SDZ Today News

Law & Politics

Medical

Category: Global / Local

Auto Added by WPeMatico

Salem is Latest City in MA to Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms 

May 28, 2023 Published by

Salem is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in our nation. First settled in the early 1600s, it was the second official community in Massachusetts, following Plymouth a few years prior. Perhaps one of the most infamous (and disturbing) points in the town’s history was the witch trials of 1692 in which at least 25 people were murdered and hundreds more were imprisoned. 

Interestingly, a longstanding theory exists that the unconventional behavior of the accused was not caused by witchcraft, but rather, experimentation with hallucinogenic drugs. Whether this is true or not is hard to say, but it’s a plausible idea as psychedelics can make people more open to different spiritual concepts and practices. And the natural element of most of the drugs fits in well with many Pagan beliefs and rituals.  

Over the years, Massachusetts has become rather liberal, and the community of Salem is no exception as they recently became the sixth locale in the state to move towards decriminalization of psychedelic mushrooms. Let’s take a closer look at the recent measure, as well as dive into some of Salem’s colorful history.  

What’s the news? 

On May 11th, the city of Salem made the official move toward ending arrests for magic mushrooms when the city council unanimously (9-0) passed a measure that calls for the decriminalization of psilocybin products. The bill specifically asks the Essex County District Attorney to abstain from prosecuting people for possession of magic mushrooms and other items containing psilocybin.  

“It makes me a better father, it makes me more productive in a mindful way,” said Councilman Andy Varela, chair of the Public Health, Safety and Environmental Committee. 

The measure had an interesting and unlikely supporter, Salem’s chief of police, Lucas Miller. “The indications that psilocybin could be helpful for opiate addiction is something that should not be ignored. We lose about 20 people in Salem a year to opioid overdose.” 

The move was largely backed by, Bay Staters for Natural Medicine, a group that advocates for decriminalizing plant-derived medicines. “Our communities deserve access to these plant medicines. From parents to veterans to law enforcement, many different types of people are working through trauma with these gifts of nature,” remarked James Davis, a co-founder of Bay Staters. “They are becoming more conscientious and compassionate versions of themselves. It’s beautiful.” 

Massachusetts Rakes It In With Cannabis Taxes, More Than Alcohol

Although the bill hasn’t been enacted into law yet, it’s expected to pass with a second unanimous vote and get sent to the mayor’s desk in the upcoming weeks. And to clarify, this measure does not make psilocybin mushrooms completely legal, nor does it authorize the purchase, sale, or distribution of any such products. 

Some history about Salem 

Salem was one of the earliest settlements in North America, and the second established community in Massachusetts. It was founded in 1626 by a group of immigrants from Cape Ann led by colonist Roger Conant. The community was originally name Naumkeag belonged to a Native American tribe by the same name, but the settlers decided to rename it Salem, which is derived from the Hebrew word for “peace”.  

Salem is an important town in our nation’s culture and history. As a matter of fact, during the Revolutionary war, a party of Salem-area patriots became the first armed resistance to British rule. They made a stance on February 26th, 1775 when they raised the North Bridge drawbridge preventing Col. Leslie and his British forces from commandeering their ammunition and army supplies stores.  

But all that aside, what the town is perhaps best known for, are the Salem witch trials that began in 1692. In just a few short months, at least 25 innocent people were accused of witchcraft and killed either by hanging, drowning, or pressing/crushing, and countless more were imprisoned awaiting execution. Ironically, the trials ended when the Governor William Phipps wife was accused, at which point he disbanded the court, pardoned all the prisoners, and ceased all trials.  

An interesting theory surrounding the trials, is that the erratic behavior exhibited by those believed to be practicing witchcraft, where in fact caused by use of psychedelic drugs (whether intentional or accidental is up for debate), including rye ergot/LSD and psilocybin mushrooms. Over 300 years after people were possibly persecuted and killed for using magic mushrooms, and now Salem is on the list of early locales to decriminalize them 

Where else in Massachusetts are magic mushrooms decriminalized? 

Previous communities to adopt similar measures are Cambridge, Somerville, Northampton, Easthampton and Amherst. Somerville was the first location to make the move, back in 2021, and it all started with a 31-year-old resident, Alex Karasik, who was looking for a way to treat his post-traumatic stress disorder.

Nature’s Magic – The Health Benefits of Psilocybin Mushrooms

“I was nearly killed in a robbery in Chicago four years ago, and I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. And a lot of my life plans were derailed,” Karasick testified during a council meeting. “I wasn’t able to sleep, and I was in a really dark place mentally. Through a combination of therapy and psilocybin mushrooms, over time I have overcome my experience, and I’m happy to say that I’m in a much better place mentally.” 

Following his testimony, the council voted unanimously to decriminalize entheogenic plants. As per the resolution, “Somerville agencies and employees, including police, should not use city resources to assist in enforcing laws against the use and possession of entheogenic plants by adults.” Paving the way to eventual decriminalization throughout all of Massachusetts.  

“This is just another tool in the tool box in terms of what we have available to help with many of the afflictions that are affecting society today,” said Councilor Jesse Clingan, one of the sponsors of the resolution. 

Final thoughts 

Although it doesn’t sound like a huge deal, being the sixth city to decriminalize mushrooms… it most certainly is. Not only are they sixth out of 351 cities and towns in the state, but it sets a certain precedent that eventually, more regions will follow.  

Welcome everyone. Thanks for dropping by Cannadelics.com; a news platform focused on reporting the best stories in the cannabis and hallucinogen spaces. Come our way daily to stay on top of everything, and subscribe to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, to ensure you always know what’s going on.

The post Salem is Latest City in MA to Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms  appeared first on Cannadelics.

The Taxman Cometh: Canada Now Going After Unpaid Cannabis Taxes

May 27, 2023 Published by

Every other weed headline is about Canada’s failing market; whether it targets the companies closing down, the dismissal of employees, or reporting major losses and restructuring plans. Now, in a move that shows the strains within, Canada is sending out the taxman to collect unpaid cannabis excise taxes from legal producers in the country.

Most recent news of Canada and cannabis tax collection

A lot can be written on Canada and cannabis, and all the problems therein. Today we’ll start with a little on one of the more recent events. The taxman! On May 18th, MJBizDaily reported that Canada’s governmental revenue service, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), is now going after producers who failed to pay their cannabis excise taxes. This is interesting timing given how many companies are posting bad sales news, and downsizing operations. Like Canada is trying to collect what is can before an even bigger fall.

The agency is not only going after the actual money, but threatening garnishment (the government legally withholding money to pay off debts), plant property and equipment liens (the government taking property and equipment until debts are paid), and further legal action for those who do not pay up. This according to an email from Dan Sutton, the CEO of Tantalus Labs (a cannabis producer out of British-Columbia), to MJBizDaily.

The CRA put out warnings like this to businesses: “If you do not pay the full amount or respond to this letter within 14 days, we may enforce Cannabis Duty provisions of the Excise Act, 2001 without further notice.” The business which received this one requested anonymity, as it does want to work out its tax issues and continue operating; and is afraid that posting the letter publicly might hurt its chances.

Many companies in Canada have not paid excise taxes

All of this is based on Canada’s cannabis excise tax laws, which state: “If a corporation fails to pay any duty or interest as and when required under this Act, the directors of the corporation at the time it was required to pay the duty or interest are jointly and severally or solidarily liable, together with the corporation, to pay the duty or interest and any interest that is payable on the duty or interest under this Act.”

What’s an excise tax?

This entire topic is about excise taxes. So before getting back to the story on Canada, let’s talk a little about what excise taxes are. These taxes are taxes levied on a product, but not at the point of sale. Which means they factor into the total price of an item, but with no distinction to the consumer between tax amount, and other product production costs. They’re collected at some point within the process, whether from cultivators to manufacturers, or manufacturers to retailers, etc.

As consumers, we technically pay a lot of taxes, but we don’t often know how much of a total cost, is actually attributable to taxes. We can see the tag for sales tax in the US, but that’s only what gets collected at the register. Excise taxes are paid by businesses, but their cost does factor into the overall price, as the business who pays them, will raise their own costs to make up for them. So in the case of business not paying these taxes, it does mean collecting the money for them through sales, but not giving the amount to the regulating body.

The Power of Sin! How Sin Taxes Affect the Cannabis Industry

Excise taxes don’t have to be extreme, and usually make sense in their placement. However, some excise taxes are different, like sin taxes. Sin taxes are taxes instituted the same way as a regular excise tax, but which are way, way higher, and based solely on the idea that a regulating body decided something is bad for a person or society. These taxes are levied most on products like cigarettes, alcohol, and now cannabis. This is contradictory, of course, as the first two show detriment to health with no benefit; whereas cannabis is a recognized medical product in the country.

According to a Forbes article, cannabis sin excise taxes in Canada are paid by the producer in the amount of $1 CAD per gram, or 10% of sale price for dry flowers. It goes by whichever is higher to ensure more tax revenue. The article points to professionals in the field explaining how due to different factors, these taxes can account for 20-35% for operations, making it difficult to survive, especially for small operators. And it helps explain why there are so many unpaid taxes, as these tax amounts are a huge burden for all affected, and not reflective of actual income ability.

