WeedLife News Network

GORHAM, NY – By Tuesday night, residents in Gorham may know if a town law opting out of the sale of marijuana in retail stores and its onsite consumption will stay on the books. 

Registered voters will decide to either keep the town law in place or repeal it in a vote scheduled from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, at the Crystal Beach Fire Department, 4468 state Route 364, and Gorham Fire Department, 4676 Kearney Road. 

If the law is repealed, then the issue of whether to opt into allowing sales and consumption or not will go directly to the voters, this time to be included on a general election ballot rather than a Town Board vote.

In an effort to open the newly legal marijuana market to those most harmed during the years it was criminalized, Connecticut lawmakers set strict standards for who may own the emerging businesses.

But they didn’t legislate anything about profits.

Last month the state’s Social Equity Council approved the applications of 16 marijuana growers and disqualified 25. Several were disqualified for failing to satisfy a provision that says a business may have financial backers only if 65 percent of it is owned by a so-called social equity partner – someone who lives in a community with a historically disproportionate number of convictions for drug crimes.

But owning and profiting are two different things, and the law does not stipulate how a small entrepreneur and a big backer must split what they earn. 

A spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont confirmed that the law is silent on profit-sharing agreements.

Kristina Diamond, communications and legislative program manager for the Social Equity Council, said the same.

MANILA: A bill that aims to legalise marijuana or cannabis as a "compassionate alternative means of medical treatment" has gained support in the Philippines.

The bill was proposed to the senate by Senator Robin Padilla, the Philippine News Agency reported.

Philippine Cannabis Compassionate Society (PCCS) spokesman, Dr. Donnabel Cunanan, said once the proposed bill becomes law, marijuana can be used for research and medications.

The PCCS is a group of patients, parents and caregivers seeking to institutionalise the legal use of medical marijuana.

"On behalf of our group, I want to thank you for your boldness. Finally after nine years of advocating, we have a bill in the Senate," Cunanan said in a statement on Thursday.

She said it is imperative that medical marijuana and its potential not only be used as a pain reliever for the dying but also as a cure for those who have a fighting chance to survive.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Mendocino County have teamed up to hold a series of cannabis technical assistance workshops in August and September.

These technical workshops are ideal for new and legacy farmers as well as cannabis consultants. Mendocino County’s permitting staff and CDFW’s cannabis program staff will be available to discuss project specific technical questions, compliance and cannabis grant program opportunities. Representatives of the Department of Cannabis Control and the State Water Resources Control Board will also be available.

To simplify the state’s regulation of the legal cannabis industry while working to reduce litigation and the specter of politics, some in Illinois are looking to create a statewide cannabis commission.

As it is right now, entrepreneurs in the adult-use and medical cannabis industry in Illinois have multiple state agencies they have to work through to get licensed and regulated. Application fees can be expensive and meeting various other requirements like being an social equity applicant can add more burdens.

State Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, wants to reduce the touch points by creating a cannabis commission similar to the state’s liquor or gaming commissions.

The acquisition was announced in March this year, and APIRx stakeholders received almost 218.17 million new Incannex shares at a notional value of $0.573 each. The new shares are subject to a 12-month escrow for the vendors.

As part of the deal, APIRx founders Dr George Anastassov and Lekhram Changoer have joined Incannex as non-executive director and chief technical officer, respectively.

Commenting on the acquisition, Incannex chief executive officer and managing director Joel Latham said it follows a long relationship with Dr Anastassov and Mr Changoer that began in 2018.

“After extensive due diligence and corporate strategy assessments of the APIRx assets, we are excited and ready to commence development activities over our newly acquired portfolio of drug candidates.”

World’s largest medicinal cannabis drug portfolio

Marijuana stocks’ performance is often subject to what is happening in the cannabis industry. In the last couple of years, the cannabis industry has seen significant change and innovation both in the U.S. and internationally. 

Currently, more than half of U.S. states have legalized marijuana in some form, and the more legalization occurs, the more advancement can be had in the industry. 

However, with the rise of inflation and disturbance that have hit the Nasdaq, pushing stocks officially into bear territory, marijuana stocks also lost a lot of ground. The three primary players on average lost 77% of their market cap in the last 12 months.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is expected to sign into law S.3096, a measure aimed at supporting the 900 people harmed by the War on Drugs that have been enrolled in the commonwealth's social equity program as well as future members of the program.

The measure sets aside 15% of the revenue in the state's marijuana regulation fund generated by cannabis businesses to provide capital to social equity licensees. Cities and towns would have to prioritize equity applicants. The measure also includes language to pave the way for municipalities to incorporate social consumption lounges into communities for the first time.

Among the 177 issued conditional adult-use cannabis dispensing licenses announced recently by Gov. JB Pritzker were three Springfield-based operations looking to open their doors in the coming months.

Herban Quality Control, Dealership LLC, and Bolden Investments III LLC now have 180 days to find a physical storefront before being issued a full license which permits the sale of cannabis to Illinoisans age 21 and older.

Now the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation only has eight remaining conditional licenses to grant. A total of 185 licenses were allowed after a Cook County judge lifted a legal stay in May.

Researchers behind a recent survey were surprised to find that physicians’ level of knowledge of medical cannabis did not vary between states.

A recent survey has revealed that 71% of physicians affiliated with the Society of Cannabis Clinicians learned about medical cannabis from conferences. Only 1 participant out of 37 participants reported having learned about medical cannabis from medical school.

This survey confirms that cannabis education is not available in mainstream medical schools at either undergraduate or graduate levels, an issue that has been highlighted by the cannabis community on countless occasions. However, a majority of the physicians reported being content with the amount of cannabis information that is available to support physicians prescribing medical cannabis.

