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Sometimes, you want something a little different. When you think about edibles, the first thing that often comes to mind is brownies or gummies – but these days, those options are only a few of so many. With entire gourmet meals being made with cannabis, it’s time to step up your edibles game. 

If you want a sweet treat infused with cannabis, try canna-banana bread. Forget the box mix, banana bread made from scratch with the touch of cannabutter brings a melt in your mouth treat perfect to have with breakfast, as a snack or as a dessert. 

Ingredients: 

½ cup cannabutter (a few good recipes for making cannabutter can be found here and here)

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 ½ cups (3-4 medium sized) overripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

Optional Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon cinnamon 

1 cup chopped walnuts 

Directions: 

*Recipe makes 1 loaf pan, 2 mini loaf pans or about 2 dozen muffins

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 
2. Grease your pan with cannabutter then flour lightly 
3. Beat together cannabutter and sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until thoroughly combined 
4. Add beaten eggs one at a time on low speed until well blended 
5. Add mashed bananas and beat on medium-to-low speed until smooth
6. Sift flour, baking soda, salt and optional cinnamon together in a separate bowl, then add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture while beating on a low speed until blended
7. If using walnuts now is the time to pour them into the mixture and mix thoroughly 
8. Time to bake – if you’re using a loaf pan this will take roughly 70-75 minutes; in two mini loaf pans you should expect 50-60 minutes; in muffin pans it could be as little as 15 minutes for mini muffins and 20-25 for regular sized muffins – a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean when done

Substitutions: 

For those who want to add a bit more flavor to their banana bread, but aren’t fans of cinnamon, try using some pumpkin pie spice, ginger or your favorite spices to the mix! 

You can also try different nuts, like pecans, almonds or macadamia nuts. Or, for an even sweeter bread, add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or blueberries! 

Please Note: 

If you feel like this might be too strong for you based on the amount of cannabutter, then adjust to your own preference and substitute the rest with plain, unsalted stick butter. 

Keep in mind when you’re eating edibles that they will affect you differently and that they can take a little while to kick in. Always test your homemade edibles in small amounts to avoid consuming too much. Enjoy your canna-banana bread!  

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

#KahliBuds #MMJ #CBD #THC

In 2018 Canada took a huge step forward for cannabis reform when they legalized the possession, cultivation and commercial sale of the plant for adults, making them the largest nation in the world to do so. Since then, they have been under the watchful eye of many – like the states in the U.S. that have legalized cannabis – to see how it plays out. After a year and a half, Canada is still defending their decision to the United Nations (UN) Commission on Narcotic Drugs. 

“The illegal market has already lost 30% of its market share, and we have seen no corresponding increase in the overall size of the market,” said Michelle Boudreau, director general for Health Canada’s controlled substances department, according to a written copy of her remarks. “This represents nearly $2 billion in sales that did not go to criminal organizations.”

It’s not surprising that there are still those who are skeptical of legalization. After spending years under the smoke and mirrors created by Reefer Madness and the War on Drugs, it’s impressive that we’ve come as far as we have in the last decade. And Canada wants the world to see the progress they’ve made. 

Prohibitionists might argue that Canada has “only reduced illegal sales by 30%”. However, when you consider that this is only a year and a half into the country legalizing cannabis, that’s a good start. After all, not everyone is going to turn away from buying illegally at first until they decide it’s worth it – whether it be price, quality or ease of purchase. 

More importantly, it was pointed out that there doesn’t appear to be a change in the number of people using cannabis – adults or minors. The truth is that legalization will only make it safer for the people who already use cannabis, and reduce the chances that teens and children are able to access it. From requiring ID at the register to child-resistant packaging, a regulated market is safer and smarter – and Canada is proving that. 

“We have some fundamental issues around the conventions that state parties will need to start looking at,” said INCB President Cornelis P. de Joncheere, according to Marijuana Business Daily. “We have to recognize that the conventions were drawn up 50 and 60 years ago.”

At this point, it doesn’t seem like we’re looking at any sort of immediate change on a global scale. However, lawmakers at the UN International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) have at least admitted that perhaps their policies are a bit outdated. Hopefully, Canada’s progress – as well as that of the states in the U.S. that have legalized – will help provide a framework for how legalization should look everywhere. 

Maybe in the next decade of reform, we could see changes on a larger scale. Until then, those places where cannabis is already legal – or anywhere it becomes legal – will continue to pave the way for the future of legal cannabis.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

#KahliBuds #MMJ #CBD #THC

In recent years, when a state is not prepared to pass legislation that would legalize cannabis, they take what they consider to be the “safer” road  – decriminalization. Virginia lawmakers are now the most recent to consider legalizing cannabis for adult use, only to end up passing a decriminalization bill instead. 

However, this is a huge step forward for a formerly very conservative state. The bill was passed – along with numerous others – at the last minute before the end of the legislative session, sending it off to be signed by Governor Ralph Northam, after which it would go into effect on July 1^st of this year. 

“This means close to 30,000 people a year will no longer be labeled as criminals and no longer will suffer the negative repercussions of a criminal conviction,” said Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, who carried the legislation in the Senate.

