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Tag: marijuana legalization

  • San Francisco DA Expunges More Than 9,000 Pot Cases

    San Francisco DA Expunges More Than 9,000 Pot Cases

    The move makes San Francisco the first county in California to fully comply with the requirements of the state’s recreational marijuana legalization bill.

    Calling it a “matter of dignity,” San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón announced that he will expunge 9,362 marijuana-related convictions—some dating back to 1975—and reduce felony and misdemeanor charges to misdemeanor and infraction, respectively.

    The expungement is a joint effort between the DA’s office and the nonprofit, Code for America, which uses an algorithm to identify eligible cases.

    The move makes San Francisco the first county in California to fully comply with the requirements of AB 1793, a regulation of Proposition 64—the state’s recreational marijuana legalization bill—which required automation of the charge reduction or expungement process for eligible marijuana convictions.

    Prior to Gascón’s announcement on February 25, the San Francisco Chronicle noted that just 23 people petitioned to have their cases reclassified or expunged. The newspaper cited Gascón’s assessment that the low number was due to the difficulty of the process, which required an attorney and took considerable time and effort to complete.

    But the partnership with Code for America, which was launched in May 2018, offered a chance to automate the process by using a computer-based algorithm dubbed “Clear My Record.” Prior to that, Gascón’s office had identified some 3,000 cases eligible for expungement.

    According to the Associated Press, the program quickly determines eligible cases and then automatically fills out the forms required by the court to process expungement. At Monday’s announcement, Gascón said that the work had been completed ahead of the expected timeframe for completion—which was initially set at a year’s time—and under budget.

    “It’s incumbent that we, as law enforcement leaders, continue to evolve how we advance fairness and public safety in our respective communities,” he said. “I hope that our success with Code for America can act as a catalyst for other leaders looking to engage in similar innovative and out-of-the-box methods to reform and rethink what our criminal justice system looks like.”

    Code for America director Jennifer Pahlka said that her organization was already working with several other district attorneys in California to provide the same service for their marijuana cases. 

    Prosecutors in cities across America have already launched or announced similar expungement efforts, including Baltimore, Seattle and Chicago; New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance announced the vacation of more than 3,000 outstanding warrants for misdemeanor and violation cases involving cannabis consumption and possession in September 2018.

    Expungement and reduction of these charges can allow thousands of individuals to pursue housing, job and educational opportunities that in may cases were not available to them because of their convictions.

    “Even convictions from many years ago can have an impact on people’s lives now, and this will ensure that it doesn’t happen,” said Drug Policy Alliance deputy state director Laura Thomas to High Times. “We hope that other prosecutors around the country follow Gascón’s lead.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • New York Counties Skeptical Of Marijuana Legalization

    New York Counties Skeptical Of Marijuana Legalization

    In the more rural counties upstate, sheriffs and others are concerned about the effect that marijuana legalization will have on road safety.

    As New York state moves forward with plans to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, some counties in the state are expressing skepticism and considering whether to “opt out” of recreational cannabis. 

    If marijuana is legalized in New York, counties may be able to stop marijuana businesses from operating within their boundaries, according to WKBW Buffalo. 

    Chautauqua County in Northwest NY is one of the counties that is wary of marijuana legalization, according to Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello. 

    “It’s irresponsible to legalize recreational marijuana,” he said, adding that the bill being considered by the state does not make the rules around recreational cannabis use clear. 

    Niagara County Legislator Jesse Gooch said that he does not have a strong opinion on marijuana legalization, but he would like to hear from his constituents about their concerns. Because of that, he plans to host community forums to discuss whether Niagara County should opt out of legalization by not allowing marijuana to be bought, grown or sold in the county. 

    “I would like to set up a couple of open forums where we invite the public residents to come in and really just talk it out,” Gooch said. 

    NY Governor Andrew Cuomo expressed opposition to legalization as little as two years ago, but now supports a bill to legalize recreational use for people over 21. He has essentially said that the move is inevitable. 

