Editors note: Bombarded by negative comments, Gov. LePage has deleted the video from his Facebook page. We found another version, however, through Newsmax.com.
Maine Gov. Paul LePage has stepped up his prohibitionist rhetoric against legalizing cannabis in the state, posting a video to Facebook in which he doubles down on egregious anti-marijuana lies.
“THC levels in marijuana snacks are so high they could kill children and pets,” LePage, a Republican, says in the video. “…People will smoke marijuana in pot stores right next to schools, daycare centers and churches. They will smoke weed and sell pot at state fairs.”
LePage also claims that traffic fatalities have increased “dramatically” in Colorado, which according to a recent study by the Drug Policy Alliance is patently false: in both Colorado and Washington, traffic fatalities have decreased in the last decade and have remained stable in the years during which cannabis has been legal.
The governor closes out the video, which has more than 100,000 views, by urging the audience to educate themselves “on this dangerous issue.”
Comments on the video have reached more than 1,000, with most comments disparaging LePage’s message, pointing out that not a single death has ever been linked to cannabis ingestion – unlike alcohol, which, according to the National Institute of Health contributes to 88,000 deaths annually, and is already sold at state fairs.
Mainers are voting on legalizing cannabis for adult use in next month’s general election.
A newly-formed coalition of Maine business leaders is advocating for more stringent regulations on the state’s cannabis industry ahead of the statewide vote to legalize the drug in November, the Portland Press Heraldreports. However, the group, Maine Professionals for Regulating Marijuana, has no plans on taking a stand regarding Question 1.
“Some people are for Question 1 and some people are opposed to Question 1,” Toby McGrath, spokesman for Maine Professionals for Regulating Marijuana said in the report. “But even if Question 1 doesn’t pass, this industry is here and needs to have more robust regulation and enforcement.”
Officially, the coalition’s official platform advocates for a “quality, safe and transparent marketplace” for cannabis. Members come from a variety of business sectors, including realtors, accountants, lawyers, financial institutions, and elected officials. Pete Dufour, a Portland accountant and coalition member, said he joined the group because he has assisted businesses in navigating the regulations of the state’s medical marijuana program and hopes the organization might help connect industry operators with professionals that can steer them through the complex frameworks.
“There seems to be a big need out there for accountants and other professionals to work with these people,” Dufour said. “The laws are complex and they are in a state of flux, so they do need help navigating the process.”
Regardless of the outcome of the initiative vote, the organization is pushing for testing of THC content, pesticides and other potentially harmful substances, mandatory labeling standards, childproof packaging, and an advertising ban even if Maine remains a medical-only state.
The Certified Clean Cannabis pilot program, launched last month by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, is hoping to be the first on the East Coast to set medical marijuana growing standards, according to a Portland Press Heraldreport. The program would use standards similar to those utilized for certifying organic food products.
John Krueger, MOFGA board member, helped develop the certification standards over the past two years. He indicated that five growers in the state have been certified so far as part of the trial phase and said the program is “ahead of the curve.” The five farmers together gave MOFGA $3,000 for the initial certifications. Certified products are given a C3 logo to show they were approved by the standards.
“This program brings (caregivers) credibility,” Dawson Julia, owner of East Coast CBDs, one of five growers certified by the program, said in the report. “If I was going to the grocery store to buy food, I’d want to make sure it’s certified organic by an oversight organization. It’s the same thing with cannabis.”
Due to marijuana’s federal status, the products cannot be called “organic” — that term is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. A similar program is underway in Colorado.
The standards require soil-based production, and cannabis grown hydroponically is not considered clean. All pest and mold control products must be organic, and applicants must fill out an extensive survey about the products used in their cultivation practices; both their records and gardens are inspected.
All certified caregivers who make more than $1,000 a year under Maine’s medical marijuana program are already required to hold a basic pesticide applicator license. Under the recreational use ballot initiative that will be put to voters in November, all cannabis would need to be tested before it is made available for purchase, but products considered for the C3 certification would still be subject to the program’s independent oversight.
World-famous travel mogul Rick Steves announced this week that he will be matching donations up to $50,000 made to this year’s effort to legalize cannabis in Maine.
“As a NORML Board Member, I am proud to announce that NORML is endorsing this initiative. And to demonstrate my commitment, I am going to match every donation up to $50,000, dollar-for-dollar,” Steves wrote in a blog post on the NORML website.
The initiative legalizes the possession of a limited amount of marijuana by adults at least 21 years old. Public consumption would remain illegal.
Adults would also be allowed to grow a limited number of cannabis plants at home, and possess the harvests of those plants. A regulatory system would be established to license retailers and professional cultivation, manufacturing, and testing facilities.
The initiative would also establish a ten percent excise tax on adult-use marijuana sales, which would help cover the costs of implementing and enforcing the regulations — medical cannabis sales will not be taxed. Localities would retain the right to ban marijuana businesses.
“Responsible adults should be able to use marijuana, just as they can use alcohol. … This isn’t about being ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ on drugs. This is about being smart – and controlling and regulating marijuana the right way,” Steves wrote.
Cannabis legalization advocates in Maine have successfully cleared the hurdles of getting a recreational marijuana initiative approved for this November’s ballot, according to an Associated Press report. The referendum initiative now goes to lawmakers, who can either approve the proposal straight out or wait and let voters decide come November.
The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which is backed by the Marijuana Policy Project, submitted nearly 100,000 signatures last month after a lengthy petition.