Canada’s tax situation

So Canada institutes cannabis excise taxes, with large sin taxes included, despite cannabis not causing the negative effects to health or society that the other products receiving sin taxes do. And rather than getting rid of them in a climate with tons of businesses dying out, the government is upping the ante and going after the money; essentially from companies that are barely making it to begin with, some teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

Canada collects money indirectly on cannabis through excise taxes
Canada collects money indirectly on cannabis through excise taxes

MJBizDaily reports that around 2/3 of cannabis businesses in Canada are in debt due to unpaid cannabis excise taxes, as of September 2022. At the time of that reporting, it was halfway through Canada’s fiscal year. This totals almost $100 million CAD from a total of 172 licensed producers. That’s a lot of unpaid taxes.

Reports from the previous year (2021-2022), indicate Canada collected $1.5 billion CAD in taxes, from the total $4 billion spent on cannabis products. If you do the math, that means over 1/3 of the money collected on cannabis products for that year, went to the government in taxes and other revenue. And this up against the reality that there’s a functional black market which doesn’t have to pay those taxes, and will always be able to undercut the legal market.

The question for many in the industry, is how aggressive Canada will be in tax collection. Maybe the story is more to induce fear with no real action coming; and maybe Canada is looking to take every cent it can now. Said George Smitherman, the CEO of the Cannabis Council of Canada, “I think it’s an offshoot of the issues management problem that the Trudeau government faces with an excise tax that’s ill conceived.”

After Tax Restructuring, California Weed Market Still Going Down

He continued, “In a certain sense, at all levels in Ottawa, they recognize the dilemma they have, which is that a very large proportion of (cannabis) CRA license holders can’t keep up with their bills.” He explained, “While we hope that recognition (of the excise debt problem) is going to lead to real action to fix the excise, rather than just the words we’ve heard so far, in the meantime we are faced with the gnarly face of collections.”

But wait, isn’t Canada trying to save the market?

We know that sin taxes don’t really need to be included. They’re not fundamental, nor necessary for what they’re supposed to do. Yet, the conversation is so rarely about them. You’d think Canada (and every US state having the same issue) was entirely backed against a wall, but they’re not. The best answer for all companies, is to eliminate this unnecessary tax. That would fix the problem, right? Yet, the greed of governments becomes obvious when broaching these topics, as they will often go quite a distance, to avoid changing this. They don’t even want you talking about it. They sidestep or avoid the issue.

Think of California finally making amendments to its cannabis tax laws in 2022. What did it do? It did get rid of a cultivation tax, which was good; but did nothing to get rid of the excise tax (15%), which includes the sin tax. And while the industry walks around with its hands up seemingly confused on the matter, the answer is obvious to the point that its getting frustrating and maddening. Sin taxes on weed must be eliminated, or its unlikely these markets can work out long term.

Sin taxes are meant for damaging products
Sin taxes are meant for damaging products

Canada’s market has taken such a distinct downturn, that on March 25th of this year, the Canadian government put up a notice of intent to start consultations to make changes in the industry. Considering every province except for one has seen sales declines, this move is an indication of Canada knowing there’s a big problem. For the country, between December 2022, and January 2022, for example, sales slipped from CA$425 million to CA$395 million.

The notice speaks of finding ways to update regulation concerning licensing, security, production, and packaging, in order to help out the ailing industry. Lowering licensing expenses is surely useful; but if you’ll notice, the country doesn’t say anything about attacking current tax structures. Its left out as if it’s not something that can be modified. As if that tax must be there or the industry can’t survive. But that’s not true. Sin taxes are extra taxes, added onto regular tax structures. You can see in the notice, that Canada doesn’t mention taxes at all:

“Health Canada recognizes there may be regulatory measures that could be made more efficient and streamlined without compromising the public health and public safety objectives in the (Cannabis) Act,” it continues that this includes “(reducing) administrative and regulatory burdens where possible.”

Canada Marijuana Industry Decline, And Recovery Considerations

Canada was also supposed to start a ‘strategy table’, a forum for those in the industry, and those regulating it, to come together and talk about issues and how to resolve them. Though this was proposed in April 2022, reports from earlier this month show it never got off the ground. This seems at least partially due to a lack of communication between the industry and regulators. But then, if the only real answer is ‘lower taxes,’ perhaps regulators were never interested in the conversation at all.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to say about the situation; but it really comes down to one thing, and one thing only. If the US and Canada want to keep cannabis from becoming a 100% black market industry; they must forfeit the extra tax revenue they collect unnecessarily through sin taxes (among other unnecessary costs). If they don’t, there’s unlikely to be an industry to collect taxes from soon. And getting nothing is way less than they’d get from an operational tax structure. End of story.

Hey guys! Thanks for coming round to Cannadelics.com; a news site operating in the cannabis and hallucinogen industries, focused on bringing you the utmost in independent reporting. Don’t be a stranger – come by frequently to read up on recent happenings; and sign up to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always first to get the news.

The post The Taxman Cometh: Canada Now Going After Unpaid Cannabis Taxes appeared first on Cannadelics.

Finland Initiative for Recreational Cannabis To Go Before Parliament

May 27, 2023 Published by

Germany is plugging away at establishing its watered down version of a cannabis legalization, which is a let down from its original plan for a full-fledged market. Now, Finland is trying its luck at getting some kind of recreational cannabis legalization, which is quite a turn around for the ice-cold EU country.

Finland and cannabis

Finland is a Northern European country that sits as a sort of border between Eastern and Western Europe. It borders Russia to the East, Sweden to the west, and Norway to the north. Nearly 2/3 of the country is covered by dense forests, making it the country with the most dense forests in Europe. It has a small population of 5.6 million; and is a part of the EU, Eurozone, and NATO. It’s a country that ranks high in terms of the following: educational systems, economics, civil liberties, human development, and overall quality of life.

Cannabis is illegal for recreational use currently in Finland. Prohibition in the country started in 1966, with personal use made illegal in 1972. In 2001, the procedure for dealing with personal use cases was updated; a change meant to unburden the courts from all the personal use cases coming through. This doesn’t mean it started letting people go for these crimes though, it means it streamlined its process to make it smoother, more expedited, and geared toward money-collection over jail time.

In fact, the country was unhappy with a number of personal use cases not getting prosecuted, and made the reforms to ensure that all arrests get some sort of attention, without requiring the courts. So though cannabis reforms were made, not in the usual way we mean when we say ‘reforms’. They were instituted to create a a more consistent and workable system of punishment, even for small-scale use.

A new initiative in Finland for recreational cannabis

The new procedure, which stands today, is that the police give summary fines when a person is caught with personal use amounts, but the case doesn’t go to court unless the defendant pushes to do so. This is not the case for aggravated offenses, or bigger crimes like selling, which are always heard in court. The penalties for these latter crimes are much harsher. Under current practice, a person with no more than 15 grams of dry flower, or 10 grams of hash, is considered a personal user. This is met with a punishment of 10-20 day fines, which are fines based on daily personal income.

In terms of medical cannabis, Finland doesn’t have a wide-reaching program. It allows for cannabis use in the most extreme medical cases, amounting to 223 legally permitted users in 2014, as an example. As there is no industry in the country, those that do use it, use imported pharma products only like Sativex or Bedrocan. There are a limited number of apothecaries that sell cannabis medicines.

In 2019, a push began for real marijuana reform in the country, with the introduction of a citizens’ initiative to decriminalize personal use. The initiative collected the necessary 50,000 signatures to be heard by parliament, plus almost 10,000 extra. This created a requirement for parliament to consider the topic between 2019-2023, though nothing ever came of it. The current story is not about this initiative, but a more recent one which also collected the necessary 50,000 signatures. This time for full legalization.

Where is Cannabis Legal in Europe?

Will recreational cannabis become legal in Finland?

The current initiative started last October, with the goal of a recreational legalization in Finland, complete with an adult-use market. This initiative also needed to gain 50,000 signatures, which it did at the end of April, requiring parliament to consider the case. The current initiative, should it make it through parliament, would legalize the use, possession, manufacture, and sale of cannabis in the country, as well as allow for personal cultivation.

According to the wording of the initiative, these are some of the key points:

  • The aforementioned legalization for use, possession, subsistence farming, manufacture, and sale of cannabis, with age restrictions attached.
  • The need for a regulatory system for the commercial cannabis market; with a goal of reducing harm to both individuals and society.
  • The inclusion of a cannabis tax to compensate for societal harms.
  • The need for a clearer distinction between low-THC cannabis and high-THC cannabis, so there is no confusion for farmers.
  • The expungement of criminal records for minor sale and cultivation crimes.

The initiative makes this statement: “This initiative provides a comprehensive justification for why Finland, too, should replace the Cannabis Prohibition Act with regulation. The regulation of intoxicants must be based on researched information. The Prohibition Act did not bring us a cannabis-free world. Regulation does not bring us a harm-free world of cannabis either, but it can minimize the harm and compensate for the costs.”

