WeedLife News Network

Colorado regulators shared that licensed retailers have 98 per cent compliance for checking IDs.

Now that cannabis is legal in more U.S. states, some people are concerned about teens and access. And while access surrounding the drug might push some young people to try it or to fear it less, legal retailers, at least those in Colorado, are doing everything in their power to prevent this from happening.

Colorado state law makes it clear that non-compliance can lead to a lot of trouble for these businesses, including putting their cannabis licences at risk and facing up to a US$100,000 fine.

“Unauthorized sale of regulated marijuana to an individual under the age of 21 is considered a licence violation affecting public safety,” noted the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED).

“Businesses must remain vigilant in establishing internal measures to prevent underage access, and as the MED continues to monitor licensee compliance, it will evaluate business practices licensees have adopted to prevent unauthorized/underage sales,” the division added.

Is the CAOA a perfect model for legalization? Probably not, as I am not sure there is a way to legalize cannabis that will please everyone. However, it is comprehensive and would completely change the cannabis industry.

A few weeks ago, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA).

The nearly 300 page bill is comprehensive and is unlikely to pass before the midterm election (if at all, thanks to the filibuster). However, it does provide a real glimpse as to what we can potentially expect when federal cannabis legalization actually happens. Today, I will cover a few interesting portions of the CAOA.

Cannabis Legalization

The CAOA would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Individuals over 21 could legally use marijuana in states that have legalized. States could continue to prohibit marijuana within their borders but could not prohibit the interstate shipment of marijuana. The unauthorized growing, manufacturing, shipping, transporting, receiving, possessing, selling, distributing, or purchasing of ten pounds or more of marijuana would remain illegal.

The CAOA would also amend the 2018 Farm Bill by defining hemp as cannabis with less than 0.7% THC on a dry weight basis. That would more than double the current THC threshold of 0.3% for hemp.

If the CAOA passes, it would task several federal agencies would take part in regulating marijuana at a federal level. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) would each be involved. The FDA would regulate the manufacture, distribution, and labeling of “cannabis products,” as well as register cannabis product manufacturers.

PEQUOT LAKES — Pequot Lakes Police Sgt. Ryan Franz educated the city council on recent legislation that makes it legal in Minnesota to sell certain edibles and beverages infused with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the cannabis ingredient extracted from hemp.

“Every regional group I’m involved in … this has been a topic that has come up,” City Administrator Rich Spiczka told the council at its regular meeting Tuesday, Aug. 2, adding cities don't quite know what to do with it.

“They passed it without a lot of oversight,” Franz said after giving an overview of the legislation regarding cannabinoids.

“Most municipalities are unsure of how to best proceed and what steps are best so some are in the ‘wait and see’ realm, while others are attempting to pass ordinances banning the sale of these items,” Spiczka wrote in a memo to the council.

Franz said many municipalities are waiting for bigger cities to tackle the topic. He doesn’t feel the need to enact any moratorium now, though the legislation will present challenges.

It won’t change how police do their job, Franz said, adding he’s come across people in the past month who claim marijuana is legal.

Consumers now have the liberty of choosing from so many products and methods of consumption that you can tailor your dose and experience just the way you like it.

Microdosing is a form of consuming drugs in such a way that you avoid getting extremely high. Once associated with psychedelic and hallucinogenic drugs such as magic mushrooms and LSD, more people have discovered the benefits of microdosing marijuana over the last few years. As opposed to macrodosing or getting as high as you possibly can, the point of microdosing is to enable the user to still stay productive and focused in a task.

There really is no right or wrong way to consume marijuana. Whether you prefer to microdose to up your creativity or medicate, or macrodose because you want to feel extremely relaxed or buzzed, it’s all down to personal preferences. There are also many ways you can consume marijuana these days — some are better suited for microdosing while others are best for macrodosing.

Microdosing Marijuana

A microdose of marijuana is considered between 1 to 2.5 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance of the plant. This is considered the minimum effective dose.

Microdosing small amounts such as these provide the user with the plant’s medicinal and therapeutic benefits without getting too high that you can no longer function. People microdose for many reasons.

The quest for Westland to become a major destination in the marijuana industry took another step this month.

A third marijuana business, this one planned on the north side of Cherry Hill west of Newburgh, recently received recommendation from the city's planning commission for a special land use and site plan. 

The business, which would be a collocated facility that contains retail space for medicinal and recreational marijuana, would be on the property near the Hush Haunted Attraction and The Legendary Axe bar. 

Advocates in Ukraine have called on the global cannabis community for support.

