​A Pew Research Center survey conducted last year determined what someone probably could have guessed: Religious people are less likely to support legal marijuana than those describing themselves as atheists and agnostics.

Just over half (54%) of the poll respondents who identified with a religious group of any type thought that cannabis should be legal for medical and recreational use. 

On the other hand, more than three-quarters (76%) of those polled who consider themselves atheists, agnostics, or "nothing in particular" support cannabis legalization.

Religious groups in Missouri, North Dakota, and Arkansas have all actively worked to push against legalization measures moving in their respective states.

The religious affiliation doesn’t seem to matter in this case, as they are mostly all on the same anti-cannabis page. However, their reasons for not supporting cannabis can vary.

One board member at the Islamic Society of Fargo-Moorhead, Mohamed Sanaullah, said, “… from the Islamic point of view, any intoxicant for that matter is forbidden.” However he did acknowledge some variance that could be up to the individual, saying, “… it's a personal decision.” But he also added, “If they're more religious, they probably should be voting no."

Some other religious groups are basing their opposition on misinformation and a lack of understanding of some of the facts.

In Arkansas, the church-based group: Family Council Action Committee has actively tried to compare cannabis legalization with the drug epidemics of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl. The group has so far distributed half a million flyers to churches throughout the state with highly misleading, and fear mongering titles. Some of those are called, "Arkansas Does Not Need Another Drug Problem" and "Deadly meth, opioids, heroin and fentanyl are already destroying too many lives." 

​This fall, several states will be voting on adult use recreational cannabis legalization, with at least a few of them looking like it will pass.

This creates even more states that have legalized the plant while we wait for federal action.

Arkansas has had medical marijuana legal since 2016. Next month, residents will be voting on legalizing adult-use cannabis production and sales. Polls completed last month by the Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College survey showed there was a 58% support for legalization, with 29% against and the remaining 12.5% of the population undecided. If those polls are correct at voting time, Arkansas looks likely to pass recreational adult use cannabis legalization.

Maryland legalized medical marijuana in 2014. They too will be voting in November on legalizing adult use cannabis. Polling from late September show a wide support for full legalization, with three out of four voters saying they were inclined to vote yes. If their numbers are right, Maryland voters should approve the recreational adult use legalization measure next month.

Missouri has had their medical marijuana program legal since 2018. Voters in that state will be voting next month on adult use recreational cannabis legalization. A SurveyUSA poll from last month shows that the majority of Missouri voters (62%) approve of legalizing cannabis for recreational adult use. Only 22% opposed it, and the remaining 16% were unsure. With these poll numbers, it looks likely for Missouri to join the states legalizing cannabis for recreational adult use.

North Dakota voters legalized medical cannabis in 2016. Next month they also will be voting on recreational adult-use legalization. While there has been some support from cannabis advocates, the results of next month’s vote are uncertain. Some recent polling suggests that support for adult recreational legalization is waning. Earlier this month, an anti-cannabis group issued a press release saying, “The self-interested marijuana industry is hell bent on taking root in North Dakota, no matter the consequences for public health and public safety.” It’s looking likely that the majority of North Dakota voters will not vote to legalize adult use recreational cannabis this year.

South Dakota residents voted to legalize both medical and adult recreational use cannabis in 2020. But after a campaign against it headed by the Governor Kristi Noem, state courts invalidated the recreational adult-use portion of the passed law. Officials also tried to stop the medical cannabis legislation but were unable to, and so South Dakota does have a very limited legal medical marijuana program. Next month, cannabis advocates are trying again, with a voter led initiative on next month’s ballot for legalizing recreational adult use cannabis in the state. However, it’s odds for success aren’t looking good. Since the 2020 vote, resident polling shows that there has been some weaking of public support for adult-use legalization. A South Dakota group called Protecting South Dakota’s Kids has been working hard over the summer to discredit the legalization movement. Their leader has called cannabis supporters “drug pushers.” Plus, South Dakota’s Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, who has wide state support, is still working hard to discredit cannabis.

