420 Department

Over four hundred and twenty things

Staff Writer

Bo Money: Bringing Equality to the Cannabis Industry

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There are more women CEOs in cannabis than in any other industry in the U.S., yet women only hold 27 percent of leadership positions in the entire cannabis industry. In this hyper-progressive industry, women still experience patriarchal hurdles, and, like in all other industries, those hurdles are even higher for women of color. One woman of color, Bonita “Bo” Money, is trying to change all that.

A cannabis company owner since the days of medical, Money co-founded That Glass Jar, an organic cannabis-infused herbal cream that has found success in treating MRSA, eczema, arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Money is also the founder of Women ABUV Ground, a networking organization working with women of color in the cannabis industry, and last year Money founded NDICA, National Diversity & Inclusion Cannabis Alliance. With less than 15 percent of cannabis businesses owned by POC — the social group most affected by the War on Drugs — Money has serious work to do.

DOPE checked in with Bonita “Bo” Money to discuss her work with NDICA and the hurdles that POC still face in the cannabusiness.

Bo Money: Bringing Equality to the Cannabis Industry

DOPE Magazine:You’re the founder of NDICA and you and your team, which includes “Freeway” Rick Ross, just produced the Diversity & Inclusion Social Equity Expo, which was a major success with great speakers and important information. Where do we go from here?

Money: Focus on Phase III [of the Los Angeles Social Equity Program], which is helping everyone get set up with their cannabis applications. We have over 100 applicants that we are working with and that are going through our educational intern and mentorship programs. We want them to understand every aspect of the industry, as well as the day-to-day operational experience of running a dispensary so that they’re ready once they receive their license.

There is also a huge issue with predatory lending that has come into the industry, where ultimately [the company] won’t have full ownership of their business. Those are the kind of things we are monitoring so that we can keep everyone aware of — and looking out for — those types of transactions.

You are also part of the LA Equity Plan — can you tell us what that is?

The social equity plan was designed to make sure that communities that were most affected by the War on Drugs will have an opportunity to get ownership within the industry. Phase III of NDICA program is all social equity. Basically, for cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and retail, [for] every general license issued there needs to be one issued for a social equity applicant.

Bo Money: Bringing Equality to the Cannabis Industry

The most valuable part of Prop 64 was allowing non-violent prisoners of the drug war to restate their cases and be released from jail. You are a part of the National Expungement Week and had a clinic at your expo — how can people get more information on expunging (changing/sealing/nullification) their drug charges and their criminal record?

We [NDICA] do clinics about once a month and will start them up again in January. [You can] go to our website, become a member for free, and you will be updated on all our events, as well as our expungement clinics. There are over 200,000 people that qualify for Prop 64 expungement in the state of California. We’ve been focusing on doing that outreach, so the community knows how to take the steps, and getting more of those cannabis convictions expunged.

You’re also working to adjust some of the policies that the Bureau of Cannabis Control is coming out with.

Especially with no CBD in edibles. Now, one of the main things we’re challenging is the white-labeling, and the state not allowing that unless you have your own license. All these smaller companies that are trying to transition [from medical to adult use] — they’re having a horrible time now with this situation. They’re going to go out of business if this doesn’t change.

 “We have over 100 applicants that we are working with and that are going through our educational intern and mentorship programs.” – Bonita “Bo” Money, NDICA founder

The post Bo Money: Bringing Equality to the Cannabis Industry appeared first on DOPE Magazine.


Bo Money: Bringing Equality to the Cannabis Industry
Source: Dope Magazine

CBD in Texas

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Texas—an extremely conservative state with a population upwards of 29 million is slowly making medical cannabis legalization changes. How so, exactly?

For starters, the Texas Compassionate Use Act was enacted by the Texas Legislature in 2015. Then, as of December 15thof 2017, only three vertically integrated dispensing organization licenses have been approved. Since 2015, unfortunately, no additional dispensary licenses have been granted. Although cannabis remains federally illegal in the U.S., industrial hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) is widely sought after and sold throughout Texas whether different wholesaler, headshop or clinic owners have state licenses or not.

The sale of hemp-derived CBD oil at various storefronts has prompted confusion among Texans because many of these stores have been raided, shut down or faced other consequences thus leading to purchasing hesitance by Texans. Generally, CBD oil is easily attainable in Texas, and hemp-derived CBD is technically legal. However, the retail sale of CBD has been operating in a gray zone with many authority figures disagreeing over its lawfulness. Will this change by next year, and if so, in which ways?