Could Finland pass cannabis legalization?
Could Finland pass cannabis legalization?

This initiative was helped in part by Green Party member Coel Thomas. Currently, the Green Party is the only political party in Finland to openly support cannabis reform. Thomas helped write the initiative; though his own thoughts are that it likely won’t get adopted now; and works more to continue building the case for legalization. Said Thomas of the initiative to Cannabis Health News:

“It seems likely that we will have a right-wing conservative government coming in, but even under a center-right or center-left government, it’s not likely that we could advance legalization. I don’t see how it could get a majority of votes. However, we are starting a conversation in Finland right now, that in my opinion, will most likely lead to the legalization and regulation of cannabis this decade.”

In terms of where the people in the country stand on the topic, a recent survey from the Institute for Health and Welfare, which yle reported on last month, showed a change in attitude toward cannabis for the Finnish people. According to the survey, 57% saw binge drinking as more dangerous than cannabis use, while 53% said personal use shouldn’t be considered a crime.

Will Germany Bow to EU and Scale Back Legalization?

Can Finland pass a recreational measure like this?

Something to remember is that this initiative was started before Germany was made to downgrade its plans by the EU. Even if Finland were to pass a recreational cannabis measure, could it look anything like what was proposed? After all, Finland is also a part of the EU, and subject to EU restrictions. Unless a country is willing to go up against the EU, it should not expect to accomplish more than Germany did; at least not without a change to EU cannabis politics. This doesn’t negate the ability for a legalization, but it does for a regulated market.

Just last month, Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, had to renege on Germany’s original plans for a full-scale adult-use market in the country. In light of not getting EU approval, the country reorganized to present a plan with two parts: one a legalization that allows social clubs for growing and dissemination, and one a pilot program wherein sales can take place on a very small scale, in specified individual locations only. Finland shouldn’t realistically expect to do more.

That this just transpired with Germany, is a direct indication that Finland will not be able to pass this initiative for recreational cannabis; as the initiative in current form calls for things which were just ruled out for Germany. If this topic wasn’t worth Germany having major issues with the EU, its unlikely to provoke a country like Finland to do so.

Cannabis and the EU
Cannabis and the EU

At the time the initiative was written, these issues had not fully come to pass. They should have been foreseen (and were by some), but the result had not occurred; making it a reasonable goal. I expect part of Coel Thomas’s attitude about it now, is an understanding that regardless of how much Finland could be brought on-board with the idea, that this particular attempt is not feasible. What he says makes sense though. In most places where cannabis reform changes occurred, there were failed attempts that precipitated the changes.

This current attempt, (like the previous one), stands as a building block for an overall update, which is likely to come soon enough. In fact, it’s good to see countries like Finland, which previously quiet on the topic of reform; break out of that mindset, and enter the one where a real push for change exists.

Conclusion

Whether the initiative was simply ill-timed – (collecting signatures for a measure that Germany’s experience just invalidated), or an example of the need for more support on the topic; it does now enter Finland into the conversation of cannabis reform. Giving us yet another country to keep an eye on.

Germany Will NOT Have Full Legalization

Welcome all! Cool that you’re here with us at Cannadelics.com; where we work tirelessly to bring you the best in independent reporting for the cannabis and hallucinogen spaces (and beyond). Come around frequently to stay up on current stories, and subscribe to our Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, for updates and product deals, direct to your email.

The post Finland Initiative for Recreational Cannabis To Go Before Parliament appeared first on Cannadelics.

Minnesota About to Become 23rd Adult-Use State

May 26, 2023 Published by

Minnesota lawmakers recently passed a bill for adult-use cannabis, and sent it to the governor’s office. The expected signature will make the state the 23rd in America to legalize recreational cannabis. The funny thing? Though this legalization would be full-scale, Minnesota has allowed a weed edible products market, since last year.

News on Minnesota as 23rd adult-use state

According to AP News, on Saturday, May 20th, the Minnesota Senate passed a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state. It wasn’t exactly a sweeping vote. It won 34-32; and was then sent to Governor Tim Walz’s desk, as it had already passed the House earlier. Assuming its signed, the new law will go into effect August 1st of this year.

The new law would allow those 21 and above to use, possess, and cultivate cannabis. The possession limit would be two pounds in a private home, and up to two ounces in public, for dry flower. A person could have up to eight grams of concentrate; and edibles, like gummies, with up to 800mg of THC max.

It would also allow retail sales, though these are expected to start a year or so after the initial legalization begins. Cannabis products would be subject to a 10% sales tax on top of other taxes; and individual locations would have choices like how many dispensaries exist, and where they can be in relation to places like schools.

New Minnesota adult-use law would expunge some convictions

The bill also includes provisions for those formerly convicted of some marijuana crimes. The state would automatically expunge anyone convicted of a misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor possession charge, via the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It’s fully expected to take about a year to finish this. Those convicted of crimes like selling, would need to apply to get their record expunged or their current sentence reduced. This would only apply to non-violent offenses.

As always, and especially in a vote this close, there is both support and opposition to the new law. Said democratic Sen. Lindsey Port in support of the bill: “Minnesotans are ready. Let’s legalize, regulate and expunge.” Countered republican Sen. Jordan Rasmusson: “The fundamental flaw with this bill is that the starting point of it from proponents has been about creating an industry to fit their ideology.”

Wasn’t Minnesota already kind-of legal?

Almost exactly a year ago, on May 22nd of 2022, Minnesota passed a large hemp reform bill. As a part of that bill, the use, possession, manufacture, and sale of hemp-derived THC edibles, is legal. This means products can contain the same THC as standard cannabis products, so long as the THC is sourced from low-THC hemp, and not high-THC marijuana. As this allows for a legal cannabis market within the state, it means Minnesota is technically already a legal state. That law went into effect exactly one year before the current one is slated to: August 1st, 2022.

The Minnesota Weed Loophole & Why The State Is Now (Unofficially) Legal

The allowance isn’t complete, however. It doesn’t allow for smokables of any kind (regular flower or vapes), or anything beyond edibles, topicals, and other minor applications. Its mainly for food and drink products, and requires all THC be sourced from hemp plants. It also sets lower limits than what most states do. The law allows 5mg THC per serving, and 50mg per package. The general standard (though not a law) is 10mg per serving and 100mg per package.

Much like laws for cannabis everywhere else in the US, the Minnesota edibles law includes provisions for childproof packaging; following trademark law; and the necessity for testing for things like heavy metals, molds, pesticides, fertilizers, solvents, etc.

A big reason for the bill came from the state trying to deal with the black market more effectively, including the cannabinoid market. Since cannabinoids are almost always said to be hemp-derived, (as a supposed loophole for their existence), the bill legalizing hemp-derived compounds, also made such products available for the legal market. This in hopes it would get people to buy the legal version. At the time, there seemed to be a lot of hope for the initiative.

Minnesota already has adult-use cannabis edibles market
Minnesota already has adult-use cannabis edibles market

Of course, the problem Minnesota encountered, is that simply setting a law, won’t necessarily make anyone follow it. Plus, once consumers are told something is legal, its not for them to figure out if a specific product or store is legal. Minnesota started going after illegal operations within months of passing the bill; unable to control the black market offerings. Much like in fully legal markets, the black market dispensaries are the ones that will sell stronger products, and with more options. And consumers tend to like this.

Minnesota law enforcement found itself going after products with sometimes 50X the allowable THC limit. The government has even specifically targeted certain producers, trying to pin deaths on one, even though no death was actually attributable to any of the products. A kind of strange avenue to go down when the state supports the sale and use of opioids, which do come with the definable death toll of at least 678 deaths in just 2020.

What other states might legalize soon?

Because of its previous year legalization of THC edibles, the new adult-use bill in Minnesota is like taking a second baby step. The state already began allowing THC sales, so it technically is already a legal state. However, when it comes to official counting, it never makes the cut, since it doesn’t have a broad-ranging legalization. This new bill will thrust it over the line into the ‘officially legal’ side, making Minnesota the 23rd state to have an adult-use market.

Delaware, the Latest State to go Recreational

It follows right behind Delaware, which passed its own adult-use bill in April. Delaware did it pretty quickly. Two bills were introduced in January; one for a direct legalization, and one for regulation. In the beginning of March, both bills passed the House, and then they passed the Senate at the end of the month. They were sent to Governor John Carney mid-April, and went into effect on April 23rd. They were not signed off on, as Governor Carney is not in support of the legislation. On April 21st he announced he would allow both bills to pass through without a veto or his signature.

If this sounds strange, consider that the guy had vetoed a similar bill in May 2022. Which means both the House and Senate passed a legalization measure, sent it to him, and he said ‘no’. Why change tack a year later? According to Carney in his statement about not vetoing the current bill:

“I want to be clear that my views on this issue have not changed. And I understand there are those who share my views who will be disappointed in my decision not to veto this legislation. I came to this decision because I believe we’ve spent far too much time focused on this issue, when Delawareans face more serious and pressing concerns every day. It’s time to move on.”