Currently the United States has:

• 19 states with legal medical marijuana AND recreational adult-use
• 18 states have legal medical marijuana only
• 10 states have severely limited medical-type access, restricted often just a single condition
• 3 states have absolute zero legal cannabis for any purpose. Those are Idaho, Nebraska, and Kansas.

Predictions indicate that Arkansas, Maryland and Missouri will all approve recreational adult use cannabis next month. It’s not looking so good for North and South Dakota though.

The remaining hold out states are fighting the tide of legalization that is continues to grow. Until the federal government legalizes the plant, these state legalization measures will surely continue.

It’s interesting to note that it was just 10 years ago when Colorado and Washington voted to become the first states in America to legalize adult recreational use. 

​U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Washington State have attempted to block the import of cannabis trimming equipment into the U.S.

On behalf of the Customs & Border Protection Agency, the Department of Justice tried to argue that the trimming equipment should be banned because they would be used for a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Thankfully, though a federal court has ruled for the second time that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency may not block those imports because it was intended to be shipped to a state that has legalized cannabis and related paraphernalia.

The court noted that Federal law allows for an exception to the import and export ban of drug paraphanalia for any person “authorized by local, State, or Federal law to manufacture, possess, or distribute such items.”

​The court has now made abundantly clear that these types of bans are not legal, as the end state receiving the equipment has authorized it.

​It’s expected that the federal government will appeal these rulings.

​Hong Kong’s Security Bureau believe that any claims of CBD having physical health benefits, “lack authoritative scientific proof.”

This past June, Hong Kong announced they would be working to control CBD by re-classifying it as a dangerous drug.

This past week, the Hong Kong government reported their new amendments to their rules on dangerous drugs. They announced that as of February 1, 2023, CBD will be banned, and it will be treated the same way as heroin and cocaine.

The government urged companies and the general public to quickly dispose of any CBD products in their possession, otherwise they will be subject to harsh punishment once the ban comes into effect in February. The government said that they will provide “disposal boxes for the voluntary disposal of CBD products” before the ban starts.

Residents and visitors need to heed their instructions and realize how seriously this ban should be taken. Violators will be punished severely. Possession or consumption will be subject to as long as seven years’ imprisonment. Trafficking and illicit manufacturing of CBD is punishable by up to life imprisonment.

​Cannabis in forms other than CBD has already been banned in Hong Kong, with any possession, sale, transport, import, or cultivation of THC cannabis products being considered a serious criminal offence and holding strong punishments. 

​Multi-state cannabis operator Green Thumb Industries is joining forces with Circle K Stores (Alimentation Couche-Tard Circle K) to sell licensed Green Thumb cannabis products at Circle K gasoline retail stores in Florida.

The exact terms were not disclosed, but it was noted that Green Thumb will be leasing space within the Circle K locations.

Green Thumb’s outlets in Circle K will be branded as “RISE Express” stores and will have a separate entrance from the gas station. Sales are planned to start at some point in 2023, at 10 of the company’s 600 locations in Florida.

Green Thumb CEO Ben Kovler said, “This is a futuristic deal.” He pointed out that having cannabis alongside standard consumer products like snacks and sodas will “continue to normalize” cannabis amongst the general public.

Since Florida only has legal medical marijuana, sales will be limited to residents holding a valid med card. Currently there are approximately 700,000 Florida residents who do have a valid medical marijuana card.

Green Thumb’s CEO Ben Kovler said the company does have eyes on the possibility of more of this type of expansion, saying that “there’s appetite,” for it in other states as well.