Texas’s Restrictive Medical Cannabis Program & Lack of Expansion

In the U.S., the Texas Compassionate Use Act (TCUA) is the most restrictive medical cannabis program. Although TCUA has been in place since 2015, little progress has been made since then. The only people who can receive a doctor’s recommendation and prescription for medical cannabis are intractable epileptic individuals. Despite Texas’ medical cannabis program having the capability to help well over 100,000 epileptic individuals, only about 574 epileptic patients have received prescriptions for this medicine.

Governor Abbott’s Effort to Improve TCUA

To get more doctors involved in this slowly evolving medical cannabis program, various billsare in the works that’ll likely change the way cannabis is viewed and treated in Texas if approved by state legislature.

Below are some bills that have gained significant momentum after Governor Abbott’s efforts:

–House Bill 63: Decriminalization of cannabis possession

–Senate Bill 90: Add veteran’s care of PTSD and pain to TCUA

–Senate Bill 90: Expand TCUA to full medical beyond intractable epilepsy

–Senate Bill 90: Give doctors and caregivers more leeway in recognizing conditions that may help without jeopardizing medical licenses

Although none of these bills have passed yet, several people including Patrick Thomas Moran, founding board member of TCIA (Texas Cannabis Industry Association) and entrepreneur believes significant changes will come in 2019 if cannabis advocates work together. He expressed what must be done to enact progressive changes to the TCUA by 2019:

“If we want an effective Texas medical cannabis program voted into law in 2019 (for which legislation already exists) state elected politicians must be placed under ‘do or politically-die’ pressure. Simultaneously, we must back those candidates who support the patients and the emerging industry’s righteous efforts to help them.”

Furthermore, Shaun McAlister, executive director of DFW NORML shared his thoughts about how to improve the TCUA. “The laws need to change before the market can grow in a more meaningful way, which is why it’s so very important for people interested in the business side of Texas cannabis to be investing in grassroots efforts to end prohibition right now.”

Where to Buy CBD in Texas

Despite necessary changes that should be made to the TCUA, hemp-derived CBD is readily available at numerous head shops, wellness centers/clinics, doctor’s offices, chiropractor’s offices, aesthetician’s offices, vitamin stores and CBD-only storefronts in Texas. However, there has been no clear-cut legal basis upon which establishments to prosecute. It’s clear that there’s an increasing demand for cannabis and CBD in Texas.

Peter Ricca, Texas entrepreneur, investor, and director of various cannabis companies expressed how important it is to prioritize patients’ needs by saying, “An official medical program would have tremendous benefits. To further improve, make it a patient choice, not a doctor choice.”

Although there have been several raids in the past leaving some Texans facing significant jail time for possessing cannabis oil, it’s likely that cannabis will be decriminalized by this year. It’s also probable that the southern state will expand the TCUA to help improve the lives of numerous Texans. Do you think Texas will continue moving forward regarding medical cannabis legalization, or will they remain stagnant until the plant is federally legalized? If you want real change to occur, lend your support by asking Texas legislators to sign the state’s pending cannabis bills and team up with Texas NORML and/or Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy to generate awareness, attention and much-needed cannabis progress, both political and cultural, in 2019 and beyond.

 

The post CBD in Texas appeared first on DOPE Magazine.


CBD in Texas
Source: Dope Magazine

The LA Women of Weed: Laurie Cardenas

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Women have been one of the most powerful groups championing the fledgling cannabis industry, but according to a report by Marijuana Business Daily entitled Women & Minorities in the Marijuana Industry, the percentage of women holding executive positions in cannabis businesses has fallen deeply over the past two years. In 2015, women held 36% of executive positions, which fell to 26.9% in 2017. While women still hold more executive positions in the cannabis industry than the 2016 U.S. national average of 23%, their stronghold on the cannabis industry is slowly slipping.

Part of it has to do with cannabis becoming more popular and profitable. More male executives are coming over from other industries and recreating the traditional American corporate culture, where men hold more than 75% of senior positions. As conservative money men see more potential dollar signs in weed, they’re pushing women out of the boardrooms and bringing in their bros.

This series will shine some light on some of the the bold, strong, pioneering women that keep the cannabis industry running in Los Angeles.