Some states had ballot measure for adult-use markets which didn't pass
Some states had ballot measure for adult-use markets which didn’t pass

In terms of states we might see legalize soon, its good to remember that there were a few failed ballot measures in last year’s election. Simply getting the ballot measure approved means getting signatures and support, and this doesn’t usually happen if people are uniformly against something. So, we should continue to watch Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota. South Dakota actually did pass a ballot measure in 2020, which was taken away by the governor and courts. Why it didn’t pass this past November is certainly a head-scratcher; but it does seem the trajectory in the state is for legal weed.

Then, there’s Oklahoma. That state collected enough signatures for a ballot measure, but was then refused the ballot based on unrelated technical issues. Plus, Hawaii, which passed numerous cannabis reform bills in the last few years, just to have them all vetoed by Governor David Ige. In fact, many initiatives lose steam early on because its understood he won’t let them through. Much like Carney, however, Ige did let a decriminalization measure pass in 2019, without a signature. Ige left office at the tail end of last year. And the state is currently working on new legislative measures.

Ohio, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, are all passing around legislation for adult-use markets; or have recently, with expectation of new initiatives. Florida is working on a ballot measure for 2024; and even states not ready for adult-use markets, like Nebraska, are at the very least, looking to legalize medical cannabis officially. Texas, also has been making some interesting moves of late on the medical cannabis front, with a possible full medical legalization on the horizon.

Texas Looking to Make Cannabis An Opioid Alternative

Conclusion

Once the bill is signed, and it should be, Minnesota will officially be the 23rd state to legalize adult-use cannabis. Considering this count includes California, New York, and Illinois, with these 23 states, at least half the population will live in weed legal places.

Hello and welcome to the site. Thanks for being with us at Cannadelics.com; a news platform within the cannabis and hallucinogen spaces, geared at providing the best in independent reporting. Visit us regularly to stay on top of everything going on, and sign up to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always first to know the news.

The post Minnesota About to Become 23<sup>rd</sup> Adult-Use State appeared first on Cannadelics.

1kg of Cannabis Will Get You Hung in Singapore

May 20, 2023 Published by

Regardless of how crazy it is, there are still plenty of places that will kill you for cannabis crimes in 2023. And this despite cannabis not being a death-toll drug. In the most recent story of this kind, the Singapore government recently hung two men for what it considered trafficking cannabis. Read on for details.

Man hung in Singapore for 1kg cannabis

If you were thinking about testing out Singapore’s drug laws, maybe think twice on that one. This is not a country that takes kindly to its laws being broken, which is evidenced by Singapore recently hanging two men within three weeks, both for cannabis crimes. One of them for trafficking 1.5kg of cannabis, and the other, only 1kg.

The most recent man in question was not named, as his family requested privacy. Reports by Aljazeera explain his case, and execution at Changi Prison on the 17th of May. His conviction was from 2019, which he received for trafficking 3.3 pounds of cannabis, equivalent to about 1.5kg. Information on the case came through the organization Transformative Justice Collective, which actively fights the application of the death penalty in Singapore.

Explained a Transformative worker, Kokila Annamalai, the man had attempted to reopen his case, but was rejected by the court of appeals, which did not allow a hearing. The grounds for reopening had to do with DNA evidence, and fingerprints; that tied the man to a smaller amount of the drug, which he readily admitted to having.

Singapore readily gives death sentence for cannabis crimes

The story is actually the second of its kind for the country recently. On April 26th, Tangaraju Suppiah was also hung in Singapore for trafficking cannabis. This time, the 46-year-old man was convicted of trafficking 2.2 pounds, approximately 1kg. This was also carried out despite a major push for clemency by both family, and activists (locally and internationally).

Much of the basis for these last-minute appeals had to do with the idea that Suppiah had not been treated fairly in the process; given no adequate legal coverage, or even an interpreter when he was questioned. The man required the lesser spoken language of Tamil. If these things are true, it points to an even bigger human rights abuse, as well as the question of how far a government will go to prove a point in the public’s eye, and who it’ll sacrifice to do it.

Said Annamalai of such practices to the Associated Press, “If we don’t come together to stop it, we fear that this killing spree will continue in the weeks and months to come.” This is a good point, as Singapore has been on a bit of a rampage. Though the country took a much needed break on executions during the corona pandemic, it came back with vigor last year, executing 11 people, and all for drug crimes.

Death Penalty for Cannabis: Which Countries Will Kill You

Singapore and drug executions

The thing about Singapore, and many other countries that execute people for lesser crimes, is that exact information is not always available, or the released numbers are questionable. Other countries in this category include China, North Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. And this isn’t to say that Singapore doesn’t release anything at all.

It does release a number each year via the Singapore Prison Service. For example, in 2019, it claimed it had hung four people, and specified that two were for drug crimes. The other two were for murder. The previous year, the country copped to 13 executions, with only two for murder, while 11 were killed for drug crimes. How truthful these numbers are, however, is hard to say.

The country regulates drug crimes through the Misuse of Drugs Act, which requires the person under arrest to prove themselves, and not the government to prove its case. Essentially, guilty until proven innocent, instead of innocent until proven guilty. This isn’t unheard of outside of Singapore, although its not the general standard globally.

Singapore recently hung two men for cannabis crimes
Singapore recently hung two men for cannabis crimes

Under the law, trafficking any amount more than 500 (~1.1 pounds) dried flower, or 200 grams of hash, is subject to the death penalty. Not only that, when found with it in that amount (or even less), its automatically assumed the person is trafficking. This means if a person secretly grows 500 grams worth for private medical use, they can still be tried, convicted, and executed for trafficking the drug.

Though 500 grams is the amount to incur the death penalty, as little as 15 grams of regular cannabis, or 10 grams of hash, is enough to incur a trafficking charge. The law also dictates that any amount of a drug found in a person’s home or car is automatically assumed to be theirs. All punishments are therefore relevant to that person, even if the contraband isn’t actually theirs.

Internationally the death penalty is accepted for very serious crimes (even if not desired). To give an idea of how little Singapore cares about these people, or the international world, Singapore made headlines in 2022 when it executed a Malaysian man with learning disabilities, named Nagaenthran Dharmalingam. The country works to defend its execution policy, which it says via the Ministry of Home Affairs, is “an essential component of Singapore’s criminal justice system and has been effective in keeping Singapore safe and secure.”

Global Executions for Drug Crimes Up In 2022

Global executions for drug crimes

Singapore is certainly not alone in using the death penalty for cannabis, and other drug crimes. As stated earlier, many countries don’t report on these matters, or give numbers that can’t be confirmed. But even so, we have a pretty good idea that in 2022 the number of executions for drug crimes, went up globally. At least according to the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s Death Penalty for Drug Offenses: Global Overview 2022.

The report states that 35 countries use the death penalty for drug crimes; although each country varies in terms of what it considers a crime which is punishable by death. Since information isn’t complete on the topic, the report gives the statistic that there were 285+ drug-related executions globally in 2022. It also gives the statistic of 303+ people sentenced to death last year, from a total of 18 different countries. How many people currently sit on death row worldwide for drug-related offenses? According to the report, 3,700+.

The 2022 numbers are up from 2021, which might have had lower numbers due to corona. For example, countries like Singapore and Saudi Arabia stopped executions for periods of time. In 2021 there were 131 reported executions, and 237 reported death sentences handed down from at least 16 countries. This makes the 2022 number for executions about 118% higher than the 2021 number.

Singapore practices capital punishment for drug crimes
Singapore practices capital punishment for drug crimes

The 2022 numbers are 850% higher than 2020 numbers (also likely affected greatly by corona). In that year, there were 30+ executions. Along with active executions, 213+ people received death sentences for drug-related crimes.

What should we expect in the future? Considering how much work countries like Singapore put into defending their practices, probably not progress. In fact, we should expect to see similar, or increased numbers, for this year. And until something actually changes, for the foreseeable future. And while in a country like Singapore its said by the government that prisoners get their due process, the recent reports make this idea questionable. We probably shouldn’t expect that many of these death sentence decisions, come out of fair play.

Conclusion

In 1994, Singapore caned American teenager Michael Fay, who was implicated in minor acts of vandalism. It was a big story, and the US government did try to get him clemency; Singapore said no, and caned him four times. Fay was among several who had possibly caused the acts, and retracted his initial confession saying he had been pressured to give it, and assured by doing so he wouldn’t get caned. Under the circumstances of how it reacted to this crime nearly 30 years ago, should we really be surprised that Singapore is hanging people left and right for cannabis now?

At Your Own Risk: Top 5 Death Toll Drugs

Welcome and thanks for joining. Cool that you’re here with us at Cannadelics.com; where we report on the biggest stories in the cannabis and hallucinogen spaces. Come around when you can to stay knowledgeable on what’s happening, and subscribe to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always sure to be up-to-date.

The post 1kg of Cannabis Will Get You Hung in Singapore appeared first on Cannadelics.

