WeedLife News Network

Back in the days when “skunk” was mainly associated with Pepé Le Pew and hydroponics was a way of improving cucumbers, most of the UK’s cannabis supply was imported from places such as Morocco and Lebanon. This changed in the past two or three decades in the UK and many other countries as organised criminal gangs set up growing operations closer to home.

One of the only bright spots in 2020 was the emerging cannabis industry.

Whereas the ongoing global pandemic has negatively impacted virtually every other industry on earth, the legal international cannabis industry has powered forward.

According to data firm BDSA, spending on the legal cannabis industry is expected to top $20 billion in 2020, up from an estimated $14.8 billion in 2019.

To put that number into perspective, the international music organization IFPI estimates that the entire global music industry is worth roughly $20 billion dollars, and unlike the music industry the cannabis industry has plenty of room for growth.

One of the only bright spots in 2020 was the emerging cannabis industry.

Whereas the ongoing global pandemic has negatively impacted virtually every other industry on earth, the legal international cannabis industry has powered forward.

According to data firm BDSA, spending on the legal cannabis industry is expected to top $20 billion in 2020, up from an estimated $14.8 billion in 2019.

To put that number into perspective, the international music organization IFPI estimates that the entire global music industry is worth roughly $20 billion dollars, and unlike the music industry the cannabis industry has plenty of room for growth.

As the year 2020 comes to a close, many in the cannabis community are naturally starting to look ahead towards 2021 and speculating on what the new year may bring for the emerging cannabis industry.

When it comes to cannabis consumption on the European continent, France stands above the rest of the countries in the region.

According to the United Nations, France has the highest rate of cannabis consumption among the list of European countries, over double the European average.

With that in mind, it’s unfortunate that France is not leading the charge when it comes to reforming Europe’s harmful cannabis laws.

Nations like the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy seem to be much more favorable when it comes to the possibility of passing the first adult-use cannabis legalization measure in Europe.

Strong Polling for Legalization

When it comes to support for cannabis legalization, politicians in France are clearly out of touch with popular opinion.

The latest U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Drug Threat Assessment says hemp is causing headaches for law enforcement.

10 pages of the 100-page report are dedicated to marijuana related issues. This section mentions the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp production at the federal level is causing problems, especially in states that have legalized marijuana.

It says in some states where marijuana production is legal under state law, “a significant number” of hemp businesses and cultivation operations are owned and operated by drug-trafficking organisations that are illegally producing and trafficking marijuana.

The DEA says according to law enforcement officials, traffickers are using state-issued hemp documentation as a cover for marijuana grow operations and to shift product across state lines. The DEA also mentions large-scale hemp operations are at times used to camouflage marijuana plants scattered within them.

It states domestic use of marijuana remains high and is likely to increase as state legalization continues, and so too will domestic production and trafficking as changes to laws see more medical or recreational marijuana markets open.

Melissa Agard: "Youth usage of marijuana has actually gone down in states that have fully legalized.”

PolitiFact's ruling: Half True

Here's why: Wisconsin’s Republican lawmakers may have made clear that Gov. Tony Evers’ plan to legalize marijuana in the next state budget will go up in smoke, but state Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, isn’t backing down. 

Agard has pushed the state for years to legalize the drug for both medicinal and recreational purposes, a proposal that garnered little traction under former Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican-controlled Legislature. 

Today, though, the dynamic is different. Legalization could generate $166 million in revenue that could help fund rural schools and programs for communities that have been disproportionately affected by past marijuana laws, Evers said when he announced the plan. 

Cannabis can suck large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it grows, but the way it’s grown can have a major negative impact on its overall carbon emissions credibility.

A new study out of Colorado State University takes a deep dive into the burgeoning industry’s carbon footprint, and the news isn’t good.

The research indicates U.S. indoor cannabis cultivation results in life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of between 2,283 and 5,184 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilogram of dried flower.

The Chamber of Deputies approved this Wednesday in general the law that regulates marijuana for recreational use in Mexico.

With 316 votes in favor, 129 against and 23 abstentions, the new law decriminalizes marijuana in Mexico for recreational, scientific, medical and industrial uses.

This is one of the last steps in the legalization process, as it must return to the Senate for review and final approval.

