Mj news for 07/24/2015

[7greeneyes]

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_2...uana-consumption-report-citing-teens-colorado

CDC warns of marijuana consumption in report citing teen's Colorado death​

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a report released Friday, says the case of a teen who leaped to his death from a Denver hotel balcony after eating marijuana-infused cookies illustrates "a potential danger" with edible pot.

The CDC, along with a Colorado health official and Denver's medical examiner's office, said the death suggests the need for greater public health education to discourage marijuana overconsumption.

Levy Thamba, a 19-year-old student at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., died at a Holiday Inn in northeast Denver in March 2014. Officials say his friends tried to calm him down before his fatal four-story leap.

The city's coroners listed "marijuana intoxication" from cannabis-infused cookies as a significant condition contributing to Thamba's death.

His death was classified as an accident.

Thamba's death raised widespread questions and fueled the debate about the dangers of marijuana edibles.

"Although the decedent in this case was advised against eating multiple servings at one time," the CDC article says, "he reportedly consumed all five of the remaining servings of the THC-infused cookie within 30-60 minutes after the first serving."

The article says the cookies were purchased by Thamba's 23-year-old friend.

Recreational marijuana is legal for those over 21 years old in Colorado.

"According to the police report, the decedent had been marijuana-naïve, with no known history of alcohol abuse, illicit drug use, or mental illness," the CDC report says.

According to the CDC, some studies have suggested an association between cannabis and psychological disturbances.

"Regulation of recreational marijuana edibles in Colorado continues to evolve," the report says.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/20...-bland-becomes-latest-victim-marijuana-smear/

Sandra Bland Becomes The Latest Victim Of The ‘Marijuana Smear’​

Sandra Bland was high on marijuana — while she was incarcerated in the Texas jail where she eventually died — according to Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis. Mathis reportedly said in a text message to an attorney representing the Bland family that “[l]ooking at the autopsy results and toxicology, it appears she swallowed a large quantity of marijuana or smoked it in the jail.”

If true, this allegation suggests that security in this jail facility is extraordinarily lax. How does marijuana make its way to an incarcerated individual in the first place? And how does that individual manage to smoke or eat a “large quantity” of it without jail officials noticing?

The allegation that Bland used pot shortly before her death, moreover, fits a pattern in high-profile cases involving the questionable death of a black man or woman that has become so common that it is practically a cliché. During the uncertain period where investigators and reporters are trying to figure out just why someone died, news suddenly leaks that this individual was a marijuana user. Generally, the alleged marijuana use is raised to discredit someone is is no longer able to speak for themselves, and to imply that the marijuana use somehow contributed to their death.

At George Zimmerman’s trial for the killing of Trayvon Martin, for example, Zimmerman’s lawyer pointed to traces of marijuana in Martin’s blood. One conservative blogger claimed, without evidence, that Martin was a drug dealer.

Similarly, the lawyer representing Theodore Wafer — who was convicted of shooting Renisha McBride while she stood outside on his front porch, apparently seeking help after she was in a car accident — told that jury that McBride was out a friend’s house before she was killed drinking and smoking marijuana. Jonathan Ferrell, a former college football player who was killed by cops after he also sought help after a car wreck, was accused of drinking and smoking. Toxicology reports later found no drugs in Ferrell’s system and his blood alcohol level was below the legal limit.

The reported allegation that Bland used marijuana while incarcerated adds to the haze of uncertainty surrounding her death. Although Mathis says that his office’s inquiry into Bland’s death is “being treated like a murder investigation,” the sheriff’s office claims that Bland was discovered “in her cell not breathing from what appears to be self-inflicted asphyxiation,” and a preliminary autopsy announced on Thursday corroborates this claim. Jail intake forms released on Wednesday indicate that Bland answered “yes” when asked if she had previously attempted suicide, although there are discrepancies between two different forms asking about whether she has attempted or contemplated suicide.

If investigators ultimately conclude that Bland’s death was a suicide — and not a homicide — Mathis’s reported claim that Bland used marijuana while she was in jail suggests that something still went horribly wrong while Bland was behind bars. If it was indeed possible for Bland to consume a “large quantity of marijuana” while incarcerated, that suggests that the jail may have lacked other important safeguards, such as procedures to ensure that suicidal inmates do not act on these impulses.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/2015/07/24/new-marijuana-laws-washington/30612079/

New Washington marijuana laws take effect Friday​

Washington state regulators are getting tough with new marijuana laws set to take effect Friday.

