The recreational marijuana industry made some serious ground in Europe this week, and it is leaving anti-prohibitionists feeling hopeful. Government officials and activists for the
Last week I wrote: Can “Corporate” Cannabis Coexist with “Legacy,” or “Traditional” Cannabis? (Part I) This is Part 2, and the conclusion. Is Corporate Cannabis worse
With MJ BizCon in full swing this week the global cannabis market will converge on Sin City to make a gameplan for 2020 and the years to come. But beyond the bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip, the Nevada cannabis industry can get pretty dark.
Governor Newsom took office riding a wave of support from cannabis consumers convinced that he would make right what Prop 64 got so terribly wrong. His track record on the issue has not been perfect so far, but this week’s flurry of signatures on successful cannabis legislation should show that the fight is not over yet and although he may not be the most reliable ally, he is certainly not the enemy. The battle begins anew the second week of January with the state’s next legislative session.
Massachusetts has the rare distinction of being the first state to ban cannabis back in 1911 as well as being the first state on the eastern seaboard to create a legal recreational cannabis market. It may have taken them over a century to come around but they are predicted to haul in up to a half a billion in cannabis sales this year. It is certainly no pipe dream to figure on that number doubling once home delivery and social consumption become a reality. By 2021 cannabis sales in the state are predicted to account for 6.7% of TOTAL cannabis sales in the U.S. Yeah, boy… Beard Bros. Boston has a pretty sweet ring to it and we definitely know a thing or two about growing green monstahs!
We are calling on everyone in our vast network who shares our commitment to equal access, social equity, and working to make right what has been so wrong for so long. Our loud support for the MORE Act can begin to correct the historical and continued injustices concerning our cannabis laws that have disproportionately impacted cannabis consumers, forgotten communities, and particularly, people of color.
Perhaps a new plank to add to cannabis reform moving forward is mandatory continuing education for law enforcement about the cannabis plant itself, the actual research behind it, and of course the local laws that govern it. The thin blue line between ignorance and corruption is not sustainable in a society moving so rapidly toward total cannabis reform.
The truth is, there is no simple answer for this issue but it really is not as big of a problem as the average American thinks it is. We do know that the answer is not more arrests. It is still just about a plant and some freedom and even in the midst of historic cannabis reform from coast to coast, our country still averages one weed arrest every 48 seconds. A vicious cycle that is certainly not in line with the inevitable future of cannabis in this country. But cops don’t care about yesterday or tomorrow, only who they can nail right now, and right now cannabis users are still not safe.
There is really not much to say in opposition to SB 627 if you are an advocate of cannabis and its many healing capabilities. . . BUT, the amount of support that a bill like this can generate among our lawmakers to protect and empower the veterinarians in our society while those same politicians continue to neglect and discourage that same safe access to cannabis for the military veterans in our society is unacceptable. The fact that a 21 year old will be able to walk into a pet store and purchase THC-infused treats for a pet but a 21-year old military vet is not afforded those same rights for their own well-being is embarrassing.
Though we are on an inevitable course toward nationwide cannabis legalization, what will it look like? Will we still find ways to arrest hundreds of thousands of people each year for it? Will we still see National Guard helicopters thundering through the most rural regions of the Emerald Triangle? The sad truth is, as long as these capitalist companies are able to pour millions of dollars into national politics each year just by foraging the spare change out of their sofas, we are bound to see dimebag busts continue to be about as far as most cops are willing to go to protect and serve.
We are all about safe access for all, especially when it comes to the medicinal use of cannabis or hemp. Lower priced hemp products are not inherently bad, and those that are farmed and produced ethically need to have a place in the market but this feels like a deadly blow to the already niche market of CBD-rich cannabis production in California and that is scary.
Nobody on our crew voted for Prop 64 but unless it is somehow repealed and replaced it is the flawed law of the land. Our windows of opportunity to effect real change are so narrow and when we miss them, months go by before they reopen. It is imperative that we keep the pressure on our elected officials at all levels of government so that we can take advantage of our next opportunity to correct this law. We have the overwhelming will of the people on our side – will you add your voice to the cause?
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