Currently, the penalty for possession of half an ounce or less of marijuana in the state of Virginia is 30 days in jail, in addition to a $500 fine. If this bill is signed into law, that fine would be significantly reduced from $500 to only $25 dollars for possession of up to an ounce on the first offense. It would also remove the jail time entirely,  instead giving people a civil citation, or the equivalent of a traffic ticket. 

The bill to decriminalize won support from both the House of Delegates and the Senate with a vote of 56-36 in the House and 27-12 in the Senate. Governor Northam has already endorsed an earlier version of the bill, meaning there is nothing that should stand in the way of this legislation becoming law. 

“This is an enormous victory for Virginians, a super majority of whom have for many years opposed the continued criminalization of marijuana possession,” said Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML, the state chapter of the National Organization for the Reform Marijuana Laws.

Along with decriminalization, the bill also allows both past and future convictions related to small possession to be sealed – and prohibits employers and educational institutes from inquiring about violations. (The exception to this being law enforcement agencies, of course.) A separate bill was also passed that commissions a study of full legalization, suggesting the state is prepared to start working on such legislation but want all their bases covered first 

This was still a positive move for Virginia, which has been run by Republicans and very conservative on legalization efforts in the past years. Hopefully, this is only a first step, and the commissioning of the legalization study will ensure that in the next few years Virginians might still see legal cannabis in their state.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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Activists in Ohio are taking another shot at legalizing marijuana in the state, but this time around they may have a better chance. Medical marijuana is already legal in the state, but many patients are frustrated with the program that was put in place by the legislature – and its lack of access. That alone could be enough to raise sufficient support for full legalization, which would allow thousands more to have access to the plant.

“If you’re a patient in Ohio, it’s hard to participate in Ohio’s medical marijuana program,” said Tom Haren, general counsel and spokesman for the campaign. “We were promised a program that worked.”

The proposed constitutional amendment, which is being called the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Amendment, was submitted to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office this week for review, along with an initial 1,000 signatures. That gives Attorney General David Yost 10 days to certify the ballot language, allowing them to continue collecting signatures in hopes of putting the issue on the November 2020 ballot.  

If passed, the amendment would allow adults 21 and older to legally buy, possess, consume and grow cannabis – within specific limitations, of course. It would also permit adults of legal age to possess up to one ounce of flower and/or 8 grams of concentrate. Adults would also be able to grow up to six plants in their home, but only three could be mature at a time. 

Being allowed to cultivate your own plants at home is something the state does not currently allow for medical marijuana patients. It seems that the Ohio medical marijuana program is too restrictive for most patients, with almost 30 percent of registered patients saying they haven’t bought anything from a state-legal medical marijuana dispensary. Home growing and a less restrictive adult-use market would help eliminate these issues, rather than waiting years for the state to do something about it. 

“Adults should be permitted to responsibly consume marijuana,” Haren said in a press release.

Medical marijuana was legalized in Ohio in 2016, and it took 3 years for sales to finally begin in 2019. And yet, a large percentage of patients can’t get the medicine they need. To get the amendment on the ballot for this year, activists will need to gather roughly 443,000 valid signatures from registered voters by July 1^st. It won’t be an easy task, but if the activists behind the amendment can pull it off, then this ballot initiative stands a fair chance at being approved by voters in November.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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Shortages seem to be an issue in almost every state that legalizes medical or recreational marijuana. Though some states have managed to keep this problem to a minimum, many dispensaries still see shelves run bare in those first few months after legalization begins. Illinois, where the adult-use market has only been up and running since the start of the year, is currently experiencing shortages. The state has seen nearly $40 million in sales since January – but that comes at a cost for some medical marijuana patients who shop at the same dispensaries that sell adult-use cannabis. 

“There’s a statewide shortage of all products, and patients are suffering from that,” medical marijuana patient David Kurfman said. “I hope to transition to growing my own medicine.”

Kurfman, and many other medical marijuana patients in Illinois, are planning to take advantage of another new law, one that allows patients 21 and older to grow up to five plants. That is, if those plants remain in an “enclosed, locked space” that is either within a residential building with sleeping quarters and indoor plumbing, or in a greenhouse or shed on site. However, if you go the greenhouse or shed route, the structure must remain out of public view – and landlords retain the right to ban growing cannabis on their property. 

For those who decide to go ahead and grow for themselves rather than rely on dispensaries to have their medicine in stock consistently, the biggest problem could be getting the seeds to get started. Dispensaries are supposed to supply seeds to patients, but cultivators aren’t growing seeds, so they are hardly ever found for sale. This leaves patients with few options, the easiest of which is buying seeds online – and all of which are federally illegal. 

“The administration is working with various state agencies, cultivators and dispensaries to develop a clear process that will allow the sale of seeds to medicinal users,” Charity Greene, spokeswoman for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration, wrote in an email.

It might take some time before dispensaries in the state are able to keep up with demand – and home growing isn’t an immediate solution. Even patients who start growing today won’t have any usable product for months. In the meantime, they are forced to hope their medicine is available when they need it. The best thing patients can do to ensure they don’t run out of medicine – even if they are turning to growing as a long-term alternative – is to restock their supply before they run out whenever possible.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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Earlier this week, a bill aiming to legalize the commercial cultivation and sale of cannabis in Vermont was passed by the last of several House committees. Yesterday, it was finally considered by the entire House, which voted 90-54 in favor of passing S.54 and bringing the state one step closer to full legalization. 