Among them is a lesser-known restriction that outlaws the use of the highly explosive butane gas to manufacture butane hash oil or BHO.

The law prevents any medical marijuana processor from using the gas. But an I-502 licensed recreational processor can use butane because the facility is in a highly-controlled and state-certified environment.

Hash oil explosions have become more common with inexperienced manufacturers improperly using butane to extract the ultra-high potency oil derived from marijuana.

Some industry leaders worry the new law could push more production underground, causing more explosions.

"People are putting bombs in their garages. You have to know what you're doing," said Scott McKinley, owner of Caviar Gold in Arlington. McKinley was a BHO processor for the medical marijuana industry until now. He now has a 502 licensed facility to produce BHO using butane. He says it's good that the state is making the industry safer but fears the new law will give rise to the black market.

"You can guarantee (police) will be in the stores tracking where the BHO came from," he said.

The state Liquor and Cannabis Board says there are other ways medical marijuana processors can make BHO involving other gases.

Among the other marijuana regulations to take effect Friday:

Post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury are added as qualifying conditions.

A qualifying condition must be severe enough to significantly interfere with the patient's activities of daily living and ability to function, which can be objectively assessed and evaluated.

All new authorizations must be written on a form developed by the department and printed on tamper-resistant paper.

Patient examinations and re-examinations must be performed in person at the healthcare practitioner's permanent business location.

Healthcare practitioners who write more than 30 authorizations per month must report the number to the department.

Healthcare practitioners cannot have a practice that consists primarily of authorizing the medical use of marijuana.

No more than 15 plants may be grown in a single housing unit even if multiple patients or designated providers reside there.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/re...2016-candidates-stand-on-marijuana-2015-07-24

Red, blue and green: Where the 2016 candidates stand on marijuana​

Jeb Bush has tried it, Joe political name opposes any legalization and Hillary Clinton thinks it is a chance to test the “laboratories of democracy.”

As more states move to legalize medical and recreational marijuana, more attention may be drawn to the 2016 presidential hopefuls’ stances on legislation. Recovery Brands, an online addiction rehabilitation network, analyzed past interviews and legislative actions of the current candidates -- and some who may become candidates -- to determine where they stand.

Twenty three states have legalized medical marijuana and four states and the District of Columbia have legalized both medical and recreational cannabis.


Americans have become more open about marijuana use. About 44% of U.S. citizens said they have tried the drug, according to a recent Gallup poll.

Most potential Democratic candidates have been vocally against the War on Drugs and either support or are unclear on medical marijuana legalization. However, Vice President Joe political name stands out from the pack—he is against any legalization and has been a supporter of the War on Drugs, though he upholds the Obama administration’s decision to not enforce federal law in states that have legalized cannabis.

Though political name hasn't officially declared his candidacy, he is expected to announce an official decision in August.

Of the Democratic candidates, only Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee have admitted to trying marijuana. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Texas Senator Ted Cruz were the only Republicans to have admitted to using the drug.

Though former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said on the record that she has never partaken, she has said that medical marijuana legalization could aid those suffering from extreme conditions and supports additional research. As for recreational cannabis, she has taken a wait-and-see stance to observe how states that have already legalized it fare.

A spokesperson for Recovery Brands said the organization did not include business mogul Donald political name in the analysis “given the controversy around his true aims in the 2016 race.”

Though political name was not included in the analysis, he has gone on the record saying he has never consumed alcohol or taken drugs after the death of his brother, Fred, from alcoholism in 1981.

The full infographic can be read by clicking here:

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2015...ijuana-legalization-move-forward-nations-capi

Senate Appropriations Committee Allows Marijuana Legalization to Move Forward in Nation's Capital​

Also Votes to Allow Banks to Provide Services to State-Legalized Marijuana Stores

Drug Policy Reform Moving Forward Nationally and in the States

A key Senate committee passed a bill today allowing the nation’s capital to establish regulated marijuana stores and let banks provide financial services to state-legalized marijuana dispensaries. These are just two of several marijuana reforms advancing in Congress. Meanwhile sentencing reform is gaining steam, and the U.S. is shifting towards treating drug use as a health issue instead of a criminal justice issue.

