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The Super Bowl Isn’t Ready for Cannabis Commercials Just Yet

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Acreage Holdings, a multi-state cannabis firm based in the U.S., attempted to get a medical marijuana advocacy commercial in the lineup of Super Bowl commercials this year. Unfortunately – and somewhat unsurprisingly – the ad was rejected by CBS. According to Acreage President George Allen, he had hopes that the advertisement could “create an advocacy campaign for constituents who are being lost in the dialogue.” To Allen it seemed obvious that the most-watched televised event of the year would be a great way to get that message in front of as many people as possible.

“We certainly thought there was a chance,” Allen said. “You strike when the chance of your strike has the probability of success – this isn’t a doomed mission.”

This year seemed like the perfect opportunity for the first cannabis ad, seeing as how both teams playing in the Super Bowl come from states where cannabis is legal for both medicinal and recreational use. With the national opinion on medical marijuana – and marijuana in general – swiftly changing in the last decade to strongly supporting legalization, the timing seemed right.

There are two versions of how the rejection came to happen. According to Bloomberg, Acreage Holdings says the ad was cut after a rough outline was provided; CBS, on the other hand, claims that CBS News asked to see the ad and the company never provided it. However, no matter how it went down, the truth is CBS wasn’t planning on airing the ad.

In a statement, CBS said, “Under out broadcast standards, we do not currently accept cannabis-related advertising.”

On top of being rejected by CBS, the NFL also has the option to reject Super Bowl ads and considering their current ban on players using medical marijuana, it seems unlikely they would allow an ad advocating the plant to be aired during their biggest game of the year. While the NFL itself is not a fan of medical marijuana, many players – both current and former – support legal medical marijuana access, and many former athletes advocate for (and have stakes in) the medical cannabis industry.

“We’re disappointed by the news but somewhat unsurprised,” Allen told CNN Business. “Still, we developed the ad in the spirit of a public service announcement. We feel it’s our responsibility to advocate on behalf of our patients.”

Now the internet is calling out CBS for their hypocrisy, pointing out the several ads we are likely to see for alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs while refusing to let a company advocate for a medicinal plant. Perhaps Acreage Holdings (or another cannabis company) will have better luck getting their message out through the most coveted television advertisement space in the next couple of years.


The Super Bowl Isn’t Ready for Cannabis Commercials Just Yet
Source: Marijuana Times

The Importance of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus

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Although there are many uncertainties surrounding the issue of marijuana law reform, there are some things we can be absolutely certain of. Federal-level reform is a must in the U.S.; that is one certainty. Another certainty is that 2019 is the best year yet to actually accomplish federal cannabis law reform.

Without a change in federal law, whatever states do in regards to changing cannabis policy will always be in imminent danger. Lawmakers will always use federal law as an excuse to do as little as possible.

Fortunately there is a group of stalwarts in the U.S. Congress that fight for progress on the marijuana law reform front. The Congressional Cannabis Caucus lost a couple of founding members with the departures of Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Jared Polis (D-CO) from the House of Representatives, but added new blood with the addition of Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA) and David Joyce (R-OH).

“The Cannabis Caucus was the first of its kind to create a forum for elected officials to collaborate on ways to address our outdated federal marijuana laws,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), another founding member of the caucus. “Congress is clearly out of step with the American people on cannabis when national support for federal marijuana legalization is at an all-time high and we saw several states move toward with legalization last November.”

Rep. Blumenauer – with the help of NORML – has made it easy for you to send a letter to your Representative that urges them to join the Cannabis Caucus. NORML and the Oregon Representative have also collaborated on several events designed to spread knowledge about cannabis.

“In the last session of Congress, NORML hosted a number of events in cooperation with our Cannabis Caucus, including regular policy briefings and bringing in unique perspectives such as travel writer Rick Steves, former US Attorneys Barry Grissom and Bill Nettles, and victims of criminalization as part of the inaugural Caucus event entitled ‘The Faces of Prohibition,’” Blumenauer said in an email press release. “Additionally, in a strong demonstration of grassroots advocacy, hundreds of NORML members who traveled from all around the country to meet with their federal officials moved us ever closer to our goals.”

Getting back to certainties, here’s another one: things move quickly when it comes to who holds power in Washington D.C. Every opportunity to advance cannabis legislation must be seized, and 2019 is a year that a lot can get done.


The Importance of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus
Source: Marijuana Times

California Highway Patrol Arrests Licensed Cannabis Delivery Drivers

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While one of the goals of legalizing cannabis is to drastically reduce the number of people arrested for possession of the plant, it unfortunately can’t put an end to all arrests. Though there are still crimes related to marijuana, especially illegal sales and transportation, not all arrests fall into perfect black and white categories, as is the case with two former California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers who were arrested after a traffic stop by current CHP.

“It appears the CHP will stop at nothing to disrupt the lawful and legal transport of items involved in the medicinal cannabis industry,” Barry and Clemann said in a press release.

