Cannabis News

cybrguy

Putin is a War Criminal
Oh. Ok, while you are doing that we are gonna pass some state laws and get access to some good cannabis as quickly as we can as effectively as we can so that we don't need to keep looking behind us or worry if there is a knock at the door.
I'm all in on the grand plan, but in the mean time I need some of natures finest to get me through my life intact. See ya at the meeting...
 

hans solo

Left coast Canada
We’re going to fail in our goal to free the weed if we stay tangled up in the notion that current ‘efforts’ will end up amounting to actual legality. What we’re seeing is a massive transfer of an illegal industry into the hands of quasi-legal industry (the line between legal and illegal business has blurred to invisibility).

The only way communities of color will get a piece of the action this way is as fronts for the usual suspects, much like was seen in the early days of setting aside for ‘minority-owned businesses’.

We don’t need to ‘reform’ or replace cannabis laws, we don’t need *different* cannabis laws - we need to strike them from the books: we know this is bullshit, *they* know this is bullshit, we need to find a way to turn the screw that matters, demand common-sense removal of bullshit cannabis taxes and restrictions at every level.

We need to demand more, and better. We need to critique the debate, not fit into it. We need to be ready to smash stupid and disproved notions, not explain endlessly in hopes of persuasion. We need to harangue and harass our ‘representatives’ until they start representing us. The anti-cannabis forces have never been shy in their approach to public debate, public policy, and public accountability: its time to be just as annoying and aggressive in communicating with legislatures as anti-abortion activists. If this is important, then we need to ACT like this is IMPORTANT.

We don’t need to bitch at our friends about the stupids, we need to confront them.

The anti-cannabis forces top five financial contributors as I have read are:
Big alcohol
Big Pharma
Big tobacco
Prison corporations
Prison unions
All of which have the most to lose if the status of cannabis changed.

Maybe the solution is as simple or as complicated as electing a forward thinking president.
 

C No Ego

Well-Known Member
The anti-cannabis forces top five financial contributors as I have read are:
Big alcohol
Big Pharma
Big tobacco
Prison corporations
Prison unions
All of which have the most to lose if the status of cannabis changed.

Maybe the solution is as simple or as complicated as electing a forward thinking president.
don't forget Big Piss - those mandatory piss tests that invade every persons privacy.. Big piss has a lot to lose if cannabis is not tested for at every Job ETC....
 

His_Highness

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
Things are moving in the right direction. Some feel it's moving in slow motion and some feel like things are picking up speed.

Florida is a red state filled with migrated boomers and IMO boomers have a high number of representatives who know, need and want cannabis. We have large numbers and control a good bit of the economy. Since we hit "that age and point in our lives where shit hurts" cannabis isn't just for fun anymore and we're not playing around.

Two years ago I was less than impressed with how things were progressing. Tomorrow we'll be going to the dispensary to pick up some carts, drops and herb.

If a deep red state like Florida is capable of these kind of gains it's just a matter of time. On the other hand, if you're not happy with the rate of progress where you are....come on down!

@C No Ego - There may be some pissed off piss test folks in the wake of legalization but I doubt it's significant..... there's still plenty of other "more important" things for them to look for.
 

CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
Legal states deal with more companies requiring drug tests and police looking for more impaired cannabis users on the highway. Before legal state we could have open medical cannabis farmers markets now everything is so over regulated and everything is packaged. No more cannabis farmers markets for us in WA state. You cant smell it before you buy either, I miss the large jars of bud sitting on the shelves at the dispensaries.

I do like making sure products are safer to use. I like the legal oils - they have come a long way. Prices are lower here but I think that’s temporary.
 

ClearBlueLou

unbearably light in the being....
Oh. Ok, while you are doing that we are gonna pass some state laws and get access to some good cannabis as quickly as we can as effectively as we can so that we don't need to keep looking behind us or worry if there is a knock at the door.
I'm all in on the grand plan, but in the mean time I need some of natures finest to get me through my life intact. See ya at the meeting...
As long as scheduling remains for cannabis, state laws are going to be all over the map, but they will all share one characteristic: they’re going to increase costs and the scope of regulation, and most likely reduce quality, as Big Weed settles in. Piecemeal through the individual states dilutes the political power of cannabis users and activists.

