​Joe Rogan is one of the most influential figures in media, far surpassing traditional news sites such as CNN and Fox News.

Rogan, who is a vocal cannabis user and supporter, recently spoke on his show with Aaron Rodgers, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.

During their conversation, the subject of Brittney Griner’s Russian imprisonment over cannabis was discussed.

Rogan strongly criticized President Biden and Vice President Harris for calling for the release of Griner while also allowing the War on Drugs to carry on in the U.S.

Last month, after Griner’s sentencing, Vice President Harris called for her immediate release, adding that she, Biden and the entire administration are “working every day to reunite Brittney, as well as Paul Whelan, with loved ones who miss each of them dearly.”

Joe Rogan pointed out that despite their words, the President and Vice President have not even come close to fulfilling their campaign promises on cannabis.

During a Vice-Presidential debate in October 2020, Harris vowed that a Biden-Harris administration would take action on cannabis reform, saying, “We will decriminalize marijuana and we will expunge the records of those who have been convicted of marijuana.”

​Rogan pointed out, “They said that they were going to make marijuana federally legal. They said they were going to exonerate prisoners who were in jail for non-violent drug offences. None of that has happened.” 

Earlier this year President Biden did pardon some drug offenders, but according to records only nine were related to cannabis.  Hardly fulfilling his campaign promise.

​In a significant step in moving towards federally removing cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug, a state court has ruled that it is unconstitutional and ordered their state pharmacy board to remove it from state classification as a Schedule 1 drug.

The ruling took place Wednesday this week, over a lawsuit that was brought against the Nevada state Board of Pharmacy earlier this year.

The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, on behalf of a man named Antoine Poole, who was found guilty of a Class E felony for cannabis possession a year after cannabis was legalized in the state. Also included in the plaintiffs are the Cannabis Equity and Inclusion Community, who are a group that, among other things, work to help people get prior cannabis convictions cleared.

Their lawsuit said that because the Nevada state Board of Pharmacy have kept cannabis on their list of Schedule 1 drugs, that this has caused a loophole where people are still being prosecuted for felonies like possession of cannabis with intent to sell, despite the fact that the state legalized cannabis possession and use.

Co-plaintiff Antoine Poole’s past conviction had prevented him from “doing basic things,” such as getting the license he wanted to become a barber.

The plaintiff lawsuit alleged that it is unconstitutional for the Nevada Board of Pharmacy to keep cannabis listed as a Schedule 1 drug while also being state legalized for having medicinal value, and recreational use.

Being classified as a Schedule 1 drug means that cannabis is classified as having high potential for abuse or no accepted medical use.

On Wednesday this week, District Judge Joe Hardy Jr. handed a win to the cannabis advocates. The Judge agreed with the plaintiff’s argument that cannabis does have an accepted legal medical use, because voters amended the state constitution in 2001 legalizing medical marijuana. He also ordered the Nevada state Board of Pharmacy to remove cannabis from their list of Schedule 1 drugs in the state.

Judge Hardy said at his ruling, “The constitutional right to use marijuana upon the advice of a physician does establish that marijuana has an accepted medical use and treatment in the United States.”

In the upcoming weeks the judge will also be ruling on on whether the state Board of Pharmacy should even have any regulatory authority over cannabis or not.

​If this ruling holds and the state Board of Pharmacy does deschedule cannabis in their state, this could be a significant step towards pushing the federal government to also deschedule cannabis on the federal level, or at least attempt to do so through the US Supreme Court in a similar manner to this case in Nevada.

​After US Olympic runner, Sha’Carri Richardson’s suspension for a positive cannabis test last year, there has been a vocal push to remove cannabis from the list of banned substances by the World Anti Doping Agency, or WADA.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has said that the international rules “must change.”

However, a spokesperson for World Anti Doping Agency spoke to The Wall Street Journal in a story published on Monday and very astutely pointed out that, “to date neither the United States authorities nor the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has requested the removal of cannabis from the Prohibited List.”

They are referring to the fact that they say the US agencies have never completed a formalized request on the matter.

​The World Anti Doping Agency has made it very clear that the U.S. had played a key role in placing marijuana on the list of prohibited substances for international athletes—and it still has a seat at the table if it truly wants a policy change. ​

USADA CEO Travis Tygart told the Wall Street Journal that, for decades, they have, “advocated for WADA to change its approach to marijuana so a positive test is not a violation unless it was intentionally used to enhance performance or endangers the health or safety of competitors.”

That last ‘unless’ might explain why the World Anti Doping Agency does not believe the U.S. is fully supporting cannabis.