While the initiative only required 61,123 valid signatures to be approved for the ballot, a legal challenge made by Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap nearly brought the whole campaign crashing to the ground. Dunlap originally rejected the initiative, saying that a faulty notary signature had led to more than 17,000 invalid signatures. Per Dunlap’s count, after the systematic disqualification of thousands of signatures, the campaign was still about 10,000 short.
Advocates challenged the rejection, filing a lawsuit against the petition’s disqualification. A Superior Court judge then ruled that it was unfair to disqualify signatures over slight differences in a notary’s handwriting, and sent the petition back to the secretary of state for reconsideration. Dunlap announced Wednesday that an additional 11,305 signatures had been approved, meaning the MPP-backed proposal was approved for November’s ballot.
David Boyer, Maine’s political director for the MPP, said, “We think that regulation and controlling marijuana and putting it behind the counter is a far better approach than giving drug dealers a monopoly.”
Maine could become the first U.S. state to approve medical cannabis as a treatment for opioid addiction.
A group of medical marijuana patients and caregivers gathered on Tuesday at a public hearing to lobby for the change, CBS News reports. The hearing was ripe with personal stories of how cannabis has been a safe and effective method of kicking more dangerous drug habits, such as pharmaceutical painkillers or heroin.
One 23-year-old student said marijuana helped her kick a heroin habit that she developed while studying in Morocco. “Marijuana saved my life for sure,” she said.
Supporters argued that medical cannabis is already prescribed to help with addiction in states with more relaxed marijuana laws, such as California and Massachusetts — but this would be the first time that state laws would be updated to specifically allow for such treatment.
The hearing was called by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services after a successful petition from one of Maine’s medical cannabis caregivers.
The medical establishment in Maine does not support changing the law, however, and argues that there’s insufficient scientific evidence supporting the claims that cannabis can treat addiction. Leah Bauer, psychiatrist and medical director for the Addiction Resource Center at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, argued that such a change could lead addicts to another “toxic and habit-forming substance.”
“In fact, [addicts] using marijuana may be like pouring gasoline on the fire,” she said.
Cannabis legalization efforts are back on in Maine after a state judge ruled that Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap (D) had “committed an error of law by applying a vague, subjective and/or unduly burdensome interpretation” of the law regarding petition signatures, the Bangor Daily Newsreported.
Last month Dunlap blocked the initiative to allow adults to use cannabis recreationally, saying proponents had submitted 51,543 valid signatures – 9,580 short of the 61,123 required to force the measure to appear on ballots in November.
“We are extremely pleased with the court’s decision to send our initiative back to the secretary of state for re-review,” David Boyer, manager of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol said in a Reason.com report. “As was the case when we submitted our signatures to the secretary of state originally, we know that a sufficient number of registered voters signed the petition to qualify for the ballot. So this re-review should now be a mere formality.”
Dunlap’s office claimed that some signatures were initially rejected due to disparities between the Notary Public Stavros Mendros’ signature and the example they had on file. Mendros told the Portland Press Heraldthat he had, in fact, notarized the signatures in question.
“While the State of Maine has a compelling interest to ensure that all petitions submitted for consideration in a direct initiative are valid,” Kennebec County Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy wrote in her decision, “requiring a Notary’s signature to appear identically on every petition signed is unreasonable and abridges the Constitutional right to initiative.”
Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Nevada and Maine are expected to have legalization initiatives on the fall ballot.
Backers of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) are filing a lawsuit today to challenge the disqualification of a petition that would have put the question of cannabis legalization before voters this November.
There is a news conference taking place today at 1 p.m. ET in Portland, Maine, during which David Boyer of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and attorney Scott Anderson will announce the details of the lawsuit.
The controversy originally sparked last week when Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced that more than 17,000 voters who signed the legalization petition had been disqualified due to a single faulty signature — that of an official notary, whose signature ultimately did not match the one the state had on file.
“We are exploring all legal means available to appeal this determination, and we sincerely hope that 17,000-plus Maine citizens will not be disenfranchised due to a handwriting technicality,” David Boyer, who serves as Maine’s political director for the MPP, declared in a written statement last week.
61,123 valid signatures were required for the initiative to make November’s ballot, but the state only accepted 51,543 of the submitted signatures.
A Maine legalization initiative backed by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) has failed to qualify for November’s ballot.
David Boyer, Maine political director for the MPP, said on Wednesday that the group plans to challenge the ruling. He explained the situation in the following written statement:
“We are very disappointed by the Secretary of State’s determination. Based on documents they have provided, it appears that more than 17,000 valid signatures from registered Maine voters were excluded from the count because the signature of a single notary — whose notary commission has not expired — did not exactly match the signature the state has on file for that notary. We are exploring all legal means available to appeal this determination, and we sincerely hope that 17,000-plus Maine citizens will not be disenfranchised due to a handwriting technicality.”
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said that only 51,543 of the 99,229 submitted signatures could be validated — significantly less than the 61,123 signatures it would have required to qualify for the upcoming election. According to Dunlap, about 31,000 were invalid because of faulty signatures (either on the petition circulators’ or notary’s part), about 13,500 individuals were invalidated for not being registered voters in Maine, and the rest for additional paperwork errors and for signatures that could not be verified.
