Monday, February 5, 2018
Virginia Paves Road for Medical Marijuana in Conservative States
Bill Allowing All Physicians to Recommend Cannabis Oils Passes House and Senate
Richmond VA — Today, the Virginia General Assembly Senate passed SB726 by a vote of 40 to 0. Last week, the companion bill passed the House of Delegates unanimously by a vote of 98-0. The bill will allow physicians to recommend cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC-A) oils to any patients for whom they feel the oils could help their conditions. Last year, the General Assembly passed legislation permitting the cultivation and manufacturing of cannabis oils for up to five processors in the state, but the only condition permitted was intractable epilepsy.
"This culminates four years of effort that has evolved from an effort to make it lawful for kids who have intractable epilepsy to possess non-psychoactive cannabis oils to the creation of a new industry in the Commonwealth that doctors can recommend these oils for treating any condition where they might be helpful,” said Senator Dave Marsden, chief co-patron for the Senate bill. “This is a big deal for people who suffer from a number of disorders and I am proud to have gotten this ball rolling years ago."
"Imagine that your child is suffering in agony with multiple seizures, in some cases hundreds, daily, and you as their parent have an opportunity to provide your child with some measure of relief," said Delegate Eileen Filler Corn, chief co-patron of the House bill. "The Virginia General Assembly has taken one step closer to making this a reality today, and I couldn't be prouder to have worked alongside my friends, the Collins and Brogan families, on this issue over the past five years. Those who suffer from intractable epilepsy have already seen the benefit of cannabidiol oil and how it can turn around one child's life. I am proud to be chief co-patron of HB 1251 and to have witnessed the courage of so many “parent warriors” who have been relentless fighters for their children and all Virginia children. I applaud the efforts of my colleagues, Delegate Cline and former Delegate Albo, as well as Senators Dunnavant and Marsden for their work on this life-changing issue, and together, we are on the path towards relief for so many children and families."
“We are thrilled with this move forward,” said Beth Collins, Senior Director of Government Relations and External Affairs for Americans for Safe Access. “We are grateful to the bill patrons, and hope that Virginia will provide a model to other conservative states with CBD laws as a way to help them move forward on the issue of medical cannabis and help more patients.”
There are currently 30 states with full medical cannabis programs and 16 with more limited CBD laws. Virginia is the only one of those states to allow THC-A and now will be the only one that does not restrict access based on diagnosis. Only three other states and the District of Columbia allow doctors to make that decision. The remainder have a list of conditions for which medical cannabis is permitted to be used as a treatment. In addition, Virginia is one of only 2 CBD states that allows for the cultivation and processing within the state, so patients are forced to obtain the oils elsewhere.
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Americans for Safe Access was founded in 2002, by medical cannabis patient Steph Sherer, as a vehicle for patients to advocate for the acceptance of cannabis as medicine. With over 100,000 active members in all 50 states, ASA is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA works to overcome political, social and legal barriers by creating policies that improve access to medical cannabis for patients and researchers through legislation, education, litigation, research, grassroots empowerment, advocacy and services for patients, governments, medical professionals, and medical cannabis providers.
Media Advisory for: Monday, February 5, 2017
Contact: Beth Collins | beth@safeaccessnow.org | 571-499-1632
Source: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/virginia_paves_road
Virginia Paves Road for Medical Marijuana in Conservative States is republished from Giggles N Dimples
source https://gigglesndimples.com/2018/02/05/virginia-paves-road-for-medical-marijuana-in-conservative-states/
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Freedom Leaf Nominated for Three Best of Cannabis Awards
Cashinbis has announced the nominations for their Best of Cannabis awards and Freedom Leaf is up for three awards:
• Best Print Publication
• Best Public Company
• Best Extraction Lab
There are 118 categories. Other nominees include NORML, DPA, Americans for Safe Access, Women Grow, NCIA, CelebStoner, Cannabis Radio, Willie’s Reserve, Disjointed, The Russ Belville Show, Green Market Report, New Frontier Data, Tommy Chong, Ethan Nadelmann, Dale Sky Jones and Debby Goldsberry.
