Newly Proposed Law to Reduce Traffic Stops Relating to Marijuana and Other Traffic Offenses, Law Enforcement in Opposition

A bill that aims to reduce unnecessary and targeted traffic stops by limiting what police officers are lawfully allowed to pull drivers over for recently passed the General Assembly and is now awaiting a decision from the governor. 

Nevertheless, law enforcement opposes the legislation on the grounds that it would hurt public safety and lead to more dangers while driving. 

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Kamala Harris Had Nearly 2,000 People Locked up on Marijuana Charges: Report

Sen. Kamala Harris, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, reportedly prosecuted nearly 2,000 people on marijuana-related charges during her time as California attorney general.

A total of 1,974 people were sent to state prisons for marijuana-related offenses during Harris’s 2011-2016 tenure as the Golden State’s lead prosecutor, the Washington Free Beacon reported.

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Dave Yost Stopped an Amendment Seeking to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost rejected a proposed marijuana-related constitutional amendment Monday that aimed to regulate marijuana like alcohol.

Yost halted the amendment proposal because it did not gather enough valid signatures.

“Because your submission did not contain the verified signatures of at least one thousand qualified electors, we must reject it,” Yost wrote in the letter to the petitioning committee. “Finally, because the petition failed to meet the signature threshold, I have not made any determination concerning the fairness and truthfulness of the proposed summary.”

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Michigan’s New Marijuana Laws: What Consumers, Business Owners Should Know

by Scott McClallen   The agency that regulates the marijuana market in Michigan has clarified rules to sell product legally to adult residents, making it easier for small businesses to enter the market. Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency said it plans to accept business applications through Nov. 1 and are required to begin approving businesses by Dec. 6. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer established the MRA to regulate medical and recreational marijuana in the state and to implement a fair and effective market for Michigan residents. The MRA set no capital minimums for the adult-use market after several citizens complained that small businesses don’t have enough startup capital to compete with corporate companies. Medical marijuana licensees previously had to prove they had $200,000 to $500,0000 in assets, with one-fourth liquidity. The new laws give new license types for temporary events, micro-businesses, and social-use facilities. “The race to be the first to get applications submitted and approved has now officially begun,” said Josh Hovey, spokesman for the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. “Every business in the state that is looking at this industry … they’re putting on their running shoes.” There’s no legal way for the general public to purchase cannabis without a medical marijuana…

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Illinois Becomes Eleventh State to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

  Illinois became the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana Tuesday, and the first to do so through its legislature rather than a ballot initiative. Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker signed the bill into law after the legislature passed it late last month. “As the first state in the nation to fully legalize adult-use cannabis through the legislative process, Illinois exemplifies the best of democracy: a bipartisan and deep commitment to better the lives of all of our people,” said Pritzker in a statement Tuesday. The law will go into effect Jan. 1, 2020. Illinois residents above 21 will be able to possess up to 30 grams of cannabis flower, 5 grams of cannabis concentrate and 500 milligrams of THC, with non-residents able to possess half the amounts. Those arrested for possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana will have their records automatically expunged, while Pritzker will pardon those convicted for possession. Individuals with convictions for violent crime will not be automatically eligible, though they or an attorney can still file suit to remove convictions. Illinois estimates that 700,000 people’s records will qualify for expungement. About 300,000 more will be able to file suit for convictions for up to 500…

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Arizona’s Tucson Border Chief Villareal: Drug Traffickers Using Migrant Crisis to Import Illicit Narcotics

by Jason Hopkins   Border Patrol Tucson Sector Chief Roy Villareal broke down how drug traffickers are taking advantage of the immigration crisis at the U.S. southern border, a situation he said will continue without help from Congress. “This appears to be a growing trend — something that we experienced before, but we abated it through cooperative effort with our federal law enforcement partners, but it seems to be on the rise again,” Villareal said Sunday on “Fox and Friends,” referring to the amount of drugs crossing through the U.S.-Mexico border. “We’re focused on the migrant caravan, the overwhelming numbers of aliens that are showing up, and this is opportunistic from the perspective that narcotic traffickers realize there is an opportunity and they are going to utilize it to import illicit narcotics,” Villareal continued. Customs and Border Patrol agents across the country have seized 138,610 pounds of marijuana, 32,951 pounds of cocaine, 32,814 pounds of meth, and 2,708 pounds of heroin since the beginning of this fiscal year. Villareal said that the enormous number of family units and unaccompanied minors reaching the border has forced agents to increasingly take on a caretaker role, resulting in fewer resources going towards immigration and border security. The situation, he claimed, cannot continue…

