September 10, 2020
Why the global cannabis industry needs blockchain for more effective quality control
Over the past few years, cannabis has been increasingly accepted into the mainstream as an effective therapy that can produce fewer side effects than other prescription drugs in many patients. This acceptance is reflected in the rapid evolution in legislation surrounding cannabis around the world. However, due to current regulations, pharmacies in Canada are limited to dispensing medical cannabis via online channels. On a larger scale, even other countries where cannabis has been legalized for therapeutic purposes may be limited in their methods of legally distributing the drug. Furthermore, many pharmacists and other healthcare professionals are reluctant to dispense, and sometimes even prescribe, medical cannabis. This isn’t because they doubt its efficacy in treating certain symptoms, which has been long proven, but because of the potential variations and inconsistencies that come with working with plant medicine versus more traditional pharmaceuticals. That reluctance is understandable. Accustomed to rigorous testing, fixed doses, and universally applicable information, healthcare workers may be hesitant about undertaking the responsibility of providing this ground-breaking and unique form of treatment based solely on patient reviews, instinct, and vague descriptions from licensed producers. Unfortunately, that reluctance — along with the foot-dragging of regulators to allow pharmacies to dispense cannabis as they would any other drug — renders medical cannabis less accessible than other medications for vulnerable patients. It also leaves pharmacies on the sidelines of what could potentially represent a massive financial windfall for the industry as a whole. But despite the apparent challenges faced by pharmacies in dispensing cannabinoid-based medicine, there is a solution. Blockchain technology can be implemented to help pharmacies worldwide adopt the sale of cannabis products, be they high in tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC, the intoxicating cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant), the increasingly popular cannabidiol (or CBD, a psychoactive but non-intoxicating compound in cannabis), or other therapeutic elements derived from the plant. As the legalization of cannabis continues its rapid spread across the globe, legislators and healthcare workers are increasingly looking for a means of providing citizens and patients with safe, accountable access to effective, cannabis-based medications.
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September 10, 2020
USDA reopens comment period on hemp regulations as lawmakers, growers worry rules could stunt budding industry
The future of regulations on the hemp industry is up in the air as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reconsiders a slate of proposed rules ahead of the 2021 growing season. These include directives on the testing and disposal of hemp that growers and even some U.S. senators have said could stunt the growth of the industry that was created by the 2018 Farm Bill. On Sept. 4 the USDA announced that it would reopen the comment period for the interim final rule (IFR) on domestic hemp production, seeking input from the public on a variety of provisions. At the center of the issue are two regulations -- one that requires labs testing farmers' hemp to be registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA) and one that would require disposal of hemp plants with non-compliant levels of THC (the active chemical in marijuana that is found in much lower levels in hemp) to happen with law enforcement involved. Both of those rules had their implementation delayed until October 2021 earlier this year, but still have been the subject of criticism, including from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who wants the USDA to delay the implementation further into 2022. "When it comes to an industry as promising as industrial hemp in Upstate New York, the feds must do everything they can to nurture its potential. Regulating this rapidly-emerging industry is a must, but the timing of new regulations is important and the current economic crisis must be considered," the minority leader said. "Delaying new regulations will help pull New York along in the recovery process as the nation deals with the impacts of the pandemic.” Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both Democrats, have led the push to change and delay the implementation of the regulations of the industry that's thrived in their state. "We note that there are no laboratories listed for Oregon, despite the state having the fourth highest number of hemp producers in the country and the state's hemp acreage ranks fifth nationwide this year," they said in a letter from late July. "We therefore recommend UDSA remove both the DEA laboratory registration requirement and the requirement for a DEA-registered reverse distributor or law enforcement to dispose of non-compliant plants in the final rule."