In 2017, Vermont became the first state to legalize personal cultivation and possession through the legislature. However, they took the slow and steady approach, leaving retail sales out of the picture while they took more time to develop a bill that everyone would be happy enough to approve. 

“What we have now in place isn’t working, and this bill is an important step forward for our state,” said House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington), who noted most of her constituents support the measure.

The main purpose of S.54, which was approved by the Senate near the end of 2019, is to create a legal and regulated market that would provide safe access to reliable, tested cannabis products while ensuring that no one under the age of 21 is allowed to access the plant. The bill creates categories of business licenses as well as a three-member Cannabis Control Board to regulate the market and award licenses. 

Following the timeline set in the bill, legal sales would start as soon as February 2022 for existing medical marijuana dispensaries and July 2022 for new businesses. It would tax the plant at 14 percent, which is higher than the rate originally proposed in the Senate and was one of several amendments made to the bill as it went through House committees. 

As far as utilizing the tax revenue, the bill allocates 30 percent to go to a statewide drug use prevention fund, while another percentage will be set aside to fund after-school programs. This is one of the changes that was made in order to gain the approval of Governor Phil Scott. Another provision included to appease Governor Scott is requiring a saliva test for those who are suspected of driving while under the influence. 

“Vermonters are one step closer to reaping the benefits associated with cannabis regulation,” Matt Simon, New England political director of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), told Marijuana Moment. “The House’s passage of S. 54 is an important step forward, and an overwhelming majority of Vermonters want to see it become law.”

Overall, this bill seems fairly comprehensive for a state where you can only grow your own cannabis or buy it illegally, even though actually possessing it is perfectly legal. However, there are certainly questionable parts of the legislation – like capping THC flower at 30 percent, concentrates at 60 percent and edibles at 50 milligrams. While those numbers still allow for a wide range of products, is putting a cap on the amount of THC really necessary? 

Regardless of the few potential pitfalls with this bill, a retail market is very close to becoming a reality for Vermonters, just over two years after cannabis possession was legalized. However, now that the House has made changes to the bill, both the House and the Senate must compromise and come to an agreement for the bill to be sent to Governor Scott to be signed into law. 

Luckily, it seems like both parties are ready to get something passed. After the final vote from the House, we can hope that hashing out the finer details will be handled quickly.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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From the beginning of his 2016 campaign, President Trump’s stance on cannabis reform has been somewhat unclear – and definitely not overtly supportive. While he said on multiple occasions that it should be a decision left to the states, he has also contradicted this in attempts to block federal protections for state-legal medical marijuana businesses. Some believed that he might change his stance on cannabis reform for his 2020 re-election campaign in order to gain new votes, but it appears that’s far from the truth.

In fact, in the last month, the Trump Administration once again proposed eliminating the rider provision in the budget plan that protects medical marijuana from prosecution by the Department of Justice (DOJ). When signing the 2020 budget bill, Trump specifically noted that he could ignore these provisions, in order to carry out federal law. 

Just as recently, Trump proved that he was one of the many who fell victim to the false information spread by the Reefer Madness and ‘Just Say No’ era when he said marijuana causes an IQ problem. At this point, that specific prohibitionist claim has been debunked; even the National Institute on Drug Abuse determined there is no “causal relationship” between cannabis use and IQ loss.

“I think the president is looking at this from a standpoint of a parent—a parent of a young person—to make sure we keep our kids away from drugs,” Marc Lotter, director of strategic communications for the Trump 2020 effort, said in an interview with Las Vegas CBS affiliate KLAS-TV. “They need to be kept illegal. That is the federal policy.”

These new comments and the talk of reversing some of the only legislation that protects states’ rights to legalize cannabis are very contradictory to how the President originally allowed us to perceive his views on cannabis in 2016. At the time, he was vocally in support of states’ rights and the STATES Act, which would prohibit federal interference with state-legal cannabis.

“Trump’s remarks simply reveal that he is out of touch, given that the majority of Americans support marijuana legalization for both medical and adult use,” Sheila Vakharia of the Drug Policy Alliance said. “This type of rhetoric is fear-mongering and inflammatory.”

Since states began legalizing medical marijuana in the 90s, issues surrounding cannabis have been murky at best. And in one presidency, a lot of the progress toward federal change has been reversed. From appointing the anti-cannabis Jeff Sessions as Attorney General to rescinding the Cole Memo in 2018 and his attempts to remove protections that have been in place since 2001 from a budget bill, it doesn’t seem likely the Trump Administration’s stance on cannabis will change if he manages to get re-elected in November.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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A Pennsylvania Representative is taking a second shot at legalizing marijuana through the state legislature, with the hope that this time around they have addressed any issues that were of concern in previous legalization attempts. House Bill 2050 was introduced this week by Representative Jake Wheatley, with the goal of not only legalizing marijuana, but also establishing a structure for the commercial industry and tax rates for legal cannabis in the state. 