    “It’s a false choice legalize marijuana or not, because we are there already,” Cuomo said, according to WIVB. 

    Despite that, law enforcement in New York has been against legalization. In the more rural counties upstate, sheriffs and others are concerned about the effect that marijuana legalization will have on road safety, according to Thomas Dougherty, Livingston County Sheriff.

    Dougherty said officers will need to be specially trained to detect whether a driver is operating under the influence of marijuana. 

    “I don’t know many agencies that can afford to have a full force of [drug recognition experts], some of the largest counties have 3 or 4. Again we have major concerns on what will be the fiscal impact,” he said. 

    Dr. Gale Burstein, Erie County Health Commissioner, said that since she has no say in whether marijuana use is legalized, she’s just doing her best to prepare for how that may impact public health in the county. 

    “We know that you can get addicted to marijuana. That’s a known fact, even though people don’t believe that,” she said. “In states where marijuana has been legalized, they’ve seen a much higher incidence of impaired driving and very serious motor vehicle accidents compared to states where marijuana has not been legalized for recreational use.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Pot Legalization Moves Forward In New Hampshire Despite Opposition

    Pot Legalization Moves Forward In New Hampshire Despite Opposition

    High overdose rates in the state has been cited as one of the main reasons opponents are against legalizing cannabis.

    Despite strong opposition in a state reeling from the opioid epidemic, marijuana legalization came closer to New Hampshire on Thursday (Feb. 21), when a bill to legalize cannabis in the state moved forward by just one vote. 

    According to New Hampshire Public Radio, the measure passed the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee by a vote of 10 to 9. It will now be considered by the full House of Representatives, but Governor Chris Sununu, who recently started his second term, has vowed to veto the bill if it gets that far. 

    New Hampshire, known as a popular vacation destination because of its scenic lakes and mountains, has in recent years become known for a more sinister reason: the prevalence of opioid addiction in the state. New Hampshire has one of the highest per-capita overdose rates in the country.

    At the same time, the Granite State has been a holdout in the march toward legalization of recreational marijuana, becoming the last New England state to ban cannabis use. 

    Sununu and others in New Hampshire feel it would be irresponsible to legalize cannabis when the state is fighting what often seems like a losing battle against opioids. According to The New York Times, the governor spoke out strongly against legalization last fall. 

    “When we are dealing with opioids as the single biggest health crisis this state has ever had, you are going to tell me legalizing more drugs is the answer? Absolutely not.”

    Sununu is a Republican, but in New Hampshire there is bipartisan skepticism about marijuana legalization. Both U.S. senators from New Hampshire, Democrats Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, have expressed concerns or actively opposed legalization. 

    Ronald G. Shaiko, a senior fellow studying public policy and social sciences at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, said that residents in the state feel that the government hasn’t responded well to the opioid epidemic, and are wary of adding more drugs into the mix. Because of this, Sununu’s opposition is resonating. 

    “He’s hitting a chord,” Shaiko said. 

    Tym Rourke oversees treatment and addiction programming at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. He said that even if marijuana is only dangerous for some people, that is not a risk that the state can take when hundreds of people are dying from opioid overdoses each year. 

    He said, “For some people, it’s unsafe. And as we are grappling with a high volume of individuals struggling with the consequences of substance misuse, do we really want to create a system that puts another substance more into the marketplace or more into their presence?”

    However, proponents including State Representative Renny Cushing, who is sponsoring the legalization bill, argue that increasing access to marijuana can actually reduce rates of opioid overdose. 

    “What we’ve come to understand is that marijuana in many instances is an exit drug, not a gateway drug,” he said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Michigan Company Sells Books, Gifts Marijuana, In Legal Gray Area

    Michigan Company Sells Books, Gifts Marijuana, In Legal Gray Area

    Blaze Michigan’s book bundles come with a special “edible” gift.

    While marijuana users in Michigan must wait for legal marijuana shops to open their doors, one store has found a clever workaround—gifting marijuana edibles to people who purchase book bundles. 