“The smell of cannabis in Europe always gave me a sense of freedom,” says Nazariy Sovsun, a resident in the city of Kyiv.

“This is something we want for Ukraine too.”

Nazariy has worked in drug policy since 2011. He and Maksym Kharkavyi, are members of Freedom March, a longstanding movement, which has advocated for the legalisation of cannabis in Ukraine since 2005.

“For generations we have been fighting for adoption and implementation of the drug policy strategy in Ukraine, organising rallies, campaigns and advocating for cannabis patients in the courts,” Nazariy explains.

Advocates in Ukraine have called on the global cannabis community for support.

“The smell of cannabis in Europe always gave me a sense of freedom,” says Nazariy Sovsun, a resident in the city of Kyiv.

“This is something we want for Ukraine too.”

Nazariy has worked in drug policy since 2011. He and Maksym Kharkavyi, are members of Freedom March, a longstanding movement, which has advocated for the legalisation of cannabis in Ukraine since 2005.

“For generations we have been fighting for adoption and implementation of the drug policy strategy in Ukraine, organising rallies, campaigns and advocating for cannabis patients in the courts,” Nazariy explains.

The authors stated that “the better results could be due to the medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory effects, of some cannabinoids.”

A new study found that “cannabis consumption is associated with lower COVID-19 severity among hospitalized patients.” (Benzinga)

According to the researchers “cannabis may actually lead to reduced disease severity and better outcomes despite a five-fold greater concomitant use of tobacco amongst cannabis users compared to non-users in our study population.”

Researchers aimed to assess whether cannabis users hospitalized for COVID-19 had improved outcomes compared to non-users.

The study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research showed that cannabis users had better outcomes, including a decreased need for ICU admission or mechanical ventilation.

Missouri voters will have the ability to legalize recreational marijuana use through a constitutional amendment, now that the petition has gained enough signatures to go on the ballot.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft ruled on two petitions Tuesday. One, dealing with ranked choice voting, did not gain enough signatures, but the petition on recreational marijuana did.

The marijuana petition received the number of needed signatures in six of Missouri’s eight congressional districts, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

The petition will appear as Amendment 3 on the ballot, and if a majority of Missouri voters approve it, recreational marijuana will be legal in the state.

While Detroit's new recreational cannabis law survived one legal attack this week, others are still on deck.

Catch up quick: 

City Council passed the recreational marijuana law in April to provide a limited number of recreational licenses while setting up a "social equity" framework that helps Detroiters enter the market.

Driving the news:

The Detroit Election Commission rejected a ballot initiative Monday designed to overturn the law because it lacked enough valid petition signatures, city clerk Janice Winfrey, who sits on the commission, tells Axios.

But, but, but: 

Driver in Texas charged after travelling 130 km/h (81mi/h) in a 97 km/h zone (60mi/h).

A wanted man in Texas must have decided to throw caution to the wind when he opted to speed through a highway construction zone while carrying cannabis. Predictably, Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office (TGCSO) corporal conducting traffic control at a work zone on Highway 87 stopped the driver on Aug. 4 after he was allegedly clocked at 130 kilometres/hour in the 97 km/h work zone.

There were workers present when the driver made his way through the zone, notes an incident report from the TGCSO.

Upon stopping the speedster, it was determined the driver was wanted in Ector County, Tex. The man was arrested and over the course of the ensuing investigation, the corporal located and seized just over four kilograms of cannabis and $1,806 in cash. Recreational cannabis is illegal in Texas, per the Texas State Law Library. “In addition to criminal penalties, illegal use of cannabis may affect other aspects of a person’s life. For example, employment or release on probation or parole may depend upon abstaining from controlled substances,” the information notes.

Possessing 113 grams to 2.3 kilograms of cannabis in the state is a felony charge punishable by 180 days to two years of incarceration as well as a $12,900 fine upon conviction, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). The next highest amount for weed-related possession, namely 2.3 kilograms to 22.7 kilograms, carries a maximum penalty of two to 10 years in prison and a $12,900 fine, NORML reports.

Following the recent incident, the driver was charged with the latter offence and failing to appear on manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance of greater than 400 grams, TGCSO reports. The stop in Texas clearly shows how speeding can get a person noticed, but the driver’s pace was far from a record. Earlier this summer, a driver in Saskatchewan who tested positive for THC received a $1,011 fine and a 60-day licence suspension for travelling 169 km/h in a 100 km/h zone.