“The stage has been set to end the federal government’s failed war on marijuana,” said Michael Collins, policy manager at Drug Policy Alliance’s Office of National Affairs. “A bi-partisan consensus has emerged in favor of reform.”

Last November nearly 72% of D.C. voters approved a ballot measure making it legal to possess and grow marijuana for personal use. The campaign to pass Initiative 71 was driven by public demands to end racially-biased enforcement of marijuana laws and was seen as the first step at taking marijuana out of the illicit market. A broad base of community support from multiple civil rights organizations, faith leaders and community advocacy groups supported Initiative 71, viewing it as an opportunity to restore the communities most harmed by the war on drugs.

After a political tug-of-war House Republican leadership was able to push through a controversial spending amendment that prohibited D.C. from legalizing and regulating marijuana sales, but the amendment allowed Initiative 71 to take effect. Thus, it is legal to possess, use, and grow marijuana in the nation’s capital but the sale of marijuana remains illicit and unregulated. D.C. officials, police, and drug policy experts have complained that Congress is undermining public safety by preventing the city from regulating marijuana, with some calling the situation “the dealer protection act.”

The Financial Services spending bill adopted by the Senate Appropriations Committee today deletes the congressional ban. If the bill becomes law, D.C. could finally regulate marijuana – setting time and place restrictions, requiring proper labeling and content control, establishing age restrictions, and taxing marijuana and using the proceeds for treatment, education, and rebuilding communities devastated by the failed war on drugs. While the House funding bill contains language restricting sales, the Obama Administration’s budget included language that would allow DC to move forward with regulated sales. A funding deal is expected to be hashed out by the House, Senate, and the Administration later this year.

The Senate Appropriations Committee also overwhelmingly approved, 16 to 14, an amendment today by Senators Merkley (D-OR) and Murray (D-WA) allowing banks to provide services to marijuana stores in localities where marijuana is legal. Currently, because marijuana is illegal under federal law, both medical and non-medical marijuana businesses are unable to access banking services like any other business.

Consequently, many marijuana businesses operate on a cash-only basis, leading to huge public safety issues as businesses become the target of robberies, and are forced to hire armed security to protect their takings. Conducting business in all cash also makes it difficult for regulators and police to oversee marijuana businesses, track money, ensure people are paying taxes, and keep the marijuana industry transparent and accountable. By allowing marijuana stores to have access to checking accounts, credit cards, payroll companies and other financial services the Merkley amendment improves public safety and oversight.

Progress on D.C. and banking issues is just the latest victory for the Drug Policy Alliance and the marijuana reform movement:

The U.S. House voted five times last year to let states set their own marijuana policies (once on medical marijuana, twice on hemp, and twice on marijuana and banking).

A medical marijuana amendment made it into the final spending bill last year that Obama signed into law – marking the first time Congress has rolled back marijuana prohibition in any significant way.

This year the U.S. House has already voted four times to let states set their own marijuana policies (twice on medical marijuana, twice on hemp).

Another House amendment allowing states to legalize marijuana like alcohol without federal interference failed by only nine votes, a stunning outcome considering it was the first time Congress has ever voted on outright repealing marijuana prohibition.

In addition to passing the banking amendment and removing the D.C. ban, the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved three other marijuana amendments this year - allowing Veterans Administration doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients, prohibiting the DEA from undermining state medical marijuana laws, and prohibiting the DEA from undermining state hemp research laws.

23 states have legalized marijuana for medical use – and an additional 16 states have legalized CBD oils, a non-psychotropic component of marijuana that has proven uniquely effective in managing epileptic seizures that afflict children. Four states have legalized marijuana like alcohol – Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.

Reform of U.S. drug policy is also moving forward in other areas:

Dozens of states have reformed their drug sentencing laws in recent years and there’s now a bipartisan and strong consensus that Congress should reform federal drug laws with the goal of reducing the number of people in federal prison.

There is growing support on both the left and right for reforming federal civil asset forfeiture laws which allow police to take and keep the property of people suspected of committing drug law offenses without having to conviction them or even charge them with a crime.