“We open up the opportunity for smaller entrepreneurs to get into that market,” Wheatley said. “We believe the full answer is to have a regulated legal market for adult use and we believe the time has certainly come, and passed, really, for us to engage in a conversation here in the Capitol for this critical topic.” ​

By offering lower initial application and permitting fees, the idea is that more people would have the opportunity to enter the market. The bill creates a permitting structure that would license growers, processors and dispensaries. There would be a 10 percent tax on business-to-business (B2B) transactions unless growers and processors are partnered with an existing Pennsylvania farm. 

In addition to the 10 percent B2B tax, consumers would also see an excise tax starting at 6 percent and increasing to 12 percent after two years. It would cap at 19 percent four years after legal sales begin. This tax revenue is expected to not only fund the regulation of the new industry, but also be used for services like after-school programs, student loan reimbursement and affordable housing. 

“With one bill, we can accomplish a great deal here in Pennsylvania,” Wheatley said in a statement. “Undo the damage that’s been caused for over 40 years by an overzealous criminal justice system intent on criminalizing people for minor drug offenses and create a comprehensive marketplace to legally sell cannabis to adults.

Like many legalization bills that are being considered across the country – such as the one that made cannabis legal in Illinois – this legislation also aims to help clear people of their past cannabis convictions. The Cannabis Clean Slate initiative included in the bill would expunge all marijuana-related offenses from the records of non-violent drug offenders. 

According to a Franklin and Marshall poll from 2019, 59 percent of Pennsylvania residents are in support of lawmakers legalizing cannabis. With the support of voters in the state, it is only the personal opinions of legislators that will stand in the way of this bill becoming a reality. 

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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The cannabis industry deals with a number of restrictions and red tape that other businesses never even have to consider. Advertising is one of the many areas where cannabis companies see more pushback than any other industry; even the alcohol and tobacco industries seem to have more leeway in terms of advertising, in many instances. 

In Colorado, cannabis businesses are unable to use TV, radio or billboard advertising unless they can be certain that most of the audience seeing the advertisement is 21 or older. This is on top of the numerous issues faced when using social media and digital advertising – due to Facebook, Google and other companies shutting down ads for state-legal marijuana due to federal and international laws and restrictions. 

To combat this issue, Colorado cannabis companies have taken a unique approach to getting their names out there. There are currently 51 cannabis dispensaries, cultivators, manufacturers and edible producers that are sponsoring highways through the Clean Colorado program. 

The program is officially run through the Colorado Department of Transportation, and sponsoring a highway pays for the clean up for that stretch of roadway. In return, the companies get their logo placed on a sign, often near the exit where the business is located.  

“They’re a different kind of signage on the side of the road,” Harsha Gangadharbatla, associate professor of advertising, public relations, and media design at University of Colorado Butler, told the Post. “They tend to stick out a little bit more than billboards. Consumers do pay a little bit more attention to anything that’s novel or different from the formats they’re used to.”

Cannabis businesses make up a total of 66 percent of highways that are actively sponsored in the program and span a total of 198 miles throughout the state. Next to the cannabis industry, other big sponsors include ad agencies, pest control, plumbing and real estate – all of which only make up an additional 13 percent in comparison. 

While many are looking at this purely as a workaround for a lack of means to advertise, those businesses that are sponsoring the highways see it as mutually beneficial. Nearly 200 miles of highway are being cleaned thanks to the newly legal industry – and they get a little extra exposure for their company or business as well. 

In the future, billboards featuring cannabis companies in Colorado might be more prominent. A 2019 law legalized outdoor advertising in this form if it remains 500 feet from any schools, places of worship or playgrounds. However, they will still be subject to any local restrictions and regulations. 

Laws governing the Clean Colorado program and their signs thanking those sponsoring clean highways remain in another section of the state law. Overall, this appears to be a positive form of advertising for the cannabis industry that can benefit everyone. 

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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It has been about four years since voters in Arkansas legalized medical marijuana, and just over half of the state-approved dispensaries are open for business. It took some time for things to get to the point of approving dispensaries in the first place, with licenses finally being issued in January 2019. Since then, it seems it has been one issue after another that keeps preventing these businesses from opening for sales – in particular, the strict building requirements.

“This building met all of the requirements, and the most important thing which helped speed up the process was that it was already standing. So we just made renovations to it,” said Holley Stuart, general manager of Greenlight Dispensary.

Some dispensaries have had to start from scratch. Others, like Greenlight Dispensary – which was the first to open their doors to patients – only needed to make renovations to an existing structure. Since Greenlight opened their doors, a little over half (17 of 32) of the other approved dispensaries have opened. The most recent of those is Harvest House Cannabis and Natural Relief Dispensary.

“Literally every square foot of that dispensary will be under surveillance,” said Scott Hardin with the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission. “Every facility has a vault. They’re making sure that everything works and they’re checking once, twice, three, four times.”

Even with only 15 dispensaries open until recently, the state has already sold almost 6,000 pounds of medical marijuana and have brought in a total of $38.09 million since May, according to the Department of Finance and Administration. This is just the beginning for Arkansas, which has approved 32 out of the 33 licenses they plan to issue, with the constitutional amendment passed by voters allowing for up to a maximum of 40 shops throughout the state. 

Most of the remaining businesses say they should be open for business by the middle of 2020. But, these same businesses also said they would be ready to open before the end of 2019. The Medical Marijuana Commission continues to get excuses for shops not being prepared to begin sales to patients – and are now saying that poor progress now might impact a business’ likelihood of having their license reinstated in June when they expire. 