A Texas poll that was released over the summer found that 60 percent of voters in the state support making cannabis legal “for any use.” Despite that support, current Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, continues his stance trying to prevent cannabis legalization initiatives, and state lawmakers have been unable to pass a statewide decriminalization proposal. Texas does not allow citizen-led initiatives to put statewide issues on the ballot. But there is the potential for local jurisdictions to put voter led initiatives such as decriminatlization on the ballot, and that’s just what one activits group has successfully been doing. Ground Game Initiative has brought a decriminalization initiative to voters in Austin who passed the measure. And, this November their efforts were successful in bringing more initiatives to vote, this time it’s the cities of Denton, Elgin, Harker Heights, Killeen and San Marcos who will be voting on decriminalization. And now, they are setting their sights on San Antonio for the next signature drive to put a decriminalization initiative on ballots next Spring. Ground Game Texas will be working with two other advocacy groups who are also bringing initiatives on other non-cannabis related measures. For the cannabis section of the initiative, Ground Game Texas has written their goal is passing a measure so that “San Antonio police officers shall not issue citations or make arrests for Class A or Class B misdemeanor possession of marijuana offenses.” It also says that police can’t “consider the odor of marijuana or hemp to constitute probable cause for any search or seizure.” Additionally, they are seeking that, “No City funds or personnel shall be used to request, conduct, or obtain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing of any cannabis-related substance to determine whether the substance meets the legal definition of marijuana under state law.” It would also decriminalize possession of synthetic cannabinoids by requiring police to issue a ticket or citation, rather than arrest, for possessing up to four ounces of the substance. The measure’s other parts will be related to the other advocacy groups who are seeking to prevent law enforcement from criminalizing abortion, executing no-knock warrants and using chokeholds against suspects. They are also asking the city to appoint a “Justice Director” to fulfill three policy priorities, including: reduce mass incarceration, mitigate racial disparities in law enforcement practices and “save scarce public resources for greater public needs.” Activists will be working to collect approximately 35,000 signatures by early January to ensure placement for the May 2023 ballot. Julie Oliver, the executive director of Ground Game Texas, said in a press release, “The San Antonio Justice Charter is a groundbreaking suite of extremely popular reforms that would improve public safety, reduce unnecessary arrests, promote transparency and accountability in law enforcement, and end the criminalization of fundamental rights like abortion … We look forward to San Antonio becoming a model for improving public safety and protecting basic rights through direct democracy.” Voters in San Antonio can look for that petition to sign, and hopefully they’ll be able to vote on that issue next May as planned. 

Cannabis activists in Oklahoma had worked hard to place a cannabis legalization measure on next month’s ballot, but faced too many obstacles to make it in time.

Oklahoma’s Governor has now officially called for a special election in March 2023 for voters to decide on the marijuana legalization initiative.

On the one hand, this is a welcome development for advocates, as the court action could have meant that legalization wouldn’t have been decided until the next general election in November 2024 without a special election being called. That would have meant another two years of arrests of people for adult-use marijuana in the state.

On the other hand, putting the initiative on a special off-year ballot raises some concerns about lower and potentially more conservative voter turnout compared to a general election—especially for 2024 when the presidency will be decided.

Although, even though there is that concern, it’s worth noting that in the past, Oklahoma voters did show up to a June 2018 primary to approve a medical marijuana legalization measure, so it’s hoped they will do the same this May regarding recreational legalization.

Michelle Tilley, campaign director for OSLM / Yes on 820, told Marijuana Moment, “We are grateful the voices of over 164,000 Oklahomans who signed the petition and want to vote on legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in Oklahoma have been heard,” and she added, “now we need to make sure they turn out to vote.” 

​ A Department of Energy (DOE) contractor has recently lost his clearance eligibility by using CBD for back pain. The DOE contractor has had clearance for over a decade.

Over the years, some back problems came up, and last summer he was prescribed opioids for pain relief. Fearing opioid addiction, he researched alternative means of pain management and his doctor suggested CBD products. He was concerned it wouldn’t be strong enough, though. His wife used a THC product for her own pain management and suggested he try that. So ultimately he used a combination of CBD and THC topical product, as well as a vaping pen.

Three months later he was selected for a random urinalysis at work, where THC was found in his urine, and he was terminated from his position.