Both the House and Senate are moving forward with spending bills that would partially repeal the federal ban prohibiting states from using their share of HIV/AIDS prevention money on syringe exchange programs.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief was forced to step down this year following a series of embarrassing scandals and statements where she demonstrated how out of touch she was on drug policy reform. The White House has signaled that the new DEA chief agency will deemphasize marijuana enforcement.

28 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws (known as “911 Good Samaritan” laws) that provide protection from arrest and prosecution for certain drug law violations for witnesses at the scene of an overdose who call 911 for emergency medical assistance.

The White House recently co-hosted a day-long conference on “Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion,” or LEAD, a policy that allows police to direct drug offenders to treatment or other supportive services instead of incarcerating them. It is operational in Seattle, Washington and Santa Fe, New Mexico. In June Albany, New York became the third city to adopt LEAD.

The next 16 months is the biggest opportunity yet for ending the war on drugs. Voters in a number of states could vote on legalizing marijuana, including Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio and Nevada.

Several cities could move forward with implementing a LEAD-like program, including possibly Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, and San Francisco. Congress could finally overhaul federal drug laws.

“At this point, it’s probably only a question of when, not if, the failed war on drugs will come to an end,” said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “We basically tore a page out of the campaign playbook for repealing alcohol Prohibition - get state after state to adopt reform and then force the federal government to change.”

Contact:
Tony Newman 646-335-5384
Michael Collins 404-539-6437

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...ijuana-in-her-system_55b14a0ce4b08f57d5d41d47

Texas Officials Really, Really Want You To Know Sandra Bland Had Marijuana In Her System​

On Thursday, as mystery and controversy continued to surround the death of Sandra Bland, officials wanted to make one thing clear: The 28-year-old had marijuana in her system at the time of her death.

At a news conference discussing the preliminary findings of an autopsy following Bland's alleged suicide at the Waller County Jail in Texas last week, much of the attention was focused on a question that not many people, aside from authorities and a few members of the media, actually seemed to be asking.

"At this particular time, I have not seen any evidence that indicates this was a homicide," said Warren Diepraam, a Waller County assistant district attorney, referring to a conclusion made by investigators that Bland's injuries were consistent with a death by suicide.

But Diepraam was more confident about another detail of the autopsy.

"I can say she tested positive for marijuana," he added.

At different points in the day, officials offered pretty much every possible explanation for Bland's marijuana use. They said that Bland had smoked or swallowed an undetermined amount of weed, sometime either before or after her arrest, and perhaps while she was in jail. Maybe she smuggled it into the facility, one official reportedly suggested. We were left with more questions than answers. Maybe Bland was ingesting marijuana while she was being slammed to the ground during her arrest, too?

Of course, none of these possibilities should really matter. Marijuana use is incredibly common, says nothing about why Bland was mistreated during her traffic stop and subsequent arrest, and likely tells us very little, if anything, about why she ended up dead three days later. For officials to repeatedly highlight this issue seems like little more than a cheap character assassination tactic that we've seen employed time and time again in cases like this.

But despite all the uncertainty about the nature of Bland's marijuana use, officials were insistent that the presence of marijuana in her system was somehow significant. One prosecutor reportedly claimed that Bland must have been impaired, simply because she tested positive for THC.

That's nonsense.

The simple presence of marijuana in Bland's system -- even in higher levels -- says nothing conclusively about whether she was, in fact, intoxicated or in an altered state of mind at the time of her arrest or while she was jailed.

THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in the plant and associated with the "high" sensation, can stay in a user's body for up to 40 days, long after the high sensation has worn off, according to the National Drug Court Institute. For smokers of marijuana, that can last a couple of hours, and for those that ingest marijuana flower or infused food, that can last several additional hours.

We don't know if Bland had a history of marijuana use, but frequent users of cannabis can test positive for THC weeks after last consuming the drug. An infrequent or first-time user can still test positive for about four days after the initial consumption.

In one extreme case, NDCI notes, a single person who reported regular marijuana use for about 10 years tested positive almost 70 days after last using it.

And even if Bland were somehow acutely intoxicated at the time of her death, any link to suicidal behavior is at best debatable.