It seems as though even state officials are beginning to become frustrated on behalf of the nearly 40,000 patients that are looking for more variety and more convenient dispensary locations. Perhaps the potential threat of not having a license renewed is something that will force the remaining 15 approved dispensaries to do what needs to be done to open their doors and start serving patients. 

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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Nearly eight years after Colorado voters legalized recreational cannabis, there are still some who want to see the state in the world of prohibition. A proposal for a ballot initiative that aims to repeal the part of the state constitution that says that cannabis “should be legal for persons twenty-one years of age or older and taxed in a manner similar to alcohol” was submitted to state officials in January. The proposal doesn’t appear to be worrying too many people in Colorado – but, it shows that there are some folks who truly don’t see all the positive changes that came with legalizing cannabis. 

“We view this initiative as a deeply misguided and futile attempt to roll back a successful legalization policy that Coloradans firmly support,” Matthew Schweich, deputy director of Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), told Marijuana Moment. “This initiative would kill jobs, destroy businesses, deprive the state of tax revenue, and restore the injustice of prohibition.”

The initiative doesn’t attempt to make changes to the state’s medical marijuana laws or the laws regarding industrial hemp. In fact, it barely attempts to end recreational cannabis in the state. The entire proposed amendment is four sentences long and requires significant revising before it is even approved by the state to collect signatures. 

The Office of Legislative Legal Services issued a memo stating that the group needed to provide the actual proposed constitutional or statutory changes the initiative would make. And it would only change the state constitution; the laws regarding retail stores are separate state statutes and would technically remain in place. 

Even if the wording was revised and approved, the group would need to obtain 124,362 signatures from registered voters to be placed on the ballot and then a majority to vote in favor. Considering a number of recent polls show continued growth in support of legalization – with nearly 67 percent of Americans supporting cannabis law reform – it doesn’t seem likely this proposal will get very far. 

“We are confident that Colorado voters would firmly reject it,” Schweich added. “But we will not be complacent. If this initiative qualifies for the ballot, the marijuana reform movement will make sure that there is a strong and well-funded campaign to defeat it.”

A 2016 poll commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project found that only 36 percent of Colorado voters supported reversing legalization in the state, which is not nearly enough to pass this proposal. The chances that this initiative would even make it to the ballot are pretty unlikely, but that doesn’t mean that those in the cannabis industry and activists who worked hard to see legalization become a reality in Colorado aren’t ready for that fight if it came down to it.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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In recent years, the landscape of support for marijuana legalization has dramatically changed. However, Kentucky is one of those more conservative states where the plant remains illegal, even for medicinal purposes. But, according to the recent 2019 Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP), in the last decade the state is seeing growing support in favor of legalization. For the first time, more than half of Kentuckians who were polled said they support any use of marijuana; almost everyone who participated in the survey said they supported the medicinal use of cannabis, and just under half supported recreational use. 

“The shift in public opinion around marijuana policy is notable from KHIP 2012 to KHIP 2019,” Chubinski said.  “However, it’s important to note that the policy landscape around marijuana has shifted considerably during that timeframe as well.

According to the results of the poll, 9 out of 10 people said they support medical marijuana use – which is up from almost 8 in 10 people back in 2012. More significantly, support for general marijuana use has risen from 38 percent in 2012 to a majority 59 percent in 2019, while support for recreational use has risen from 26 percent to 49 percent. 

“Democrats were more likely than Republicans or independents to favor legalization under any circumstances or for recreational purposes,” said Jennifer Chubinski, Interact’s vice president of research and evaluation, in a statement.

The poll was conducted by the University of Cincinnati’s Institute for Policy Research and it surveyed 1,559 adults in Kentucky. The report was sponsored by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Interact for Health, and it came shortly after the 2019 Health Policy Conference, which had focused on the impact that reforming marijuana laws has on the general public. 

The health conference cited the usual concerns from prohibitionists and conservatives – increased potency of the plant, uncertainty on how to ensure accurate dosage, preventing youth from using the plant, intoxicated driving and risk of accidental poisonings, among other things. As it stands now, reported teen use in Kentucky is down from 29 percent in 1997 to 16 percent in 2019. And it’s worth noting that according to the poll, 40 percent of Kentucky adults have a friend or family member who uses cannabis regularly – legal or not. 

However, while officials may be concerned over all the usual things, other states have successfully implemented both medicinal and recreational legalization and citizens of the state clearly think Kentucky could as well. Whether or not lawmakers will take the opinion of their constituents into consideration and work to reform the laws surrounding cannabis in the state is something only time will tell. But, one thing is for certain, and that is the people of the state of Kentucky are ready to see it happen. 

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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In 2018, voters in Missouri made it clear that they wanted access to medical marijuana. But, a year and a half later, they don’t quite have their program up and running yet. Following the timeline provided, the state moved forward with issuing medical marijuana identification cards for registered patients – but the state’s 192 dispensaries that have been approved are still months away from opening. This has left nearly 30,000 patients without a way to access their medicine legally – but that won’t stand in the way of their right to possess it. 

