Miesiąc: sierpień 2022

Once again, voters’ will to effectuate policy change via a cannabis ballot measure hangs in the balance of a state’s supreme court decision ahead of the general election. 

Just months before the 2022 election, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has declared authority to decide whether State Question 820, an adult-use cannabis ballot measure organized by Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (OSML), meets the qualifications to appear on the ballot in November. OSML advocates have dubbed their effort the “Yes on 820 Campaign.”

But cannabis ballot initiatives left in state supreme courts’ hands in other cases have historically not fared well. 

Two years ago, the Nebraska Supreme Court sided with opponents that a medical cannabis legalization measure violated the state’s single subject rule and could not appear on the 2020 ballot. That decision came after a signature campaign received the green light from the secretary of state.

In Mississippi, the Supreme Court overturned its voter-approved medical cannabis ballot initiative six months after the 2020 election. And South Dakota’s Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved adult-use ballot measure roughly a year after the 2020 election.  

According to OSML advocates, the Oklahoma Supreme Court justices announced Aug. 30 that they are deferring a final decision on the ballot question until after a 10-day protest period under state law. The news came as a short-term win for reform proponents, OSML Campaign Director Michelle Tilley said in an Aug. 30 press release.

“We are thrilled the Court has officially recognized State Question 820 has more than enough valid signatures to be considered for the November 2022 ballot,” Tilley said. “It appears the Court is giving itself the opportunity to order State Question 820 on the ballot after we pass the protest period. We are confident that our more than 117,000 valid signatures will pass the 10-day protest period and are optimistic the Oklahoma Supreme Court will order State Question 820 on the ballot for the 2022 general election.”

OSML submitted roughly 164,000 signatures July 5 to Secretary of State Brian Bingman’s office, which certified 117,257 of the signatures on Aug. 22—surpassing the required minimum of 94,911 to land on 2022 ballot.  

The signature verification process usually takes two to three weeks, according to OSML, not 48 days, like in the case of this ballot initiative. While those signatures were just validated last week, Aug. 26 was the deadline for the measure to be finalized, according to Oklahoma Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax.

The 48 days it took to certify the 117,257 signatures for State Question 820 means there wasn’t enough time for the 10-day protest period to unfold before the Aug. 26 deadline. The 10-day period—a state statue allowing for opponents to challenge a ballot initiative’s validity—expires Sept. 1. 

In turn, OSML campaign leaders filed an emergency lawsuit asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court Aug. 26 to exercise its constitutional authority to approve the ballot title and ensure State Question 820 is printed on the November 2022 ballot. The campaign’s legal action is the result of “a third-party vendor’s unprecedented slow signature count and absurd bureaucratic delays,” according to an OSML press release.

“We hope the justices will act quickly to protect the voting rights of all Oklahomans,” Tilley said in an Aug. 26 release. “In two short months, this initiative gained the support of voters in all 77 Oklahoma counties. The people of our great state expect to vote on cannabis reform this November, and we won’t stop fighting until their voices are heard at the ballot box.”

While the Oklahoma Supreme Court won’t make a final decision before the protest period expires on Sept. 1, the fact that the state’s top judicial body issued an Aug. 30 order assuming jurisdiction over State Question 820 left OSML leaders encouraged about their initiative.

Since Oklahoma has penalties and fines for frivolous challenges and lawsuits, according to OSML, the campaigns leaders remain confident that they will survive any such challenges. 

“We are grateful for the justices’ thoughtfulness and expediency adjudicating this urgent matter, in accordance with Article V, Section 3 of the Oklahoma Constitution,” OSML Senior Campaign Adviser Ryan Kiesel said in the Aug. 30 release. “We will follow the remaining process laid out in the law, as we always have.”

If enacted by voters, State Question 820 will legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older, including the possession of up to 1 ounce of dried flower or 8 grams of concentrate. Also, individuals would be allowed to grow up to six mature plants and six seedlings at a time in their homes.

