Kanyuambora Full Gospel Church cleric and Embu woman rep Jane Wanjuki on September 12 / REUBEN GITHINJI
Marijuana is ruining the lives of young people in Embu and its use is
causing rape, murders and incest, Woman Representative Jane Wanjuki
said yesterday.
She opposed proposals by Kibra MP Ken Okoth to have
marijuana legalised, saying that would open the floodgates for social
ills across the country. Her remarks come days after Gender, Children
and Social Services executive Joan Mwende warned that drug abuse has
been on the rise among primary and secondary schoolchildren. Mwende said
many children smoke marijuana and chew miraa leaves, and Mbeere
subcounty is worst hit.
Wanjuki said marijuana is addictive and Okoth’s bill must be blocked if Kenya is to protect its future generations.
“I’m surprised an honourable MP of Okoth’s status can come up
with such a bill,” she said, adding she will vote against it when tabled
in Parliament.
Okoth has proposed creation of a body to regulate growth, sale and use of marijuana to ensure it is not misused.He
says it will have medical and financial significance to Kenyans and
contribute to economic growth. But Wanjuki said there is no way anybody
who values humanity can support the bill. Legislators have a moral duty
to protect youths and children, she said.
Some Canadian police forces are hesitant to use a federally
approved roadside test for marijuana impairment, raising questions about
the Liberal government's decision to give the devices the green light.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated the
Abbotsford Police Department would be looking to buy the Draeger 5000.
Sgt. Judy Bird has now clarified that the department will be looking to
acquire one being made available by the provincial government to assess
its operational value.
While many police departments across the country say they won’t be
using the federally approved Draeger Drug Test 5000 device to test for
drivers who are high when marijuana is legal on Oct. 17, at least one
police force on B.C.’s Lower Mainland will be looking to make a decision
about using it on the streets based on the testing.
The
Abbotsford Police Department (APD) is looking to acquire the Draeger
5000 being made available by the provincial government to assess its
operational value. But Sgt. Judy Bird says the force won’t be ready for
roadside screening on Oct. 17.
She says the APD wants to assess its operational value.
Vancouver
and Delta are not buying the device, while the municipal police
departments in Port Moody, New Westminster, and West Vancouver all say
they are taking a wait-and-see approach.
Criminal defence lawyer Sarah Leamon of the Leamon Roudette Law Group says waiting is the right thing to do.
“From
the perspective of a criminal defence lawyer, I think it’s the right
judgment call to be making right now,” Leamon said. “There’s a lot of
issues with respect to whether or not it’s an appropriate device or a
device that’s going to be providing accurate and reliable readings on
the roadside. If the courts ultimately rule that this device is not an
appropriate tool for police officers to be using at the roadside, the
police officers are going to be left with a lot of equipment that is
extremely expensive and essentially useless.”
As for
municipalities covered by the RCMP, a statement says there will be a
strategic and limited rollout of approved drug screening equipment.
Here are the statements issued by several local police departments: Abbotsford Police
“At
this point, APD will be looking to acquire a Draeger 5000 and assess
its operational value.
We recognize it is one part of the larger piece
to detect drug-impaired drivers. We have been increasing the number of
SFSTs and drug recognition experts to address drug-impaired driving.”
Port Moody
“The
Port Moody police do not have immediate plans to purchase the Draeger
device at this moment.
We currently have a number of members who are
trained in standardized field sobriety testing and one trained drug
recognition expert. Since the Draeger was only recently approved by the
federal government, our department has not had sufficient time to
evaluate how this unit will assist our officers beyond what the SFST and
DRE training provides. We will be monitoring the effectiveness of the
device with our other law enforcement partners as they are put into
operational use and will continue to revisit this decision.”
West Vancouver
“West
Vancouver police were made aware in August of federal designation of
the Draeger device for roadside testing of marijuana impairment.
Discussions around implementation are ongoing internally and with our
policing partners and the provincial government. No final determinations
have been made. Along with our partners in the Canadian Association of
Chiefs of Police, West Vancouver police believe such testers remain an
additional enforcement tool for officers but will only be part of the
overall solution. Use of standard field sobriety testing (SFST) and drug
recognition experts (DREs) will continue to be necessary in assessing
drug-impaired driving. West Vancouver Police are continuing to invest in
further training of officers to respond to the impending marijuana
legalization.
West Vancouver Police will evaluate and determine the
potential use of drug screening devices while anticipating that science
and available technology will continuously improve. Designation of the
Draeger device represents a positive start, but by no means represents
an end to these discussions.”
RCMP
“Public
Safety Canada has made funds available to provinces and territories for
the acquisition of oral fluid screening equipment. Public Safety Canada
is the lead on this initiative and is co-ordinating with provincial and
territorial governments to determine the appropriate number of devices
within that jurisdiction … The RCMP will have a strategic, limited, roll
out of approved drug screening equipment that will be deployed in
consultation with our provincial, territorial and municipal partners.
The use of standardized field sobriety test training and drug
recognition experts will continue to be the primary enforcement tools
against drug-impaired drivers. Roadside drug screening equipment will
provide an additional tool to help Canadian police officers detect and
investigate drug-impaired drivers, including the new blood drug
concentration offences. “
I READ with interest the report that Water,
Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar is poised to
take the issue of medical marijuana law reform to the Cabinet and that a
29-year-old man was sentenced last month to death for handling the
substance, “Xavier Jayakumar to push for reform of laws governing medical marijuana” (TheStarOnline, Sept 19).
Cannabis, which is also known as marijuana, is a phsychoactive drug
from the cannabis plant used for medical or recreational purposes. The
use of cannabis as medicine has not been rigorously tested due to
production restrictions and other government regulations.
It may be an effective treatment for many health problems
including anxiety, arthritis, insomnia, depression, cancer, nausea,
muscle spasms and stress but it is known to have many side effects.
Countries that have legalised the medical use of cannabis
include Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Peru and the United Kingdom.
It is a very good move to start the process of legalising medical
marijuana now. As we need to brainstorm and study/engage with the right
stakeholders, this would be a very lengthy process and may take a few
years to realise.
The Food and Drug Administration in June
approved Epidiolex, which is derived from cannabidiol, or CBD, a
molecule contained in the marijuana plant.
