MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press

When people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) consume more medical marijuana they tend to use fewer prescription drugs, including powerful, habit-forming psychostimulants, according to a new study.

Patients who used medical cannabis components -- cannabinoids themselves as well as terpenes -- also “reported a higher occurrence of stopping all ADHD medications,” the researchers, whose findings were published late last month in the Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal, wrote.

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Chris Roberts ~ MarijuanaMoment.net ~

“Hemp and marijuana has really come to the forefront in a lot of economic sectors in the country. We’re not pro-cannabis or anti-cannabis. What we’re about will be the science, and training students to look at that science.”

The American International College (AIC, Springfield, Massachusetts) recently announced that they will begin offering a master’s degree in cannabis science for the upcoming fall 2020 semester.

This will be the first master’s degree offered in the Northeast region of the U.S. The program follows in the footsteps of the AIC’s undergraduate and certificate-level programs that were introduced in November 2019.

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Madeline Colli ~ CannabisScienceTech.com ~ 

Legislation in Utah clarifies that private employers are not required to allow their employees to use medical cannabis, according to a Deseret News report.

The change is part of several proposed changes to Utah’s medical cannabis law, which the legislature is considering during this year’s legislative session.

The provision regarding employers’ policies on medical cannabis use has sparked some debate among medical cannabis advocates, Deseret News reported, with some questioning why cannabis will be treated differently than any other prescribed medication.

The original version of S.B.121 did not include a requirement for private employers to accommodate medical cannabis use, according to the news outlet, but Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers said that was not clear enough in the law’s language. The bill aims to provide this clarification.

Other provisions in the bill would expunge the criminal records of patients who were prosecuted in the past for cannabis possession, as well as remove a requirement that cannabis flower must be sold in a blister pack. The legislation also attempts to tackle testing for drivers under the influence of cannabis and removes an existing cap on the number of cannabis patients each doctor can have.

The Washington House approved a bill Feb. 16 that aims to address racial inequity within the state’s cannabis industry, according to The Seattle Times.

H.B. 2870 would allow the state to issue additional cannabis retail licenses for social equity purposes. Under the legislation, regulators could issue previously forfeited, canceled and revoked retail licensed to applicants in a new social equity program, and the bill would direct the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) to prioritize applicants representing communities disproportionately impacted by prohibition, The Seattle Times reported.

The WSLCB would consider factors in the licensing process such as the applicant’s race, gender, history of cannabis-related convictions and plans to employ people of color, according to the news outlet.

The WSLCB requested the legislation, The Seattle Times reported, and regulators say they have 13 unused licenses that can be redistributed.

H.B. 2870 would also create a social equity task force responsible for recommending whether additional licenses should be issued by December, according to the news outlet, and the legislation would also set up a grant program to assist the new licensees with the licensing process, developing business plans and networking.

The New Mexico House has passed a bill that would prohibit non-residents from accessing the state’s medical cannabis program, sending the legislation to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The House passed S.B. 139 in a 44-19 vote, according to an Albuquerque Journal report. The Senate approved the legislation last week.

Those backing the bill aim to reverse a change in a state law that was enacted last year and that allowed qualifying non-residents to enroll in New Mexico’s medical cannabis program.

During last year’s legislative session, lawmakers approved legislation that made substantial changes to the state’s medical cannabis law, including one that changed the definition of a qualified patient. This allowed any person with one of the state’s qualifying conditions who is certified by an in-state practitioner to enroll in the New Mexico’s medical cannabis program.

When the law took effect, however, the New Mexico Department of Health refused to issue medical cannabis ID cards to out-of-state patients, which caused petitioners who applied for medical cannabis cards and were denied to file a lawsuit against the state.

When Randy Mire first learned about efforts to pass medical cannabis legislation in Louisiana six years ago, he immediately recognized the opportunity to help patients while expanding his business. Mire owns six pharmacies throughout Louisiana that ship specialty medications (not cannabis) to 35 states nationwide.

With a doctor of pharmacy from Xavier University of Louisiana and a decade of business experience, Mire knew that he was a good candidate to open a cannabis dispensary. “I felt that put us in a good position to apply for a medical marijuana license because it showed that we understood quality control, the parameters around doing it correctly,” he says. “I was excited because it was going to be treated as medication, and pharmacists would run it.”

 

There were a lot of risks to starting a new business, especially in the cannabis industry where licensing fees, construction costs, tax liabilities and banking costs tend to be higher, yet Mire felt he was ready. “I love being on the cutting edge of pharmacies and medicines that can help patients,” he says.

Capitol Wellness is located in a 4,000-sq.-ft. facility in Baton Rouge’s medical corridor near the area’s two largest hospitals, allowing patients easy access to his facility. Despite many challenges, including more-than-anticipated building security requirements and limited products, he’s pleased with the results so far.

“We couldn’t be happier we got into the cannabis space,” he says.

GETTING STARTED

A recent audit of Portland’s cannabis program has determined that the city needs an improved strategy to regulate the industry.

Alexandra Fercak, a performance auditor with Portland Audit Services, said the Office of Community and Civic Life, which oversees the city’s cannabis industry, is struggling to meet its regulatory obligations, according to an Oregon Public Radio report.

Fercak’s report, titled “Cannabis Program: Management fundamentals needed to improve regulation of emerging industry,” was released late last month. Auditors interviewed managers and staff from the Office of Community and Civic Life and reviewed industry feedback on challenges related to regulation to compile their findings, Oregon Public Radio reported.

The audit found that the Office of Community and Civic Life lacks an overall strategy to manage the city’s cannabis program, as well as a system to accurately track data on cannabis licensing and enforcement, according to an Oregon Live report. The regulatory body also lacks tools to regularly communicate with other city departments, the city council and the public, the news outlet reported.

The auditor’s report recommends that the Office of Community and Civic Life create an overall strategy to streamline the cannabis licensing process, track data, and publicly disclose information about the industry and its performance, according to Oregon Live.

The state of Missouri awarded nearly 350 operating licenses for the medical marijuana industry. Now there are thousands of jobs to fill.

Midwest Canna Expos set up a first-of-its-kind job fair Saturday at the Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley campus, connecting the new employers to the applicants.

More than 400 people showed up, hoping to start a new career. 

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Nick Starling ~ KSHB.com ~

Pilot study of long-term care residents tests therapeutic effects of cannabidiol on seniors.

Mike Walker can no longer have a simple conversation with his wife. It was just four years ago, at the young age of 52, when Karen was originally diagnosed with dementia.

She no longer speaks, and also suffers from agitation and physical outbursts with aggression, which can be common with the disease.

"You just can't give up on somebody, you gotta try whatever means that are out there," Mike says.

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The Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board held its first meeting of the year Feb. 14, where it rejected adding new qualifying conditions to the state’s medical cannabis program and upheld its recommendations on placing limits on the amount of THC that patients can purchase, according to a local KHQA report.

The board, which is made up of physicians, meets four times per year to discuss changes to Iowa’s medical cannabis program, the news outlet reported. At Friday’s meeting, industry stakeholders urged the board to increase both patient access and the amount of THC that patients can purchase.

The board rejected petitions to add panic disorder and ADHD to the medical cannabis program’s list of qualifying conditions, citing a lack of medical evidence supporting that medical cannabis can help these conditions, KHQA reported.

In addition, while state law maintains a 3% THC limit for medical cannabis products, the board has recommended a change that allows patients to access 4.5 grams of THC over a 90-day period, a recommendation that was also discussed at last week’s meeting.

Iowa lawmakers have introduced two proposals this legislative session that would raise this 3% THC cap—a bill in the House would implement a limit of 4.5 grams of THC over 90 days, as the board recommends, while legislation in the Senate would impose a limit of 25 grams of THC over 90 days.

The New Mexico Senate has approved legislation that would prohibit non-residents from enrolling in the state’s medical cannabis program, after a judge ruled last year that regulators must allow out-of-state patients access to the program.

Supporters of the bill, S.B. 139, aim to reverse a change in a state law that was enacted last year and that allowed qualified non-residents to obtain medical cannabis ID cards in the state, according to an Albuquerque Journal report.

The bill’s sponsors believe allowing out-of-state patients into New Mexico’s medical cannabis program could cause the federal government to shut down the program if another state files a lawsuit, the news outlet reported.

“What this bill does is make sure we’re not enabling people to violate the laws of their state,” Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto told the Albuquerque Journal.

Last fall, a judge upheld a law that eliminated the residency requirement in New Mexico’s medical cannabis program and ruled that the New Mexico Department of Health had to begin issuing medical cannabis cards to qualifying non-residents.

Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva has announced that he would like to pass legislation this year to limit the amount of THC in medical cannabis products in the state, according to a South Florida Sun-Sentinel report.

Although legislation to cap the amount of THC has not been introduced this legislative session, the House considered a proposal last year that would have capped the THC level in whole-flower products at 10%. The Senate ultimately rejected that measure.

Now, however, Oliva is making a THC cap a priority for the House, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. He told the news outlet that he would be willing to sponsor a bill to cap THC levels in all medical cannabis products, from flower to edibles.

Oliva has discussed the issue with Senate President Bill Galvano, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and Sen. Rob Bradley, who has played a key role in medical cannabis legislation in the past, has indicated that he is willing to consider a THC cap.

Until recreational and medical cannabis are federally legalized, it’s nice to know where each state stands when it comes to cannabis.

In the U.S., cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I Drug, which means it’s illegal to possess or consume under federal law.

Even so, reformed cannabis laws are becoming more common across the country, so we’re keeping track of decriminalization and legalization. 

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Johanna Silver and Mike Whiter ~ NowThisNews.com ~ 

ASTM International has been around for more than 100 years and has released more than 12,000 global standards for a wide range of industries, and now, the organization has established D37, a committee on cannabis.

“There was a push to try to standardize [cannabis] because in the U.S., it’s not legal federally, so every state is off doing their own thing, and there are a lot of people who recognized [that] we need to have an organization that’s going to put these standards together,” Ed Nodland, an ASTM International member and the co-founder of audit software provider Jet Stream Innovations, tells Cannabis Business Times.

Within ASTM International’s cannabis committee are subcommittees on cultivation, laboratory testing, quality assurance, manufacturing, processing, security and retail, among others. The committee’s members are both cannabis producers and ancillary businesses that support the industry.

Nodland became involved with the organization two years ago, and has helped write an international audit standard for cannabis businesses, which was released earlier this month.

The new standard, which will be published as D8308, provides a framework that could help internal quality and compliance teams, external stakeholders and third-party auditors develop best practices for their assessments. The D8303 guidance will help business owners define what needs to be audited, perform an audit and report results.

This week, the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee voted to table a cannabis legalization bill, rendering legalization efforts dead in the state this year. Elsewhere, the West Virginia House and Senate passed decriminalization measures, and once the chambers reconcile the minor differences between their proposals, the legislation can be sent to Gov. Ralph Northam, who has promised to sign it.

Here, we’ve rounded up the 10 headlines you need to know before this week is over.

Illinois: State officials are allowing medical cannabis businesses to extend their operating hours in an attempt to prioritize patients as supply problems continue to plague the state since its launch of adult-use sales on Jan. 1. llinois’ law previously set 8 p.m. as the cut-off time for medical cannabis sales, while adult-use sales were permitted until 10 p.m. Now, medical sales can also continue until 10 p.m., according to a statement issued by the Illinois Department and Professional Regulation. Read moreWest Virginia: Lawmakers have amended the state’s medical cannabis law to allow patients to access the plant form of cannabis. The change is part of Senate Bill 339, a package of regulations that the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources submitted for legislative approval. Read moreMaine: Lawmakers held a hearing Feb. 10 on legislation that would keep parts of the state’s cannabis market a secret by not requiring business owners to provide details on security, trade secrets or standard operating procedures to the state’s Office of Marijuana Policy. Some argue that the bill could possibly limit the amount of information available to customers before they purchase cannabis products in the state. Read moreVirginia: The House of Delegates passed a bill Feb. 10 that would decriminalize the possession of cannabis in the state. H.B. 972, introduced by Del. Charniele Herring, would make the simple possession of cannabis punishable by a civil fine of $25 that can be paid like a parking ticket and that does not go on an individual’s criminal record. Read moreThe Virginia Senate passed a similar decriminalization measure, S.B. 2, on Feb. 11 that would set the maximum penalty for cannabis possession at a $50 fine. The two legislative chambers must now reconcile the minor differences between their proposals in conference, and Gov. Ralph Northam has promised to sign a decriminalization bill into law this year. Read moreIowa: Lawmakers have introduced two legislative proposals to raise the state’s 3% THC limit for medical cannabis products. A bill in the House, House Study Bill 653, would replace the current cap with a limit of 4.5 grams of THC over a 90-day period, while Senate Study Bill 3136 would impose a limit of 25 grams of THC every 90 days. Read moreKentucky: The House Judiciary Committee voted Feb. 12 in favor of a bill that would legalize medical cannabis for patients with debilitating medical conditions in Kentucky. H.B. 136 will now head to the House of Representatives for a full vote. Read moreNew Mexico: The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Feb. 12 to table a bill that would have legalized adult-use cannabis in the state. The legislation is now likely dead for this year’s 30-day legislative session, which ends next week. Read moreAlabama: A bill to legalize medical cannabis in Alabama has been introduced in the state legislature following a study commission’s discussions on the best approach to a legislative proposal. Sen. Tim Melson is sponsoring Senate Bill 165, titled “The Compassion Act,” and the legislation is scheduled for a Feb. 19 hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Read moreGeorgia: The number of Georgians enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program has increased by more than 70% in one year. A total of 14,511 residents now hold medical cannabis cards that allow them to access low-THC cannabis oil (containing less than 5% THC), which is a dramatic increase from the 8,402 patients enrolled in the program roughly one year ago. Read more

  OHIO: The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy today awarded a Dispensary Certificate of Operation to Herbology, located at 1150 N. 21st St., Newark. The Board has now issued 50 Dispensary Certificates of Operation. The interactive map of Dispensaries with Certificates of Operation will be updated within two business days.

PRESS RELEASE - The list for pesticides that can be used on cannabis without being a violation of the Pesticide Applicators' Act has been updated. Please note the following products have been added:

Agro Pro XAgro XP Biopesticide: insecticide-miticide-fungicideExtinguish Professional Fire Ant BaitGrowsafe Biopesticide: insecticide-miticide-fungicideRidexSil-Matrix LC

Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals fans can’t legally use medical marijuana to treat the suffering caused by their teams, the State Medical Board of Ohio ruled Wednesday.

However, board members voted to moved autism and anxiety a step closer to becoming qualifying conditions to receive a medical-marijuana recommendation from a doctor, according to Orie Givens of Spectrum News.

Vincent Morano of Cincinnati submitted a half-serious application to the medical board to allow medical marijuana for fans of Ohio’s two NFL teams.

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Jeremy Pelzer ~ Cleveland.com ~

Marijuana companies are paying for 66% of state’s sponsored highway miles under Clean Colorado program.

Cannabis companies are the leading sponsors of Colorado highways, accounting for cleanup on two-thirds of the roads maintained by Clean Colorado — a program the industry has leveraged as a loophole in the state’s strict limits on marijuana advertising.

Currently, 51 cannabis dispensaries, cultivators, manufacturers and edible producers sponsor roadways throughout the state, according to data from the Adopt a Highway Maintenance Corporation. 

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Tiney Ricciardi ~ DenverPost.com ~

The number of Georgians with cards allowing possession of medical cannabis has soared more than 70% in one year.

Currently, 14,511 people in Georgia have permission to possess ‘‘low THC oil,’’ officials of the state’s Department of Public Health said this week.

That’s up from 8,402 about a year ago. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, the one that gives users a “high.” 

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Andy Miller ~ WABE.org ~