Sorry to seem like I’m lecturing: I’ve had no smoke THIS YEAR...I’m no longer content to “hope” things don’t get worse. And sure, I could move to another, ‘better’ state, but at my age that’s an expensive and difficult proposition.

See you at the meeting

The anti-cannabis forces top five financial contributors as I have read are:
Big alcohol
Big Pharma
Big tobacco
Prison corporations
Prison unions
All of which have the most to lose if the status of cannabis changed.

Maybe the solution is as simple or as complicated as electing a forward thinking president.
It *could* be that easy: by law, no extra legislation is needed to ADD a substance to the schedules - the president can do it, the DEA can do it. It may be that REMOVING a substance is equally streamlined, but I honestly doubt it.

I’d add prison unions to POLICE unions: LEOs as a group are strongly opposed to cannabis deregulation.

don't forget Big Piss - those mandatory piss tests that invade every persons privacy.. Big piss has a lot to lose if cannabis is not tested for at every Job ETC....
Like Kevlar vest manufacturers, Turner and his piss-test monkeys are part of the LEO bloc

Things are moving in the right direction. Some feel it's moving in slow motion and some feel like things are picking up speed.

Florida is a red state filled with migrated boomers and IMO boomers have a high number of representatives who know, need and want cannabis. We have large numbers and control a good bit of the economy. Since we hit "that age and point in our lives where shit hurts" cannabis isn't just for fun anymore and we're not playing around.

Two years ago I was less than impressed with how things were progressing. Tomorrow we'll be going to the dispensary to pick up some carts, drops and herb.

If a deep red state like Florida is capable of these kind of gains it's just a matter of time. On the other hand, if you're not happy with the rate of progress where you are....come on down!

@C No Ego - There may be some pissed off piss test folks in the wake of legalization but I doubt it's significant..... there's still plenty of other "more important" things for them to look for.
I’m already in the deep-red south...congratulations on getting some accommodation - I hope it lasts!

Legal states deal with more companies requiring drug tests and police looking for more impaired cannabis users on the highway. Before legal state we could have open medical cannabis farmers markets now everything is so over regulated and everything is packaged. No more cannabis farmers markets for us in WA state. You cant smell it before you buy either, I miss the large jars of bud sitting on the shelves at the dispensaries.

I do like making sure products are safer to use. I like the legal oils - they have come a long way. Prices are lower here but I think that’s temporary.
What’s happened in Washington is a shame, and it could happen in any “legal” state - it’s happened/happening in Canada, even
 

cybrguy

Putin is a War Criminal
As long as scheduling remains for cannabis, state laws are going to be all over the map, but they will all share one characteristic: they’re going to increase costs and the scope of regulation, and most likely reduce quality, as Big Weed settles in. Piecemeal through the individual states dilutes the political power of cannabis users and activists.

Sorry to seem like I’m lecturing: I’ve had no smoke THIS YEAR...I’m no longer content to “hope” things don’t get worse. And sure, I could move to another, ‘better’ state, but at my age that’s an expensive and difficult proposition.
I completely understand where you are coming from and I even completely agree that starting at the bottom and moving up is NOT the best way to go, and the only REAL SOLUTION to the issues with cannabis availability in the US is to take it off schedule 1 and allow the industry to grow naturally and openly with no government anvil holding it down or political motives controlling and manipulating it. I will push as hard as I can to get this and will join any organization I can with this goal in mind. But until we get this I still need to get my cannabis, and, temporary and incomplete as they may be, encouraging states to go ahead on their own legalization efforts seems to work pretty well in many places. If I hadn't had a decent black market where I live I might have been forced to move some place more forward thinking, but that would have been a huge burden for me and I'm glad it wasn't necessary. And now it appears that my state is on the cusp of legalizing on it's own and I am VERY much in favor of that even if it is not the grand solution. It will be a lot easier to watch the excruciatingly slow federal progress from a legal state, but it will NOT reduce my interest in or demand for getting the federal government out of the path of progress. COMPLETELY out, btw, not influencing cannabis production or distribution IN ANY WAY. An overseeing Fed could be among the worst of possible steps toward legalization.
 

cybrguy

Putin is a War Criminal
OMG. This is really happening. And this is an interesting model...