This forced the DEA
to consider how it would classify Epidiolex since marijuana is
considered a schedule 1 drug, which it defines as having no currently
accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Angelica LaVito
Pot stocks soar again after DEA reclassifies CBD-based drug
The Drug Enforcement Administration has rescheduled Epidiolex, paving the way for GW Pharmaceuticals
to start selling the first FDA-approved drug derived from cannabis, but
stopped short of reclassifying all cannabidiol products.
The Food and Drug Administration in June approved
Epidiolex, which is derived from cannabidiol, or CBD, a molecule
contained in the marijuana plant. This forced the DEA to consider how it
would classify Epidiolex since marijuana is considered a schedule 1
drug, which it defines as having no currently accepted medical use and a
high potential for abuse.
Epidiolex will be
classified as a schedule 5 controlled substance, the lowest level,
defined as those with a proven medical use and low potential for abuse.
Other drugs in this category include some cough medicines containing
codeine.
The drug is indicated to treat
patients two years and older with Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut
Syndrome, rare forms of epilepsy that emerge during childhood and can be
difficult to treat. It does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC,
the psychoactive compound in cannabis that makes people high.
GW Pharma said it would
"work hard" to make Epidiolex available within the next six weeks.
Shares of GW Pharma rose 8 percent on the news and helped pot stocks soar.
"We see our business distinct from Tilray and other
companies that are seeking to be active in the broader cannabis space,"
GW CEO Justin Gover said in an interview Thursday with CNBC's "Power
Lunch." "That's a different business. It's not one that we're involved
with, but what I would say is this is yet another validation that if you
apply the rigors of science and law to cannabis research, that the
regulatory authorities, namely the FDA and DEA, will act and respond to
the needs of patients to make these kinds of medications available."
The rescheduling applies
to CBD containing no more than 0.1 percent THC, in FDA-approved drug
products. Though this allows GW Pharma to sell Epidiolex, it does not
broadly apply to CBD.
So while oils and lotions
are becoming wildly popular, they're still schedule 1 drugs and
therefore illegal under federal law, though the DEA typically does not
pursue, or enforce the law against, individual users, a DEA spokeswoman
told CNBC. Some states have legalized CBD and other marijuana products.
The DEA classifies
marijuana as a schedule 1 drug, which it defines as having no currently
accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Because CBD is a
compound found in the marijuana plant, it is considered a schedule 1
drug and therefore illegal.
Coffee shops and other
places selling CBD oil may be in line with state laws, depending on
where they're located, but they're still skirting federal laws. And
though the DEA may not pursue small-scale sellers, it may enforce those
federal laws if consumer product conglomerates decide to enter the
space.
Beverage giant Coca-Cola in September said although it has "no interest" in marijuana, it's "closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world."
In announcing its
approval of Epidiolex, the FDA was clear to distinguish that the drug
contains purified CBD and the agency's decision was not a broad approval
of the substance.
Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the FDA remains
"concerned about the proliferation and illegal marketing of unapproved
CBD-containing products with unproven medical claims."
By
wide margins, Marylanders support the legalization of marijuana, a $15
minimum wage, and both the Affordable Care Act and the possibility of
Medicare for All, according to the latest Goucher Poll.
Asked about proposals to raise the statewide minimum wage to $15 dollars per hour, 71 percent favor it and 25 percent oppose it.
By nearly 2-1, Marylanders favor legalizing marijuana for recreational use with 62 percent in favor and 33 percent opposing.
On
health care, the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, gets a 60
percent favorable rating with 33 percent unfavorable. Fifty-four
percent support moving to a Medicare for All/single-payer health system;
33 percent hold an unfavorable opinion of it.
Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College, said:
Support
for a state-based Medicare for All plan distinguished Ben Jealous as a
candidate for governor from the rest of field during the Democratic
primary, However, opinions toward adopting a single-payer health care
system are nuanced. Marylanders do view Medicare for All favorably, but a
majority still prefers that elected officials focus on improving the
way the Affordable Care Act is working for Maryland.
The beverage industry is evolving, as many young people find marijuana a cheaper alternative
Getty Images
Millennials are more likely to buy marijuana products if they’re marketed as a ‘lifestyle brand,’ one trend forecaster found.
By KariPaul
Jena, a
27-year-old business operations employee based in Chicago, has consumed
alcohol socially for nearly a decade. In recent months, however, she
decided it was not worth the calories or hangovers. She switched to
cannabis products, and now she smokes marijuana once or twice a week and
eats gummy candies with cannabidiol, also known as CBD, a chemical
component of marijuana that’s legal and doesn’t intoxicate users.
“I
realized that I get zero enjoyment out of drinking and it costs me more
money than weed does,” said Jena, who asked to omit her last name
because marijuana is not legal where she lives.
The street price for marijuana in Chicago is $18 per gram and the average beer at a bar is $6.
Jena said she used to spend $30 to $50 on alcohol in one night, several
nights a week, and now spends less than $30 on marijuana a month.
“I definitely enjoy weed better.
It’s more relaxing, I don’t have to worry about how I acted the night
before, and don’t have to deal with hangovers or throwing up the morning
after,” she said.
Nine states and Washington, D.C. have legalized
recreational marijuana. Even more states allow products containing CBD,
the non-psychoactive component of cannabis that some clinical trials
have shown may help with anxiety and muscle pain without making users high.
‘I definitely enjoy weed better. It’s more relaxing,
don’t have to worry about how I acted the night before, and don’t have
to deal with hangovers or throwing up the morning after.’
Although
Illinois, where Jena lives, is not one of those states, she said the
decriminalization of cannabis in other places in the U.S. has relaxed
attitudes around its use in social settings.
The majority of the 55
million recreational marijuana users in the U.S. are millennials,
according to a 2017 Yahoo News poll. Most millennials use marijuana
socially: Only 25% of them smoke alone.
Daily
marijuana use among 12th graders increased from 1.9% in 1992 to 5.9% in
2017, the study showed. “For the first time, trends in alcohol and
marijuana use are substantially diverging, suggesting that the
historical relationship between these two drugs may be changing,” it
concluded.
Meanwhile, millennials drink far less alcohol than
past generations, an annual national survey of 50,000 adolescents and
young adults in America from the Monitoring the Future Study found.
