WeedLife News Network

The leaked opinion overturning Roe, combined with a largely unknown workers’ compensation case pending before the Supreme Court, reveal the Biden administration’s position on cannabis: The Biden administration doesn’t care about cannabis issues. Or is it that the Biden administration cares so much about cannabis issues to leave them in the hands of the current judiciary? Or something in the middle?

The Immediate Future of Roe

Regardless of your opinion on the correctness or wisdom of Roe v. Wade, the possibility that it may be overturned as reflected in the recently leaked opinion represents a potential sea change in the Court’s jurisprudence. It further represents the current Court’s willingness to take strong and decisive opinions on matters of broad political and cultural significance.

Cannabis is certainly one of those issues that sits at the intersection of law and order, popular opinion, and individual liberty. 

So, what does Roe have to do with the Biden administration’s approach to cannabis? Stay with us: In the words of Andy Dufresne, if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further.

Why are you reading about a workers’ compensation case?

This Spring the Court has received briefing in a case presenting the question of whether the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) preempts an order under a Minnesota workers’ compensation law requiring an employer to reimburse an injured employee for the cost of medical marijuana used to treat a work-related injury. Specifically, the petitioner, Daniel Bierbach, sustained a work-related injury that required surgery and physical therapy. Bierbach was certified as suffering from intractable pain, which is a qualifying medical condition under Minnesota’s Cannabis Act. Bierbach subsequently purchased marijuana in accordance with the act and sought reimbursement from his employer. After the company refused the reimbursement on both state law and federal-preemption grounds, a state workers’ compensation judge held an evidentiary hearing and sided with Bierbach. The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed, holding that the federal CSA preempted state law. Bierbach petitioned the Supreme Court for review of the decision.

Cann American Corp. (OTC PINK:CNNA), the "Company", a holding company building a diverse portfolio of intellectual properties in the legal cannabis and hemp industries, is pleased to announce the Company has entered into a lease agreement to develop a hemp farming operation.

The approximately 10,000 square feet of land, located in Glencoe, Oklahoma, will allow the Company to vertically integrate the expansion of its recently launched "C-Juice" vape lines.

Cann American will be able to cultivate select proprietary genetics and maintain quality controls from seed to shelf. The operation will be managed by Cann American's director Brad Hanger through his company, Hanger Consultations.

The latest innovations in digital finance could greatly help the struggling pot industry, according to the leader of a specialty finance company.

At first glance, the 21st-century businesses of cryptocurrency and legalized marijuana seem incompatible. A closer look reveals a potentially more harmonious picture, however.

That's not only because pot companies, which currently have problems accessing even the most basic services provided by the traditional financial industry, might benefit from the use of assets like Bitcoin (BTC 0.95%) and Ethereum (ETH 0.78%). It's also because blockchain technology holds the promise of  streamlining the operations and accounting of an industry where such efforts can be complex.

Motley Fool contributor Eric Volkman recently had a chance to discuss the potential marriage of crypto and weed with Mark Lozzi, founder and chief executive officer of next-generation cannabis industry financial services company Conifa. Here's what he had to say.

Eric Volkman: What are some of the best use cases for crypto tokens and coins in the marijuana industry?

Mark Lozzi: The cannabis industry would be best served with a stablecoin. The industry already faces enough market volatility, so introducing additional risk is unnecessary and should be cautioned.

NBA forward Montrezl Harrell faces felony drug trafficking charges after Kentucky state troopers discovered three pounds of cannabis in a vehicle he was driving last month.

NBA forward Montrezl Harrell is facing felony drug charges after police discovered three pounds of weed during a traffic stop in Kentucky last month. Harrell, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets, was scheduled to appear in court to answer the charges filed in Madison County, Kentucky on Monday but the arraignment hearing has been delayed until next month, court records show.