A post on Facebook, shared hundreds of times, claims that a “60 gram supply of Cannabis Oil” is “enough to treat one cancer patient”. It also includes an image of several plastic syringes which it claims contain cannabis oil, with the caption “Cancer Cure”.

While there is evidence some cannabis products can be beneficial to cancer patients, and research on this is ongoing, there is no current proof that cannabis oil can cure cancer. 

Claims that cannabis products can cure cancer are ‘misleading’

The Facebook post doesn’t provide any source for its claim that 60g of cannabis oil would be enough to treat one cancer patient, nor does it include any specific information about what types or stages of cancer could allegedly be treated with cannabis oil. 

SLEEPY EYE — The Sleepy Eye City Council will hear an update Tuesday on the newly adopted edible cannabis law.

The new law effective July 1, enacted at the end of the 2022 legislative session, allows certain edible and beverage products infused with THC to be sold.

Under current law, the products can be manufactured in Minnesota but also imported from other sates. Growing hemp in Minnesota is governed by the state Department of Agriculture, although the MDA Hemp Program does not regulate cannabis extracts, development and manufacturing of cannabis extracts, or the retail and marketing of cannabinoid products.

Cities could consider zoning implications for manufacturing and production of cannabinoid products, according to the LMC.

The new law limits the sale of CBD and THC products to persons over age 21. The council meeting starts at 8 p.m. in the council chambers. It is broadcast on the local cable access channel.

Legal cannabis states offer plenty of options, from desserts to forests, for the adventurous at heart

Road trips are back in fashion in a big way, with the pandemic catapulting them back into popularity so much so that vans and other road trip vehicles were snatched up and rented in record time. Current gas prices and uncertain economic times, however, may have some people in the U.S. are staying close to home. Still, if a person happens to be a cannabis lover getting a bit stir crazy while waiting for prices at the pump to return to normal, there are some great road trips in states where marijuana is legal that are worth investing in and investigating. Some might require saving, while others are more approachable if timed right.

Here are five unforgettable road trips that are worth saving up for if someone loves both the open road and recreational marijuana.

This is, in many ways, the Mecca of weed road trips. It is best to start in San Francisco, as it is easier to load up on essentials and rent a car in the city rather than the wilderness. San Francisco is the first place to ever have a medical marijuana dispensary in the U.S., at The San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club, opened by Dennis Peron. Enjoy the slow pace of Route 1 along the coast, and soak up the natural beauty. Eventually drivers will arrive in the Emerald Triangle’s most famous area, Humboldt County. Humboldt is known for cultivating some of the best marijuana in the world, and its small towns have all sorts of cannabis-themed activities. This area is also home to some of the largest trees in the world. Avenue of The Giants is perhaps the most breathtaking wooded drive a person may take in his or her life. Visitors don’t even need any weed to marvel at the wonder of the ancient giant Redwoods throughout Humboldt county. Shelter Cove and Trinidad are two fantastic Humboldt coastal towns worth one’s time before beginning the return towards the Golden Gate. It is important to note that while this is certainly a must-do for any true marijuana and road trip lover, it is also a bit pricey. California gas, hotel and car rental prices are some of the highest in the entire U.S., so this might be a trip to save up for.

Arizona to New Mexico

Offence carries a minimum sentence of five to 10 years “deprivation of freedom,” along with a fine.

The sentencing of WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years behind bars and a fine of 1 million rubles — between US$10,000 and US$20,000, depending on the exchange rate — should come as no surprise to those familiar with Russian law.

The country has long enforced strict drug laws and has a well-deserved reputation for zero-tolerance jurisdiction.

Indeed, the crime Griner was prosecuted of — smuggling narcotics of a “significant amount” in violation of Article 229 (2)(c) of the Russian criminal code — carries a minimum sentence of five to 10 years “deprivation of freedom,” along with the fine, although the upper end of the spectrum seems to be common.

The prosecutor in Griner’s case asked for 9.5 years and, presumably, the maximum fine. He got most of what he wanted.

The backdrop of the case — worsening ties between Moscow and the Washington — may lead some observers to wonder if Griner was handed an unduly harsh sentence to up her worth as a bargaining chip during discussions over a potential prisoner swap.

PINE RIDGE, S.D. — In a growing number of U.S. states, people can both drink alcohol and legally smoke recreational marijuana. In others, they can use alcohol but not pot. But on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the opposite is true: Marijuana is legal, but booze is banned.

Citizens of the Oglala Sioux Tribe overwhelmingly voted in 2020 to legalize recreational and medical marijuana on their sprawling reservation, which has prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol for more than 100 years.