CCMA Political greenBrief
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
www.cannabismanufacturers.org
Several Cannabis Companies Are Attempting To Produce A Cannabis Plant That Delivers A Consistent High
“We’re using genetic information to help people do plant breeding and develop new varieties. The goal is not only to reproduce a high, but to be able to control that high. No one ever knows what they’re getting, and it’s a huge problem and it’s making it so the industry doesn’t work very well. Often it’s way too strong. It’s Russian roulette. New customers get burned and don’t come back.”
Mowgli Holmes, Chief Scientific Officer At Phylos Bioscience, On Creating A Predictable, Consistent Cannabis Plant
“Cannabis is one of the most regulated industries in America right now. To be able to start a business, you have to really have a good understanding of what it takes to be compliant in that industry — sometimes it takes lot of money to be able to do that.”
Keegan Peterson, CEO & Founder Of Wurk, On How Tricky Cannabis Regulations Can Be On Small Businesses
Cannabis Regulations Take Small Businesses On Roller Coaster Ride (CA – State Regulations)
Pacific San Diego (December 10, 2018) When recreational cannabis use was legalized to start 2018, the cannabis industry went on a roller coaster ride. It’s been witness to changing government regulations, increased business, and changing customer demographics. It’s not clear how the industry will continue to evolve, but some businesses say barriers to entry are greater despite the industry being dominated by small business and ripe with opportunity.
Proposed Regulations Make Cannabis Deliveries Legal In Areas Where Pot Businesses Are Banned (CA – State Regulations)
Fox 40 (December 8, 2018) California regulators ruled marijuana deliveries can be made across the state, even in areas that ban cannabis businesses. Three California agencies released proposed regulations Friday for the state’s marijuana industry, including deliveries. It’s a move that could face lawsuits. The regulators’ ruling is expected to face legal challenges moving forward so the pot delivery discussion, is likely far from over.
Protesters Rally Against Proposed Marijuana Facility In El Monte (CA – Cannabis Cannabusiness)
San Gabriel Valley Tribune (December 8, 2018) Protesters chanted “recall El Monte mayor,” and “recall City Council members” outside the El Monte High School Auditorium where multiple city officials were being sworn in Saturday afternoon, challenging a proposed marijuana-growing facility. Protesters said they feared the environmental impact of the facility, increased traffic and that it might increase crime in the area. The City Council will consider final approval of the project at a public hearing Dec. 18.
Pot Deliveries: The Impact On Fresno (CA – State Regulations)
Your Central Valley (December 10, 2018) The Bureau of Cannabis Control has ruled marijuana deliveries can be made across the state. That creates a quandary for cities like Fresno where recreational pot is banned. Under the new regulations, marijuana deliveries for medicinal or recreational purposes can be made anywhere and everywhere in California. Even in cities like Fresno, where the sale of recreational pot is not allowed.
https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/pot-deliveries-the-impact-on-fresno/1652045706
Why William Barr, Trump’s AG Pick, Won’t Be A Friend To Marijuana (USA – Cannabis Politics)
The Fresh Toast (December 10, 2018) With cannabis crusader Jeff Sessions tossed out of Washington, Donald Trump will nominate William Barr as his next U.S Attorney General. Those concerned with he progressive nature of marijuana reform in the United States won’t consider it the best course of action. Concerns abound from the cannabis community that if Barr, a well-documented drug warrior, is confirmed he could swoop in and make things worse for the industry than Sessions ever did.
https://thefreshtoast.com/cannabis/why-william-barr-trumps-ag-pick-wont-be-a-friend-to-marijuana/
Anti-Cannabis U.S. Attorney To Hold ‘Marijuana Symposium’ This Week (USA – Cannabis Policy)
Marijuana Moment (December 11, 2018) A federal prosecutor in West Virginia is sponsoring a “marijuana symposium” on Wednesday to talk about the impact of adult-use legalization in Colorado. This week’s symposium promises invited policymakers “[v]aluable information” on the “impact marijuana legalization has had on communities,” featuring guest speakers such as Kevin Sabet, president of the prohibitionist group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, and Mourad Gabriel, who has specialized in research assessing the environmental consequences of illicit grow operations.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/anti-cannabis-u-s-attorney-to-hold-marijuana-symposium-this-week/
Trump Official Wants To ‘Legally Permit’ Medical Marijuana In Federally-Subsidized Housing (USA – Medicinal Cannabis)
Marijuana Moment (December 10, 2018) A Trump administration official said on Sunday that she is working to resolve conflicting federal and state marijuana laws as it applies to residency in federally-subsidized housing. Lynne Patton, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regional official who oversees New York and New Jersey, responded on Twitter to a story about John Flickner, a 78-year-old man who was recently evicted from his Niagara Falls, New York, apartment.
Feds Call For Even More Marijuana Research After Hosting Cannabis Workshop (USA – Cannabis Research)
Marijuana Moment (December 10, 2018) Federally funded research into marijuana seems to be escalating, with one government agency recently posting a roundup of current “cannabinoid-related funding opportunities” for studies investigating the plant’s therapeutic potential. On Saturday, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health shared a list of four research grant opportunities for studies on “natural products” like cannabis.
Big Business Is Cashing In On The Cannabis-Fueled Green Rush (USA – Cannabis Investments)
My San Antonio (December 11, 2018) Like the Gold Rush, the Green Rush got its start in California, but instead of being a flash-in-the-pan industry, green is growing and spreading across the entire country like wildfire, and just getting bigger. There aren’t a tremendous number of industries with growth projections like that, which is why entrepreneurs and big-business leaders are rushing to find their place in the cannabis ecosystem.
Scientists Search For Marijuana’s Holy Grail — Consistent Highs (USA – Cannabis Research)
NBC News (December 11, 2018) A number of companies, some publicly traded, are chasing the goal of growing a predictable plant by hiring decorated scientists, setting up labs and building research greenhouses previously used mainly by so-called Big Agriculture. They’re hoping a product people can rely on will translate to millions of dollars in sales.
Medical Pot Is Next Draw For Scientist Behind Blockbuster Drugs (USA – Cannabis Research)
Bloomberg (December 11, 2018) A medical pioneer whose research breakthrough on inflammation led to the creation of some of the world’s top-selling drugs is embracing medical marijuana. Marc Feldmann, an immunologist who helped discover a class of drugs that includes Humira and Remicade, has co-founded CannBioRex Pharmaceuticals, a Toronto-based company researching the potential medical uses of synthetic cannabis.
Cannabis Rescheduling Recommendations Put On Pause By World Health Organization (World – Cannabis Rescheduling)
420 Intel (December 11, 2018) When Canada decided to legalize recreational cannabis, it sparked a movement for the rest of the world, with more countries eagerly moving toward legalizing medical and recreational cannabis. However, there are still some conservative countries that are making it difficult for this process to take place. The World Health Organization was supposed to make recommendations to the UN’s Commission on Narcotic Drugs about marijuana following a pre-review that took place earlier in the year.