Richard Pound, who served as the first president of World Anti Doping Agency, spoke to Marijuana Moment in a phone interview on Monday and said, “there are thousands and thousands of Americans in jail as we speak for a mere possession of marijuana, so I was kind of surprised that, at the highest levels in the country, [officials were suggesting to] remove the ban in its entirety” on the global athletic stage.

This glaring contrast was also alluded to by Russian authorities when Americans demanded the Brittney Griner be released from a Russian jail over cannabis possession. Russians said that America calling Griner “wrongfully detained” is hypocritical, as America still classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1, illegal drug.

​Germany had been on track to have cannabis legalized this year, and sales start in 2023.

But earlier this week, a German parliment legal analysis was leaked to a news portal, warning that the effort to legalize cannabis would conflict with European regulations in several ways.

With this in mind, a government official said recently that lawmakers are now proceeding with more caution, and have been pushing back predictions for having legalization happen by 2023.

An official familiar with the matter said, “The complexity of all is starting to sink in, and there’s a sharper awareness of the risks involved.”

​Plans are to still move forward with legalization, but the timeline may just take a bit longer than originally hoped.

​This week, two congressmen, Democratic Representatives Jared Huffman from California, and Earl Blumenauer from Oregon, filed a bill that is aimed at helping small cannabis cultivators compete against the larger multi-state operators once cannabis is federally legalized. The bill is called the “Small and Homestead Independent Producers Act”, or the acronym the “SHIP” Act.

Representative Huffman said federal legalization is an “inevitability.” And in a phone interview with Marijuana Moment, he said that once that happens, “…we want to make sure that the smaller operations have a chance to compete and succeed.”

The text of the proposed measure reads a, “small cultivator of marijuana and a small manufacturer of a marijuana product may ship and sell marijuana or a marijuana product to an individual located in that State or another State in which possession of marijuana or the marijuana product is lawful by that individual, using the Postal Service or any private or commercial interstate carrier.”

Small cultivators are defined as those who either grow up to one acre of “mature flowering marijuana canopy” for outdoor cultivation, or up to 22,000 square feet of cannabis canopy using greenhouses, or up to 5,000 square feet for indoor cultivation. For manufacturers, they would meet the definition of a small operation if they produce “a manufactured marijuana product, including a salve, “tincture, edible, or concentrate, with a gross annual revenue of less than $5,000,000, inclusive of all marijuana product manufactured by that person.”

​Shaleen Title, the co-founder of the Parabola Center and a former Massachusetts cannabis regulator who has advocated for equity-based solutions in the marijuana industry, said, “This is the only legislation so far that takes cannabis policy beyond the Big Tobacco model of industry domination and toward the craft cannabis model that benefits both small businesses and consumers.” 

​Alabama has some serious issues with cannabis and women.

Earlier this year, Alabama Senator Larry Stutts introduced a bill which proposed women MUST get a negative pregnancy test from a state approved doctor or lab within the 48 hours prior to each and every time a woman wants to make a medical marijuana purchase.

And now in the latest attempt to control females and their access to cannabis, Alabama police have been enforcing a strange, archaic old state law that allows them to jail pregnant women, without a charge, without a trial, without an attorney, and without opportunity to get out until the state decides.

If law enforcement think the mother may use cannabis while pregnant, then they use their own sole discretion on the matter to jail the mother. They say this is allegedly for the so called safety of the unborn fetus.

Just one example of this misuse of power was the case of a 23 year old woman named Ashley Banks who was pulled over for a simple, routine traffic stop on May 25th. Officers did notice a very small amount of cannabis in her car and also found a pistol without a permit to carry. She was arrested, and under normal circumstances, she would have been able to post bond and leave jail until her trial.

While speaking with officers, Ms. Banks admitted to having used cannabis two days prior to the arrest, which she said was also the day she found out she was pregnant. Using this information, authorities cited a state law which allows for them to immediately force her into a rehab facility or hold her in jail indefinitely, without a trial.

Ms Banks did go to the rehab facility, which sent her back to the authorities because they said she was not an addict, just a casual user, and therefore rehab was not necessary. So, the authorities then just decided to use the law to hold her in jail, without any opportunity to post bail, or fight the situation with an attorney. She was held in jail for three months like this.

There have been other cases just like this. Pregnant women and mothers of newborns who have been accused, but not convicted, of expositing fetuses to drugs have also been held for weeks and months inside jail.

The only bond condition they have is to go to rehab and post $10,000 cash. But if you don’t have $10,000 cash, AND if the rehab says you’re not actually an addict and so you don’t need rehab, then you’re stuck in jail.

This Alabama law basically gives law enforcement officers power, without a judge, jury, or attorney, to decide if they - the officers - think the female is a threat to her unborn fetus, then jail her indefinitely for the so called protection of the fetus.