In November, the Senate approved the legalization of the plant. However, the San Lázaro postponed the discussion of the controversial law, arguing that it needed more time to analyze it.

The general law for the regulation of cannabis , proposed by Morena, states that only people over 18 years of age may grow, carry and consume marijuana, THC and CBD .
Likewise, up to 28 grams of possession would be allowed.

Many women around the world were raised to believe “this is a man’s world.” And, to a certain extent, that was the case back then. But as society progresses, we have come to understand that men and women should — and need to be — equal, both in and outside the workplace.

A bill in the Iowa Senate that would loosen Iowa’s marijuana penalties has bipartisan support from lawmakers.

SF 533 would lower the legal penalty for first time offenders possessing less than five grams of marijuana in Iowa to a simple misdemeanor, translating to a maximum sentence of 30 days in prison and a fine between $105 – $855. Current state laws could result in up to six months of imprisonment and $1,000 in fines.

The bill has received bipartisan support and was originally introduced by Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale. It was unanimously passed in a Senate Committee on March 3, meaning the bill can be called for a full vote on the Senate floor.

Still, with 30 other states having fully legalized or decriminalized the substance as of March 2021, some policymakers in the state are worried that the legislation does not go far enough to address the social and economic grievances brought on by prohibition.

Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said that he believes the bill can go further by fully legalizing or decriminalizing the substance, which would also be beneficial for marginalized communities.

Hawaii is a cannabis market that the industry has been looking at with interest, and now, they may get the green light to come online. This week, the state Senate voted to approve two cannabis reform bills that are now headed to the House. 

Senate Bill 767, which would legalize and regulate recreational cannabis, passed the Senate at a 20 to 5 margin. If it becomes law, individuals 21 years of age and older will be able to purchase and possess one ounce of cannabis and grow up to six plants for personal use. 

Hawaii is already somewhat decriminalized, as 2019 laws reduced the criminal penalties for cannabis possession, but only up to three grams. Currently, instead of serving time in jail or paying a hefty fee and getting a strike against a permanent record, those who possess three grams of cannabis or less get a non-criminal violation and a $130 fine. 

The other bill being considered, Senate Bill 785, passed 24 to 1. It would increase decriminalization from three grams to 30 grams and help expunge past cannabis cases. While it wouldn’t set up a recreational industry, it would make sure that the war on drugs ceases when it comes to cannabis.

Will The Bills Make It To The Governor’s Desk?

However, while passing the Senate was a big deal, some are fearful that these bills won’t make it through the House, as elected officials there lean more conservatively. There are rumors that a key house committee member won’t hear the measure at all. 

Now that we’re in lockdown, many of us are spending a lot of quality time with our phones, consequently glued to our social media apps and living vicariously through our favorite influencer.

Influencers have become more than just a typical internet celebrity, some even become household names, utilizing their large platform to spread their views to an engaged audience.

We’ve compiled a list of some popular cannabis influencers who are using social media as an entertaining and innovative way to normalize cannabis consumption.

So, take a smoke, get comfy, and let’s scroll. 

@sativadiva1997 

With over 170K followers, this 23-year-old Orange County native is a fan favorite on TikTok, where she posts daily hilarious videos involving cannabis.

Republican U.S. Congressman Bob Good has written a letter to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam urging him to veto a recreational marijuana legalization bill passed by state lawmakers last month. The Virginia Senate and the House of Delegates agreed on a compromise bill to legalize cannabis for use by adults and to regulate marijuana production and sales on February 27.

In a letter to the Democratic governor written by Good last week, the representative for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District exhorted Northam not to sign the legalization bill, HB 2312, into law.

“Legalizing recreational use of marijuana, even if limited to adults, would expose our future generations to drug use at young impressionable ages,” said Good. “It is my hope that the Governor will not move forward with this legislation and will instead acknowledge that the many negative consequences far outweigh any potential positive revenue for the Commonwealth.”

In his letter, Good said that the cannabis legalization bill would “undermine the rule of law,” noting that marijuana remains a Schedule l substance under federal statute.

Good cited concerns that the legalization of cannabis would pose a danger to children and repeated debunked assertions that marijuana is a “gateway drug” to more dangerous illicit substances. He also expressed doubts that a regulated marijuana economy would generate as much tax revenue as projections predict.