Illinois marijuana legalization bill would allow possession up to 30 grams, 5 plants grown at home

Robert McCoppin and Jennifer Smith Richards
Chicago Tribune

A proposed law to legalize recreational use of marijuana in Illinois would allow possession of up to 30 grams of the plant for residents 21 and over, a $20 million low-interest loan program to promote “social equity” in business ownership, and expungement of misdemeanor and Class 4 felony marijuana convictions.

At the heart of the measure is ensuring that communities that have been disproportionately affected by enforcement of lower-level drug crimes would be able to benefit from the legal pot business in Illinois, said Gov. J.B. Pritzker and lawmakers who worked on the measure at an announcement Saturday morning.

“Illinois is going to have the most equity-centric law in the nation,” Pritzker said at the Black United Fund of Illinois on Chicago’s South Side.

The governor and lawmakers touted a central social justice provision of their proposal: Expunging what they estimate would be 800,000 low-level drug convictions. Revenue from Illinois’ marijuana industry would be reinvested in communities that lawmakers said have been “devastated” by the nation’s war on drugs.

Majoring in marijuana: Colleges ramp up training for weed industry jobs as demand for pot grows »

Under the proposed rules, no new large-scale commercial growers would be permitted to set up shop here, at least for now. Instead, the focus would be on small “craft” growers, with an emphasis on helping people of color become entrepreneurs in the weed industry. In addition, adults would be allowed to grow up to five plants per household, in a locked room out of public view, with the permission of the landowner.

“We have to ensure it’s not a small group of people getting very rich,” said Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, one of the measure’s sponsors. “We want to make a lot of new business leaders in the state through this process.”

Municipalities could ban retail stores within their boundaries within the first year of the program. After that, any ban would have to come through a voter referendum.

According to a summary from Pritzker’s office, permit fees would be $100,000 for growers and $30,000 for retailers, with lower fees for applicants from minority areas disproportionately affected by convictions in the war on drugs. There would also be a business development fee of 5 percent of total sales or $500,000, whichever is less, for cultivators, and up to $200,000 for dispensaries, with lower fees for “social equity applicants.”

Cultivators and processors would pay 7 percent of gross sales to dispensaries, while consumers would pay a 10 percent sales tax on products with less than 35 percent THC, the component that gets users high; 20 percent for all cannabis-infused products, such as edibles; and 25 percent sales tax on products with more than 35 percent THC, such as for concentrated extracts known as shatter and wax.

Opponents of legal marijuana in Illinois: 'This is not a done deal' »

Municipalities may add an extra 3 percent sales tax as well, with counties tacking on another .5 percent in incorporated areas, and 3.5 percent in unincorporated areas.

Of the tax revenue generated, 35 percent will go to the state General Fund, 25 percent for community reinvestment, 20 percent for mental health and substance abuse treatment, 10 percent for the state’s unpaid bills, 8 percent for law enforcement training grants, and 2 percent for public drug education.

Those who treat substance abuse warned of an increase in addiction if marijuana use is made legal.

Aaron Weiner, director of addiction services at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health in Naperville, emphasized his concerns about the lack of limits on THC concentration, that advertising will be allowed, that marijuana shops can be 1,000 feet from schools, and that concentrates and extracts can be sold.

“This is a bill to generate money for the marijuana industry,” he said. “We have other, more responsible options for drug policy — our state deserves better.”

A group that opposes legalization said the bill would usher in an “addiction-for-profit industry” that it said will have “devastating impacts on citizens.” Smart Approaches to Marijuana supports efforts to slow down on legalization.