In Ms. Banks case, while in jail, her pregnancy suffered. She had a family history of misscarriages and difficult pregnancies. She often bled in jai and was not given medical attention. She was forced to sleep in a cell with too many women, and had to sleep on the floor on at least one occasion.

According to National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW), Etowah county in Alabama has jailed 150 pregnant women in recent years, 12 of whom are sitting in jail there right now.

​The Guardian newspaper commented, “The movement claims to see embryos and fetuses as persons, and in practice they speak as if these “persons” are not women’s equals, but their superiors: the fetus is conceived of as more important than the woman, more worthy…”  

Cannabis advocates have been working on legalization issues all across the country. And as a result, this fall many people will have the opportunity to vote for cannabis issues in their jurisdictions.


ARKANSAS:
The Arkansas Supreme Court has just confirmed that a recreational cannabis amendment will be on ballots for the November election, however it is still conditional. The group behind the campaign, Responsible Growth Arkansas, turned in far more than the 89,151 required valid signatures to the Secretary of State's Office and was approved. But the State Board of Election Commissioners rejected their initiative, arguing that the ammendment’s title did not properly include limitations on THC. Responsible Growth Arkansas then petitioned the state’s supreme court, who have agreed to consider their request. One of their attorney’s, Steve Lancaster, said, "What that means is that we're going to be on the ballot…You'll be able to cast a vote … But what's going to happen in the interim is the Supreme Court will make its decision, and if they agree with us that our ballot title is good, then the votes will count. Otherwise, if the court decides that our ballot title is not sufficient, they'll just never count those votes." He added, "I'm confident that once the court looks at this, they're going to agree with us that our ballot title is fine.”

CALIFORNIA:
California is, of course, the largest cannabis market in the country, with legalized medicinal and recreational use. However, the vast majority of municipalities in the state have opted out of allowing cannabis businesses, a fact that has caused a lot of problems for cannabis access and distribution in the state. This fall, there are at least 28 California cities and counties with cannabis initiatives on November’s ballot. Most of these municipality referendums are to have voters choose if they want to now allow cannabis businesses within their jurisdictions. If all locations are passed, there could be as many as 250 new retail licenses added to the state. This is significant, and badly needed,because at this time there are currently only around 900 retail locations in the entire state of close to 40 million people!

MARYLAND:
Maryland legalized medical marijuana in 2012 and has had their program operational since 2014.  This fall, voters there will have an opportunity to vote on adult use recreational cannabis legalization on their ballot.

MISSOURI:
Missouri’s secretary of state certified that activists turned in more than enough signatures to qualify a marijuana legalization initiative for the November ballot, but now a lawsuit filed by a staff member of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, claims that the petition did not collect enough valid signatures in one of the congressional districts needed to secure ballot placement, and doesn’t follow the Constitution’s single-subject rule for ballot measures. There are also some cannabis supporters in the state who oppose this petition, based on concerns of monopolies in the industry, limiting the number of licenses, possession limits, and more. Missouri does already have medical marijuana, but it remains to be seen if they will be able to vote on recreational use this fall.

NORTH & SOUTH DAKOTA:
Both North Dakota and South Dakota voters will have the chance to decide on cannabis legalization issues in November. North Dakota voters legalized medical marijuana in 2016. This fall they are confirmed to vote on legalizing adult use recreational cannabis, as well. South Dakota residents voted to legalize adult use recreational cannabis in 2020, but their Governor, Kristi Noem, intervened due to her own issues against cannabis. She used a loophole which caused the courts to overturn the voters wishes. 
This year, South Dakota residents will be able to vote on it again. To avoid another invalidation, the group who led the initiative is allowing the legislature to make decisions regarding cannabis taxes and regulations.

OHIO:
Ohio legalized medical marijuana in 2016, but they do not have legalized recreational adult use, yet. This November, several Ohio cities will vote on local cannabis decriminalization measures in 2022. If passed, decriminalized cities would eliminate penalties for possessing misdemeanor amounts of cannabis.