Still, this distraction does raise one significant concern by introducing the suggestion that Bland could have ingested the marijuana while incarcerated. This would point to potential negligence of the jail staff, which may have failed to properly screen Bland before processing. It certainly doesn't lend much confidence to their handling of her case, and that's an issue far more likely to have contributed to Bland's death than the THC in her blood stream.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...sed-cannabis-california-colorado-legalisation

(UK) Durham has ‘decriminalised’ cannabis. About time too​

Well done, Durham! The news that police in the city in the north-east of England will no longer pursue small-scale cannabis growers nor arrest casual cannabis users is yet another sign that weed is winning the war on drugs. Ron Hogg, the PCC for Durham says that dwindling resources and a reluctance to throw people in jail over a plant (I paraphrase slightly) has led him to instruct his officers to leave pot smokers alone.

We already know that cannabis users aren’t criminals. Someone puffing a spliff outside the pub on a Friday night isn’t causing trouble. We also know that cannabis is an incredible plant with all kinds of medicinal uses. Israeli scientists have just published a study saying a compound found in weed helps heal broken bones faster. We also know that in America, states with cannabis dispensaries show a reduction in opioid dependence and overdose fatalities. It occurs to me that in some places the only thing cannabis can’t do is keep you out of jail.

So I applaud PCC Hogg for allowing common sense to impact on his use of scarce law-enforcement resources and allowing a sort of de facto decriminalisation to happen. Hopefully, other police departments in the UK will realise that Durham has the right idea, and also jump on the “let’s leave the pot users alone so we can go after real criminals” bandwagon.

Can Britain go further? Will there come a day when someone could pop into the local pub and get two joints and a packet of crisps? It should happen sooner rather than later. Think about the money alone. Washington state made $70m in tax revenue last year from cannabis sales. California made at least $60m in sales tax on medical marijuana. The state of Colorado made so much money last year ($53m) that they may actually have to give everyone a small rebate (around $10, but the state legislature is scrambling to find a way to hold on to the cash), because the added revenue from marijuana taxes has given the state more money than it predicted.

Don’t forget about the money saved in reduced court costs. Putting someone in jail costs the taxpayers money, and there is no good reason to spend £40,000 per year to put someone in jail because they like to smoke a little or even a lot of weed. Cannabis legalisation mean more jobs, along with the ancillary businesses that go along with the industry (packaging companies, marketers and advertisers, publications etc). In short, full-scale cannabis legalisation seems like it would be very positive for the UK economy, as it has been in the US.

How to make it happen? I’m glad you asked. What happened in Durham is a bit of “Overgrow the Government” style of activism. If everyone has a small cannabis garden, can the cops throw everyone in jail? It would be almost impossible, although I will admit that there were times in the 90s when it really did seem like the cops in the USA were actually going to try. But look at us now. Marijuana is more legal than it has ever been, and profits are higher than Cheech and Chong and James Franco combined. Oh and if someone could talk Richard Branson into convincing the wealthy and influential to actively support cannabis legalisation and maybe start a cannabis garden in a posh manor somewhere (perhaps Durham?), to prove that cannabis-related businesses do not cause trouble and in fact can help revitalise neighbourhoods, Britain too could have full-scale cannabis legalisation in a matter of years.

The last time I was in England, 20 years ago, I had to score a chunk of average hash from a slightly dodgy dude somewhere in London near the Thames. Just think of all the tourism and money that could be generated from a sound cannabis legalisation plan. Smoke enough weed and even British food will start to taste good.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...-drivers-cannabis-consumption-puts-limit.html

Too STONED to drive? $4.99 My Canary app tells drivers if their cannabis consumption puts them over the limit​

An new app that claims to reveal whether you are too stoned to drive has been released.

Just like drink driving, drug driving is illegal in many US states and the UK - but often only if there's a certain amount of the substance detected in your system.

In some US states, confusion has arisen as a result of the decriminalisation of cannabis use.

But the new My Canary app, currently only available for iPhone, claims to help drivers make an informed decision before getting behind the wheel.

'My Canary is the first app to give consumers the scientific information they need to honestly and accurately evaluate their personal performance, privately, anytime, and anywhere,' said Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director of Norml, the company behind the app.

Unsurprisingly, Norml's purpose is to influence public opinion 'to legalise the responsible use of marijuana.'

The app runs through a series of on-screen tests to asses your suitability to drive.