    Blaze Michigan sells bundles of books, which can be picked up in person or delivered. Consumers purchase the books, and if they are 21 or older they’ll receive a free gift. With bundle names like the Brownie Edible Book Bundle ($65), Full Vape Book Bundle ($90) and Mary Jane Flower Books ($80), it’s easy to guess what the free gift might be. 

    “You’re buying gifts, and then the gift is unknown. We try to hint at what the gift is going to be, by how we name our book bundles,” Blaze Michigan owner Stephanie Swearengin told WSBT 22. 

    The bundles are a big hit, Swearengin said. “Pretty much demand has been hard to keep up with for the most part.”

    Michigan became the first midwestern state to legalize recreational cannabis in 2018, but until shops begin opening in 2020, there are no outlets to legally purchase marijuana.

    Swearengin believes she has found a workaround, as she explained on Blaze Michigan’s website. 

    “We’ve talked to multiple lawyers about the issue and as far as we can tell it’s just a large gray area,” she said. “Just like medical dispensaries. I mean with the state and the federal law, it’s already a gray area. Even though medical marijuana has been legal, they can still get shut down by the feds. So if you ask me it’s all kind of gray.”

    However, Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz was not convinced that Blaze Michigan’s business model is legal. “People engaging in this activity are definitely subjecting themselves to potential prosecution.”

    Despite the semantics, the intent of businesses like Blaze Michigan is clear, Fitz said. 

    “Certainly when you’re gifting marijuana as part of the incentive of a transaction, that can very easily be interpreted that you are doing it for profit,” he said. “It’s wise for people to follow the law. Tread softly and be cautious. The step you make may end up in causing you to be in court resulting in a civil infraction, a misdemeanor, or even a felony conviction.”

    In 2017, a Massachusetts store was shut down for charging an admission free and then distributing free marijuana gifts to consumers. Recreational marijuana had been legalized in the state, but shops that could legally sell pot were not yet open. 

    “He can no longer do business like he’s doing right now—taking a cover at the door, leaving with a gift of marijuana,” the local police chief said at the time. “It’s not legal in the state to do that. He’s not a licensed distributor of marijuana. That’s yet to come.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Kamala Harris Reveals She Smoked Pot In College

    Kamala Harris Reveals She Smoked Pot In College

    Harris discussed her stance on marijuana legalization and revealed a bit about her past use in a recent radio interview.

    Citing her Jamaican roots and past inhalation of pot, Kamala Harris firmly stated her support for the legalization of marijuana on a New York-based radio show, “The Breakfast Club.”

    While the bill S.420 to legalize marijuana was submitted to Congress just last week, the issue of marijuana’s legality is bigger than ever.  Harris, a former California attorney general and 2020 presidential contender, was speaking with the radio show’s co-host Charlamagne Tha God about the social issue of legalizing pot.

    When Charlamagne asked Harris if she’d ever smoked pot, Harris laughed and said yes, she had inhaled from a joint, and now was probably breaking news with the admission.

    Harris’ views on the legalization of marijuana have slowly altered since her vocal opposition in 2010. Five years and many studies and nationwide discussions later, Harris changed her position to one of support for medical use.

    CNN reports that in her interview with “The Breakfast Club,” she intimated support for recreational use of pot, citing “”that it gives a lot of people joy and we need more joy.”

    In Kamala Harris’ book The Truths We Hold: An American Journey, she moves beyond just legalization of the drug and calls for prison reform. “We need to legalize marijuana and regulate it, and we need to expunge nonviolent marijuana-related offenses from the records of millions of people who have been arrested and incarcerated so they can get on with their lives.”

    Answering the radio hosts about her position on the legalization of marijuana and if she opposes it, Harris was clear: “That’s not true. And look I joke about it, half joking—half my family’s from Jamaica, are you kidding me,” Harris laughed along with the radio hosts.