Nebraska Might Catch Up with Medical Cannabis Ballot

May 20, 2023 Published by

The conversations regarding cannabis and the US, are usually about which state is about to pass a recreational measure, or where the federal government is with legalization. But for a few choice states, there is still no cannabis allowance at all. Like Nebraska, which is only now getting its stuff together for a medical cannabis ballot in 2024.

The news on Nebraska

Nebraska might not be the leader among us when it comes to cannabis reform, but it’s within the process, and might be making a big jump soon. As a representative of the ‘other side’ of the cannabis debate, Nebraska’s continuing attempts for medical cannabis legislation show how even in the deepest of cannabis prohibition strongholds, there is still room for update and change.

Nebraska does have a medical cannabis reform bill currently in its congress (a unicameral legislature, meaning only one house/side), which stalled-out in committee. As a way to revive the effort, Marijuana Moment reported that the group Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM) put forth two petitions to the secretary of state. They were sent over on the 18th of May, and are meant to get a medical cannabis measure on the ballot in Nebraska for 2024 elections.

Nebraska might not have come far yet, but this push is not new. These petitions are the third attempt at getting a voter ballot for the residents of the state to decide, instead of their government. In 2020, for the first attempt, enough signatures were collected for inclusion on the ballot, but the Supreme Court of the state invalidated the effort by saying it broke the single subject rule.

Nebraska will possibly have medical cannabis ballot

Many states have this rule, and it requires that ballots not ask people to vote on more than one thing at once. This does make sense in that it doesn’t require a person to vote for something they don’t want, in order to vote for something else they do want, which is attached. In 2022, the group lost important funding, and as a result, was not able to collect enough signatures for the ballot that year.

NMM ‘s co-chair Crista Eggers had this to say in a press release: “We have no choice but to keep petitioning our government. The Legislature refuses to act despite the will of over 80 percent of Nebraskans (from all parties, regions, ages, etc) supporting this.” She continued that “For over 10 years we’ve advocated, educated and fought, trying to do it the right way, though our elected leaders in the Unicameral, and every year we come up empty handed. So we will go to the ballot once again.”

The current bill, which is languishing in committee, was written by democrat Sen. Anna Wishart. Her bill for medical cannabis legalization got a hearing in the legislature’s Judiciary Committee in February, but has not moved since that time. Though Wishart says this is likely from turnover and changes in the legislature, a similar measure also died in the legislature via a filibuster. It sounds like Eggers has the right idea at this point of going around the legislature.

The Cost of Getting Caught with Weed – Even Now

In response to her own bill’s situation, and a possible ballot measure, Wishart said, “Of course we are filing again. The way to succeed is to never give up and every time we hit a setback we grow stronger.” It’s good to know that if legislation can’t get through the legislature, that there is another route by way of signature collection and ballot measures.

What would Nebraska medical cannabis ballot measure entail?

Should the ballot measure make it through, what can Nebraskans expect to vote on? Two different initiatives were submitted. The first would make lawmakers have to legally protect doctors who prescribe cannabis to patients, and patients who then buy and use it.

The measure aims to “enact a statute that makes penalties inapplicable under state and local law for the use, possession, and acquisition of limited quantities of cannabis for medical purposes by a qualified patient with a written recommendation from a health care practitioner, and for a caregiver to assist a qualified patient in these activities.”

Cannabis medicine
Cannabis medicine

The second petition pertains to the creation of a new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission. This commission would regulate the medical cannabis industry in the state. Its job? To create “necessary registration and regulation of persons that possess, manufacture, distribute, deliver, and dispense cannabis for medical purposes.”

According to what Wishart told Marijuana Moment, the new petitions are “same as the language in 2022,” and that they “will go through a process with the SOS in which they review legally.” In order to evade the problem of 2020, and the issue of more than one subject covered in a ballot measure, the current petitions have a very narrow focus.

Submitting the petitions is just the first of many steps. In order for Nebraska to allow the medical cannabis ballot measure to go before voters in the election, it must first collect approximately 87,000 signatures, which then are validated. This must be done for each petition, and they must be turned in by July 5th, 2024. This gives the group over a year from now to collect the signatures.

Gallup Poll: Negative Opinions on Weed, Come from Those Who Never Tried It

Nebraska and cannabis

Nebraska is one of now only a handful of states that still holds cannabis illegal, both medically and for recreational use.  It does have a decriminalization measure, however, which stems back to 1979, and makes possession of a small amount, into a civil infraction. About 10 years prior to this update, there was a different update.

The 1969 update lowered the punishment for possession of small amounts, and limited it to seven days in jail. This, of course, doesn’t say anything good about what people were subjected to prior to that update. Even for something as simple as possession of a joint.

Nebraska is so hard-core in its marijuana-hating, that in 2014, along with Oklahoma, it requested of the US’s Supreme Court, the ability to open a legal case against Colorado. What it wanted, was for the Court to nullify Colorado’s recent recreational legalization. As in, it was asking the Court to make a decision about a states rights vs federal law issue.

Recreational and medical cannabis currently illegal in Nebraska
Recreational and medical cannabis currently illegal in Nebraska

Nebraska claimed it was angry that its own arrest rate for cannabis had increased by 11% around that time, and named Colorado and its legalization as the culprit for the increase. The state claimed the cost of law enforcement against cannabis also rose 11%, as well as causing social harm. Realistically, regardless of however this idea of ‘harm’ was calculated, the state also would have collected that much more in fines as a result, and that doesn’t come to any small amount.

The Supreme Court denied the request in 2016, and stopped the case from going further. There were, however, two dissenting judges: Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Luckily, their desire to see this lawsuit happen – and the mess it would cause – was crushed by the rest of the court.

There was a previous attempt at medical cannabis in the state. In 2015, a bill was proposed in the state legislature called the “Cannabis Compassion and Care Act.” The bill would have let patients with certain ailments consume either pills or liquids, but not smokables. Qualifying ailments included HIV, cancer, hepatitis, and glaucoma. Unfortunately, after initially getting traction, the bill was put on hold by its sponsor Senator Tommy Garrett. When it was reintroduced the following year, it was blocked by a Senate filibuster, and could not advance as it was three votes short.

Conservative Cannabis: Legalization Gaining Republican Support

Conclusion

It’s not a sure bet that Nebraska will have a medical cannabis ballot measure for its residents in 2024, but its looking more, and more likely. And though Nebraska is way behind most other states in cannabis reform, it does go to show that even the holdouts can eventually fall. As of right now, 38 states out of 50 have medical programs.

Hello and welcome to the site! We appreciate you coming our way at Cannadelics.com; an independent news source within the worlds of cannabis and hallucinogens. Join us regularly to keep up with everything important, and sign up to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, so you always know what’s going down.

The post Nebraska Might Catch Up with Medical Cannabis Ballot appeared first on Cannadelics.

Which World Leaders have Consumed Recreational Drugs?

April 29, 2023 Published by

Whilst many politicians present themselves as god-like, innocent figures, that are above any use of substances or wrong-doing, the reality is actually from that. Drug use is a controversial issue that affects people from all walks of life, including politicians. While some politicians are open about their drug use, others choose to hide their habits from the public eye.

It’s becoming more and more common now for important figures to be honest about their pasts, although some still think it better to keep that part of themselves hidden, in case of it deterring voters. In addition, some politicians are simply so out-of-touch that they genuinely have never even heard of recreational drugs. In this article, we will explore the reasons why world leaders may or may not hide their use of drugs, and give some examples of those that have been found to have dabbled in the world of recreational substances. Let’s go. 

Drugs & Politics

Throughout history, many famous politicians have been known to experiment with recreational drugs. They are human after all, despite many of their attempts to look like something other than that. With around 5.5% of the population having tried recreational substances, it is highly likely that many politicians will have also dabbled. In addition, when it comes to wealthy circles, there’s never an abundance of high class cocaine lying around. LBC writes:

“Drugs are so commonplace in Westminster that MPs have been known to snort cocaine from their desks.”

Pink Cocaine: Colombia’s New Drug Rage

Drug use happens every day, and every single person is sure to know someone who has taken substances – if they haven’t themselves. Thus, it isn’t surprising or controversial to consider that world leaders have also taken them. But every politician who has taken recreational drugs has a choice. Be honest about their substance use, hope that this makes them more down to earth, but risk being seen as too hippie. Or, alternatively, keep it a secret, hope that this makes them look respectable, but risk being seen as out of touch. Let’s see which method is better.

Why Lie?

Fear of Public Backlash

One of the main reasons why politicians may choose to hide their drug habits is the fear of public backlash. Drug use remains a stigmatised and controversial topic, and politicians who are open about their drug use may face criticism and scrutiny from the media and the public. This can damage their reputation and make it difficult for them to be taken seriously as leaders. They may be seen as unfit for office by some members of the public.

Fear of Legal Consequences

Drug use is often illegal, and politicians who are caught using drugs can face legal consequences, including fines, jail time, and the loss of their political careers. This can be particularly damaging for politicians who are in high-profile positions, as they may face greater scrutiny and harsher punishments. 