According to a police report cited by the Charlotte Observer, Harrell was driving a rented 2020 Honda Pilot southbound on I-75 on the morning of May 12 when he was pulled over by a Kentucky state trooper for following too closely behind the vehicle in front of him. In the report, Trooper Jesse Owens wrote that after stopping Harrell’s vehicle, he “observed” the odor of marijuana. The citation also notes that Harrell “admitted to being in possession of marijuana and produced a small amount from his sweatpants.” Law enforcement officers then searched the vehicle Harrell was driving. During the search, the trooper discovered “three pounds of marijuana in vacuum sealed bags” in a backpack that was found on the back seat of the vehicle, according to the traffic citation.

Harrell has been charged with trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana. Under Kentucky state law, possession of more than eight ounces but less than five pounds of marijuana is classified as a Class D felony for the first offense. Those convicted of the charge are subject to a sentence of one to five years behind bars and a fine ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.

The Charlotte Hornets have declined to comment on Harrell’s case, according to multiple media reports.

8-Year NBA career

Harrell, a North Carolina native, is in his eighth season with the NBA. He played NCAA Division 1 college basketball in Kentucky for the University of Louisville Cardinals, where he averaged 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots per game. As a freshman, he played on the Cardinals’ 2013 national championship team, although the title was later taken away by the league for NCAA violations.

In Maine, marijuana consumers are turning to legal sources over the black market, an achievement for the state and for cannabis proponents.

Marijuana proponents argue that establishing a legal cannabis industry is an effective way of curbing black market marijuana and preventing its risks. While cannabis industries around the country are relatively new, and black market businesses have years of advantage over them, Maine appears to be reaping the benefits of the legal cannabis industry.

According to a new report from the state’s Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP), legal marijuana is impacting black market sales, and the “current illicit market has diminished more than expected.”

Committee members raised questions about the risk that younger workers could begin consuming cannabis.

The Michigan House Committee on Regulatory Reform held a hearing of testimonies on Tuesday about allowing people younger than 21, but at least 18 to work in the cannabis industry in Michigan, reported Fox47News. Currently, employees at adult-use dispensaries and cultivation facilities must be 21 or older. State Rep. Kevin Coleman (Democratic Party) is trying to change this.  “People have to be 21 to work in cannabis and that doesn’t matter if it’s on the science aspect, cultivation, marketing, sales, so House Bill 6061 is simple, what it does is it would lower the age from 21 to 18,” Rep. Coleman said during his testimony. One of his arguments for pushing this change is a shortage of cannabis workers. “We have folks, young people, who are in these college programs or who are trying to start their careers off, who are unable to get involved in the industry because they might be 18, 19, or 20. We want to give young people the opportunity to learn on the job,” Coleman said. (Benzinga)

The best way to make use of CBD for weight loss is to also approach it holistically, ensuring you are exercising regularly, eating nutritiously, and getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

For weight-conscious individuals, it can be confusing to navigate the CBD market. But it’s natural even for people at a healthy weight to be interested in maintaining it to avoid being overweight. After all, being overweight or worse, obese, has been associated with numerous preventable illnesses such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, coronary heart disease, and more. It’s always in your best interest to keep your weight at a healthy level as much as possible.

It’s known that the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in marijuana products has been linked to inducing appetite and weight gain, albeit at healthy levels when taken in moderation or under medical supervision. So much so that it’s even being used for inducing the appetite of cancer and HIV patients, or those that struggle with eating disorders.

But when it comes to CBD, will it help you lose weight, or will it cause weight gain? The truth is, there’s no clear-cut answer, though the results can vary depending on many factors. Here’s some food for thought, based on existing studies:

How CBD Affects Metabolism

A 2016 study conducted by Korean researchers focused on the impact of CBD on preadipocytes, which are immature fat cells. Their findings suggest that CBD work in three ways to promote “fat browning” otherwise white fat tissue (scientifically known as white adipose tissue or WAT), since browned fat is more effective in weight loss as well as obesity treatments.

Additionally, brown fat is more efficient in metabolizing fat molecules and blood sugar to help us maintain our body’s temperature. The presence of more white fat in the body can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes while brown fat induces weight loss.

Senate Democrats are eyeing a cannabis banking bill that has bipartisan support as a potential vehicle for long-sought restorative justice measures.  

