CCMA Greenbrief January 10th: Feds Introduce H.R. 420 Which Will Regulate Cannabis Like Alcohol…CA Dep. Of Food & Agriculture Delays Cannabis Inspections…Cannabis Companies Struggle With Sustainability…

CCMA Political  greenBrief

Thursday, January 10, 2019

www.cannabismanufacturers.org

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) Introduced H.R. 420, A Bill That Will Take Cannabis Off The Federal Controlled Substance Act. This Bill Would Also Allow Cannabis To Be Regulated Like Alcohol And Allow Federal Research Into The Potential Health Impacts And Uses Of The Plant.

 

“While the bill number may be a bit tongue-in-cheek, the issue is very serious. Our federal marijuana laws are outdated, out of touch and have negatively impacted countless lives. Congress cannot continue to be out of touch with a movement that a growing majority of Americans support. It’s time to end this senseless prohibition.”
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) After Introducing H.R. 420 Which Will Remove Cannabis From The Federal Controlled Substance
“In most countries, the provision of cannabis and cannabinoid products and preparations for medical purposes has evolved over time, often in response to patient demand or product development. This report seeks to provide an objective look at current evidence, practice, and experience in this very fast-moving field and describe the complex patchwork of approaches adopted in the EU and beyond.”
European Monitoring Centre For Drugs & Drug Addiction Director Alexis Goosdeel On The European Union Working Towards Legalizing Medicinal Cannabis

New Congressional Marijuana Bill Is Actually Numbered H.R. 420 (USA – Cannabis Legislation)

Forbes (January 9, 2019) In a hat tip to marijuana culture, lawmakers on Capitol Hill have officially reserved the number H.R. 420 for a bill that would dramatically change federal cannabis laws. The new bill filed in the House on Wednesday by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) is titled the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act. If passed, it would remove cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act. Separately, Blumenauer, a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, recently released a step-by-step plan to federally legalize marijuana in 2019.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2019/01/09/new-congressional-marijuana-bill-is-actually-numbered-h-r-420/#39f3071c2e60

 

Congressman Introduces ‘420’ Marijuana Legalization Bill To Regulate Weed Like Alcohol Throughout U.S. (USA – Cannabis Legislation)

Newsweek (January 10, 2019) Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, has worked with representatives from both parties toward legalization of marijuana and cannabis products in addition to seeking progressive reforms on the federal level. Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule 1 drug defined as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” Marijuana sits alongside heroin, LSD, peyote and ecstasy on the Drug Enforcement Agency’s list.

https://www.newsweek.com/marijuana-420-earl-blumenauer-alcohol-legalization-cannabis-regulation-1286758

 

Rep. Earl Blumenauer Proposed A New Law, “H.R. 420”, Which Would Regulate Cannabis Like Alcohol (USA – Cannabis Legislation)

Willamette Week (January 9, 2019) On Jan. 9, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced a bill, H.R. 420, proposing the federal government remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and put the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in charge of regulating the drug. Taking marijuana off the list of substances governed by the Controlled Substances Act would allow federal dollars to fund research into the health impacts and potential uses of cannabis.

https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2019/01/09/rep-earl-blumenauer-proposed-a-new-law-h-r-420-which-would-regulate-cannabis-like-alcohol/

 

Board Delays Assigning Staff To Cannabis Inspections (CA – State Regulations)

Patch (January 8, 2019) With revisions pending, Riverside County supervisors Tuesday postponed approving a contract with the state that will designate the county Office of the Agricultural Commissioner as the inspecting authority for all commercial cannabis grows countywide. Under the Medicinal & Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation & Safety Act, all entities seeking to engage in commercial-level cannabis activity are required to procure permits from the CDFA’s CalCannabis Licensing, Compliance & Enforcement Division.

https://patch.com/california/murrieta/board-delays-assigning-staff-cannabis-inspections

 

Bungled Rollout Of Legal Recreational Marijuana Weakens Legitimate Vendors (CA – Cannabis Market)

Daily Bruin (January 8, 2019) It’s impossible not to be confronted with broken promises and dashed expectations looking back on the first year of California’s legal recreational marijuana market. In fact, you would have to be smoking something pretty strong to see California’s efforts as anything less than a disappointment. Municipalities are able to decide individually whether they are going to allow cannabis sales, but they also can pass their own regulations and taxes on the marketplace With only 20 percent of California cities allowing marijuana sales, it’s not hard to see why the state is experiencing falling legal pot sales and lackluster tax revenue.

https://dailybruin.com/2019/01/08/bungled-rollout-of-legal-recreational-marijuana-weakens-legitimate-vendors/

