every year since 2013. In that time around a dozen other states have passed medical bills, eight more have joined Colorado and Washington in full legalization. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump have voiced support for state governments deciding their own policies.

Nearly 80 percent of Kentuckians support medical marijuana., according to a 2012 study issued by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. So, in seven years why hasn’t Kentucky moved forward?

Cannabis reform has stalled recently because of opposition from Kentucky’s Senate leadership. Their opposition shouldn’t be the final word. Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, says more research is needed, while state Rep. Danny Bentley, R-Russell, erroneously compared cannabis to “snake oil remedies of the 1800s,” according to a WDRB-TV report.

It’s understandable lawmakers want reliable data before making a decision. The good news for Kentucky legislators is the data already is available.  The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more than 26,000 published studies/reviews across 24 databases regarding cannabis available to read online. The National Center for Biotechnology Information has summarized a group of FDA approved randomized clinical trials, finding evidence for cannabis as medicine. The organization concluded marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I substance is an obstacle to further research.

Kentucky’s Senate leader has taken a contradictory stance.  Stivers has requested studies from the American Medical Association or Johns Hopkins University, but he should know he is asking for research prohibited by cannabis’s Schedule I classification under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

This should bring advocates and opponents alike together on the issue. We can all agree on objective scientific data.

I invite Stivers, Bentley, and others asking for more research to join their voices with ongoing bipartisan efforts to reschedule cannabis.  If the state Senate won’t get behind rescheduling cannabis, they are effectively asking to see research that can’t be conducted under federal law.

Sadly, it seems Stivers already has an answer for would-be medical cannabis patients.

“Have a bourbon,” he told the Courier-Journal.

Are we going to see the studies proving bourbon can provide the same relief cannabis can?

Stivers’ tasteless quip – or even more tasteless sales pitch -reveals a flippant disregard for the issue.  A 2016 study publishedin the Journal of School Health concluded alcohol use should be a target of school abuse prevention programs. The study cited alcohol as a more likely gateway to hard drug use.  The negative effects of alcohol abuse, both on the user and their loved ones, are well documented, so it’s odd Stivers and the Kentucky Senate lack the same concern for data and safety when it comes to alcohol.

A January 2017 review of trials by the National Academy of Sciences, Medicine, and Engineering found conclusive evidence supporting cannabis use for the treatment of chronic pain.  The Journal of Clinical Oncology in a 2018 study found medical cannabis use provided a 41 percent reduction in opioid use, which signals a potential solution for our Kentucky’s opioid crisis that desperately needs to be addressed before more Kentuckians die at the hands of these powerful drugs that often are legally prescribed.  Are there studies showing the same potential in bourbon?

This isn’t a call to shift discussion towards prohibiting alcohol. We long ago rightly decided to allow adults to make a free decision to imbibe or not.  Kentucky’s Senate is steadfastly hesitant to allow a similar decision regarding medical cannabis even among doctors and their patients who could benefit from this medicine.

The best rebuttals some of our Senate has to voice in response to Kentucky’s seventh medical cannabis bill are juvenile attempts at humor and dismissals of the data at hand. The discussion must progress beyond verbal jabs and dismissiveness.

It can if more Kentuckians rally behind two pieces of Republican-sponsored legislation in the 2019 session of Kentucky General Assembly that kicked off Jan. 8 – state Rep. Jason Nemes’ Let Doctors Decide medical marijuana bill (HB 136), Sen. Dan Seum’s Responsible Adult-Use Bill (SB 80), Sen. Jimmy Higdon’s Cannabis Decriminalization (SB 82), and Sen. Perry Clark’s “Shauna’s Laws, which provides workplace protections (SB 83).

Seven years have passed and 33 states now have medical cannabis systems in place. It is time for Kentucky to join the discussion and catch up with the rest of America.

Call 800-372-7181 and tell your legislators to support cannabis reform this session and join us on February 6th at the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort from 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm EST for a Rally for Reform!

KY NORML’s mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to influence legislators for the expansion of our hemp industry, implementation of medicinal cannabis, and laying the foundation for responsible adult use.

