AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Petition: URGENT REVIEW of the medical cannabis delivery system model [MCUA]
Take the necessary steps to initiate an Independent Inquiry by the Australian Advisory Council on the Medicinal Use of Cannabis (AACMC) to review the current delivery system with the view creating a fairer, more affordable delivery model in consultation with the end users.
Petition: Scott Morrison (ScoMo): Legalise Recreational Cannabis [Cannabis Club Australia]
Allow Australian adults to grow and consume cannabis legally.
New Cash Crop for Lismore? [ABC North Coast – Facebook Post]
The Lismore City Council says up to 100 new local jobs will be created by a new multi-million dollar medicinal cannabis operation. The council has worked with Australian company Cannapacific over the last 12 months, guiding it through the approval process. “The initial investment’s going to be something like in the order of $10 million by the time they get the crop underway in March next year.
UN Narcotics Board here ‘to monitor’, not punish over cannabis [The Canberra Times]
The board warned Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Health Minister Greg Hunt the ACT laws put Australia at odds with its international obligations, in a letter sent last month. the letter prompted Mr Hunt to unleash on the ACT government, describing it as “irresponsible” and “insensitive” to pursue the laws, which he claimed would put the Tasmanian poppy industry at risk. Tasmania produces more than half of the world’s raw material for pain relief like morphine and codeine each year under strict supervision from the International Narcotics Control Board.
‘Firehose’ of complaints about NSW Police not investigated as watchdog faces cuts [The Sydney Morning Herald]
The police watchdog is struggling to cope with a “firehose” of serious misconduct claims levelled against NSW Police, including allegations of bribery, unauthorised strip-searches and the misuse of authority for personal gain. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission assessed 2547 complaints against police last year, but only “fully” investigated 2 per cent of them, and will come under further pressure from another $6 million in budget cuts over the next four years.
NSW police minister defends strip-searching of children, saying parents would be ‘happy’ [The Guardian]
The New South Wales police minister, David Elliott, has defended the practice of strip-searching minors, saying he would want police to strip-search his children if they were suspected of breaking the law. Guardian Australia revealed on Wednesday that in the last three years police in NSW have strip-searched 122 girls, including two 12-year-olds. The shocking figures were obtained by the Redfern Legal Centre under freedom of information laws.
NORTH AMERICA
U.S. Hemp Authority Releases Guidance Procedures 2.0 [Cannabis Business Times]
The U.S. Hemp Authority has released its Guidance Procedures 2.0, which aim to apply the lessons of the organization’s initial launch as a certifying body for hemp and CBD brands.
Wrong to right: U.S. company helps people overcome cannabis convictions and find jobs [The Growth Op]
Miami-based HempStaff helps companies in Illinois and five other states locate potential employees who meet certain social equity requirements — such as having a non-violent marijuana conviction in their past. Under legalization law in Illinois, the more workers companies employ with cannabis convictions, the better their chances become of landing a coveted licence to grow and sell the drug.
Medical marijuana in Louisiana: Questions about cost arise [Chicago Tribune]
Three months after medical marijuana became available in Louisiana, doctors and clinics say some patients are finding the cost for therapeutic cannabis too high for treatment, pricing them out of a medication they waited years to obtain. Nine pharmacies dispense medicinal-grade pot and set their individual prices. Dispensary owners say their charges reflect an industry with startup charges, small patient numbers and lengthy regulatory hurdles to meet.
Despite vaping crisis, Americans view e-cigarettes as far more dangerous than marijuana [Politico]
Americans now think marijuana is much less harmful than alcohol, tobacco or e-cigarettes, according to new polling results from POLITICO and Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health released Monday.
California Leading The Way On Regulating Marijuana Market [Green Entrepreneur]
California has the largest legal marijuana market in the world, with licensed cannabis sales in the state expected to reach $3.1 billion in 2019, which is up from the $2.5 billion sold in 2018. Both the successes and failures in the Golden State are guiding other states’ efforts for regulation.
Nearly 400 California marijuana business licenses suspended, injecting fresh uncertainty into state’s cannabis industry [Marijuana Business Daily]
The Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) on Nov. 1 issued notices to 394 retailers, delivery services, distributors and micro-businesses that they won’t be legally able to conduct business until they’ve undergone mandatory track-and-trace system training and credentialing, a spokesman for the agency confirmed.