“If individuals are in possession of marijuana and possess a valid and legal prescription we will uphold their constitutional rights and they will not be arrested,” writes department spokeswoman Tracy Panus. “We will not arrest individuals based upon the assumption the marijuana was obtained illegally.”

Though there is no way for patients to legally obtain their medical marijuana – as even purchasing it from a state that allows out-of-state ID cards still means crossing state lines with the product – patients are not going to be penalized if they are found in possession of marijuana. 

This was very clearly spelled out in a recent letter written by Lyndall Franker, who is the Department of Health and Senior Services Director of Medical Marijuana. The January 28th letter was released in the hopes of clearing up any confusion surrounding the issue, at the request of law enforcement and legislators alike. 

The letter by Franker reads as follows: “It is the opinion of DHSS that, pursuant to Article XIV, individuals who hold a valid medical marijuana identification card are currently authorized to possess and use medical marijuana, and the lack of a mechanism by which those individuals may legally come into possession of medical marijuana does not change their right to possess it.”

In the letter, Franker also claims that this situation was “inevitable” with the schedule provided by the state constitution to get things up and running. He made a point to mention that it takes months to cultivate, test and process medical marijuana for it to be ready for sale – citing this as the main reason behind the delay in getting products to patients. 

In the meantime, until products are available for patients to purchase in Missouri, registered patients don’t have to fear being arrested if they’ve been obtaining their medicine elsewhere. However, that doesn’t mean patients in the state are immune to arrest for illegal sale or federal charges for trafficking if they are bringing their cannabis in from another state, which is something else MMJ patients need to keep in mind. The good news is that a few months from now, this should no longer be an issue for Missourians hoping to find relief with medical cannabis.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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The United States Department of Justice isn’t supposed to be wasting tax dollars prosecuting marijuana crimes that are otherwise legal under state laws. However, it seems that even now if they feel a business operator has stepped out of bounds in some way, they will swoop in and remind us all that federal law is above any law passed by individual state governments. Michigan dispensary owner Danny Trevino (of Lansing) has finally reached sentencing for the charges he faced for the operation of his Hydroworld shops in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Flint and Mount Pleasant – and the judge gave him a total of 15 years and 8 months in federal prison. 

“States are changing marijuana laws across the country, certainly that’s true, but federal law has not changed,” U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney said.

Trevino was convicted of 10 felony charges, including conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess marijuana and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Throughout the trial, he was not allowed to use the Michigan state marijuana laws as a defense against the federal charges – though he maintains that he was operating within state law. 

While he was arrested in 2014 in Grand Rapids for delivery or manufacturing of marijuana and maintaining a drug house, the charges were dropped a month later. Later, he fought the forfeiture of funds seized by the police. He eventually won that battle, and his money was returned by the state. His businesses saw 16 raids between 2010 and 2016, but each time he was able to provide the state with both store records and tax records. Even with the state’s cloudy medical marijuana regulations at the time, it appears he attempted to remain compliant with those laws. 

Considering the fact that he was cleared of charges at the state level, you would think the federal government would step back. Instead, Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel McGraw says that Trevino knew he was acting illegally under federal law and basically, that’s all that matters. 

This is a case that didn’t need to be seen by a judge as there are far more important things that the court system needs to worry about. The state didn’t take the time to seek a conviction, and the Department of Justice had no need to step in and get involved. However, this is certainly a reminder that even for state-legal businesses, there remains some risk from federal interference if you don’t comply with state law in every single aspect. 

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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Alaska was one of the first four states to legalize cannabis for adult-use – and now, it is the first to have state-approved consumption spaces within their dispensaries. The idea of on-site consumption is one that lawmakers around the country have been toying with, but Alaska was the first to say they would do it, and it looks like that time has finally arrived. It took years – even after regulations for such spaces were passed – to get to this point. But, the Marijuana Control Board voted 3-2 in favor, and Cannabis Corner near Ketchikan and GoodSinse in Fairbanks are the first to receive approval. 

“I don’t see it being something that starts proliferating heavily. But it’s definitely something that should exist, and there should be options for social consumption, particularly because public consumption is still illegal,” Morgan Fox, a spokesman for the National Cannabis Industry Association, said Friday.

Requirements for the consumption spaces including being separated from the rest of the property – in the form of a secure door, separate ventilation system, or by being outdoors. People will not be able to bring their own cannabis – it will need to be purchased from the dispensary on-site prior to consumption. It also requires smoke-free areas for employees, where they will be able to monitor consumption. 

While there are other places, like Denver, where a local social use initiative was passed, these are the first state-approved consumption spaces within a dispensary. The expectations as far as what these spaces would look like are anything from a living room style area to something more like a brewery, with TVs for watching sports. Cannabis Corner is aiming for a February launch of the addition to their dispensary, and GoodSinse expects to be open by summer, or potentially sooner.

“This is historic in my mind,” Daniel Peters, a co-owner of GoodSinse, said in an interview, adding that they hope to be open by summer. “This is a really big milestone … when you’re trying to bring normalcy to something in a new industry.”