​A Department of Energy judge reviewed the employee’s appeal, but under the current guidelines, the judge declined to reinstate clearance eligibility.

​While cannabis companies try to navigate the complicated legal and tax system they are forced to deal with, many if not most, have had a hard time keeping afloat financially.

Even the ancillary businesses have had to make changes and tighten belts.

Today, Leafly announced a staffing reduction of 56 positions – or 21 percent of the company’s workforce through a combination of layoffs and attrition – to ensure its long-term health.

In addition, the company has also put in place other cost-cutting measures to allow the company to prioritize growth opportunities, realign its expense structure, and preserve capital while strengthening its financial position.

Yoko Miyashita, CEO of Leafly,said, “These reductions will help preserve our ability to respond to opportunities as this industry continues to mature and expand, and allow us to more effectively manage our capital.”  

Persistent drought conditions in Brittish Columbia, Canada, have made businesses there buckle down on their water usage. This includes the cannabis industry.

If there is no significant rainfall over the next few weeks, the Chapman Water System, which covers most of the lower half of Brittish Columbia, has requested a state of local emergency be put in place.

The order would state that as of November, recreational cannabis businesses would no longer be able to receive and use water supplied by the Chapman Water System “for the purpose of growing or producing cannabis.”

The medical cananbis producers would be exempt from this emergency water stoppage. There has been some rain in the forecast, but the water district said that, “The Chapman Watershed must be fully recharged in order for water regulations to be scaled back and for a State of Local Emergency to be lifted.”

That means that a significant amount of rain would need to be dropped before the ban is recalled. 

​Two weeks ago President Joe Biden announced his plan to pardon all prior federal offenses of simple cannabis possession, and direct the review of the status of cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug.

On Tuesday of this week, October 18th, the President spoke about the 2022 midterm election and reaffirmed his plans for cannabis pardons.

He said, “I’m keeping my promise that no one should be in jail merely for using or possessing marijuana … You should not be in jail.” 

The President’s pardoning power, though, only extends to pardons for federal crimes. The estimate is that about 6,500 people will benefit from his pardon at the federal level.

President Biden had also suggested that state Governor’s also follow suit. One estimate figured at least 40,000 people could be pardoned at the state level, if the Governor’s followed the President’s suggestion. Unfortunately, partisan politics and fears and misinformation have already prompted some Governors to publicly state that they have no intention of issuing such pardons.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he would not do such a thing. His spokesperson, Renae Eze, gave a smart aleck comment on it, saying in part, “Texas is not in the habit of taking criminal justice advice from …. someone who has overseen a criminal justice system run amuck with cashless bail and a revolving door for violent criminals.”

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb also publicly said he would not issue pardons. He said, "The President should work with Congress, not around them,  to discuss changes to the law federally, especially if he is requesting Governors to overturn the work local prosecutors have done by simply enforcing the law ... Until these federal law changes occur, I can't in good conscience consider issuing blanket pardons for all such offenders."  

​With public support for cannabis legalization growing to include the vast majority of voters, opponents and prohibitionists have mostly left behind efforts to try to change the public’s mind, and instead have resorted to relying on exploiting loopholes and using tricks to get their way.

In the last election, cannabis opponents in a few states were able to use litigation to reverse what the majority of residents clearly voted in favor of.

In in Mississippi, prohibitionists nullified the choice of 73% of voters.

And in South Dakota, Governor Kristi Noem was able to get the courts there to overturn the will of 54 percent of voters. In Nebraska, the opposition was able to get the state Supreme Court to strike down a proposed medical cannabis measure, despite 77% of Nebraskans backing it, and the Secretary of State’s office certifying it.

Florida’s Republican attorney general successfully blocked a proposed 2022 legalization initiative from appearing on the ballot, despite wide voter support in the state. This year, cannabis opponents are using the same tricks.