“Marijuana is not inevitable,” Kevin Sabet, the president and founder of SAM, said in a written statement.

Proponents on Saturday said that what makes the bill stand out is people of color were at the center of the measure’s negotiations, where they hadn’t been before.

“It’s only fair,” said Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights.

The governor would appoint a cannabis regulation oversight officer who would recommend changes to the law and rules, and would coordinate regulation among the departments of agriculture, revenue, financial and professional regulation, state police, public health, commerce and economic opportunity, and human services.

Advertising would be prohibited near schools, playgrounds, public transit and public property, and any advertising meant to appeal to minors would be banned, lawmakers said.

Packaging would be sealed and labeled, child-resistant, and required to state that cannabis “can impair cognition and may be habit forming,” and should not be used by pregnant or breast-feeding women. It would be illegal to resell marijuana, and to take it out of state, since it remains illegal under federal law.

Full Tribune coverage: Marijuana in Illinois »

Hutchinson spoke directly to those opposed to legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in the state, specifically those who advocate for slowing down the process. The legalization bill she and other lawmakers have led the charge on not only addresses the logistics of the weed business here, but does so under the umbrella of social justice reform.

“Every month that goes by, there are some who can’t get a lease, can’t get a loan, and can’t get a job” because of low-level marijuana convictions, she said. “Every sentence is a life sentence.”

As they spoke, leaders were surrounded by advocates from civil rights groups and anti-violence workers. Minor criminal convictions related to drugs are directly tied to violence, they said, and legalizing marijuana could make a difference.

“When you are marked, you can’t get a job,” said Rodney “Hot Rod” Phillips, an anti-violence outreach worker in Englewood for Communities Partnering 4 Peace. “That leads to despair.”

The state’s current medical marijuana program would remain the same, lawmakers said, and dispensaries would be required to make sure enough supply is set aside for medical use.
 

cybrguy

Putin is a War Criminal
Lets see if we can avoid the perfect being the enemy of the good. At this point this appears to be one of the more liberal state programs out there, and given that we started with one of the most restrictive medical programs in the country I think this program design looks great. They are at least making an effort to include damaged communities and make sure that Big Cannabis is NOT taking the only seat at the table, which is way better than most other states have done. We don't know how this will finally pan out but I think they are making a great effort to think this through before putting it in place. Way better than I expected from Illinois. And, btw, it appears that those high buy ins are for the major players, not the "craft industry" players they seem to want to include. We have to see the final bill of course but even 30K for a storefront retailer is not ridiculously high tho it may be painful for some players.
And, while I am NOT a grower, from what I have read 5 plants should produce plenty of yield for one person if successfully and competently grown. Maybe more than plenty with good skills. They don't want to shoot themselves in the foot and have untaxed individuals supplying the market. While that might be nice for us as users, a big part of what makes this possible is an opportunity for state revenue, particularly here in Illinois. I would love for the motivation to be "doing the right thing" but I don't think anyone is expecting that. They ARE talking about expunging criminal records for some 800K people too, so it isn't ALL about the money.
 

CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
This is all we need. One more unregulated product from China.

Green gold: how China quietly grew into a cannabis superpower
A farmer in Sunwu county, Heilongjiang province, harvests a crop of cannabis plants. Photo: Sunwu .... The writing is on the wall: westernised Chinese traditional medicine is coming to a dispensary near


China Is Blaming Canada For Its Cannabis Problem But Is Producing 50% Of The World's Supply

Jul 30, 2018 · China's pressure to curb illegal Canadian cannabis imports underscores the country's power in the growing market. And with China producing over 50% of cannabis globally, the United States
 
Last edited:

ClearBlueLou

unbearably light in the being....
I appreciate the points you raise, @cybrguy - I have no idea what it’s like to live in a state even as far along as Illinois; I very likely would be eagerly awaiting the outcomes of things if I were there. My apologies, I have let my own thoughts interfere with my listening. I have no interest in sabotaging any efforts to improve a local situation, nor do I want to take the wind out of others’ sails.
 