    “No, I do not—no, no,” Harris continued. “I have had concerns, the full record, I have had concerns, which I think—first of all, let me just make this statement very clear, I believe we need to legalize marijuana,” she said. “Now, that being said—and this is not a ‘but,’ it is an ‘and’—and we need to research, which is one of the reasons we need to legalize it. We need to move it on the schedule so that we can research the impact of weed on a developing brain. You know, that part of the brain that develops judgment, actually begins its growth at age 18 through age 24.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • NYC Cracks Down On CBD Edibles

    NYC Cracks Down On CBD Edibles

    Some NYC restaurants that sell CBD-infused foods are having their products “embargoed” by the state’s Department of Health.

    Despite the fact that New York State is moving forward with plans to legalize cannabis, officials in New York City are cracking down on restaurants selling food products laced with cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD. 

    C.J. Holm, the owner of Fat Cat Kitchen in the East Village, recently told The New York Times that health department officials showed up at the restaurant asking questions about products that contained CBD. Fat Cat Kitchen sold brownies, cookies and honey infused with CBD, a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis which many people believe has health benefits.

    The inspectors put the CBD-infused food, worth about $1,000, in a bag labeled “Embargoed,” according to Eater. They left the product with Holm, but couldn’t explain to her why she was not able to sell it. 

    “They couldn’t even intelligently explain to me exactly what the problem was when I spoke to them on the phone,” Holm said. 

    Similar events took place at at least five restaurants around the city. 

    CBD falls into murky legal territory. Although it is legal to buy and sell, it isn’t an approved food additive, the Department of Health said. 

    “Restaurants in New York City are not permitted to add anything to food or drink that is not approved as safe to eat,” a New York City Department of Health spokesperson told The Atlantic. “Until cannabidiol… is deemed safe as a food additive, the department is ordering restaurants not to offer products containing CBD.”

    Holm said that inspectors from the Department of Health have been to Fat Cat Kitchen twice before and never paid much attention to the CBD-infused product, which Holm began selling two months ago. She said that a ban on selling CBD edibles could have a big impact on her business’s bottom line. 

    “My CBD stuff is absolutely the No. 1-selling revenue source in the store.”

    Holm was frustrated by the lack of transparency about the policy. 

    “It just seemed so random and arbitrary to me. And it was really difficult getting answers as to what the exact issue is,” she said. “Now, just out of the blue, they’re just going to randomly embargo restaurants’ products? I just don’t feel like it was done properly.”

    The controversy over CBD edibles is gaining attention in other cities around the country, with Departments of Health arguing that food and drinks containing CBD need to be labeled and regulated.

    “The packaging and labeling requirements aren’t there yet in states that don’t have a cannabis regime,” said California lawyer Griffen Thorne. “If you go buy a CBD beverage and it’s not specially packaged—it just looks like another coffee or whatever—someone might take a sip who doesn’t intend to.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Humorously Named S.420 Bill is Serious About Pot Legalization

    Humorously Named S.420 Bill is Serious About Pot Legalization

    The S.420 bill is the second marijuana-related legislation to have 420 in its name this year.

    Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) submitted the bill S.420 to Congress on Thursday, aiming to legalize marijuana. If it passes, the bill would deschedule marijuana from its restrictions according to the Controlled Substance act, set up a permit structure for marijuana businesses, and tax the new industry’s sales.

    It’s the second bill this year to have 420 in its name, sharing the reference to stoner culture with the bill H.R.420, which seeks to regulate marijuana like alcohol.

    Bills are prefixed depending whether they first arise in the Senate or the House of Representatives, so having two such bills arise from both chambers of Congress might indicate Capitol Hill is changing how it thinks about marijuana.

    The reference is sure to turn heads and crack some smiles, but Sen. Wyden isn’t joking when it comes to legalizing it.

    “S. 420 may get some laughs, but what matters most is that it will get people talking about the serious need to end failed prohibition,” Sen. Wyden wrote in a statement.

    He expanded on his statement on Twitter.

    “The federal prohibition of marijuana is wrong – plain and simple. Too many lives have been wasted and too many economic opportunities have been missed,” Sen. Wyden tweeted. “It’s time for Congress to respect the will of the voters in Oregon and nationwide, who are demanding common-sense drug policies.”

