WeedLife News Network

The state of Mississippi is set to roll out its medical marijuana program this summer.

The Mississippi State Department of Health, which is in charge of regulating the program, is currently building rules and a framework for the program. Those are scheduled to be released sometime in July, WJTV reported.

On August 15, licenses will be distributed and then the program will officially start.

Ken Newburger with the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association told the news agency it was a smart move getting the health department to regulate the program.

“Because it’s a medical program and everything about it needs to be handled from a health medicine perspective, the State Department of Health was the best choice,” he said. “Most other states that have good, functioning medical marijuana programs chose the State Department of Health as their regulatory body. So that’s really why we felt like it was the right place.”

Oregon recreational cannabis sales soared in 2020, peaking during a challenging summer of racial justice protests and coronavirus lockdowns.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the result was a record year of business for the state’s marijuana purveyors, based on data from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which oversees marijuana sales.

Total marijuana sales in Oregon jumped from $795 million in 2019 to more than $1 billion, for the year that just ended.

State tax revenue from marijuana sales in 2020 likely will exceed $150 million. Much of that will go toward substance-abuse screening and programs to address addiction.

Read more at: https://apnews.com/article/business-coronavirus-pandemic-oregon-marijuana-b08fe949276ae844d4e5181f31affbc7

Lawmakers can’t agree on tax revenue, how it should be allotted, or how to set up an industry that creates a level playing field for all.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has promised again that marijuana legalization is coming. However, because of how the legislative grind works in the real world, he might have to storm the state capitol to get it done.

There’s still a wealth of challenges ahead before New York agrees on how legal marijuana should look. And while it might be a bit of a stretch to suggest that Cuomo will have to launch a reign of terror to shake some sense into lawmakers who continue to sabotage progress, there’s no doubt that he will need to get creative to see it through.

Governor Cuomo used his annual state of the state address earlier this week to double down on his dedication to creating a taxed and regulated cannabis market. He’s confident that 2021 will be the year that it goes all the way. “We will legalize adult-use recreational cannabis, joining 15 other states who’ve already done so,” he said. “This will raise revenue and will end the over-criminalization of this product that has left so many communities of color over-policed and over-incarcerated.” 

It was just three years ago that Cuomo believed marijuana was a “gateway drug.” He was also very dismissive about any efforts to legitimize the plant. But after a study commissioned by his own administration found that ending prohibition could generate hundreds of millions of dollars and promote a new level of social justice, he bought in.

A California cannabis industry executive is calling on President Donald Trump to use his executive power in the waning days of his presidency by issuing a pardon to a nonviolent cannabis offender. Kyle Kazan, the CEO of vertically-integrated cannabis company Glass House Group, issued the plea for clemency for Parker Coleman, Jr. in an open letter to the president.

“While there are many thousands of people whose lives are wasting away in federal prison hoping for a miracle, I would like to bring one such person to your attention who is deserving of another courageous act, Parker Coleman,” Kazan wrote to Trump. “Mr. President, you have the power to end injustice through the stroke of your pen.”

Coleman has been in custody since 2010, when he was arrested by federal authorities in North Carolina and charged with marijuana trafficking and money laundering. Upon conviction, he was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in 2013. An additional 30 years was added to the sentence because two firearms were discovered in the vehicle he was in during the arrest of Coleman, who had prior felony convictions. He is currently serving his sentence at a federal prison in Beaumont, Texas.

Pot CEO Appeals To The President

In a virtual interview with High Times, Kazan said that clemency for Coleman is appropriate in light of the nation’s evolving attitudes toward cannabis.

“As the American public strongly supports legalizing, decriminalizing, and expunging marijuana convictions (one of the very few things that the U.S. populace is in significant agreement with), it boggles the mind that Mr. Coleman is serving a 60-year sentence,” he wrote.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is still inching its way towards developing consumer protection standards relating to CBD.

Back in 2019, it appears it came as a shock to many Americans federal standards for cannabidiol (CBD) hadn’t been developed. The FDA has repeatedly stated this has been due to gaps in its knowledge and it’s a situation that continues today.

But the agency hasn’t quite been sitting on its hands as some might suggest – for example, last year it revealed some interesting results from testing of 147 CBD and hemp products it purchased.

Last week, the FDA provided an update on its efforts to “CBD” (Collect Better Data) on the use of cannabidiol and its safety profile.

While the FDA says it has appreciated input from various parties in helping develop better data on the use and safety of products containing CBD, these efforts are “generally not adequate” – citing observational studies that are too small or using poor techniques for ensuring data quality. But in the months to come, the FDA intends developing and refining plans for research projects to address the gaps in current CBD data research capabilities.