The
share of college students who drink alcohol daily fell from 4.3% in 2016
to 2.2% in 2017, a more than 4 percentage-point drop from the 6.5% of
college students who used alcohol daily in 1980.
A new market is opening up
Recreational
cannabis was a $6 billion industry in 2016 and, as more states move to
legalize marijuana, it’s projected to increase more than 700% to $50
billion in annual legal sales by 2026, according to financial firm Cowen
and Co. The average marijuana user spends $647
on legal purchases of the drug annually. (That’s still tiny compared to
the U.S. alcohol market, which is worth around $58 billion a year,
according to industry analysis firm IBISworld.)
To woo
millennials, cannabis companies will have to morph into “lifestyle
companies,” according to a report, “Cannabis: How marijuana is joining
spin class, pressed juice and craft beer as a lifestyle brand,” released
by trend forecaster High Pressure Zone. “Lifestyle brands succeed
because they seamlessly fit a product to a person’s lifestyle, rather
than forcing a lifestyle change to fit a product,” the report said.
They’re not just consuming cannabis, they’re investing in it
Millennials are flocking to buy cannabis stocks at a faster pace
than any other demographic, according to an analysis by the free
trading app Robinhood. They’re among the many investors who have been
eager to jump into the cannabis sector as stocks have rallied in recent
weeks. Canadian cannabis company Tilray is up around 179% over the last month.
The fervor over cannabis stocks have also led to scams: Earlier this month, the SEC warned investors to be wary of the hype surrounding
new products or companies after it charged a Texas-based cannabis fund
with misappropriating $3.3 million of investors’ money.
The beverage industry is trying to get in on cannabis action, too
Beverage industry giants are also taking note of shifting tastes: In June, Heineken-owned
HEINY, +0.20%
beer brand Lagunitas launched non-alcoholic cannabis “beer” infused with THC, the component in marijuana that causes psychoactive effects. It will be sold in California’s cannabis dispensaries.
In
July, the alcohol manufacturer trade organization Wine and Spirits
Wholesalers of America (WSWA) threw its support behind states’ rights to
legalize recreational cannabis. Constellation brands,
STZ, -0.35%
the parent company behind Corona beer
and Svedka vodka, invested $4 billion in a Canadian cannabis producer
in August. Coca-Cola
KO, +0.22%
said this month that it is “closely watching” the opportunities in CBD-infused beverages.
Millennials aren’t fans of mass-market beer
Not
all of this buzz can be attributed to legalization of marijuana, said
Smoke Wallin, the president of cannabis branding firm Vertical, who has
25 years of experience in the wine and spirits distribution industry.
Some of the shift is related to millennials turning away from
mass-market alcohol.
Millennials have been shifting from consuming “volume beer” — drinking cheap beer like Coors
TAP, +0.70%
or Budweiser
BUD, -0.74%
in larger amounts — to sipping cocktails and wine in smaller amounts, he said.
“As a generation, millennials have tended to drink
less even before the adult cannabis legalization picked up steam,” he
said. “The shift to craft beer and cocktails as well as wines at a much
earlier age is part of the millennial culture.”
“As a
generation, millennials have tended to drink less even before the adult
cannabis legalization picked up steam,” he said. “The shift to craft
beer and cocktails as well as wines at a much earlier age is part of the
millennial culture.”
And marijuana seems ready to replace
alcohol as a means for relaxation. In U.S. counties where marijuana was
legalized, purchases of wine and beer decreased by 15%, a 10-year-long
study conducted in 2017 by researchers at University of Connecticut and Georgia State University found.
U.S. brewers saw a “historically bad” year for beer in 2017, shipping 3.8 million fewer barrels than the previous year.
The cannabis revolution is in full swing
Alcohol
companies that don’t adapt to this new reality risk being suffocated by
the growing demand for cannabis, said Spiros Malandrakis, head of
alcoholic drinks research at industry analysis firm Euromonitor
International. The total cannabis market, for both legal and illegal
products, is around $150 billion globally, according to the firm,
according to Euromonitor.
“The cannabis revolution is in full
swing while the alcohol industry appears to be largely sitting on the
fence, drink in hand, occasionally throwing crumpled cans in the general
direction of the on-going legalization debate,” Malandrakis said.
“Visibly
intimidated, insular and inherently conservative, large parts of the
alcohol industry acknowledge and highlight the dangers to their
penetration rates and profitability, but largely fail to see the huge
potential behind the plumes of hazy smoke,” he added.
The new cannabis industry is not just for young people, either. Cannabis products are increasingly targeting mothers in need of relaxation. In fact, elderly Americans are the fastest-growing demographic for marijuana use.
The creators of Mood33, cannabis-infused sparkling tonic
based in Los Angeles, Calif. said its customers are “health mavens and
super foodies” and “working professionals” who are seeking low-dose
products.
But marijuana still has a more controversial reputation
Despite these changes in people who use cannabis, not everyone approves.
Anna,
a consultant in her mid 20s who works in a corporate office in New
York, said she has avoided drinking in favor of primarily smoking
marijuana for the past five years. But she still can’t bring it up to
her coworkers because it is “absolutely taboo.”
“They drink
freely and regularly, but I always laugh it off and say I’m a ‘one drink
wonder’ and use that as an excuse to not stay for an extra round,” she
said. “I wouldn’t want to put myself in a situation where I have to
suddenly defend an entire substance and its adjacent culture to people
who have been taught that it’s inherently bad.”
Some 34.3% Americans perceived “great risk” from smoking marijuana once or twice per week in 2014, down from 51% in 2002, according to a study
from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
About six in 10 Americans (61%) favored legalization of cannabis in
2018, according to a Pew Research study in January 2018, compared to just 31% in 2000.
‘I wouldn’t want to put myself in a situation where I
have to suddenly defend an entire substance and its adjacent culture to
people who have been taught that it’s inherently bad.’
While some studies have shown marijuana
can help conditions like anxiety and epilepsy, others have shown it can
be dangerous. Regular cannabis use has been tied to decrease in IQ and
increase in paranoia, according to figures from SAMHSA. People who start
using cannabis at a young age show a higher risk of schizophrenia-like
psychosis. People who begin smoking marijuana as teenagers also are four
times more likely to become addicted, according to a study of 5,000 sets of twins funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse earlier this year.