In Arkansas, polls earlier this year showed that the vast majority of voters there support legalization, but despite this, opponents have asked judges to “protect the interests and rights of [the minority of] Arkansans who oppose the legalization of recreational marijuana.” A legalization measure will appear on the ballot this fall, but because of litigation from the anti-cannabis groups, the state Supreme Court will be the ones to ultimately decide if the votes are counted or not.

In Missouri, representatives of a leading prohibitionist organization have joined legal efforts to try and disqualify a citizens’ initiative legalizing marijuana. Opponents contend that election officials may have miscounted, which they based solely on initial media speculation. A statewide survey from earlier this month, though, does show that 62% of registered voters back legalization.

And lastly, in Oklahoma, some election officials created numerous delays which prevented a voter backed initiative on legalization from making it possible to get on the ballot in time for printing . Ultimately their contrived legal filings and objections resulted in the cannabis legalization measure missing the print deadline for voter forms, and therefore, delaying a vote until the next available election.

What we should have, in a democracy, is the will of the people represented by elected leaders. The majority should rule. But these state issues show that the opposition would rather take voters out of the equation altogether, and use legal tricks and loopholes to get their way, despite it not being what the majority of voters want.   

Former Baptist Preacher, and Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee, has released a video of himself urging people to vote against cannabis legalization, and calling those who do, “gullible.”

The video (below) is titled “Issue 4 Marijuana - At What Cost?” It combines video clips with misleading information, followed by Huckabee himself speaking directly into the camera and again more inaccuracies on marijuana.

The video he posted begins with approximately twenty seconds of multiple images of tragic and destitute looking homeless people, their camps, graffiti, and trash, and the words “Enough is enough” scroll across the images.

There is also dramatic music playing.

The video adds text stating that marijuana will be up for vote in November and writes, “Arkansas doesn’t need another drug problem,” which directly insinuates that the images they displayed are related to marijuana.

The video continues with more images of crowded homeless camps and text saying a “2017 study of over 30,000 American adults showed that many users were more than twice as likely to move on to prescription opioids.”

Huckabee’s video then goes on to make claims of increased child suicide and increased traffic fatalities. The only source information they provide on where they got their information is the name of a state under some of the comments… as if that explains it.

Next in the video, he looks directly into the camera and speaks multiple inaccuracies on marijuana. He starts off with claims that drug cartels will be the ones profiting from legalization.  He says, ”There’s a lot of money to be made if the voters of Arkansas pass the recreational marijuana act. Unfortunately, you aren’t the one who is going to be making the money. Drug cartels will.”

He also makes the baseless claim that legalizing marijuana results in more stoned employees. He said, “Every state that has passed recreational marijuana, they’ve seen an uptick in … workplace issues, where people show up for work stoned!”

Mike Huckabee is also the father of Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She is currently running for Governor of Arkansas, and is also very opposed to cannabis legalization. When she was recently asked by reporters if she would support cannabis legalization, she put it in the same place as opioids. She answered them by saying, "I don't think that with the drug epidemic that we have across this state, frankly across the country, that adding and giving more access to that does anything to benefit Arkansas, so I certainly wouldn't be supportive of that.”  

​Financial analysts spend a lot of time doing extensive research on industries and companies that affect their customers investments.

An analyst at one of the largest financial services firm, Pablo Zuanic of Cantor Fitzgerald, has weighed in on his opinion of the cannabis industry.

Zuanic believes that because the cannabis industry still cannot access banking services, that will leave many companies in dire financial straits, which will render them vulnerable to being acquired by larger and stronger cannabis companies, like multi-state operators.

Zuanic didn’t give his opinion on the possibility of the cannabis industry being able to access banking services. At this time, banking reform is still a big question mark. There are some legislatures, such as Senator Cory Booker, who do think that the SAFE Banking Act still has a chance to be passed this year., after the November elections.

ime will tell!

​John Schroyer, the Chief Correspondent for MJBizDaily, recently wrote about the upcoming elections. He wrote that the outcome of this year’s elections could be incredibly important for cannabis legal issues, and those in the industry. Schroyer points out that if Republicans take control of at least one of the two chambers of Congress, that could drastically impact any chances for moving cannabis measures forward.