The state would levy a 15% excise tax on commercial adult-use cannabis sales, and the revenue would be split among the state’s general fund (30%), public school program grants (30%), drug addiction treatment programs (20%), a state judicial revolving fund (10%) and to municipalities or counties where the cannabis is sold (10%).

According to OSML, the ballot question also aims to:

• Protect the public health and safety of all Oklahomans;
• Provide common sense criminal justice reform and expungement for low-level cannabis offenses;
• Defend the rights and civil liberties of patients and adult consumers; and
• Increase revenue for existing, fully compliant medical cannabis businesses with limited licensing opportunities for the first two years of the program.

Wisconsin, Aug. 29, 2022 — The Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association launches today to promote the exploration, development and advancement of the cannabis industry for the benefit of all Indigenous communities. As a non-profit organization, ICIA is dedicated to the advocacy and empowerment of Indigenous cannabis businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs nationwide. 

Founded by cannabis entrepreneur and member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians Rob Pero, ICIA will create opportunities for Indigenous people in cannabis and empower the Indigenous community through policy, programming, and outreach initiatives.

“As stewards of environmental responsibility and with deep histories in agricultural expertise, Tribal governments and Indigenous people are uniquely positioned to add value to the cannabis industry,” said Pero, president of ICIA. “ICIA will help tribal communities and Indigenous entrepreneurs navigate the cannabis industry, preserve Tribal sovereignty, further economic opportunities, and bring their unique perspectives into the national conversations around policy, sustainability, and equity.”

While in 2016 the National Congress of American Indians passed a resolution approving cannabis production to promote tribal self-determination and self-governance, create job opportunities, strengthen tribal governance, and promote equity in the cannabis industry, the current legal landscape of the cannabis industry is complex. As federal legalization of cannabis looms in the future, ICIA seeks to provide critical certainty for Indian Country cannabis economic development and long-term strategic analysis by building data and information on Tribes in cannabis. 

“We are working directly with local representatives to support fair implementation and enforcement of sensible cannabis policies in our home state of Wisconsin,” Pero said. “We will continue to empower the Indigenous community and provide resources to Tribal Nations to influence policy at the state and federal levels and work to be a conduit of information for the community at large.” 

Members of ICIA are given access to ICIA’s network of Tribal Nations, industry partners, advocacy groups, mentors, businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs to help navigate the complex landscape of Tribal, state and federal policy and to provide resources for Tribal governments and Indigenous people to design and advocate for equitable cannabis policies.

ICIA serves Tribal Nations and Indigenous-led businesses as the leading Indigenous trade association in the nation, working to develop Indian Country’s roadmap for federal, state and local lobbying and advocacy while providing technical assistance to tribes and their members for optimum access to cannabis industry resources. 

The ICIA exists to build an equitable and sustainable Indigenous cannabis industry through sensible policy, empowerment, and connection. To learn more about ICIA’s strategic vision and priorities, visit indigenouscannabis.org.

The buzz around CBD oil (and its various offshoots: CBD gummies, CBD-infused lotion and even CBD tea) and its anxiety-reducing qualities have long been doing the rounds – but is CBD oil also good for sleep? If you’re asking team Cosmopolitan, the answer is a solid 'yes’ on that front.

For me, prior to trying CBD oil, a typical night would go something like this: I’d lie still in the dark, feeling as though something was rushing towards me, a dense unidentifiable mass – huge and heavy – aiming for my head. I’d move away just in time, jolting myself awake. This happened three or four nights a week; just an hour or so after falling asleep, my heart would thump so loud I could feel it in my eardrums and I’d be awake again. Shaking, feeling the adrenaline moving around my legs.

I was diagnosed with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at the age of 20, having first (unknowingly) shown symptoms at seven. After a failed counselling attempt, an allergic reaction to an SSRI and, finally, successfully undertaking months of EMDR therapy privately, I felt I had 'overcome my traumas’. That was, until in the early hours of an unexpected Monday morning, when my sleep was abruptly broken by the sheer panic of feeling like heavy objects were falling on my head.

