October 19, 2020
New Zealand to vote on legalizing marijuana and euthanasia
New Zealanders are poised to decide on two landmark social issues during an election Saturday: whether to legalize recreational marijuana and whether to legalize euthanasia. A “yes” vote on both referendums would arguably make the nation of 5 million one of the more liberal countries in the world. Polls indicate the euthanasia referendum is likely to pass while the result of the marijuana measure remains uncertain. The two referendums are being held at the same time as people cast votes for lawmakers and political parties. As a result, the referendums have been somewhat overshadowed both by the political campaigns and this year's coronavirus outbreak. In the political race, popular Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appears set to win a second term in office, with her liberal Labour Party polling far ahead of the conservative National Party led by Judith Collins. The euthanasia measure, which would also allow assisted suicide, would apply to people who have terminal illnesses, are likely to die within six months, and are enduring “unbearable” suffering. Countries that allow some form of euthanasia include The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Canada, Belgium and Colombia. The marijuana measure would allow people to buy up to 14 grams (0.5 ounce) a day and grow two plants. Other countries that have legalized recreational marijuana include Canada, South Africa, Uruguay, Georgia plus a number of U.S. states. Lara Greaves, a lecturer in New Zealand politics at the University of Auckland, said she thinks the marijuana referendum is destined to fail. “I think the problem is that we would be going from criminalization, and a bit of medicinal use, to full-on recreational use,” she said. “Probably what needed to happen to get the public on board was to have a phase of decriminalization.” She said a large turnout of younger voters would be necessary for the measure to have any hope of passing but that was far from certain. Another factor is that Ardern has declined to say how she intends to vote, saying she wants to leave it for people to decide. Greaves said that made a big difference, as people tend to follow their leaders. The prime minister did admit during the campaign to smoking marijuana when she was younger. One vocal proponent of the marijuana referendum has been former Prime Minister Helen Clark. A position paper from her foundation argues that indigenous Maori have faced disproportionate and excessive punishment from the legal system when caught with the drug.
Learn more
October 19, 2020
How marijuana legalization advocates across the U.S. are fighting to end the war on cannabis
Almost 50 years ago, the so-called war on drugs nearly destroyed marginalized communities in the United States. When President Nixon declared the “war” in 1971, it not only further stigmatized certain illegal substances, it also created a deeper tension between Black communities and law enforcement through the increased presence of federal drug control agencies and measures such as mandatory sentencing and no-knock warrants. Since the inception of these systemically racist policies, Black and brown people in America have faced disproportionately higher incarceration rates for nonviolent drug offenses. Fast forward to 2020 and we find that there has been some progress in decriminalizing certainsubstances — however, racism and unequal treatment under the law are problems that remain unsolved. Yahoo Life spoke with some power players in the cannabis industry who are working to dismantle oppressive systems meant to incarcerate people of color and prohibit them from finding success in what is now a multibillion-dollar industry. Alex Todd, Saucey Farms & Extracts co-founder; Jim Jones, hip-hop artist and Saucey Farms & Extracts co-founder; Jessica Jackson, chief advocacy officer of the Reform Alliance; and Cedric Haynes, director of public policy and partnerships for Weedmaps sat down with Yahoo Life to discuss how to reform the cannabis industry. Watch the full video above to learn about their efforts.
Learn more
October 19, 2020
South Dakota farmers can grow hemp in 2021
South Dakota farmers will be able to plant hemp in the 2021 growing season, thanks to approval by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) submitted its industrial hemp plan to the USDA back in early August. As soon as emergency administrative rules to establish the program are in place, hemp processor and grower license applications will open. “I am excited the SDDA has an approved plan and am looking forward to working with industrial hemp producers and processors in South Dakota,” Derek Schiefelbein, SDDA Industrial Hemp Program Manager said. “The SDDA has been working diligently to create a reliable, responsible, safe and efficient program that will be in place prior to the 2021 growing season.” The industrial hemp bill passed during the 2020 legislative session after a battle between Gov. Kristi Noem and the state legislature. Noem opposed legalizing industrial hemp, stating that it could open the door for legalized marijuana, whereas legislators supported it as another option for farmers. The industrial hemp bill was one of the final bills to pass during the 2020 session.
