Embassy HEADLINES Issue 334

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

Green progress: WA’s first medicinal cannabis-specific clinic opens [Sydney Morning Herald]

The Cannabis Access Clinic in Subiaco aims to streamline the access to medicinal cannabis with health professionals proficient in the area.

Australia Natural Therapeutics Group hope to employ 30 staff full time [Northern Daily Leader]

New Zealand law to make medical marijuana widely available [The Guardian]

New Zealand’s government has passed a law that will make medical marijuana widely available for thousands of patients over time, after years of campaigning by chronically ill New Zealanders who say the drug is the only thing that eases their pain. Legislation comes ahead of a referendum on recreational marijuana use in next two years

New Zealand is Jumping on the Medical Marijuana Bandwagon [The Marijuana Times]

“The legislation will also allow terminally ill patients to begin smoking illegal pot immediately without facing the possibility of prosecution.”

Kiwis want cannabis law to go further – study [NZ Herald]

The results, released on Friday, showed that Kiwis want broader access to medicinal marijuana and for cannabis-derived products to be regulated like other medicines.

NORTH AMERICA

Hemp legalization clears House, off to president for final approval [Marijuana Business Daily]

Hemp legalization awaits the pen of President Donald Trump after the U.S. House on Wednesday followed the Senate and approved a 2018 Farm Bill that removes hemp from the U.S. Controlled Substances Act.

Mitch McConnell Uses Hemp Pen to Sign Finalized Farm Bill [Ganjapreneur]

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) used a hemp pen to sign off on the Farm Bill conference report.

Farm Bill agreement allows nationwide hemp cultivation for any use – including CBD [Marijuana Business Daily]

A long-awaited end to five decades of hemp prohibition has been approved by a House-Senate panel, potentially opening the door to hemp production in all 50 states for any use – including CBD.

Illinois Bill Hopes to Clear Past Cannabis Convictions [The Marijuana Times]

This bill would ensure that those with past convictions for cannabis possession have a clear path to having their records cleared of what is no longer considered a crime. The only requirement is that three years have passed since the sentence was completed and the charges were prior to the July 2016 change in law.

Small marijuana investors to see less scrutiny under new Michigan bill [Detroit Free Press]

People with a small ownership stake in marijuana businesses wouldn’t have to go through an extensive background check under a bill that passed the House on Tuesday.

Michigan Creates New Website to Answer Your Marijuana Questions [The Marijuana Times]

But the state of Michigan is doing their part to simplify and streamline access to knowledge about both the recreational and medical marijuana laws for the citizens of the state. Those who go to Michigan.gov/marijuana will find a one-stop-shop for information covering both aspects of the marijuana industry.

In Canada, you can study marijuana production for college credit [The Washington Post]

The country is facing a pot labor shortage, now that the sale and cultivation of cannabis is legal.

Trump Threatens Government Shutdown, Raising Concern For Legal Marijuana Industry [Marijuana Moment]

If the president makes good on his promise to withhold his signature from essential appropriations bills this time, that could inadvertently leave the legal marijuana industry vulnerable to federal drug enforcement actions.

Pot Deliveries Can Be Made Throughout California [7 San Diego]

California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) on Friday moved to allow the delivery of cannabis products across the entire state — even to areas with local bans on cannabis sales.

Maryland marijuana panel approves ban on cannabis advertising on billboards, radio, TV and other media [The Baltimore Sun]

The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission voted unanimously Thursday to ban billboard, radio, TV and most online advertising by marijuana companies. The new rules also prohibit advertising in print publications such as newspapers and magazines that cannot prove that 85 percent of their audience is over 18 years old, and bans the use of leaflets or flyers in most public and private places.

Group Seeks Emergency Injunctions in Fight Over Utah Medical Marijuana Law [Medical Marijuana Inc]

Latest shots fired in ongoing medical marijuana saga in Utah, pitting voters and patient advocacy groups against the state’s lawmakers.

New York Governor May Include Marijuana Legalization In Budget Proposal Next Month [Marijuana Moment]

Cuomo instructed a working group to draft legalization legislation in August after the state Department of Health came out with a report that found the pros of ending cannabis prohibition outweigh the cons.

What Trump’s New AG Pick Could Mean for Cannabis [Leafly]

President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that he plans to nominate William Barr, a Republican lawyer and former Justice Department official, to replace ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions. What would that mean for cannabis?

Data Breach at Florida Dispensary Highlights Vulnerabilities [Ganjapreneur]

Last week, a Florida medical cannabis dispensary took their website offline after it was found that patient information was obtainable through the site’s basic search function.

Pennsylvania Establishes Process for Approving Cannabis Qualifying Conditions [Ganjapreneur]

The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Advisory Board on Friday unanimously approved a new process for approving conditions recognized under the state’s Medical Marijuana Act, according to a press release.