After speaking with a GP I learned that I had a diagnosable sleep condition commonly caused by trauma and anxiety. ’Hypnopompic hallucinations’ are a multi-sensory experience that can happen just as you’re waking up, in those moments when you’re neither asleep nor awake. And the only way it would stop, my GP explained, was if I truly 'dealt with my anxiety’ – especially that which had begun spiking around bedtime.

After a lot of relentless Googling, I came across a vast number of videos, forum entries and social media posts about how CBD products were helping people to not only sleep, but also relieve symptoms of anxiety and even soothe physical ailments. It was also something I’d heard chatter about in the office, with a fellow Cosmopolitan staffer swearing by CBD oil in moments on panic and CBD gummies at night. I was growing more and more tired (literally) of my sleep situation and the underlying anxiety I’d become accustomed to, and felt anything was worth a try.

So, I quizzed an expert on how CBD can be used to induce restful sleep – and put it to the test myself…

---

Does CBD oil help with sleep?

I took my first dose of CBD oil – via a pipette, dispensing a few drops under my tongue – on a Saturday afternoon and quickly, I felt the positive impact it had. From the Sunday, I slept soundly every single night for the following two months. Honestly, it was that quick – and it went on for eight glorious weeks. Uninterrupted, panic-free, blissful sleep. I felt better in every way.

Unfortunately, after those two months my former sleep terrors began creeping back in, once or twice a week, and I was truly devastated. Crushed, in fact. It had been working – what happened? So, I safely (with research and guidance) increased my CBD dose and once again, I was away.

But it wasn’t just my sleep that benefited from my CBD endeavours either. My thoughts weren’t as chaotic; I felt that I could carefully sift through them, categorise them and act on them. I had clarity, I could focus and it felt as if every process in my body was working better. My digestion, my sex life, my emotional agility, plus sleep, all tied in and were working in harmony for the first time in forever.

I felt and became more pleasant, more patient and more consistently stable. PTSD provides peaks and troughs; CBD oil provided stability.

From an expert: How does CBD oil work?

Bea Lyus, Registered Nutritional Therapist, College of Naturopathic Medicine, and Resident CBD Expert at Cannabotech UK, says, „We know very well that anxiety and stress contribute to sleep problems such as insomnia and that CBD can effectively reduce anxiety and stress, therefore aiding a better quality of sleep. However, it’s important to note that a low dosage of CBD may actually cause alertness, whereas a higher dosage will help you to feel drowsy and sleepy.”

Essentially, CBD works by activating our serotonin receptors, which in turn calm the mind and any anxious feelings. „Serotonin is a neurotransmitter found in the brain and the gut which is responsible for managing our hormones and thus our mood changes,” adds Lyus.

The expert continues to explain that research has shown CBD works effectively to target the Endocannabinoid system (ECS) – the body’s network system. „The Endocannabinoid system is like a computer software which sends signals to the brain, nervous system, immune cells, organs. It acts like a main control of restoring balance in all biological functions, from sleep to appetite, memory, mood, immune system, pain control, energy, reproduction and cell replication.” Pretty powerful stuff, huh?

What is CBD oil?

CBD oil stands for 'cannabidiol’ and is not the same as marijuana, although it is extracted from the cannabis plant – something that’s a common misconception about this herbal hero. The two main active ingredients in cannabis are CBD and THC; CBD has a calming impact and is not psychoactive (meaning it does not change the state of mind), whereas THC is, and is responsible for the anxiety and paranoia commonly associated with marijuana use.

Is it legal to use CBD for sleep in the UK?

Yes, as long as it contains less than 0.2% THC, CBD oil is often sold as a food supplement or herbal medicine in the UK. „The UK is the first country in the world to regulate CBD for oral consumption, with the Food Standards Agency’s public list of cannabinoid (CBD) products permitted for consumer sale,” says Lyus. „Only the CBD products featured on the list have been given the green light by the FSA to stay on the market, in line with the UK’s Novel Food requirements, and any products not included must be removed from shelves.”