California Caregivers Alliance (CCA) in Silverlake is a dispensary run entirely by women. The shop is well-known and loved by locals who appreciate the unique art and atmosphere, the popular deal wheel, and the educated budtenders who are always enthusiastic to listen and help you find just the right product for your needs.

Laurie Cardenas has been at the shop for about a year and a half and has a no-nonsense attitude when budtending behind the counter at CCA. With her small stature she looks even younger than her twenty-six years, but she’s no naive newbie to the industry. She’s been working in the cannabis industry for over six years and has worked at several dispensaries around Los Angeles. She says that she loves the unique sense of community she feels in the women-only shop. “There’s no sexual harassment on the workforce, which used to happen a lot at old shops.”

Aside from direct harassment, she explained that even having even some men around can disrupt the working environment for women. Women can be pressured into acting or dressing certain ways by male bosses. Some may also get preferential treatment for sexual acts or dating supervisors, and the whole environment can become competitive and catty.

“I feel a lot more comfortable here. It’s more like a family than a job. We understand one another because we are all women, so there’s no misconceptions or judgements, like if we’re in a bad mood if we’re on our period or something like that. It’s just much more enjoyable and comfortable to be in a workplace where you can be yourself.”

Cardenas is currently in school for sociology. She has aspirations for law school, and she’s considering cannabis law. She is always trying to learn more about cannabis and wants to show people that, “there’s more to weed than just getting high.”

“I love the knowledge behind it, like all of the cannabinoids in weed; there’s more than THC there’s CBD, CBG, CBN, etc.. so it’s cool to know all that. I love how I’m educating people and broadening their horizons on weed. I know a bunch of people who’ve had one bad experience on weed and hate it, and I think my purpose is to really educate them on why they probably felt that way, and it’s probably because they didn’t dose themselves properly or they smoked something that was too potent for them.”

Cardenas loves helping people find the right path on their journey into cannabis. “It’s great when really old people come in and they’re just starting to smoke and I can lead them to a petra mint, which is 2.5mg of THC, or something light like that, and they love it because they had a proper dose, versus eating a 1000mg korova, and then of course they’re gonna hate weed.”

It’s those human connections that keep her drawn to budtending. “It’s a fulfilling feeling when I have someone who’s really sick with cancer or something and they come to me looking for advice and when I give them something that really helps them. And they come back three weeks or a month later and they’re like, ‘what you gave me really helped me.’ That’s really why I’m in the industry, because it’s super dope to help others and heal them with cannabis.”

For Laurie, the drive to help others heal with cannabis is personal. “My mom had vertigo and she couldn’t walk or drive. None of the medicine that was prescribed to her helped her. Then I gave her Prana 1:1, which is a product we carry. She’s a Catholic, conservative, old-school Latina mom who was so against weed. She knew I worked here, but never partook in it, and then she finally trusted me. The next day she was walking and driving and she called me because she couldn’t believe it. She was like ‘I’ve been bed-ridden for a month and I’ve been taking pills for a month and nothing helped’ and I had her moving the next day. That was really awesome.” She also loves the fact that it’s a healthier alternative to most prescription medicines, “I would rather my mom takes this than an opiate or something like that.”

Cardenas is passionate about the plant’s possible use as an alternative to traditional pharmacology. “It helps people with anxiety and PTSD, so we have a lot of veterans that come in. It’s good to see them smoking weed, because I would rather have them smoke weed than taking hydrocodone for their pain. It’s dope when people come in and say, ‘You helped me get off opiates.’ So the fact that people call it a gateway drug, I think that’s bs, because in fact it’s been proven that weed can help you get off of harder drugs. That’s my passion, helping people with the medicinal aspect. But of course it’s still cool to help others find a product that gonna make them have fun with their friends at a party.”

Like many women in the industry, the medicinal, healing properties of cannabis is a big reason why Cardenas is so enthusiastic about working in the industry. However, the biggest thing Cardenas wants to accomplish is to break stigmas surrounding cannabis use. “Like [the stigma] that a person who smokes weed is just a lazy person who doesn’t do anything. I’m a full-time student, I work my ass off, I work full-time, I live on my own, I have my own car, and I just love the whole hustle aspect about it. I want people to know that you can be a stoner and be successful as fuck and get shit done. You can be a pothead and still have your shit together.”


The LA Women of Weed: Laurie Cardenas
Source: Marijuana Times

What’s Behind Oklahoma’s Quick Rollout of Medical Marijuana?