“We are going to fight to ensure that the 17,000 Maine voters whose signatures are in question have their voice heard, as well as the tens of thousands of other Mainers whose voices will be silenced if this doesn’t make the ballot,” said State Representative Diane Russell (D-Portland), a longtime supporter of ending cannabis prohibition.
Maine’s medical cannabis dispensaries took in $23.6 million last year, a dramatic increase of 46 percent from the year before.
The $23.6 million worth of cannabis sold by dispensaries in 2015 generated about $1.29 million in sales tax for the state.
The Portland Press Herald reports that the increase was due to a flow of patients transitioning from prescription painkillers to cannabis. There are also more doctors in the state who are willing to recommend medical marijuana — yet another sign that social stigmas around cannabis use are beginning to taper off.
In 2014, dispensaries sold $16.2 million worth of product, generating more than $892,000 in tax revenue. This was a 40% increase in dispensary sales from the previous year, and resulted in more than triple the cannabis tax revenue of 2013.
“There are a number of factors at play here. The first would be that Mainers are becoming more used to the idea of therapeutic cannabis,” said Becky DeKeuster, director of education for Wellness Connection. “We’ve had a very successful dispensary program for five years now and people are becoming used to this option.”
The sales figures do not take into account Maine’s 2,225 small-scale medical marijuana caregivers, each of which are registered for the growing and distribution of cannabis for up to five patients.
A bipartisan bill to legalize marijuana in Maine was filed on Tuesday by Rep Diane Russell (D.-Portland), a long-time champion of marijuana reform in the state.
The bill is co-sponsored in the House by four other Democrats and two Republicans, as well as by two Democrats and one Republican in the Senate.
LD1380, An Act to Tax, Legalize, and Regulate Marijuana, would make it legal for adults of at least 21 years to buy and possess up to an ounce of cannabis. Adults would also be allowed to grow up to six plants at home, and could gift up to an ounce or six plants to another adult.
A 10% tax would be levied on all retail sales of marijuana, and the first $30 million in tax revenue from marijuana sales each year would be earmarked for public school construction, improvement, and repair.
Two pro-legalization groups in Maine are also expected to begin collecting signatures to put recreational MJ proposals on the ballot in 2016. Legalize Maine, which filed its petition more than two months ago, has sought to get its petition through without the help of national political groups.
Another group, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, submitted a different ballot initiative earlier this year with support from the Marijuana Policy Project, the D.C.-based group responsible for both Colorado’s and Alaska’s successful reform efforts.
Maine has been recognized as a likely candidate for one of the next U.S. states to legalize cannabis. Last week, however, a new group called Legalize Maine unveiled a legalization plan that will run counter to the Marijuana Policy Project‘s existing push for a statewide referendum.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Legalize Maine announced that their plan will focus on jobs and the industry’s opportunity for economic development in the state’s rural areas. According to Paul McCarrier, spokesperson for Legalize Maine, his organization is moving forward with their plan after hearing from individuals who worked with the MPP in other states. “We are not interested in being subjugated to MPP or the Washington D.C. policy,” he said during the press conference. “These will be competing measures and we will win.”
Catherine Louis, Director of Education for the Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine, also expressed concerns that a nationally funded campaign might pressure certain aspects of the medical marijuana industry in a negative way. She noted an example from Washington state’s legalization program: “They started trying to push people into the mainstream legalized market for tax purposes and it has made it so that some patients can’t access their medicine at all, and we can’t allow that here in Maine.”
The Marijuana Policy Project has been planning a referendum question for the Maine 2016 ballot for some time. During the most recent midterms, the group put legalization questions on the ballots of South Portland and Portland, where legalization passed, and also in Lewiston, where it failed. “Ideally it makes sense to have one initiative,” said David Boyers of the Marijuana Policy Project. “But if we can’t see eye-to-eye then we will move forward and we hope voters choose the plan that will make marijuana legal and stop punishing adults for using a substance safer than alcohol.”
The MPP was founded in 1995 and has been working closely with efforts to legalize marijuana across the country. The organization was involved in the successful legalization campaigns of Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and the District of Columbia.
In addition to Maine, reports indicate that at least six other states could see initiatives to legalize cannabis on the 2016 ballot: Massachusetts, California, Missouri, Hawaii, Nevada, and Arizona.
Cannabis may be losing the negative stigma long associated with it, according to the Harris Poll’s State of Marijuana 2024 report, which found 64% of Americans agreeing that “Marijuana no longer carries the stigma it used to have.” The poll found 72% of Americans believed cannabis is only going to get more popular, with 70% saying it would someday be accessible for everyone.
Smoking cannabis remained the most popular consumption method, the Harris report found, with 81% of parents with children under 18-years-old and 78% of Gen Z and millennials saying smoking is the most common way they consume cannabis. Another 62% of respondents said they preferred edibles, 56% said vaping, and 42% said dabbing. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they “seek out people who use marijuana the same ways that I do for social circles” and 47% said that “Living comfortably with a partner means sharing mutual acceptance of marijuana usage.”
In a press release, Libby Rodney, the Harris Poll’s chief strategy officer and resident futurist, said the numbers found by the firm, “speak volumes.”
“With four in 10 Americans using marijuana, it’s not a trend – it’s a cultural shift. What was once taboo is now mainstream, reflecting changing attitudes and norms. It’s not just about usage; it’s about acceptance, signaling a new era in how we perceive and interact with this once controversial substance.” — Rodney in a press release
The majority of respondents, 77%, identified as evening consumers, while 41% described themselves as morning consumers. Most respondents said they consumed cannabis when they “want to relax and unwind,” which totaled 64%, including 69% of Gen Zers. Sixty-one percent of those polled said that consuming cannabis provides them “with a sense of connection and alleviates feelings of loneliness.”