Rich Barry and Brian Clemann – the former CHP officers – now own Wild Rivers Transport, which is a licensed cannabis transport business. At the time of the arrest they weren’t transporting cannabis, but were simply collecting a payment for cannabis oil when they were stopped. A police canine detected cannabis and the vehicle was searched.  

After identifying themselves as prior CHP officers the pair found themselves being arrested for suspicion of illegal possession of concealed firearms and possession of more than $100,000 derived from the unlawful sale, possession for sale, transportation or manufacturing of a controlled substance.

CHP spokeswoman Jaime Coffee said in an email interview that “in order to legally transport cannabis in California for commercial purposes, a person must possess the appropriate (Bureau of Cannabis Control) license and comply with the BCC administrative regulations.”

What this means is that Barry and Clemann did nothing illegal, since they are a licensed distribution business and they have said that they carried their license from the Bureau of Cannabis Control.

This arrest appears to have no basis. The only issue appears to stem from the fact that the CHP officers seem to have mistaken their identification as “prior” officers and instead heard “retired” officers, according to a press release where they were accused of calling themselves retired police officers. However, even at that, the arrests are for cannabis-related crimes that they were not even committing as they are a licensed business.

Kumin, the attorney representing Barry and Clemann, said in an email interview that “the fundamental issue here is whether the CHP is going to follow the will of the voters of California and the Legislature and stop cooperating with federal authorities in the ongoing federally instigated war on cannabis.”

The pair are suing the California Highway Patrol in San Francisco Superior Court, where they are hoping for a ruling that directs state and local governments not to interfere with the legal distribution of marijuana.


California Highway Patrol Arrests Licensed Cannabis Delivery Drivers
Source: Marijuana Times

How Long Should Legalization Take?

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Despite what you may think of when reading the title of this piece, I’m not talking about “legalization” as an abstract policy concept; I’m talking about the proposing, voting on and implementation of cannabis legalization in a specific state.

We’ll use New York as an example. By all accounts, the state of New York is on the precipice of approving recreational marijuana legalization. If all goes well, the legislature will pass a legalization bill and the Governor will sign it, kicking off a series of deadlines and meetings leading up to implementation.

But it’s not that simple. From The Associated Press:

While there’s broad agreement on the idea of legalization, there’s no consensus on a long list of details that must be figured out first.

Taxes and regulations must be approved. Rules for licensing retailers must be written. A new government entity may have to be created. Local governments will have to be brought in. Even after a bill passes, it could take a year or more for any pot shops to open, based on what’s happened in other states and New York’s own experience with medical marijuana.

It seems like a forgone conclusion that it takes a couple of years to pass and enact a legalization measure. It seems much of this delay comes from the still deep-seated belief held by many that cannabis is a dangerous substance that needs to be tightly restricted and heavily regulated, lest it get loose and destroy the very fabric of our society.

Things learned early are hard to forget. I remember D.A.R.E. I remember being pummeled verbally for a few years about how marijuana use leads to all manner of degeneracy and health problems. The remnants of the stigma around cannabis cause many to believe that legalization should be a few hundred pages of regulations covering every possible aspect of a theoretical industry; something that contains a clause for every contingency.

But what if it’s not? What if a state government just outlines what needs to happen, lets an industry develop, then reacts accordingly?

Yes, I know, that will lead to a “wild wild west” (an over-used phrase if ever there was one) of marijuana. Adults will be buying marijuana willy-nilly all over the place. And my question is: so what?

California was the “wild wild west” of marijuana for 20 years, and what happened? A lot of people grew, sold and consumed marijuana legally. That’s it. No one overdosed and died from marijuana. Millions of patients had better lives because they had easier access to their medicine. Yes, the horror…the horror.

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.

The horror.


How Long Should Legalization Take?
Source: Marijuana Times

The Faces in NYC Cannabis: Degelis Tufts

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States close to legalizing recreational marijuana consumption are seeing pushes for inclusive ownership. One of the main pillars of the inclusive industry effort is women-owned businesses. The fruits of the movement’s labor are starting to show. The emergence of women-owned ventures is on the rise across the country – including a growing number of entities owned by women of color.

In the Northeastern United States, New Jersey and New York are both poised to legalize adult use cannabis in the coming months. In New Jersey, its medical program expanded to six additional dispensary licenses – one of which went to a women-owned entity. Additionally, the Garden State’s proposed legalization bill has a minimum 25% mandate for businesses owned by women, minorities or veterans.

In New York State, one of five of its initial medical cannabis dispensary licenses went to a women-led business. That result has not been lost on those in the state. Numerous groups and individuals alike have pushed on lawmakers to prioritize ownership access to women, among others underrepresented in all other industries.

An Opportunity Born Out of the 2016 Election Cycle

For Degelis Tufts, the last election cycle showed her the potential for cannabis. The product creator, executive and former investment banking analyst knew it was a movement she wanted to become involved in. Tufts explained to The Marijuana Times, “I believed it was un-American to not have the right to choose to consume. For me, it is a freedom issue and representative of our core values as a country.”