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We have covered the state of Oklahoma quite a bit here at The Marijuana Times. From its rocky start last summer up to the impressively quick rollout, we’ve learned a lot from the state’s medical marijuana program.

In fact, just the other day, I wrote the following paragraph:

It’s not like a simpler approach isn’t possible with cannabis law reform. Look at Oklahoma. I’ve covered the state quite a bit on our video show Cannabis News and things are moving quite fast there. After what most would deem a rocky start, the medical marijuana program in Oklahoma has gone from non-existent to in place and showing explosive growth in the space of 6 months. And what will happen in Oklahoma? A lot of people will grow, sell and consume cannabis legally. Tens of thousands of patients will find relief.

Re-reading that paragraph made me wonder two things: why did I use “quite” twice in one sentence, and how is it that Oklahoma has been able to do what few other states have? To be sure, there are several superficial reasons, but I wanted to know more than that. What is so different about Oklahoma that they can bring about a functioning medical cannabis industry in a few months when it takes other states up to a year to even write the form that licensees will need to fill out? When you want answers, there are few better places to go than to the source; in this case, Chip and Cynthia Paul of Oklahomans for Health.

“Oklahomans For Health was founded in 2014 by my wife Cynthia and I, and another gent,” Chip told us about the beginning of this journey. “We petitioned the state in 2014 and were successful in building momentum and also changing the conversation in Oklahoma (we have a 90 day window). We petitioned again in 2016 and reached our signature threshold. We were denied the 2016 ballot due to a challenge by then Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. We won that case in Oklahoma State Supreme Court and were awarded the ballot on June 26th, 2018.”

According to Chip, the measure passed against heavy odds. “We were opposed by every sitting State Agency head, the Oklahoma State Medical Association, every major hospital system, the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, most city Chambers, and of course most LE agencies,” he said, adding that the opposition outspent the Pro-MMJ forces about 12-to-1.

And the short answer as to why the state has been so quick to get the program going? They were forced to. “Since it is an activist law, we wrote it with triggers and dates,” Chip told us. “The state had to have the entire program rolled out within 60 days. We certainly were indicating that we would take legal action if they did not meet the dates. There was a lot of griping about the dates, but the Oklahoma State Department of Health hit the marks and rolled the program out on time.”

I also asked about what still needs to be done when it comes to the medical cannabis program, and Chip pointed out that some regulations were still needed since the state’s Department of Health became sort of gun shy after their initial heavy-handed attempts to restrict the program were shot down. Among Chip’s list of things still needed:

-a testing license and we need lab testing defined and required in the regs

-some better security regulations around outdoor grows

-state defined zoning which would keep cities from over reaching on permitting/zoning requirements

The “program is getting very good feedback both nationally and in the local press,” Chip told us, and so far “the cannabis industry, for the most part, has been very responsible about how they have conducted themselves even under loose regulations.”

All in all, Oklahoma shows what is possible. To get an un-restrictive medical marijuana measure on the ballot in a “red state” and have it pass with 57% of the vote while getting massively outspent by the opposition is incredible enough, but it’s just the first chapter of the book activists and lawmakers in the state are writing on just how to get a full industry up and running in a matter of months.

The lesson activists should take away from this is to keep a tight rein on ballot measure language. Set hard deadlines and force those who will implement the measure to abide by them. Stay vigilant and as unyielding as possible. After all, the ailments that those who use medical cannabis suffer from are not going to back down – and the people fighting for better access have no reason to either.


What’s Behind Oklahoma’s Quick Rollout of Medical Marijuana?
Source: Marijuana Times

Face on Fire: VVG Turns the Heat Up

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Face on Fire by VVG Lab

Utilizing award-winning, supercritical CO2 extraction technology coupled with a classic Rat Pack-era theme, VVG has solidified a perfect balance between elegant concentrate presentation and disposable device performance. A sativa-dominant hybrid, Face on Fire offered a rapid and welcome head high, stabilizing my focus and fine-tuning my creative flow while leaving notable flavor after just the first exhale. Packed with a spicy-sweet terpene profile, this sleek and discreet pen provided relief to all my nerves, physical and psychological alike, entirely abolishing all anxiety and inflammation. It was a colossal blaze well worth the heat!