Nearly 60% of respondents said they were “surprised” that cannabis has not yet been federally legalized.
The report also notes that 77% of all cannabis consumers prefer it over cigarettes (83% of heavy cannabis consumers) and 73% prefer cannabis over alcohol (82% of heavy cannabis consumers).
“Peering into the crystal ball of the marijuana industry, one thing is abundantly clear: Change is on the horizon,” Rodney said in a statement. “With a staggering two-thirds of Americans expecting medical marijuana to be as commonplace as prescription medicines within the next five years, it’s a seismic shift that promises to redefine healthcare and wellness. It’s not just optimism; it’s a firm belief in the transformative power of marijuana in the realm of medicine and beyond.”
New York has issued more than 400 adult-use cannabis licenses so far this year as the state begins to counteract the slow rollout that resulted in the proliferation of unlicensed dispensaries throughout the state.
On April 12, the state Cannabis Control Board (CCB) announced it had issued 101 adult-use licenses, including microbusiness, cultivation, processing, distribution, and dispensary
In a statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) described the progress so far this year as “significant.”
“Strengthening New York’s equitable cannabis industry and ensuring the hard-working small business owners operating in the legal market have the licenses to open are the best way to protect the integrity of sales in New York.” — Hochul in a press release
The CCB last week also approved a resolution empowering the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to issue provisional adult-use cannabis licenses, intending to expedite the licensing process.
In a statement, CCB Chair Tremaine Wright said the resolutions “represent a significant milestone” in the agency’s “efforts to establish a robust and responsible adult-use cannabis market.”
Last month, Hochul ordered an audit of the state’s cannabis program amid delays and rampant unlicensed sales. For the review, the governor tasked Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner Jeanette Moy and other state officials to embed with cannabis industry regulators and identify ways to speed up cannabis licensing and further optimize OCM.
Upling is a Black-owned cannabis delivery app currently serving dispensaries and medical cannabis patients in Maryland, Washington DC, and Jamaica, and is in the process of expanding into other markets. Increasing accessibility to much-needed medicine for cannabis patients by allowing them to easily place delivery orders from dispensaries in their area, the company also aims to provide a level of service and customization to their dispensary partners that larger SaaS (software-as-a-service) companies tend to stop short of.
A key part of Upling’s mission is to support the formerly incarcerated by providing employment opportunities within the legal cannabis industry for returning citizens. Upling’s founder, Colin Fraser, who himself was incarcerated due to cannabis-related convictions, aims to use Upling to address the repercussions of the war on drugs and systemic injustice and racism in the US carceral system. Fraser recently joined Ganjapreneur for a conversation about Upling’s trajectory from its launch to where it’s headed in the future, as well as his ongoing work supporting returning citizens, and why the cannabis industry should specifically create opportunities for those who were punished unjustly over the plant.
Early experiences with cannabis
Raised in a Christian household, Fraser says he was always warned about “The Devil’s Lettuce” – that’s how people in his church referred to cannabis when he was a kid. Growing up in the D.A.R.E. era, police officers would come to school and tell the students that they would never amount to anything or have any opportunities in life if they smoked marijuana.
As he got older, Fraser was introduced to the fun and euphoria of cannabis consumption by his peers, but ultimately what captured his attention was the recognition of the plant as a potentially lucrative economic opportunity. It was a commodity that everyone wanted, so it had the power to generate wealth, and this revelation propelled him into the legacy market. Eventually, though, Fraser’s career took a dramatic turn when a deal escalated into violence, and he wound up being shot eight times. The aftermath was harrowing: he was taken to a hospital and wound up in a coma, and when he woke up three days later, he found himself in handcuffs.
Despite his critical condition, with his jaw wired shut from his injuries, he was forced to give a statement to the police as soon as they saw that he was conscious. Even though Fraser’s attackers were long gone, since there was cannabis involved, he was arrested and taken straight to jail where he wound up serving a two-year sentence.
When he got out of prison, Fraser found himself in a world where the laws that put him behind bars were being challenged by new state-level legalization initiatives – and he began to contemplate how to pursue the opportunities in the legalized cannabis industry that were becoming available.
From business concept to the app store
During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fraser noticed the prevalence of delivery app services in his neighborhood, which sparked the question, “You can get your groceries delivered: I wonder if you can get your weed delivered?” This led him to discover that Maryland was offering a license for cannabis delivery services. After much research and preparation, he applied for it and was successful in obtaining the license. Around the same time, Fraser’s mother was diagnosed with stage four cancer, which highlighted the need for this type of service on a personal level – spurring him to move quickly in bringing his idea to reality.
Having grown up tinkering with computers, Fraser had the necessary knowledge of programming to put together a statement of work for a development project, and he sketched out the essential functions for the delivery app. He then collaborated with an agency to refine and build the platform, dedicating long hours to supervise the dev team to ensure the app met his standards and would exceed user expectations.