These include remembering a sequence of numbers, playing a game of whack-a-mole, balancing on one foot and estimating a time period of 20 seconds.

Your aggregated score will then be compared to an average score collected from sober people and you will be awarded a red, yellow or red traffic light to asses your level of functioning.

You can also record a personal baseline to improve the accuracy of the assessment, the company said.

'My Canary is the culmination of 60 years of combined technical and legal experience and thousands of peer-reviewed studies, including Nasa, NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and DOD (US Department of Defence) research, as well as upon thousands of studies specific to cannabis' acute impact on cognitive and psychomotor functioning,' said Marc Silverman, Canary's developer.

'My Canary measures key performance indicators that may be impacted by potentially impairing substances, including marijuana, while respecting users' privacy. My Canary doesn't share users personal data with anyone.'

While common sense - and the law - might dictate that is never a good idea to drive after smoking cannabis, there are difficulties associated with testing users' suitability to drive that are different to drink driving tests.

Alcohol breathalysers generally give a good idea of how suitable the subject is to drive, as alcohol enters and leaves the bloodstream quickly, but it is not so simple when it comes to detecting cannabis.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's guidelines:

'Positive test results generally indicate use within 1-3 days; however, the detection window could be significantly longer following heavy, chronic, use.'
Leonard Frieling, the first Chair of the Colorado Bar Association Marijuana Law Committee, and member of the Norml legal committee, said:

'The identification of THC in blood is poorly associated with users' impairment of performance,' said Leonard Frieling, a published author on the impact of marijuana on functioning and an attorney of 39 years.

'Canary is the first app to use performance science to help marijuana users consume more responsibly, ' he said.

He added: 'Of great importance is that Canary is not limited to marijuana's impact, alcohol's impact, or any specific cause of behavioral impairment. What we all need to know, on the spot, is are we functioning up to our personal "normal" standards?'

A report by Reuters this month claimed there are a number of commercial cannabis breathalysers in development to be sold to law enforcement, but that they too are facing difficulties with detection, as the drug is slower to enter and slower to leave the bloodstream than alcohol.

Another difficulty is that states have set varying limits fo rhow much THC - the active ingredient in the drug - is allowed in the blood while driving.

Washington and Montana have set a limit of 5 nanograms/milliliter (ng/mL), while Pennsylvania has a 1 ng/mL limit, according to Reuters.

 

[7greeneyes]

https://www.leafly.com/news/headlin...ibbon-panel-releases-recreational-cannabis-re

Gavin Newsom Releases Recreational Cannabis Recommendations Report for California​

Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom is not taking any chances -- if recreational cannabis comes to California, as many advocates are hoping it will in 2016, he's pulling out all the stops to ensure the state is poised and ready to hit the ground running.

Newsom formed the Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy, a panel of 24 advisors comprised of public health experts and policymakers, including former Senior Policy Advisor to the White House Keith Humphreys and the Executive Director of the ACLU, Abdi Soltani. The commission was formed with the goal of executing the best possible approach for when or if recreational cannabis is legalized in California. This included holding many public forums and taking feedback, current policies, and specialized expertise into account.

The commission created a 93-page document titled “Pathways Report: Policy Options for Regulating Marijuana in California." This report details a comprehensive series of 58 recommendations and goals for implementing general cannabis legalization, including two avenues for medical marijuana detailing whether the state should decide to combine the two industries or keep them separate.

Additionally, the report outlines meticulous options for multiple eventualities that the state will face. How to tax, testing and oversight, quality control, and enforcement are all covered, but the variety of options, rather than a single regulatory plan, reflects the difficulty lawmakers face when tasked with creating, implementing, and regulating a new system.

While Newsom himself is a supporter of legalization, the report does not recommend or encourage legalization, instead merely acknowledging that it is a real and likely possibility. Newsom will be running for governor in 2018 and took a pro-legalization stance after becoming concerned about disparities in the criminal justice system for cannabis violations.

“It’s got to be done thoughtfully, and it’s got to be done responsibly.” Newsom said. “Period. Exclamation point.”

According to the most recent poll of likely California voters by the Public Policy Institute of California, a record 54% of residents favor legalizing cannabis. These numbers have increased 5% overall since the last poll in 2010, and increased by 10% among Republicans and Californians age 55 and over.

