CCMA Greenbrief August 9: Federal Workers To See Protections For Medicinal Cannabis Use…CA Testing Labs Brace For Impact As More Recalls Roll In…Medicinal Cannabis For Pets Bill Advances To CA Senate Floor…

CCMA Political greenBrief

Thursday, August 9, 2018

www.cannabismanufacturers.org

Congressmen Charlie Crist (D-FL) and Drew Ferguson (R-GA) Want Workers Rights For Private Use Of Medicinal Cannabis With New House Bill 

“We’re definitely going through some growing pains as an industry, but the general thrust that labs don’t agree in testing I think is missing the point. I think, by and large, people are getting it right.”
Jeff Gray, CEO Of Santa Cruz Based SC Labs, On Cannabis Testing In CA
“American workers are reaping the benefits of our growing economy, but some workers are finding themselves caught between federal and state laws governing medical marijuana use. No one should face unemployment for choosing to pursue private legal medical treatment.”
U.S. Representative Drew Feruson (R-GA) On The Fairness In Federal Drug Testing Under States Law Act 

After High-Profile Recalls In California, Marijuana Lab Testing Labs Brace For More Scrutiny (CA – Cannabis Products)

Marijuana.com (August 6, 2018) Cannabis product recalls are becoming a serious matter after a string of notable incidents in July and August 2108, all of which could lead to unwanted scrutiny over product safety protocols at testing labs. The Bloom Brand announced a recall July 25, 2018, of a manufactured batch of cannabis products from certain California retailers for containing the pesticide myclobutanil that does not comply with the Bureau of Cannabis Control’s (BCC) standards. The company voluntarily recalled four products sold between July 1 and July 19, 2018, containing Batch Number B-180504. Product names included in the recall are BloomVape 0.5 g, BloomVape 1 g, BloomOne Disposable 300 mg and BloomDrop 800 mg.

https://www.marijuana.com/news/2018/08/after-high-profile-recalls-in-california-marijuana-lab-testing-labs-brace-for-more-scrutiny/

 

Bad For Business: California’s Testing Delays Are Holding Up Cannabis Product Sales (CA – Regulation)

Civilized (August 7, 2018) As part of its new laws legalizing recreational marijuana, California also instituted mandatory testing of cannabis products. But now those mandatory tests are becoming somewhat problematic. Cannabis businesses in California are complaining about a major backlog for marijuana product testing. Under new state laws, all cannabis products, from flower to edibles to oils, must undergo testing to make sure it’s safe and not violating any regulations. However, considering how many cannabis businesses there are in California, and how relatively few testing labs there are, there’s a giant backlog in products.

https://www.civilized.life/articles/california-backlog-cannabis-testing/

 

California Insurance Regulators Approve Three New Cannabis Insurers (CA – Cannabis Industry)

Lexology (August 6, 2018) The California Department of Insurance recently approved three new insurance carriers to provide coverage for the emerging cannabis industry. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced last week that The North River Insurance Company, United States Fire Insurance Company, and White Pine Insurance Company will all begin offering surety bonds for cannabis businesses by the end of the month. As we have previously covered on this blog, California approved last fall the first admitted insurance coverage specifically targeting cannabis businesses.

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=417a4a5f-a19c-4b17-bdfb-ef130d9b17d4

 

California: Medical Cannabis For Pets Bill Passed By Assembly, Advances In Senate (CA – Cannabis Legislation)

The Joint Blog (August 7, 2018) California Assembly Bill 2215 would expand “the intent of the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) to control and regulate cannabis and cannabis products for medicinal use on pets.” The bill would define “cannabis products” to include products intended for medicinal use on a pet. The bill wouldn’t allow a veterinarian to administer medical cannabis, “but allow a veterinarian to discuss the use of cannabis on an animal for medicinal purposes without being disciplined or denied, revoked or suspended by the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB). ”

https://thejointblog.com/california-medical-cannabis-for-pets-bill-passed-by-assembly-advances-in-senate/

 

California Marijuana Notebook: More Industry Shrinkage May Be On The Way (CA – Cannabis Industry)

Marijuana Business Daily (August 7, 2018) Anyone who’s actively involved in the California marijuana space can tell you the one overriding theme of 2018 thus far has been confusion. There are far more questions than answers at nearly every level of the supply chain – from growers to retailers to ancillary businesses and everyone in between. One of the major regulatory issues that will hit every licensed company in the California supply chain will be when the state’s Metrc traceability program is implemented.

https://mjbizdaily.com/california-marijuana-notebook-be-prepared-for-more-potential-industry-shrinkage/

 

Marijuana Stock Daily: How California Overplayed Their Hand In The Cannabis Market (CA – Cannabis Investment)

Pot Network (August 9, 2018) The North American Marijuana Index rose again on Wednesday, with pot stocks gaining on both sides of the North American border despite news of more tax woes out of California. According to reports, California’s burdensome regulatory system is forcing more than half of cannabis consumers back to the black market, costing the state more than three-quarters of its predicted revenue from the cannabis trade. The Index rose 2.41 points, or 1.07 percent, to end the day at 228.10.