Prominent Democrats have been pushing to pass the SAFE Banking Act, which would enable legally operating cannabis firms to use banking services, as part of a larger China competition package being conferenced in both the House and Senate. The bill was included in House Democrats’ competition bill passed earlier this year, but not in the bipartisan Senate-passed version. 

Supporters of the banking bill say it’s urgently needed to stop a surge of violent robberies targeting cash-only pot dispensaries. But the measure, which has passed the House six times in recent years, has had trouble securing passage in the Senate due to resistance from both sides of the aisle, though for different reasons.  

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told The Hill that Democrats are working to add social equity measures to the bill, which is backed by members of both parties. 

“We’re trying to add some of the social justice provisions and see if we can come up with a compromise,” Schumer said.  

A separate bill to legalize marijuana is also backed by Democrats, but it appears unlikely to notch enough support from Senate Republicans to clear a 60-vote procedural hurdle. 

The Sixth Panel of the Superior Court of Justice of Brazil authorized three people to grow marijuana for medicinal purposes, reported O Antagonista.

“The Superior Court of Justice decided Tuesday, June 14 to grant two safe conducts that advance the regulation of artisanal marijuana cultivation in Brazil.” (Benzinga)

The case should serve as a precedent for lower courts and the advance of cannabis legalization in the potentially huge market of 200 million people. The decision contemplates the use of cannabidiol (CBD) for personal use and allows marijuana cultivation only for medicinal purposes, with a prescription. In addition, this gives home growers a legal precedent that can evolve into more comprehensive legislation as in the case of Argentina, where hemp and medicinal cannabis production are already legally produced in the country.

Three new recreational marijuana stores will be opening this week in New Jersey, including one location near the Jersey Shore. 

Sorting Robotics, an industrial cannabis-focused AI and computer vision technologies company, launched Jiko. Jiko is the cannabis industry’s first automated pre-roll infusion robot.

Approximately 70% of all cannabis manufacturing is still being done by hand, and will result in about $2B manufacturing labor spend in 2022–significantly eating into operators’ bottom-lines. With Jiko’s ability to infuse up to 800 pre-rolls per hour and reduce waste and spillage by approximately 20%-30%, Jiko has been engineered to help operators boost margins, scale, and achieve profitability. (Benzinga)

Companies using Jiko have reported being able to scale production from 10,000 to 40,0000 infused pre-rolls per month, and saving over $20,000 in labor and spillage costs during the first month of use.

“I want a world where all repetitive manual labor tasks are done autonomously; then people can focus their efforts on helping others and being creative,” stated Nohtal Partansky, co-founder and CEO, Sorting Robotics.

“Most people think robots are a bad thing. I see it completely differently. In the cannabis value chain, effectively automating repetitive manual tasks improves margins and allows operators to reinvest more into innovation and creative problem solving.”

Nohtal, a former NASA-JPL Engineer assigned to the MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In Situ Resource Utilization Experiment) project, co-founded Sorting Robotics to break through the toughest bottlenecks of cannabis brands and processors through a combination of real-time production data analytics, modern IoT hardware, and precision automation.

With the current state of uncertainty in the country and in the GOP, November elections may provide some answers as to which direction cannabis legalization is headed in this country.

The 2022 midterm elections are in full swing, and there is nothing that causes friction and clashes on issues quite like an election season. This year, the pile of political issues seems to grow by the day, and each new issue has conservatives and liberals more and more at odds.

There are even a few issues that are creating a fork in the road among conservatives this election season. As major GOP players emerge in 2022, politicians both seasoned and new are taking vastly different stances on cannabis legalization. These differing stances also seem to represent two different futures of the GOP. The midterm elections may help shed light on which type of Republican party voters are looking for moving forward, and also how the conservative base really feels about cannabis legalization. 

One of the most notable GOP candidates when it comes to the future of cannabis and the GOP is Rep. Nancy Mace. Mace has made headlines for many reasons, but most notably for being a conservative who is sponsoring cannabis legalization legislation. The States Reform Act is a bill that would decriminalize cannabis. 

