Embassy HEADLINES Issue 429
TOP STORIES
New Zealand To Vote On Cannabis Legalization Saturday
If passed, the vote would make New Zealand only the third country worldwide to legalize cannabis at the national level, joining Uruguay and Canada.
Global survey of cannabis cultivators
The International Cannabis Cultivation Survey has gone live! This anonymous online survey aims to better our collective understanding of small-scale cannabis cultivation and culture around the world. To take the survey or find out more, head to the website: https://worldwideweed.nl/
AUSTRALIA/NZ
Drivers using medicinal cannabis could get green light
In an Australian first, the state government could begin to treat medicinal cannabis the same as other medications as part of a plan to be drafted over coming months in consultation with MPs, police and doctors and expected to be implemented early next year.
Study finds Australian medical cannabis users aren’t driving blind
A study published in the journal of Accident Analysis and Prevention has reported that the majority of medical cannabis users describe not experience any impairment while driving.
Should Australia Legalise Cannabis?: An Interview with Michael Balderstone, Leader of the HEMP Party
“Many politicians are now saying that they’ve ‘legalised’ cannabis, but the statistics show that only 3% of medical cannabis users are getting it legally because of factors such as price, where it’s imported from, and none is organic. The black market is often more viable and with better quality for them.”
‘Broken’ law is forcing medicinal cannabis users onto the black market
In this audio documentary by Sinead Nolan, Lucy and other medicinal cannabis campaigners describe how terminally ill patients are being forced onto the black market to alleviate their suffering. [Ed: Nothing wrong with black market pot. The problem is those terminally ill medical cannabis users, as well as those who grow their medicine, are considered criminals.]
New Zealand Medical Association changes cannabis stance days before vote
Organisation says it will change from opposition to neutrality, but more than a million people have already cast their vote.
NZ Cannabis referendum: Health experts lay out the case for voting ‘yes’
Four of the country’s top medical experts are urging voters to tick ‘yes’ in the cannabis referendum, saying it’s not a vote for the drug, but against a status quo that is failing to protect vulnerable Kiwis.
NZ Cannabis referendum: Researchers say ambition to reduce use will be difficult to achieve
Many areas remain murky, such as tax rates, potency concentrates and the government agency tasked with administration of the sector. There are also questions about the proposed monitoring system, how it would be enforced and driver safety.
How this New Zealander convinced his Mum to vote ‘Yes’ in the upcoming cannabis referendum
Greens MP David Shoebridge slams Federal Governments $300M investment in policing
The Federal Government has thrown $300 million to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), but failed to provide any support to Indigenous legal services.
John Jiggens puts his case for election in South Brisbane
As a citizen journalist and a civil libertarian, my candidacy is motivated by the rising rate of imprisonment and the misuse of the police and prisons to solve drug and other social problems.
NORTH AMERICA
Colorado marijuana sales eclipse $200 million (again) in August
Colorado dispensaries sold $218.6 million worth of marijuana in August, falling just short of the all-time monthly record, $226 million, set in July.
Colorado to begin testing cannabis vapor for safety, not just oil
Effective January 1, 2021, new Colorado rules will require vape manufacturers to begin testing the vapor being inhaled by consumers, not just the liquid in the cartridge.
Don’t call it budget bud. Canadian cannabis prices are normalizing
The latest quarterly report from the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) says that the legal industry has reached a turning point. For the first time the price of weed from the OCS is less — at an average of $7.05 a gram — than the average price on the illicit market ($7.98 a gram).
Alberta cannabis growers push for winery-type sampling tours
Alberta lifts cap on percentage of cannabis market retailers can own
At the end of September, the provincial government removed a restriction that previously prevented any one person or group from controlling more than 15 per cent of cannabis licenses issued in Alberta.
Maine’s recreational cannabis retailers sell nearly $100,000 on opening day
Total sales for the long weekend – Friday through Monday – were $258,411.58 across 6,430 transactions.
Launch Of Maine’s Legal Marijuana Sales Inspires Rambling Police Department Facebook Post
The diatribe touches on everything from Phish festivals to drug-sniffing dogs to the medical benefits of cannabis to sweet chili Doritos.