The bottom line? Be sure to do your research when choosing a CBD product, but as long as you’re shopping from a reputable retailer, such as Boots or Holland & Barrett, you’ll be fine.

Does CBD oil get you high?

No, that’s the THC talking. According to Lyus: „There are over 100 different types of cannabinoids and it’s important to differentiate between CBD and THC. CBD (or 'cannabidiol’) is the most known for its health supporting benefits.

„The other compound is THC (or 'tetrahydrocannabinol’), which is a controlled substance and is illegal in most countries worldwide. There are 3 different kinds of CBDs which are commonly available on the market including: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and CBD isolate.”

She adds that CBD isolate only contains CBD and no other cannabinoids, and absolutely zero THC. „With isolate, you can guarantee the amount of CBD per crop; it is pure and odourless plus there is no potential allergic reaction to other ingredients found in the hemp plant. This is backed up by a very recent study in the Lancet Psychiatry.”

To conclude: no, CBD oil will not get you high. „If you use a CBD with THC within the legal limit, it will not get you high,” Lyus confirms. „Better still, if you use broad-spectrum or CBD isolate, it will never make you high as they contain zero per cent THC.”

How long does CBD oil take to work for sleep?

Of course every brain and body works and reacts differently, but I noticed the anxiety-reducing effects of CBD within around half an hour. Longer-term benefits became more clear for me after around two weeks, and I stopped taking any CBD oil for my sleep after about six months. I simply didn’t need it anymore.

Bea says: „We are all different individuals, so it may take longer for some people than others. Anecdotal evidence suggests it can take up to 15 minutes when using an oil, drop, tincture or mouth spray. Though, tablets and creams can take longer.”

Under periods of stress, I still experience the occasional sleep disturbance – but it’s nothing like the nightly battle I was having before I found the benefits that CBD oil can have for sleep.

The best CBD products for sleep

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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Irwin Naturals Inc. (CSE: IWIN) (OTC: IWINF) (FRA: 97X) (“Irwin” or the “Company”) announced today a licensing agreement with 42 Degrees Processing LLC (“42 Degrees”), through its subsidiary Irwin Naturals Cannabis, Inc., to produce and distribute Irwin Naturals THC products in Michigan, one of the fastest-growing cannabis markets in the country.

Klee Irwin, CEO of Irwin Naturals said, “Michigan is a significant step in what is becoming a sprint to put Irwin Naturals THC products on the shelves of dispensaries in all 38 states where cannabis is legalized. We’re tremendously excited to reach this agreement with 42 Degrees Processing as its state-of-the-art plant and robust distribution network will provide our customers with the quality they’re accustomed in this new offering.”

Sam Rosinski, CEO 42 Degrees said, “We’re excited at the chance to get Irwin Naturals THC products to the shelves of Michigan dispensaries. The presence of a brand as well known as Irwin Naturals sends a message about the value and legitimacy of the cannabis industry.”

Irwin Naturals was founded in 1994, and has built itself into a brand recognized in 80 percent of American households¹ with its best-in-class nutraceuticals, such as its famous “Power to Sleep PM.” Irwin Naturals products are available in more than 100,000 stores in North America.

Under this licensing agreement, 42 Degrees Process will augment Irwin Naturals products with THC and make them available to the approximately 1,000 dispensaries currently operating in Michigan.²

Klee Irwin, CEO of Irwin Naturals said, “We are positioned as one of the first household brands to not only endorse the mainstreaming of THC, but promote it by virtue of the tremendous customer loyalty we have built in 28 years of caring for the country’s health needs.”

Cannabis is now legal in the majority of states. However, because it is not legal at the federal level, products must be approved on a state-by-state basis. As a national brand, Irwin Naturals is achieving national distribution by reaching licensing agreements with cannabis manufacturers on a state-by-state basis. Irwin Naturals previously reached licensing agreements with cannabis manufacturers in California, Colorado, Ohio and New Mexico. The addition of Michigan to this national footprint means Irwin Naturals THC products will be headed to the shelves of dispensaries in three of the top five cannabis markets in the country.