The French parliament will launch an online questionnaire today to better understand public opinion towards recreational cannabis use.

The questionnaire, which will have five or six questions, will be available on the Assemblée nationale website for around one month.

MP for Essonne and leader of the project, Robin Reda, told AFP that a report detailing the results would be available towards the end of March or beginning of April. 

He said: “The goal is to inform debate as much as possible. The success of the survey will depend on the largest number of people possible participating.” 

Government inquiries into medical marijuana

The parliamentary group behind the project will also give conclusions on its studies into the use of medical marijuana (including products such as cannabidiol and CBD) in mid-February. 

The global cannabis market is expected to continue climbing to new heights over the next few years, according to a recent report.

The report from Arcview Group & BDS Analytics, that said that the global cannabis market is expected to reach to $42.7 Billion by 2024.

“That is a true testament to just how popular cannabis is among consumers and the ongoing impact of new markets coming online and maturing,” the report reads. “The possibilities are boundless as political progress opens up more markets across the world, and struggling markets sort out their regulatory framework.”

These days, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who isn’t using some type of cannabis product – either recreationally, therapeutically, or both… but have you ever wondered how everyone seems able to afford it?

Although many industries are struggling amid the ongoing pandemic, 2020 has been a record year for cannabis with prices and demand both at an all-time high. Everything from smokables to edibles, THC and CBD, dispensary and mail-order – everywhere you look there is a trending cannabis-based product.

What’s also holding firm, and increasing in many markets, is the prices for all the aforementioned items. In addition to cannabis being portrayed more favorably by the mainstream media, COVID-driven demand over the last year coupled with bottlenecks in supply has caused a surge in prices. And according to the U.S. Cannabis Spot Index Report, the average wholesale price per pound has reached its highest point in three years.

So, again that begs the question, how does it seem that everyone can afford these products so easily; considering high quality comes with an equally high price tag, and these products aren’t covered by insurance. We know they’re effective and safe, but are cannabis products an affordable alternative to prescription medication?

Benefits of medical cannabis

I believe this is an important staring point, because it’s the therapeutic aspect of cannabis that’s really behind this burgeoning demand. It has been used recreationally for decades, but it wasn’t until word got out about the safety profile and medical benefits that cannabis products really saw a surge in popularity.

In the United States, the most common use for medical cannabis is pain management. Although it isn’t really strong enough for very severe pain, post-surgical for example, it’s highly effective in controlling various forms of chronic pain that effects millions of Americans. Cannabis is frequently endorsed as a safer alternative to opiate medication, which are dangerously addictive and responsible for an alarming number of overdose deaths in the states.

As with so many things between 2016 and 2020, the idea that marijuana damages IQ became popular in some circles because soon-to-be-former President Donald Trump said it.

In audio secretly recorded in 2018 and leaked in early 2020, President Trump told a group gathered at a White House dinner party that marijuana "does cause an IQ problem. It lowers your IQ." 

Interestingly, his son, Donald Trump Jr., disagreed with him, saying: "I will say this, between that and alcohol, as far as I'm concerned, alcohol does much more damage. You don't see people beating their wives on marijuana. It's just different."

Research shows that the belief marijuana lowers IQ is mostly a myth. But the IQ thing stuck. In December, North Carolina Rep. David Rouzer Tweeted that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) "states that regular marijuana use can reduce IQ by 8 points." 

That sounds very authoritative. But it's not true, according to the NIH itself.

Marijuana use increases throughout the calendar year, with use up 13 percent on average at the end of each year (2015-2019) compared to the beginning, according to a new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

We found that marijuana use is consistently higher among those surveyed later in the year, peaking during late fall or early winter before dropping at the beginning of the following year. We think this may be due, in part, to a 'Dry January' in which some people stop drinking alcohol or even stop using marijuana as part of a New Year's resolution. We're now in the time of year when people are the least likely to use marijuana."

Joseph Palamar, PhD, MPH, Study Lead Author and Associate Professor of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University

Palamar is an affiliated researcher with the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU School of Global Public Health

Prior research shows that alcohol and drug use vary by time of year, with drug use often increasing during summer months, possibly due, in part, to social events. These seasonal variations can inform interventions--for instance, studies show that programs to reduce heavy drinking among college students should begin during the summer.

Roughly five months. That is apparently when Mississippians can expect their newly approved medical marijuana program to begin to take shape.

Two months after voters in the Magnolia State approved a measure legalizing medical cannabis, officials in Mississippi are previewing what the program’s implementation will look like in the new year.

