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A close friend and political consultant’s felony indictment is among the controversies plaguing the incumbent Republican.

The Agriculture Commissioner has a broad range of responsibilities, including issues related to farming and ranching, rural health care and even public school cafeterias.

But in 2019, the commissioner took on an additional job: overseeing the licensing for the new industry of hemp.

Two-term Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller starred in a video his department made explaining the good, the bad and the ugly about growing hemp. He also issued a warning.

“Be on the lookout for fraud. As usual with any new emerging industries, there’s a risk of fraud. And unfortunately there’s always someone out there looking to take advantage of you,” he said.

With 2023 just a few months away, Congress is going through its every-five-year exercise of passing a new Farm Bill, the omnibus legislation that funds agriculture projects across the country and a wide variety of other initiatives, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

Unlike 99% of bills introduced on Capitol Hill, the Farm Bill is a must-pass piece of legislation. Without it, the health and security of the U.S. food supply could be put at risk.

Farm Bills have served as the crucial vehicle for development of hemp policy. In 2014, the one-year-delayed Farm Bill legalized hemp production for research and development through the establishment and legalization of state pilot programs. Then, in 2018, the Farm Bill permanently legalized hemp, including cannabinoids derived from hemp, as well as commercially legalizing hemp farming and manufacturing nationwide.

The 2023 Farm Bill is our next great opportunity. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable has an ambitious agenda. And at the top of our priority list is addressing the lack of a regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD). 

Since passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp and hemp-derivatives containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), FDA has refused to develop a regulatory pathway for the use of CBD in dietary supplements and food. Despite CBD products making up the majority of the current hemp market, the agency has failed to take decisive action to ensure these products are appropriately regulated and comply with existing federal requirements.

Farm bills typically deal with agricultural and food-related issues, and just like many other farm commodities, there’s overlap regarding regulatory oversight of hemp between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and FDA. After the 2018 Farm Bill, USDA worked diligently to develop its final rule on hemp production, and although it’s not perfect, it established a sufficient framework for farmers and manufacturers to operate in relation to hemp farming. Unfortunately, federal regulatory uncertainty regarding hemp-derived CBD due to lack of FDA regulation has severely impacted the CBD-driven hemp market, with reduced manufacturing demand resulting in a more than 90% commodity price decline.

Biden’s cannabis pardon will affect the lives of thousands of people. Does this mean governors will have to follow the president’s lead?

President Biden’s pardon of non-violent marijuana offenses feels like a prelude to a new cannabis era. Through a hopeful lens, the move represents a time when more and more states are legalizing cannabis and the drug has almost bipartisan approval. Realistically, it’s a little more complicated than that.

Biden’s pardon served as a guidance, one that governors are free to disregard. POLITICO interviewed several experts and politicians who believe Biden’s decision won’t influence Republican governors, especially since elections are within weeks. In the case of Democrats, these governors likely already have pardons in place for these types of offenses.

“I don’t think that it’s going to rise to a high enough level of concern in the short term, and probably not even in the longer term,” said Gregg Peppin, a Republican political strategist, when discussing the Republican party and their plans for the November elections.

“The battle lines have been hardened as it relates to the issues of this election. Republicans are campaigning on economic issues and public safety,” he said.

In theory, Biden’s pardon should affect around 6,500 people with federal possession convictions. It’s unclear how this will occur though since the Justice Department will have to figure out who fits the administration’s criteria and it’s very likely that some people deserving of a pardon will miss out due to bureaucracy.

RAPID CITY - With the general election less than a month away, many South Dakota voters are already casting their ballots.

One issue voters will be deciding on is Initiated Measure 27. If passed, it would legalize the use of recreational marijuana in the state.

According to a report done by the Motley Fool, which broke down the marijuana tax revenue by state, the sales tax from marijuana could potentially generate millions for South Dakota.

In places like Colorado, where marijuana is legal for recreational use, the state reported a sales tax revenue in 2021 of more than $423 million.

The report found that if recreational marijuana is legalized in South Dakota, the state could generate more than $14 million within three years.

Let’s look at the current state of cannabis regulation in Germany and when it might become legal.

What Is The Current Legal Status of Cannabis in Germany?

After President Joe Biden announced that he would be pardoning low-level federal marijuana crimes and pressuring the states to do the same, Gov. Greg Abbott has refused to follow. 

After President Joe Biden announced that he would be pardoning low-level federal marijuana crimes and pressuring the states to do the same, Gov. Greg Abbott has refused to follow. 

Renae Eze, a spokesperson for Gov. Abbott, commented, “Texas is not in the habit of taking criminal justice advice from the leader of the defund the police party and someone who has overseen a criminal justice system run amuck with cashless bail and a revolving door for violent criminals”.