Vote for Freedom Leaf and other nominees here. Voting ends March 1.
The post Freedom Leaf Nominated for Three Best of Cannabis Awards appeared first on Freedom Leaf.
Source: https://www.freedomleaf.com/best-cannabis-award-nominations/
Freedom Leaf Nominated for Three Best of Cannabis Awards was originally published on https://gigglesndimples.com/
source https://gigglesndimples.com/2018/02/04/freedom-leaf-nominated-for-three-best-of-cannabis-awards/
Friday, February 2, 2018
Weekly Legislative Update 2/2/2018
Welcome to the first NORML Legislative Roundup of 2018!
First, I’d like to highlight a key development at the federal level pertaining to established medical marijuana businesses and consumers.
The protections for lawful medical marijuana patients and businesses from the Department of Justice provided by the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer budget amendment was temporarily extended through February 8th and we are working to ensure that it will be a part of any budget deal for the rest of the fiscal year. In the last week alone, NORML members sent thousands of messages to members of Congress and we plan to keep the pressure up. If you have not already, send a letter to your elected officials in support of extending these important protections.
At the state level, NJ Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order calling on state regulators to review the state’s eight-year-old medical cannabis access program, and a Virginia House bill to expand the state’s limited medical cannabis law was unanimously approved by the House floor.
Additionally, at the state level, several marijuana-related bills are already dead for this session. These include two Virginia bills to decriminalize marijuana possession, as well as four Mississippi bills- one to decriminalize possession, two related to medical marijuana, and the last to license and regulate adult use marijuana.
Following are the bills from around the country that we’ve tracked this week and as always, check http://norml.org/act 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 at the federal level.
Thanks for all you do and together we will win,
Carly
Priority Alerts
Federal
End Prohibition: Representatives Tom Garrett (R-VA) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) have introduced bipartisan legislation, HR 1227, to exclude marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, thus leaving states the authority to regulate the plant how best they see fit.
The “Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017” eliminates federal criminal penalties for possessing and growing the plant. This legislation gives states the power and flexibility to establish their own marijuana policies free from federal interference.
Click here to e-mail your Representative and urge them to support this important legislation
New Mexico
Democratic state Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino pre-filed legislation, SJR 4, to legalize, tax, and regulate adult use marijuana in New Mexico.
Update: The Senate Rules Committee voted four to three to approve SJR 4 today. If approved by lawmakers, voters would then be asked whether they want the state to legalize marijuana on this year’s November ballot.
NM resident? Click here to email your elected officials telling them it’s time to legalize marijuana
Minnesota
Legislation is pending in the House and Senate, HF 927 and SF 1320, to legalize the personal use and cultivation of small amounts of marijuana for those 21 and older, and establish a licensing scheme for its commercial production and retail sale.
MN resident? Click here to email your elected officials in support of legalization
Maryland
Legislation is pending, SB 1027, to expand the state’s marijuana decriminalization law.
If passed, SB 1027 would amend penalties so that the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana is classified as a civil rather than a criminal offense. Under current law, the possession of more than ten grams of marijuana is a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
Virginia
Senator Siobhan S. Dunnavant (R-12) introduced SB 726 to expand the state’s limited medical cannabis law. Delegate Benjamin Cline (R-24) has introduced companion bill, HB 1251.
The measures would permit doctors to recommend CBD and THC-A oils to any patient they believe would benefit. Under present law, only a neurologist may recommend cannabis oils, and only for patients with intractable epilepsy.
Update: SB 726 have reported out of committee and is awaiting a floor vote. House Bill 1251 was approved today by a vote of 98 to zero.
Iowa
Legislation is pending, SF 280 and SF 432, to amend marijuana possession penalties for first-time offenders.