OKLAHOMA:
Oklahoma currently has one of the most popular medical marijuana programs in the country, with 10 percent of the state’s population holding a valid prescription. But despite overwhelming support, residents are still waiting on legalized recreational adult use. State officials announced that the group Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws did collect sufficient signatures, and they turned them in more than a month early to ensure enough time for the verification process. However, in what could be a sneaky political move by opponents, the certification process has taken much longer than it should have. Republican lawmakers in Oklahoma who are opposed to cannabis introduced bills to make the initiative petition process more difficult, including a new law approved in 2020 that provides more scrutiny in verifying voter signatures. Cannabis advocacy groups wrote in a document to the state court that, “…they have been stymied by state officials (or their hand-picked vendors) who are either unable or unwilling to perform their administrative duties in a timely and efficient manner.” The Oklahoma Secretary of State’s Office has typically handled counting signatures in house, but this year, with claims of alleged voter fraud concerns, some state officials created a contract with a political polling firm to help verify the voter registration status of signatories. As a result, the signature-counting process took so long that it extended past the printing deadline for issues to be on the November ballot. The advocacy group petitioned the state Supreme Court, and they have agreed to consider it. But at this time, the measure is still in limbo with new lawsuits filed on both sides this week, and everything is up in the air and at the mercy of the court’s decisions. It’s one of a few of these states that we will have to continue to watch and wait to see what transpires.

NEBRASKA:
While other states seek recreational cannabis legalization, Nebraska still fights for medical marijuana.  The group Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM) submitted signatures supporting two medical cannabis measures for this fall, but sadly, neither initiative will be on the 2022 ballot due a shortage of signatures. During the campaign, the advocacy group faced major issues with funding and a court battle that stymied their progress. However, their campaign manager plans to regroup and plan on getting the issue on Nebraska’s 2024 ballot.

TEXAS:
Texans have access to an extremely limited medical marijuana program. But with levels of THC capped at 1%, the very limited number of people who can even qualify don’t have access to much. The state heavily regulates against cananbis, and their current penalties for posession are harsh. This November, though, five cities: Denton, Elgin, Harker Heights, Killeen, and San Marcos, will each have the opportunity to vote on decriminalizing cananbis within their jurisdictions. The deciminalization measures amend local laws so that police can no longer issue citations or make arrests for misdemeanor possession, nor can they issue tickets for paraphanalia in lieu of possession tickets. In May, voters in Austin overwhelmingly approved a similar municipal measure. These types of city votes are necessary, as Texas law does not allow for statewide citizen initiated petition measures. Current Texan polling shows that 67 percent of Texans, including majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, support legalizing the sale and use of cannabis.

WISCONSIN:
Currently, medical and recreational use of cannabis is illegal in Wisconsin. Also, like Texas, Wisconsin does not have a statewide citizen petition initiative method for ballot proposals, so Wisconsin residents must wait for state legislatures to take action. This fall, so the lawmakers can gage how residents feel about cannabis legalization potential, voters in at least half a dozen Wisconson cities and counties will be asked on November’s ballot how they feel support legalizing, taxing and regulating cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol.

WEST VIRGINIA:
West Virginia legalized medical marijuana in 2017. Activists there have been working to put local marijuana decriminalization initiatives, similar to the ones in Texas, on the November 2022 ballot. These initiatives would mean no fees, jail time, or court fees for simple possession of cannabis. This year, Wyoming activists collected signatures for a pair of ballot initiatives to decriminalize marijuana possession and legalize medical cannabis. However, it wasn’t enough to be added to the 2022 ballot.

MORE INFO:
​Cannabis Legalization 2022: Who Will Be on the Ballot? | Elevate Holistics (elevate-holistics.com)

​New Mexico legalized recreational cananbis use in 2021, and with some of the most liberal regulations in the country, they’ve done very well thus far.

Continuing that trend, the New Mexico State Fair have added an exhibit to this year’s event called “Discovering Cananbis.”

The exhibit is a collaboration with a New Mexico based dispensary called The Verdes Foundation, and it’s designed to educate adults 21 years and older on the state’s “newest agricultural industry,” as well as “provide a safe space for the cannabis curious to ask questions, get information, and learn more about how the recent legalization of recreational cannabis will impact the state’s economy.”

The exhibit will also contain numerous cannabis vendors and distributors, but unfortunatley the products are not available for consumption on-site.

​The fair runs Sept. 8-18.  

The Department of Transportation reported that more than 70,000 truckers have tested positive for cannabis use in the last two years.

Positive drug tests are becoming more and more common, which is causing a significant loss of drivers, and, that is increasing concern over potential supply chain issues this will continue to cause.

Many states have of course legalized cannabis, but because the Department of Transportation has not updated their drug testing methods, drivers are still subject to old tests which only look for cannabis metabolites, and those can be present from past use, not just current intoxication. Also, CBD also shows up as positive for cannabis metabolites, despite it not being an intoxicant.

The Department of Transportation is aware of the problem, but until they update their testing methods, drivers are warned that any use of cannabis, or cannabis derivatives such as CBD, will show positive on a drug test.

There are no accommodations for holding a prescription. And there is no discernment between people who have only used CBD, even in topical form. Any positive for metabolites will cause the driver to lose his job.