To support KY NORML you can DONATE HERE or purchase some of our apparel below! Your donations help pay the bills and allow us to function and continue to make a difference in our state! Can you kick in $5, $10 or $20 to help us keep going

Looking to help in a more direct way? We are always looking for people to help out with any number of tasks! CONTACT US and tell us about yourself and what your talents are!

 

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/28/urge-kentucky-lawmakers-to-support-medical-cannabis-reform-today/

Urge Kentucky Lawmakers to Support Medical Cannabis Reform Today! Find more on: Giggles N Dimples Blog

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Weekly Legislative Roundup 1/25/19

Welcome to the latest edition of NORML’s Weekly Legislative Roundup!

U.S. Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced legislation this week, HR 712 / S. 179: The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019 to facilitate federally-sponsored clinical research into the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis among veterans.

At the state level this week, activists gathered in Denver in conjunction with Colorado and Denver NORML chapters to lobby their state lawmakers in favor of  workplace drug testing reforms, social consumption, parental protections and expanding access to the state’s medical cannabis program.

Opioid dependency was added to New Jersey’s list of conditions for medical cannabis eligibility.

And a North Dakota bill to permit qualifying patients to cultivate personal use quantities of cannabis for therapeutic purposes was defeated in a Senate committee this week.

Following are the bills that we’ve tracked this week and as always, check NORML’s Action Center for legislation pending in your state.

Don’t forget to sign up for our email list, and we will keep you posted as these bills and more move through your home state legislature and U.S. Congress. Another great way to stay up to date is Marijuana Moment’s daily newsletter, which you can subscribe to HERE.

Your Highness,
Carly

Actions to Take

Federal

Regulate Nationally: The Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act of 2019 — (HR 420) seeks to deschedule cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, thus permitting state governments to regulate these activities as they see fit.

Click here to email your Representative and urge them to support this important legislation

Arkansas

Legislation is pending, House Bill 1150, to expand the state’s nascent medical cannabis access law.

The measure expands the pool of applicants eligible for medical cannabis by allowing physicians to recommend it to those with a wide array of conditions, including asthma, ADHD, bipolar disorder, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury, among other diagnoses.

Update: HB 115 was heard by the House Rules Committee on 1/23, but no action was taken on the bill.

AR resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion

Florida

Democratic State Senator Bill Montford re-introduced Senate Bill 384, which would allow qualified patients to use medical cannabis while in school.

FL resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of allowing medical cannabis at school

Hawaii

Legislation is pending, House Bill 708, to legalize the use, possession, cultivation, and retail sale of small amounts of marijuana for adults.

The measure would allow adults 21 and over to purchase one ounce of cannabis and grow up to six cannabis plants in their own home.

HI resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of legalization

Legislation is pending, House Bill 673, to expand medical cannabis access.

The proposed changes:

• Expands the pool of medical professionals who are eligible to recommend medical cannabis by permitting physician assistants to issue recommendations to their patients;
• Allows licensed dispensaries to possess up to two additional manufacturing or processing facilities separate from their production facilities; and
• Allows licensed dispensaries to sell edible cannabis and cannabidiol products

HI resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion

House Bill 698  would permit physicians to recommend cannabis therapy to those diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

HI resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical cannabis for autism

Legislation is pending, House Bill 131 / Senate Bill 1335, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations.

HI resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp

Colorado

House Bill 19-1028 would permit physicians to recommend cannabis therapy to those diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

Update: The House Committee on Health & Insurance referred the bill unamended to the Committee of the Whole, meaning the bill will now be considered by the full House.

CO resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical cannabis for autism

Iowa

Legislation is pending, Senate File 71, to allow medical cannabidiol (CBD) to be administered to patients at school.

IA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of allowing medical CBD at school

Legislation is pending, SF 77, to expand access to certain medical cannabis products in Iowa.

The proposed changes:

• Allow physicians to recommend low-THC medical cannabis oil to any patient whom they believe will benefit from its therapeutic use; and
• Raises the cap on THC limits from three percent to 13 percent.

IA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion

Minnesota

Legislation is pending, HF 265, to permit a public vote on the question of legalizing adult marijuana use.