Senate File 280 and SF 432 reduce criminal penalties for possession of 5 grams of marijuana or less from a serious misdemeanor, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000, to a simple misdemeanor, punishable by no more than 30 days in jail and/or a $625 fine.
Update: SF 432 was approved on a voice vote by the Iowa Senate Judiciary Committee and now awaits action on the Senate floor, and SF 280 has cleared a Republican-led subcommittee in the Senate.
Additional Actions to Take
New York
Legislation is pending in both chambers, A. 9016 and S. 7564 to permit physicians to recommend cannabis therapy to those struggling with opioid abuse or dependence.
Hawaii
Legislation is pending, HB 1893, to permit physicians to recommend cannabis therapy to those struggling with opioid abuse or dependence.
Update: HB 1893 was heard by HHS yesterday in the House.
HI resident? Click here to email your elected officials in support of medical marijuana expansion
Pennsylvania
Democratic state Senator Anthony Williams has introduced Senate Resolution 258 to amend the Controlled Substances Act so that marijuana is no longer classified as a Schedule I controlled substance.
If passed, this resolution would urge Congress to take action to amend federal law so that states could regulate cannabis absent undue federal interference.
Update: A state Senate committee has unanimously approved the resolution to urge Congress to reevaluate marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I controlled substance and recognize marijuana’s medical purposes.
Arizona
Legislation is pending, House Bill 2144, to make Arizona a so-called ‘sanctuary state’ for licensed marijuana operators.
With US Attorney General Jeff Sessions having recently rescinded federal guidance memos protecting state-licensed, marijuana-related activity, passage of this legislation is more crucial than ever.
If passed, this bill would prevent the state from providing federal agents with the names, addresses and/or other related information pertaining to businesses that have been issued permits to grow, distribute and sell marijuana.
AZ resident? Click here to email your elected officials in support of medical marijuana protections
Check back next Friday for more legislative updates!
Source: http://blog.norml.org/2018/02/02/weekly-legislative-update-2-2-2018/
The following blog post Weekly Legislative Update 2/2/2018 Find more on: Giggles N Dimples Blog
source https://gigglesndimples.com/2018/02/02/weekly-legislative-update-2-2-2018/
Provinces Take Lead in Canada’s Legalization Ramp-Up
Canada is moving full steam ahead with its plans to legalize recreational marijuana this summer. The federal government, however, has delegated much of the responsibility for ironing out the details of regulation to individual provinces.
In November, Canada’s Department of Finance announced that excise taxes on cannabis flowers would not exceed $1 per gram or 10% of the product’s sale price, whichever is higher, and that marijuana-tax revenue would be divided equally between the provinces and the federal government.
Unhappy with the 50-50 split, provincial leaders came out against the proposed regulations, arguing that since their governments are doing most of the regulatory work, they should receive a larger share of tax revenue.
“The federal government must be smoking something to think it will work for the provinces,” Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci stated. “It’s unacceptable. We need to get into a room together to work this out.”
Quick to respond, Ottawa officials met with officials from the 10 provinces and hammered out an agreement that would give provinces 75% of marijuana-tax revenues for the first two years of legal sales. The provinces also signed off on the proposed $1 per gram federal excise tax.
Since products will be subject to provincial sales taxes as well, the final purchase prices will vary. Taxes on an $8 gram of cannabis would bring the price up to $10.33 in New Brunswick, but only $9.45 in Alberta, which has no provincial sales tax.
Patients and medical cannabis producers, however, are not pleased about the government’s plan to tax medical and recreational cannabis at the same rates. Patient advocates argue that medical marijuana should be exempt from taxation, as other medicines are. But lawmakers fear that would give recreational consumers an incentive to seek out medical marijuana for its cheaper prices.