After a failed drug test, the process of getting drivers back on the road can take several months. Many people have made the decision never to return.

According to the Department of Transportation’s own data, nearly 80% of the truck drivers who failed a drug test have not even started the "return to work" training. That process can take months to complete, so many drivers choose to seek employment elsewhere.

​The American Trucking Association estimates that there are currently 80,000 unfilled truck driver positions and unless the Department of Transportation and the Federal government change their position on cannabis testing quickly, that number will only increase, causing even more supply chain issues.

​A study conducted by Rutgers New Jersey State Policy Lab found a positive association between the decision to allow cannabis-related businesses and home prices.

They found that municipalities which allowed cannabis businesses within their jurisdictions in New Jersey saw average home sales prices increase by 1.6% more than in towns without legal cananbis sales. That 1.6% increase amounts to a little more than $6,300 in real estate prices.

There is not enough evidence to prove that the cannabis-related businesses caused this home price increase, but there is enough evidence to show that allowing cannabis-related businesses certainly at least does not negatively impact home sale prices.

​The study results suggest state and local policymakers can be optimistic about the impacts of allowing cannabis-related businesses in their jurisdictions.  

​In light of potential false positive results brought on by the presence of CBD in samples, the Michigan State Police recently stopped testing blood for the presence of THC.

According to Michigan State Police spokesperson Shanon Banner, officials have also informed county prosecutors around the state of the discrepancy and advised them not to use the lab's test findings for cannabis blood testing as evidence in open cases.

In an email to the Associated Press, Banner said that the pause in laboratory analysis of THC will be in place indefinitely “as we work to learn more and/or until we can institute another validated method of testing to ensure accuracy.”

Cheri L. Bruinsma, the executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, wrote an email to county prosecutors, saying, “We were alerted by the MSP Crime Lab that there is likely an issue with toxicology screens for blood tests for marijuana results … the test is unable to distinguish between THC and CBD. They’re working to understand the issue and scope of the problem. They expect to have additional information in the next few weeks. In the meantime, if you have a case that relies on a THC toxicology screening, you should not rely on that result.”

Michael Komorn, an attorney specializing in criminal defense and cannabis law said blood test evidence of THC is commonly used to prosecute driving violations.

​He added, “I think that it’s time to get a new lab. Because the procedures and protocols that are being used here to measure cannabis blood tests , if they’re wrong and unscientific—and they’ve been convicting people wrongly because their tests are wrong—I think a criminal investigation should be opened. I think people should be held accountable.”

The first 24-hour dispensary in Arizona, and one of just a few in the nation, will soon be opening in the city of Guadalupe. Mint Cannabis company will be open twenty-four hours a day on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and depending on demand, they may extended to other days of the week.

​This facility will be the largest dispensary in the state, as well as the third largest in the entire country. Mint is also expanding to two more dispensaries in Phoenix within the year, as well as new cultivation and dispensary locations in Nevada, Missouri, Massachusetts and Illinois.

​The U.S. Department of Transportation, along with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, have published a proposed draft of their Medical Examiner’s Handbook. 

And because Hemp, which is cannabis containing less than 0.3% THC, was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, the new proposed guides say that use of CBD with less than 0.3% TCH would no longer be automatically disqualifying for drivers.

The new draft of the guidebook now proposes that each driver should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and encourages Medical Examiners to consider any additional relevant health information or evaluations.

But they emphasized that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is the branch that oversees hemp derrived CBD regulation, does not currently monitor or certify the levels of THC in products that contain CBD, so there is no federal oversight to ensure that THC levels in hemp derrived CBD products are accurate.

Therefore, drivers who use these products are doing so at their own risk.

​The draft MEH may be viewed here.

​The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, which falls under the National Institutes on Health, recently published a “Request for Information” from the scientific community on the, “interest in and barriers to research on the health effects of cannabis and its constituents.”

The published notice acknowledged that, “Cannabis has been used medicinally for over 3,000 years,” and, “Recently, there has been growing interest from health care providers and the public in the potential medicinal properties of cannabis-related products.”

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health’s Director, Helene Langevin, said that so far, most of the federally funded research on cannabis has “narrowly focused on the potential harms” of THC, and it’s important gain a more holistic scientific understanding of potential benefits and harms.

She pointed out that some of the biggest barriers to this have been that, “some researchers may not know how to navigate the process of securing a Schedule 1 license,” and others “might be hindered by the lack of broadly accepted measures for what constitutes a ‘dose’ or modes of administration, “ and therefore it’s imperitive that they, “identify barriers to conducting research and subsequently develop approaches that can help overcome them.”

The head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse said she personally avoids studying Schedule I substances because of those bureaucratic challenges.