Face on Fire by VVG Lab

Available At…

  1. Planet 13: 2548 W Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89109
  2. THRIVE Cannabis Marketplace – All Locations
  3. The Dispensary NV – All Locations

The post Face on Fire: VVG Turns the Heat Up appeared first on DOPE Magazine.


Face on Fire: VVG Turns the Heat Up
Source: Dope Magazine

01-25-2019 – Cannabis News with Joe Klare

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Joe Klare discusses the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, NORML’s Governor Scorecard and medical marijuana purchases in Arizona.

Pennsylvania Removes Restrictions on Industrial Hemp

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Pennsylvania recently made the decision to remove limitations on industrial hemp, a surprisingly welcome move that will essentially enable farmers to have relatively open access to the hemp industry in the state, according to a report from The Morning Call.

The Keystone state recently submitted their updated hemp plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Farm Bill of 2018 essentially legalized industrial hemp, but as expected, the federal government pumped their brakes when it comes to establishing hemp-growing regulations. Before the Farm Bill, hemp growing was restricted to pilot programs in most states, which continues now.

Pennsylvania apparently wants no part of those pilot programs, which limited industrial hemp farms to 84 throughout the Keystone State. The agriculture department of Pennsylvania reversed a 2018 decision that only 100 acres of hemp plants should be grown in the state.

Even after this monumental achievement for hemp in the Keystone State, hurdles are still in place. Cannabis advocates in Pennsylvania rightly point to “80 years of missing information” when it comes to legally cultivating hemp and cannabis. The most common issues surrounding hemp cultivation are pest control and harvesting. Currently, there are no commercial hemp processing facilities in Pennsylvania, but that could change in the near future.

“It’s one more step, but in this case it’s a big step for Pennsylvania farmers who are certainly seeking alternatives in new rotational crops,” said Geoff Whaling, President of the Pennsylvania Hemp Industrial Council.

The laws regarding legal cannabis in the state of Pennsylvania have been rapidly evolving within the last year, and especially the last few months. The medical cannabis program in the Keystone State recently received a review and overhaul, allowing for the necessary expansion of the program. Additionally, high-ranking state officials like Governor Tom Wolfe have called for a “serious look” at legalizing recreational cannabis.

The expansion of the state’s medical cannabis program, the removal of restrictions on hemp and the proposals for recreational adult use in the state aim to put Pennsylvania on par with other states that surround it, such as New York and New Jersey. Will the removal of commercial restrictions on industrial hemp in the Keystone State eventually lead to full legalization? Only time will tell.


Pennsylvania Removes Restrictions on Industrial Hemp
Source: Marijuana Times

Three Questions for Kamala Harris 2020

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On Monday, January 21, the 43rd annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Senator Kamala Devi Harris declared her bid for the Democratic party’s 2020 presidential nomination. In doing so, she announced her dream: Becoming the first female president of the United States.

Sen. Harris is no stranger to breaking barriers: She is the first person of South Asian or Jamaican descent and only the second African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. In 2010, she became the first woman to be elected state attorney general in California.

Unfortunately, that’s also where her dream may become a nightmare.

While she’s already received support from Rosie O’Donnell and is polling well among the Democrats’ current 2020 nominee list, Sen. Harris is far from a lock for the Democratic nomination, let alone the presidency.

Among the questions that have been raised about her candidacy, here are three of the most pressing:

1. What is she going to do about criminal justice? 

Although Sen. Harris now positions herself as a forward-thinking progressive, Her reputation as a prosecutor paints a different picture. While she did push for Justice Department officers in California to wear body cameras and was praised for making statistics on crime and police violence more widely available, her office also pushed back against a federal court ruling that ordered more prisoners to be released on parole. Lawyers from the California Attorney General’s office argued in court that releasing more prisoners would hurt the state’s supply of cheap labor. Sen. Harris later claimed she was unaware her office had made the argument but admitted she was ultimately responsible.

Sen. Harris also pushed for a law allowing parents whose children miss school to be criminally prosecuted and filed legal briefs to deny gender reassignment surgery for transgender inmates. These and other questionable decisions during her time as a prosecutor have given rise to the #NeverKamala movement on social media. Though she may address these decisions, many on the far-left believe they disqualify her from being the face of the party’s new progressive direction.