Most of the business is expected to be local, but Ayme Zantura, co-owner of Cannabis Corner, has already talked with some cruise lines that are interested in bringing their vacationers inland to their shop. Tourism is a primary reason that it is so important that Alaska took this step forward – and that other states soon follow their lead. People that travel to states with a legal cannabis industry and who wish to enjoy some legal bud are currently unable because of the lack of places to smoke legally. On-site consumption spaces are an effective solution to this industry problem.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

#KahliBuds #MMJ #CBD #THC

Now that a few states have legalized recreational cannabis through legislature, more and more are considering this path to legal cannabis. In New Mexico, various pieces of legislation have been considered in the past, but never very seriously. Then last year, Governor Lujan Grisham appointed the Cannabis Legalization Working Group, a task force assigned to study potential legalization for the state. Thanks to the work of the task force, House Bill 160 was introduced and is the product of public meetings and 200 pages of comments from citizens of the state – and it has the governor’s full support. 

“The Legislature has the opportunity to pass the largest job-creation program in New Mexico in a decade,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham in a press release. “Skeptics have been right to preach study and patience. I agree with their caution- and that’s why we haven’t’ been rushed into this issue. But if we are clear-eyed about the risks, we have to be clear-eyed about the opportunity.”

The proposed bill would require all cannabis products to be tested, ensuring that they are free of contaminants. Products would need to be clearly labeled with their THC content. The bill would also require that advertisements are not targeted toward youth in any way and would require investment in law enforcement training for identifying impaired driving of all kinds. It would create an initiative for the dismissal of cases involving cannabis-related crimes. 

The legislation also calls for a 20 percent tax rate. The proposed tax rate is lower than many other states, but the intention is to encourage buyers to purchase their cannabis products legally with the intention of eliminating the black market. 

HB 160 exempts residents who are already participants in the medical marijuana program from paying taxes on all cannabis products. It would necessitate growers to serve the medical marijuana market before the recreational market to ensure that patients who rely on cannabis as medicine are kept a priority. 

It is expected that passing the bill and legalizing cannabis would create 11,000 new jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, regulation and retail, according to reports from the New Mexico governor’s office. An independent analyst also estimated the new industry would generate $620 million in sales by the fifth year. 

“Let’s get it done this year and give New Mexicans yet another reason, yet another opportunity to stay here and work and build a fulfilling 21st-century career,” Gov. Grisham said. 

While Governor Grisham is clearly set on seeing cannabis reform legislation, there might be only a slim chance it gets the attention it deserves in the current session. Not only is it a short 30-day session, but legislators have already said they intend to focus on the budget this time around. On the other hand, perhaps public support will push lawmakers into considering this bill sooner rather than later. 

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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It sometimes seems that lawmakers will never give up on their quest to trample all over the will of voters by doing what they can to keep cannabis sales as restricted as possible. In 2012, Washington became the second state to legalize cannabis for adult-use, paving the way for other states to follow their lead. Yet here we are, six years later, and legislators in Washington are attempting to pass a bill that would restrict cannabis products to 10 percent THC or less – when the average strain typically surpasses that amount. 

The “logic” behind HB 2546 is to reduce high THC products like concentrates, citing a study that suggests a connection between cannabis and psychosis. While that study may end up being something that merits closer examination, it is certainly not a reason to immediately cut production of almost half the cannabis products sold in the state. After six years, Washington has a thriving legal market and a dwindling black market – but that would likely change if lawmakers imposed a 10 percent THC cap. 

“There may well be rationale for eliminating some portion of the riskiest products on the market if there’s evidence to support that, but doing that with 40% off the products would make very little sense,” Beletsky said. “If 40% of the market is toward these products and then you ban them, you’d definitely be creating a push towards the black market.”

Considering the problems that have arisen from black market products in the last year – including deaths related to black market vape cartridges – now is not the time to push people back toward illegal dealers. The legislation’s chosen 10 percent cut-off seems based on a single study where the researchers used 10 percent as their marker for “high-potency” cannabis, but anyone who knows the plant can tell you that’s not a very strong strain. Not only would the bill eliminate a number of strains from being available in the state, it would almost entirely remove concentrates from availability. 

“We’re trying to preserve the chemistry that’s in the flower and just make a concentration of it,” Luebke said. “To cater to the [new 10% THC] legal demand, we would have to be making an inferior product, essentially, and going away from the method we’ve developed, that our customers love.”

Since 2012, there has been a handful of other states that have also legalized recreational cannabis, and one would think that would be enough to show lawmakers they are doing the right thing. Why push people back toward an illegal market and away from contributing to state revenue and job security for thousands? Only time will tell if lawmakers in Washington realize this bill is far more harmful than helpful.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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Earlier this week, Florida lawmakers introduced legislation that would provide protections to medical marijuana patients when it comes to drug testing in the workforce. These protections won’t be passed soon enough to help Mike Hickman, a former U.S. Marine, save his job at Belleview High School. Hickman had been working as the Student Services Manager for the school and obtained his master’s degree in the hopes of becoming an assistant principal. After testing positive for cannabinoids, the school board made the decision to let him go. 

This all started at the beginning of November 2019, when Hickman injured his shoulder while breaking up a student fight. Naturally, he went to the district’s workers’ compensation doctor, where drug testing is a part of the requirements. After testing positive for cannabis, the Superintendent of Schools Heidi Maier recommended he be fired for breaking the zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy. 