Langevin said, “It’s time to chart a path forward—one that can lead to new understanding and reveal potential novel applications for these complex compounds.”

​Eight of NIH’s component agencies, including NCCIH, are partnering on the new initiative.   

​California Governor Gavin Newsom has been signing a few cannabis measures this week.

One of those is Assembly Bill 1954 which clarifies that physicians cannot be penalized for treating patients who test positive for cannabis. The new law also specifies that a positive drug test for cannabis cannot be the sole basis for denying medical treatment.

Another bill he just signed amends an existing law that allows registered patients to use medical cannabis products in hospitals.

And a third bill Governor Newsom signed into law is regarding cannabis and child welfare laws. The new legislation requires social workers who are called to investigate child welfare to treat parental cannabis use in the same manner that they do for alcohol.

The sponsor of that bill, Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, said, “cannabis use alone should not be a basis for state intervention into family life," and “… Parents and guardians should be allowed to safely and legally use cannabis without fear of having their children permanently removed from their care, provided there are no other concerns regarding the child’s safety.”

Still on the Governor’s desk and waiting for his approval is measure AB 2188, which is the highly anticipated legislation that would provide job protections for people who use cannabis outside of work. This is done by prohibiting employers from basing employment decisions on tests for non psychoactive cannabis metabolites found in urine, hair, or blood.

Governor Newsom has until the end of September to decide whether to sign it into law. He can either sign it into law, veto it, or if he takes no action the measure will automatically pass into law on October 1st.

​Once passed, the law would take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.  

Verano Holdings Corp. has just closed its transaction to acquire all of the equity interests of another Nevada based cannabis operator.

This acquisition increases Verano’s vertically-integrated Nevada operations to five active dispensaries and two cultivation and production facilities across Nevada.

​George Archos, Verano founder and CEO, spoke about why they were excited for the Nevada market. He said, “Gaining a presence in Reno and Carson City provides Verano with comprehensive retail and distribution opportunities in Northern Nevada that compliment our current operations in the Las Vegas area. With a growing population, booming tourism and an abundance of natural beauty, we look forward to a bright future in the great state of Nevada.” 

Washington D.C.’s Mayor, Muriel Bowser, has already signed a bill that bans most workplaces from firing or otherwise punishing employees for marijuana use.

But prior to this, people have been fired, and this week, a Washington DC court ruled to reverse a past termination of a goverment employee over cannabis.

The situation stemmed from a 2020 incident where a government employee was fired after being suspected of cannabis intoxication on the job because of having red eyes and talking quietly. Supervisors then made her take a drug test, where she tested positive for cannabis metabolites.

The employee petitioned the termination, arguing that her eyes may have appeared red because she had received almost no sleep after being informed of her brother’s hospitalization. She said she was tired but stable enough to perform the job. She further provided proof that she was a registered medical cannabis patient. She stated that she hadn’t used cannabis on the day of the drug test, but she’d consumed recently enough while away from work, that the THC metabolites would still be detectable.

After hearing the case, the Washington D.C. Office of Employee Appeals ruled in favor of the employee. The judge wrote in the ruling, “Because Employee was allowed to perform her duties and did in fact adequately do so after being observed by her supervisors, I find that [the supervisors] did not reasonably believe that Employee’s ability to perform her job was impaired. As such, I further conclude that a reasonable suspicion referral was unwarranted.”

The employer told the court that the reasonable suspicion referral was legitimate whether the alleged impairment was due to drug use or sleep deprivation. But District statute does not allow sleep deprivation to be used to justify this process, and Dohnji said that the defense was “disturbing and without merit.”

​The employer is now required to reimburse the worker for all back pay since the original termination, as well as any benefits she missed out on because of the action.  

​Recreational cannabis sales began in Michigan in December 2019, but the city of Detroit didn’t introduce its ordinance to allow recreational cannabis sales until November 2020.

Detroit’s set August 1st 2022 as the date when the first round of recreational cannabis license applications would begin being accepted.

However two lawsuits filed in Michigan earlier in the year challenged the city’s recreational ordinance and held up the application process.

Those lawsuits have now been ruled on, and the city can proceed with recreational cannabis license applications. Businesses can now apply for cannabis business licenses for dispensaries, microbusinesses, or consumption lounges in Detroit.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan spoke at a press conference and said that social equity would be a priority.

Councilman James Tate said, “I am excited that we are on the verge of having Detroiters and other equity applicants having a fair process that will allow them to participate in this multimillion-dollar industry. It is complicated, it is challenging, but it is now possible and that’s the beauty of this fight.”

​In separate phases, the city will be issuing an eventual total of 160 licenses for dispensaries, microbusinesses, and consumption lounges. 