2. How much will she support cannabis?

It’s true that Sen. Harris recently came out in support of federal legalization, which is unequivocally a good sign. Again, however, her record here is questionable. In 2014, up for re-election as California Attorney General, she laughed at a reporter who asked her about legalizing marijuana. Her opponent, Republican Ron Gold, ran to her left on the issue. Two years later, her office did not announce support for California’s Proposition 64 to legalize adult use — though Sen. Harris (correctly) expressed the belief that legalization was inevitable.

Sen. Harris is one of the many Democratic presidential hopefuls who has progressed on the issue of legalization, and she should be commended for it. But given her record, it’s also fair to question whether she will get behind deeper issues relating to the plant, like taxation and bank financing. This past summer, the California State Assembly killed a bill that would have allowed chartered banks to work with cannabis businesses. Federal legalization is a wonderful start, but much remains to be done.

3. Is the country ready for a mixed-race woman president?

This final question is perhaps the biggest. While Sen. Harris is polling well, it’s still early. Heavyweights like Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Beto O’Rourke are all yet to declare, but many expect them to soon — all three have performed better than Harris in some polls. The field is projected to be crowded, with as many as 20 candidates jockeying for the Democratic mantle in 2020, including potential celebrity wildcards like Mark Cuban and Oprah. Cory Booker, another rising star in the party, could siphon off some of her support among African-Americans, a key demographic that played a large role in Bernie’s 2016 defeat.

And though she has a long record in public office, her time in federal politics is limited – she was sworn into her Senate seat just over two years ago. Dianne Feinstein, her fellow Californian Democratic Senator, said as much after announcing support for Joe Biden in 2020. Asked about whether she would also support Sen. Harris, Sen. Feinstein replied: “I’m a big fan of Sen. Harris, and I work with her. But she’s brand-new here.” Political forecasting site FiveThirtyEight predicted her stance on most issues would be similar to Hillary Clinton. And we all know how well that worked out. That said, Harris’s fledgling national political status means she doesn’t have as much narrative baggage as Clinton did in 2016.

Sen. Harris is likely to be a formidable presence in the upcoming primary season. Only time will tell whether she can successfully overcome the glass ceiling, competitors with more name recognition, and attacks from the far-left questioning her progressive bona-fides.

The post Three Questions for Kamala Harris 2020 appeared first on DOPE Magazine.


Three Questions for Kamala Harris 2020
Source: Dope Magazine

Legal Marijuana in the Empire State: DOPE Interviews Cannabis Attorney Cristina Buccola

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New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced his plan to legalize recreational cannabis in 2019. He outlined the plan during his State of the State address beginning his third term in office, proclaiming that New York must “Stop the disproportionate impact on communities of color and let’s create an industry that empowers the poor communities that paid the price and not the rich corporations who come in to make a profit.”

Cuomo has been adamantly opposed to legal cannabis for years, stating that he considered marijuana a “gateway drug.” He even opposed a state medical marijuana program as recently as 2013, only approving a limited pilot program in 2014. His constituents, on the other hand, are largely in favor of legalization: a Quinnipiac University poll in May 2018 showed that 63 percent of New Yorkers support legalizing marijuana.

Why did Cuomo change his position on cannabis, and what are his plans? DOPE checks in with New York cannabis advocate and attorney Cristina Buccola to ask about the evolution, and what legal cannabis could look like in the Empire State.

DOPE Magazine: Gov. Andrew Cuomo described cannabis as a gateway drug just last year. What do you think motivated him to push to legalize cannabis in 2019?

Cristina Buccola: The fact that two states [New Jersey and Massachusetts] with which New York shares long borders are moving to legalize. One of the statements everyone jumped all over during the Democratic primary, when Cuomo was running against Cynthia Nixon, was that Cuomo said [about legalizing cannabis] that “the facts have changed.” No, the facts about cannabis haven’t changed. It’s the fact that legalization is coming to two states with incredibly populated borders that’s changed. This is a reality for New York.

It sounds like New York is ready to springboard into legalizing cannabis. What potential obstacles do you foresee?

At this very moment we have two primary pieces of adult-use cannabis legislation in play. One has been in the New York Assembly and the Senate for years. It’s called the MRTA, or the Marijuana Regulation Taxation Act. It lays forth a very comprehensive, consumer-oriented cannabis program that also keeps criminal-justice reform and social and economic equity first and foremost. The other piece of legislation is the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act, or the CRTA, Governor Cuomo’s cannabis legalization plan. It was made public as part of the 2020 NYS Executive Budget this month. We face the challenge of resonating these distinct pieces of legislation into a program that isn’t just lip service on matters regarding true criminal justice reform, reinvesting in communities hit hardest by cannabis prohibition, and creating economic opportunities for all New Yorkers.