Michigan legalized the medical use of marijuana in 2008 when the Michigan Compassionate Care Initiative was passed by 63 percent of voters. Michigan was the 13^th state to legalize medical use of marijuana in the U.S. and the first state in the Midwest. In 2018, Michigan became the first Midwestern state to allow both medical and recreational marijuana use. Recreational marijuana sales are projected to reach $1.5 billion in 2022.

About Irwin Naturals

Irwin Naturals has been a household name and best-in-class herbal supplement formulator since 1994. It is now leveraging its brand to enter into both the cannabis and psychedelic industries. On a mission to heal the world with plant medicine, Irwin has operated profitably for over 27 years³. Irwin’s growing portfolio of products is available in more than 100,000 retail doors across North America, where nearly 100 million people know the Irwin Naturals brand.⁴ In 2018, the Company first leveraged its brand to expand into the cannabis industry by launching hemp-based CBD products nationwide. The Company is now leveraging its famous halo of brand trust with an objective to become one of the first household name brands to offer THC-based products and psychedelic mental health treatment. Irwin Naturals became a publicly traded company on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) in August 2021. The Company’s shares began to be traded on the OTCQB Venture Market in November 2021. More information on the Company’s stock can be found via Bloomberg as well as the Wall Street Journal.

For investor-related information about the Company, please visit ir.irwinnaturals.com/.

To contact the Company’s Investor Relations department, please call toll-free at (800) 883-4851 or send an email to Investors@IrwinNaturals.com.

“Klee Irwin”
________________________________
Klee Irwin
Chief Executive Officer
T: 310-306-3636
investors@irwinnaturals.com

IR Information

Press Contact

Irwin Naturals Investor Relations
Cassandra Bassanetti-Drumm
T: 310-306-3636
investors@irwinnaturals.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of management of the Company with respect to performance, business and future events. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as „may”, „will”, „would”, „could”, „should”, „believes”, „estimates”, „projects”, „potential”, „expects”, „plans”, „intends”, „anticipates”, „targeted”, „continues”, „forecasts”, „designed”, „goal”, “objective,” or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Company operates. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements related to information concerning the ability of the Company to perform the terms of the transaction referenced herein; the receipt of all necessary approvals, including regulatory approvals; expectations for other economic, market, business and competitive factors; and the Company actually entering into and doing business related to the U.S. cannabis and psychedelics markets. The potential entrance by the Company into these new business segments are in their preliminary stages and may be subject to approval from the board of directors of the Company as well as any regulatory approval, including that of the Canadian Securities Exchange. These statements are based on numerous assumptions that are believed by management to be reasonable in the circumstances, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including without limitation: board and regulatory approval, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange; Irwin being able to acquire and/or enter into business relationships to enter into these new markets; the Company obtaining the required licenses; and changes to regulations and laws regarding cannabis or psychedelics. Further information on the regulatory environment and risks will be contained in future disclosures. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from that which are expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law.

Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 

SOURCE: Irwin Naturals Inc.

________________________
¹ Consumer brand recognition information is based on a formal Company survey with a sample size of 500 randomly selected adults.
² Source: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2022/04/22/michigan-dispensaries-record-sales-cannabis-4-20-marijuana/7401039001/
³ Under several corporate structures, Klee Irwin has operated the Irwin brand profitably since 1994, as measured by EBITDA adjusted for extraordinary costs.
⁴ Consumer brand recognition information is based on a formal Company survey with a sample size of 500 randomly selected adults.

Politicians who fail to learn from their stupid decisions are doomed to repeat them, and prohibitionist policies seem to offer the toughest lessons of all. Time and again, government officials impose bans on things they don’t like only to drive the public to illegal sellers. Politicians then grudgingly „legalize” the market but burden it with taxes and red tape that keep the black market thriving. New York seems ready to recreate all of the mistakes of the past with a „legal” recreational market so hobbled that it will offer uncompetitive prices to consumers and daunting barriers to vendors.