Eze also stated, “the governor could only pardon offenders who have been through the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles system with a recommendation for pardon.”

Governors in other states, such as Illinois, Colorado, and Connecticut have applauded Biden after his announcement. The President is also calling for a review of the current Schedule 1 drug classification of cannabis. 

Conversely, governor candidate Beto O’Rourke states on his website, “When I’m governor, we will legalize marijuana and expunge the records of those arrested for marijuana possession—and we’ll use the nearly $1 billion in new state revenue and reduced criminal justice costs to invest in public schools and reduce property taxes.”

MONROE - Louisiana lawmakers are reacting to calls to legalize marijuana.

It comes after President Joe Biden pardoned thousands convicted of federal possession charges and is reviewing how the drug is classified.

“I have been pretty firm in my opposition to any recreational marijuana, and that hasn’t changed,” State Senator Stewart Cathey of Monroe (R-33) told KNOE.

State Representative Travis Johnson (D-21) says he hasn’t given much thought to legalization, but is open to considering it.

“If it were to become legal, it would definitely be a new and improved and much-needed revenue for our state,” explained Johnson.

Cathay, who represents parts of six Northeast Louisiana parishes, previously voted against a bill to decrease criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of the drug.

Jaws were on the floor across the USA late last week after President Joe Biden made a surprise announcement in relation to marijuana.

While the majority of US states have medical marijuana programs in place, things are trickier at a federal level. The 2018 Farm Bill made cannabis with a delta-9 THC content of under .03% (hemp) legal – but for anything above that, it is considered marijuana and therefore illegal according to federal law.

Currently, marijuana is listed as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, a classification reserved for what are considered the most problematic substances. That marijuana is in this category given its safety profile has always been a thorny point.

On Thursday, President Biden announced he was asking the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to kick off an administrative process to review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.

“Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana,” said the President. “It’s time that we right these wrongs.”

He also announced a pardon of all prior Federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana. The number of those affected – and the impacts of their records – is significant. President Biden said he was also urging all state Governors to do the same in relation to state offenses.

Sparked by a NY Cannabis Insider story from earlier this month, New York’s Legislative Commission on Rural Resources has asked the Office of Cannabis Management for clarification and updates on the state’s rollout of its legal marijuana industry.

The commission, chaired by NY State Senator Rachel May and directed by Mayor Hal McCabe of Homer, sent a letter to Cannabis Control Board Chairwoman Tremaine Wright on Sept. 13 requesting a briefing from OCM to “clear up confusion and enable us to provide accurate information to our constituents.”

“I am frustrated with the rollout,” McCabe told NY Cannabis Insider. “I think we have an amazing opportunity and that we might be in danger of squandering it.”

Asked about the letter, OCM spokesperson Aaron Ghitelman wrote in an email Wednesday that the agency is “actively reaching out to answer” the commission’s questions “and brief them on our efforts.”

“We are excited to work with the Rural Resources Commission to get their feedback, answer their questions, and make sure every corner of New York benefits from the adult-use cannabis industry we are in the process of creating,” Ghitelman said.

‘News to all of us’

Earlier this month, NY Cannabis Insider published a statement made by OCM Executive Director Chris Alexander at an event in Yonkers: When questioned by an audience member about the anticipated timeline for the marketplace, Alexander responded that applications for non-conditional licenses will open in “the middle of next year.”

BOSTON - The North End is full of shops and restaurants with a lot of history, and now an aspiring business owner is trying to bring a new industry to the neighborhood.

It's not cannolis...it's cannabis, and a vacant storefront at the corner of Hanover and Commercial Streets is sparking quite a bit of controversy. 

"It's a bad idea, it's a bad location," said restaurant owner Damien DiPaola.

The company Bay State Herbal Solutions has submitted their plan to the city in hopes of winning their approval for the store. 

"I think CBD, THC, whatever gets you through the day is a gift," said a North End resident named Betsy. "Why not? We drink wine, we drink booze."

A virtual community outreach meeting is set for Wednesday night. The problem is many residents and business owners feel like they've been kept in the dark. 

Another study has found that giving people legal access to medical marijuana can help patients reduce their use of opioid painkillers, or cease use altogether, without compromising quality of life.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Substance Use and Misuse on September 27, surveyed registered medical cannabis patients in Florida, asking questions about their consumption habits and how marijuana has affected their use of traditional pharmaceuticals.

Researchers at the firm Emerald Coast Research and Florida State University College of Medicine asked 2,183 patients who were recruited at dispensaries across the Sunshine State to fill out 66-item cross-sectional surveys to learn more about the role of medical cannabis legalization amid the overdose crisis.

Nine in 10 patients (90.6 percent) said that they’ve found marijuana to be “very or extremely helpful in treating their medical condition,” and 88.7 percent said that cannabis was “very or extremely important to their quality of life.”