What might that program look like?

One of the problems in New York is that there are only 10 licenses total under the medical program. And the [current] cannabis license holders are vertically integrated. That means they control everything from the production of seeds through to the actual sale [of cannabis] to cannabis consumers. To get one of those limited licenses was unbelievably expensive. You had to have an ungodly amount of money for the application process, the ability to compete. So we’d certainly want to see vertical integration dropped out except in a very narrow set of circumstances for our adult-use program. And that’s actually better for the consumer. If you have more people growing, and more people producing, and different types of retailers, that means that the likelihood that you’ll find someone who matches up with what you need is far greater than through a monopoly of eight or 10 companies.

In the CRTA, however, these 10 license holders would be able to participate in the adult-use market as vertically integrated, while also continuing to operate in the medical market, by ponying up additional cash as part of a bidding process – the proceeds from this process would then be used to provide equity applicants with low or no interest loans and incubation services. While it’s necessary to find funding for these types of services, there’s a fundamental problem with the “one and done” nature of this bidding process. If these 10 license holders have unbridled access to our adult-use market, likely to be the largest cannabis market in the world, New York is going to need more than a one-time pay-to-play fee. Their obligation of support needs to be continual and ongoing.

The CRTA does not allow for vertical integration, except for the 10 existing license holders who participate in the bidding process and for the smallest processors akin to craft breweries—essentially licenses reserved for small processors that would allow them to grow, process and retail. For larger entrants into the adult-use market, that would not be allowed. Again, that’s better for smaller businesses and it’s better for consumers.

What about home grows?

Under the CRTA medical patients or their caretakers can grow up to four plants, with a total of eight plants per household. There’s no homegrow for adults over the age of 21. This doesn’t foot with other adult-use states. All but Washington allow adults to grow at home, and all of them allow medical cannabis patients to grow. Despite having a commercial marketplace for cannabis, homegrow remains an important aspect of cannabis legalization programs, and we see that with the bipartisan bill just introduced in Washington State that would allow adults to grow up to six plants at home.

I would imagine that this is going to be hotly debated because frankly, I don’t think people understand home growing well, and there’s a lot of misinformation. The state limits the amount of plants you can have. Let’s say you’re growing six plants at home—you’ll likely net three pounds total if you’re growing in five-gallon pots. You’re not starting a cartel off of three pounds of pot a year. But some people don’t understand that. “Oh my god, people are growing at home!” Like it might somehow result in a further entrenchment of the illicit market. And it’s really not.

If we introduce an adult-use program without homegrown cannabis, we’d really just be forcing anyone who wants to consume into a market of certain retailers. And is that really freeing? I can’t say for sure that’s freeing the plant. I’m thrilled that we’re allowing patients to grow under the CRTA, because with cannabis and the endocannabinoid system, the specifics of what works for one person may not necessarily work for someone else and patients can grow their precise medicine.

But I think to be in step with other legal states, we need to educate people about what home growing is, and have that discussion publicly, because the discussion is currently being had in a [political] vacuum where uneducated people think that cartels are going to spin off from someone growing plants in their apartment. New York needs homegrow for adults.

How about expunging the criminal records of non-violent drug offenders?

One of the keystones for legalization in New York has got to be criminal justice reform. Changing criminal justice statutes to allow for expunging records would be very important. Some of the taxation revenues should go towards expungement clinics and costs.

Not only that, having your record cleared is one fraction. We don’t talk about the health harms associated with unnecessary incarceration enough. Right? So we want to make sure that there are other avenues of support for individuals that have been criminalized for behavior that is now going to be commercialized. That they have services available to them, including mental and physical health resources, job training, and education. And we want to make sure that they’re also not shut out of participating in the industry.

What do you think will happen with tax revenues from legal cannabis in New York?

Taxation should be aligned with funding priorities like criminal and socio economic justice reform and support, which must be specifically identified under legislation, whether it’s CRTA or something else. The legislation we pass must speak to reinvesting in communities, funding education programs for adult consumers, going into schools and having real conversations with kids. We need to educate consumers. We want people to understand that drugged driving is illegal, and we want people to understand what it means to consume.

We want to reinvest in communities, and make sure that we have viable ways for small businesses to participate, and find alternative lending arrangements so smaller participants can operate.

