Political greenBrief
Wednesday, November 29, 2017

California’s New Edibles Limits Will Ban Popular Products (CA – Cannabis Edibles)
Leafly (November 27, 2017) Major changes to California cannabis dispensary menus—and at businesses making marijuana-infused edibles—are underway after state regulators slapped a strict limit on the amount of THC allowed in edible marijuana products.
https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/californias-new-edibles-limits-will-ban-popular-products

L.A. Debates Restricting Cannabis Businesses Near Parks, Schools (CA – Cannabis Businesses)
KQED (November 28, 2017) With just over a month to go before recreational cannabis becomes legal in California, the City of Los Angeles is preparing to establish new rules for regulating sellers, growers and users. Marijuana businesses could not be too close to schools or parks, and existing medical marijuana dispensaries would get priority for licensing, under a set of provisions heading to the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday.
https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/11/28/l-a-debates-restricting-cannabis-businesses-near-parks-schools/

Could Yucca Valley Be California’s Next Marijuana Boom Town? (CA – Cannabis Industry)
Desert Sun (November 28, 2017) Desert Hot Springs has come to be known as Southern California’s marijuana Mecca, but a now a High Desert town a few miles north on Highway 62 is poised to take that crown, if it wants it. Yucca Valley residents have gathered enough signatures to force the town council to take action on the prospect of legalizing marijuana cultivation in the community before the next general election.
http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/2017/11/28/yucca-valley-california-marijuana/889403001/

California Calls On Feds To Reschedule Cannabis (CA – Cannabis Legalization)
The Leaf Online (November 28, 2017) Following marijuana legalization Proposition 64’s 57% victory at the polls last November, the California State Senate has joined Hawaii, Washington and Iowa and the nation’s governors in asking the federal US government to take marijuana out of its schedule 1 classification under the Controlled Substances Act. There is already a bill in Congress to deschedule cannabis, although the Republican leadership has not allowed it to be brought forward for discussion.
http://theleafonline.com/c/business/2017/11/california-calls-on-feds-to-reschedule-cannabis/

CannaRoyalty Extends California Cannabis Operations With Acquisition Of Bhang Vaporizer Manufacturer And Distributor (CA – Cannabis Industry)
New Cannabis Ventures (November 28, 2017) CannaRoyalty Corp. is pleased to announce that it has executed a binding term sheet to acquire Kaya Management Inc. which is the exclusive manufacturer and license holder of rights for Bhang brand vaporizer products in California. The Company has concurrently signed a binding term sheet to acquire Alta Supply Inc., which is a distributor of Bhang vaporizer and Bhang chocolate products, as well as products for over a dozen other well-known third-party cannabis companies throughout California.
https://www.newcannabisventures.com/cannaroyalty-extends-california-cannabis-operations-with-acquisition-of-bhang-vaporizer-manufacturer-and-distributor/

Weed Shops, Lounges, Delivery Services Can Apply For Licenses In Weho Starting In January (CA – Cannabis Licensing)
Los Angeles Curbed (November 27, 2017) The city of West Hollywood will start accepting applications in January from businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs looking to open weed shops, pot delivery services, and smoking lounges, WeHoville reports.
https://la.curbed.com/2017/11/27/16707998/west-hollywood-recreational-marijuana-stores-delivery

California Is Clearing Thousands of Marijuana Convictions From Official Records (CA – Cannabis Convictions)
Civilized (November 28, 2017) One of the most commonly cited arguments for legalizing marijuana is the ridiculous amount of money spent by the government to enforce prohibition. But legalizing cannabis doesn’t make up for the many injustices caused over the past few decades by the War on Drugs. The state of California is trying to fix that.
https://www.civilized.life/articles/california-clearing-marijuana-convictions-official-records/

Company Clears Big Hurdle In Effort To Operate In Costa Mesa’s Medical Marijuana Business District (CA – Medical Cannabis)
The Orange County Register (November 28, 2017) Shepard Investments, Inc., a company that wants to do business in the city’s voter-approved medical marijuana business district, on Monday, Nov. 27 became the first to clear a major hurdle. The Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for Chris Shepard, who wants to open a 7,315-square-foot facility at 3590 Cadillac Ave. that extracts oils from marijuana plants. The permit is one of a host of requirements the business must meet before it can operate legally in Costa Mesa.
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/11/28/company-clears-big-hurdle-in-effort-to-operate-in-costa-mesas-medical-marijuana-business-district/

Veterans Key In Medical Pot Debate (USA – Medical Cannabis)
Lockport Journal (November 27, 2017) It was a telling setting for a decision on whether post-traumatic stress disorder patients could use medical marijuana. Against the backdrop of the nation’s largest Veterans Day parade, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this month he’d sign legislation making New York the latest in a fast-rising tide of states to OK therapeutic pot as a PTSD treatment, though it’s illegal under federal law and doesn’t boast extensive, conclusive medical research.
http://www.lockportjournal.com/news/veterans-key-in-medical-pot-debate/article_c4a13501-4f1f-53b8-a63c-2ccb03c7a6e4.html

Easing of Marijuana Laws Will Still Create More Black Targets (USA – Cannabis Industry)
Atlanta Black Star (November 28, 2017) For African-Americans, the fact that they are disproportionately arrested for low-level marijuana violations is less than surprising. The Black community has long been aware of ongoing disparitiesin American criminal justice when it comes to arrests and sentencing for the same crimes committed by whites.

Easing of Marijuana Laws Will Still Create More Black Targets

Suing For Safe Access: Cannabis Prohibition Is Going On Trial (DC – Medical Cannabis)
Cannabis Now (November 28, 2017) Any lawsuit against the United States government is, by definition, a long shot; the imbalance of power is simply too large — it’s like trying to break the house at the roulette wheel. The odds of success are nearly as long as the inevitable appeal process, but despite the odds, a lawsuit against Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the DEA challenging the Constitutionality of cannabis prohibition is moving forward.
https://cannabisnow.com/suing-safe-access-cannabis-prohibition-going-trial/

Restaurant Serves “Blunts,” Helping Normalize Cannabis Through Food (WA – Cannabis Food)
Ganjapreneur (November 28, 2017) Brotha Dudes is a family-run restaurant located in Bellingham, Washington that offers a unique culinary and social experience. Specifically, they have named many of their menu items after references from cannabis culture, such as the “Dudes Blunt” and the “Cali Spliff.” Sourcing local and wholesome ingredients for their food, they strive to offer a fast, affordable, healthy option for people in downtown Bellingham. While there is no actual cannabis in their recipes, they do have a food truck which they occasionally park outside local dispensaries.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/restaurant-serves-blunts-video/

Poll: New Yorkers Support Adult-Use Legalization, Including GOP Majority (NY – Cannabis Legalization)
Ganjapreneur (November 28, 2017) A new Emerson College-conducted poll commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project of New York and the Drug Policy Alliance has found that 68 percent of New Yorkers support legalizing cannabis for recreational use, compared to just 28 percent opposed – a 2:1 ratio in support for an adult-use cannabis regime in the Empire State.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/poll-new-yorkers-support-adult-use-legalization-including-gop-majority/