ClearBlueLou

unbearably light in the being....
Pritzker unveils cannabis legalization bill

Saturday, May 4, 2019

**CBS 2…

Governor JB Pritzker and key lawmakers announced a bill Saturday that would allow adults over the age of 21 to legally purchase cannabis from licensed dispensaries in Illinois on January 1, 2020.

According to the Governor’s Office, the measure will be introduced Monday as an amendment to Senate Bill 7.

“Years of work by stakeholders across Illinois means that today we are putting forward a framework for the General Assembly to move forward this session to legalize adult use cannabis, and we welcome additional feedback and insight during this debate,” Pritzker said.

The full press release*is here. A detailed summary*is here. The actual legislative language*is here.

* A few press release*quotes…

“This legislation puts social justice first by acknowledging the damages to overpoliced communities during prohibition,” said Senator Toi Hutchinson. “The expungement program is the most ambitious and comprehensive in the nation, creating a mechanism for erasing hundreds of thousands of offenses. It creates investment in the overpoliced communities through the ROC [Restoring Our Communities] program, and it creates a low-interest loan program as well as a social equity applicant status, so that communities of color can reap the benefits of legalization.” * […]
*
“For decades, our cannabis laws have been unfairly applied against minorities, distorting the populations in our jails and prisons,” said Representative Celina Villanueva. “And as a practical matter, cannabis prohibition has been just as ineffective, inefficient and problematic as alcohol prohibition was. It is time to bring a measure of fairness to our laws, revenue to our state to fund important programs, and justice to our communities. This bill will help us get there.” […]

“The Illinois State Police will be a responsible partner in enforcing the law and ensuring any and all provisions of adult use legislation are strictly and efficiently complied with,” said the ISP*Acting Director*Brendan Kelly. “We are committed to ensuring the safety of the residents of Illinois.”*

* Press release*meat…

Promoting Equity

Gov. Pritzker is committed to adopting the most equitable system in the country, and this measure proposes several first-in-the-nation ideas to achieve a more equitable outcome for diverse communities.

$20 Million Low Interest Loan Program
The bill establishes a $20 million low interest loan program through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for qualified applicants to help defray the start-up costs associated with entering the licensed cannabis industry. The loan program will be paid for with existing funds from the current medical cannabis program, along with fees from licenses for existing dispensaries and cultivators that are approved in the first round of applications.

Social Equity Applicants
The framework establishes licenses for “social equity applicants,” who will receive points during the application scoring process. Eligibility criteria for social equity applicants includes a number of factors, such as majority ownership by residents of disproportionately impacted communities, majority ownership by those who have arrests or convictions eligible for expungement and those who have a majority of employees who have been disproportionately impacted.

During the licensing process, “social equity applicants” will receive 25 points out of the 200 points. Bonus points will be awarded for several categories, including for Illinois-based applicants and applicants with a labor peace agreement.

Limitations on Ownership
In order to foster more diverse ownership, the framework proposes ownership restrictions to prevent the consolidation of ownership in a small group and allow a more business owners to participate in this new market. Among the requirements: no person or entity can hold an interest in more than three cultivation centers or in more than 10 dispensing organizations.

Licenses will also be approved in waves, beginning with current medical cannabis license holders, followed by additional licenses being granted in 2020 and 2021. This timeline also ensures that new entrants into the market can develop successful applications.

Restoring Our Communities Grants
The proposal creates a new grant, Restoring Our Communities, which will receive 25 percent of the revenue that comes from the sale of adult use cannabis. A 22-member board would oversee grant distribution to communities across the state that have suffered the most from discriminatory drug policies.

Expungement

The governor is committed to expunging criminal histories of minor violations of the Cannabis Control Act. The legislation establishes a process for automatic expungement that includes review from relevant law enforcement agencies, including State Police and States Attorney offices.

The automatic expungement process does not apply to individuals whose charges were accompanied by other charges. The attached summary includes a full description of the charges eligible for automatic expungement, along with the detailed process.

Once all vetting has occurred, the law requires that the conviction must be expunged.