​Singapore's first and only Olympic gold medalist, 27 year old swimmer Joseph Schooling, has admitted to consuming cannabis while training and competing in Vietnam.

CNN reported that, in a personal statement, Schooling said, "I made a mistake and I'm responsible for what I've done. I demonstrated bad judgment and I am sorry.”

Singapore has some of the strictest cannabis laws in the world. Their laws against cannabis consumption apply to it’s citizens even when they are out of the country. Convictions of posession of cannabis allow for punishments of up to 10 years' imprisonment and fines of up to 20,000 Singapore dollars ($14,300).  Trafficking, importing, or exporting 1.1 pounds or more could cost you the death penalty. Just this summer, Singapore has executed several people for cannabis.

Vietnam, where Schooling said the cannabis consumption took place, also has strict laws on possession and use of drugs, with punishments ranging up to the death penalty.

Joseph Schooling shot to fame in 2016 as a 22-year-old at the Rio Summer Olympics when he defeated US swimming legend Michael Phelps in the 100-meter butterfly to become his country's first Olympic champion.

Singapore's Defence Ministry said Tuesday that it had issued a formal letter of warning to Schooling which said, "Those who are suspected of, or confessed to, abusing drugs will be placed on supervised urine test regimes …” and that anyone who tests positive during this time, “will be charged and sentenced accordingly."

The Central Narcotics Bureau in Singapore said that so far their first tests of Schooling's urine for controlled drugs have "returned negative".

Schooling had been on leave from military service so that he could train. The Singapore government said he will no longer be given leave from military service to train or compete. That service is expected to last until 2024, which means he will likely not be able to compete in next year's World Aquatics Championships, Asian Games or Southeast Asian Games.

​Sport Singapore and the Singapore Swimming Association said they will "review the facts of the case and determine appropriate steps to take." 

​Researchers affiliated with California Polytechnic State University and The University of New Mexico published their study this week which showed that the eventual federal legalization of cannabis is projected to cost conventional pharmaceutical companies billions of dollars in reduced drug sales and stock market value.

The researches looked at how big pharma’s stock market returns responded to state cannabis legalization over the past and found definite trends of lower returns, which equaled billions of dollars of loss for pharmaceutical sales.

The researchers estimate that full federal legalization will result in a reduction in conventional pharmaceutical sales of nearly 11%.

​The authors concluded that conventional pharmaceutical manufacturers would be better off investing in the regulated cannabis markets, rather than lobbying against it. After all, it’s better to ride the waves than try to turn back the tide!  

United States Air Force Recruiting boss, Major General Ed Thomas, recently told Air Force Times that they are exploring the option of granting waivers to recruits who test positive for THC. He said, “as more states legalize cannabis, there is an increased prevalence of THC-positive applicants.” He added, “We have to be realistic today … We need to exercise common sense.”

As things stand now, if an applicant tests positive for THC, then they are permanently barred from entering the Air Force.

But Thomas believes that if a THC-positive applicant is otherwise qualified, and the Air Force believes they will act in good faith and forgo cannabis once in the service, he thinks that would be grounds for a waiver.

Each of the armed forces are under direction from the Pentagon, which prohibits troops from cannabis products, including CBD.

However, each branch makes their own determination for how they will handle applicants who have used those products prior to service.

The Air Force is not the first to consider an option like this. The Navy instituted a trial program which provides a waiver option for certain applicants who tested positive for cannabis at intake. That two year pilot program experiment is currently running through April 2023. The Army and the the Marine Corps both already have waiver options for those who test positive for cannabis at intake.

The federally funded think tank, Rand Corp., last year said that more than half of all new recruits come from states where medical marijuana is legal.

Nathalie Grogan, who studies military personnel at the Center for a New American Security, said adjusting the rules on cannabis could play a role in opening the door to as much as one-third of young American men who may have disqualifying past criminal conduct.

​The Rand Corp said the potential for a new waiver option, “should be welcome news in recruiting offices nationwide.”

​According to a new Gallup poll, more people in the United States are now smoking cannabis than cigarettes!

Back in the mid-1950s, before education on the dangers of tobacco, nearly 45% of American’s smoked cigarettes. That number has been trending downward for decades, with only 11% now saying they smoke them.

On the other hand, cannabis use has gone up. 50 years ago, only 4% of Americans said they smoked marijuana. Now, 16% of Americans say they partake.

Above both of these, though, alcohol is still the number one substance used, as it has been for 80 years since prohibition was repealed. Back then, 63% of Americans drank alchohol. Today, that number is 67%.