According to local television station WJTV, the next few months will see the Mississippi Department of Health examine best plans for implementation. By July, according to the station, the department “will outline the rules and framework”; on August 15 of this year, “licenses will be distributed, and then the program would officially start.”

WJTV reported that “all medical marijuana” in Mississippi will be regulated by the department, something Ken Newburger, the head of the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association, told the station was an ideal arrangement.

“Because it’s a medical program and everything about it needs to be handled from a health medicine perspective, the State Department of Health was the best choice. Most other states that have good, functioning medical marijuana programs chose the State Department of Health as their regulatory body. So that’s really why we felt like it was the right place,” Newburger told WJTV.

The year 2020 was a dud in many, many ways due to the pandemic. However, it was a record year for the emerging cannabis industry. Cannabis entrepreneurs around the globe sold a record amount of cannabis and cannabis-infused products.

Unfortunately, no countries legalized cannabis for adult use in 2020, but a number of countries either allowed medical cannabis industries to launch or expand. Many cannabis industry projections from years ago focused on the year 2020 and virtually every one of those projections proved to be too conservative.

So what does 2021 have in store for the emerging cannabis industry? Ultimately, only time will tell. Below are some things to consider.

Cannabis Reform in 2021

It is very likely that 2021 will be a banner year for cannabis reform around the globe. For starters, Mexico will hopefully, finally legalize cannabis for adult use, and if or when that happens, it will create the largest adult-use cannabis market on the planet.

It is also at least somewhat likely that one or more other countries will also legalize cannabis for adult use on the European and/or African continent in 2021.

This coming year will bring major consumer-driven shifts to the hemp industry. Experts estimate that the CBD market is set to reach $18 billion by 2025 and include CBD for all uses, including topical, pet products, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals. 

Here are some industry trend predictions I have for 2021: 

More than half of people who use medical marijuana products to ease pain also experience clusters of multiple withdrawal symptoms when they're between uses, a new study finds.

And about 10% of the patients taking part in the study experienced worsening changes to their sleep, mood, mental state, energy and appetite over the next two years as they continued to use cannabis.

Many of them may not recognize that these symptoms come not from their underlying condition, but from their brain and body's reaction to the absence of substances in the cannabis products they're smoking, vaping, eating or applying to their skin, says the University of Michigan Addiction Center psychologist who led the study.

When someone experiences more than a few such symptoms, it's called cannabis withdrawal syndrome - and it can mean a higher risk of developing even more serious issues such as a cannabis use disorder.

In the new research published in the journal Addiction, a team from the U-M Medical School and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System reports findings from detailed surveys across two years of 527 Michigan residents. All were participating in the state's system to certify people with certain conditions for use of medical cannabis, and had non-cancer-related pain.

Results from a recently published study suggest U.S. consumers perceive CBD as more of an over-the-counter pain reliever and less like prescription opioid medicines.

The study was carried researchers Trey Malone and Brandon R. McFadden from the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics, University of Delaware.

Based on data from a national survey conducted in 2019 of 1,050 U.S. adult respondents, the study found more than half perceived CBD (cannabidiol), THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), hemp and marijuana as having medical use and also significantly less potential for abuse compared to commonly prescribed anti-anxiety and pain medications.

There was also a majority view that THC and marijuana had less potential for abuse than alcohol – this has become quite apparent in many states where the push for legalization for recreational use is gaining more support; and not just at a state level, but nationally as well.

Of the approximate 32% of respondents who had consumed CBD and/or THC, between 31% and 49% had used the cannabinoids as a replacement for other medications. Of those who replaced a conventional medication with CBD, 37% to 56% replaced an over-the-counter medication while only 21% to 23% replaced a prescription opioid.

With newly installed Democratic supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature and a governor who has signaled his unequivocal support this week, many believe it is a foregone conclusion that New York will finally join other states in responsibly regulating marijuana use this year. That’s welcome news, and it’s long overdue. But it’s also abundantly clear that getting it done is not the same as getting it right.

As lobbyists, activists and lawmakers haggle over competing proposals to establish legal marijuana access for adults, there are several non-negotiable tenets that must be included in any legislative deal. Chief among them is the abiding principle that New York's marijuana legalization package must be laser-focused on putting impacted communities first.

First and foremost, adult use marijuana regulation must address the harms wrought by the decades-long war on drugs. Treating this as an issue of both economic and criminal justice reform, New York must use any legalization proposal as a vehicle to right the wrongs of the past and build the foundations for a more equitable future. This means not only ending housing and employment discrimination for communities devastated after years of criminalization and racist enforcement, but also the critical step of allowing re-sentencing for individuals with marijuana convictions. It’s also time for the state to remove a positive marijuana test as the sole factor determining a parole or probation violation, as New York City has already done.