Massive marijuana shipment confiscated by NYPD is legal hemp: business owner [New York Post]
The NYPD crowed that it confiscated a 106-pound marijuana shipment, but the owner of the company the flora was bound for says the greenery was no more than hemp containing legal CBD for use by cancer sufferers — and he’s got the papers to prove it.
California Cannabis Group Urges State to Adopt Stricter Vape Rules [Cannabis Business Times]
Legal Cannabis for Consumer Safety, an alliance of licensed cannabis businesses in California, is urging the state to adopt stricter safety regulations surrounding vapes.
BUSINESS & POLICY
BREAKING: High Times Fires Seattle DOPE Magazine Employees [Ganjapreneur]
On Wednesday, October 30, the majority of DOPE Magazine’s editorial team in Seattle was laid off by parent company High Times, according to an anonymous tip received by Ganjapreneur. In what was described as a surprise move, 11 employees were fired in a complete restructuring of DOPE’s Seattle headquarters.
Experts suggest recent marijuana industry layoffs are part of a reality check; more job cuts expected [Marijuana Business Daily]
Recent layoffs are a signal that cannabis is an ever-emerging modern industry, with all the trappings and pitfalls of mainstream businesses.
Are Weed-Infused Drinks The Future? [Green Entrepreneur]
The drinks are not booze, but they do go down like it, and you definitely get a buzz. Because federal regulations nix alcohol and THC in the same drink, established beer and wine brands have started partnering with marijuana companies, banking on the idea that booze-free cannabis beverages will make a big splash in the market, especially with legalization.
The cannabis industry generates tons of extra waste. Here’s why [Leafly]
Like any agricultural industry, cannabis generates a fair amount of solid waste. And like other retail industries, cannabis creates packaging materials that end up in landfills. But because of the uniquely strict regulations attached to cannabis, the industry ends up producing far more waste than comparative industries.
Regulations, funding keep Canada from becoming world leader in cannabis research, scientists say [CBC]
Health Canada systems slow, researchers say, and work on abuse is better funded than medical research.
Medicinal cannabis firm Greenfield MC Global turns to crowdfunding for expansion [Business News Australia]
Listed Australian medical cannabis stocks have fallen from grace in the past six months. Despite strong prescription growth in Australia and inroads in many jurisdictions abroad, weak investor sentiment has been a tough pill to swallow for medicinal cannabis companies on the ASX. It is no surprise then that emerging players are now looking to other forms of funding to support their efforts, including Sydney-based Greenfield MC Global which recently launched a crowdsourced funding offer to raise up to $1.5 million.
HEALTH & SCIENCE
Hemp-Based Construction Materials Are Building Sustainable Homes [Cannabis & Tech Today]
Hemp is one of nature’s most versatile crops. From textiles to food, building materials to paper and plastic, it’s the Swiss Army knife of plants. Now that hemp is legal both in Canada and the United States, consumers and businesses can finally explore the true potential of the long-overlooked weed.
CBD products may yield cannabis-positive urine drug tests [Health Europa]
In a study of six adults, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that a single vaping episode of cannabis that is similar in chemical composition to that found in legal hemp products, such as CBD products, could possibly result in positive results on urine drug screening tests commonly used by many employers and criminal justice or school systems in the USA.
Study Finds Cannabis Could Reduce PTSD Symptoms [Ganjapreneur]
A recent study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology suggests that medical cannabis could significantly reduce PTSD symptoms such as severe depression and suicidal states.
How 4 growers bring out unique traits in their cannabis plants [Leafly]
The diversity of cannabis genetics is increasing with every new phenotype that pops up. As legal markets with data and analytics illustrate what consumers are buying, a sea change is brewing in what traits cultivators are seeking in their plants.
Cannabotech combines cannabis with mushrooms [Globes]
Although medicinal mushrooms combined with cannabis may sound like a formula dreamed up by an enterprising pothead, it is actually a unique product offered by Israeli company Cannabotech.
The science behind marijuana and migraines [The Growth Op]
It’s estimated that over 1 billion individuals worldwide suffer from the debilitating pain of migraines. And now new research shows that CBD may help.
Cannabis beer: grant to study and develop innovative yeasts [Health Europa]
Province Brands of Canada, developers of the world’s first and only beers brewed from the cannabis plant, will join with Western University (WU) to study and develop innovative yeasts.