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September 8, 2020
House will vote on federal marijuana legalization for the first time, bill's future in Senate uncertain
The Democratic-controlled House will vote on legalizing marijuana at the federal level for the first time in the chamber's history later this month, a hurdle Democrats and advocates are celebrating as Congress grapples with a host of pressing issues before the November election. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the House would vote on the MORE Act during the week of Sept. 21. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., would remove marijuana from the federal list of controlled substances and expunge some marijuana-related criminal records, though it would still be up to states to pass their own regulations on the sale of marijuana. "It's about time," Nadler told USA TODAY, calling it a "historic vote" marking the beginning of the end of the federal government's "40-year, very misguided crusade" against marijuana. Maritza Perez, director of the office of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, a group advocating for the decriminalization of drugs, said her organization was "thrilled," saying the bill would "begin to repair some of the harms caused by the war on drugs in communities of color and low-income communities." The House's vote comes as views of marijuana have changed in Washington and increased numbers of Americans support the legalization of the drug, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes. And while this bill is likely to fail in the Republican-majority Senate, advocates still saw the vote as a step forward. "I don't even know if two years ago, I would have said that an act like this would have passed," said Adam Goers, the vice president of corporate affairs at Columbia Care, which operates marijuana dispensaries across the country. According to a 2019 Gallup survey, 66% of Americans supported legalization, though support did differ by party. More than three-quarters of Democrats said they supported legalization, as opposed to about half of Republicans. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., told USA TODAY, "the country has moved" its views on marijuana. With Congress' action, "there's a recognition of where the states are, and we're not going to put the genie back in the bottle when it comes to cannabis," he said, referring to the states who have already legalized marijuana in some form. "And we just need to move forward with these pieces of legislation and get the federal and state laws to align with each other." Marijuana is currently regulated by a patchwork of laws at the state and federal levels, and Goers said legalization at the federal level would add "normalization" for businesses and states by legalizing marijuana at the federal level. Eleven states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, and 33 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have legalized medical marijuana, but marijuana is still illegal at the federal level.
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September 8, 2020
US House will vote on federal marijuana legalization for the first time
The Democratic-controlled House will vote on legalizing marijuana at the federal level for the first time in the chamber’s history later this month, a hurdle Democrats and advocates are celebrating as Congress grapples with a host of pressing issues before the November election. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the House would vote on the MORE Act during the week of Sept. 21. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., would remove marijuana from the federal list of controlled substances and expunge some marijuana-related criminal records, though it would still be up to states to pass their own regulations on the sale of marijuana. “It’s about time,” Nadler told USA TODAY, calling it a “historic vote” marking the beginning of the end of the federal government’s “40-year, very misguided crusade” against marijuana. Maritza Perez, director of the office of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, a group advocating for the decriminalization of drugs, said her organization was “thrilled,” saying the bill would “begin to repair some of the harms caused by the war on drugs in communities of color and low-income communities.” The House’s vote comes as views of marijuana have changed in Washington and increased numbers of Americans support the legalization of the drug, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes. And while this bill is likely to fail in the Republican-majority Senate, advocates still saw the vote as a step forward. “I don’t even know if two years ago, I would have said that an act like this would have passed,” said Adam Goers, the vice president of corporate affairs at Columbia Care, which operates marijuana dispensaries across the country. According to a 2019 Gallup survey, 66% of Americans supported legalization, though support did differ by party. More than three-quarters of Democrats said they supported legalization, as opposed to about half of Republicans. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., told USA TODAY, “the country has moved” its views on marijuana. With Congress’ action, “there’s a recognition of where the states are, and we’re not going to put the genie back in the bottle when it comes to cannabis,” he said, referring to the states who have already legalized marijuana in some form. “And we just need to move forward with these pieces of legislation and get the federal and state laws to align with each other.”
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September 8, 2020
USDA Reopens Public Comment Period On Hemp Rules Following Intense Industry Pushback
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Friday that it is reopening a public comment period on hemp regulations following months of intense pushback from stakeholders on its original proposal. While the federal agency already received more than 4,600 comments during the initial comment period that closed in January, it is now encouraging “additional input on several topics identified by commenters.” This seems to a sign that USDA is willing to provide more flexible regulations, as many interested parties—from industry operators to members of Congress—have requested. USDA listed 12 areas where they’re especially seeking additional feedback, including several that industry representatives have identified as very consequential. Here are the titles, as listed in the department’s new Federal Register notice: 1. Measurement of Uncertainty for Sampling 2. Liquid Chromatography Factor, 0.877 3. Disposal and Remediation of Non-Compliant Plants 4. Negligence 5. Interstate Commerce 6. 15-day Harvest Window 7. Hemp seedlings, microgreens, and clones 8. Hemp breeding and research 9. Sampling Methodology – Flower vs. Whole Plant 10. Sampling Methodology – Homogenous Composition, Frequency, and Volume 11. Sampling Agents 12. DEA Laboratory Registration. This is a welcome development as far as stakeholders are concerned, giving hope that USDA could ultimately revise some of the more onerous restrictions that they’ve indicated could hamper the industry’s potential. For example, producers have argued that the proposed rule mandating that hemp be tested only at DEA-certified laboratories will have an unnecessary bottlenecking effect and they should be able to have a wider range of labs to use. That was one policy USDA temporarily lifted earlier this year, and now it wants to hear from the public on whether it “should be permanently removed.” Another rule that USDA paused due to feedback concerns disposal and remediation of non-compliant hemp that contains excess THC. The agency’s Interim Final Rule stipulated that so-called “hot hemp” must be eradicated under law enforcement supervision. Farmers have complained about that restriction and said they should be allowed to remediate the crop using a number of techniques. USDA wants to hear more about that proposed alternative.The department is also open to amending the 15-day testing window and is requesting information about why many industry participants feel a 30-day window would be more appropriate, as many said during the past comment period.