Thank you for stopping in. Head over to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter for direct updates; and get access to awesome deals on cannabis buds, vapes, edibles, smoking devices and equipment, cannabinoid compounds, and some psychedelic products! Go get high responsibly!

Why be Honest?

Transparent Leader

Some politicians choose to be open about their drug use in order to be transparent with the public. They believe that honesty is the best policy, and that being open about their drug use can help to build trust with their constituents. This can be particularly important for politicians who are advocating for drug policy reform, as they may feel that they have a personal responsibility to be open about their own drug use. It also brings the individual down to earth, highlighting that they understand what it is like to live a normal life – with joys and temptations. 

Reduce Stigma

Drug use remains a stigmatized and controversial topic, and some politicians choose to be open about their drug use in order to reduce the stigma surrounding it. They believe that being open can help to show that recreational drugs are a complex and nuanced issue that affects people from all walks of life. This is especially helpful if world leaders believe that the current drug laws are outdated and ineffective, and that a more compassionate and evidence-based approach to drug policy is needed. 

World Leaders 

Of course, for many politicians, their personal life can be published without their intent. In this case, it doesn’t matter which method they want to use, because the news is already out there. We’re going to take a look at some of the most popular nation leaders who have been found to consume recreational drugs. 

Barack Obama

Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, has admitted to using cocaine and marijuana in his youth. In his memoir, “Dreams From My Father,” Obama wrote about his experiences experimenting with drugs as a young man, including his use of cocaine in high school and college. The New York Times writes:

“He indulged in marijuana, alcohol and sometimes cocaine as a high school student in Hawaii, according to the book. He made “some bad decisions” as a teenager involving drugs and drinking, Senator Obama, now a presidential candidate, told high school students in New Hampshire last November… Mr. Obama’s admissions are rare for a politician”

While Obama has been candid about his past drug use, he has also been a vocal advocate for drug policy reform and had worked to decriminalize marijuana during his presidency. The USA is now one of the world leaders for cannabis drug reform. 

Bring On the Psychedelics: States Looking to Reform Policy in 2023

Bill Clinton

Another former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, has also been open about his past drug use. In a 1992 interview, Clinton admitted to having smoked cannabis. Time writes:

“I’ve never broken a state law… But when I was in England I experimented with marijuana a time or two, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t inhale it, and never tried it again.”

Clinton’s drug use was a source of controversy throughout his political career, with critics accusing him of hypocrisy for advocating for tough drug policies while admitting to having used drugs himself. However, his admission of marijuana use did not seem to significantly impact his political career, and he went on to serve two terms as President of the United States. The idea of taking a drag of a joint and not inhaling feels seriously low stakes. In fact, if this really is the only experience Clinton had with drugs, then it highlights his sheltered life, and also suggests he probably should not be making decisions based around drug laws due to his huge lack of experience. 

Boris Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also been open about his past drug use, which reportedly included cannabis and cocaine. In a 2007 interview, Johnson admitted to having used cocaine while he was a journalist in the 1990s. However, he opened up in a very defensive manner. He said that cocaine…

“achieved no pharmacological, psychotropic or any other effect on me whatsoever”. Two years earlier, appearing on the BBC’s Have I Got News for You, Johnson had tried to divert the question with a joke, saying: “I think I was once given cocaine, but I sneezed and so it did not go up my nose. In fact, I may have been doing icing sugar.”

Again, Johnson – when in power – continued the usual status-quo of the hardline drug policy. The way in which he deflected the question of consuming cocaine highlights that his aim was to always keep that part of himself hidden from the public. For a Conservative politician who aims to continue the War on Drugs agenda, there is little benefit in opening up about personal substance use. However, maybe by admitting to it even slightly, it might win him some ‘relatable’ points. 

Under The Spotlight: Is Cannabis Legal in the UK?

Justin Trudeau

Current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been open about his past drug use, which mainly included cannabis consumption. In 2013, he admitted to having smoked marijuana as recently as three years prior, when he was a Member of Parliament. The BBC writes:

“One of our friends lit a joint and passed it around,” he said. “I had a puff.” He said he had used marijuana five or six times in his life but had never purchased the drug.”

In 2018, Canada became one of the first nations to legalise the recreational use of cannabis. This was a great deal thanks to Justin Trudeau. It seems his honesty around the use of weed was also a political decision. Normalising the act, made it easier for him to push for its legality. If people really believe that taking a puff of a mate’s joint that’s being passed around at a dinner party is a horrific act, then it’s hard to see how there’s ever going to be consensus in drug opinion. Nonetheless, Trudeau highlighted how it was possible for a world leader to use his own honesty to then push for legal change. 

Conclusion

There are many other world leaders who have been found to have taken drugs, and I imagine there’s a lot more than you may think. That’s not to say that Queen Elizbeth took recreational drugs, but, then again, who knows? What it really highlights is how many political figures hide their personal lives for fear of losing voters respect. It seems, on the whole, the image of a politician as a ‘perfect person’ is more popular than seeing them as an ‘actual person’. This is a shame, if it is the case. However, as time changes, and drug laws around the world shift, perhaps future world leaders will be heralded for being honest about their own drug use. 

Thanks for making your way over! We appreciate you stopping in at Cannadelics.com; where we work to bring you the best in independent news coverage for the cannabis and psychedelics spaces. Visit us regularly for daily news, and sign up to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always on top of what’s going on.

The Cannadelics Sunday Edition – Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter

The post Which World Leaders have Consumed Recreational Drugs? appeared first on Cannadelics.

Czech Republic Gives Minimal Info For Upcoming Regulated Market

April 28, 2023 Published by

The news that Germany backtracked on all its plans for a regulated cannabis market in light of not getting EU approval, was a bit of a blow. However, another EU country has its own plans. The Czech Republic is talking about a regulated market, and might now be the first country in the EU to make it happen.

Czech Republic announced plans for regulated weed market in 2022

Last fall, following in the footsteps of Germany and Switzerland, the Czech Republic made its own announcement about legalizing recreational cannabis and opening a regulated market. At the time it seemed the Czech government wanted to make its plans in tandem with its next-door-neighbor Germany.

Last fall, the reports were minimal, with no specific information given about anything. It wasn’t even clear which government agency the announcement came through. The only information given, was the sheer idea to do it. However, it was said that the coalition government was in the midst of drafting legislation, with an expected release date of March 2023. The hope at the time, was to have the market up and running by early 2024.

One of the few pieces of information let out, was that bill draft-writing was under the direction of drug commissioner Jindřich Vobořil, and that according to Vobořil, the idea was to do this in conjunction with Germany. At the time he stated, “We are in contact with our German colleagues, and we have repeatedly confirmed that we want to coordinate by consulting each other on our proposals.”

Thank you for coming by. We offer the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter for ongoing updates; which also comes chock full of sweet promos on cannabis buds, vapes & paraphernalia, edibles, cannabinoids (including HHC), amanita mushroom products, and a ton more. We support feeling good, and want to help you get there!

However, in terms of doing this with Germany, earlier in April it was reported that Germany would not follow through with its stated idea for a market anytime soon. The EU didn’t approve of the country’s plan. So, what does that now mean for the Czech Republic, and its own ambitions for a regulated market? Perhaps Germany’s move actually brings them closer together.

Czech Republic introduces its plans for a regulated market, sort of…

On April 6th, 2023, it was reported that the Czech Republic announced its own plans for a regulated weed market in the wake of Germany’s failure to have its plans approved by the EU. The Czech cabinet passed a drug strategy plan; although the exact rules of the plan are still to be set. According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala, an ‘expert group’ will be in charge of doing this.

The thing is, this announcement does little more to shed light on what’s going on, than the original announcement last fall. Something was passed, but no details are shared, except for a few vague ones. Like that this new drug strategy is set to run until the end of 2025, and includes as part of it, a regulated recreational cannabis market.

Czech Republic Now Moving Toward Legalization

Fiala, in all his vagueness, said this new plan provides a balanced approach, and takes into consideration the needs of a drug policy, along with an eye on the international landscape. He stated that the plan takes into consideration children, and mitigating risks in terms of their access to drugs.

The new plan is not just about cannabis, but is an Addiction Policy Action Plan, that sets regulation for the prevention, use, sale and advertising of many different addictive substances; including alcohol, cigarettes and cannabis; as well as gambling. According to Vobořil, there are five priorities attached to this plan: 1) cannabis policy, 2) taxation, 3) prevention, 4) treatment, and 5) dealing with the EU and any possible repercussions.

Why number 2 and 5 are interesting

The second and fifth points are interesting. In the second, the plan touches on something that every country with legalization policies tends to get excited for: taxes! According to Vobořil, there will be new taxes for addictive substances, with the thought this could generate up to CZK 15 billion ($702.2  million) yearly for the country. The cannabis market is estimated to bring in an additional four billion extra on its own.

Cannabis taxes

One must wonder when looking at such statements, if the government is actually paying attention to what’s currently happening with legal markets now. Depending on how inflated that number is, the country might be very let down by this prediction in the end; especially considering its high rate of usage now, which is entirely dependent on a thriving black market.