You don’t think New York should use legal marijuana funds to fix the MTA public transit system?

Nope. I think that’s ridiculous. The failing MTA has nothing to do with cannabis. There are many places that cannabis dollar tax revenues should go, and they should be prioritized over the MTA. Cannabis taxation is not a slush fund to fix all of New York state’s failures. It just isn’t. This is not something that’s going to fix every pothole or put an extra train car on every track.

Cristina Buccola is an attorney, advisor, and cannabis advocate undertaking public interest and policy work related to medical cannabis and economic and social justice issues. Buccola has testified in front of the New York State and New Jersey Legislatures about cannabis regulatory programs, and has worked with elected officials on developing cannabis legalization positions. She is a member of the New York Cannabis Bar Association and the National Cannabis Bar Association. Before opening her own law practice, Buccola served as the General Counsel of High Times and was a partner in an adult-use cultivation concern. cbcounsel.com

 

 

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Legal Marijuana in the Empire State: DOPE Interviews Cannabis Attorney Cristina Buccola
Source: Dope Magazine

Six Ways to Heal Your Relationship With Food

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“How you do anything is how you do everything.” – Unknown

While this saying applies to everything in our lives, food is unique because we all have to engage with it every day. We all have a relationship with food, and the quality of this relationship drastically affects our health.

Western medicine focuses on treating the physical manifestations of disease. But if we look deeper, you can see that there’s an imbalance — or dis-ease—in the body that’s caused symptoms to appear. Look even deeper and there’s the ‘why,’ and it’s probably from howyou are eating.

So, how are you eating? Better put, how are you using food?

“Food is a language,” as Geneen Roth, bestselling author and expert in emotional eating, beautifully puts it. “We use food to express something deeper, to try to get through to yourself. Everything you believe about life, being alive, what enough is, if you’ll ever get enough, what you deserve, and whether what you want is possible for you” comes out directly on your plate.

What can we do about it?

Six Ways to Heal Your Relationship With Food

1. Drop the diet ASAP

For many, especially regarding Binge Eating Disorder (BED), going on a diet is the worst thing you could do. You don’t need any more information on “good” and “bad” foods, and giving yourself more restriction only means even more guilt if you’re imperfect with your diet. Again, it’s about how you feel when you eat, not what you’re eating. With BED, even if you eat a regular-sized meal, but feelout of control and guilty afterwards, it’s considered disordered eating. 

2. Enjoy every bite!

This is my personal favorite, which I discovered for myself over a year ago. I dropped all diets and rules that were sucking the life out of me for no real reward and instead proclaimed myself to be on the “enjoyment diet.” I only ate what I would honestly enjoy the most in that moment, even “bad” foods, mindfully enjoying every single bite. “It isn’t food that’s good or bad, it’s our experience” that matters, says Megrette Fletcher, M.Ed., RD, CDE and co-founder of The Center for Mindful Eating. 

3. Be honest with yourself

This means choosing the food that you actually want, not just what’s conveniently in front of you. Additionally, looking honestly at “the truth of [your] inner and outer experience,” says BED expert and psychologist Amy Pershing, LMSW, ACSW and founder of Bodywise. It’s critical that you get to the root cause of your eating patterns, even if it’s painful or difficult to look at.

4. Decipher your food language

Just as it takes time and effort to learn any language, food requires the same dedication. Take several weeks to let yourself eat whatever you want without feeling guilty. Roth recommends observing without judgement what you’re trying to tell yourself: Are you punishing yourself, thinking, “You deserve this,” “I’m scared,” “Don’t come near me,” or “Come closer”?

5. Leave the past in the past

Stop punishing yourself for what you ate or did yesterday by actively practicing acceptance, forgiveness and love with yourself. “Many have suffered extraordinary hardships,” says Pershing, so you may be eating to fill a decades-old wound that can never be filled by food.

6. Focus on the positive

Practiceaffirmations. “Eating is a chance for me to nourish and nurture my being,” as Fletcher says. Psychologist Rick Hanson, Ph.D., recommends appreciating what’s not going wrong with your body, like how great it is that you don’t have a toothache right now! Make a list of all the bad things that aren’thappening and find joy in all that you do have.

The post Six Ways to Heal Your Relationship With Food appeared first on DOPE Magazine.


Six Ways to Heal Your Relationship With Food
Source: Dope Magazine