News Nuggets

COLORADO

The hempire strikes back—Springfield farmer to be first to grow non-psychoactive plant

The nation’s first commercial hemp grower in more than half a century says he plans to start his first batch of crops at a farm in Springfield, The Denver Post reports. Ryan Loflin, spurred by Amendment 64—which legalized hemp along with the recreational use of cannabis—says he has leased 60 acres at his father’s alfalfa farm, and has 400 starter plants ready to go.

“I believe this is really going to revitalize and strengthen farm communities,” Loflin told The Post.

Hemp is technically illegal under federal law.

Strike four—controversial cannabis DUI bill fails in the state Senate

A bill that would have established a cannabis blood limit for motorists—similar to existing alcohol DUI laws—failed last month in the Colorado Senate, The Colorado Observer reports. This is the fourth time such a cannabis DUI bill has failed. The bill—as well as its predecessors—faced harsh criticism from MMJ patients, cannabis activists and others who said establishing a hard number (five nanograms of cannabis per milliliter of blood) to indicate intoxication was not scientific

“It’s not a specific science, unlike alcohol that can be measured,” said Sen. Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud), who argued against the five-nanogram limit.

Some senators said they were also concerned that MMJ patients would be penalized under the bill’s provisions since they commonly have higher levels of cannabis in their system from frequent use—and having cannabis in your system is not the same thing to criminal intoxication.

Another element cited by senators who rejected the bill was a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said police in most cases must get a warrant before taking a blood sample if the driver doesn’t consent.

Dixie Elixirs forges deal to bring its infused products to other MMJ states

Colorado-based Dixie Elixirs & Edibles is going national.

The company—well known for its line of infused beverages and other edibles—has partnered up with another firm, Medical Marijuana Inc., in a deal announced last month that will bring Dixie products to other compassionate states, according to the Medical Marijuana Business Daily. A new entity named Red Dice Holdings will market and license Dixie products.

Some of the states envisioned for Dixie products include Arizona, Rhode Island and possibly California.

“There is no shortage of opportunity,” Tripp Keber, Dixie’s president and Red Dice chief executive officer, told the Daily.

MICHIGAN

New rules, changes just kicked in for MMJ patients and physicians

Michigan’s MMJ laws have been revised for the first time since 2008, according to radio station WHTC.

Doctors are under the heaviest scrutiny under the new addendums. They must review medical history and current conditions in person, create new records under the new standards, conduct consistent follow-up appointments with patients and notify other patients’ physicians about the care and use of all cannabis medicines.

In addition, a panel will be created to define and redefine what conditions qualify for MMJ treatment. It will be composed of patients, caregivers and a majority of licensed physicians. All cannabis meds must be kept in a container in a trunk during transport, MMJ cards are now valid for two years and cards can only be obtained with a valid Michigan state driver’s license or ID, the new rules say. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) can now approve or deny applications over a 15-day review period.

Thousands converge for the 42nd annual Hash Bash celebration

Approximately 3,000 people attended last month’s Hash Bash, according to multiple media sources. The 42nd annual celebration of all things cannabis—which takes place annually at the U of Michigan Diag—attracted a variety of speakers, including state Rep. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor), who told attendees he has pledged to fight for statewide legalization.

“Make sure you pick up the phone, write an email and encourage your friends to do the same,” Irwin told the Hash Bash crowd.

Additional speakers included Colorado activist Mason Tvert, reformist Tim Beck and others.

The rally was followed by the also-traditional Monroe Street Fair, which provided food vendors, live music and other attractions. Hash Bash is considered the largest pro-cannabis rally in the country. The event began at what organizers referred to as “high noon.”

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony member joins Flint dispensary for “Phifty Caliber Kush”

A member of hip-hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is teaming up with an access point in Flint to cultivate and distribute a new strain of medical cannabis, The Detroit News reports.

Grammy-winning rapper Stanley “Flesh-N-Bone” Howse will join forces with The Green Oasis to work on “Phifty Caliber Kush,” picked for its “floral taste” and effective pain relief.

Anthony Butler, who owns the Flint-based dispensary, called the new strain “the best of the best.”

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SF researchers: Cannabidiol inhibits the growth of “aggressive” tumor cells

Researchers at the California Pacific Medical Center say their studies indicate cannabis could be the next tool in the fight against cancer, according to The Huffington Post.

“We found this one compound had a specific effect on metastatic cancer cells, very aggressive tumor cells,” researcher Sean McAllister said. “We find when you treat [cancer] with [cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive chemical compound in cannabis], you down regulate the expression of this protein, and that inhibits the disease process.”

The team has been testing cannabidiol, also known as CBD, on animals and found that the chemical compound inhibited the growth of tumor cells. They believe this may be due to the plant’s natural defense mechanism.

“So maybe the plant is making these compounds to combat the development of insects and we can use the compound to target cancer cells that act like embryonic cells,” Dr. Pierre Desprez, another CPMC researcher, said.