The next challenge was launching the app on the Google and Apple app stores, a process that required navigating their stringent policy guidelines. “That process involved a lot of education,” he says. Despite Apple rejecting his application eight times and threatening a permanent ban on resubmission, Fraser persisted. He researched strategies used by other developers to overcome similar hurdles and submitted detailed documentation, including standard operating procedures and a comprehensive analysis of the app’s code structure, to demonstrate compliance with app store policies. His perseverance paid off when the app was finally approved, marking a significant milestone in bringing his vision of a cannabis delivery service to fruition.
From prototype to clientele
In the initial phase of introducing Upling to potential clients, Fraser says he encountered tepid responses. Presentations of the app often resulted in a noncommittal “we’ll get back to you” rather than outright rejection, leading him to realize that a more deliberate strategy to generate interest was needed.
He shifted focus towards networking within the industry, leveraging trade shows, conferences, speaking engagements, and pitch competitions as platforms to engage directly with key stakeholders. This approach gradually changed perceptions as he was able to connect in-person with decision makers, culminating in his first few clients, and eventually to dispensaries proactively reaching out to Upling to sign up.
Getting the dispensaries onboard was only the first half of the battle, however: patients still needed to use the app in order for it to generate value for his partners. At one point, Fraser says Upling saw several hundred new app downloads in a single day when METRC, the regulatory compliance system, experienced downtime. This disruption prevented in-store point-of-sale systems from processing transactions, whereas Upling remained operational, resulting in a surge of downloads from users seeking an alternative.
As Upling’s user base expanded, Fraser prioritized customer feedback in the development process, focusing on integrating features specifically requested by dispensary partners. This customer-driven approach was complemented by his proactive research into competitors’ weaknesses. By analyzing their negative reviews, Fraser aimed to learn from the shortcomings of other delivery platforms, ensuring that Upling offered a superior alternative.
Outperforming the competition
Fraser’s vision for the Upling platform is centered on autonomy and customization for dispensary partners, aiming to provide them with a solution that isn’t dependent on third-party platforms or API integrations for new features. Building for flexibility is more time-consuming and complicated, but he notes that not all dispensaries want to showcase their products in the same way, and that they should be able to control the shopping experience for their customers to build a more personalized relationship with them. Additionally, marketing tools within the app enable the promotion of deals and loyalty programs that can be customized to the dispensary’s preferences.
With the development of Upling 2.0, the app is set to introduce enhanced functionality, including more payment options and an integrated POS system that supports inventory management. For patients, the new version of Upling will improve the interaction with their delivery drivers, including in-app communication and tipping. Another new feature will be the ability for patients to obtain their medical certification directly within the app, a feature previously only available via the website.
Colin Fraser had the opportunity to meet with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to discuss the importance of keeping legal cannabis open to returning citizens.
The importance of purpose
Being purpose-driven is a popular (and some would argue necessary) stance for successful cannabis industry players, and large brands are often featured in the news for contributing hefty donations to organizations that work to free those incarcerated for cannabis. For Fraser, however, it’s more than a stance: it’s a hands-on lifestyle that predates his decision to participate in the legal cannabis industry.
After he got out of prison, Fraser says that he knew that he was kept alive for a specific reason. “I knew plenty of people who got shot once, who got grazed by a bullet once, and perished. For whatever reason, God kept me alive after eight bullets,” he says. Fraser felt that he had been saved to do God’s work, so he went into the prison ministry and worked for several years helping incarcerated people. This work solidified his understanding of the deep-rooted injustices within the criminal justice system, recognizing that the majority of incarcerated people are there because they made a singular mistake – one which they are unlikely to ever repeat, and which certainly doesn’t justify the degree of punishment they received.
In Fraser’s words, “the system is doing what it is supposed to do.” Systemic racism, while ingrained into the fabric of American society as a whole, is perhaps most obvious within the private prison industry–which profits from incarcerated labor as Black and brown people are arrested at disproportionate rates under laws that were established to specifically target their communities.
With his work in the prison ministry, Fraser says he was able to help incarcerated people cope with this reality and find hope within their faith. With Upling, he sees an opportunity to help returning citizens make the transition to gainful employment in an industry that wouldn’t even be possible without their sacrifice. He says that he hopes regulators–and the industry as a whole–will do more to recognize this often “unacknowledged demographic” and create specific opportunities for those who have been convicted under unjust cannabis laws.
Advice for cannabis founders
Fraser credits much of his success navigating the difficulties that come with starting a business in a highly competitive and volatile industry to having a loving and supportive marriage, as well as recognizing that he is ultimately serving a higher purpose. For those who are passionate about building an inclusive industry and working to counteract the longstanding injustices of America’s failed drug policies, Fraser recommends building a strong community with other organizers, activists, and like-minded entrepreneurs. He says it can be difficult to face constant rejection and have people question your value and legitimacy when starting out, but that persistence pays off. “When we first came onto the scene, they wouldn’t let us sit at their table,” he says. “So, we built our own.”
German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach says he hopes to submit the nation’s adult-use cannabis legalization proposal for a parliamentary vote this February and see the proposal come into effect by April, according to a DW report.
The proposal was initially agreed upon by Germany‘s three-part government coalition last year, and Lauterbach said that lawmakers’ discussion regarding the Cannabis Act has remained positive.
“I am continuing to assume that the Cannabis Act will be passed by the Bundestag in the week between February 19 and 23 and will go into force from April 1.” — Lauterbach, via the Die Welt newspaper
While legalization critics have pushed back against the proposal, Lauterbach argues that the unregulated market carries risks such as contaminated products and extremely potent products — “Controlled distribution of cannabis is the right way to do this, combined with special protection for children and adolescents,” he said in the report.