Learn more
October 19, 2020
Governor Lamont Signs New Hemp Production Bill Into Law
According to hempindustrydaily.com, Connecticut's hemp farmers have new rules to abide by in 2021. Instead of being part of a pilot program, hemp growers will now have to fall in line with USDA regulations under the new program. In 2014, hemp was finally removed from the schedule one narcotics list, which opened up the door for smaller Connecticut growers. According to the Hartford Courant, the new bill that Governor Lamont signed into law aligns the state's pilot program with federal requirements. It also opens up the state to additional processing and manufacturing of hemp. What is hemp? Hemp is defined as any part of the Cannabis sativa L, including seeds, extracts, and derivatives, with a lowTHC concentration, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Because hemp plants contain only 0.3 percent of THC, it is not considered a controlled substance. Marijuana is also a cannabis plant, but it's grown for its psychoactive properties, as you may already know. Unlike the hemp plant, the seeds and stalks of the marijuana plant aren't used commercially like hemp. Marijuana is grown for its flower, which contains an abundance of cannabinoids and THC. Interested in starting up your own hemp farm? CBD oil made from hemp does contain high CBD concentrations but a meager amount of THC, which cannot exceed the legal 0.3 percent limit. Clearly stated, you won't get high from the CBD oil derived from hemp. CBD oil from marijuana can act as a strong pain killer, relaxant, and anti-depressant. For an excellent read on the differences between hemp and marijuana and the CBD oil made from each, visit royalcdb.com.
Learn more
New York’s hemp and cannabis industry, facing a potential shutdown at the end of the month, has been given life for another year. The state’s two-year-old hemp pilot program will be extended through the end of September 2021.
Learn more
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is urging legislators to legalize the adult-use of marijuana. Pennsylvania officials say the legalization of adult-use cannabis will provide a new revenue stream to direct toward economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling additional funding for grants for small businesses. Wolf was at The Mountain Center in Tobyhanna Tuesday, discussing the legalization of marijuana’s potential benefits. He is urging the General Assembly to take up legislation regarding marijuana’s legalization which they have not done despite multiple requests from Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman this fall. “This year, I again went to the General Assembly and asked them to make legalizing adult-use cannabis a priority for the fall as we work to find ways to overcome the economic hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Wolf said. “To date, there has been no movement to advance legislation. So, I’m here today to ask again, and to focus on two particular benefits of legalization – potential economic growth and much-needed restorative justice.” Wolf, joined by state Rep. Maureen Madden and hemp farmer Eric Titus White, discussed how “legalizing cannabis offers the same potential for economic growth that the historic farm bill of 2018 did for hemp farmer following decades of government prohibition of the industry.” Hemp, a once widespread crop in Pennsylvania, was cultivated in the state for more than 250 years. It was grown for seeds, fibers and extracts. Hemp and marijuana are two different varieties of the same plant species, but hemp does not contain high levels of THC, which makes marijuana a controlled substance. “Much of our knowledge about how to grow, process and use hemp was lost after industrial hemp was regulated and banned along with marijuana in the 1930s,” Wolf said. “And Pennsylvania lost the benefits of an industry with a long history of providing jobs and resources here in the commonwealth. When hemp and marijuana were banned, we didn’t just lose jobs, we lost decades of research opportunities, innovation and economic growth.”
Learn more
October 14, 2020
Federal Agency Says USDA’s Hemp Rules “Stifle” Industry Growth And Hurt Small Businesses
The federal Small Business Administration (SBA) is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make a series of changes to its proposed hemp rules that in their current form threaten to “stifle” the newly legal industry. The agency’s independent Office of Advocacy said that while it appreciates that USDA reopened a public comment period on its Interim Final Rule for the crop, small businesses “remain deeply concerned about the impact this rule will have on their ability to legally grow hemp should the rule be finalized without any modifications.” “The rule has already stifled the industry as many farmers have chosen not to grow hemp this year until they are certain about what the requirements are, and whether they can produce compliant crops without the risk of a total loss of their investment due to mandatory destruction of hot crops,” it said in a comment submitted on Thursday, referring to plants that exceed allowable THC limits. “In some instances, [businesses] have noted that the rules are so stringent that they feel as though they are being set up to fail.” USDA announced it was reopening the comment period last month, citing intense demand from stakeholders who have expressed concern about a number of specific regulations. The department outlined 12 areas where it was seeking additional feedback, including several that industry representatives have identified as very consequential. SBA subsequently sent a letter to the agency asking it to lengthen a public comment period from 30 to 60 days, but that wasn’t heeded and the feedback period closed again last week. In its latest comment, SBA focused on five proposed rules that it hopes USDA will revise. That includes regulations concerning prescribed hemp sample collection methods, disposal requirements for so-called “hot hemp,” the 15-day harvest window and the requirement that crops be tested only by labs registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Advocacy appreciates [Agricultural Marketing Service] reopening the comment period to consider additional comments and recommendations in advance of issuing a final rule,” SBA wrote. “Advocacy is concerned that if finalized without modification the rule will inhibit small business growth. Advocacy urges AMS to give full and thorough consideration to the above issues and proposed regulatory alternatives.” SBA’s nine-page letter suggests that USDA’s restrictive rules will benefit large businesses while forcing smaller operators out of the market. “Because hemp is a nascent industry, it has the potential to attract new farmers provided the regulations are not so restrictive as to inhibit industry growth,” it says. “Only those businesses with adequate capital and capacity for large-scale operations would be able to survive and comply with the requirements of the rule.”