Pot Is So Hot in Canada That Firms Are Importing Workers [Bloomberg]

Canopy Growth Corp., Canada’s largest licensed producer by market value, needs to fill about 1,200 positions. Recent postings on the company’s recruitment site range from a “destruction lead hand” in Langley, British Columbia to a “soft gel encapsulation manager” in Smiths Falls, Ontario. With operations in 12 countries, Canopy is also recruiting for a few international jobs, including a regional manager for natural health products in Frankfurt and a manager of medical affairs in Cape Town.

 WORLD

Why are so many countries now saying cannabis is OK? [BBC]

What has led one country after another to move towards a relaxation of their laws and, in many cases, outright legalisation?

BUSINESS & POLICY

Growing Number of Banks Servicing Marijuana Companies, Report Shows [Medical Marijuana Inc]

A new report from the United States Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), first publicized by Marijuana Moment, shows that the number of banking institutions actively servicing marijuana business has grown by nearly 20 percent data since the beginning of the year.

Is a Tobacco Giant Trying to Take Over the Vape Pen Market? [Leafly]

Altria, the parent company of tobacco giant Philip Morris whose $1.8 billion investment in a cannabis company was announced Friday, has over the past five years quietly patented dozens of devices that could be used to consume marijuana, a review of public documents at the US Patent and Trademark Office shows.

When the Makers of Marlboro and Corona Get Into Marijuana [The New York Times]

Proponents of legal marijuana spent decades fighting a slow battle for mainstream acceptance. Now, with recreational use legal in Canada and many states in the United States, big business is suddenly swooping in.

New federal regulatory rules around cannabis, pesticide use welcomed [The Growth Op]

Health Canada recently unveiled a new regulatory regime that will impose extensive and mandatory pesticide testing requirements on all licensed producers (LPs) of cannabis. Come Jan. 2, LPs will have to send product samples to independent laboratories, where they will be screened for almost 100 active pesticide ingredients before they can be sold.

WHO Surprisingly Postpones Cannabis Rescheduling Recommendation [Medical Marijuana Inc]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has surprisingly postponed its highly anticipated recommendations about the international legal status of marijuana. The results of the organization’s cannabis assessment were expected to arrive last Friday, but on the morning of a representative announced that they would be delayed.

Tobacco Giant Altria Invests $2.4 Billion in Cannabis Company Cronos [Medical Marijuana Inc]

The marijuana industry in Canada has had a groundbreaking year, and it appears that the tobacco industry has taken notice. Altria Group, the biggest tobacco company in the world and the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, is reportedly investing approximately $1.8 billion (C$2.4 billion) into the Cronos Group, one of Canada’s major cannabis producers.

Feds Call For Even More Marijuana Research After Hosting Cannabis Workshop [Marijuana Moment]

On Saturday, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) shared a list of four research grant opportunities for studies on “natural products” like cannabis. One would examine how cannabinoids other than THC affect pain and three others call for more broad clinical trials of natural products involving human participants.

Response to consultation on cannabis-based medicinal products [UK Government]

HEALTH & SCIENCE

New Study: Vaping Marijuana Produces Stronger Effects Than Smoking It [Medical Marijuana Inc]

New research from scientists at the John Hopkins Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit in Baltimore suggests that vaping marijuana causes much more intense effects than smoking the same amount.

Surgeon General Says Marijuana’s Schedule I Status Hinders Research [Marijuana Moment]

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the federal government should rethink how it classifies drugs like marijuana on Thursday, voicing concern that the plant’s current status as a strictly controlled Schedule I substance inhibits research.

The Endocannabinoid System: Here’s How it Keeps You Healthy and Happy [Greencamp]

In order to consume cannabis in a responsible and efficient manner, you should completely understand what exactly goes on in our body when we introduce the active compounds from cannabis to it.

Cannabis and asthma: How good are cannabinoids for bronchial spasms? [The Growth Op]

CULTURE & SOCIETY

Ugly Disparities Among My Patients Demand Marijuana Racial Justice [Filter]

While white patients are typically given second chances, patients of color are frequently criminalized and their families torn apart. Legalization, my experiences show me, is essential. But it isn’t enough: We need legalization measures that directly address racial injustice.

Martha Stewart Reviews Marijuana Edibles: ‘They’re Fine’ [Jezebel]

“They’re fine,” concluded Stewart in a tone so serene it seemed calculated to show just how chill a body high can be.

Medical Marijuana In Federally-Subsidized Housing [Marijuana Moment]

A Trump administration official said on Sunday that she is working to resolve conflicting federal and state marijuana laws as it applies to residency in federally-subsidized housing.

Miley Cyrus admits her mum Tish got her back into smoking weed again after she quit last year [The Sun]

OTHER DRUGS

What will it take for them to listen? [The Greens]

After another music festival tragedy, conservative politicians have a lot to answer for. They’ve put ideology before evidence, and it’s led to another avoidable fatality. Help us spread the word: we need to test pills and save lives.