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CBS Sacramento November 28, 2019
And as 2019 comes to a close, California is indeed home to the world’s largest cannabis market, totaling close to $12 billion in estimated sales. But here’s the rub: $8.7 billion of that is changing hands in the illicit market.
Now, members of California’s cannabis industry are sending an S.O.S. to the state capitol, saying they’re struggling to compete against black market operators who don’t have to meet stringent regulations or pay taxes and fees. They’re urging leaders to make swift regulatory changes or risk the collapse of their emerging industry.
“The hard truth is that until legislative changes are made, our industry will continue to wither away,” said Michael Steinmetz, CEO of cannabis distributor Flow Kana, which recently joined a growing list of California cannabis firms that have cut their workforces.
Following the job cuts, which were first reported by the Sacramento Bee and described as an “epidemic” of layoffs, Steinmetz cobbled together an informal coalition of more than a dozen leading companies and business associations to lobby the state.
However, not all legacy businesses transitioned to licensed operations under the new laws. While some have no intention to become regulated, others believe it’s cost-prohibitive or currently operate in municipalities where cannabis sales are banned, said Josh Drayton, spokesperson for the California Cannabis Industry Association.
Fewer than 40% of California’s municipalities have cannabis regulations in place, and only one in four of those allow for regulated retail operations, Drayton said. Earlier this year, lawmakers struck down a bill that would have required municipalities to allow recreational cannabis programs if a majority of their residents voted for the 2016 measure that legalized cannabis.
“They didn’t realize how strong this illicit market was going to stay,” Hunter said. “I think people really thought that it was just going to stop [after legalization]. And actually, the opposite has happened. It almost feels like the illicit market is getting stronger.
https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2019/11/27/california-cannabis-industry-sos-black-market-thrives/
Dalgarno Commentary
The most lauded 'pillar' of the pro-legalisation lobby was, and continues to be, that 'legalising drugs takes the drug industry and its profits out of the hands of criminals and put it in the hands of the 'state' and it will prosper!'
Never mind that under that regime, the State, the supposed protector of the people, then becomes ‘The Official Drug Dealer’ for the community!!
Anyway, that lauded pillar of ‘stoner logic’ was opposed before legalisation happened. But more, what was predicted, by anyone with an ounce of common sense, is exactly what has come to pass in those jurisdictions foolish enough to put illicit substances back into the current of trade – The chaos of now three markets – Legal, Black and Grey Markets.
Australia doesn't need to run this chaotic experiment, just learn from others mistakes... Or, just 'punch another cone' and flip the bird seems to be the current mood of some promoting and permitting policy makers!
Australia doesn't need to run this chaotic experiment, just learn from others mistakes...
Or, just 'punch another cone' and flip the bird, seems to be the current mood of some pot promoting and permitting policy makers!
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Warning: Graphic and disturbing content
The court heard cannabis-induced psychosis, not a major mental disorder, spurred the brutal death of 67-year-old John Kehl by his then 31-year-old son Adam.
Adam Kehl voluntarily entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter in front of The Honourable Michelle Fuest in Barrie court on Nov. 22 who called the incident "horrifying and unusually brutal."
The following (not publicly reported) heinous drug-induced behaviour happened in Pueblo, Colorado earlier November 2019
A young man who used a cannabis wax and then experienced an excited delirium episode in which he ran in on coming traffic swinging a metal rod at cars. He was tazed and tackled by police and came in with 3 police officers and 5 paramedics working to hold him down. Prior to arrival EMS had given him 50 mg of diphenhydramine, 5 mg of Haldol, and 2 mg of Versed and he continued to be that combative. On arrival here he took all of the aforementioned personnel plus 3 of our security officers to hold and move him to the bed and hold him down. I gave 10 mg of Versed with plans to likely need to intubate him. He became more relaxed and calm following, never required intubation. UDS only positive for cannabis. He developed rhabdo and was admitted to the peds service for this following.
Patient was 17 years old
“High potency” is typically 10-12% THC. That simply does not exist in Colorado. It’s too weak.
Our kids have access to 17-20% THC easily to smoke as well as concentrates pushing 40-60% THC as well as the wax/shatters which are 90%+ THC. Easily and readily available to adolescents in Colorado.
We are at a tipping point in the US with our kids using these products.
Colorado Medical Doctor
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The FDA is working to answer questions about the science, safety, and quality of products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds, particularly CBD.
- The FDA has approved only one CBD product, a prescription drug product to treat two rare, severe forms of epilepsy.
- It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement.
- The FDA has seen only limited data about CBD safety and these data point to real risks that need to be considered before taking CBD for any reason.
- Some CBD products are being marketed with unproven medical claims and are of unknown quality.
- The FDA will continue to update the public as it learns more about CBD.
- CBD has the potential to harm you, and harm can happen even before you become aware of it.
- CBD can cause liver injury.
- CBD can affect the metabolism of other drugs, causing serious side effects.
- Use of CBD with alcohol or other Central Nervous System depressants increases the risk of sedation and drowsiness, which can lead to injuries.
- CBD can cause side effects that you might notice. These side effects should improve when CBD is stopped or when the amount ingested is reduced.
- Changes in alertness, most commonly experienced as somnolence (drowsiness or sleepiness).
- Gastrointestinal distress, most commonly experienced as diarrhea and/or decreased appetite.
- Changes in mood, most commonly experienced as irritability and agitation.
- There are many important aspects about CBD that we just don’t know, such as:
- What happens if you take CBD daily for sustained periods of time?
- What is the effect of CBD on the developing brain (such as children who take CBD)?
- What are the effects of CBD on the developing fetus or breastfed newborn?
- How does CBD interact with herbs and botanicals?
- Does CBD cause male reproductive toxicity in humans, as has been reported in studies of animals?
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BU researcher finds that miscarriages are more likely when the father uses marijuana weekly - If a man habitually uses marijuana even as little as once a week, could that increase the risk of his partner experiencing a miscarriage in early pregnancy? A first-of-its-kind study suggests so.
By analyzing more than six years of lifestyle and behavioral data from 1,535 heterosexual couples actively trying to conceive, Boston University School of Public Health researcher Alyssa Harlow discovered that for men who use marijuana one or more times a week, their partner is twice as likely to miscarry than the partners of men who use marijuana less than once a week or not at all. The link persisted even after Harlow accounted for whether or not the men’s partners used marijuana themselves.
- Teenagers suffer higher rates of addiction when recreational cannabis is legalised - study
- Cannabis may be linked to strokes and heart rhythm disturbances in young people
- Cannabinoids for Psychiatric Disorders? Evidence of Effectiveness is Lacking, Report Concludes
- Evidence on the Development TOXICITY of Cannabis Smoke & THC