Also See: New Medical Cannabis Regs Go Into Effect in Canada
“Our expectation is that by keeping prices low, we’ll be able to get rid of the black market,” Finance Minister Bill Morneau said after meeting with provincial leaders. “However, that will happen over time.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who favors legalization, is determined to put the thriving black market out of business. “This may surprise you, but I agree that marijuana is problematic for the developing brain, that we need to keep it out of the hands of our young people,” he commented at a town-hall meeting in Nova Scotia in January, responding to a health-care worker who contended that marijuana harms developing brains. “However, it’s not working. Right now the current system we have means… there’s already marijuana in our high schools.”
The legal age for cannabis consumption in Canada will be in line with that for alcohol: 18 or 19 years old, depending on the province.
In December, Trudeau clarified that commercial legalization will begin its rollout sometime during the summer, but not exactly on July 1.
A Province-by-Province Breakdown
While the provinces have created general frameworks for their cannabis regulations, many details still need to be decided. Here’s where their proposals currently stand:
• Ontario: The government of the country’s most populous province will have a monopoly on weed sales. Much to the dismay of gray-market entrepreneurs, pot will only be sold through government-operated stores overseen by the province’s Liquor Control Board, which plans to open about 40 dispensaries in July and double that number by 2019. Meanwhile, it’s also considering licensing marijuana lounges for public consumption, which would sure be a boon to the tourist business in Toronto.
• Quebec: The province that’s home to Montreal and Quebec City has proposed selling cannabis through just 15 government-run shops to serve its 8.4 million people. While the federal legalization law will let individuals cultivate up to four plants at home, Quebec has opted to ban home-growing entirely. Meanwhile, regulators are adopting a zero-tolerance rule for driving, allowing police officers to use saliva tests to claim drivers are impaired, despite the fact that no test reliably measures impairment levels.
• Nova Scotia: The island province off the East Coast will sell cannabis in government-operated shops run by the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. The provincial government has yet to announce how many dispensaries there will be (there are 106 liquor stores), but it will allow home-growing.
• New Brunswick: The province that borders Maine will create the Cannabis Management Corporation to oversee sales of recreational marijuana to adults at 20 retail outlets. Home cultivation will be allowed as long as the plants are “secure.”
• Manitoba: The Midwestern province is adopting a “hybrid model,” where its Liquor and Lotteries Corp. will manage the supply side of the cannabis market and private retailers will be able to apply for dispensary licenses. Online sales and deliveries are also being considered.
• British Columbia: Known for its plentiful grow operations and already home to many illegal dispensaries, the Pacific Coast province will allow both public and private cannabis shops, but has not released further details.
Also See: Police Raid Cannabis Culture Dispensaries Across Canada
• Prince Edward Island: The small maritime province just north of Nova Scotia will operate four cannabis retail outlets for its 150,000 people. It will also offer an online platform where consumers can order for next-day delivery.
• Saskatchewan: The prairie province to the west of Manitoba will award 60 licenses to private retailers via a lottery system. The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority will regulate the retailers in the same way it oversees commercial alcohol sales.
• Alberta: The province to the west of Saskatchewan will allow private retailers to set up physical shops, while the government will sell cannabis online. The proposed framework also leaves open the possibility of marijuana lounges. It’s shaping up to become one of Canada’s most cannabis-friendly provinces.
• Newfoundland and Labrador: The Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation in this maritime province will license private stores to sell cannabis. It also plans to allow online sales.
Arguing that police need more time to prepare, law enforcement and some Conservative Party senators have called for to a delay in the implementation of the provinces’ new cannabis regulations. But the Senate usually doesn’t block legislation that’s been passed by the House of Commons. Whether or not the senators manage to stall the rollout, Canada is well on its way to becoming the first G8 nation to legalize cannabis.
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The post Provinces Take Lead in Canada’s Legalization Ramp-Up appeared first on Freedom Leaf.