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Just Half of Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Patients Are Actually Buying the Product

  Only 49 percent of Ohioans registered with the state’s medical marijuana program are actually purchasing the product, according to the latest numbers released by the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program. As of April 30, there were 31,075 registered patients in the program with recommendations from a doctor, but only 15,339 of them purchased medical marijuana. That’s a nine percent increase, however, from the 40 percent of patients who were purchasing the product as of March. In total, 750 pounds of the product have been sold thus far in Ohio, generating $5.8 million in product sales. There are a number of factors that contribute to the relatively low purchasing numbers, one of which is the cost of medical marijuana in Ohio. According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer, medical marijuana costs an average of $450 per ounce in Ohio. That’s higher than the neighboring state of Pennsylvania, where marijuana can be purchased for as low as $280 per ounce. In Michigan, the cost is even lower. Another factor at play is the low number of dispensaries that have received a certificate of operation from the state. The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program notes that just 16 of 56 dispensaries have received a…

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Ohio’s Attorney General Dave Yost Joins Coalition Urging Congress to Allow Marijuana-Related Businesses to Access Banking System

  Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost joined a coalition of 38 states urging Congress to grant federal banking system access to marijuana-related businesses. The coalition is working on getting Congress to pass the Federal Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (H.R. 1595). Although many states have legalized medical marijuana, the federal government has regulations that block the federal bank and related banks from lending to cannabis-related institutions. Under the existing ruling, many legitimate marijuana-related businesses are forced to function as cash-only operations. Back in 2018 while Yost was a state auditor, he found an excess of flaws with Ohio’s medical marijuana system. “If you wrote a book about how not to roll out a government program, this would be exhibit A,” Yost said at the time. Now Yost is taking a firmer hand in fixing the ongoing issues in the growing medical cannabis market. In a press release from the Attorney General’s Office, Yost had this to say: “When a business is dealing strictly in cash, they’re inviting a whole host of problems. No legal business should have to operate in a manner that provides little to no security in their financial transactions.” H.R. 1595 seeks to change that and…

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Illinois Governor Pritzker Announces Plan to Legalize Marijuana

  Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Saturday that he’d reached an agreement with key lawmakers on a plan to legalize recreational marijuana in the state starting next year. The legislation would allow adults 21 and older to legally buy cannabis for recreational use from licensed dispensaries. Illinois residents could possess up to about an ounce (30 grams) of marijuana, while nonresidents could possess about half an ounce (15 grams). The measure also would automatically expunge some marijuana convictions. If it passes, Illinois would join 10 other states, including neighboring Michigan, in legalizing recreational marijuana. While the Illinois law would take effect Jan. 1, the first licenses for Illinois growers, processors and dispensaries wouldn’t be issued until May and July 2020, the governor’s office said. Pritzker was joined by fellow Democratic lawmakers in Chicago to announce the deal, which comes after years of discussion among state legislators. They said the measure would be introduced Monday, kicking off debate at the Legislature, where Democrats hold a majority in both chambers. The proposal “starts righting some historic wrongs” against minority communities that have suffered from discriminatory drug policies and enforcement, the new governor said. “This bill advances equity by providing resources and second…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Will Tennessee Go to Pot?

A new Tennessee Star poll reveals that support for legalizing medical marijuana in Tennessee has significant support among likely GOP Primary voters. The poll asked whether voters would be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who supports legalizing the distribution and sale of marijuana in Tennessee if strictly limited to prescribed medical use only. 42.9% indicated that they would be MORE likely to vote for a candidate supporting legalizing medical marijuana; 35.2% would be LESS likely; and 21.9% indicated that it would make no difference or that they didn’t know. The Triton Polling survey was conducted over four days (April 13-16) and polled 1003 likely Republican Party primary voters statewide. It has a margin of error of 3.1%. Bills in the House and Senate that would have legalized sale and distribution of medical marijuana were pulled by sponsors after it was clear they lacked the votes to emerge from key committees.  Law enforcement officials adamantly opposed the legislation and the sponsors were unable to overcome skepticism due to the advocacy of the legislation by proponents of recreational marijuana legalization. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill notes that the Triton Poll shows that support for legalization of medical…