Still,
many see it as a healthier alternative to alcohol. A study published by
medical journal The Lancet in August found that any amount of alcohol
consumption is unhealthy, even the occasional glass of wine. Jena said
she has seen an improvement in her health since quitting drinking.
“With
my high level of anxiety, alcohol makes symptoms worse, particularly
with the social aspect,” she said. “I know everyone says that alcohol is
social lubricant but it always made things harder for me. I definitely
feel happier with the switch.”
Report
shows that despite four states legalizing adult use marijuana in 2016,
marijuana arrests continue to outpace arrests for all violent crimes
The total number of persons arrested in the United States in 2017 rose for the second consecutive year, according to data released today by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According
to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, police made 659,700 arrests for
marijuana-related violations last year. That total is more than 21 percent higher than the total number of persons arrests for the commission of violent crimes (518,617) in 2017.
“Actions
by law enforcement run counter to both public support and basic
morality,” NORML Political Director Justin Strekal said. “In a day and
age where twenty percent of the population lives in states which have
legalized and nearly every state has some legal protections for medical
cannabis or its extract, the time for lawmakers to end this senseless
and cruel prohibition that ruins lives.”
Of those arrested for marijuana crimes,
just under 91 percent (599,000) were arrested for marijuana possession
offenses, a slight increase over last year’s annual totals. Total
marijuana arrests in 2017 increased for the second straight year, after having fallen for nearly a decade. The uptick comes at a time when ten states,
including California, have legalized the adult use of cannabis –
leading to a significant decline in marijuana-related arrests in those
jurisdictions.
As in previous years, marijuana possession arrests
were least likely to occur in the western region of the United States,
where possessing the plant has largely been either legalized or
decriminalized.
By contrast, in Midwestern states, marijuana-related
arrests comprised over 53 percent of all drug arrests.
'Don’t light up a joint too soon, thinking you can’t get fired,' one legal expert says
By Staff Writer
Picture: ISTOCK
A labour advocate has warned that the legalisation of
private marijuana use does not mean you cannot be fired for pitching up
at work stoned.
Advocate Tertius Wessels, legal director of Strata-g Labour Solutions
said: "Don’t light up a joint too soon, thinking you can’t get fired.
While the private use of cannabis has been legalised, going to work
stoned is not a good idea.”
He said arriving at work stoned was the same as doing so drunk or under the influence of any narcotic substance.
“Being under the influence of mind-altering substances at
work renders the employee unfit for duty and can be dangerous,
especially for those who operate complex machinery or drive vehicles.
“The issue with cannabis is that it can stay in the system for
several hours, even days. This is worrying, especially from an
occupational health and safety perspective,” Wessels said.
The workplace was "not considered a private space" and employers
could take action against employees who were under the influence of
cannabis.
Steps could include:
• Asking the employee to leave the workplace;
• Disciplinary action;
• Urine, saliva and blood tests to determine the presence of THC in the system.
“Of course, employees have to consent to the testing. However, if
they are caught in a lie about their cannabis consumption, they could be
in breach of their employment contract and/or possibly guilty of
dishonesty, which could ultimately lead to them being dismissed.”
Americans in 31 U.S. states now have legal access to medical
marijuana under a doctor’s supervision. But don’t include military
veterans among them.
That is because the current policy of the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs explicitly prohibits VA physicians
“from completing forms or registering veterans for participation in
state-approved [medical marijuana] program[s].”
Some members of Congress have repeatedly sought to change this policy.
Most
recently, the U.S. Senate voted 85 to 9 in favor of the Fiscal Year
2019 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, which included language lifting this federal
prohibition on veterans and their doctors.
But recently Republican
leadership chose to remove these provisions from the bill at the
eleventh hour during the reconciliation process. This decision leaves
veterans without the access that is already available to ordinary
citizens.
“Our veterans put their lives on the line for our
country, and many come home dealing with visible and invisible wounds,”
explained Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, who supports expanding medical
marijuana access and is herself is a veteran. “To continue limiting
their access to quality health care through the VA is a disservice to
them and the sacrifices they’ve made.”
“Opioid prescriptions for
veterans have increased by 270 percent since 2003, resulting in 68,000
veterans developing an opioid addiction and a two-old increase in
accidental opioid overdose deaths,” said Rep. Lou Correa, D-California,
who has long campaigned to amend existing VA restrictions so that the
department can actively participate in clinical trials involving
cannabis.
“Throughout my district, I meet veterans who depend on
cannabis to manage their pain. ... It is imperative to the health and
safety of our veterans that we find alternative treatments for chronic
pain and service-related injuries.”
But members of the GOP have
consistently said otherwise. In 2016, GOP leaders quietly stripped away
similar language in conference committee — despite the fact that both
the House and Senate versions of the act had included it.
Congressional intransigence on this issue by the Republican Party defies common sense.
Veterans acknowledge using marijuana at rates far higher than the
general population, and nearly half of them describe their use as
self-medicating, according data published earlier this year in the
journal Addictive Behaviors.
Further, according to nationwide
survey data compiled by the American Legion in 2017, 39 percent of
respondents affirm that they “know a veteran” who is using the plant
medicinally. Twenty-two percent of respondents said they themselves “use
cannabis to treat a mental or physical condition” — such as chronic
pain, anxiety or post-traumatic stress.
According to a 2017 review
of over 10,000 studies by the National Academy of Sciences, “In adults
with chronic pain, patients who were treated with cannabis ... are more
likely to experience a clinically significant reduction in pain
symptoms. ... There is conclusive or substantial evidence that cannabis
and cannabinoids are effective for the treatment for chronic pain in
adults.”
Other studies have shown that cannabis and its components
can mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and night
terrors. Medical cannabis access is also consistently shown to be
associated with reduced levels of opioid abuse and opioid-related
mortality — two phenomena that have hit the veterans’ community
especially hard.
In addition to the scientific evidence, public
support roundly approves medical cannabis access.
According to
nationwide polling data compiled earlier this year by Quinnipiac
University, 91 percent of Americans — including eight out of ten of
self-identified Republican voters — “support” allowing adults to use
cannabis when it is recommended by their physician.
It is time for
leaders in both parties to come together and amend federal law in a
manner that comports with public opinion, the available science, and
marijuana’s rapidly changing cultural and legal status.
