WeedLife News Network

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Steve Cantwell has been cultivating cannabis for the past seven years through Green Life Productions, his Pahrump-based farm, and had no problems with state regulators when Nevada’s health and taxation departments oversaw the industry.

But that all changed when the Cannabis Compliance Board took over two years ago. At a recent routine visit, Cantwell said, the inspector raised a litany of concerns about the company’s organic growing methods, kicking off an ongoing tug-of-war that’s forced the company to pay nearly $30,000 for regulators to carry out their oversight duties.

“He came in … really just guns a blazing,” he said. “They told us everything that we were doing, literally everything we were doing, was wrong, which was a huge surprise to us.”

Cantwell and his wife have been receiving monthly invoices from the agency, including some billing them for 75 hours of state worker research time, at a cost of $111 an hour. Because the situation is unresolved, they don’t know how many more months of bills are in the future, or if the agency will tack on a hefty fine at the end of the research process. 

But he and his wife pay all the so-called “time and effort” charges in full, he said. They need to renew their license, after all, and new regulations carry the business-killing penalty of license revocation for companies that don’t stay current.

Time and effort charges have rankled members of the industry and surfaced as a sore spot in numerous recent meetings of the Cannabis Compliance Board. Copies of time and effort invoices reviewed by The Nevada Independent generally show short descriptions such as “routine audit … work ongoing” or “spot check” on line items that can be hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Kush.com is crowning itself king of Florida's cannabis scene.

Driving the news: Just ahead of putting on the state's biggest cannabis-centric trade show, the wholesale cannabis and hemp marketplace tells Axios it's moving its company headquarters from Seattle to Tampa's Embarc Collective. Kush recently acquired Tampa-based TradeCraft Origin, a cannabis brand strategy firm, and named its founder, John Lynch, Kush's new CEO.

Tech entrepreneur and investor Steve MacDonald, the company's new board chairman and a general partner in the Florida Funders VC, gave $2 million to Kush's ongoing funding round, the company tells Axios.

Why it matters: Kush will have a major grip on Florida's market if recreational marijuana becomes legal in the state. The company, founded in 2014, already claims to be the country's largest business-to-business network of cannabis products and now it has TradeCraft's network of restaurant chains, beverage companies and retailers.

State of play: Florida has the country's largest medical cannabis market, with industry publication MJBiz projecting $1.3 billion-$1.5 billion in sales this year. More than 700,000 medical marijuana patients are registered in the state as of April — more than double the number in early 2020.

What they're saying: "We think Tampa is the ideal choice now and for the future," Lynch told Axios. "Florida's role in the global cannabis industry will only become more significant. "Kush.com will be the most efficient, reliable route to market for CBD now, and a turnkey path to future THC market authority," MacDonald added.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) remains firm in his stance that cannabis reform doesn’t lead to an increase in crime or drug use. (Benzinga)

“The overwhelming evidence from the states that have legalized cannabis is there has not been an increase in crime and has not been an increase in drug use,” Schumer said at a recent press briefing. The comments came on the heels of his introducing long-awaited U.S. Senate legislation that would decriminalize and deschedule cannabis on the federal level. 

The nearly 300-page Cannabis Administration And Opportunity Act (CAOA), from Schumer and Senators Ron Wyden and Cory Booker, was presented last week. Two more Senate Democrats, Assistant Democratic Leader Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), also agreed to cosponsor the measure.

Schumer’s Latest Cannabis Legalization Efforts

Meanwhile, despite an overall pessimistic sentiment regarding the passage of the legislation in the Senate, as it needs a 60-vote threshold to get approved, Schumer continues to advocate for the broad reform proposal.

Last month the senator convened with GOP House Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) on several occasions to discuss possible bipartisan cannabis reform steps that can be taken ahead of the finalization of a separate comprehensive legalization bill that would include much more than just banking and expungements reforms.

Yes, consuming cannabis has gotten the green light in New York for people over 21 years old. But let’s clear the air: It is not legal to grow your own marijuana plants in New York — yet.

That hasn’t stopped at least one budding cultivator from raising several of the herbs in a community garden, nearby the more typical basil, sunflowers and tomatoes.

