For The First Time, Americans Are Smoking More Marijuana Than Cigarettes, Poll Finds. (Newsletter: September 5, 2022)
Thank you for tuning into the latest updates! In this week’s cannabis news roundup:
NATIONAL CANNABIS NEWS
For the first time, Americans are smoking more marijuana than cigarettes, poll finds
“For the first time on record, regular cannabis usage has surpassed cigarette use in the U.S., according to a new Gallup poll. Marijuana use has increased dramatically over the past half-century and is currently the highest Gallup has ever recorded.”
Want to sell medical marijuana in Alabama? What you need to know as application period begins today
“The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is accepting requests for applications until Oct. 14 with information on how to apply for several medical-marijuana related facilities, ranging from dispensaries to growing and testing operations.”
Cannabis Can Dos and Cannots: Employers and Mississippi’s Medical Marijuana Law
“The Mississippi medical marijuana law has a specific provision that employers are NOT required to allow the medical use of cannabis on the job or to modify any job description of an employee who wants to use medical marijuana on the job.”
California Oks Bill Protecting Workers Who Use Marijuana at Home
“State lawmakers this week passed a bill that would stop companies from punishing workers who fail a certain type of drug test that detects not whether a person is high, but whether the person has used marijuana at all in recent days.”
Can I Smoke Weed at Work?
““Cannabis is the medicine I need to get through juggling the many tasks of a creative entrepreneur,” she says. “It’s a matter of maintaining balance, achieving focus, finding flow and staying in a calm, elevated mindset.””
Police Raid Afroman’s Ohio Home, Confiscate Vape Pen & Some Roaches
“The rapper Afroman, 48, legal name Joseph Foreman, posted security camera footage to his Instagram and TikTok pages last week of a raid on his Ohio home by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. The raid, which took place on August 21, included multiple police vehicles and heavily armed officers carrying automatic weapons, body armor, and a ballistic shield. Afroman was out of town for work at the time of the raid.”
Is The Cannabis Users As ‘Lazy Stoners’ Stereotype Still Alive? This Is What Scientists Say
“There is no scientific basis for the stereotype often portrayed in the media. “We’re so used to seeing ‘lazy stoners’ on our screens that we don’t stop to ask whether they’re an accurate representation of cannabis users,”
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act
“The legislation was introduced last month by Democratic Representative Earl Blumenauer. In a press release, Rep. Blumenauer expressed his continued support for decriminalization and legalization of medical marijuana, saying, “Research is a foundational element for cannabis policy. At a time when there are four million registered medical marijuana patients and many more likely to self-medicate, it is crucial that researchers are able to fully study the health benefits of cannabis.””
MISSOURI CANNABIS NEWS
Missouri Activists Form Campaign To Oppose Marijuana Ballot Initiative, Urge Governor To Put Reform On Special Session Agenda
“The coalition has two primary objectives: 1) to urge voters to reject a cannabis legalization initiative that’s already been certified for the November ballot and 2) to convince Gov. Mike Parson (R) to allow legislators to take up marijuana reform as part of a special session that’s set to begin on September 6.”
ILLINOIS CANNABIS NEWS
Illinois Completes First Cannabis Retail Social Equity Licensing Round
“Forty-one percent of the businesses selected were Black-owned, 7% white-owned, 4% were Latino-owned, and 38% did not disclose their racial make-up. The awardees now have 180 days to find a physical location and complete the remainder of the requirements for an Adult Use Dispensing Organization license. If unable to find a physical location, licensees will be able to request an additional 180 days.”
PENNSYLVANIA CANNABIS NEWS
Pardon program for low-level marijuana crimes opens in Pennsylvania
““Nobody should be turned down for a job, housing, or volunteering at your child’s school because of some old nonviolent weed charge, especially given that most of us don’t even think this should be illegal,” said Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.”
Pennsylvania’s Fetterman has smoke for Biden over weed reform
“Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman built his political career on an unconventional image. He’s championed social issues like cannabis reform and is currently on the forefront against conservative-spun myths about the harms of legalizing weed.”
PA Options for Wellness’ Medical Retail Presence Grows to Six ‘Vytal Options’ Dispensary Locations in Pennsylvania
“”Pennsylvania has become one of the fastest growing medical markets in the nation and we are proud to be able to widen access to patients across the state, It will allow us to introduce ourselves to new communities while supplying quality products and helping patients make informed decisions about incorporating medical marijuana into their lives.””
NEW YORK CANNABIS NEWS
Despite Its Legality, NY Child Welfare Agencies Still Use Weed To Separate Families
“The state’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) claims marijuana is never the sole reason why a child is separated from their parents, but this is a difficult claim to verify since family court cases have more protective layers. According to the agency, drug and alcohol claims are often lumped together, making these issues difficult to differentiate.”
NY Cannabis Insider’s week in legal weed for Sept. 3, 2022
““I knew it was going to take time, and I knew I was kind of jumping the gun here … but I did not expect it to take this long,” Flynn said. “This is going to be pretty hard with the overhead just to keep this building afloat … for another full year before we can open.””
OKLAHOMA CANNABIS NEWS
Is Recreational Marijuana Coming To Oklahoma’s Ballot In November? Supreme Court Challenges Ballot Campaign
“Last week, the initiative to legalize adult use in Oklahoma was certified by the secretary of state’s office and is now heading to the state Supreme Court for the signature count. Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (OSML) turned in over 164,000 signatures in July, which is far more than the approximately 95,000 they need to qualify State Question 820 for the ballot.”