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Ohio Republican Joins Cannibus Caucus in Pushing for Greater Marijuana Protection from Federal Government

Ohio Republican Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH-14), along with the entire Congressional Cannabis Caucus, introduced a bill Wednesday that seeks to protect state marijuana policies by strengthening states’ rights. The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, the “STATES Act” for short, would function to amend existing laws, specifically the Controlled Substances Act. It would, essentially, give states that have set their own policies on marijuana regulation the right to have those laws take precedence over the existing federal laws. Even as various forms of marijuana use become legal across the country, it remains illegal at the federal level. As previously reported: The 2018 Farm Bill, passed with bipartisan support, legalized the production of industrial hemp. This is the primary source of CBD Oil. Hemp producers immediately jumped into producing the substance. Though products containing THC cannot cross state lines, THC products derived from hemp face no similar restriction. Supporting the bill, the Drug Enforcement Agency DEA removed CBD as a Schedule 1 narcotic. As a result, it is no longer considered among the most dangerous of drug products. While CBD seemed poised for national expansion, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still has the authority to regulate the sale of CBD and have aggressively stepped up efforts…

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Marijuana-Related ER Visits Triple in Colorado

by Joshua Nelson   A toxicology specialist has found a connection between legalized marijuana and a threefold increase in related visits to emergency rooms in Colorado for heart and other issues, confirming that cannabis poses health risks. Marijuana may be a recreational activity for many, but marijuana-infused “edibles” in particular have been subject to scrutiny because of their ties to a jump in patients seeking medical treatment. The new study from researchers with the University of Colorado School of Medicine found that marijuana-related ER visits tripled between 2012 and 2016. The study also found that people consuming marijuana edibles suffer from toxic reactions at higher rates than those who simply smoke the drug. These edibles typically include brownies and other baked goods. Dr. Andrew Monte, an associate professor at the medical school’s Anschutz campus, was lead author of the research paper published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, touted as the first study to show an increased rate of adverse health events linked to marijuana edibles. “Some patients will have psychosis, hallucinations, or they will hear things,” Monte, also an emergency medicine and toxicology specialist at the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, told the website UCHealth. “The more common…

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Despite Growing Support for Hemp Legalization, Ohio Government Cracks down

As the Ohio Senate considers legalizing hemp and hemp byproducts in the Buckeye State, the Ohio Department of Health, along with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is simultaneously cracking down on any form of sale of the substance. Currently, hemp is trapped in a complicated legal limbo and while state legalization will alleviate many of the issues, the future is still opaque for the controversial drug. On February 20th, Senate Bill 57 (SB 57) was officially introduced. The bill would not simply legalize the sale of hemp and hemp related products, but also legalize: Possess, buy, or sell hemp or a hemp product; Process hemp into a hemp product, including by the addition of one or more cannabinoids derived from hemp,including cannabidiol, to a product to produce a hemp product; Conduct agricultural, academic, or any other research involving hemp or hemp products. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, the addition of hemp or cannabinoids derived from hemp, including cannabidiol, to any product does not adulterate that product. The specific types of products include: …any product made with hemp, including cosmetics, personal care products, dietary supplements or food intended for animal or human consumption, cloth, cordage, fiber, fuel, paint, paper, particleboard, and any product…

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Recreational Marijuana Bill Dies in Minnesota Senate Committee

The Minnesota State Senate Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly voted to kill a bill that would have legalized recreational marijuana throughout the state Monday. Senate Bill, SF 619, would have made it legal for individuals “21 years of age or older to cultivate, consume, use, and possess cannabis, cannabis products, and cannabis accessories,” as well as modify several other laws to accommodate the legislation. The bill was authored and sponsored by State Senators Melisa Franzen (49, DFL), Scott M. Jensen (47, R), Foung Hawj (67, DFL), and Minority Whip Ann H. Rest (45, DFL). After being introduced on January 28th, the bill was immediately referred to Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee. After due consideration, the Committee voted not only to reject the bill but refused to send it to another committee or authorize any form of study on effects of it. Both of these maneuvers are common legislative procedures used to keep bills alive by buying them more time without bringing them to a vote.  This effectively killed the bill and ensured it would not be revisited for some time. The nine-member committee voted 6-3, along party lines, against it. Governor Tim Walz, in an interview with MPRNews, expressed his disappointment with the…

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First Medicinal Marijuana Processor To Open in Ohio

Friday, Ohio’s state Commerce Department awarded the first medicinal marijuana processor its certificate of operation. This processor will allow medicinal marijuana to be processed, refined, and distilled into cannabis-infused products. These products include: ​oil, wax, ointment, salve, tincture, capsule, suppository, dermal patch, cartridge or other product containing medical cannabis concentrate, or usable cannabis that has been processed so that the dried leaves and flowers are integrated into other material.​ The move is a major step forward for advocates who wish to see the ubiquitous use of cannabis adopted in the Buckeye State. The process of earning this certificate from the state of Ohio is very competitive. Per the rules outlined the Ohio Medicinal Marijuana control program. “The Department received 104 processor applications. From these, the Department is authorized to award up to 40 provisional licenses.” In addition, the cost of operations is shockingly high. It costs $10,000 to apply for the initial certificate. If approved, the actual certificate costs an additional $90,000. Furthermore, to continue operations at a plant, there is an annual fee of $100,000. While these fees may seem high, relative to other business fees, one of the most appealing arguments to marijuana legalization was the idea that the drug would be taxed heavily and…

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Republican-Backed Medical Marijuana Bill Clears First Hurdle in Georgia

by Evie Fordham   A Republican-backed bill to make it legal for Georgians to obtain, not just possess, limited amounts of medical marijuana oil cleared its first hurdle in the state’s House of Representatives Tuesday. The bill is sponsored by five Republican state representatives and one Democrat. Republican state Rep. Micah Gravley has been a leading proponent of the legislation, named “Georgia’s Hope Act,” and said it will allow Georgians with certain state-specified conditions to obtain the oil. “These aren’t people who are seeking a recreational high,” Gravley said, according to the West Georgia Neighbor. “These are people who simply want their children to experience less seizures, a loved one to be eased in the pain of cancer. These are people who simply want to go about their everyday lives and use an oil, and an oil only.” The legislation passed the Georgia House 123-40 and permits growing and manufacturing medical marijuana. The bill also allows 60 dispensaries to “serve the state’s rising number of physician-approved medical marijuana patients — more than 8,400 so far,” reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. If Gravley’s bill passes, Georgia would join 31 states that allow some form of marijuana cultivation. But critics of the bill…

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Hawaii Decides Again Not to Legalize Marijuana

On the political spectrum, Hawaii is among the bluest of states. Democrats control all the levers of power at the state and federal levels, and voters back Democratic presidential candidates over Republicans by some of the widest margins in the U.S. The state has committed to the Paris climate agreement that President Donald Trump rejected and was the first state to require people to be 21 to buy cigarettes. The tourist haven even banned certain types of sunscreen because they can harm coral reefs. But when it comes to legalizing recreational marijuana for adult use, the islands are out of step with liberal stalwarts such as California and Vermont that have already done so, and other left-leaning states such as New York and New Jersey that are racing toward joining them. On Friday, a legalization bill that made it farther in the legislative process than previous efforts died when lawmakers failed to consider it in time for a deadline. Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English has introduced marijuana legalization bills for the past 15 years — but Hawaii has a track record of moving slowly on social issues. For example, other states moved far more quickly to sanction gay marriage…

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Ohio Sells 42 Pounds of Medicinal Marijuana in First Weeks of Legal Sales

Ohio sold $330,000 of medicinal marijuana in 12 days. According to the Marijuana Business Daily, that’s almost double the sales rate of, both, Hawaii and Massachusetts when they legalized the drug. These strong numbers are made all the more impressive by the fact that Ohio marijuana prices are almost five times more expensive than if bought illegally and that only four locations are currently open and selling in Ohio. While it’s too early to say what is driving these strong numbers, Ohio’s complicated relationship with other drugs might be a major motivating factor. Of Ohio, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, Ohio, by far, has the highest opioid prescription rate as well as the highest opioid overdose death rate. While many Ohioans may be concerned that marijuana legalization is simply victims of drug addiction switching from one drug to another, it actually has positive implications for the future of the Buckeye State. Marijuana use does carry side effects, however, these effects are far less severe than opioid abuse. Furthermore, a heroin user is 19 times more likely to have started out by abusing an opioid prescription. Marijuana is somewhat more complicated. While historically it has been considered a “gateway drug,” new reports and insights reveal that…

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DFL Lawmakers Introduce House Bill 420 to Legalize Marijuana in Minnesota

DFL lawmakers took the first concrete steps to legalize recreational marijuana in Minnesota Monday by introducing companion bills in the Minnesota House and Senate. House File (HF) 420, sponsored by Rep. Mike Freiberg (D-Golden Valley), and Senate File (619), sponsored by Sen. Melissa Franzen (D-Edina), would make it legal in the state of Minnesota for a person “ 21 years of age or older” to “cultivate, possess, purchase, transfer, use, and consume cannabis, cannabis products, and cannabis accessories.” The House version of the bill already has 15 co-sponsors, while the Senate version has just two, though one is Republican Sen. Scott Jensen (R-Chaska). The bills would allow employers to adopt a policy that “prohibits the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products in the workplace” or working “while under the influence of cannabis.” They would not, however, allow an employer to “discipline or discriminate against an employee or prospective employee because the employee or prospective employee has metabolites of cannabis in the employee’s or prospective employee’s blood.” Additionally, with some exceptions, residential landlords would not be allowed to prohibit “the possession of cannabis or cannabis products or the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products by nonsmoking means by a tenant who…

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Pro-Legalization Protesters Mock and Shout Down Minnesota Mother Who Lost Son to Impaired Driver

A Wednesday press conference at the Minnesota State Capitol kicked off what is sure to be an emotional and divisive debate over the legalization of marijuana. The press conference was called by Smart Approaches to Marijuana Minnesota, and both Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom and Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie were in attendance. But supporters of legalization repeatedly mocked and interrupted the speakers throughout their remarks, and essentially hijacked the news conference by the end of it. In one case, Sandy Melville, a woman who lost her son to an inebriated driver, was shouted down by protesters when she attempted to discuss how the issue has personally impacted her. “Minnesota road safety will be compromised even further by impaired drivers if this ridiculous initiative passes. Alcohol is legal, easy to get, hence the 24,000 DUI arrests a year. Legalizing recreational marijuana will likely cause a huge increase in DUI arrests,” Melville said, but was interrupted by sarcastic jeers from protesters. “It should be illegal. We should be a dry state,” one protester exclaimed. “If you can’t support cannabis, you can’t support alcohol,” another added. “You can’t support cigarettes either.” Melville went on to reveal that her son was “thrown 51-feet”…

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Ohio Officially Opens Three Marijuana Dispensaries, But Most Doctors Aren’t Prescribing Just Yet

After being delayed by more than a year, legal medicinal marijuana will finally be available in Ohio. Medicinal marijuana prescriptions, however, will be much harder to come by. 80 percent of doctors who are eligible to prescribe the drug have yet to register in the program. Of the few that did register, many only did so to stay abreast of new developments and not necessarily to prescribe. In addition, the overwhelming majority of hospitals have refused to participate in the program and have barred their physicians from prescribing the controversial drug. A majority of the 300 physicians who are registered to prescribe the drug operate private practices and are not attached to hospitals. Marijuana is still a Schedule I drug in the eyes of the federal government. This classification means, as far as the government is concerned: There is no accepted medical use, It has a high potential for abuse, It is among “the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.” For all the success medicinal marijuana has found with state legalization, this classification makes many hospitals fearful that, should laws change or the federal government crackdown on state legalization, they could find themselves facing severe fines, prison, and even the loss of…

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Ohio State Board Considers Approving More Conditions for Marijuana Treatment

With medicinal marijuana sales imminent in the Buckeye state, the Ohio State Medical Board is currently considering a slew of additional medical conditions for medicinal marijuana treatment. Currently, 21 conditions are approved for the controversial treatment. A number of the conditions cover a wide swathe of ailments. For example, cancer is an approved condition but it does not specify which of the more than 100 known forms of cancer that occur in humans are covered and which aren’t, so, presumably, all of them could be. It would ultimately be at the mercy of the prescribing doctor, though any doctor found overprescribing could be fined, lose their medical license, and even face jail time. Per Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-05, every year the state is required to give citizens the opportunity to submit petitions for new conditions to be approved for marijuana treatment. Thus far, the Ohio State Medical Board has received 110 petitions. Forty-four of these documents were asking treaments that are already included in the Code. Fifty-four did not meet the final requirements or number of signatures but may be resubmitted. Among the new conditions being considered are anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Per a recent medical study, there is very little research on the…