https://www.potnetwork.com/news/marijuana-stock-daily-how-california-overplayed-their-hand-cannabis-market

 

California Marijuana And Wildfire: Here’s The Latest (CA – Cannabis Cultivation)

Leafly (August 8, 2018) Pray for rain. Fueled by heavy timber in steep canyons, 18 wildfires have now burned a combined 600,000 acres of California, with the biggest ripping through cannabis country, torching cherished homes, budding gardens, packed drying rooms, and ways of life. The fire season could run until the first heavy rains in December. The Golden State grows an estimated five times the amount of cannabis it consumes. It’s the country’s number one domestic producer of the plant, at 13.5 million pounds per year, state economists estimate. So local supplies—and thus prices—should not be affected.

https://www.leafly.com/news/industry/california-marijuana-and-wildfire-heres-the-latest

 

EDITORIAL: Sacramento Has An Equity Problem. Cannabis Can Help Fix It (CA – Cannabis Industry)

The Sacramento Bee (August 9, 2018) Los Angeles has a program. So do San Francisco and Oakland. But not Sacramento. For months, members of the City Council — many of whom love to brag about being trend-setters in cannabis policy — have been dragging their feet on a program that would make the city’s rapidly growing ecosystem of cultivators and dispensaries a lot more equitable. On Thursday, council members have another chance to change that.

https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article216325810.html

 

Legislation For Employment Protections For Federal Workers Who Consume Marijuana (USA – Workers Protection)

NORML (August 9, 2018) The Fairness in Federal Drug Testing Under State Laws Act (HR 6589) is bipartisan legislation that would explicitly bar federal agencies from discriminating against workers solely because of their status as a cannabis consumer, or due to testing positive for marijuana use on a workplace drug test. Enacted in 1986, the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Program made it a condition for employment that all civilian employees at executive branch agencies be prohibited from using federally illegal substances on or off duty. Medical marijuana is currently legal in 31 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam, and 46 states have some form of medical marijuana law; however, it remains illegal under federal law.

http://norml.org/action-center/item/legislation-for-employment-protections-for-federal-workers-who-consume-marijuana

 

Charlie Crist Goes To Bat For Veterans Using Medical Marijuana Who Apply For Federal Jobs (USA – Medicinal Cannabis)

Sunshine State News (August 9, 2018) With a recent poll from the American Legion showing one in five veterans uses marijuana for medicinal purposes, U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., wants to ensure they can still apply for executive branch jobs in the federal government. This week, Crist and U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga., showcased the “Fairness in Federal Drug Testing Under State Laws Act” which the freshman Florida Democrat showcased at an event in Largo.

http://sunshinestatenews.com/story/charlie-crist-goes-bat-veterans-using-medical-marijuana-who-apply-federal-jobs

 

Anti-Marijuana Funder Says Jailing Of Grandmother For Medical Cannabis No ‘Big Deal’ (USA – Cannabis Conviction)

Marijuana Moment (August 7, 2018) A retired art professor who donated more than $1.4 million in a failed effort to defeat marijuana legalization has come to the defense of Michigan police who arrested and jailed an 80-year-old grandmother for marijuana possession. Julie Schauer’s political contributions to anti-legalization group SAM Action in 2016 were that organization’s main source of funding (and also led to fines from the California Fair Political Practices Commission, after the prohibitionist campaign committee failed to properly report her involvement).

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/anti-marijuana-funder-says-jailing-of-grandmother-for-medical-cannabis-no-big-deal/

 

The Drug Maker Behind The First FDA-Approved Medication Derived From Marijuana Has Revealed How Much It’ll Cost (USA – Pharmaceuticals)

Business Insider (August 8, 2018) A marijuana-derived drug that recently became the first of its kind to win federal approval is not going to be cheap. Called Epidiolex, the drug is designed to treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy using a cannabis compound called cannabidiol (or CBD). On a call with investors this week, British-based GW Pharmaceuticals, who makes the drug, said it would cost roughly $32,500 per year. The medication does not contain THC, the well-known psychoactive component of marijuana responsible for the drug’s characteristic high.

https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-first-fda-approved-marijuana-medication-epidiolex-2018-8

 

Direct-To-Consumer Access Is Important For Wine And Cannabis, Survey Shows (USA – Cannabis Sales)

Forbes (August 9, 2018) According to BW 166 LLC, a market research firm that provides insight into and analysis of the overall beverage alcohol trade, at $3.3 billion in wine sales the value of the U.S. domestic wine industry was unchanged from June 2017-2018 (California represents at least 90% of the U.S. wine industry). Another part of the analysis showed Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) sales over the same period at $132 million, a 12% increase .

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomaspellechia/2018/08/09/direct-to-consumer-access-is-important-for-wine-and-cannabis-survey-shows/#4b0156667e4e