A bill aimed at capping the amount of THC in medical marijuana cleared its first committee stop in the Florida House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The Professions & Public Health Subcommittee passed the bill, HB 1455, allowing it to move forward in the Florida House.

The bill states that qualified physicians may not prescribe medical marijuana containing more than 10 percent THC to patients. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces the high sensation.

The bill would also limit patients to 15,000 milligrams of THC every 35 days.

Rhode Island is the next in a series of states to propose recreational cannabis as a way to boost the economy following the impacts of COVID. 

The bill was introduced by the state Senate, who proposed a legal cannabis bill that would tax cannabis at 20 percent in order to generate revenue. 

The bill is being backed by Josh Miller, chairman of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee, and Michael McCaffrey, the majority leader. If the bill gets signed into law, it will make it legal for those 21 and older to possess at least an ounce of cannabis in the state. Some home growing would also be made legal.

“Cannabis legalization is a monumental shift in public policy that effectively creates a new economy,” Miller said in a statement. “We want to ensure as many Rhode Islanders as possible have the opportunity to participate in this new economy.”

Miller claimed that the goal of this proposed law is to make legal cannabis “as entrepreneurial as possible” in order to bring money into Rhode Island. 

Hawaii state senators on Tuesday advanced a slight increase to the minimum wage and another measure that would legalize recreational pakalolo for anyone 21 years and older.

While this is the first year a recreational pot measure has cleared a full floor vote, it appears dead on arrival in the House of Representatives. A key House chairman said he may not hear the measure.

The House meanwhile advanced measures allowing certain nurses to perform abortions after significant debate on the floor. Those bills are among hundreds that crossed over between the House and the Senate on Tuesday.

More stringent gun control laws also drew some attention during floor debates. And the new federal stimulus bill may spell death for certain tax credit proposals.

While the legal cannabis industry is slowly spreading across the U.S. and becoming legal, regulated, and accepted in more states, one thing the cannabis industry struggles with is having access to services that most businesses have access to, including banking and insurance. Now, one company has stepped forward to offer insurance services to the Arizona market, which is very much in need. 

A recent poll released on Tuesday shows that two-thirds of Maryland adults support the legalization of recreational marijuana. The results of the Goucher College Poll come as the state’s lawmakers consider bills that would legalize cannabis for adults and expunge past convictions for some marijuana offenses.

“The Maryland General Assembly is considering a bill to legalize the use of recreational cannabis,” said Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College. “This most recent effort comes on the heels of four states voting to legalize recreational cannabis by ballot measure this past November and, most recently, New Jersey, and Virginia passing adult-use marijuana legalization laws.”

The poll surveyed 725 Maryland adults to ask their opinions on a variety of topics affecting the state. When asked whether they supported “making marijuana legal for recreational use in Maryland,” fully two-thirds (67%) said that they either supported or strongly supported the idea (27% and 40%, respectively). Only 28% said that they opposed recreational marijuana legalization, with 17% strongly opposed to the proposed change.

This year’s poll results show the strongest support for legalizing recreational marijuana in Maryland since the Goucher Poll began asking about the issue in October 2013, when 51% were in favor and 41% opposed legalization. Less than two years ago, 57% of those surveyed were in favor of legalization while 37% said that they were opposed. 

Support For Legalization Varies By Political Party Affiliation

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy indicated this week that he is in favor of a change to the state’s new marijuana law that would allow law enforcement to notify parents of an underage individuals’ first-time pot offense. 

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the Democrat said he’s receptive to the tweak to the law he signed late last month.

“I personally think that’s a step in the right direction, and so we’ll see where that goes,” Murphy said, as quoted by NJ.com. “It’s got a ways to go, but as a conceptual matter…I support that direction.”

As NJ.com explained, the bill that Murphy signed only a couple weeks ago “removed all criminal penalties and fines for such offenses, replacing them with escalating warnings.” “Under that, the first warning will go to the juvenile only, the second to a parent and the third as a referral to drug education or treatment programs,” the website reported.

A number of lawmakers immediately expressed misgivings with the idea that a minor could get busted for pot without their parents being notified. Last week, a trio of Democratic legislators—State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch), Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling (D-Neptune) and Assemblywoman Joann Downey—introduced a bill to change that part of the law.