“The findings suggest that some medical cannabis patients decreased opioid use without harming quality of life or health functioning, soon after the legalization of medical cannabis.”

Respondents had a wide range of conditions that qualified them for medical marijuana under Florida’s law, including anxiety, pain, depression, sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most patients said that they’ve used cannabis daily to treat their symptoms.

FAIRFIELD - A town task force decided to take action after finding evidence of underage drug use at a local park.

Fairfield CARES Community Coalition, a town-created task force aimed at addressing youth drug and alcohol use, recently helped get community watch signs installed at the entrances of the Mary Katona Memorial Open Space.

Catherine Hazlett, the coalition's program director, said this became necessary after nearby residents repeatedly found marijuana and vaping products discarded around the open space.

If this poll is any indication of how republicans nationwide view cannabis policy, there could be lots to discuss, and possibly celebrate, when it comes to cannabis legalization in states throughout the country.

With the midterm elections on the horizon, many political issues are taking center stage as November inches closer into view. Cannabis reform and legalization has already entered the conversation in several races, and its legalization will be on the ballot in several states this election.

But where many issues are very polarizing, a new poll suggests that republican voters might actually favor marijuana access and reform more than you might think, in ways that align them closer to democrats than is typically seen in today’s political climate.

The poll, which was conducted on behalf of the National Cannabis Roundtable in late August and surveyed 1,000 Republican voters, found the majority of republicans surveyed support a number of progressive cannabis policies. For one, according to the poll, 3 and 4 of the GOP voters surveyed believe that cannabis companies should have the same rights as any other type of business.

The Fresh Toast had the chance to ask the NCR a few questions about the poll, including whether they think Republican lawmakers with conservative views will start changing their stance on cannabis policy.

“Members of congress are elected to represent the viewpoints of their constituencies and these poll numbers overwhelmingly show that there are more voters in favor of cannabis reform than against,” said Saphira Galoob, executive director, National Cannabis Roundtable.

Instead of reasonably regulating legal sales, it’s increasingly common for leaders to opt out of legalized sales entirely, with unintended consequences. (Benzinga)

Leafly released a first-of-its-kind report detailing the unintended and harmful consequences that occur when local municipalities choose to opt out of legal and regulated cannabis sales.

The report, developed in partnership with Whitney Economics, a global leader in cannabis and hemp business consulting, data, and economic research, reveals the adverse consequences of opting out and explores why local regulation, not local prohibition is the right way to handle cannabis.

Opting In To Legalized Sales Would Benefit The Entire Community

After legal cannabis is approved in a state, numerous legalization laws enable local municipalities to establish specific regulations within cities and counties. That is, they can choose to sell cannabis or not to sell cannabis.

According to the Leafly report, “instead of reasonably regulating legal sales, it is increasingly common for leaders to opt out of legalized sales entirely, with unintended consequences that effectively create an economic protection zone for illegal street sellers to continue the business.”

Leafly’s Opt-Out Report found that local leaders who choose to opt out of cannabis sales are hurting their communities by:

Removing mandatory drug tests for railroad workers would encourage more people to apply for positions and offer employees more security

Currently, only one in 20 Denver dispensaries offer delivery services.

It's up to province to regulate how cannabis is consumed, says lawyer for Quebec.

With medical cannabis programs deeply entrenched in the state of Nevada, cannabis’ designation appears to fly in the face of well-established known medicinal uses of the drug. (Benzinga)

A Nevada judge has ruled on a closely-followed lawsuit that could have precedent setting influence on a federal level. He determined that the Nevada Board of Pharmacy can no longer list cannabis as a schedule one drug. It was a clear victory for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nevada, which filed the lawsuit back in April 2022.

On Wednesday, District Judge Joe Hardy Jr. sided with the ACLU’s argument that marijuana has an accepted medical use, because voters amended the state constitution in 2000 to legalize medical marijuana. He ordered the Board of Pharmacy to remove cannabis from the list of Schedule 1 drugs, although the timeline for such action is unclear.

The original basis for the lawsuit alleged that despite the passage of the Nevada Medical Marijuana Act and the Initiative to Regulate and Tax Marijuana, the state — specifically Nevada State Board of Pharmacy — failed to comport with the will of Nevada voters, the state Constitution and revised statutes.

Instead of removing cannabis and cannabis derivatives from its list of controlled substances (NAC 453.510), the Board has continued to regulate them as Schedule 1 substances — similar to that of hardcore drugs with no medicinal benefit.

By definition, a Schedule 1 drug is classified as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. With medical cannabis programs deeply entrenched in the state of Nevada, cannabis’ designation appears to fly in the face of well-established known medicinal uses of the drug. This is the exact contradiction that the ACLU sought to force a ruling on: