WeedLife News Network

Legal experts worry expungement proposals currently being considered might cause more harm than good

The push to legalize recreational marijuana use in Missouri is coming from multiple directions, with a handful of proposed initiative petitions and at least one bill, and potentially more, backed by Republican lawmakers. 

Each hopes to place the issue on the 2022 ballot for voter approval.

And each proposal also includes a provision that, while often overlooked in the marijuana debate, is considered a transformative piece of the legalization puzzle — the expungement of nonviolent marijuana offenses from criminal records. 

The proposals differ on how they handle expungement. 

Some propose an “automatic” system that would have the courts identify the old offenses and seal them on people’s records. Others would require people to submit a petition and pay a fee.

The wait for legal cannabis in Florida may continue longer than proponents planned, but if everything goes accordingly from a planning and preparation standpoint, the wait may be worthwhile for consumers.

Ever since Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational cannabis use about a decade ago, dozens of other states have followed in their footsteps. In fact, nearly half of the states in the country have recreational cannabis laws on the books now, which makes one curious as to where Florida is on cannabis legalization.

There is medical marijuana available in the state, which leads one to believe that the legalization of recreational cannabis isn’t too far away. Cannabis legalization could be an economic driver for Florida that’s tough to rival. Here are some key insights about the path to cannabis legalization in the Sunshine State.

Status of Medical Marijuana  

Medical marijuana was initially introduced to Floridians back in 2019. Florida SB 186 signed into action by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis allows Florida residents to possess and consume up to 2.5 ounces of dry herb cannabis every five weeks. Physical possession of a medical marijuana card is necessary for avoiding prosecution from police.

Florida voters demonstrated glaring support for medical marijuana sales in the state. Taking that into consideration, it’s fair to question what barriers cannabis advocates face when it comes to getting it legalized recreationally in the state.

According to Deputy Director of the Center for Effective Public Management for The Brookings Institution, John Hudak, there’s no bigger obstacle for cannabis legalization in Florida than the Governor himself.

New York is looking at major revenue from cannabis sales over the next six years according to Governor Kathy Hochul.

New York is poised to collect $1.25 billion in revenue from taxes on legal cannabis sales, according to a budget projection from Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul released on Tuesday. The revenue projections are included in the state budget for next year, which includes significant investment in projects designed to continue the economic and social recovery from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“We have the means to immediately respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as embrace this once-in-a-generation opportunity for the future with a historic level of funding that is both socially responsible and fiscally prudent,” Hochul said in a statement from the governor’s office.

New York’s state budget for the 2023 fiscal year, which is detailed in an 85-page briefing book from the governor’s office, anticipates $56 million in cannabis revenue, including $40 million collected from license fees on cannabis businesses. State lawmakers legalized recreational cannabis last year, and since taking office in August Hochul has vowed to expedite the regulation of adult-use cannabis stalled by Andrew Cuomo, the former governor who resigned last summer because of a sexual harassment scandal.

Over the next six years, the governor’s office predicts that the state will collect more than $1.25 billion in revenue from taxes and fees on recreational cannabis, with the annual total increasing as more producers, processors and retailers launch their operations. Cannabis tax revenue is expected to increase to $95 million in fiscal year 2024 and reach an estimated $363 million in 2028.

New York Budget Projections Include Revenue from Cannabis ‘Potency Tax’

The taxes on New York’s cannabis industry include a nine percent excise tax and another four percent tax for local governments. The state’s regulations also include a separate tax on THC, with the amount of tax collected rising as the potency of a product rises.

The Austin Freedom Act of 2021 also aims to ban dangerous ‘no knock’ warrants.

Officials in Austin, Texas have officially given the green light to a cannabis decriminalization initiative now set to appear in an upcoming ballot. On January 18, the Austin City Council in Texas voted to allow the ballot initiative known as the “Austin Freedom Act of 2021” on the upcoming special election on May 7. The Act will stop local law enforcement from convicting residents of low-level cannabis offenses, and will prohibit “no knock” warrants by police as well.

The initiative is supported by an organization called Ground Game Texas (GGT).

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of the on-the-ground organizers from Ground Game Texas and partner organizations, Austin residents will soon have the ability to make lasting change to our antiquated and racist criminal justice laws,” said Ground Game Texas Political Director Mike Siegel when the organization first received approval from the City Clerk in December 2021.

“With successful campaigns like these, Ground Game Texas will continue to empower and excite communities around progressive change—and deliver for the marginalized communities that too often get left behind.”

The group collected 33,332 signatures, although only 20,000 was necessary. State law requires that 25 percent of randomly selected signatures needs to be verified, which came up to 8,334 of the signatures. Of those, 2,455 were disqualified (due to duplicates, missing signature or other reasons), but the remaining 5,879 passed the test.

New studies: Survey of user experience and warnings of unregulated contaminants.

The sudden appearance of delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8-THC, or delta-8) and its quick rise in popularity is a classic tale of unintended consequences and loopholes that enterprising entrepreneurs rush through.

1. Delta-8 is a cannabinoid molecule naturally found in cannabis.

The cannabis plant contains over 100 similar molecules called cannabinoids, most of them in small quantities and with unknown properties. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly called THC, is the most abundant and most psychoactive molecule in popular strains of marijuana. When the double bond between two carbon atoms shifts location slightly, it creates delta-8, which has similar effects as delta-9 but is only two-thirds as strong. Until recently, delta-8 was little known because cannabis plants contain only .1 percent delta-8, which is too little to extract profitably.

2. Delta-8 is legal and unregulated.

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp products as long as the delta-9 content remained below .3 percent. This bill permitted a great increase in the production of CBD (cannabidiol), which exists in sufficient amounts in hemp to be extracted profitably. When over-production of CBD created a glut that plummeted prices in 2020, the industry began looking for innovative ways to make the excess CBD profitable. Simple chemistry discovered in the 1960s using solvents like toluene began being used to convert CBD into delta-8.

Since the Farm Bill said nothing specific about delta-8, it remained legal federally, and only 14 states have restricted its sale to date. Able to be offered on the Internet, mailed through the US Postal Service, and sold in gas stations, convenience stores, and cannabis dispensaries, it has been the fastest-growing segment of the hemp-derived market this last year, says Ian Laird of data analytics company Hemp Benchmarks.

The Black Comics Collective and The Weldon Project are collaborating on a NFT project that will benefit those who have be impacted by the War on Drugs.

Non-fungible tokens (NFT) take the stage again, this time with a cannabis-related collaboration featuring unique music and art.

Burn1, a blockchain company that provides “financial rocket fuel for cannabis reform” announced its partnership with both The Black Comics Collective and The Weldon Project on January 19 to create an NFT project aimed at collecting funds for cannabis.

Neighbors of a planned medical marijuana dispensary in Kent are concerned about its location near families, the entrance the Kent State University, fraternity houses and the city's Portage County Municipal Courthouse.

The business, Slightly Toasted, is planning to open at 331 E. Main St. and brought site plans and a request for conditional zoning to the city's planning commission this week. The panel did not vote, however, after hearing from neighbors and determining there were additional details needed in the site plan before a vote.

Hearing commission members’ concerns, property owner James Dulick requested and was granted a continuance, which will enable him to add details to the site plan requested by commission members.

When, or if, the Senate approves the changes and Gov. Reeves signs the bill, the program regulating and selling cannabis to registered patients will kick off later this year.

The Mississippi House of Representatives passed an amended version of the Senate’s medical marijuana bill on Wednesday, lowering the amount of cannabis a patient can purchase each month.

What Happened

The measure was approved on a 104–14 vote. The changes addressed concerns raised by Gov. Tate Reeves (R), who repeatedly called for lawmakers to lower the amount, Marijuana Moment reported.

The legislation allows patients to purchase the equivalent of 3.5 grams of marijuana (or 1 gram of cannabis concentrate) daily, with a maximum monthly limit of 3 ounces. The maximum monthly amount of cannabis that can be purchased passed by the Senate was 3.5-ounces.