It’s largely expected that the U.S. House of Representatives will have a Republican majority after this November’s voting. But, some say the bigger concern is the U.S. Senate. Right now, the Senate is at a 50/50 tie, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris being the tie breaking vote on issues.

Justin Strekal, founder of the Better Organizing to Win Legalization Political Action Committee (BOWL PAC) and a former lobbyist for NORML, said he’s “really worried about the Senate,"  based on the recently redistricted maps which favor Republicans.

Strekal said, “If Republicans regain control of the Senate under Mitch McConnell [as speaker], they will absolutely not move comprehensive marijuana reform.”

Other cannabis advocates in Washington DC agreed. If that happens, we would have at least another four years with no movement on cannabis legalization, with voters waiting until 2026 to potentially put more Democrats in office.

Steve Hawkins, the former CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, spoke of how he thinks cannabis legalization is still moving forward, and gave his thoughts on what will ultimately happen. He said, “The main trend is that we will continue overall to gain support in Congress as we see a younger generation … come to Congress,” regardless of their political affiliation.

​Click below to learn about these races to watch: • U.S. Senate • U.S. House of Representatives

 The Washington, DC think-tank, The Brookings Institution, analyzed candidates seeking federal office and found that the overwhelming majority of them refuse to publicly weigh in on the issue of cannabis legalization.

Brookings researchers analyzed publicly stated views of over 2,300 candidates running in US Congressional primaries, and reported, “The vast majority of candidates (81.4 percent) made no mention of cannabis reform at all on their websites and social media.”

Brookings researches also pointed out that this ambiguous stance clashes with the clear national popularity of cannabis reform by voters. Their researchers said that voters, “… should be pushing legislators to make clear statements of support for reform.”

Paul Armentano, who is the Deputy Director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML responded to this research by saying: “Voters’ views on the subject of legalizing and regulating cannabis have evolved significantly over the past decades; however, the views of those seeking to represent them in Congress have not kept pace with this seismic shift in public opinion. Candidates’ failure to advocate for marijuana policy reform is a missed opportunity, as this is a unique issue that unites voters irrespective of party affiliation.”

And he’s right! The number of voters from all political parties who support cannabis legalization keep rising. Polls from Gallup and others show over and over that the majority of all voters, nearly 3/4ths, support legalizing marijuana for recreational use in adults. The support for medical use is even higher, with more than 90 percent of Americans saying that medical marijuana should be legal. Among the relatively few political candidates who do state their position on cannabis, a clear difference was noted.

Researchers found that, “Although more than 90 percent of Republican candidates failed to mention cannabis at all, 4.1 percent of them staked out an anti-cannabis reform position. On the other hand, only three of the 962 Democratic primary candidates (0.3 percent) opposed reform.”

The Brookings analysis concludes: “In sum, cannabis as a political issue has risen in importance over the past 25 years … the issue has become more popular … [however], most candidates for federal office do not see cannabis as an issue prominent enough to discuss, and deep partisan differences still remain among elected officials, even as support for cannabis in the general public has exploded in recent years.”

Commenting on the study’s conclusions, NORML’s Political Director Morgan Fox said: “The underlying message of this study is clear. Voters must let their elected and prospective federal representatives know that this issue is important to them. Despite many of the cannabis policy reforms…being highly popular issues among voters, such legislation continues to be a low priority for all but a few lawmakers. Voters across the country need to show lawmakers that they benefit from publicly supporting and prioritizing sensible cannabis policies, and that they will face political consequences for inaction or obstruction.”

​Full text of the report, “Congressional candidates’ silence on cannabis reform,” is available from The Brookings Institution. Additional information on candidates and elected officials’ positions on cannabis policy is available from NORML’s voter guide, Smoke the Vote.

​California officials announced this month that the state will be awarding up to $20 million in grants from cannabis tax revenue.