​To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

​Lingering stigmas around mental health make it difficult to talk about for many people. But, with no one being perfect, most humans have ailments with their bodies, and issues with their minds as well. No matter how sane you think you are, there is always something that keeps us from perfection. Those issues can range from common anxiety and depression, to deeper and less common issues such as schizophrenia. And the source of these can be geneticly inherited, or it can be caused by external issues such as experiences and trauma.

​Lately there have been an alarming number of headlines using cannabis and mental issues as click-bait. Titles of articles reference cannabis as the catalyst for increased mental problems for youths and adults.

But on the other hand, we know that many more countless people are successfully using cannabis without a problem.

So which is it? Is cannabis harmful or helpful?

No substance is completely harmless. Even foods can cause allergies or problems for some people. Cannabis is no different.

There is limited data that a small risk exists in people who carry a specific, rare variant of a particular gene that they are at increased risk of developing psychosis with increased cannabis use.

Cannabis use has also been shown to quicken or worsen the course of illness in patients who already have schizophrenia.

But psychosis and schizophrenia risks only apply to a very small minority of people based on their unique genetics. And the vast majority of the people who do suffer these issues most often have other issues involved, as well. Factors such as poverty, family history, other drug use, and even more issues can make it difficult, if not impossible, for researchers to adequately determine if any cause-and-effect relationship exists between cannabis use and mental illness.

A 2006 review by Britain’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) previously concluded, “For individuals, the current evidence suggests, at worst, that using cannabis increases lifetime risk of developing schizophrenia by one percent.” 

Overall, the scientists say that data on this subject is not clear or well understood, and until this association is better understood, there may be some merit to various government warnings that adolescents and/or adults with pre-existing symptoms of mental illness refrain from using cannabis (and/or other psychoactive substances), particularly in large quantities.

​But on the other hand, when used in moderation by adults, scientists say that cannabis is relatively safe, and for the overwhelming majority of people, cannabis use can help reduce anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, nausea, and much more. Additionally it can create a sense of well-being, relaxation, and pleasure. And for most people, it’s a good time.    

Cambridge University in England is the world’s third oldest institute of higer learning, and one the most prestigious and highly respected, as well.

And scientists there have just completed a study on cannabis users.

One of them summed up the study’s purpose and result, by saying, “We’re so used to seeing ‘lazy stoners’ on our screens that we don’t stop to ask whether they’re an accurate representation of cannabis users. Our work implies that this is in itself a lazy stereotype.” - Martine Skumlien

A team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London carried out a study comparing cannabis users to a control group and seeing if there was a difference in their levels of apathy and anhedoina (which are loss of interest or motivation, and loss of interest in pleasure from rewards).

They worked with both adults and adolescents who used cannabis at least four times a week, and as much as every day. Professor Barbara Sahakian, from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, said: “Our evidence indicates that cannabis use does not appear to have an effect on motivation for recreational users.”

In addition to no negative effect on motivation levels, they also found that the cannabis users did not have a lack of interest in seeking rewards from exerting effort.

And in fact, their scores even indicated that cannabis users actually appeared to be able to enjoy themselves better than non-users. Something that doesn’t come as a shock to any cannabis users!

The same team also published a report earlier this year on the same participants as they took part in a task and measured their reward processing. They used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to look at the brain during tasks, and the images showed clearly that cannabis users had similar reward systems as non-users.

​Results from The University of Cambridge scientists are published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology.  ​

Political parties aside, repeatedly calling for the death penalty for drug dealers should be highly concerning for all those in the cannabis industry.

We should especially take note when these statements are made by the top leaders in our country.

Over the weekend, former President Donald Trump spoke at a rally in Pennsylvania and repeated his assertion that he would like to see the death penalty for drug dealers.

Trump has made these types of statements in 2018, in 2020, and several other times. More recently, Trump said this in the end of July, and again over this past weekend.

In Pennsylvania on Saturday he again said, “I’m calling for the death penalty for drug dealers.” He also said, “I’m calling on Republicans and Democrats immediately to institute to get to Washington and institute the death penalty for drug dealers.”  (Donald Trump transcript from 9-3-22 speech in Pennsylvania at video point 01:02:29).

During Trumps Presidency, he rescinded the prior administration’s guidance on cannabis prosecutions, called the “Cole Memorandum”, which was a document that directed the federal justice department to de-prioritize the prosecution federal cannabis cases in states where it had been legalized.

In a leaked recording from 2018, Trump said that using marijuana makes people “lose IQ points.”

BuzzFeed News reported that the Trump administration created a secret committee on how to combat public support for cannabis reform.

A top spokesperson for Trump’s reelection campaign in February 2020 said that the Trump administration’s policy is that drugs, including cannabis, “need to be kept illegal.”