„Since June 1, the New York’s Cannabis Control Board has issued 162 recreational cultivation licenses,” Bloomberg Tax recently noted. „Those fortunate enough to obtain one of New York’s recreational cannabis licenses will be forced to contend with a gauntlet of state and local taxes.”

The analysis, prepared by three accountants, detailed a long list of sales taxes, corporate taxes, and „recently enacted adult-use cannabis taxes.” Given the number of jurisdictions involved and uncertainty as to how they’ll apply to businesses that won’t be able to open their doors until the end of the year, at soonest, the authors declined to guess at the final tax burden. But it will be high, and compliance a guessing game with penalties awaiting those who cross the authorities. It’s a good bet that many entrepreneurs accustomed to operating in the illicit market will remain underground rather than risk the costs and hassles of legal operation as envisioned by Empire State officials. After all, technical legalization hobbled by stiff taxes and regulation has already stumbled elsewhere.

„The state has taxed marijuana three separate times as it travels from farm to consumer. Many counties and cities impose their own taxes, at varying levels, on top of the state levies,” The Washington Post reported this month of California’s byzantine system which favors large corporate operations with the ability to navigate the rules. „California’s cannabis taxes come on top of licensing fees and regulatory permits, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars annually for growers, burying those who used to work without regulation in red tape and state invoices.”

That explicit prohibition is only one legal barrier driving buyers and sellers to black markets seems to be a revelation to regulators of newly sort-of-legal cannabis markets. The fact that taxes and regulations do the same had to be rediscovered in recent years by officials in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, among other places. Precisely that point was made to New York officials in a 2018 impact assessment featured to this day on the website of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management.

„The higher the tax rate imposed, the higher the legal market price will be,” the document cautions. „In turn, a higher legal market price will have a greater price effect, which will result in users less likely to exit the unregulated market.”

„Washington State initially had higher tax rates and restructured their taxation after the realization that the taxes were cost prohibitive. Colorado, Washington, and Oregon have all taken steps to reduce their marijuana tax rates,” the report adds.

Intrusive and restrictive rules also matter, the 2018 New York assessment notes, as it warned against measures such as „allowing localities to ban the sale of marijuana, which will all lead to an increase of marijuana purchased on the unregulated market and will reduce the amount of tax collected.” Nevertheless, regulators are busy binding the still-aborning legal marijuana trade in red tape. In the pursuit of social justice, those include preferences for those hurt in the past by prohibitionist laws.

„New York is the first to offer its initial dispensary licenses solely to entrepreneurs with marijuana convictions,” according to Politico. „It’s a move aimed at offering an advantage to people, disproportionately in Black and brown communities, harmed by the war on drugs.”

That’s a nice sentiment, but it tries to mold a market into a politically favored form rather than a natural expression of free human interactions. California offers a case study in how trying to create the market politicians want makes it accessible only to those with connections and compliance departments.

„The once-mystical heart of the nation’s marijuana industry is dying, fast, strangled not by law enforcement but by the high taxes and baffling regulation that have crushed small farmers since state voters approved legalization almost six years ago,” the Washington Post story mourned. „The state rules and omissions have also empowered a still-thriving black market for marijuana—once a chief target of state regulators—whose growers sell their product illegally across state borders and still fetch a lucrative price.”

New York’s recreational marijuana regulators are about to walk well-trodden ground paved with government forms. Their motivation is apparent from the fact that so many of those forms involve tax collection and extensions of control. Officials mouth sentiments about removing the legal burdens on those with criminal convictions for dealing in cannabis, but they’re obsessed with shaping the market to meet their peculiar vision and with the money they hope to make. The 2018 impact assessment includes colorful charts predicting first-year tax revenues ranging from $248.1 million to $677.7 million depending on how people respond to that „gauntlet of state and local taxes.”

And even before social justice became a priority for regulators, the 2018 impact assessment offered plentiful assurances of the alleged benefits to be had from rules regarding age limits, „adequate security at cultivation and dispensing facilities,” hours of operation, tracking and reporting requirements, THC content, and more. But all such barriers will spur people already complaining about existing medical marijuana rules to stick with the illegal market.