The measure proposes the following question on the 2020 ballot to voters:

“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to allow a person who is 21 years of age or older to personally possess, use, and grow cannabis and to possess cannabis-infused products, and to require the legislature to prescribe by law a manner to license and regulate the commercial sale of cannabis and cannabis-infused products?”

MN resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of letting the voters weigh in on legalization

Missouri

Legislation is pending, House Bill 551, to legalize the use, possession, and retail sale of marijuana for adults 21 and over.

MO resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of legalization

Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 261, to protect medical cannabis patients who require Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits.

Under this proposed measure, “applicants or recipients who test positive for marijuana consumed lawfully pursuant to the Missouri Constitution shall not be declared ineligible for TANF benefits on the basis of that consumption.”

MO resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of protections for needy patients

Legislation is pending, House Bill 567, to protect the rights of prospective parents looking to adopt children.

The measure would prohibit the government from denying prospective parents the opportunity to adopt a child based solely on their status as a medical cannabis patient or as an employee in the medical cannabis industry.

MO resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of protecting prospective parents

North Dakota

Legislation is pending, House Bill 1417, to expand patients’ access to medical cannabis in North Dakota.

The proposed changes:

• Expands the pool of eligible patients by permitting providers to recommend medical cannabis to those diagnosed with neuropathy; opioid use disorder; opioid withdrawal; migraine; rheumatoid arthritis; and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;
• Allows physicians to explicitly authorize select patients to legally possess greater quantities of cannabis than are generally allowed under the law.

Update: HB 1417 was heard by the Human Services Committee on 1/23, but no action was taken on the bill.

ND resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion

Nebraska

Legislation is pending, LB 657, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations.

NE resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp

New Hampshire

Legislation is pending, House Bill 481, to allow for the use, possession, and retail sale of marijuana by adults.

The pending measure permits adults 21 and over to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and/or up to five grams of concentrate, and to grow up to six marijuana plants.

Update: The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee is holding a hearing on HB 481 on 2/5.

NH resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of legalization

Legislation is pending, House Bill 399, to permit those convicted of past marijuana offenses to seek an expungement of their criminal records.

If passed, HB 399 would allow individuals to file a petition with the court requesting that the court annul any past marijuana violations involving the possession of up to ¾ of an ounce of marijuana.

Update: The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee approved HB 399 by a 18-2 vote on 1/22.

NH resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of expungement

New Mexico

Legislation is pending, House Bill 356, to permit the use, possession, and retail sale of cannabis for adults 21 and over.

NM resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of legalization

Virginia

Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 1557, to expand the state’s low-THC medical cannabis oil program.

The measure would allow Virginia’s licensed practitioners to recommend and pharmaceutical processors to dispense full therapeutic-strength medical cannabis oil.

Update: SB 1557 was unanimously approved by the Senate Health and Eduction Committee on 1/24, and now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

VA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion

Senator Glen Sturtevant filed SB 1632 and Delegate Chris Hurst filed HB 1720, which seek to permit any student who is a registered Virginia medical cannabis patient to use Virginia-allowed medical cannabis oil on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored activity.

Update: SB 1632 was unanimously approved by the Senate Health and Eduction Committee on 1/24, and now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

VA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of allowing medical cannabis at school

Washington

Legislation is pending in the House and Senate, HB 1131 / SB 5155, to allow adults to cultivate up to six marijuana plants in their home.

Update: The House Committee on Commerce & Gaming heard HB 1131 on 1/21, but no action was taken on the bill. Separately, SB 5155 is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 8:00 AM on 1/31.

WA resident? Click here to email your elected officials in support of home cultivation rights

That’s all for this week! Check back next Friday for more legislative updates.

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/25/weekly-legislative-roundup-1-25-19/

Weekly Legislative Roundup 1/25/19 was first seen on Giggles N Dimples

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Trump Crony Roger Stone Indicted by Mueller and Arrested by the FBI

Donald Trump’s favorite pot head, Roger Stone, is going to face the music for his involvement in the 2016 campaign that mostly focuses on WikiLeaks and his relationship to Julian Assange. A grand jury, based on charges brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, indicted Stone on seven counts of obstruction, making false statements and witness tampering on Jan. 24 and FBI agents arrested him in an early-morning Jan. 25 raid of his home in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. His residence in New York was also raided.

