AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Former WA premier to fight for drug reform in new role [ABC]
Former Western Australia premier, Geoff Gallop, has been appointed a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy.
Australia’s Chronic Pain Sufferers Want Access To Medicinal Cannabis [Hemp Gazette]
July 22 marked the beginning of National Pain Week in Australia and the results of the National Pain Survey 2019 released, in which cannabis was in the spotlight. Close to 1,300 pain sufferers from across the country took part in the survey run by Chronic Pain Australia – and it seems medical cannabis has been on the minds of many as an option for managing/treating their pain. 35.75% indicated they had spoken to their GP about accessing it.
Drug driving advice on NSW Government website a ‘cruel underestimation’, magistrate says [ABC]
A magistrate has described drug driving advice on a New South Wales Government website as a “cruel underestimation” that “lulls people into a false sense of security”.
Hemp Association of Tasmania is set to celebrate [The Advocate]
The productive and profitable season for the state’s hemp farmers saw more than 1500 tonnes of seed produced and will be celebrated at the Hemp Association of Tasmania (HATas) industry dinner.
Festival deaths inquest: police pushed to release protocols after ‘unconscionable’ strip searches [The Guardian]
Counsel assisting coroner says public deserves to know ‘under what circumstances are police entitled to strip search patrons’.
NORTH AMERICA
Here’s How Much Legal Marijuana Canada Has Sold Since Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis [Motley Fool]
On an aggregate basis (i.e., in the 7.5 months since Oct. 17, 2018), licensed cannabis stores have logged CA$492.46 million in sales ($376.71 million).
In the grand scheme of things, Canada isn’t expected to be a big-time cannabis player, with most estimates calling for anywhere from $5 billion to up to $10 billion in annual sales in five to 10 years. That compares to expectations for as much as $100 billion in cannabis and cannabinoid-based sales in the United States in 10 years. Nevertheless, Canada is the world’s cannabis guinea pig of sorts and is almost certainly setting the foundation for future legalizations around the world.
North Carolina Lawmakers Consider Hemp Flower Ban [Ganjapreneur]
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have approved legislation banning hemp flower starting in 2020 due to police complaints that hemp flower will interfere with their cannabis enforcement efforts.
New Washington state law worries marijuana growers over cross-pollination from hemp farms [Marijuana Business Daily]
In April, Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5276 into law, opening up the state to hemp production in response to the 2018 Farm Bill, particularly by removing the previous 4-mile buffer between outdoor marijuana and hemp farms.
BUSINESS & POLICY
Who are the future cannabis consumers? [The Growth Op]
It’s safe to say consumers won’t fall into one neat category.
USA Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Cannabis Banking [Ganjapreneur]
Lawmakers yesterday held the first Senate committee hearing to be aimed at addressing banking challenges for the cannabis industry; the hearing included arguments from financial institution representatives, state-legal cannabis professionals, and elected officials from states with reformed cannabis laws.
Banks Are Redlining the 99% Out of the Legal Cannabis Industry [Leafly]
A pernicious dynamic has emerged in legal cannabis: Costly states regulations, combined with a lack of access to small business bank loans (due to federal prohibition) is de facto redlining all but the richest 1% out of legal cannabis.
“A ton of the top brands that were winning Emerald Cups and High Times Cups year after year have just fallen off the radar because they weren’t able to walk in and pitch to venture capital firms,” Hattan says. “They were cultivators and medicine makers. They weren’t able to put together a business plan. ”
Cannabis draws more U.S. bankers as deals flow away from Canada [BNN Bloomberg]
For investment bankers willing to work in weed, the opportunity is large: With legalization spreading across the U.S., the marijuana industry is undergoing a wave of consolidation as large companies race to build a national presence. And while the federal ban on marijuana has kept big banks largely on the sidelines, veterans of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Credit Suisse Group AG are now coming on board.
Federal Proposal Would Give Cannabis Industry Access to Insurance Services [Ganjapreneur]
As part of a bipartisan effort in the U.S. Senate, New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez has proposed a bill aiming to open up business insurance opportunities for state-legal cannabis companies.
Kamala Harris Cannabis Legalization Bill Is Also About Immigrant Justice [Filter]
On July 22, USA Senator Kamala Harris, the betting markets’ favorite to become the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, introduced federal marijuana reform legislation into the Senate, demonstrating that her drug policy approach has moved past laughing at the possibility of cannabis decriminalization.
Aussie cannabis biz launches in the US with help from Kim Kardashian and nanotechnology [Smart Company]
An Australian business that uses nanotechnology to develop premium cannabidiol (CBD) oils is looking to the United States for growth while local regulators play catch up on cannabis. Hemple hopes to stand out from the crowd with its product, produced using nanotechnology to improve the absorption rate of cannabinoids, resulting in a much more potent product.