Learn more
October 14, 2020
Gov. Lamont signs bill on Connecticut hemp production
Today, Governor Ned Lamont will sign a bill on the state's hemp production plan. This bill revises the state’s hemp program to comply with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations for hemp production. By law, the state Department of Agriculture (DOAG) commissioner must prepare a state hemp production plan and submit it to the USDA for approval. Gov. Lamont announced in September 2019 that the state had licensed 82 hemp growers, 2 processors, and 21 manufacturers under a new pilot program he signed into law that June. The law allowed for the cultivation, harvesting, processing, and manufacturing of hemp plants and by-products in the state. As of that time, there were 294 acres of land being used to grow hemp in Connecticut. The pilot program requires the state DOAG to study the growth, cultivation, and marketing of industrial hemp by licensed entities in Connecticut. In accordance with federal law, the state agency is responsible for ensuring that the production is only taking place at sites certified by, and registered with, the state.
Learn more
October 14, 2020
The ultimate guide to marijuana legalization
With less than a month to go until the election, cannabis executives, investors, and activists are focused on five key states. On November 3, New Jersey, Arizona, South Dakota, and Montana are set to vote on legalizing cannabis for all adults over the age of 21. South Dakota also has a medical-cannabis measure on the ballot, and Mississippi is voting on a medical-marijuana program. Since Colorado and Washington broke ground in 2012 as the first US states to legalize recreational cannabis, nine states and Washington, DC, have joined them. Medical marijuana is legal in 33 states, meaning that a majority of Americans now have some form of access to legal marijuana. Ballot initiatives like the ones voters are considering on November 3 have played a major role in the spread of legal cannabis. Nine of the states that legalized recreational marijuana did so through referendums. Business Insider put together a ballot tracker to help you understand everything you need to know about the far-reaching implications of the cannabis measures voters are weighing. To put the tracker together, we tapped a variety of sources to explain the nuances of each state's ballot measures and where polling stands, including analysts from the investment bank Cowen.
Learn more
October 14, 2020
Mexico is poised to become the biggest legal marijuana market in the world. Who will most benefit?
Mexico’s marijuana revolution is on display steps from the nation’s Senate, where for the last nine months activists have maintained a fragrant cannabis garden. Each day, hundreds of people stroll amid a labyrinth of towering green plants, freely lighting joints and getting high. Their wafting smoke is meant to serve as a reminder to senators, who have to walk through the plumes to get to work. Lawmakers have until Dec. 15 to pass pot legislation under orders from the Supreme Court, which two years ago struck down a marijuana ban as unconstitutional. After decades of restrictive drug policies that fueled deadly cartel wars, Mexico is poised to become the biggest legal cannabis market in the world. The looming deadline has intensified debate over exactly what legalization should look like and whom it should benefit. Among the questions dogging lawmakers: How easy or difficult should it be for users to buy and consume pot? And should the estimated 200,000 families growing it now be protected from competition with the large, foreign marijuana firms that have been jockeying for influence? “You have a broad spectrum of people who want to be involved,” said Avis Bulbulyan, a Glendale-based consultant who has advised several U.S. weed companies looking to expand to Mexico. “The question becomes: ‘Who gets to profit off this?’” A bill that would allow private companies to sell marijuana to the public is likely to pass in the Senate within two weeks and then go to the lower house of Congress, said Senate leader Ricardo Monreal.
Learn more