First New Zealand study of cannabis use in people with spinal cord injuries [Mirage News]
Using cannabis helps people with spinal cord injuries better tolerate almost constant and excruciating pain and participate in community and family life without feeling like ‘zombies’, a new study has found.
New Clinical Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Medical Cannabis in Disorders Caused by Breast Cancer Treatment [Business Newswire]
First-of-its-kind trial will test the efficacy of cannabis as a treatment for taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy, which affects 67 percent of women undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Microscopic Images Reveal the Most Potent Cannabis Flowers in Incredible Detail [Newsweek]
Scientists have studied the trichomes (or “cellular factories”) of the cannabis plant in extreme detail, revealing that flowers with mushroom-shaped hairs are the most potent—both in terms of smell and cannabinoid content.
Can cannabis help with Crohn’s disease? Doctors and patients weigh in [Leafly]
Can cannabis help with the symptoms of Crohn’s disease? This is a popular question, with a myriad of articles claiming that cannabinoid-rich oil can bring relief—or even a cure—to those diagnosed with the disease. Claims like these sound enticing and exciting, but is there truth to them? Is there research to back up cannabis as a remedy? Does anecdotal evidence support the claims?
OTHER DRUGS
The Two Black Women Helping To Reclaim & Encourage Natural Psychedelics Use In Oakland [Okay Player]
“These are not drugs. These are healing plants … We just think they should never have been made illegal to begin with,” Carlos Plazola, founder of Decriminalize Nature Oakland (DNO), an advocacy group dedicated to making natural medicine accessible to Oakland, told the Guardian.
EVENTS
GreenLight: Saving Lives at any Cost
In cinemas from 10 October. You can also see it at the Nimbin Medican workshop 26-27 October. In Australia, two men work to provide the last hope of relief — and in some cases cure — for thousands suffering chronic and terminal illnesses. They provide black market medicinal cannabis for people who have nowhere else to turn.
Rethink Reform [Greens]
Greens are hosting a public forums about our drug laws in NSW. Come along to find out why the war on drugs has failed, what evidence-based public policy that prioritises harm reduction looks like, and what we can do to move towards decriminalising people who use drugs.
Annual General Meetings
Nimbin Hemp Embassy AGM 2019
11am on Saturday 16 November 2019 at the Town Hall, 45 Cullen Street, Nimbin.
MardiGrass Organizing Body AGM 2019
12pm on Saturday 16 November 2019 at the Town Hall, 45 Cullen Street, Nimbin.
Australian HEMP Party AGM 2019
2pm on Saturday 16 November 2019 at the Town Hall, 45 Cullen Street, Nimbin.
Australian Industrial Hemp Conference
FUNDRAISERS/CAMPAIGNS/PETITIONS/SURVEYS
URGENT REVIEW of the medical cannabis delivery system [Medical Cannabis Users Association of Australia, MCUA]
Your petitioners ask that the Senate: Take the necessary steps to initiate an Independent Inquiry by the Australian Advisory Council on the Medicinal Use of Cannabis (AACMC) to review the current delivery system with the view creating a fairer, more affordable delivery model in consultation with the end users.
Medical Cannabis Access – Patient Satisfaction Survey [Medical Cannabis Users Association of Australia, MCUA]
MCUA is keen to get feedback on how the government’sMedical Cannabis delivery system is working for Australian patients 3 years after it was implemented. This survey is only open to Australian residents who have have qualified for approval by the TGA under the SAS. We have suggested to the Federal government that a Review / Inquiry be held into the current pharmaceutical delivery system and we want collate the information we get here to use it to demonstrate how well the pharmaceutical model is working for the end user ie the patients. We thank you for participating and appreciate your support.
HELP GROW OUR CANNABIS CAMPAIGN [The Greens]
The ACT took one small step towards legalising cannabis, and already the rapid News Corp media is after them. If we’re ever going to win this fight and #JustLegaliseIt, we need to take them on.
Next stop Canberra – we’re taking the fight to Parliament! [United in Compassion]
When Barnaby Joyce recently showed just how ignorant he was about medicinal cannabis, comparing it to “pulling bongs”, I realised something: the majority of Australians support medicinal cannabis. It’s the politicians who need to be convinced.
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]
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
Trailer: Green Light [Film Ink]
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.