With those polling numbers in mind, the Blue Commission’s report is even more relevant as the 2016 general election date continues to inch closer.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://fortune.com/2015/07/24/pot-smokers-cannabis-summer-vacation-tours/

High end summer vacations for pot lovers​

With the legalization of marijuana in four states and Washington, D.C., the marijuana tourism industry is starting to bud — and go upscale. Think “Napa Valley,” with weed.


Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use, but only Colorado and Washington have licensed dispensaries that can legally sell recreational cannabis. Since legalization and sale came to those communities, the budding pot industry in these two states has tried to shape a future of vineyard-esque tours of marijuana farms, and fatty-friendly salons reminiscent of Amsterdam’s cafes. (The phrase “Napa Valley of weed” gets tossed around a fair bit.)

In the meantime, Colorado and Washington still have a ways to go before pot tourism can flourish. Jeremy Bamford, who started the Colorado Pot Guide website in 2013, directs thousands of daily readers to 420 tours and “Bud & Breakfasts,” but official barriers remain. City and state tourism boards still shy away from promoting weed as an attraction, marijuana lounges are still against the law, and hotels tend to give a pretty firm reiteration of their no-smoking policies when you ask about, say, using a marijuana vaporizer in your room, or smoking a joint on your balcony. (Though a few have vague advertisements on Bamford’s site that provide neither their names nor their addresses.)

One of the problems when it comes to official support is the lack of hard numbers. Over the 4/20 holiday, says Bamford, Visit Denver took stock of hotel occupancy rates, and found they were no greater than on an average weekend. Which makes sense, he points out, because Denver’s weed pilgrims are booking cannabis-friendly accommodations instead. The ongoing stigma of marijuana usage among big-name hospitality brands “reflects a bit of a perception problem, because Colorado’s cannabis tourists actually tend to skew older,” says Bamford. This reefer madness mindset is causing hotels to turn away Terry Gross listeners, not Miley Cirus fans.

Still, marijuana-themed tours of Denver and Seattle continue to fill up, and the boom in recreational dispensaries in Colorado and Washington has produced a range of offerings, with highlights and must-sees for newbies and discerning connoisseurs alike.

Denver, Colorado

Despite a lack of promotion from the Colorado Tourism Office, a handful of cannabis-themed tour operators have sprouted up in the Mile High City. For the most part, they don’t offer anything you couldn’t get into on your own, but the aim is to be “your Colorado friend who holds your hand and shows you this is real,” says Matt Brown, who founded My 420 Tours with business partner James Walker. What their company offers is easily the most complete of those guided experiences. In the four-hour Dispensary & Grow tour, which starts at $129, guests are loaded onto a tinted-windowed party bus (that will, throughout the day, intermittently be filled with pot smoke, the shine of green LEDs, and the soothing tones of John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High”) and given a short marijuana user’s guide, outlining the differences between sativa and indica plants; the effects of THC and CBD; and the pros and cons of smoking methods, vaporizers, and edibles.

After being treated to a mixture of those sampling options, guests are whisked off to the Native Roots Apothecary for some discounted weed shopping. Out-of-staters can buy up to a quarter ounce of marijuana at a time, but edibles, says Bamford, “are the more popular option, because of the novelty, and because people on the street don’t have to know that’s a weed cookie you’re eating.” Which helps, because public consumption of pot is still banned in the state. Luckily, Colorado’s new regulations on labeling and potency restrictions makes it easier than ever to stay at or below the state’s (very sensible) recommended dose of 10 milligrams of activated THC per edible serving.

Next up is a tour of Medicine Man, one of the biggest commercial marijuana grow facilities in the U.S. After a somewhat forgettable but by that point pretty satisfying meal at the Icehouse Tavern, the tour ends at Illuzion Glass Gallery, a high-artistry head shop with an extensive selection of smoking paraphernalia and “functional glass art.”

For $1,000, a full weekend excursion with My 420 Tours includes airport transportation and a two-hour cannabis cooking class (pot-infused pumpkin muffins, anyone?) with chef Blaine Alexandr of Conscious Confections, which can also be booked on its own for $129. The $1,000 weekend package also comes with two nights at the Denver Crowne Plaza and a Silver Surfer vaporizer on loan. Edibles aside, vaporizing is the only way you can legally consume marijuana in a hotel room, but even that is best done on the sly, with a pocket vaporizer, as the city’s hotels remain wary of marijuana use, and include it with general smoking bans when it comes to balconies, outdoor lounges, and plazas.