Germany is one of five European Union member states that have enacted, introduced, or announced plans to enact adult-use cannabis reforms; the other nations include the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Malta, and the Netherlands.
Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU but has also enacted cannabis reform policies, licensed Europe‘s first legal — albeit experimental — cannabis dispensary last October as part of a study on adult-use cannabis reforms.
Industry insiders have predicted that once Germany’s policy is active, its neighbors will likely be inspired to move quickly with policies of their own. In a recent statement to Ganjapreneur, Alex Rogers, Founder/CEO of the International Cannabis Business Conference set to be hosted in Berlin this April, said that “leaders in several other European nations have indicated that once Germany legalizes it, they will proceed with similar policy modernization efforts in their respective countries.”
CEO of Bloomwell Group, Niklas Kouparanis, echoed these sentiments, stating that Germany’s roll-out of its legalization proposal would serve as a “major catalyst” for reform across the entire continent. “The year 2024 will likely be deemed a major milestone for cannabis policy in Europe,” he said.
The long-standing stereotype that cannabis use leads to inactivity is being challenged by new research suggesting that cannabis might actually make working out more enjoyable. The study, titled “Acute Effects of Ad Libitum Use of Commercially Available Cannabis Products on the Subjective Experience of Aerobic Exercise: A Crossover Study” conducted by researchers Laurel P. Gibson, Gregory R. Giordano, L. Cinnamon Bidwell, Kent E. Hutchison, and Angela D. Bryan, sheds light on the relationship between cannabis use and exercise, potentially changing the narrative surrounding cannabis consumption.
The study aimed to examine the acute effects of legal-market cannabis on regular users’ subjective responses to exercise in a controlled laboratory environment. The research team compared participants’ experiences of exercise without cannabis to their experiences after using commercially available cannabis flower products, either THC-dominant or CBD-dominant.
The study recruited 42 volunteers from the Boulder, Colorado area who regularly incorporate cannabis into their running routine. Initially, the researchers established a baseline by measuring fitness levels and gathering survey data. Participants were then instructed to obtain either a CBD-dominant or THC-dominant cannabis strain from a dispensary. During a follow-up visit, volunteers ran on a treadmill for 30 minutes at a moderate pace. Throughout this exercise, they were asked to report on various factors including motivation, enjoyment, perceived exertion, time perception, and pain levels to assess the subjective impact of cannabis on their workout experience.
The results were intriguing. Participants, all regular cannabis users, reported a more positive affect, increased enjoyment, and heightened “runner’s high” symptoms during their cannabis-influenced exercise sessions compared to non-cannabis sessions. However, they also experienced more exertion. Notably, pain levels remained low and consistent across both scenarios. The study observed that effects varied depending on the cannabinoid content, with people who consumed CBD showing a larger difference in enjoyment and a smaller difference in exertion compared to THC consumers.
While the study did not find cannabis to be performance-enhancing in a way that might give competitive athletes an unfair advantage, it highlights its potential to positively influence the subjective exercise experience for regular users. This insight is particularly relevant as many sports leagues, recognizing the medical value of cannabis and its role in recovery, have relaxed their policies on cannabis and CBD. Notably, the UFC recently removed cannabis from their banned substances list, with numerous other professional sports leagues relaxing policies in varying degrees.
The research team’s findings suggest that cannabis, when used in conjunction with exercise by regular users, may lead to an increase in both positive and negative aspects of the subjective exercise experience. However, they caution that more research is needed to establish these findings, calling for diverse samples, exercise modalities, and methodologies, including placebo-controlled trials.
This study stands as the first to investigate the acute effects of commercially available cannabis on subjective responses to exercise in a laboratory environment. It opens the door to a new understanding of how cannabis can interact with physical activity, challenging the stereotypical classification of cannabis consumers as sedentary. As the legal landscape and public perception of cannabis continue to evolve, this research provides a timely insight into how it might be used to enhance rather than hinder an active lifestyle.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said on Tuesday that opening up interstate cannabis commerce for the state’s cannabis industry would carry too much risk of federal enforcement.
Gov. Gavin Newsome (D) last year signed into law a proposal giving licensed cannabis companies the right to export their products into other state-legal markets. However, the law would only apply if there was some assurance that there would be no legal interference from the federal government, which still prohibits cannabis as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act.
California cannabis regulators asked the Attorney General’s office to consider the issue nearly one year ago and their response is finally ready, confirming that:
“Yes. State-law authorization for commercial cannabis activity between out-of-state licensees and California licensees could ‘result in significant legal risk to the State of California under the federal Controlled Substances Act.'” – Attorney General Rob Bonta, in an opinion statement
In his statement, Bonta highlights the “risks of federal preemption of state law and criminal prosecution of state employees,” and says that the law remains “unsettled as to whether state officials could be federally prosecuted for implementing state law in this area.”
California’s northern neighbor Oregon passed its own interstate cannabis commerce law in 2019 but the program requires approval from the federal government before cross-state sales can begin. Meanwhile, Maine lawmakers considered a similar proposal earlier this year but the bill was ultimately shot down in committee, Marijuana Moment reported.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) on Monday introduced two apparent non-negotiables to any adult-use cannabis framework in the state: a 15-store cap and a ban on lobbying and political contributions by any cannabis licensee, the New Hampshire Bulletin reports. The demands came as the state commission studying a state-run model – similar to the state’s liquor model – was preparing to wrap up its duties.