America’s military veterans should no longer be held hostage by the
actions of a minority of lawmakers who are willing to place politics
before public health.
Paul Armentano is the deputy director of
NORML — the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. He
is the co-author of the book “Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving
People to Drink?” (Chelsea Green, 2013) and the author of the book “The
Citizen’s Guide to State-By-State Marijuana Laws” (Whitman Press, 2015).
Seven city municipal court judges in Seattle said they threw out
over 500 convictions this week for misdemeanor marijuana possessions
because they unfairly targeted people of color, CNN reports.
In their decision, the judges said that 46 percent of those cases involved African-American defendants.
“We’ve taken another important step to right the
wrongs of the failed war on drugs, and to build true economic
opportunity for all,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan, per CNN. “While we cannot
reverse all the harm that was done, we will continue to act to give
Seattle residents — including immigrants and refugees — a clean slate.”
According to U.S. Census data, African-Americans make up just 7 percent of Seattle’s population.
A
further breakdown of the cases revealed that 46 percent White, 3
percent Asian, 3 percent Native American and 2 percent unknown people
were convicted in the cases, which took place between 1996 and 2010, per
CNN.
Recreational marijuana use was legalized in Seattle in 2012 by Washington voters.
Seattle
city attorney Pete Holmes filed a motion in April for the convictions
to be dismissed, stating that African-Americans were three times more
likely to be arrested for pot possession than White people.
Per the motion:
Dismissing
this charge reflects Seattle’s values and recognizes the negative
collateral consequences of a drug conviction, including difficulty in
finding employment or getting into college or the military, obtaining
student loans or government subsidized housing qualifying for food
stamps or other government assistance, being allowed entry into some
foreign countries and obtaining child custody or adoption.
Seattle is joining a growing list of cities and states dismissing past marijuana possession cases.
California politicians voted in August to expunge old marijuana convictions, and a Manhattan district attorney’s office dismissed 3,042 convictions earlier this month for marijuana smoking and possession.
Lancaster City Council voted in favor of amending a city ordinance that would decriminalize marijuana Tuesday night.
“What we are trying to do is make sure that nobody
suffers long term effects from this," council president James
Reichenbach told Fox43. "We want to be in line with the rest of the
state, and frankly, the rest of the country and I think this really
takes a step in that direction."
Possession or usage of marijuana will now be considered a summary offense, rather than a misdemeanor, according to Fox43.
People caught using the drug publicly will be fined $75
for the first offense, $100 for the second, and a $125 fine for the
third.
“I reiterate we are not trying to circumvent state law.
This is within our purview," Reichenbach said. We’re not on our way to
legalization in the city. That’s not in our purview. We are not even
thinking about that right now."
Sentencing was delayed Monday for a musician convicted of drug
trafficking in Madison County for marijuana he said was for his
personal use and legally obtained in Oregon, where he lives.
Patrick Steve Beadle and son
Special to Clarion Ledger
Madison County Circuit Judge William Chapman delayed
Patrick Beadle's sentencing after Beadle's mother made a plea not to
lock her son up for a long time.
"Judge, I'm asking for mercy for my son," said Tommy
Beadle of Florida. "I wouldn't stand here before you if my son was
trafficking in drugs. As a mother, I'm asking you to please don't lock
him up behind bars."
Patrick Beadle, a native of Jamaica, faces a maximum
sentence of 40 years in prison for possessing more than 1 kilogram of
marijuana with intent to distribute.
Prosecutors said Patrick Beadle had 2.8 pounds of
marijuana when he was stopped by a Madison County deputy in March 2017
on Interstate 55 near Canton.
Tommy Beadle said Jamaicans often use marijuana for uses other than smoking, including washing themselves in it to ease pain.
Patrick Beadle said he decided to travel through
Mississippi after having visited his 8-year-old son in Ohio because of
this state’s rich music heritage.
Patrick Beadle, who performs under the name BlackFire,
was charged with drug trafficking, although he said the marijuana he had
with him was for his personal use and was obtained legally in Oregon
where medical marijuana was legalized in 1998. Oregon voters approved
recreational use of marijuana in 2014.
Chapman said it would be a slippery slope for a judge to
consider what marijuana laws are in other states. He also said he wasn't
persuaded to lower a sentence based on personal's religious beliefs.
But Chapman said he was very impressed with Tommy Beadle's testimony.
Chapman said he can send Patrick Beadle to 40 years in prison day-for-day with parole under the trafficking law.
However, he asked "why shouldn't I send this defendant as a first-time offender for simple possession?"
The sentence would be six to 24 years in prison for
possession of marijuana based on the amount of marijuana Patrick Beadle
possessed. However, if he was sentenced to the minimum of six years, he
would only have to serve 25 percent, less than two years, of that before
being eligible for parole.
With credit for time served in jail, he
could possibly be let out almost immediately.
Chapman said Monday he needed more time to study what sentence he will impose, delaying the decision for three weeks.
In July, an all-white Madison County jury took less than
an hour to convict Patrick Beadle of drug trafficking, his family said.
Patrick Beadle, 46, doesn’t dispute possessing marijuana, but disputes that he was trafficking drugs.
Tommy Beadle told Chapman that she raised her children to respect the law.
Patrick Beadle is a college graduate who attended two years of medical school.
"This is not the typical defendant you see," Beadle's
attorney, Cynthia Stewart, told Chapman, asking the judge to depart from
the sentence of 10 to 40 years in prison for drug trafficking. "He is
not a drug dealer."
Patrick Beadle said he has a medical marijuana card from
Oregon to treat chronic pain in both knees where cartilage has worn down
from his years of playing college basketball. Marijuana use is also
common among Rastafarians.
Patrick Beadle said he was traveling March 8, 2017,
southbound on I-55 after entering Madison County and at about 10 a.m.,
he was pulled over by the deputy for the alleged traffic violation
of crossing over the fog line, the painted line on the side of a
roadway. He disputes the deputy’s assertion that he crossed over the fog
line. He said his dreadlocks and out-of-state auto tag made him a
target for racial profiling.
Earlier this year, the ACLU of Mississippi and a New
York-based law firm filed a federal class-action lawsuit on behalf of
black Madison County residents, accusing the Sheriff's Department of
disproportionately stopping and searching black motorists.