The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) said the grants will go to public colleges and universities for researching cannabis issues. Those topics would include the prevention of monopolies, securing the genetics of “legacy” strains, cannabis potency and cannabinoid analysis, the health of the state’s marijuana industry, and data on medical use.

The Department of Cannabis Control’s Director Nicole Elliott said in a press release, “Our hope is that research resulting from these grants proves beneficial not only to California policymakers but also to those across the nation and world.”

In addition to this $20 million in grant money, regulators in 2020 issued $30 million in cannabis research grants to public universities across the state. The Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) reported that since the state’s adult-use market launched in 2018, thru July of 2020, California has taken in nearly $4 billion in marijuana tax revenue.

​Despite problems for those in the industry, the state’s coffers have benefited by larger and larger amounts each year. The last fiscal year a 55% gain over the prior period.

Starting Today, Monday, Oct. 17, Uber Eats in Toronto, Canada, will begin delivering cannabis!

Uber Eats is partnering with cannabis website Leafly to deliver from three Toronto cannabis retailers called Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis and Shivaa’s Rose.

Uber Eats had previously ventured into cannabis in a more limited way. For the last year, Uber Eats users in Toronto have been able to use the platform for cannabis orders, but only as a pre-order that they then must pick up themselves at the store. Now, customers can get it delivered right to them.

The CEO  of Leafly, Yoko Miyashita, said, “We are thrilled to work with Uber Eats to help licensed retailers bring safe, legal cannabis to people across the city.".

It won’t be the regular Uber Eats drivers who bring your weed to you. Uber software will work with the individual cannabis shops who will need to hire and train their own staff to deliver the orders that were placed through Uber’s software.

​What that means is that you’ll have to place a second Uber Eats order for the food and snacks you are sure to need!

​Back in June of 2022, Major League Baseball announced that it would allow teams to accept CBD sponsorships.

This week, in a huge cannabis and sports milestone, the MLB announced they have signed an agreement with Charlotte’s Web Holdings to be the first official CBD sponsor of the MLB.

​While there have been some smaller sports organizations and athletes who have allowed CBD sponsors, such as the National Women’s Soccer League and the UFC, this is the first time a major professional sports league have accepted a CBD sponsorship.   

Learn more about Charlotte's Web here:
https://www.charlottesweb.com/

Check out their "Charlotte's Web™ SPORT" CBD tincture which helps you stay calm under pressure, maintain focus, recover from exercise, and achieve more restful sleep.
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Security at a Saks 5th Avenue store in Florida caught a sneaky senior swiping clothes… and blaming it on marijuana.

Susan Stone of West Boca Raton, Florida, was caught on multiple security cameras stuffing clothing into her purse.

She was then seen going into the Women’s restroom, where removed tags were later recovered from the trash.

When Ms. Stone emerged from the bathroom, and attempted to leave the store, she was stopped by security guards and detained until police arrived.

Ms. Stone confessed to stealing the items that were recovered, but she tried to escape blame by pointing her finger at pot. 

Ms. Stone claimed that because she uses prescribed medical marijuana, she isn’t responsible. She stated that the marijuana made her unaware of what she was doing. She said she had no idea she was stealing the clothes, or removing their multiple security tags in the restroom before trying to exit the store.

The cops, of course, weren’t buying it, and based on the multiple security tapes and eye witnesses, Ms. Stone was placed under arrest for Grand Theft for a total of five women’s shirts with a value placed at just over $1000.

​Ms. Stone was booked and then released on a $3,000 bond, which is nearly three times the value of the clothes that she said marijuana ‘made’ her steal.

Legalizing cannabis does lead to more consumption. Obviously! But it has also led to a decrease in the consumption of other drugs.

A recent study was done, called, “Trends in Alcohol, Cigarette, E-Cigarette, and Nonprescribed Pain Reliever Use Among Young Adults in Washington State After Legalization of Nonmedical Cannabis.”