California Allows Regional Designation for Cannabis Marketing
A new California law allows cannabis producers to release their products with an “appellation of origin” label similar to those found in the state’s wine industry.
Michigan Governor Signs Legislation to Automatically Expunge Cannabis-Related Convictions
The new law will automatically clear the records of those convicted of cannabis-related offenses that would not have been considered a crime after Dec. 6, 2018, when Michigan legalized adult-use cannabis.
WORLD
3,000 medical cannabis patients in France to receive free weed for two years
As part of the country’s largest-ever medical cannabis trial, patients will receive smokeless products like oils, tinctures and capsules.
Mexico Is Quietly On The Edge Of Nation Wide Cannabis Legalization
Rwanda Approves Medical Cannabis Cultivation and Export Guidelines
The rules do not decriminalize or legalize cannabis for any other purpose.
German patient wins court case to have cannabis covered by insurance
The Social Court of Berlin and Brandenburg ruled that the health insurer must cover the cost of dronabinol drops for at least one year.
Congress of Colombia Advances Two Bills to Regulate Adult-Use Cannabis
“Colombia has advanced strongly on defending the rights of individuals.”
SCIENCE & TECH
Terpinolene: The Powerful Medicinal Terpene with Anti-Cancer Promise
Terpinolene (sometimes denoted as “TPO”) is considered a minor, or secondary, terpene and features an aroma resembling sweet pine.
Canadian cannabis company gives life to robot budtender
Ottawa based cannabis retailer, Stash & Co, has unveiled a virtual AI budtender that will offer customers personal product recommendations based on their preferred taste, effects, and potency.
The Science Behind Combining Cannabis And Caffeine
Coffee and caffeine creates a mellow yet productive kind of equilibrium.
HEALTH
Cannabidiol used to ease pain and anxiety in pets
Study finds cannabis may help treat intestinal infections
Can Cannabis Cure Your Child’s Diarrhea?
How does cannabis impact mental health?
What Are The Benefits Of Full-Spectrum Cannabis Extracts?
There are so many combinations of cannabinoids, terpenes and other less popularized elements that make whole-plant therapy the only way to get the most from this medicine.
POLITICS & LAW
Australia’s Federal Department of Health considers making imported medical cannabis meet GMP standards
A company licensed by the Office of Drug Control (ODC) recently presented a letter to Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt describing what they say is an uneven playing field, with locally made products held to higher quality requirements than imported products.
FBI data shows more marijuana arrests made in 2019 than for violent crimes
What’s even more interesting is the fact that 92% of the people arrested for cannabis, or 500,395, were apprehended for the mere possession of marijuana – which has been decriminalized in 28 U.S. states to date. Eleven states have fully legalized marijuana, while a number of others allow cannabis for medical use.
HIA, CBD maker file another legal action against DEA over hemp extracts
The Hemp Industries Association and a South Carolina CBD manufacturer are asking a second federal court to prevent the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration from criminalizing hemp extracts.
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
Australia’s Largest Database of Cannabis Companies
CBD Oil to hemp, producers to importers, retailers to non-profits, and more. If they work with the cannabis plant and conduct business in Australia, you’ll find them here.
With more than 420+ cannabis companies across 50+ categories, The Green List helps hemp and cannabis companies to promote their products, services, and events online.
EVENTS
Understanding South Korea’s Medical Cannabis Market [Online]
Thursday, 15 October 2020 7:00 pm AEDT: Understanding South Korea’s Medical Cannabis Market.
Cannabis and Driving (free webinar)
Medical Cannabis and You – A Patient Webinar [online]
Five Observations from 1,500,000+ Tracked Patient Interactions [online]
Thursday, 5 November 2020 11:00 am AEDT (Sydney): Join David Berg from StrainPrint to discuss his insights on cannabinoid efficacy after analyzing 90,000,000+ data points across different cannabis products.
Nimbin Hemp Embassy’s New Online Store
Inquiry into the use of Cannabis in Victoria
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Michael Balderstone’s Submission to Victoria’s Cannabis Inquiry
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The Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party’s Submission to the Victorian Inquiry into Cannabis