Source: https://www.freedomleaf.com/canada-pot-legalization-provinces/
Provinces Take Lead in Canada’s Legalization Ramp-Up is republished from https://gigglesndimples.com/
source https://gigglesndimples.com/2018/02/02/provinces-take-lead-in-canadas-legalization-ramp-up/
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Maine: Marijuana Moratorium Measure Expires
Emergency legislation enacted in January 2017 to delay the implementation of several provisions of Question 1: The Marijuana Legalization Act expired today. Proposed legislation in Maine’s House of Representatives to extend the moratorium until May 1, 2018 failed by a vote of 81 to 65.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who opposed Question 1, had demanded lawmakers seek a nearly one-year additional extension to the existing moratorium. In November, Gov. LePage vetoed legislation that sought to implement provisions in the Act regulating the production and retail sales of cannabis to adults.
Absent the passage of explicit legislation governing the licensed production and retail sale of marijuana, there still remains no legal way for businesses in Maine to legally grow or sell cannabis commercially. Provisions in Question 1 permitting the establishment of state-licensed social clubs for adult marijuana users also remain indefinitely on hold.
By contrast, language in the Act prohibiting employers from taking punitive action against personnel for their off-the-job use of cannabis is anticipated to now go into effect. Specifically, the initiative states, “A school, employer or landlord may not refuse to enroll or employ or lease to or otherwise penalize a person 21 years of age or older solely for that person’s consuming marijuana outside of the school’s, employer’s or landlord’s property.” While the language does not mandate employers to in any way accommodate employees’ marijuana use while on the job, nor does it permit employees to be at work while under the influence, it does limit the ability for an employer to discriminate against those who test positive on either a workplace or a pre-employment drug test. In preparation for this law change, the Maine Department of Labor has removed marijuana from the list of drugs for which an employer may test in its “model” applicant drug-testing policy, according to a January 30 report on the legal website Lexology.com.
Separate provisions permitting adults to possess and grow limited quantities of cannabis took effect early last year after action taken by the legislature.
Source: http://blog.norml.org/2018/02/01/maine-marijuana-moratorium-measure-expires/
The following article Maine: Marijuana Moratorium Measure Expires Read more on: GigglesNDimples.com
source https://gigglesndimples.com/2018/02/01/maine-marijuana-moratorium-measure-expires/
Thousands Of Californians To Have Their Marijuana Convictions Dismissed
San Francisco city officials announced plans yesterday to begin reviewing and automatically expunging thousands of past marijuana possession convictions.
The District Attorney’s office says that it will review, dismiss, and seal an estimated 3,000 misdemeanor marijuana convictions dating back to 1975. The office also intends to review and resentence many past felony convictions.
Provisions in the state’s 2016 voter-approved marijuana law allow those with past marijuana convictions to petition the court for expungement. However, because this process that is often time consuming and can cost hundreds of dollars in legal fees, San Francisco’s D.A. George Gascón says that his office will instead “wipe out convictions en masse.”
Commenting on the policy change, California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement, “This example, one of many across our state, underscores the true promise of Proposition 64 – providing new hope and opportunities to Californians, primarily people of color, whose lives were long ago derailed by a costly, broken and racially discriminatory system of marijuana criminalization.”
NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano concurred, telling reporters: “The stigma associated with a marijuana arrest and criminal conviction is lifelong, and can directly lead to numerous lost opportunities later in life. The San Francisco District Attorney’s office is to be commended for proactively rectifying this situation — one that has disproportionately burdened far too many young people and people of color. Let’s hope other jurisdictions follow San Francisco’s lead in righting the wrongs of cannabis criminalization.”
Perhaps even more importantly, legislation now pending in the California Assembly, AB 1793, seeks to expand this automatic expungement process statewide. If you reside in California, please click here to use NORML’s Action Alert to urge your lawmakers to support this critical legislative effort.
Source: http://blog.norml.org/2018/02/01/thousands-of-californians-to-have-their-marijuana-convictions-dismissed/
Thousands Of Californians To Have Their Marijuana Convictions Dismissed is courtesy of https://gigglesndimples.com/
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