David Mara, Sununu’s adviser on addiction and behavioral health, told the Bulletin that the administration is “adamant about that number, 15” as they “don’t want to see a proliferation of what’s happening in other states.”
“The worry here is that we don’t want to create a big tobacco atmosphere here in New Hampshire. We don’t want it to be where a lot of money is being thrown around.” — Mara to the Bulletin
Initially, the commission had discussed capping the number of adult-use dispensaries to the number of liquor stores in the state, of which there are 67.
Last April, the state House approved an adult-use legalization bill but the Senate voted down the legislation the following month as Sununu pushed back on the reforms, stating that he would prefer a state control model.
Mara said that in the future lawmakers could change the number of stores depending on “how things progress.”
A representative from Sununu’s office told the Bulletin that “The governor is open to discussing a franchisee-based system, but the success of such a model is in the details. The governor has been clear that any system meet his outlined framework – or be met with a veto.”
Sununu has generally opposed broad cannabis legalization in the state but said in May that the reforms are “probably inevitable in some way or form.” He said the state-run model would offer an “amazing tool to control location, to control where it is, to control how it’s marketed, how it’s distributed, keeping it away from kids.” He added that he wants to avoid what he describes as the “Marijuana Miles” in Massachusetts and Maine, which he says are stretches of “pot shop, after pot shop, after pot shop” which “completely changes the fabric of the town.”
The Maine Cannabis Union is partnering with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) to impact cannabis-related legislation and promote a sustainable and responsible cannabis industry. The Maine Cannabis Union also announced that it would accept adult-use cannabis business owners into its union after previously only accepting medical cannabis operators.
In a statement, IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan said the alliance “will elevate” the groups’ “collective voice in the corridors of power from Augusta to Washington, D.C.”
“Our mission is to chart a course for a sustainable and responsible industry, not just in Maine but across the nation.” — Sullivan in a press release
The IAM said that the Cannabis Union’s decision to begin accepting adult-use operators as members “signals their commitment to embracing all sectors of the cannabis market.”
“By doing so, they aim to create a more comprehensive and inclusive community of professionals,” IAM said, “all working together to further the interests of the Maine cannabis industry.”
The groups came together at a recent Cannabis Union-hosted event in Sanford which IAM Eastern Territory Special Representative Tiwaan Bradley described as “a testament to our theme of harmony, unity, and community, which allowed us to bring together new members and industry stakeholders, all driven by a common goal.”
“By expanding our embrace to adult-use store owners and uniting for growth,” Bradley said, “we are well-positioned to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.”
Brunswick, ME – October 6, 2023 – Healer CBD, a leading provider of hemp wellness oils, capsules and topicals nationwide, today announced it launched a new line of full-spectrum functional gummies made from hemp featuring three distinct formulations that contain beneficial acidic cannabinoids not present in most gummies currently available.
Called Ease, Rest, and Vitality, Healer hemp gummies are rare because they contain the acidic cannabinoids CBDA and CBGA, which are known for their powerful pain relief, anti-inflammatory, immune-supporting, and neuroprotective properties. Recent studies show that cannabinoids in their original “unheated” acidic form have tremendous healing properties that act in tandem with and in contrast to their neutral counterparts.
The gummies were developed by Dr. Dustin Sulak, an osteopathic physician recognized globally by his peers as a pioneer of cannabis clinical applications, formulations, and dosage protocols. A leading expert on the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids, he is the author of the first foundational text on the clinical use of cannabinoid therapies, titled Handbook of Cannabis for Clinicians: Principles and Practice.
Each functional “acidic” gummy contains unique, consistent ratios of full-spectrum CBDA and CBGA along with their neutral (and better-known) counterparts CBD and CBG, plus other beneficial acidic and neutral minor cannabinoids extracted from specially selected organic hemp strains grown in Maine. Specifically:
Rest blueberry gummies (6:1 CBG:CBGA) are formulated to help people relax, fall asleep more easily, calm “fight or flight” feelings, and target nerve discomfort.
To maximize wellness, Healer gummies are non-impairing, vegan, gluten free and made with organic ingredients and all natural, plant-based flavorings and colorings. Each serving contains less than 3 grams of sugar and no corn syrup. These gummies contain 10 mg of cannabinoids and less than 0.3% THC in accordance with federal law.
To ensure consistency and consumer safety, every batch is third-party lab tested. A Certificate of Analysis (COA) verifying the product’s contents and the absence of heavy metals, pesticides, solvents and other biocontaminants is prominently available via QR code on the label. A companion Usage Guide & Response Tracker booklet accompanies each product.
“We devoted a lot of time and effort over the past year to ensure the taste and effects meet the standard of excellence that our customers depend on to improve their overall health and well-being,” said Bradley Feuer, Healer CBD co-founder and CEO. “The initial response through consumer testing has been tremendous in regards to the taste, effects and the quicker onset compared to other edibles.”
It appears these gummies are a game-changer for people who want the health benefits of cannabinoids without impairment, but prefer delicious gummies to conventional oil drops or capsules, he said.
Healer CBD Ease, Rest, and Vitality gummies are available now at HealerCBD.com and a growing number of retail outlets.
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About Healer CBD
Healer is a trusted, physician-developed hemp brand and educational resource founded to help consumers and healthcare providers get the best results with safe, reliably dosable products and education on how to best use them. Healer’s educational content and distinctive product formulations are based on the latest science, clinical research and 13 years of clinical work by Dr. Dustin Sulak.