New York's marijuana regulation law must ensure the newly created industry is both equitable and diverse. One benefit of not being the first state to end marijuana prohibition is that we have a much clearer sense of which programs have worked well and which ones have fallen short in other states. Adopting and building upon the best practices of other jurisdictions, New York can lead the way by establishing a licensing structure that prioritizes small businesses, co-operatives, and family-scale farms, not giant corporations focused primarily on profits. In addition, a social equity program that is funded from day one is essential in order to generate economic opportunity by offering priority licenses to communities disproportionately hurt by the drug war.

A state senator introduced a proposed amendment to the Nebraska Constitution on Thursday that would legalize marijuana for adults 21 and older. If advanced by the Nebraska Legislature, the proposed amendment from state Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha would appear on the ballot in 2022.

Under Legislative Resolution 2CA, voters would decide on a proposed amendment to the state constitution in next year’s general election in November. The amendment would legalize marijuana for all adults age 21 and older and require state lawmakers to enact legislation governing the “cultivation, manufacture, distribution, consumption, and sale of cannabis in any form” by October 1, 2023.

2020 Ballot Initiative Nixed By State Supreme Court

The proposed amendment comes following an unsuccessful bid by activists to legalize medical marijuana last year with the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Constitutional Amendment (NMCCA). Supporters of the ballot measure submitted more than 182,000 signatures in July, and the following month Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced that the measure had garnered enough signatures to qualify for a vote and certified the initiative for the November 2020 general election ballot.

However, that decision was challenged by Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner, who filed a lawsuit to block the initiative from appearing on the ballot on the grounds that it contained misleading language and violated a rule limiting initiatives to one subject. The challenge was upheld by a vote of 5 to 2 by the Nebraska Supreme Court, which ruled that provisions that provided for retail sales, home cultivation, and other issues were not sufficiently connected to legalizing the medicinal use of cannabis.

“If voters are to intelligently adopt a State policy with regard to medicinal cannabis use, they must first be allowed to decide that issue alone, unencumbered by other subjects,” the court wrote in its conclusion. “As proposed, the NMCCA contains more than one subject—by our count, it contains at least eight subjects.”

There’s an ancient botanical that millions of Americans take for epilepsy, cancer pain, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, multiple sclerosis and other serious and debilitating conditions.

The drug is cannabis. But American researchers who want to study cannabis are thwarted at every turn. Federal law still classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug, a list that includes highly dangerous and addictive drugs such as heroin. The government says cannabis has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Even cocaine is not a Schedule 1 drug.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration limits research to poor quality cannabis from a sole supplier. Researchers who want to study the cannabis that patients are actually taking today are out of luck.

The majority of Americans now live in a state where medicinal cannabis is legal. Yet objective research into what strains help — or hurt — specific conditions, as well as the best dosages, is hindered by federal restrictions. Don’t blame researchers. Can we expect them to jeopardize their research grants, even their medical licenses, to study cannabis?

The time to change the classification of cannabis and open the door to quality research is now. The U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted recently to reclassify cannabis. In Washington, D.C., the House of Representatives voted to pass the MORE Act, which would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act. The House also passed the Marijuana Research Act, which would allow scientists to obtain cannabis for research from states that have legalized the drug. Right now, the University of Mississippi is the only federally approved source of cannabis.

Five years after Texas legalized medical marijuana for people with debilitating illnesses, advocates and industry experts say the state's strict rules, red tape and burdensome barriers to entry have left the program largely inaccessible to those it was intended to help.

But with a new legislative session gaveling in next month, some Texas lawmakers see an opportunity to fix the state's medical cannabis program - known as the Compassionate Use Program - by further expanding eligibility and loosening some restrictions so Texas' laws more closely resemble those of other states that allow the treatment.

There are 3,519 Texans registered with the state to use medical marijuana, though advocates say 2 million people are eligible based on current law.

Texas' program pales in overall participation and scope compared with other states: It has fewer enrolled patients and businesses than most other states with medical marijuana programs. At least some form of medical marijuana is legal in 47 states nationwide, but Texas' restrictions put it in the bottom 11 in terms of accessibility, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

"We're pretty dang close to the bottom. We're pretty far behind," said state Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, referring to how access to Texas' medical marijuana program fares compared with other states. Menéndez will push legislation in the next session to further expand the program.