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With Legal Marijuana Sales Imminent in Ohio, Demand Skyrockets

In as early as the coming days, the first legal marijuana dispensary will open for business in Ohio. Fifty-six sites have received approval for sale and several others are only waiting to receive the product before beginning distribution. However, many Ohioans are concerned that, even with legal certification, they won’t be able to obtain marijuana anytime soon. An estimated 3.5 million Ohioans have medical conditions that would permit the use of the controversial drug. In addition, more than 350 doctors are now qualified to approve marijuana prescriptions across the state. There a plethora of conditions that qualify for marijuana use ranging from chronic pain and PTSD to AIDS and most forms of cancer. In spite of this, only a fraction will be able to obtain marijuana following the first sales. In a recent interview Ohio Department of Commerce Senior Policy Advisor Mark Hamlin revealed that, though there will be product available soon, “we know the initial product will be very small.” In addition, he conceded that supply will absolutely not reach initial demand. The 56 dispensaries that have been approved are not equally distributed throughout the state. Some Ohioans will have to drive as much as three and a half hours just to reach…

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NASA Opens Investigation Into SpaceX Over Musk Smoking Weed

by Chris White   NASA is ordering an investigation into SpaceX’s culture and commitment to safety after company CEO Elon Musk took a hit off a marijuana cigarette in September on a livestreamed podcast. The agency’s review will look at both Boeing and SpaceX, both of which are responsible for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station. Officials will examine anything that would impact safety, The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed officials. NASA’s move comes after top officials complained after Musk smoked weed on a Sept. 7 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” while attempting to explain why he sometimes gets caught in Twitter battles with his critics. His behavior during the podcast prompted the probe, officials told WaPo. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine reiterated those concerns. He told reporters that the agency wants to reassure the public that transporting astronauts into space is safe. “If I see something that’s inappropriate, the key concern to me is what is the culture that led to that inappropriateness and is NASA involved in that,” he said. “As an agency we’re not just leading ourselves, but our contractors, as well. We need to show the American public that when we put an astronaut on…

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Three Chicago Men Charged for Selling Lethal Fake Marijuana

Federal prosecutors have charged three men with the illegal sale of a synthetic marijuana product that has been linked to at least two deaths and 56 illnesses in Illinois, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. Fouad Masoud, 48 and Jad Allah, 44, from Justice, Illinois, a village near Chicago and Adil Khan Mohammed, 44 of Chicago were charged with selling synthetic cannabinoids – often called K2, Spice or fake weed. Federal officers made undercover purchases of the illegal substances, marketed as “Matrix,” “Blue Giant” and “Crazy Monkey,” the AP reported.

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Rutherford County District Attorney Jennings Jones Drops All Charges in ‘Cannabidiol’ Arrests and Product Seizure

The District Attorney’s office announced in a statement Tuesday that all criminal charges filed in connection with allegations of selling products containing a substance closely related to the active ingredient in marijuana called ‘cannabidiol,’ commonly known a CBD, against store clerks and markets will be dropped and the records expunged . In addition to the criminal charges, all public nuisance actions taken against markets will be dismissed and all property seized under the court’s order will be returned. District Attorney General Jennings Jones said that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations chemists informed his office of the limitations of their ability to determine the origin and amount of controlled substances in the samples provided, which effectively removed the foundation of his case: Chemists from TBI have now informed my office they cannot determine whether the cannabidiol detected on these products came from a hemp plant or marijuana plant. I was also informed that the TBI lab cannot determine the level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in any of the products they tested. It now appears that the TBI lab reports, if they had been accurately written, should have stated that their findings were ‘inconclusive’ as to whether cannabidiol is a controlled substance. The cannabidiol substance detected…

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Maine Upholds Governor’s Veto Blocking Retail Marijuana Sales

A bill establishing a legal framework for selling recreational marijuana in the state of Maine has met its demise after lawmakers sustained Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of legislation regulating retail weed sales. Maine’s House of Representatives voted 74-62 on Monday in support of the Republican governor’s veto, slashing the odds of recreational marijuana sales starting in…

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