The last point is also interesting, and likely a reason for the lack of hard information provided. Unless we find out this is really just a club setup, we know the Czech Republic will have to deal with the EU in the same way Germany did. Perhaps the quietness is simply so as not to make statements it might have to go back on. We don’t know yet if the Czech Republic plans to bend to EU laws, or go off on its own.

The plan only passed the cabinet thus far. Another probable reason we aren’t told much, is likely because the plan must clear both sides of the county’s parliament, and obtain a sign-off from the president, which might lead to major changes in the process. Essentially, these are early stages, and given the issues that Germany had in making big announcements, and not living up to them; perhaps it bodes well for the Czech Republic to keep the details on the down low for now.

Will Germany Bow to EU and Scale Back Legalization?

While some publications are proclaiming in headlines that the revised policy allows for things like buying up to five grams a day; that information was not released. As tends to be the case with headlines meant to grab attention, these articles are just speculating based on past statements.

What’s the current state of cannabis in Czech Republic

Considering it doesn’t have recreational cannabis, the Czech Republic is still one of the more easygoing countries in terms of cannabis regulation. The country passed a decriminalization policy in 2010, which allows the possession of up to 10 grams, and the cultivation of up to five plants. If a person has more than these amounts, but just for personal use, they can incur a civil fine up to CZK 15,000, but usually not this much. Jail time of up to one year is also possible for some offenses.

The above information is for minor infractions. For things like sales or trafficking, a person can be imprisoned for 2-10 years, though the minimum of two years is actually a requirement. The maximum sentence goes up to 18 years for the most extreme crimes, and cannot go above that limit. If traffickers aren’t making a significant income, they might get out of heavier punishments with a suspended sentence, or something in that realm.

Cannabis usage in Czech Republic
Cannabis usage in Czech Republic

Since 2013, the Czech Republic has allowed medical cannabis, with sales through pharmacies if the person has a doctor’s prescription. Medical patients are legally entitled to up to 180 grams of dry flower per month. This program pushed the Czech Republic into growing its own weed, as in the beginning the industry ran off of imports only.

The Czech Republic has something in common with Switzerland which sets it apart from the rest of the EU: it allows 1% THC in industrial cannabis products, rather than the .2% (now .3%) allowable by the EU. Perhaps this little difference says a lot about the country and what we can expect. If the Czech Republic was willing to go up against the EU for this, it might also be willing to go up against the EU in terms of opening a recreational market.

However, it should be remembered that back when announcements were first made last year, that Vobořil indicated a different less divisive direction via Facebook post. In terms of working with Germany he said, “My colleagues in Germany are talking about permitted quantities, and they don’t have the cannabis clubs that we foresee. I certainly want to hold the cannabis clubs until my last breath. This model seems very useful to me, at least for the first few years.” This might be the best indication for what we should expect moving forward.

Where is Cannabis Legal in Europe?

Conclusion

When it really comes to news, this story is hardly worth covering, because practically no new news is offered. What we can see is that the Czech Republic is charging ahead with its own plans for a recreational market, whatever they are. And though it sounds like the country is aware of needing to deal with the EU, its also quite likely that the plans its working to establish, might not attempt to break with EU mandate. Stay tuned to life to find out.

Welcome to the site! We’re happy you’re joining us at Cannadelics.com; an independent new source that works daily to report on the burgeoning cannabis and hallucinogen industries. Join us frequently to stay aware of everything going on; and sign up to our Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, to ensure you’re never late to get the news.

The post Czech Republic Gives Minimal Info For Upcoming Regulated Market appeared first on Cannadelics.

Germany Will NOT Have Full Legalization

April 27, 2023 Published by

It’s been a roller coaster for the European country. First, it brashly announced its intention to legalize cannabis, complete with draft legislation. Then it got knocked back to reality by the EU, which did not approve its plan. Now, upon bowing to that need for approval, Germany changed its plan, and is no longer going for a full legalization. Instead its now thinking of a middle ground answer. Read on to find out what the new weed-friendly Germany is likely to entail.

The news that Germany will not have a full legalization

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach didn’t say much right before Easter, only that we would likely have some kind of answer right after the holiday. Already ideas had been flying around of social clubs and home growing only, possibly even a trial program akin to Switzerland. Now, just a few days after the holiday, we finally have some clarity on Germany’s intentions.

On Wednesday, April 12th, the German government announced that in lieu of a full legalization, the country would allow self-cultivation and personal use, all for private use. It also wants to institute a club-like structure (much like Spain), comprised of non-profit member’s clubs to obtain the drugs in place of actual sales.

Thanks for being here. Check out the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter to get updates, as well as cool offers on tons of stuff like: cannabis buds, vapes and smoking equipment, edibles, cannabinoids (including delta-8), amanita mushroom extracts, and a whole lot more. It’s okay to feel good, come get what you need!

The point of the clubs is to get around direct sales. In this setup, residents pay a member fee to be in a club. That fee covers the weed cost, making for a system similar to gifting; in that it doesn’t require direct sales, or the regulation of a sales market. Germany officials say all this will happen by year’s end.

Germany will allow home cultivation

The new law (should it get written and approved) is actually a two-part endeavor, with home use and growing, and social clubs making up the first part. The second part will mirror Switzerland, and include a five-year period wherein different cities or locations can set up licensed ‘specialist shops’, which sound like dispensaries; where a person can legally buy recreational weed. This part is considered a pilot program. When this part starts isn’t yet known.

Said Lauterbach of the change from the original idea that Germany would have a full legalization, complete with licensed stores throughout the country, “The previous cannabis policy has failed. Now we have to go new ways.” This failure of the original idea wasn’t a failure in planning or ability, but rather a rejection of the plan by parent body, the European Union.

What will Germans be able to do?

Now we know there will likely be a two-part system instituted, which brings Germany that much closer to a full legalization; but not quite, and certainly not all immediately. The idea of shops opening soon and an open market are simply not on the table, so this revised edition seems to be the best that the country will offer.

Will Germany Bow to EU and Scale Back Legalization?

In terms of the social clubs, they’ll allow for community cultivation and dissemination. Each club would be limited to 500 people (or something like that). All members must be German residents. These residents will have the ability to get (but not purchase) cannabis in amounts related to age. The 18-21 crowd can get the weed, but is limited to 30 grams a month. Adults 21 and above will have a higher monthly limit of 50 grams, with a 25 grams per a day limit. These won’t be venues for social smoking, and it will be illegal to smoke in any of these clubs.

As membership fees would cover the cost of the product, it brings up the question of how the fee is calculated. In terms of how much members would pay, this is directly related to how much a member smokes. Otherwise, a flat rate might mean someone smoking way more, pays the same amount as someone smoking way less. Under the new idea, the fee would be staggered based on the amount an individual uses; and each user would only be allowed one club for membership.

For those who prefer not to use the clubs, and grow the plant on their own, they’ll have a maximum limit of three plants for self-cultivation. How will these home-growers get what they need? Through the clubs. Each grower will be limited to up to seven seeds or five cuttings every month, directly from the cannabis clubs. According to Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, the legislation for this part should be written by the end of April.

Germany will not have a full cannabis legalization
Germany will not have a full cannabis legalization

As far as the second phase, we don’t know much right now. Lauterbach said the basics of that part won’t be established until after the government’s summer break. We therefore don’t know when to expect it to start, or what cities and other locations will take part. What we do know, is that it will allow for a certain amount of controlled commercial selling.

While all this clearly indicates the people of Germany will have to wait for a full legalization, the country intends to get what it does has planned, started as soon as possible. Says Özdemir, “The cannabis project is taking the next step today so that cannabis use will become legal this year.” It should be remembered, however, that nothing is passed, and until something is written and approved, these are just ideas.

So, what exactly happened to get here?

Germany announced plans to legalize cannabis and open a recreational market, last year. First, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said he was working with the Ministry of Health to create a legalization process. That process of figuring out, started last summer. This was echoed by Finance Minister Christian Lindner via Twitter, who said cannabis would be legal soon, and the country was currently looking into how to get it done.

Does Germany Need Permission From EU To Open Cannabis Market?

Then in early May, Lauterbach confirmed his own support for the cause, saying at the time: “I’ve always been opposed to cannabis legalization, but I revised my position about a year ago.” And it was Lauterbach who submit the initial draft legislation in late 2022. The draft reforms described an industry where adults could buy cannabis in licensed dispensaries, with a max of 20 grams. It also allowed for home growing.

But then the issue of the EU reared its head. Germany is its own country, but it is a part of the larger conglomeration of the EU; which acts as a parent body to its included states. The EU has its own regulations, overseen by the EU Commission; like that cannabis above .3% isn’t legal for recreational purposes. Beyond that, the EU has to deal with other member states, and any lawsuits they may bring if the EU allowed Germany its original plan.

Internationally, the EU has contracts with other countries concerning the production and sale of illegal drugs. Which means its not just a matter of whether the EU is cool with the idea, but how many issues it faces legally by allowing something like this. While maybe this is all an excuse in the end, unless Germany wants to leave the EU over cannabis policy, the EU can, and did, block Germany from its original plan. And this led to Germany watering down from a full legalization, to the structure mentioned above.