“During the summer of 2016, Stone spoke to senior Trump Campaign officials about Organization 1 and information it might have had that would be damaging to the Clinton Campaign,” the indictment reads. “Stone was contacted by senior Trump Campaign officials to inquire about future releases by Organization 1.”

Organization 1 is WikiLeaks and Person 2 is Randy Credico, who allegedly introduced Stone up to Person 1, WikiLeaker Julian Assange.

Stone’s Co-Conspirator Randy Credico

We previously wrote about Stone’s relationship with Credico:

“GOP dirty trickster Roger Stone, 65, claims Credico, 63, was the go-between with Julian Assange and Russian government hackers in releasing emails stolen by WikiLeaks from Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta and the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Credico scoffs at the idea he was the connection in a scandal that may have brought Donald Trump to power.

“It’s generally believed Credico met Assange through his long association with the civil rights activist group, the Center for Constitutional Rights.”

STONE TO CREDICO, OCT. 1, 2016: “Big news Wednesday… now pretend u don’t know me… Hillary’s campaign will die this week.”

The tampering charge regards Credico, a New York radio host who’s been Stone’s stoner buddy for a number of years. In text messages, Stone asked Credico to “Stonewall it. Plead the fifth. Anything to save the plan… And if you turned over anything to the FBI you’re a fool. You need to amend your testimony before I testify. If you testify you’re a fool… I guarantee you you will be the one who’s indicted for perjury if you’re stupid enough to testify.”

Stone encouraged Credico to behave like Frank Pentangeli, the character in The Godfather: Part II who clams up during a Congressional hearing into mob activities when his bother suddenly arrives from Italy and steps into the courtroom. Stone also called Credico a “rat” and a “stoolie” and threatened to kill his dog.

Creedico subsequently decided to invoke the Fifth Amendment and not testify. He wasn’t indicted by the grand jury, despite his clear involvement in steering Stone to Assange

The October Surprise Timeline

On Aug. 16, 2016, Credico texted Stone that Assange had “kryptonite on Hillary.”

On Oct. 1, 2016, Stone texted Credico, “Big news Wednesday… now pretend u don’t know me… Hillary’s campaign will die this week.”

On Oct. 2, 2016, Credico texted Stone, “Off the record Hillary and her people are doing a full court press to prevent (Person 1) from making the next dump… That’s all I can tell you on this line… please leave me name out of it.” The dump refers to WikiLeaks.

On Oct. 3, 2016, Stone to an unnamed person in the Trump Campaign: “Spoke to my friend (Person 1) in London last night. The payload is still coming.”

On Oct. 4, Stone wrote in an email to another unnamed Trump campaign official that Organization 1 planned to release “a load every week going forward” until Election Day.

On Oct. 7, WikiLeaks dumped a new batch of emails stolen from Clinton campaign chairman Podesta. This was Stone, Credico and Assange’s October Surprise. Thanks, in part to these emails, Trump was elected on Nov. 8.

Epilogue

After being released from prison on Jan. 25, Stone claimed he’s innocent of all charges as protestors chanted, “Lock him up.”

Related Articles

Frenemies Roger Stone and Randy Credico Heat Up Mueller Investigation

Roger Stone Reduced to Begging for Donations Online

How Cannabis Activists Derailed Roger Stone

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Bicameral Legislation To Force The VA To Conduct Research

Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) have introduced legislation, HR 712 / S. 179: The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019 to facilitate federally-sponsored clinical research into the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis among veterans.

The legislation “would direct VA to conduct clinical research with varying forms of medicinal cannabis to evaluate the safety and effects of cannabis on health outcomes of veterans with PTSD and veterans with chronic pain.”

Click here to send a message to your lawmakers and encourage them to cosponsor the bill. 

This legislation is similar, yet stronger, to a bill by the same name that successfully passed the House Veterans Affairs Committee last year yet was denied consideration by the full House of Representatives by Republican congressional leadership.