„Operators and patients have long complained of draconian regulations and taxes, which have made medical marijuana less accessible and more expensive than illicit market offerings,” The New York Times reported last week about the perils facing the new recreational market. As a result, „the illicit market is thriving in New York, some of it in plain sight.”

That’s not to say it’s all bad news. A legal market with high taxes and overly stringent regulations is still a market in which people aren’t arrested and jailed. Rules can be loosened to what people will tolerate, as they have been elsewhere. But New York officials have yet to learn that markets function based on the choices of participants. The wishes of government regulators who want to use them as social-engineering tools and ATMs don’t really matter. Marijuana markets will thrive so long as there are customers to be served. The question is whether they will thrive in the open under light taxes and regulations, or underground to escape the heavy hands of politicians.

Top MO black lawmaker opposes marijuana ballot measure; SC gov attacks challenger’s legalization stance; CA cannabis employment protections to gov

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

The Oklahoma Supreme Court issued an order assuming jurisdiction for a case on whether a marijuana legalization initiative can appear on the November ballot, but is deferring a final decision until a challenge period expires. Advocates are optimistic that the justices will ultimately force state officials to put the measure before voters this year despite their arguments that ballot deadlines have already passed.

California lawmakers sent Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) bills to protect people from being fired for off-the-job marijuana use and allowing veterinarians to recommend medical cannabis for animals. Also already on his desk is legislation to allow interstate marijuana commerce, streamline record sealing and facilitate industry insurance coverage.

The chair of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus—who otherwise supports legalizing marijuana—launched a campaign to defeat the cannabis initiative on the November ballot, arguing it has “no social equity” and that “the capitalism monster loves to exploit you.”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s (R) campaign is airing an attack ad criticizing Democratic challenger Joe Cunningham, a former congressman, over his support for legalizing marijuana—but the challenger is thanking the incumbent for highlighting his popular cannabis stance.

Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race pits Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who is campaigning on his support for marijuana legalization, against Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who has called cannabis reform a “stupid idea” that turns states into “rat holes.”

Fewer Arizonans are enrolling in the state’s medical cannabis program as recreational marijuana sales expand, even though becoming certified as a patient comes with lower taxes, access to delivery, higher possession limits and housing and employment protections.

/ FEDERAL

President Joe Biden’s proposal to forgive federal student loans will not provide aid to people who weren’t able to access Pell grants due to drug convictions and as a result had to take out private loans that are not covered by the new effort.

The Drug Enforcement Administration issued a warning about “an alarming emerging trend of colorful fentanyl” that the agency claims is a “new method used by drug cartels to sell highly addictive and potentially deadly fentanyl made to look like candy to children and young people.”

Indiana Democratic Senate candidate Thomas McDermott, currently the Hammond mayor, tweeted, “18 states have legalized the personal use of #cannabis, and 37 have legalized medical use for certain conditions. Many recognize the economic benefits: direct tax proceeds, employing workers, & potential savings from law enforcement.”

/ STATES

New Hampshire Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Sherman, currently a state senator, tweeted, “As governor, I’ll take common-sense steps like broadening our energy sources to lower costs and finally legalizing adult-use cannabis so we stop sending that revenue to our surrounding states.”

Colorado’s attorney general tweeted, “Colorado’s General Assembly recently authorized our office to take action with respect to misleading and dangerous hemp-based products, including those containing higher levels of THC than permitted by law. Please consider joining our team to do this work.”

California’s attorney general toured illegal marijuana grow sites with law enforcement, tweeting, “Illegal grows harm the environment, threaten public safety and exploit laborers. As the cannabis industry moves into the legal marketplace, we’re working with our partners to shut down illegal operations.” Separately, regulators are proposing changes to rules on large and medium marijuana cultivation licenses.

Missouri’s secretary of state said he does not support the marijuana legalization initiative on the November ballot.