If you’d like to smoke marijuana in your room, your best bet in Colorado (or anywhere else in the U.S.) is to search Airbnb or HomeAway for the words “420 friendly.” Otherwise, in downtown Denver, there’s the Adagio “Bud & Breakfast,” a 122-year-old Victorian house in the Wyman Historic District, which has a well-reviewed “420 Happy Hour” and on-site cannabis-infused massages, done with a “blend of unique oils high in THC, CBD, and CBN, utilizing a full cannabinoid spectrum and allowing for maximum healing potential.”

If Cannabis concierges and “Puff, Pass, Paint” art classes aren’t really your speed, Denver has no shortage of recreational dispensaries and head shops you can visit on your own. For a relaxing, controlled buzz, try the Cherry Slider at LoDo Wellness, or for something more euphoric, order the Ed Rosenthal Super Bud at EuFlora. Both dispensaries are a short walk from the 16th Street Mall, Denver’s pedestrian-friendly shopping district.

Colorado

Other noteworthy shops from Colorado’s early dispensary boom include Helping Hands, an all-organic dispensary in Boulder; Telluride Bud Company, the only dispensary in Telluride that grows all its weed in town; and Aspen’s STASH, where strains come with print-outs detailing soil nutrients and grow conditions. Maggie’s Farm, which is touted as Colorado’s only true outdoor marijuana grow, runs a handful of dispensaries throughout the state, but its Manitou Springs location is the most popular, due to its location at the foot of Pike’s Peak. It’s not hard to find a dispensary near any one of Colorado’s many national parks, but keep in mind that possession of marijuana on federal land is punishable by up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Seattle, Washington

Seattle’s leader in kush tourism is Kush Tourism, a tour operator founded by Chase Nobles and Michael Gordon. For $150, they offer a three-and-a-half hour jaunt led by employees dressed in refreshingly non-stonerish khakis and polos. The education-focused tour includes a walkthrough of Sky High Gardens, a 30,000-square-foot growing facility on Harbor Island; a visit to Analytical360, a pot-testing lab; a demonstration at the Boro School of glassblowing, which also offer beginners classes where you make your own pipe; and Uncle Ike’s, a popular local pot shop. “You can get stoned anywhere in this country,” Nobles once told the Seattle Times. “Our tour’s more about education … we take you to see something you can’t otherwise see.” The menu at Uncle Ike’s changes fast, but a few current highlights are the Bettie Page, which offers a potent but clear high that is great for daytime smoking, and Champagne Kush, which has a refreshing, bubbly-reminiscent taste.

If you’re stationed in Lower Queen Anne (Space Needle territory), Cannabis City, the first recreational marijuana store in the city, is another great place to buy weed. Short-term rental sites will be your best bet if 420-friendly accommodations are a must, but the Bacon Mansion, a Capitol Hill bed-and-breakfast, permits marijuana smoking on outside porches and patios, or the use of vaporizers indoors.

Washington

Head outside Seattle, and you can check out the Evergreen Market, which offers a pretty awesome vision for what the weed dispensary could be, with modern fixtures, a generous, open floor plan with an industrial vibe, and hardly a pot-leaf insignia in sight. In Olympia, Green Lady Marijuana is an unassuming little pot shop with a great selection of edibles and discreet vaping pens. Spokane also has a fine selection of weed shops, including Satori, which is known for its friendly, knowledgeable staff and impressive selection.

As of July of this year, recreational marijuana use is legal in Oregon, but production and retail licenses won’t be approved until January of 2016. (Alaska is in a similar situation.) Just across the Columbia River from Portland, however, you can spend a few hours touring the grow operation of farmer Tom Lauerman, the “Walt Whitman of weed,” in Bush Prairie, Washington. On the first tour, in June of 2014, Oregon Live reported that he “spoke with equal pride about his tasty sugar snap peas and his Chemdawg, a popular strain of marijuana,” and began the event “with an offer of a complimentary joint.”