“When I got involved in this bill, I said, ‘How can we build a wall around this program, so the people who get it are the people who need it the most, and only the people who need it the most?'” Yancey said.

“This is not for everybody out on the street. This is not for a bunch of kids. This is for hurting people with debilitating conditions.”

The hemp industry has been unloading products containing new alternative cannabinoids targeting specific moods and providing more benefits. One of the cannabinoids increasing in popularity is called CBN (Cannabinol), also known as the CBD for sleep.

CBN is a cannabinoid found in, and derived from, the hemp plant. Although close in chemical structure to CBD, the compounds produce very different results. CBN is specifically for getting to sleep, staying asleep and for anti-anxiety.

What is CBN?

Cannabinol, the scientific name for CBN, has been the newest upcoming cannabinoid and consumers have been flocking to it due to its sleep and relaxing properties.

CBN is created naturally due to the degradation of Delta 9 THC. Because of the technology that hemp companies have been able to scale, this magical cannabinoid can now be adopted at scale by consumers.

What is the difference between CBN and CBD?

Due to the fact that the hemp industry is discovering more potent benefits the alternative cannabinoids are offering, CBD has been slowly fading out into the background due to its lack of strength in benefits compared to CBN and others.

Reputable vegan CBD product manufacturers tend to use better quality ingredients overall compared to the artificial ingredients found in most cheap CBD items.

The rise of veganism is widely spreading all around the world. Surveys suggest in 2020 alone, there was an increase of 40%, though it’s hard to pinpoint the exact number.

It’s not just a fad; veganism is more than a plant-based diet as more and more people see the value in completely eliminating all forms of animal products from their lifestyle. Whether it’s for environmental reasons, health, or for the animals, there’s no doubt that there are certain benefits to going vegan.

Cannabidiol (CBD), is one of the two primary compounds in the cannabis plant. The other being tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is famous for its psychoactive effects and therapeutic benefits. On the other hand, CBD doesn’t get you high but it has it’s own health benefits especially when it comes to anxiety, stress reduction, seizures, sleep management, pains, and aches. CBD can be taken in a wide variety of forms: it can be vaped, consumed as an edible or in gummies, or in capsule form and so much more. But some vegans probably wonder if CBD is vegan.

Vegan CBD Products

CBD in itself is vegan, because it’s derived from the hemp plant, which is rich in amino acids. Vegans can enjoy a range of health benefits from consuming vegan CBD products because they can help increase energy, improve brain function, contribute to overall emotional and mental wellbeing, aid in metabolism, and much more. In addition, it’s also rich in antioxidant contents.

However, not all CBD products on the market are vegan. The whole point of going plant-based means that one eschews all forms of animal byproducts including cosmetics, supplements, and actual food. And when it comes to manufacturing CBD products, the same rules apply. For example, there are many CBD edibles out there are that are not made with vegan ingredients, such as milk or honey as well as flavorings, so it pays to look out specifically for vegan CBD products that are better for you and the environment, which are also more aligned with your own lifestyle choices.

An expansion to Utah's medical cannabis program has officially launched, allowing more health care workers to recommend marijuana to qualifying patients.

The program allows any licensed physician, physician's assistant, nurse or podiatrist with a controlled substance license to recommend cannabis to up to 15 patients. There are more than 21,000 medical providers who can now recommend medical cannabis, the Utah Department of Health said.

"This program expands access to medical cannabis for qualifying patients by increasing the number of clinicians who have the option to recommend medical cannabis. In the past, adult patients had to obtain a recommendation from one of the 800 medical providers who were registered with the Utah Department of Health but that is no longer the case," Richard Oborn, Utah Department of Health's Center for Medical Cannabis director, said in a statement.

FOX 13 first reported in 2019 about problems qualifying patients were having getting a physician willing to recommend. The Utah State Legislature created the "limited medical provider" option to get health care workers more comfortable with cannabis.

The expansion was supposed to launch last October, but staffing and technology issues delayed it. Lawmakers, caught off guard by the delay, were not pleased and demanded timelines be sped up. Patient advocates were also frustrated.

The CDC recently issued guidance to businesses developing marijuana policies, balancing state legalization efforts and fleet safety. Per the CDC, marijuana should be addressed in motor vehicle safety programs.

Marijuana is a particularly challenging issue as THC can remain at detectable levels long after any intoxicating effect has ceased. Indeed, THC can be detected up to several weeks following consumption. As a result, the CDC reports marijuana being one of the most frequent drugs found in post-crash testing.

The CDC's confirmation of marijuana's specific contribution to crash risk being unclear further complicates this issue. Likewise, a zero-tolerance marijuana policy may no longer be viable under state legalization laws.

Everything you need to get high fun and safely.

With all but a few dozen decidedly nerdy states embracing legal cannabis, it looks as though we’re heading into a cultural renaissance with a big old dank nug at the helm. 

As the stigma trailing weed continues to dissipate, a whole new generation of cannabis consumers is getting ready to acquaint themselves with a drug most grew up being told was pure evil by groups like D.A.R.E., the U.S. government, and those meddling kids from Bayside High. For the budding stoners, medical cardholders, and recreational users alike, this gear should help you master this misunderstood drug called cannabis. 

Weed isn’t going away.

This leafy green plant has been popular in the US since the 17th century. Demand for rope, clothing and sails resulted in a thriving hemp industry for over two centuries. Eventually, imports met this demand, but tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, remained in over-the-counter medication well into the 19th century.

As you may already know, pot’s fall from grace came after the Mexican Revolution, when Mexican immigrants flooded into the southern U.S., bringing recreational cannabis use with them. Dubbed “the Marijuana Menace,” anti-drug campaigns did their best to associate cannabis with the distrusted immigrant population. By the 1920s, over half of the U.S. had banned its use.

Unfortunately, THC-rich cannabis hasn’t received such amnesty, despite a wealth of bills proposing its legalization.

Last summer, I attended an event hosted by the Wake Libertarian Party. During this well-attended seminar, NC House Democrat Alison Dahle answered questions regarding her recently proposed House Bill 617, which would provide sweeping legalization for adults at least 21 years of age to own and use marijuana in NC. It also included an outline for regulating a commercial cannabis market and criminal justice reform, including expunging criminal records for drug crimes made legal by the bill.

A late night traffic stop by the Denham Springs Police Department led to the seizure of 5.35 pounds of marijuana and more.

A little before 10:30 p.m., on Tuesday, January 18, officers stopped an SUV. Along with marijuana, officers found a “‘dab’ pen, two THC Cartridges and $4,060,” according to the Denham Springs Police Department.

DSPD apprehended the driver who now faces these charges: (create list below)

New Mexico regulators have doubled the number of marijuana plants that licensed growers can cultivate as the state prepares for recreational sales to start this spring, officials announced Tuesday.

Increasing the plant count makes sense “to ensure that everyone can maximize the benefits of a thriving cannabis industry,” said state Cannabis Control Division Director Kristen Thomson.

The division also needs to ensure that supplies remain consistent for the tens of thousands of New Mexicans who participate in the state’s medical marijuana program.

But some marijuana industry players are concerned that the change is too little and too late to meet demand because of the time it takes time to put in place the needed infrastructure and for plants to grow.

In order for the cannabis industry to consistently achieve and maintain a high sales volume, it needs to be more nimble and prepared for changes than the tobacco industry was.

Given the rapid rate the recreational cannabis space has grown at, it’s only natural to wonder what, if anything, could slow that growth down. In order to find out what some potential roadblocks could be for recreational marijuana, look no further than big tobacco.

Even though it isn’t legalized nationally yet, it’s easy to note numerous similarities between recreational cannabis companies and businesses in the tobacco industry. As the legal cannabis industry continues to grow, it’s imperative that they don’t repeat the same mistakes as the tobacco did in the early 20th century.