The sheriff disputes the allegation, saying roadblocks
are equally located in the southern part of the county where there is a
greater white population.
The lawsuit is pending in federal court in Jackson.
In the Beadle case, then-Deputy Joseph Mangino found no
large sums of money, drug paraphernalia or weight measuring scale to
substantiate the trafficking charge.
N.L. government launches educational site ahead of October 17 legalization date
CBC News
Newfoundland
and Labrador residents can learn more about marijuana's upcoming
legalization at the government's new public education website. (Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images)
The
justice minister says the provincial government says it's ready for
marijuana legalization — and now it's time for Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians to get ready too.
"I'd like to think that the short
answer is a resounding yes," Andrew Parsons said Monday when asked if
the province was ready for October 17, when cannabis will become legal
for recreational use across Canada.
The
government has spent the past months and years working across many
departments and agencies to prepare for what Parsons told the St. John's
Morning Show is "the hugest shift in public policy that we've seen, of a
social nature, probably since Confederation."
Part of that work
has been to put together public education resources to let the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador know their own rights and responsibilities
around recreational and medical use of cannabis.
Cannabis use will remain illegal in public places, with some exceptions for licensed medical use. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
"Starting today, people are going to see a lot of signage," Parsons said.
Those public advertisements will point people toward the government's official website
for cannabis education, where people can find information about a
variety of topics including rules around driving, health concerns and
workplace issues.
Cannabis still not allowed in vehicles, public places
Parsons said while the province is ready for legalization, issues will certainly come up after October 17.
The
challenges of law enforcement and screening drivers are likely to
evolve over time, he said, but it's important for people to realize that
even when marijuana becomes legal, driving under the influence will
remain strictly against the law.
"One place you cannot smoke it is
in your vehicle," he said. A roadside screening test has been approved
to detect cannabis in drivers.
Justice Minister Andrew Parsons said the province is ready for the October 17 legalization of cannabis. (Andrew Sampson/CBC)
There will be other restrictions in place as well, Parsons said, including where cannabis can be consumed.
People
can use recreational cannabis in private dwellings and in yards
attached to those dwellings, for example, but there may be restrictions
on use in hotel rooms and units in apartment dwellings.
Many of
the rules in place for public alcohol or cigarette use will also apply
to cannabis use, with some exceptions for medicinal marijuana.
Production not a concern
On
the supply side, Canopy Growth is set to be a major supplier for the
province, but Parsons doesn't anticipate any supply issues before Canopy
is up and running.
"We're certainly not worried about the production side," he said.
The
purchase of cannabis from unlicensed dealers will remain illegal, as it
is now, he said, even as the government attempts to prevent a black
market through regulation and pricing strategies.
There is a black market that remains out there, and I'm not silly enough to think that it's going to evaporate instantly.- Andrew Parsons
"The
fact is that there is a black market that remains out there, and I'm
not silly enough to think that it's going to evaporate instantly with
the availability of legal weed."
In particular, Parsons said, the
sale of cannabis to children will be prosecuted "vigorously."
But
overall, he expects legalization will ultimately ease the burden on
police and the courts as long as people learn and follow the
regulations.
Most people who purchase marijuana aren’t experts who spend years researching the latest trends
and reports about cannabis. They’re just regular people looking to get a
nice, enjoyable high. But there are certain things experts look for in
marijuana that you can look for as well.
Here are six things experts look for that regular people don’t:
1. Smell
There’s a pretty good chance you’ll smell
your marijuana before purchasing it just to make sure it suits your
taste. But experts smell marijuana to gauge its quality. Primarily, they
look for a moldy, ammonia, or chemical smell, all of which indicate
there’s probably not something right with that cannabis.
2. Feel
You should definitely demand that you at
least get to feel the marijuana in your hand. You need to know if the
buds at sticky, but not damp. That way you know that it’s been cured
properly. If you’re inexperienced, you might just look at it and assume
it’s all good.
3. Colors
Experts also make sure that the colors
are right with their cannabis. You probably know that brown-ish cannabis
is bad, and darker, more vibrant greens are better. But did you know
that having an abundant amount of white crystals on the outside of your
marijuana is also important, because those crystals are what determines
how much THC it has? Or did you know that the little orange hairs on the
outside of your cannabis indicates that it was harvested right at its
peak so it will probably be at its very best taste? It’s not just a
simple matter of whether or not it’s green.
4. Size
As a general rule, bigger buds means
better. Bigger buds tend to put more energy into flowers near the top,
which makes them larger and more potent. Smaller buds can still be good,
they’ll probably just pack less of a punch. But if you’re only buying a
small amount of cannabis, then this may not apply.
5. Shape
You’re probably thinking, doesn’t all
marijuana basically look the same? And that’s sort of true, but there
are small differences that can make a huge impact. The biggest is when
it comes to trimming. Some marijuana growers use machines to trim their
cannabis, and while it may be easier, it can also lead to damaged buds
and loss of THC trichomes. Hand trimmed cannabis is more likely to have a
full and healthy bud. So if the cannabis looks too neatly trimmed to be
by human hands, you may want to choose something else.
6. Test Results
Some states require strict testing of
marijuana strains before selling to ensure that the advertised THC
numbers are legit. If you want to make sure what you’re getting is
what’s advertised, ask about those results.
On Friday Danish medical marijuana company STENOCARE announced that they will go public,
listing on the Spotlight Stock Market exchange under the ticker name
STENO, provided that the upcoming new share issue meets various minimum
requirements during the subscription period.
The required amounts
include a minimum subscription post of 400 shares and a minimum limit
for the new share issue’s implementation of around DKK 11.1M. The
subscription period begins Monday and goes until October 9 at a
subscription price of DKK 8.80 per share.
As excitement hits a crescendo over the marijuana stock markets,
investors are quickly learning that Canada and the United States aren’t
the only countries with a growing cannabis industry. In fact, marijuana
use has been mainstream in many areas of Europe for a long time, with
Amsterdam as the classic example.
More and more regions are now implementing less strict marijuana
regulations and recognizing the health benefits of medical cannabis
Companies are emerging and expanding globally, and this growth can spur
the need for more capital to continue fueling the industry’s
development. No European-based company has approached raising capital in
the form of going public, but now, this will change soon. Source: Statista
A medical cannabis company focused on pain management
STENOCARE was founded in 2017 as a medical cannabis company focused
on pain management.