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September 4, 2020
House will vote to remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substance during September work period
A chamber of Congress will vote to remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substance for the first time in the nation’s history. The U.S. House of Representative confirmed its historic vote will occur during September work period and would effectively decriminalize cannabis nationwide. The legislation in question, known as the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act (MORE Act), would not legalize marijuana at the federal level.
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September 4, 2020
Legalized marijuana would raise hundreds of millions of dollars for Pa., Wolf and Fetterman say
Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday renewed his push for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use by adults, making an appeal for the economic windfall and the criminal justice reforms that would result were the Commonwealth to join the ranks of states that have decriminalized cannabis. “I am renewing that call,” said Wolf, who was joined by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and state Sen. Sharif Street of Philadelphia.
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September 4, 2020
USDA Approves Hemp Plans For Maine, Missouri And Another Indian Tribe
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved hemp regulatory plans for Maine, Missouri and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians on Wednesday. The total number of federally approved hemp plans across states, territories and tribes now stands at 58.
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September 4, 2020
House will vote to remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substance during September work period
A chamber of Congress will vote to remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substance for the first time in the nation’s history. The U.S. House of Representative confirmed its historic vote will occur during September work period and would effectively decriminalize cannabis nationwide. The legislation in question, known as the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act (MORE Act), would not legalize marijuana at the federal level. Instead it would remove cannabis from its Schedule I drug classification, which the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) defines as “drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” Once removed, states could then decide whether to legalize cannabis for medical or recreational use. The bill would also expunge cannabis records for some and create a fund to support individuals impacted by the enforcement of marijuana laws. "Passage of the MORE Act is essential in order to truly right the wrongs of federal marijuana criminalization, and to once and for all allow the majority of states that have legalized cannabis for either medical or adult-use to embrace these policies free from the threat of undue federal prosecution or interference," said NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano. It’s unknown whether the MORE Act will have enough votes to carry the Democrat-controlled House. Even if it does, the Senate is not expected to vote on the bill considering the long-held opposition by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Republicans, who control the Senate, have not show support for ending cannabis prohibition in recent weeks. The head of the Republican National Committee would not answer whether medical marijuana supporters had a place in the GOP in a recent interview. And President Donald Trump told a Republican crowd earlier this month not to allow cannabis legalization ballot if they want to win.
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September 4, 2020
Legalized marijuana would raise hundreds of millions of dollars for Pa., Wolf and Fetterman say
Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday renewed his push for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use by adults, making an appeal for the economic windfall and the criminal justice reforms that would result were the Commonwealth to join the ranks of states that have decriminalized cannabis. “I am renewing that call,” said Wolf, who was joined by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and state Sen. Sharif Street of Philadelphia. “Now more than ever, specially right in the middle of a pandemic, we have a desperate need for the economic boost that the legalization of cannabis could provide.” The governor noted Washington and Colorado, which in 2018 generated hundreds of millions of dollars in state revenue as a result of legalized recreational marijuana. Washington added $319 million to its treasury; Colorado $266 million. Both states are much smaller than Pennsylvania, the governor noted, and the figures do not factor in the secondary economic impact of jobs creation and additional money circulating throughout the economies. Wolf called for the revenue from such a program to be earmarked to benefit historically disadvantaged businesses and restorative justice programs, in particular giving priority to repairing the impact the criminalization of marijuana has had on hundreds of thousands of individuals and the justice system. Fetterman noted that according to state police data, on average over the last few decades, roughly 20,000 state residents are arrested each year for marijuana related offenses. “If you go over the span of decades we are talking nearly a quarter of a million Pennsylvanians that now have some affiliation with the criminal justice system for nothing more than consuming a plant that’s actually legal in 12 jurisdictions across this country,” Fetterman said. “That’s counter productive.” Fetterman pointed out the uneven racial enforcement of marijuana laws, with Blacks and Latinos disproportionately arrested or imprisoned. The lieutenant governor also stressed the economic impact of such a proposal. “I would pitch this as a jobs bill as much as anything,” he said. “Legalizing marijuana would create tens of thousands of jobs that require no subsidy. No kind of guidance other than to rewrite the law and allow this business to flourish in Pennsylvania. It’s a turnkey solution and I would challenge anyone, my most intensely opposed critics to name one other policy decision that could have so much immediate impact and so much unambiguous benefits both in terms to our treasury, to our employment statewide. To our social justice concerns.”
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