Mace faces Katie Arrington in this Tuesday’s primary. Cannabis policy is not the only thing these two clash on. Arrington is backed by former President Trump, while Mace “blamed Trump for the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot, ” according to Politico. In fact, Trump has gone so far as to call Mace “nasty, disloyal, and bad for the Republican Party,” according to the article.

While Arrington has Trump’s backing, Mace and her cannabis bill have their own backing.

Cannabis decriminalization in two cities in West Virginia is being pushed for this year’s November ballot.

A West Virginia cannabis advocacy group called Charleston Can’t Wait has recently been collecting signatures to put a decriminalization measure on the ballot this November in Fairmount and Charleston.

The organization is connected to West Virginia Can’t Wait, which is led by former 2020 governor candidate Stephen Smith. Described as “a movement to win a people’s government in the Mountain State,” it strives to support political candidates who represent the people of West Virginia and aren’t accepting donations from corporations or the fossil fuel industry.

Charleston Can’t Wait is on track to collect the required 2,000 signatures for its decriminalization effort by July 14. As of May 27, the organization’s Facebook page reported an update on the overwhelming support from local residents.

“We’re a whole heap of signatures closer tonight! Why? Because nearly every single person we ask says YES,” the organization said on its social media.

If voted into law, those caught in possession of cannabis would be charged a fine similar to that of a speeding ticket.

The normalization of cannabis could indeed be in the hands of these potential consumption spaces.

Oregon will soon become the first-ever state to ban synthetic weed sales, which includes products containing lab-grown cannabinoids like delta-8.

Starting on July 1, weed shoppers won't find certain weed gummies and other products at their go-to stores, even if they're THC-free, The Oregonian reported. That's because Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission officials say they're concerned about the unregulated nature of these products, many of which exist in a federal legal loophole.

"We have testing for pesticides. We have testing for residual solvents from the extraction process. We don't have any testing for any of the whole universe of chemical reagents that you could use to synthetically turn one cannabinoid into something else, or for any of the byproducts of that reaction," Steven Crowley, the hemp and processing compliance specialist with the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), told The Oregonian.

The federal government has banned or temporarily banned certain synthetic cannabinoids like K2 or "spice," but there are hundreds that remain unregulated at the state level.

Scientists are lab-engineering naturally-occurring cannabinoids 

All cannabinoids, the chemical compounds in weed, start as CBG (short for cannabigerol), or the "mother" cannabinoid, as researchers often call it.

When exposed to environmental factors like light or heat, CBG reacts and turns into other cannabinoids, like THC, CBD, THCV, and CBN. THC, the cannabinoid best known for getting a person "high," but isn't legal everywhere, is also the most commonly occurring one in the cannabis plant.

A study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence explored the association between cannabis use and physical health among 308 sets of twins.

Research on the influence of cannabis use on cardiovascular functions, pulmonary functions, and other indicators is still growing, but one new study has shed new light on the topic. “The effects of cannabis use on physical health: A co-twin control study,” published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence explored the relationship between cannabis use and physical health among 308 sets of twins, with the results suggesting that cannabis use is not associated with detrimental physical effects.

Cannabis research is still catching up to studies surrounding tobacco and alcohol’s effect on physical health, though studies so far have indicated cannabis has an impact on respiratory health, cardiovascular health, and body mass index.

The data is from an ongoing study called “Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan Behavioral Development and Cognitive Aging,” through the University of Colorado Boulder. It is the first prospective study of cognitive aging from infancy through adulthood, with a purpose of studying “how early and current influences accumulate over one’s life to impact how well individuals build and maintain cognitive functioning,” according to the CU Boulder website.

As part of the study, researchers are tracing factors associated with decreases, maintenance or boosts in cognitive abilities. Through in-depth behavioral and health measurements, analysis of environmental settings, biomarker and genotype data, researchers are looking to assess the association of cognitive changes with possible physical and behavioral health precursors, “to trace the emergence of these associations,” researchers say on the CU Boulder site.