 

Big Ban On The ‘Sesh’ Scene (CA – Cannabis Collectives)

Sacramento News & Review (January 10, 2019) After voters approved Proposition 64 in 2016 to legalize recreational cannabis, state regulators overruled the medical provisions. In January 2018, the deadline was set for collectives to relicense or reduce their size to “caregiver gardens serving no more than five people,” according to the state Bureau of Cannabis Control. The view is also echoed among dispensary owners who applied for recreational business licensing, in addition to operating as a longtime medicinal haven.

https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/big-ban-on-the-sesh/content?oid=27557369

 

Harvest Of Napa Opens, Launching Local Medical Cannabis Market (USA – Cannabusiness)

Napa Valley Register (January 9, 2019) Marijuana sales in Napa have finally moved into the light – and onto the shelf. The city’s new era of legal cannabis retailing has begun with the debut of Harvest of Napa, the first medical dispensary to do business in the county. The outlet at 2449 Second St. west of downtown opened on New Year’s Eve, the first fruit of a city ordinance that followed years of debate and an earlier, aborted attempt to bring a dispensary to Napa.

https://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/harvest-of-napa-opens-launching-local-medical-cannabis-market/article_cbcb0de4-ed75-5fbb-870b-bde653d24bf3.html

 

Cannabis Companies Struggle To Become More Sustainable (USA – Cannabis Industry)

Forbes (January 10, 2019) Despite the bad press millennials receive, as a cohort they have committed to sustainability. A full 70% of millennials will pay more for products made sustainably, while 83% consider a product’s environmental or social impact before making a purchase. They are bringing that sense of responsibility for maintaining a livable planet to the cannabis industry which is populated with young, progressive entrepreneurs. But while cannabis is a business based around agriculture, there aren’t clear rules for how to make it more sustainable.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nickkovacevich/2019/01/10/cannabis-companies-struggle-to-become-more-sustainable/#3ea20f192599

 

U.S. Surgeon General Said Cannabis’ Medical Potential Should Be Studied (USA – Cannabis Research)

MG Retailer (January 8, 2019) The Washington Post interviewed U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams in early December, resulting in a video post entitled “Tackling the Opioid Crisis: The Federal View,” and a frank discussion that highlighted Adams’ view on medical marijuana policy. News agency Associated Press reported that Adams said DEA scheduling and drug-related laws should be looked at and continue to evolve. On the topic of nationwide drug decriminalization, he advocated for states to regulate legal markets.

https://mgretailer.com/business/legal-politics/us-surgeon-general-said-cannabis-medical-potential-should-be-studied/

 

States Struggle To Address Issue Of Driving While High On Cannabis (USA – Cannabis Use)

The Fix (January 9, 2019) As more states legalize both medical and recreational marijuana, authorities are struggling to determine the best way to address the issue of driving while high. Unlike alcohol, cannabis can stay in a person’s system for weeks after the last time they used – long after the high has subsided and they are no longer impaired. Blood and urine tests are therefore considered by many to be unreliable methods for determining if a driver is intoxicated.

https://www.thefix.com/states-struggle-address-issue-driving-while-high-cannabis

 

Despite Conflicting Evidence, A New Report Finds Legal Marijuana Does Not Impact Alcohol Sales (USA – Cannabis Sales)

Forbes (January 10, 2019) Weighing in on an issue that weighs heavily on alcoholic beverage suppliers, the Distilled Spirits Council released new research that shows the sale of legalized marijuana does not impact alcohol purchases, at least in the three states that have allowed recreational pot smoking the longest. In announcing its findings Thursday, the council, which represents the majority of large American distillers, concludes that despite conflicting reports, beer, wine and liquor sales patterns in those states simply mirror the national average.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/taranurin/2019/01/10/despite-conflicting-evidence-a-new-report-finds-legal-marijuana-does-not-impact-alcohol-sales/#48213c265be5

 

European Union Laying Groundwork For Legalizing Medical Marijuana (World – Medicinal Cannabis)

The Fresh Toast (January 8, 2019) Medicinal cannabis is creeping up the European Union agenda as legislators prepare to divert cash into research of the drug and begin laying the groundwork for a harmonized set of laws across the bloc. Health committee politicians in the European Parliament, the EU’s directly elected legislative, voted in late 2018 to approve a draft resolution on the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, and now the proposals will head to the bloc’s executive to be turned into a concrete proposal.

https://thefreshtoast.com/cannabis/european-union-laying-groundwork-for-legalizing-medical-marijuana/