Hickman, a marine during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the 90s, is a licensed medical marijuana user in the state of Florida. He consumes cannabis as recommended by his doctor to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – and because of it, he has now lost his job.

“To alleviate the effects of PTSD, (Hickman) was prescribed medical marijuana by a licensed physician in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida,” the veteran’s attorney Mark Herdman wrote, explaining that his “use of the legally prescribed medication had no effect on his ability to perform his job duties and responsibilities.”

There will still be a hearing, which will likely be heard by an administrative law judge to allow an impartial opinion. However, even after the hearing, the judge’s recommendation to the board will be taken into consideration, but the board will make the final decision. 

“I have no job,” said Hickman, adding that his plan was to retire with a decent pension earned during military service and his time with the district. “I can no longer work in the School District.”

It’s these sorts of situations that the newly introduced state legislation is expected to prevent. If there were proper guidelines on how to handle positive drug screenings when the employee is legally medicating with cannabis, this might not have happened. Since Hickman only medicated at home, when he wasn’t working, it should have had no effect on his employment situation – and no one would’ve known if he hadn’t gotten hurt at his job while ending a student fight. Hopefully, state lawmakers will consider this situation and ensure that the proposed protections are passed this year. 

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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With more and more states legalizing cannabis, many run into the issue of how to handle employment drug testing. Overall, many areas – especially those where cannabis is legal for adult-use – have decided to leave the plant off of their drug screens, or at least ensure a positive test for marijuana doesn’t adversely affect employees. Since Florida legalized medical marijuana in 2016, the number of people using medical marijuana has significantly increased – meaning many people in the workforce are medical marijuana users. 

A few lawmakers in the state have decided that it is time to make it clear where marijuana should and shouldn’t be allowed to negatively impact patients in pre-employment or post-employment drug screening. Senator Lori Berman filed HB 595 in the state senate while Representative Tina Polsky filed SB 962 – both of which aim to protect workers from losing their jobs, or being denied jobs, over legal medical marijuana use. 

“We must do our part to ensure that their use of safe and effective medicine will not impede their right to work,” Berman stated in a press release regarding the Medical Marijuana Employee Protection Act.

Both pieces of legislation would require employers provide a written notice within five days of a positive test result for THC, providing applicants or employees a chance to explain their results. In most cases, if the individual is licensed to use medical marijuana there will be no further action taken. There would be an exception, allowing employers to continue a “zero-tolerance” policy for “safety-sensitive” positions. 

Safety-sensitive is defined as “tasks or duties of a job which the employer reasonably believes could affect the safety and health of the employee performing the tasks for duties.” 

“We think these bills are a vital and great first step, we do think there is going to have to be a fair amount of robust discussion about how to fully flesh it out and hope that the Republican leadership in both chambers will realize the importance of these bills and give them a priority.”

It’s good to see lawmakers in Florida working to protect medical marijuana patients, rather than fight against them as they did throughout the implementation of Amendment 2. The hope is that these bills will be passed quickly and legislators will provide a clear set of guidelines for when and where medical marijuana patients are able to test positive for THC without it negatively impacting their employment.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife

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In September 2019, cannabis activists in South Dakota started circulating two separate petitions – one to legalize medical marijuana and one to legalize recreational marijuana. While the state’s governor vetoed a hemp bill and Republican lawmakers encouraged people not to sign the petitions, activists didn’t give up and submitted far more than the needed number of signatures to get on the ballot. This is yet another sign of the clear truth that Americans are tired of the failed war on drugs, especially the prohibition of cannabis. 

“South Dakota will become the first state in American history to vote on both medical marijuana and adult-use legalization initiatives on the same ballot,” Matthew Schweich, deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project, told Marijuana Moment.

Both initiatives are being backed by two national advocacy groups, the Marijuana Policy Project and New Approach PAC, so their success thus far shouldn’t be too surprising. The proposed ballot initiative to legalize medical cannabis is a statutory measure, which only required 16,961 signatures. The group behind the measure surpassed that number. The recreational marijuana initiative, on the other hand, is being proposed as a constitutional amendment and required at least 33,921 signatures, which was still surpassed by more than 3,000 signatures. 

 “The adult-use legalization initiative will greatly benefit the people of South Dakota by ending the injustice of arresting otherwise law-abiding adults for marijuana offenses. It will focus law enforcement resources on fighting serious crime, generate new tax revenue for the state, and create jobs.”

If the recreational cannabis initiative is passed by voters, it would legalize the possession and sale of cannabis – taxing it at 15 percent to cover costs, public education and contribute to the state’s general fund. It would also require the legislature to pass bills providing access to medical marijuana for patients who need it and allow the sale of hemp by April 1, 2022. However, if both initiatives pass, there would be no need for the state legislature to pass bills to allow medical marijuana access, as the initiative specific to medical cannabis would outline how that program would move forward in the state. 

Not only is South Dakota the first state to get to vote on medical and recreational marijuana simultaneously, but they have a good shot at being the first to pass both at the same time as well. Exceeding their needed signatures was a great start for both campaigns. But, with the strong pushback from politicians, they will need to work hard to encourage voters to go to the polls and show their support in November to make legal cannabis a reality for their state.

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Julia Granowicz, KahliBuds, 420GrowLife