As part of the study, researchers are tracing factors associated with decreases, maintenance, or boosts in cognitive abilities. Through in-depth behavioral and health measurements, analysis of environmental settings, biomarker and genotype data, researchers are looking to assess the association of cognitive changes with possible physical and behavioral health precursors, “to trace the emergence of these associations,” researchers say on the CU Boulder site.

Oklahoma Smokes are rolled with hemp flowers, so they’re completely free of both nicotine and tobacco. This organically grown hemp is rich in CBD and provides a tasty and satisfying smoke. It’s nearly identical to a traditional cigarette, but it contains no tobacco, nicotine, or other additives.

These hemp cigarettes are shown to be an effective quitting aid, particularly when used in conjunction with other aids like nicotine patches or gum. And Oklahoma Smokes runs its hemp through an extensive laboratory testing process that ensures each cig is free of pesticides and other chemicals.

One of the hardest parts about quitting smoking is losing the muscle memory that accompanies the regular ritual of a cigarette. With Oklahoma Smokes, you can ditch nicotine without ditching the ritual, and you might find those cravings grow a little less intense and frequent over time until you’re ready to quit altogether. So, click here to learn more!

San Bernardino County in California is sponsoring state legislation aimed at increasing fines for illegal cannabis grows and targeting illegal cultivation operations that are polluting groundwater.

Two bills were recently introduced to prevent illegal cannabis cultivation efforts, which are using more water than ever in the wake of a historic California drought.

“Illegal cannabis farming is devastating the desert communities of San Bernardino County,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman in a press release.

“The County is determined to stop this terrible damage to the environment and to protect the lives and property of our residents from lawless criminals.”

The county is sponsoring Assembly Bill 2728, introduced by Assemblymember Thurston Smith, and Senate Bill 1426, introduced by Senator Anna Caballero, to tackle these concerns.

AB-2728 would increase the fines for illegal cultivation to $1,000 for each day of violation, and $2,500 for each acre-foot of water diverted (and if that measurement isn’t specified, $500 per plant). These stipulations would only take place in a “critically dry year immediately preceded by two or more consecutive below normal, dry, or critical dry years” in the event that the California state governor has issued a state of emergency.

Dr. Ashley Serfis sees dozens of pets a week at the Greenfield Animal Hospital. And while most energetic pups are high off of life, Serfis has seen more and more pets that are actually high.

According to research by PLOS One, the legalization of marijuana has led to an increase of pets getting their paws on pot resulting in cannabis-induced toxicosis.

Serfis used to see THC-related cases a couple of times a year, but recently that’s changed.

“Since edibles have become more common, we have seen cases a lot more frequently, at least a few times a month,” said Serfis.

If you're worried your pup snuck into your stash, she said there's several signs pet owners should look out for, like dilated pupils.

“Lethargy, incoordination or being wobbly on their feet; marijuana toxicity can also have urine dribbling,” said Serfis.

Joe Rogan,  a cannabis and psychedelics advocate was not pleased about the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CPB) recent seizure of a shipment containing marijuana, psilocybin and MDMA from a private vehicle. Popular for his often controversial views on the Joe Rogan Experience, the podcaster publicly slammed the agency after it posted a tweet boasting the seizure from the vehicle of two 30-year-olds returning home from vacation in Canada. “The narcotic substances field-tested positive for the presence of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, marijuana, and psilocybin,” the CBP reported.

The car didn’t pass the first inspection and was sent for the secondary inspection for further checking. The CPB tweeted photos of mushrooms in front of a canister and another with pills looking like ecstasy.

Even though marijuana is legal both in Canada and New York State, taking it across international borders is illegal. The situation got more complicated when other substances were found in the vehicle, such as “ecstasy, marijuana, and psilocybin mushrooms in raw form and infused in a chocolate bar.”

Nevertheless, Rogan seems to think that current drug laws make no sense and that it should not be up to lawmakers to decide what substances are legal. He tweeted some advice to the CPB.

Champlain Port Director Steven Bronson had a different opinion, stating “Our CBP Officers continue to remain dedicated and vigilant, successfully intercepting these illegal substances. I am proud of their enforcement efforts to ensure the safety of our communities.”