The plants lacked any discernible flowers, and their musky smell was mostly masked by other floral aromas; on a recent July day, they went unnoticed by nearly all of the garden’s visitors. Yet with telltale serrated leaves sprouting in hand-like clusters and stalks that climbed to nearly chest height, they seemed as inconspicuous as the vendors now selling unregulated cannabis products in Washington Square Park. 

When I pointed to the plants and asked, “Are these…?” their caretaker simply smiled and put a finger to his lips. 

While the plants are illegal, they are sure signs that connoisseurs and tycoons alike will try their hands at raising cannabis in the city. 

Although cannabis is legal to consume and possess in small amounts in New York, the state is still crafting the regulations that will allow businesses to cultivate, process and sell marijuana products. Experts, however, say that within a couple years we can expect the city to have its fair share of grow operations.

Multiple economic missions had booths at the conference last week – the beginning of an international trend

While the scale of the event rivaled any corporate conference – as did the exhibit booths – one thing stood out clearly this year at the Berlin International Cannabis Business Conference last week: The arrival of cannabis missions from international locales.

Last year, both Zimbabwe and New Zealand sent economic trade envoys to the conference. This year, both New Zealand and Thailand had their own booths, promoting their country’s cannabis exports.

It is, clearly, the beginning of a wave. The International Cannabis Business Conference has, since its beginning in 2017 been the most international, high-level business conference in the world. From now on, governments will be taking notice.

It is obviously now a relatively fast-changing world. One where the governments of three European countries (Malta, Germany, and Luxembourg) met last week to begin a series of high-level meetings on changing cannabis regulation across the region.

Unprecedented Market Access

One of the most important reasons for foreign producers to work with their governments to send trade mission presence to the International Cannabis Business Conference conference is that the access created by the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin is unprecedented, globally. Attended by all the major producers across Europe and in Germany, along with representatives of what are now believed to be the 187 distributors across Deutschland, the conference is an unparalleled opportunity to gain market access to the cannabis market in the world’s fourth-largest economy.

The House of Representatives this week passed legislation to permit cannabis advertising on broadcast television and radio as part of a broader appropriations measure.

The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed a bill that would permit cannabis advertising on broadcast television and radio stations. The legislation is included as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill, which was passed by lawmakers in the House on Wednesday.

Under the provisions of the appropriations bill, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would be barred from using appropriated funds to deny a broadcaster a license renewal or sale application for airing cannabis advertising in jurisdictions that have legalized marijuana. The FCC would also be prohibited from requiring a station to file an early license renewal application for broadcasting cannabis ads.

Current regulations allow the FCC to revoke a license from broadcasters that air advertisements for federally illegal products including weed, even in states that have passed laws legalizing cannabis. As a result, cannabis businesses are limited to advertising in other forums including print newspapers and magazines, online, billboards, cable television, satellite radio, and social media. Alex Siciliano, a spokesman for the National Associations of Broadcasters, said on Wednesday that the legislation passed in the House this week levels the playing field for cannabis advertising.

“For too long, local broadcasters have been stuck in a regulatory purgatory because of conflicting federal and state cannabis laws,” Siciliano said in a statement.

“Today’s passage marks an important step towards allowing broadcasters to receive equal treatment for cannabis advertising that many other forms of media have enjoyed for years. While we are pleased to see the House act, broadcasters will continue to work with policymakers for a permanent resolution to this competitive disparity to the benefit of consumers.”

"Legalization will never happen overnight. We all know that, and it's important that it doesn't happen overnight because legalization is a huge step for a country. We saw that, for example, in Canada, where a lot of mistakes were made."

Frankfurt-based Bloomwell Group, one of the largest cannabis companies in Europe, was co-founded in 2020 by brother and sister, Anna-Sophia and Niklas Kouparanis.

A holding company for medical cannabis businesses, Bloomwell is also positioned to work with recreational companies once Germany legalizes the plant, a change that would make the country of more than 83 million the world’s largest cannabis market. 

The timeline for legalization remains speculative but Niklas, Bloomwell’s CEO, predicts that full legalization will happen in Germany by the beginning of 2024. In May, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner tweeted that it will happen “soon.” 