Personal Use Parameters

Adults under 21 are prohibited from consuming cannabis, and cannabis cannot be consumed in any place where smoking is prohibited under the Smoke Free Illinois Act. Employers can discipline an employee or terminate employment if the employer’s employment policies or workplace drug policy is violated. Employers can adopt reasonable policies concerning drug testing, smoking, consumption, storage or use of cannabis in the workplace.

Possession limit for Illinois residents:

* 30 grams of cannabis flower
* 5 grams of cannabis concentrate
* 500 milligrams of THS contained in a cannabis-infused product, or
* >30 grams of raw cannabis grown by an eligible resident

Possession limit for non-Illinois residents:

* 15 grams of cannabis flower
* 2.5 grams of cannabis concentrate
* 250 milligrams of THS contained in a cannabis-infused product

Home Grow
The measure allows Illinois households to grow up to five cannabis plants if the grower is an adult 21 or older, is in a household that owns the residence, receives permission from the landlord, keeps the cannabis in a separately locked room to keep the cannabis away from members of the household who are under 21 and is not grown in public view.

Taxation and Costs

At the point of sale, products will be taxed at various rates, depending on the amount of THC. The cannabis purchaser excise tax is proposed at the following levels:

* 10% of the purchase price – cannabis with THC level at or below 35%
* 20% of the purchase price – all cannabis-infused products
* 25% of the purchase price – cannabis with THC level above 35%

Those who cultivate cannabis will be required to pay a 7% tax on their gross receipts from the sale of cannabis. This includes cultivators, craft growers and processors to a dispensing organization.

Preliminary estimates of the costs to administer the new law are roughly $20 million annually. Cost estimates will be finalized over the coming days.

Health and Safety

In order to raise awareness about the potential risks of using cannabis, the Department of Public Health will develop and disseminate educational materials for consumers and oversee the newly created Adult Use Cannabis Public Health Advisory Committee. The proposal also contains restrictions on advertising, packaging and label requirements, and warning requirements that must be posted in each dispensary.

In order to support substance abuse and mental health, 20% of the revenue generated by the sale of adult use cannabis will support efforts in those two areas.

Again,*click here*if you want to see a more detailed summary. The Illinois Department of Revenue will have a revenue estimate in the coming days.

* From that*summary…

LOCAL ORDINANCES

• Municipalities may pass ordinances prohibiting the establishments of dispensaries in their jurisdiction.

o Local units of government must adopt ‘opt out’ ordinances within one year of the effective date of the statute or they are limited to adopting ‘opt out’ provisions via local referendum.

* From the*legislation…

A unit of local government, including a home rule unit or any non-home rule county within the unincorporated territory of the county, may not regulate the activities described in paragraph (1) [home-grow], (2) [time, place, manner, and number of cannabis establishment operations], or (3) [consumption] in a manner more restrictive than the regulation of those activities by the State under this Act.
 

grampa_herb

Epstein didn't kill himself
Great-Grandmother Arrested at Disney World for Having CBD Oil in Her Purse
Emma Fiala
great-grandmother-cbd-oil-arrested-disney-world.jpg


For many, a trip to Disney World is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with some planning their trips years in advance. Sometimes, even a small change in plans—like a delayed flight or a thunderstorm—can result in a big loss when it comes to both money and fun.

For one great-grandmother, her trip to the most magical place on earth turned into a nightmare.
 

His_Highness

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
Great-Grandmother Arrested at Disney World for Having CBD Oil in Her Purse
Emma Fiala
great-grandmother-cbd-oil-arrested-disney-world.jpg


For many, a trip to Disney World is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with some planning their trips years in advance. Sometimes, even a small change in plans—like a delayed flight or a thunderstorm—can result in a big loss when it comes to both money and fun.

For one great-grandmother, her trip to the most magical place on earth turned into a nightmare.

This is just fuckin goofy.....

The wife is legal in Florida and I constantly remind her to keep her card handy. We also keep the latest invoice from the dispensary folded and paper clipped to the card. Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me/us.
 
Top Bottom