Upon introduction, Rep. Lou Correa said, “Last year my bill became the first cannabis bill to pass the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. This year I will work to make this the first veterans cannabis bill to pass the House. The momentum, support, and dedication are there. We need to get this done for our veterans. With the opioid crisis raging across America, it is imperative to the health and safety of our veterans that we find alternative treatments for chronic pain and service-related injuries.”

According to nationwide survey data conducted by The American Legion in 2017, 39 percent of respondents affirmed that they “know a veteran” who is using the plant medicinally. Furthermore, twenty-two percent of respondents said they themselves “use cannabis to treat a mental or physical condition.”

Click here to send a message to your lawmakers and encourage them to cosponsor the bill. 

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/24/bicameral-legislation-to-force-the-va-to-conduct-research/

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Colorado NORML and Denver NORML Host Citizen Lobby Day to Push for Consumer Protections

With the Colorado lawmakers convening for their seventh legislative session since voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 64, which ended the prohibition of marijuana in 2012, marijuana law reform advocates from several organizations coordinated a citizen lobby day to push for workplace drug testing reforms, social consumption, parental protections and expanding access to the state’s medical marijuana program.

During a recent interview with the Westword, Ashley Weber, executive director of Colorado NORML shared a few tips for marijuana law reform advocates who want to get involved in the legislative process: “It’s about getting to know your representatives, and writing them daily if something’s important. Make appointments, become an acquaintance with them.”

Never in modern history has there existed greater public support for ending the nation’s nearly century-long experiment with marijuana prohibition. Sixty-six percent of US adults believe that “the use of marijuana should be made legal,” according to national survey data compiled by the Gallup. The percentage is the highest ever reported by Gallup, which has been tracking Americans’ views on the subject of marijuana legalization since 1969.

Marijuana policy should be evidence based. Dispel the myths with the NORML Fact Sheets. For more information follow Colorado NORML on Facebook, Twitter, and visit their website!

 

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/24/colorado-norml-and-denver-norml-host-citizen-lobby-day-to-push-for-consumer-protections/

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Virginia Medical Cannabis Bills Clear Senate Committee

Three medical cannabis bills cleared the Senate Committee on Education and Health this morning and are headed to the Senate floor.

Senator Siobhan Dunnavant’s SB1557 would clarify last year’s landmark Let Doctors Decide medical cannabis legislation. It seeks to redefine allowed dosage limitations and formulations, and expand patient access and reduce patient cost by adding nurse practitioners and physician assistants to the list of those authorized to issue written certifications to patients. Currently, only physicians may register with the Department of Health Professions to issue certifications.

“Last year we passed unanimously the historic Let Doctors Decide bill that expanded patient access to our medical cannabis program,” said Senator Dunnavant, a medical doctor from Henrico. “We got a lot of things right, but there are some screws that can be tightened so the law better benefits the health and well-being of all Virginians.”

The bill would also allow Virginia’s licensed pharmaceutical processors to dispense medical cannabis preparations beyond the current definition of “oil” and in doses proven effective for the variety of disease processes for which doctors will recommend these therapies. Pharmacists at these facilities would be allowed to compound creams, sprays, capsules, suppositories, lozenges, and other preparations typically dispensed at compounding pharmacies.

Senator Glen Sturtevant’s (R-10) SB1632 seeks to allow medical cannabis administration on school property and at school events.

“Virginia students and their families depend on new, safely produced and regulated cannabidiol and THCA oils to treat a host of potentially debilitating conditions. However, current laws cause significant burdens for families who need to provide these medications to their children, and cause serious disruptions every single day at school for students” said Senator Glen Sturtevant.

”This bill would authorize the Department of Health Professions and school boards to adopt the necessary policies for school nurses to administer these medications just like other medications administered to students, like antibiotics and Advil. This streamlined approach will keep kids in school and reduce classroom disruptions so that students can focus on their academic success.”

Colorado, Illinois, and Florida allow school nurses to administer medical cannabis to students. Delaware, Maine and New Jersey allow medical cannabis use at school, Washington allow schools to create their own policies, and West Virginia directed education officials to create rules for use at school.