The research team is seeking funding to begin tests on humans, emphasizing brain and breast cancer.

Despite opposition, Concord City Council votes to ban outdoor growing

Get ready to become an indoor grower. The Concord City Council unanimously voted to adopt a new ordinance banning all outdoor cannabis cultivation, CBS San Francisco reports.

The lead up to this vote involved about four months of debate as well a dozen protestors voicing their opposition to the new ordinance, many of them being MMJ patients. City Attorney Mike Coon, who drafted the ordinance, said that the bill is primarily designed to provide a defense for homeowners opposed to the smell of outdoor cultivation.

“I think the council struggled with the decision because it’s difficult to find a middle ground,” he said. “I think the council sincerely wants to protect the rights of medical marijuana patients and the rights of the general public who don’t use medical marijuana.”
Concord banned dispensaries in 2005.

Mendocino County officials agree to release MMJ growing records—but no names

Mendocino County officials have agreed to release records of its MMJ growing program—but won’t divulge the names of the people who applied for permits, according to MercuryNews.com. The program—which allowed qualified growers to cultivate up to 99 plants if they agreed to regular inspections and met certain conditions—ended March 2012 after federal officials warned county officials that allowing such cultivation put the city in violation of federal law.

SAN DIEGO

MMJ patients suffering from AIDS, nerve disorder victimized by DA’s Office

Ramona residents Dennis and Deborah Little will go to trial over their right to grow cannabis in their homes, according to U-T San Diego.

The Littles, who are retired and in their 60s, were charged with felonies by District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis last November after a DEA raid of their home.

In the preliminary hearing last month, the Littles presented a doctor’s recommendation for medical cannabis that was less than a month out of date. Dennis suffers from a nerve disorder while Deborah has AIDS. Despite this evidence, the judge encouraged that the couple take a misdemeanor plea for possession and sales. The Littles agreed to go to trial.

Americans for Safe Access has vocally defended the Littles, detailing their story and stating, “If our most vulnerable citizens are not protected under the Compassionate Use Act passed in 1996, the will of the voters of California is therefore being ignored.  We must get behind Dennis and Deborah Little and all defendants victimized by the DA’s office.”

San Marcos ban on dispensaries continues, gets extended another 10 months

San Marcos’ moratorium—a type of temporary ban—has been extended into early 2014, U-T San Diego reports

The City Council approved extending the moratorium by 10 months and 15 days last month; it prohibits dispensaries from operating until around January 2014.

The council can adopt one last one-year extension once the current one expires. San Marcos has banned dispensaries since 2006. It’s current moratoriums are a response to a pending California Supreme Court decision that will weigh in on the question of whether or not cities and counties can ban dispensaries outright or only regulate them using land-use and other rules. A decision could come as soon as May 5.

The moratoriums, according to San Marcos City Attorney Helen Holmes Peak, gives the council time to craft local MMJ rules and ordinances—especially relevant in the event the Supreme Court rules that cities are not permitted to ban dispensaries.

Dispensary initiative still on the November 2014 ballot for La Mesa

The ballot initiative that would allow dispensaries is still a go for La Mesa, according to the La Mesa Courier and Americans for Safe Access.

The La Mesa City Council recently voted 4-1 in favor of an initiative that would authorize and regulate dispensaries throughout the city. However, the decision will ultimately be but in the hands of the people to a vote.

The initiative will not be on the ballot until November 2014.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher proposes R-E-S-P-E-C-T for state MMJ

Orange County-based Congressman Dana Rohrabacher has authored legislation that would prohibit the federal government from prosecuting people who follow their state’s medical cannabis laws, according to The Orange County Register. The Respect State Marijuana Laws bill would strengthen access in the 18^th states (plus Washington, D.C.) with compassionate laws on the books.

“This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states’ marijuana laws,” Rohrabacher said. “It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don’t want it to be criminal.”

Assemblyman Ammiano’s MMJ regulation bill makes it through round one

An Assembly bill to create a regulation office for medical cannabis is proceeding, according to The Press-Enterprise. Assembly Bill 473—which proposes to create a state Division of Medical Marijuana Regulation and Enforcement—has passed its first round of approvals, passing the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee last month, in its journey to become law.

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), a very vocal supporter of MMJ, introduced the bill—though he introduced a similar bill that he later withdrew last year.

“Greater certainty and uniformity are urgently needed regarding the rights and obligations of medical marijuana facilities, and for the imposition and enforcement of regulations to prevent unlawful cultivation and the diversion of marijuana to nonmedical use,” Ammiano said in a committee analysis of the bill. The division the bill proposes would fall under the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to “regulate the cultivation, manufacture, testing, transportation, distribution and sale of medical marijuana.”

San Diego reboots and opts to revive older proposal to regulate MMJ

It’s back to the drawing board for San Diego. After pro-MMJ Mayor Bob Filner proposed an ordinance that would allow dispensaries to operate in the city, the City Council instead opted to reboot its own failed plan from two years ago, according to U-T San Diego.