Healer CBD’s paradigm-shifting patented nano-filtration extraction process sets a new standard for maintaining the plant’s valuable components while removing harmful contaminants. To learn more visit https://healercbd.com/healer-spectrum/#our-process.
Healer Whole Plant Hemp products are available nationwide. For education on how to use hemp as medicine or information about Healer Hemp products, visit www.HealerCBD.com.
About Dr. Dustin Sulak Dustin Sulak, DO is a co-founder of Healer CBD and the founder of Integr8 Health, a medical practice in Maine that follows over 8,000 patients using medical cannabis and hemp. His practice balances the principles of osteopathy, mind-body medicine and medical cannabis.
Regarded as an expert on medical cannabis, Dr. Sulak educates medical providers and patients on its clinical use, while continuing to explore the therapeutic potential of this ancient yet emerging medicine.
Globally recognized by his peers as a pioneer of clinical applications, formulations, and usage protocols, Dr. Sulak is the author of the first foundational text on the clinical use of cannabis and cannabinoid therapies, titled Handbook of Cannabis for Clinicians: Principles and Practice [https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393714180].
Dr. Sulak received undergraduate degrees in nutrition science and biology from Indiana University, a doctorate of osteopathy from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed an internship at Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency.
The U.S. Census Bureau has released an interactive map outlining the quarterly revenue states have garnered from cannabis excise taxes and what percent of their revenues the taxes represent. The agency’s data covers the second half of 2021, all of 2022, and the first half of this year.
The data set for Q2 2023 is incomplete with several states where adult-use businesses are operational not included, such as Washington State, New Jersey, and Maryland. Other states, including Virginia and Minnesota have legalized cannabis for adult-use but sales have yet to commence. The data also includes states that impose excise taxes on medical cannabis sales.
The available data shows that Q2 2023 cannabis tax revenues in five states represented more than 1% of the states’ total tax revenues, including Alaska (1.32%), Colorado (1.21%), Illinois (2.04%), Michigan (2.16%), and Oregon (3.19%). Among those states, only Alaska and Michigan had increases in cannabis tax revenues from the previous quarter, with 18.35% and 8.53% respectively. Colorado saw a 0.33% decrease, Illinois a 3.72% decrease, and Oregon a 7.95% decrease.
Cannabis tax revenues for two states, Arizona (0.73%) and Missouri (0.92%), represented between 0.5% and 1% of revenue and both saw increases from Q1 figures at 9.73% and 89.4%, respectively.
The cannabis tax revenues from the remaining states included in the dataset comprised less than 0.5% of the state’s revenues in Q2; those states include California (0.26%), Connecticut (0.05%), Maine (0.11%), Massachusetts (0.42%), Mississippi (0.02%), Montana (0.25%), Nevada (0.17%), New Mexico (0.06%), New York (0.37%), Oklahoma (0.09%), Pennsylvania (0.20%), Rhode Island (0.13%), Vermont (0.04%), and Washington, D.C. (0.01%).
A bipartisan group of more than 20 attorneys general on Tuesday sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act. The bill passed the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Wednesday.
In the letter, the attorneys general note that current federal law, which classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug, presents “a risk of criminal and civil liability to banks providing services to state-licensed cannabis dispensaries and related businesses” which significantly inhibits “the ability of financial institutions to provide services to regulated cannabis operators and leaves those businesses struggling to find financing.”
“The lack of access to banking services creates both barriers to entry into the industry and instability for existing businesses. Recently, Mastercard announced that it will no longer allow its cardholders to use their bank cards to purchase cannabis, cutting off a key revenue stream and making it harder for customers and businesses alike,” the letter states. “Further, where the public perceives that regulated businesses can only conduct business in cash, employees and customers are at greater risk of violent crime in pursuit of that cash. Several jurisdictions have seen a spike in robberies of cannabis businesses, some of which have resulted in deaths.”
The signatories add that passage of the law “will enable the evolution of a banking system for legalized cannabis-related businesses that is both responsive and effective in meeting the demands of our economy.”
The letter is signed by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington state, and Washington, D.C.
The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission is considering the psychedelic ibogaine as a treatment for opioid addiction, National Public Radio affiliate WKU reports. The commission heard from more than a dozen people about their personal and professional experiences with the substance and its role in treating opioid addiction during its recent meeting.
Ibogaine has gained recognition recently for its potential to treat severe PTSD and opioid addiction while minimizing withdrawal symptoms. But it is still classified as a Schedule I substance under federal law and is not approved for distribution by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Joseph Peter Barsublia, a psychologist who runs a psychedelic treatment center in Mexico, told the panel that from what he has “repeatedly witnessed firsthand” the psychedelic “is a revolutionary and paradigm-changing treatment” but he warned that “it is by no means a cure-all or a panacea.”
In 2022, 2,135 people died from drug overdoses in Kentucky and while the state saw a decrease of about 5% in overdose deaths compared to 2021, the deaths remained higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Since 2018, nearly 9,000 people have died from overdoses, according to state data.
The commission will decide in the next few months where to invest $42 million of Kentucky’s nearly $900 million in opioid lawsuit settlement funds. If the commission votes to allocate the money, Kentucky would become the first state to research ibogaine for its potential uses in opioid addiction recovery.