The Nation: Professor Michael Barnes [Scoop]
Countries around the world are also dealing with medicinal cannabis. Britain legalised it last year, but the uptake has been slow. Neurologist Professor Mike Barnes wrote the report that convinced UK lawmakers it was a good idea.
Bipartisan lawmakers offer federal bill to break medical marijuana research logjam [Marijuana Business Daily]
A bipartisan group of U.S. congressional lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday to accelerate medical cannabis research, a step that could potentially bolster support for federal marijuana reform.
FDA Says It Is Speeding Up The CBD Regulation Process [Marijuana Moment]
FDA Acting Chief Information Officer Amy Abernethy tweeted that “FDA is expediting its work to address the many questions about cannabidiol (CBD),” describing it as “an important national issue with public health impact, & an important topic for American hemp farmers and many other stakeholders.”
HEALTH & SCIENCE
Cannabis for Animals? [No Camels]
If cannabidiol, CBD, a non-psychoactive chemical produced by the cannabis plant, has shown to help alleviate health issues like inflammation, anxiety, skin conditions, arthritis and joint pain in people, will this hemp-derived extract have positive effects on animals, as well?
Weed-Dispensing Robots Are A Thing [Green Entrepreneur]
Powered by an interactive touch screen, Greenbox’s new robots dispense multiple types and strains of cannabis products, from edibles to flower to CBD — all in one transaction.
What more can be done to enable patients to access medical cannabis prescriptions? [Health Europa]
“The UK’s National Health Service has not issued one prescription since November” – Professor Mike Barnes discusses patient accessibility (or lack thereof) to medical cannabis prescriptions.
Why Don’t We Know More About Cannabis and Psychosis? [Leafly]
For years, scientists have sought to better understand the relationship between cannabis and mental health. Of particular interest has been a small but noteworthy correlation between cannabis consumption and psychosis. Though the connection remains poorly understood, it has fueled concerns about whether today’s cannabis products are safe.
Hemp CBD extract supports sleep, reduces appetite, and improves quality of life in study [Nutritional Outlook]
Results showed that those taking the hemp extract experiences a 6% reduction in appetite, a 22% improvement in sleep quality, a 21% improvement in sleep quantity, and a 12.5% improvement in pleasure from life.
OTHER DRUGS
What happens when you’re busted with 220 ecstasy tablets [The Northern Star]
A man allegedly carrying more than 200 MDMA tablets is one of more than 200 people charged with drug offences at this year’s Splendour in the Grass. A high-visibility police operation commenced at the North Byron Parklands last Thursday, maintaining a safe environment for the record crowd of more than 42,000 patrons daily across the event.
EVENTS
Pill testing & Roadside Drug Testing [Australian Council of Civil Liberties]
Tue., 30 July 2019 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
All Saints Conference Centre, 330 Ann Street, Brisbane City, QLD 4000
Join us for a relevant and insightful panel discussion with Mick Palmer(former AFP Commissioner) and Dr Alex Wodak (former Director of the Alcohol and Drug Service). The panel will cover Roadside Drug Testing and Pill Testing and will be followed with light refreshments.
Pills, Powder and Smoke – Book Launch and Panel Discussion [Drug Policy Australia]
FUNDRAISERS/CAMPAIGNS/PETITIONS/SURVEYS
Inquiry into drug driving reform [Enpsychedelia]
The National Drug Driving Working Group clearly states that drug driving laws are specifically a driving offense and not a drug offense. Despite this, people who are not impaired, but may still have trace amounts of one of three prescribed substances in their bodily fluid, are frequently charged with a road offense. There is a significant economic and social burden from these unjustified infringements.
E-Petition: Inquiry into drug driving reform [Parliament of Victoria]
Gateway to Good Health [Weed Billboards]
Celebrating Cannabis [Australian Cannabis Awards]
E-Petition: Legalise cannabis for recreational use [Parliament of Victoria]
Just Reform It! Let’s Get Real about Drugs [The Greens]
Survey: What’s the link between cannabis use and psychotic experiences? [The University of Queensland]
EDUCATION
MardiGrass Hemposium 2019 Talks now Available on YouTube [Hemp Embassy]
EP202 – Roadside Drug Testing Panel at Nimbin Mardi Grass [Enpsychedelia]
‘Sex, Drugs and the Electoral Roll’: MP’s Memoir Goes On Sale [Reason]
Medicinal Cannabis & Hemp Tasmania & “the leaf” Newsletter [Facebook]
Nimbin Medican Workshops on YouTube [Hemp Embassy]
DRUG WAR OVER! [Radio Documentary]
View five new EGA video presentations on ethnobotanical plants and psychedelics [Entheogenesis Australis]
To mark the anniversary of our special gathering and end the year on a high note, we’ve released five new videos of talks from the Psychedelic Symposium that are now available to watch online and can also be found below in this email.