    These statements are nearly a mirror image of the one released by Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), who submitted H.R.420.

    “While the bill number may be a bit tongue in cheek, the issue is very serious. Our federal marijuana laws are outdated, out of touch and have negatively impacted countless lives,” Blumenauer wrote in his press release. “Congress cannot continue to be out of touch with a movement that a growing majority of Americans support. It’s time to end this senseless prohibition.”

    This isn’t the first time the number has been humorously referenced in legislation. California’s 2003 landmark bill to establish statewide medical marijuana regulations was called SB 420. Rhode Island introduced a legalization bill in 2017 called S 420.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Illinois Pain Patients Can Now Swap Opioids For Marijuana

    Illinois Pain Patients Can Now Swap Opioids For Marijuana

    The Opioid Alternative Pilot Program could be a game changer for pain patients in Illinois. 

    Last week, Illinois launched a program that will allow people to get access to legal marijuana to substitute for opioid prescriptions without going through the state’s restrictive medical marijuana program. 

    The Opioid Alternative Pilot Program is said to be the first of its kind. Illinois residents who are 21 or older can get certified from a physician that they have a prescription for opioids, or have a condition that could be treated by opioids. Then, they can access medical marijuana using their state ID. 

    Illinois has a medical marijuana program, but it is very limited and enrolling can be a long, drawn-out process. The Opioid Alternative Pilot Program is meant to bypass delays and help more people deal with pain without opioids, Conny Meuller-Moody, the program’s director, told Rolling Stone.

    “Just halfway through the first day of the launch and we’ve already seen a lot of interest and patients and physicians have successfully registered for the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program. We’re optimistic the program will benefit many Illinois residents and offer them an alternative for managing their pain,” she said. 

    Christine Karhliker, who works at a Chicago-area dispensary, said that patients are excited about the program. 

    “It is a big deal. It’s been a long time coming. Patients have been waiting for this day,” she told Fox 2 News. “I think it’s going to make a difference to the people that don’t want to be on opioids and haven’t been able to break away. It’s going to give them some relief and they’re going to realize I don’t have to have this heavy prescription with all these side effects.”

    Under the program, patients pay $10 to get authorized for 90 days of cannabis use instead of opioid use. They can re-enroll after the initial 90 days, if they would have otherwise received a refill on an opioid prescription. 

    Illinois doctor David Yablonsky said that the medical community is looking forward to the program as well.

    “At least we’ll have an opportunity now as physicians to work with patients to try this instead of these dangerous and potent narcotics, you know opioids,” he said. “I hope it saves lives and that people come in and have a healthy alternative.”

    Sam Dorf, chief growth officer at a Chicago-based marijuana company, said that the program shows that attitudes toward marijuana are changing, particularly in regards to medical use. 

    “With the Opioid Bill, Illinois is at the forefront of recognizing the benefits of cannabis for health and wellness and combatting opioid abuse,” Dorf said. “It will serve as a great pilot program for other states to watch and as they develop their programs.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Marijuana Should Be Rescheduled, World Health Organization Says

    Marijuana Should Be Rescheduled, World Health Organization Says

    The UN authority is joining those who are demanding we take another look at marijuana’s classification.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) says that marijuana has been considered a Schedule IV drug, the Single Convention’s most restrictive category, for far too long. They believe marijuana’s current scheduling goes against science, but are making it clear they are stopping short of allowing legalization.

    The international scheduling of drugs was outlined in the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in 1961, which categorized drugs as most harmful and restricted for medical use in Schedule I to the more relaxed Schedule III.

    Their pattern is consistent with the United States’ scheduling order, up until Schedule IV. Breaking the pattern, the Single Convention defines Schedule IV drugs as an especially dangerous subset of Schedule I drugs requiring special attention and restrictions.

    Currently, marijuana is dual-categorized as Schedule I federally and a Schedule IV drug internationally, which places it on the same level as synthetic opioids.