Denmark is one of the only countries in Europe that
has made cannabis production legal, so it might make sense that Denmark
is leading the way for European cannabis companies to go public.
Additionally, Denmark has a four-year program underway to allow
physicians to prescribe medical cannabis.
STENOCARE is the first Danish company to be granted a license to
export cannabis, so this sets them apart from other Danish marijuana
companies. They have decided to go public to raise additional capital
for additional production facilities and to cover operational costs.
During the announcement, CEO Thomas Skovlund stated that the funds
“will be used exclusively to develop our ability to make a real
difference in this new and important market.” Up to this point,
STENOCARE has been importing products from Canadian producer CannTrust
Holdings Inc (TSX:TRST)(OTCMKTS:CNTTF), which has been publically traded
since August 2017.
A huge opportunity for cannabis in Europe
Research shows that there are huge opportunities for the marijuana industry in Europe, especially for medical use. Europe has a US$1.3 trillion budget for healthcare spending,
so there is massive potential for market growth as medicinal marijuana
and CBD oil are used more and more as alternatives for treatment. Certain projections
show that with full legalization in Europe, annual sales would top 25
billion euros. For comparison, Canada had US$4.3 billion in sales while
the U.S. had $7.97 billion in sales in 2017.
Additionally, consumption data in the Netherlands shows that European
medical sales could reach at least 450 million euros per year by 2022.
Although Denmark is taking big steps with lifting regulations, Germany
is predicted to own the largest share
in European cannabis market, with Italy coming in second. Germany
legalized medical marijuana in 2017 and is expected to have $1.6B in
sales by 2022. Italy is expected to sell US$1.2B by 2027.
Although Europe has a long way to full legalization, there is
enormous growth potential if they experience similar regulatory shifts
to the U.S. and Canada. As more European companies become publically
traded, it will also provide stock market investors with opportunities
for high investment returns.
In less than a month, Canada will become only
the second country in the world and the first G-7 nation to bring
marijuana prohibition to an end.
Canada will legalize cannabis for recreational use.
The
move comes at a time when major corporations such as Constellation
Brands are deepening investments in the space, cannabis stocks are
seeing major volatility, and talk of a bubble is brewing.
Kate Rogers
Chris Roussakis| AFP | Getty Images
A woman waves a flag with a marijuana leef
on it next to a group gathered to celebrate National Marijuana Day on
Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada.
In less than a month, Canada
will become only the second country in the world and the first G-7
nation to bring marijuana prohibition to an end, legalizing cannabis for
recreational use.
The move comes at a time when major corporations such as Constellation Brands are deepening investments in the space, cannabis stocks are seeing major volatility, and talk of a bubble is brewing.
Canadian legalization,
jump-started by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government some three
years ago, also has broad implications not only across the country but
for its neighbor the U.S., where the drug remains illegal at the federal level. The Oct.17 deadline
brings with it a slew of unknowns, including how large the market for
cannabis in Canada will be and whether there will be enough product on
store shelves. Estimates have run the gamut from $4 billion to $10
billion in the first few years of implementation.
Some analysts think the move may
pressure the United States to accelerate legalization in some capacity,
as states continue to take matters into their own hands by legalizing
locally.
"We are sitting back now
and watching the Canadians take market share with regards to
international export opportunity," says Matt Karnes, founder of industry
analyst firm GreenWave Advisors.
He cited deals such as Constellation
Brands' recent increased $4 billion stake in Canopy Growth Corp. and
reports of Coca-Cola's interest in CBD,
which has pain relief properties but doesn't get users high. "And
multinational companies that are stepping in, or potentially want to
step in, are all eyeing Canada, whereas I believe the United States
clearly has the most robust and compelling opportunity for cannabis."
Right now 30 states and Washington, D.C.,
have legalized for medicinal use, and nine states and D.C. have
legalized for recreational use, with GreenWave projecting a market of
nearly $13 billion in the U.S. in 2019. Midterm ballot initiatives to
watch include recreational measures in Michigan and North Dakota, Karnes says, and legislative measures expected this year in New Jersey and early next year in New York.
Kate Rogers | CNBC
Chuck Rifici says his company, Auxly, is
preparing for the second wave of legalization in Canada in 2019 when
edibles hit the market.
Longtime cannabis executive Chuck Rifici now runs Auxly Cannabis Group, a diversified cannabis company, based in Toronto.
Auxly has invested in 14 different operations that run the gamut from
growth to research to retail, effectively building a consumer packaged
goods company that controls supply. One of his concerns in regard to
legalization in Canada is product, as provinces are implementing the
rollout, and it is unclear how much cannabis will be needed to meet
demand.
"Certain provinces and
different jurisdictions across the country will have different levels of
preparedness for retail," Rifici said. "I think we will see empty store
shelves, because we've seen that in every other place in the world that
has legalization — a lack of product in the first year. Producers
across the country are ramping up production, but I think it will be
awhile to catch up."
In year one, Rifici and
others project a smaller recreational market as the type of product
available will be more limited — strictly flower, seeds and oils.
Edibles, popular in markets such as California, Washington state and Colorado, won't be for sale until 2019.
While there is a lot of focus on the recreational market, some — including Anthony Durkacz, director of FSD Pharma in Cobourg, Ontario
— believe the medicinal market is where the most money stands to be
made. The company, which Auxly invested in, is renovating a former
70-acre Kraft
facility to build what will become the world's largest hydroponic
cannabis farm in the world. They're a licensed producer currently
growing product, which they plan to sell in the medicinal market once
they obtain a seller's license in the near future. With so much product
flowing to the recreational market, insiders say a potential medicinal
shortage is possible.
While buzz of a bubble is circulating, with Canadian producer Tilray seeing its market cap cut in half a few days ago, soaring to $20 billion but ending the week near $10 billion, Durkacz maintains cannabis investments are sound.
"We are in a bubble — but
we were in an internet bubble in 1998 that continued for another few
years — if you did not make an investment in 1998, you missed a lions'
share of what could be earned in terms of return on investment," he
said.