Regardless of the timeline, cannabis companies are increasingly looking to access the German market. A year after launching, Bloomwell closed a seed funding round of over $10 million and now employs more than 250 people across all channels. 

As cannabis reform begins to unfold across Europe — Malta has legalized cannabis, though there are limits; Luxembourg has decriminalized the plant, allowing residents to grow up to four plants at home; and countries like the Netherlands and Switzerland are running commercial cannabis cultivation pilots — social acceptance of cannabis is at an all-time high. A recent report by Hanway, a London-based consultancy agency, found that 55 per cent of Europeans now support legalizing recreational cannabis.

Cannabis farms are already subject to strict water regulations in several states, and some illegal growers have given those rule followers a bad name by association

Over the last several months, photographs and stories of unprecedented and dramatically low water levels in the southwestern U.S. have made their way to the front page of national news. Boats and even dead bodies have been discovered at the bottom of lakes that many never thought would run so dangerously low. This water crisis has sparked a need and demand for immediate change in the way some states use and allocate water.

Several of these states, including California, Arizona and Colorado, have thriving cannabis industries, but a now-dwindling water supply. It is no secret that consistent watering is essential to a successful marijuana harvest, but this precious resource is in jeopardy. How then, is this lack of water affecting the marijuana industry, and is there any hope that a drought could yield any positive results for cannabis in dry places?

The state that is most affected by this drought is also the nation’s top marijuana producer – California. The state is in such a state of water peril that the governor announced a $2.9-billion plan to keep some of California’s vital water flowing in its natural habitats. In fact, according to Modern Farmer, “the state will pay farms to keep thousands of acres vacant this growing season.”

While this sounds like a relief for farmers, the cannabis industry might not make the cut.

“Heading into another brutally dry summer, struggling cannabis growers in California could be excluded from the state’s latest assistance plan to save water,” wrote the Water Education Foundation in regards to this latest plan.

The New York Police Department announced on Wednesday that it would continue drug testing officers for weed only hours after a memo issued earlier in the day said that most screenings for pot would end.

A New York Police Department memo made public on Wednesday advised officers that they would no longer face drug tests for cannabis, although the department quickly reversed course and announced that screenings for weed would continue while the policy is reviewed.

“The New York City Law Department has directed the NYPD to cease all random, scheduled and pre-employment testing for marijuana,” an NYPD spokeswoman said early Wednesday.

“The Department will continue to administer marijuana screenings to personnel when there is indications of impairment and is reviewing its current policies in light of this directive.”

The memo from the Law Department, which was dated July 11, said that such screenings for marijuana are inconsistent with last year’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which bans repercussions on employees for off-duty recreational cannabis use. After receiving the directive from the city’s Law Department, the NYPD Commissioner for Legal Matters sent a memo to department heads to notify them of the policy change.

“The rationale behind this determination is that there is no test for marijuana that conclusively determines current intoxication, making it impossible to determine by drug test alone whether an employee has tested positive for marijuana because of improper use on the job or use during statutorily protected off-hours use,” reads NYPD the memo.

In recent years, France has come closer to ending its national prohibition of cannabis, which has been in place since 1970.

The rise of “CBD cafés,” the growing public calls for an end to drug prohibition and an ongoing medical marijuana pilot program signal that, in the near future, France – the European Union’s leading cannabis-consuming member state – may legalize cannabis.

But as a scholar of the centuries-old links between cannabis and colonialism, I know that the movement to legalize the drug has largely ignored the groups most impacted by France’s historical war on drugs, which, as in the U.S., has disproportionately targeted ethnic and religious minorities.

France’s hidden war on drugs

Evidence suggests that cannabis prohibition over the past 50 years has disproportionately punished France’s Muslim minority.

About one-fifth of current French prisoners were convicted for drug offenses, according to the French Ministry of Justice – a rate comparable to that of the United States. Nearly all of them are men.

There is no demographic breakdown of this population, because the French credo of “absolute equality” among citizens has made it illegal since 1978 to collect statistics based on race, ethnicity or religion. But sociologist Farhad Khosrokhavar, who studies France’s prison system, has found that roughly half of the 69,000 people incarcerated today in France are Muslims of Arab descent.