The aim of the survey was to investigate the knowledge level and source of knowledge of Prescribing Physicians in California as well as other states. Because California was the first state to legalize cannabis, the researchers assumed that physicians in this state would be more knowledgeable about cannabis. Surprisingly, this didn’t emerge as true from the survey.

The survey forms were sent out electronically to members of the society. Only physicians were eligible for the study and participation was purely on a voluntary basis with no incentives offered. A total of 133 members were eligible for the survey and 45 participated. Here are a few key findings that were highlighted by the survey:

The researchers were surprised to find that physicians’ level of knowledge of medical cannabis did not vary between states. Physicians in California were not more knowledgeable as compared to physicians from others states, in spite of the fact that California has the oldest medical marijuana program.

CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. — A new lawsuit in Georgia seeks a court order declaring that a chemical related to the main intoxicating ingredient in pot is legal under state law.

Owners of two shops in northwest Georgia are hoping to get a court to order a local sheriff and a drug task force to let them sell chemicals containing hemp that are now considered legal by the federal government.

The shops issued a motion requesting an emergency injunction and temporary restraining order, which would prevent Catoosa County Sheriff Gary Sisk and the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force "from conducting any arrests or civil asset seizures against individuals or businesses based on the sale or possession of products containing hemp extracts," which includes Delta products.

Hummingbird Labs is opening on Division Avenue Southeast, to make sure cannabis products are safe before being sold in stores.

A man has been jailed for more than four years after £30,000 worth of cannabis was found at the scene of a house fire in Stafford.

Denver's tax revenue from marijuana sales increased 3 percent in 2021 to $72.4 million, according to the city's annual marijuana tax report. 

The figures come as Colorado's marijuana industry is facing a slowdown. So far this year, more than $759 million of marijuana has been sold in Colorado compared to the $962 million sold around the state in the first five months of 2021, according to data from the Colorado Department of Revenue. 

Overall marijuana sales in Denver are down despite the increased tax revenue, with more than $167 million sold so far in 2022 compared to over $222 million sold between January and May 2021. 

The Township of Ocean’s governing body is further weeding through the details in making changes to its cannabis business ordinance.

The first reading of the proposed amendments and supplements to the ordinance passed unanimously at this month’s committee meeting. Residents will have the opportunity to discuss the changes at the second reading of the ordinance at the August 2 Township Committee meeting.

“The Township of Ocean is now putting in place the criteria for cannabis in the Township of Ocean,” said Mayor Ben LoParo, adding that the governing body will review it before the vote in a public meeting. “The applicant will need to provide the ownership of the business, business plan, and community benefits.” The proposed ordinance requires applicants to pay a $2,500 non-refundable application fee. Additionally, the Township of Ocean plans to collect a $10,000 annual fee for businesses that operate cultivation, manufacturing or medical cannabis facilities in the municipality.

Four types of licenses will be available withing the municipality if the ordinance is approved. A Class 1 License is for Cannabis Cultivation; Class 2, Cannabis Manufacturing, Class 3, Cannabis Wholesale; and Class 4, Cannabis Distribution. A separate license covers medical dispensaries. LoParo pointed out that the ordinance excludes the retail sale of recreational marijuana even though 57 percent of the municipality’s voters were in favor of the legalization of adult recreational cannabis use.

“I don’t think that’s right,” said LoParo. “I think we should include it because our voters said yes. We’re doing our people a disservice by not giving them what they voted for…We’re also giving up two percent of the recreational income, which could wind up to be hundreds of thousands of dollars in our tax account.”

LoParo pressed for feedback from the two other members of the township committee. Deputy Mayor Ken Baulderstone said he first wanted to see how the medical dispensary “worked out” before considering recreational retail sales. “The steps that we have taken are already more than eighty percent of the municipalities in the state,” Baulderstone stated.

The USA Today editorial board has reversed its past position on cannabis and come out in support of ending cannabis prohibition.

While the newspaper flagged potential health problems caused by cannabis use, it argued that the "misguided war on drugs" continues to inflict harm on black and brown communities in the U.S. "Given the risks associated with marijuana, the nation needs the federal government to shift its posture from prohibition to regulation," the July 31 editorial said.

The article urged Congress to take action. The stand marks a policy reversal by the newspaper in editorials published in 2012, 2016 and 2018. The AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF MSOS, +3.95% is down 53.8% in 2022, mostly on bearish sentiment around U.S. legalization. The Nasdaq COMP, -0.16% has lost 21.1% of its value this year.

State agencies also won't cooperate in any out-of-state investigations into lawful marijuana conduct that occurs in Colorado.

Gov. Jared Polis last week vowed by executive order that Colorado will not hold out-of-state convictions for most marijuana-related offenses against people applying for professional licenses here.

The Boulder Democrat wrote in his order, “There is a workforce shortage in Colorado. Employers are having difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified employees, many of whom need professional licenses. The exclusion of people from the workforce because of marijuana-related activities that are lawful in Colorado, but illegal in other states, hinders our economy and our state.”

When they called it 'leafy Tubridge Wells', this isn't quite what they had in mind. The leafy Kent town got a bit leafier after pranksters sneaked a cannabis plant into a floral display near the Millennium Clock in Calverley Road.

Martin Steers said he was amazed no one had noticed the plant

It's thought council gardeners watered the plant for weeks before it was spotted, growing in a pot of red and white flowers, by Tunbridge Wells resident Martin Steers last week.

"I had gone up to town first thing in the morning on Wednesday," said Mr Steers, 47. "As I was walking through town I saw the plant. It was about two feet tall and didn't fit in.

"I took a couple of photos and walked up to it. I squeezed one of the leaves to double check what I thought it was and I recognised the smell."

A keen gardener with a knowledge of plants, Mr Steers says he was certain it was a cannabis plant.