    The WHO suggests that the marijuana plant and cannabis resins be taken off of Schedule IV, downgrading it to Schedule I internationally. They also want to explicitly state that CBD preparations with a THC content of lower than 0.2% will be considered as “not under international control” in any way.

    They also suggest that cannabis extracts, tinctures, and pharmaceutical THC compounds be taken from Schedule I down to Schedule III.

    Despite all the rescheduling, the WHO is not recommending that any country legalize marijuana, and in fact would consider such a move a violation of some stricter international treaties. However, the move is an admission that most governments have gotten marijuana wrong.

    “The placement of cannabis in the 1961 treaty, in the absence of scientific evidence, was a terrible injustice,” said legalization advocate Michael Krawitz. “Today the World Health Organization has gone a long way towards setting the record straight. It is time for us all to support the World Health Organization’s recommendations and ensure politics don’t trump science.”

    Despite not explicitly advocating for legalization, this may tip the scales in favor of countries that no longer want to enforce marijuana prohibition. Canada and Uruguay, which have decided to legalize marijuana even before the WHO’s announcement, are expected to support the move. More restrictive countries like China and Russia are expected to disapprove.

    The United States’ federal stance remains to be seen. Despite marijuana being legal in some form in more than half of the U.S., some say President Trump’s Attorney General nominee might go either way.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Calls About Pets Ingesting Cannabis Up 700%

    Calls About Pets Ingesting Cannabis Up 700%

    As edibles become more popular, dogs in particular are likely to sniff them out as a tasty treat. 

    More pets than ever are accidentally overdosing on marijuana, with cannabis-related calls to the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center increasing 765% over the past 10 years. 

    That’s no surprise to Tom Shell, a California-based filmmaker who came home one day to find his 13-year-old Australian Shepard, Stella, acting strange and “looking kind of hazy-eyed,” according to Mashable. 

    Shell realized that Stella had sniffed out a pot brownie in his backpack and devoured the whole thing—complete with chocolate and cannabis, neither of which are good for dogs. Shell rushed Stella to the vet feeling like “the worst father in the world.” The vet was able to induce vomiting to get the chocolate out of Stella’s system, but the effects of THC lasted all day. 

    Shell said, “I brought Stella back home, and she was stoned as can be for the rest of the afternoon.”

    The incident made Shell realize that he needs to store his marijuana products—including edibles—more carefully. He was glad that Stella didn’t get into a stash of more potent cannabis gummy bears that he had in the house. 

    “If the dog got into those and ate the whole thing it would have been disastrous,” Shell said. “I’ve taken measures to make sure I’ve got triple protection [around weed] but it’s just one of those things where she’s got really good sniffers and I just wasn’t thinking about it.” 

    The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s Medical Director, Dr. Tina Wismer, said this is a common mistake pet owners make. As edibles become more popular, dogs in particular are likely to sniff them out as a tasty treat. 

    “Dogs, oh my gosh, especially [with] the chocolate-based edibles, the number of those calls has skyrocketed,” Wismer said.

    Last year, the center had 1,800 marijuana-related calls, compared to just 208 in 2008. Whereas dogs tend to ingest edibles, cats are equally interested in marijuana, Wismer said. 

    As cannabis becomes more widely accepted, people are less likely to carefully hide their stash, she said. This means that pets may have easier access to cannabis. In addition, some of the increase in the number of calls is likely because pot use is less stigmatized, so people are more willing to call the center to ask about marijuana-related issues. 

    While cannabis isn’t toxic to dogs, canines are more sensitive to pot than people are. The drug can cause strange side effects, like those Stella experienced. In rare cases, ingesting marijuana can cause a fatal drop in heart rate and blood pressure in a pet. 

    Wismer says that people also call the hotline after giving their pets edibles intended for animals, which can be dangerous because these items are unregulated, she said. 

    “No one’s regulating these products—is there actually some amount of THC in them? Or is it that dogs make different metabolites than people do? Is it just dose related? Unfortunately, no one really knows what the answer is.”

    View the original article at thefix.com