Germany and cannabis
Germany and cannabis

As the first part of this two-part setup doesn’t require EU approval, Germany is set to go with its limited legalization once legislation is determined and approved. The pilot program has no details attached at the moment, but came out of the EU Commission’s comments and concerns, which means it will likely be built to accommodate these comments and concerns. As of yet, nothing is finalized for either part of this two-part plan.

When looking at it realistically, perhaps Germany shouldn’t have made such big statements in the beginning. It even speaks to the idea that the German government wasn’t working within the world of reality; as perhaps it should have known its boundaries better. After all, it’s hard to imagine that a bunch of legislators, didn’t see this coming.

Conclusion

The understanding that the original draft plan wouldn’t pass EU hurdles was understood earlier on by some legislators. Others wanted to push forward regardless of the EU, and allow Germany to set its own standard. It’s not shocking that the former group was more on point. Maybe the EU didn’t have a roadmap for what to do in this situation; but without a complete turnaround in federal legislation and international deals, this all went in a predictable way. Perhaps Germany itself should have predicted the situation better.

The New Germany: From Legal Weed to Psychedelics Research

Welcome readers! Thanks for making your way to Cannadelics.com; an independent new site here to bring you the best in cannabis and hallucinogen reporting. Come around daily to stay informed on important events; and sign up for the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re never late to get the news.

The post Germany Will NOT Have Full Legalization appeared first on Cannadelics.

Texas Looking to Make Cannabis An Opioid Alternative

April 17, 2023 Published by

The opioid problem isn’t getting any smaller, and thus far, no tactics employed, are helping things out. If a new Texas bill goes through, it will officially make cannabis an opioid alternative in the state; giving a much needed replacement to these death-causing drugs. Will it pass, and what else would this new bill change?

Texas and cannabis

Texas is not historically one of the more lenient states when it comes to cannabis; although as a southern state, its made great leaps and bounds in the last few years. Prior to 1973, Texas had the most strict cannabis policy in the US, with all possession garnering a felony charge. In fact, such possession came with two years to life in prison. Luckily, things have loosened up on several fronts, starting with the passage of House Bill 447 in 1973, which changed the penalty scheme for cannabis crimes.

Even so, recreational cannabis is still illegal in the state, and possession of up to two ounces counts as a class B misdemeanor. It comes with a penalty of up to 180 days prison time, and up to $2000 in fines. This applies to state law, though several individual locations have enacted less severe punishment measures.

In 2015 Texas passed medical legislation that allowed the use of cannabis oil with no more than .5% THC, (since updated to 1%). This is applicable with a doctor’s prescription; and happened through Senate Bill 339 aka the Texas Compassionate Use Act. At the time of passage, cannabis oil was specifically meant for epilepsy patients. Since that time, Texas passed a range of bills to cover more illnesses, and loosen cannabis restrictions in general.

Welcome everyone. Please subscribe to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter for direct updates, and for a range of awesome promotions on weed buds, vapes & smoking equipment, edibles, cannabinoids (including delta-8), amanita mushroom extracts, and too much more to name. Let’s all get stoned…responsibly!

Despite making progress on some fronts, like medical usage, Texas has had a back and forth pattern of progress. For example, as late as 2020, the state banned smokable hemp. In fact, as per Texas drug policy, “Smoke a joint, lose your license” applied, whereby part of the punishment for a drug infraction, was temporary loss of a drivers license. This was officially overturned in 2021. In term of smokable hemp, though the ban was overturned in 2021, in 2022, the State’s Supreme Court reinstated the ban on manufacture and processing of smokable hemp. This still stands.

Interestingly, in 2015, a Texas lawmaker introduced a recreational bill, under a religious pretense. Said Representative David Simpson who created the bill, “I don’t believe that when God made marijuana, he made a mistake that government needs to fix.” The bill, however, never cleared either side of the State’s Congress, and no subsequent effort of this nature was made.

New Texas bill to expand medical industry

Texas passed a couple updates since its original medical passage, in 2019 and 2021. And now, once again, legislation is on the table that would expand it out even further, and which introduces the ability to use cannabis as an opioid alternative. Originally filed at the end of January 2023 by republican Rep. Stephanie Klick, HB 1805 was officially passed by the Texas House of Representatives on April 12th, 2023. The vote was 127-19.

The Cost of Getting Caught with Weed – Even Now

What does this bill do? It’s a cannabis bill meant to expand medical services. This time around, a couple things would come out of it. For one, it would replace the 1% THC cap with a 10 milligram volumetric dose. As per the wording of the bill, it redefines the term ‘low-THC cannabis’ to mean “the plant Cannabis sativa L., and any part of that plant or any compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, preparation, resin, or oil of that plant that contains not more than 10 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinols in each dosage unit.” Thus, it removes “one percent by weight”, replacing it with the 10mg max instead.

The other big thing it would do, is allow cannabis to be prescribed as an alternative to opioid medications for patients with chronic pain issues. As per the wording of the bill, the inclusion would be made for “a condition that causes chronic pain, for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid.” Right now, qualifying conditions are epilepsy, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases (incurable), PTSD, and medical conditions approved for research.

Another addition aside from cannabis as an opioid alternative, is that the Department of State Health Services could designate any issue seen as a debilitating medical condition, for cannabis treatment. This would make it so that more conditions could be treated by cannabis, regardless of whether they’re officially stated in the law.

New law to update medical legislation in Texas would make cannabis an opioid alternative

The bill isn’t out of the woods yet, and passed over to the Texas Senate after approval by the House. Should it pass through the Senate, its expected to be enacted in September, 2023. But its already known that making it through the Senate, will be much harder than making it through the House. The Senate is presided over by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a staunch anti-legalization supporter.

An example of this disconnect between government entities related to cannabis was seen prominently in 2019, when the House passed a cannabis decriminalization measure, which stalled out in the Senate. Several other legislative measures concerning cannabis have gone the same way since that time.

Texas and opioids

Perhaps what will ultimately give this bill a good push forward, is that its specifically related to opioids. Opioids have become an incredible problem throughout the US, and beyond. 2021 saw close to 100,000 opioid overdose deaths in just the US, with nothing done on a substantial level to get rid of the problem.

Record High Opioid Deaths For a Record Low in America

In fact, despite the deaths, and despite every state having some kind of lawsuit against big pharma giants and retailers, opioids are still allowed through government regulation, and doctor’s are still most certainly allowed to prescribe them. While alternatives like ketamine exist (which would realistically prove more useful than cannabis), this is literally pushed down so far, its not a part of the conversation.

What’s the deal in Texas specifically with opioids? According to the Texas Workforce Commission, there were 2,506 opioid-related deaths in 2021, which was an 80% increase from 2020. In 2020, 92% of opioid deaths were from synthetic opioids, in the age range of 0-17. In 2021, the average monthly death rate was 209, up from 114 in 2019. And since 2017, 52% of all unintended deaths from overdose, included use of an opioid.

When comparing Texas to the rest of the US, in 2020, the Texas rate of opioid use was 7.2%, while in America overall, the rate was 5.6%. The top five counties in the state hit hardest by opioids in 2020, were: Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, and Travis; with deaths of 489, 217, 165, 125, and 109, respectively. It’s fair to say that Texas has a bit of a problem with opioids.

Texas has higher opioid use rate than rest of US
Texas has higher opioid use rate than rest of US

Enough to be a part of lawsuits against 11 different entities. These include four with manufacturing companies: Johnson & Johnson, Endo, Teva, and Allergan. It’s a part of a separate suit with the following distributors: AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson. One against retailers: CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart. And one with manufacturer and distributor Mallinckrodt, which is now bankrupt. It’s expected that all told (Texas and beyond), these companies are paying in the neighborhood of $50 million in these, and other, suits; and that’s not accounting for future lawsuits.

There’s no saying if this medical expansion bill will pass. However, that it attempts to facilitate some kind of help to opioid users in the way of using cannabis as an alternative for opioid medicines; indicates it might get more traction than other cannabis-related bills. In a state with growing opioid damage, even anti-cannabis holdouts, will eventually have to cave to voter will for help and change.

Conclusion

Cannabis might not be the overall best opioid alternative, but its certainly something at a time when something is needed. What might be a better showing of support for the people, however, is laws that eliminate the legal ability to prescribe and sell these medications. And if you’re thinking we could never as a population handle life without them; its best to remember that not only are there non-addictive alternatives like ketamine, but that we as a species survived thousands of years without synthetic opioids. Just a thought.

Opioid Lawsuit Money: Where Does It All Go?

Hello all! Thank for being with us at Cannadelics.com; where we work daily to bring you the very best in reporting for the cannabis and hallucinogen spaces. Head our way regularly to keep up with the Joneses; and sign up to our Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always aware of what’s going on.

The post Texas Looking to Make Cannabis An Opioid Alternative appeared first on Cannadelics.