Delegate Chris Hurst’s (D-12) companion legislation, HB1720, is before the House Courts of Justice Committee, which will decide the fate of the bill Friday afternoon.

Senator Dave Marsden’s SB1719 would allow “registered agents” for those patients physically unable to pick up or receive delivery of their medical cannabis, like those in hospice, assisted living facilities and those who rely on home healthcare providers.

“Patient access is critical to the success of Virginia’s medical cannabis program,” said Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML. “These bills help ensure that all patients are able to obtain and use the necessary therapeutic doses of their cannabis medicines regardless of location or physical ability.”

Track these bills and all marijuana-related legislation in the 2019 General Assembly here.

Marijuana policy should be evidence based. Dispel the myths with the NORML Fact Sheets. Follow Virginia NORML on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and become a member today!

 

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2019/01/24/virginia-medical-cannabis-bills-clear-senate-committee/

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Former New York City Council President Advocates for Marijuana Equity and Social Justice

Melissa Mark-Viverito speaks at CannaGather in New York as host Josh Weinstein looks on.

New York’s progressive former City Council President Melissa Mark-Viverito wants to be the city’s next Public Advocate. A special election will be held on Feb. 26. A total of 23 candidates are running. Five other current or former Council member are running.

Public Advocate is essentially a watchdog position. However, it’s second in line to the Mayor, which makes this a particularly important race.

Mark-Viverito made a campaign stop Jan. 22 at CannaGather, New York’s largest monthly meetup of marijuana enthusiasts.

Making Her Mark at CannaGather

She started by saying, “I’ve always been a supporter of the legalization of marijuana,” which is true. Before it was popular in New York, the three-term Council leader took that stance. “I support legalization primarily from a social justice perspective. I firmly believe in social equity and justice. We have to level the playing field and bring more equity.”

Now that legalization appears to be around the corner in New York State – Gov. Andrew Cuomo’a 191-page Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act (CRTA) was released Jan. 15 – Mark-Viverito wants to make sure the legislation helps “people who’ve been most impacted by the War on Drugs.”

MELISSA MARK-VIVERITO: “I support legalization primarily from a social justice perspective. I firmly believe in social equity and justice. We have to level the playing field and bring more equity.”

“By my second term (as City Council president), 50,000 people were getting arrested for marijuana,” she explained. “The vast majority of those were people of color. This disparity is something we need to rectify. I support legalization primarily from a social justice perspective. I firmly believe in social equity and justice. We have to level the playing field and bring more equity.”

Mark-Viverito questioned Cuomo’s commitment to equity and social justice. “There are all these caveats,” Mark-Viverito said about the CRTA. “Are you really for it or are you trying to play to all the sides?” She added: “If the bill is included in the budget, it would have to get done by April 1.”

Pot-Tax Proposal: Weed for Rails

Running on the “Fix the MTA” line (a.k.a. Weed for Rails), she proposes to split tax revenues gained from marijuana sales between the equity and justice issues discussed above and New York’s transportation infrastructure. Over the last few years, the Metropolitan Transit Authority has been struggling to keep up with necessary subway system repairs. “Who here has been stuck in a delay?” Mark-Viverito asked. Many hands were raised.

“We have to be mindful how this industry rolls out in this state,” she continued. “Those who’ve been on the receiving end of these unjust policies need to benefit from these opportunities. That can’t be forgotten.”

Her final salvo was directed at former Speaker of the House John Boehner, who joined the board of Acreage Holdings, a cannabis company, last year.

“It angers me to hear that Boehner is now talking about the legalization of marijuana when he and his party were the ones that implemented these policies that have been impacting our communities,” she roiled.” This is the kind of stuff that people in elected office should be held accountable for.”

Related Articles

Gov. Cuomo: “Let’s Legalize the Adult Use of Recreational Use of Marijuana”

Task Force Recommends Regulating Recreational Cannabis in New York

New York Judge Dismisses Marijuana Scheduling Case

New York’s Medical-Marijuana Program Continues to Evolve

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