Massachusetts’s treasurer appointed a former treasurer and Democratic gubernatorial candidate as the state’s new top marijuana regulator.

A Minnesota representative is urging the Willmar City Council to delay decisions on THC products until state lawmakers pass additional legislation on the issue.

A Virginia senator tweeted, “More Americans smoke marijuana than cigarettes and we still can’t decide what to do about it in Virginia – are we waiting for a sign from above?”

North Dakota regulators filed changes to medical cannabis rules.

New York regulators clarified that a notice of rules adoption “incorrectly indicated that the proposed regulations do not insist upon applicants to use New York Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund locations.”

A Michigan man launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign to get Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) to appoint him as the state’s top marijuana regulator.

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Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—

/ LOCAL

Shelby County, Tennessee’s new district attorney said his office will “deprioritize lesser offenses like marijuana prosecution and possession.”

A former New York City Department of Records commissioner criticized the state’s move to reserve the first recreational marijuana dispensary licenses for people who have been directly impacted by cannabis criminalization.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Mexico’s Senate majority leader said lawmakers will pass a marijuana legalization law in the new session beginning on Thursday.

Jersey’s home affairs minister said she’s “open to looking at the decriminalization of cannabis within an overall substance strategy.”

Israel’s High Court rejected a case seeking to establish the right to grow cannabis at home for personal use.

British Columbia, Canada’s General Employees’ Union ended a strike that has prevented marijuana products from reaching store shelves.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that “cannabis use was inversely associated with [body mass index]” and “was associated with a lower and higher risk of overweight and underweight, respectively.”

A study indicated “higher [nature relatedness] in users of classic serotonergic psychedelics (ayahuasca/DMT, psilocybe mushrooms, LSD), cannabis, and MDMA/ecstasy” and that “current use of ayahuasca/DMT and psilocybe mushrooms, and past use of LSD had a positive association with NR.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

Students for Sensible Drug Policy ended its partnership with Decriminalize Nature’s national leadership over what it said was “anti-Semitic messaging” in a recent graphic the latter organization posted that attempted to lay out an alleged conspiracy of “financial entanglement” around peyote scarcity.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial board is calling on Pennsylvania regulators to be more transparent with information about the medical cannabis program.

Cannabis Consumer Watch is a new effort from the National Consumers League, Consumer Federation of America and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America focused on “educating consumers about the potential dangers of cannabis in an underregulated market and encouraging state and federal regulators and policymakers to take strong, effective, and prompt action to protect the public from the potential harms posed by unregulated, untested cannabinoids.”

/ BUSINESS

Greenlane Holdings, Inc. announced it regained compliance with Nasdaq minimum bid price requirements to be listed.

Verano Holdings Corp. appointed a new member of its board of directors.

/ CULTURE

Singaporean Olympic swimmer Joseph Schooling apologized for using marijuana.

Alyssa Milano interviewed the author Michael Pollan about psychedelics.

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APPLETON – Downtown Appleton has a new location for hemp-based products.

Kush Kafe has opened in the former Charles the Florist store at 219 E. College Ave. Charles the Florist closed its longtime location in February 2020.

It’s the second Kush Kafe — a store in Omro opened in July — by Plymouth-based wholesale farm 3 Tall Pines.

Kush Kafe sells a variety of hemp products made by 3 Tall Pines, including cannabidiol-infused and Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol-infused vapes and topicals. 

Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol — or Delta-8 THC — has become widely available in Wisconsin and around the nation. It’s similar to Delta-9 THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. But it’s legal to produce and infuse in other products because it comes from industrial hemp.

In a July interview with the Oshkosh Northwestern, 3 Tall Pines co-owner Craig Thran said he’s trying to use the Appleton and Omro locations to expand the farm’s reach by creating „destination-like” retail outlets. 

„What we’re doing with these two locations is creating a new atmosphere,” Thran said. „We’ll provide you with a space to go experience and play with our products,

Besides the farm in Plymouth and the Appleton and Omro stores, 3 Tall Pines is opening a production facility in North Fond du Lac.

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