And while Canadians are
optimistic about the opportunity recreational legalization presents in
their own country, many are waiting to see if and when a ripple effect
happens in the United States and beyond.
"Hopefully we can show
America and the rest of the world that legalization is the right thing
to do," Durkacz said. "I think it's important to put the money back into
the people's hands. The government will generate a lot of taxes and
revenue and add a tremendous amount of jobs, especially in small-town
America. It's important the rest of the world gets to see this and
hopefully follows Canada's lead."
A judge has ruled that Brooke Adams, five, can take cannabis to treat her seizures at school
Brooke, of Santa Rosa, California, suffers from Dravet syndrome - a genetic, severe form of epilepsy
Her parents say her condition began improving after she began taking daily doses of medical cannabis oil
The
Rincon Valley Union School District said Brooke would not be allowed to
take her medication because cannabis is not allowed on school grounds
School officials have not stated whether or not they plan to appeal the ruling
By
Mary Kekatos
A
five-year-old girl who takes medical marijuana to treat her seizures has
been allowed to keep bringing the drug to her California school, a
judge has ruled.
Brooke Adams, of Santa
Rosa, suffers from a rare form of epilepsy that - when left untreated -
can lead to seizures that last at least half an hour.
Her
parents, Jana and Jonathan, say things began to change after she was
prescribed new medication, a pill with medical cannabis oil.
But
the Rincon Valley Union School District in Santa Rosa sought to ban it
from school grounds because it contains the active ingredient in
marijuana.
On Friday, however, Judge Charles Marson sided with the Adams family, reported The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.
A
judge has ruled that Brooke Adams, five (left and right), who takes
medical marijuana to treat her seizures has been allowed to keep
bringing the drug to her California school. She suffers from a severe,
genetic form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome
Symptoms
associated with Dravet syndrome include prolonged and frequent
seizures, delays in speech and language, sleeping issues and chronic
infections. Pictured: Brooke with her mother, Jana, at their home in
July 2018
Brooke suffers from
what is known as Dravet syndrome - a genetic, severe form of epilepsy
that appears during the first year of life, according to the National
Center for Advancing Translational Diseases.
The condition is rare, affecting one in about 15,700 children, 80 percent of whom have a mutation in their SCN1A gene.
Common
symptoms associated with Dravet include prolonged and frequent
seizures, trouble with balance, delays in speech and language, sleeping
issues and chronic infections.
According
to the Dravet Syndrome Foundation, patients face a 15 to 20 per cent
mortality rate due to SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) and
seizure-related incidents such as drowning and infections.
There
is no cure for Dravet, but treatments work to reduce the number of
seizures and medications fall under the classification of first-line or
second-line.
Brooke was diagnosed with the syndrome when she was just an infant.
Her father, Jonathan, told KGNS that her seizures would last at least half an hour and leave her parents so scared that they would call paramedics.
Doctors tried treating her with several different anti-seizure drugs, but they proved to be mostly ineffective.
When
Brooke was one year old, her parents obtained a medical marijuana card
and that's when they say her symptoms dramatically improved.
They say her seizures began happening less frequently and, when they did occur, were for shorter periods of time.
Currently,
Brooke receives daily doses of cannabidiol (CBD) oil applied to her
gums and emergency tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil when needed.
'With the emergency THC medicine, she pretty much just like, takes a nap, and she's back to normal,' Jonathan told NBC Bay Area.
Brooke was diagnosed with Dravet
syndrome when she was just an infant and her parents say she used to
have seizures that lasted at least half an hour. Pictured: Brooke
suffering a seizure
Her parents said both the
duration and the frequency of her seizures shortened after she began
taking medical marijuana. Pictured: Brooke suffering a seizure
Currently, Brooke receives daily
doses of cannabidiol (CBD) oil applied to her gums and emergency
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil when needed
Both
THC and CBD, two of marijuana's main compounds, attach to receptors and
block the transmission of pain signals; but how it works in epilepsy is
not entirely understood.
Back in June,
the FDA approved the use of an oral CBD solution called Epidiolex to
treat Dravet syndrome and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, another rare form of
epilepsy, in patients aged two and older.
But despite medical marijuana being legal in California, state law does not allow it within 1,000 feet of a school.
There
is a bill that has been introduced in the state legislature that would
allow children to take medicinal cannabis at school.
This law put the Adams family and the Rincon Valley Union School District head-to-head in a heated dispute.
In
July, Judge Marson issued a temporary order that permitted Brooke to
start kindergarten at Village Elementary School in August while the
district's objections were considered.
So far, a nurse who accompanies Brooke to school has had to apply the oil three times to treat seizures.
Despite
medical marijuana being legal in California, state law does not allow
it within 1,000 feet of a school. This law put the Adams family and the
Rincon Valley Union School District head-to-head in a heated dispute.
Pictured, left and right: Brooke
Judge Marson's temporary order
permitted Brooke to start kindergarten at Village Elementary School in
August while the district's objections were considered. Pictured: Brooke
being administered the oil
So far, a nurse who accompanies
Brooke to school has had to apply the oil three times to treat seizure.
Pictured: Brooke plays with her toys with her mother, Jana, in July 2018
On Friday, Judge Marson made the order permanent.
'I
was so overwhelmed with emotion and joy that we don't have to fight
anymore after a battle of over two years,' Brooke's mother, Jana, told
The Press-Democrat.
'She can just go to school like any other child and we don't have to keep pushing to get what she needs.'
The
family's attorney, Joe Rogoway, said he hopes the ruling opens the door
for other students who say they need to use a cannabis-based drug on
campus for medical reasons.
District officials said they were reviewing the decision and haven't decided whether to appeal.
Assistant Superintendent Cathy Myhers said the district is relieved to have legal guidance on the issue.
'We
are pleased with the decision and guidance,' Myhers said. 'We are happy
to have a decision that supports our ability to educate and serve this
student in our public schools.'
THE STATE OF MARIJUANA IN 2018
Marijuana
is expected to have a big year in 2018 as advocates in several states
move to legalize it for medical and recreational use.
Five
states including Kentucky, South Dakota and Missouri are considering
legalizing the drug for medical use, joining the 30 other states that
have already done so.
At least four
states including Delaware and Ohio are considering legalizing
recreational marijuana, which is currently legal in nine states and
Washington DC.