An ordinance proposed in 2011 would have limited dispensaries to some commercial and industrial zones and required them to be at least 600 feet from each other as well as schools, playgrounds and other “sensitive” areas. They would have also been required to hire security guards and operate as nonprofits.

Filner’s proposal had called for a $5,000 permit fee and a 2-percent excise tax. The mayor’s plan was also considered less restrictive than prior proposals.

WASHINGTON

Banks and MMJ industry still stuck “between a rock and a hard spot”

The medical cannabis industry continues to face serious banking issues, KOMO 4 ABC News reports. Since cannabis is illegal under federal law, any banks accepting MMJ-related funds from collectives and access points—even if it’s state-sanctioned—would be considered a form of money laundering—punishable by millions in fines. Some access points even keep cash away from their medical cannabis to prevent the money from absorbing the plant’s smell, and tipping off banks.

“Right now, it doesn’t make sense to me to take the risk,” David Straus, president and CEO of Seattle-based Fortune Bank, told KOMO 4. “The banks are between a rock and a hard spot.”

Recreational cannabis supplies possibly not available until March 2014

Washington state officials have delayed issuing cannabis growing and processing licenses—part of the legalized recreational industry ushered in by Initiative 502—until Dec. 1, several months later than anticipated, The Olympian reports. Initially, licenses for producers, for example, were slated to be granted in mid August. The delay means that growers, for example, wouldn’t be able to start growing until December and the end product wouldn’t come to market for at least three months after that—around March 2014—at state-regulated retail outlets.

For some, the delay is no big delay. “So we don’t open the retail shops until March. What is three months? This is a monumental, global event with international repercussions,” said Ezra Eickmeyer, a lobbyist for the Washington Cannabis Association, told The Olympian. Draft rules are expected to me made public this month with public hearing scheduled for late July, and taking effect in August. Potential producers, processors and retailers could start applying for licenses in September.

Some bars pushing the envelope, allowing cannabis use on premises

Despite statewide laws that ban smoking in the workplace and in public places, some Washington bars are OK with cannabis use by their patrons, according to The Seattle Times. “I’ve been running a bar a few years now, and people would always go outside around the corner, into the shadows, to smoke up,” Jeff Call, owner of Stonegate Pizza & Rum Bar—which hosts a second-story lounge where only vaporizing is allowed—in Tacoma. “People shouldn’t have to hide.”

Frankie’s Sports Bar and Grill in Olympia allows members of its private smoking room to use tobacco or cannabis.

THE NATION

Attorney General: Massachusetts towns and cities cannot enact MMJ bans

Cities and towns in Massachusetts cannot enact bans on MMJ dispensaries, according to a decision from the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, according to 90.9 WBUR. Such a ban—Coakley’s decision read—would “frustrate the purpose” of the medical cannabis law—Question 3—voters approved last November.

Cities, however, are permitted to enact zoning bylines and other dispensary regulations, according to Assistant Attorney General Margaret Hurley. Hurley said Massachusetts’ MMJ law “could not be served if a municipality could prohibit treatment centers within its borders, for if one municipality could do so, presumably all could do so.”

Oregon introduces new medical cannabis regulations

Oregon’s largely unregulated medical cannabis industry could be facing some changes. State lawmakers have proposed HB 3460, a bill that aims to regulate surplus MMJ as well as ensuring that qualified patients can receive the medicinal plant. This bill also requires a background check for business owners, as well as documentation of how much MMJ a facility receives and from which state-registered grower they get it from. If passed, HB 3460 would also require MMJ outlets to test their cannabis products for impurities.

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley says he is likely to approve cannabis “research centers”

Maryland might become the next compassionate state. State lawmakers last month approved a bill that would allow MMJ programs to set up shop at participating medical research centers in the state, USA Today reports. Gov. Martin O’Malley has said he expects to sign the bill into law. The programs are not expected to be operational until 2016.

A participating medical research center would be required to specify the types of conditions it would treat and the criteria by which patients would be allowed to participate. The center would provide all patient and caregiver data to the state health department. The department could make this data available to law enforcement. State Delegate Dan Morhaim told USA Today that Sinai Hospital in Baltimore and John Hopkins have expressed an interest in participating or are considering it.

“Maryland has taken a small step in the right direction, but more steps are necessary for patients to actually obtain the medicine they need to alleviate their suffering,” Amanda Reiman, a policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement.

THE WORLD

UK researcher: Crime and drug use do not increase because of cannabis reform

Foes of cannabis—who claim that there is a distinct link between cannabis use and crime—have no friend in UK criminologist Alex Stevens. The criminology professor recently refuted several media reports claiming that reducing penalties for cannabis possession has led to increases in drug use, crime and health problems. Saying such statements are unfounded and based on faulty data, among other things, Stevens says cannabis use and crime actually decreased since the plant was reclassified in 2004 by the government as a less dangerous substance.

Steven cited the British Crime Survey—which estimated crime fell by 17 percent since 2004—and the “Survey of Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England,” to back up his conclusions.