Political greenBrief
Thursday, October 26, 2017“In a brief filed late Monday in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, DOJ lawyers acknowledged that the department “was not authorized to spend money on the prosecution of the defendants after December of 2014 because the defendants strictly complied with the Washington state medical marijuana laws.”
The Huffington Post‘s Matt Ferner, Who Broke The Story About DOJ Errors
“We developed this website to explain the changes that will take effect after Jan. 1, it also provides details about the permit application process for those interested in starting a marijuana business. This website will help individuals understand the guidelines and rules established for this new industry.”
Cannabis Website Development Services Director Robert Vacchi
Pacific Grove To Examine Future Cannabis Regulation In Wednesday Workshop (CA – Cannabis Regulations)
Monterey Herald (October 24, 2017) City officials on Wednesday will hold a cannabis workshop to further address how Pacific Grove will move forward with the dispensing, growing and distribution of marijuana in light of recent state legislation approving the adult use of the drug. The workshop, which will be presented by Cannabis Compliance Director David McPherson of the consulting firm HdL Co., will take place inside Pacific Grove’s City Hall at noon.
http://www.montereyherald.com/government-and-politics/20171024/pacific-grove-to-examine-future-cannabis-regulation-in-wednesday-workshop
Cannabis Industry Rallies to Overcome Unique Legal Barriers to Recovery From Northern California Fires (CA – Cannabis Industry)
Entrepreneur (October 25, 2017) The cannabis industry has an unusual conundrum–its collective empathy and generosity extends beyond its ability to provide it. Take the recent, catastrophic fires in Northern California as an example. Industry losses are mounting and the ability for the cannabis community to rally together is strong but has limitations.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/303389
Santa Cruz Board of Supes Approves Recreational Marijuana Sales (CA – Recreational Cannabis)
Santa Cruz Patch (October 25, 2017) The Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the recreational sale of marijuana in the county effective Jan. 1, 2018, according to a county spokesman. The approval of an amended ordinance makes the county one of the first in California to draft regulations related to its recreational use and sale after the passage of Proposition 64 last year, which approved recreational marijuana use for adults in the state.
https://patch.com/california/santacruz/santa-cruz-board-supes-approves-recreational-marijuana-sales
Cannabis Consultant Dani Burkhart To Challenge Supervisor Virginia Bass In Fourth District (CA – Cannabis Industry)
Lost Coast Outpost (October 24, 2017) Weed industry activist/consultant Dani Burkhart is getting ready to launch her campaign for Humboldt County supervisor, challenging two-time incumbent Virginia Bass in the Fourth District. This afternoon she released an announcement video (below) and unveiled her campaign website, dani4supervisor.com.
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2017/oct/24/cannabis-consultant-dani-burkhart-challenge-superv/
Call It Cannabis, Please (CA – Cannabis Industry)
The Bay City Beacon (October 24, 2017) Last month, I travelled to Los Angeles to speak on a diversity panel at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo, the same conference Roger Stone had been ousted as keynote speaker for his racist, tone-deaf commentary. The discussion focused on the work my fellow panelists have done and are currently doing to include communities of color in the cannabis industry.
https://www.thebaycitybeacon.com/politics/call-it-cannabis-please/article_c6412526-b90f-11e7-97bd-bf39de53bb7c.html
New Website Details San Diego’s Recreational Marijuana Guidelines (CA – Cannabis Guidelines)
Fox 5 (October 24, 2017) A website that went online Tuesday provides the city of San Diego’s guidelines and details about permitting for the new recreational marijuana industry. The page — sandiego.gov/marijuanainfo — focuses on the cultivation, testing, sales and delivery of marijuana products. Earlier this year, the City Council voted in favor of expanding existing medical marijuana consumer cooperatives to include recreational use, following state voter approval of Proposition 64 last year. The ballot measure legalized the recreational use of marijuana statewide.
New website details San Diego’s recreational marijuana guidelines
$375 Million In Cannabis Seized By Siskiyou In 2017 (CA – Cannabis Industry)
Herald and News (October 25, 2017) The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has reported seizing more than $375 million in illegal cannabis so far this year, with additional marijuana raids expected this week. In a news release Monday, the sheriff’s office said 27,072 cannabis plants and 12,570 pounds of processed marijuana have been seized during 2017 by the Siskiyou Interagency Marijuana Investigation Team (SIMIT).
https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/million-in-cannabis-seized-by-siskiyou-in/article_6488da22-0f72-57ba-8038-680327791146.html
DOJ Admits Serious Errors In Kettle Falls Five Prosecution (DC – Cannabis Industry)
The Fresh Toast (October 24, 2017) From the very beginning, the 2012 arrest and 2015 prosecution of five small-time Washington medical marijuana growers seemed especially egregious. Then the Department of Justice admitted it essentially broke the law when prosecuting the case. In an extraordinary admission, the DOJ agreed with defense lawyers that the Kettle Falls Five (named after the region they in eastern Washington) had obeyed state marijuana laws and that the federal government overreached in its attempt to prosecute them.
https://thefreshtoast.com/cannabis/doj-admits-error-in-kettle-falls-five-prosecution/
Cannabis Sales In Washington Reach $1B So Far In 2017 (WA – Cannabis Sales)
Ganjapreneur (October 24, 2017) According to new figures by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, cannabis sales in the state have reached more than $1 billion this year, bringing in more than $300 million in excise taxes. The data represents sales through September. Monthly sales in the state have reached more than $130 million.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/cannabis-sales-in-washington-reach-1b-so-far-in-2017/
Michigan Relocates & Adds New MMJ Education Session Due To Strong Interest (MI – Cannabis Education)
Ganjapreneur (October 24, 2017) The interest in Michigan’s state-sponsored medical cannabis industry educational sessions has been so great that regulators are moving one class to a larger venue and a sixth session has been added. According to a Detroit Free Press report, nearly 2,000 people have pre-registered for classes so far.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/michigan-relocates-adds-new-mmj-education-session-due-to-strong-interest/
University Of Florida Receives NIDA Grant To Explore MMJ Effects On HIV Patients (FL – Cannabis Industry)
Ganjapreneur (October 24, 2017) The National Institute on Drug Abuse has awarded a $3.2 million grant to the University of Florida to study the effects of medical cannabis for individuals suffering from HIV symptoms, according to a WTLV report. The study will be led by Dr. Robert Cook, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at the UF College of Public Health and health professions at UF College of Medicine.
University of Florida Receives NIDA Grant to Explore MMJ Effects on HIV Patients