The young adults they studied over a few years were split into two groups, ages “18-20,” and “21-25”.

The study did suggest that legalization could have increased cannabis consumption of up to 20%, however, this was in conjunction with a decrease in other things. They wrote, “Contrary to concerns about spillover effects, implementation of legalized nonmedical cannabis coincided with decreases in alcohol and cigarette use and pain reliever misuse.”

The study also pointed out that, “on average, roughly 40% of inmates who are incarcerated for violent offenses were under the influence of alcohol during the time of their crime.” And those, “offenses range from minor to serious and include property crime, public-order offenses, driving while intoxicated, assault and homicide.” “An estimated 1.4 million incidents of alcohol-related violence are committed against strangers each year.”

As most cannabis consumers know, and other studies have shown, cannabis use tends to promote more feelings of calm and relaxation, as opposed to alcohol, which often makes people more aggressive and beligerant.

​So with more people choosing cannabis over alcohol, there is potentially a decrease in at least some of these alcohol fueled violent crimes, as well as a decrease in alcohol related disease.  

​South Dakota’s Anti-Cannabis Governor, Republican Kristi Noem, has made it clear she is not a fan of cannabis.

She was successfully able to block a voter approved legalization initiative a couple years ago, but this year, voters will have a second chance to try to get the will of the people passed.

Cannabis leglaization Measure 27 will be on this November’s ballot. And as that vote gets closer, groups opposing marijuana legalization are lobbying hard.

Last week a group called Protecting South Dakota Kids presented a slew of negative results they claimed would happen if cannabis is legalized. Some of those reasons included things such as an increase in teen use, dangers for children, and negative effects on the brain.

​Matthew Schweich, who is the campaign manager for Measure 27, spoke to American News and pointed out that most of their arguments against legalization are emotional and anecdotal.   

​
The city of Adelanto, in San Bernardino County, Southern California, is very friendly to cannabis businesses. 

When California legalized cannabis in 2016, the city welcomed cannabis happily into their jurisdiction.

As an example of the city’s favorable attitude, they host a weed festival called Kushstock, which took place on October 9th.

During the Kushstock music festival, rapper Chucky Chuck rapped his 2019 track “Smoke That” while his crew members blasted the crowd with a custom cannabis cannon. The cannons were created from leaf blowers and cooking pot strainers, and loaded up with piles of marijuana, which were then lit by blowtorches and the smoke blown over the crowd in attendance.

​ES Smokebusters, who built the cannabis cannons, showed their cannons being assembled in their Instagram stories, and rapper Chucky Chuck also posted videos of the smokey performance on his instagram as well.

​Nearly one in ten new jobs in Missouri are from the state’s recently opened medical marijuana industy. The state’s program already has nearly 170,000 patients and certified caregivers. And retail sales are expected to surpass $200 million for this past year. The executive director of The Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association (otherwise known as MoCannTrade), Andrew Mullins, said that Missouri's medical cannabis business is delivering on its promise to not only provide safe, inexpensive, and convenient access for patients but also to help infuse the state's economy with large investments and millions in additional tax income. This November there are three cannabis legalization related measures up for vote in Missouri. If any one of them passes, there will be even more job growth and tax revenue for the state and residents, thanks to cannabis. 

​After the President’s announcement, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has hired a cannabis research and regulation advisor for the first time.

The FDA named Norman Birenbaum to be their new Senior Public Health Advisor on cannabis research and regulatory actions.

The FDA has been struggling with regulations on marijuana-based products such as CBD. Creating the role and then hiring a cannabis research and regulation advisor shows that the FDA will be getting more involved with cannabis matters.

Birenbaum formerly served as New York state's director of cannabis programs, and will bring his extensive experience in policy analysis and legislative outreach to the FDA.

​The U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC) CEO Khadijah Tribble said, "We're pleased that the Biden administration has signaled its growing interest in good-faith engagement on cannabis issues by creating a new adviser position within the FDA dedicated to cannabis research and regulation.”