Using her temporary metallic tattoo manufacturing company, TribeTats, Tufts began by producing funny cannabis-themed Christmas cards. Tufts explained that the cards served as an entry into the market by having a product to sell at events. Or, as her business partner Kym Byrnes (aka Kym B) says, “If you want to be in cannabis, you gotta show up.”

Together Tufts and Kym B launched a CBD lifestyle brand, TribeTokes, which offers full-spectrum CBD vape cartridges, beauty products and other items. In addition to selling their own products, TribeTokes runs a CBD marketplace on its website, CBDizzle, which offers CBD products from other brands as well. “The website supports smaller companies that deserve to have their amazing products showcased,” Tufts said.

Going against the sales grain, Tufts and TribeTokes aren’t exclusive to e-commerce. The company also boasts a showroom in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. “We view this as a way to create our own products as well as curate and support other brands we love,” Tufts told The Marijuana Times. In addition to product support, Tufts added how the location is close to organizations the company sponsors and participates in such as Revel, Women Grow and CannaGather.

The co-founders believe that they – and their customers – embody the company slogan, “Mindful, fit & lit”. However, that is not the extent of their goals. Instead, they aim to employ and support women in the cannabis community.

Navigating Consumer Education and Payment Processing

Informing the public about CBD and its benefits remains paramount across the industry. As such, educating people at industry events, online and in other capacities is a focal point for Tufts. She expanded on her position, “People are still learning what the uses of CBD are. On the recreational side, at least, there is not much confusion about what marijuana is used for.”

In addition to emphasizing the cannabinoid’s non-psychoactive properties, Tufts described how CBD should be viewed. “CBD should be incorporated into everyday life,” adding that “CBD should not be a supplement – it should be part of a lifestyle.”

Additionally, TirbeTokes struggles with banking like most businesses in the space. Thanks to section 280-E of the federal tax code, banking is all but impossible for cannabis businesses. Tufts calls the banking and payment processing woes “something on every entrepreneur’s list of pain points.”

Cannabis in New York City

Tufts noted her fondness for being in New York City’s cannabis community for a variety of reasons. “The community is educated, conscious and growing rapidly,” she stated. It doesn’t hurt that the city loves to consume cannabis. So much so that Tufts recalled a Seedo study which found New York City consumed more marijuana than any other city in the world.

That said, the entrepreneur called for more business in the state, noting the hurdles caused by federal and state regulations. Tufts offered up a solution: “We need more ancillary cannabis companies to be incentivized to open here in New York.” Tufts said the move would create additional jobs and revenue, creating a “win-win for all in New York City.”

Beyond business, Tufts makes it a point to go back to the community when stating her case for the city. Calling it “an exciting time”, she credits the numerous organizations and events that allow for education and networking to thrive.

Tufts made sure to give credit to the women in the space who are progressing the scene in New York City. She mentioned names like Lulu Tsui of Revel, Joann Bauer of Hidden Hemp and Estefania Valenica of Sanna CBD Yoga, just to name a few. “Each of these women is part of the ending of prohibition and will be part of history in New York City.”

Degelis Tufts saw an opportunity which aligned with her American values. In short order, she has been able to scale a business and become immersed in the cannabis community. With New York State poised to legalize recreational use in early 2019, Tufts’ call for additional ancillary companies could come to fruition. When it does, there is no doubt that she will be pushing for inclusive ownership.


The Faces in NYC Cannabis: Degelis Tufts
Source: Marijuana Times

Medical Marijuana Legislation Introduced in Kentucky

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A new year brings a new effort to pass medical cannabis legislation in Kentucky. The path is often hard, but the momentum has built year after year and many think this is the year that substantial progress will be made on medical marijuana in the Bluegrass State.

Legislation filed recently could provide the access that so many in the state desperately need. “There are 40,000 – 60,000 Kentuckians who have little to no relief provided by traditional medicine for symptoms of debilitating illnesses,” Diane St. Onge, a Kentucky State Representative (R-Ft. Wright) and one of the sponsors of medical marijuana in Frankfort, told The Marijuana Times. “Their quality of life is severely compromised. Often they take upwards of 30 pills a day which interact with each other rendering the patients unable to drive, to work, to function in anything other than a highly compromised world.”

For Diane, the time for medical legalization has come. “Medicinal marijuana has been legalized in 33 states. It is time for legislators to do the will of 82% of Kentuckians – Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike – and offer an alternative remedy to the pain these Kentuckians face day in and day out. HB 136 provides for a highly structured, regulated and licensed framework, within which those qualified individuals in a bonafide doctor/patient relationship, can become eligible for a medical marijuana card.”

Allowing people access to the medicine of their choice doesn’t seem like a battle that should be necessary. Those who oppose medical cannabis will tell you that they are simply looking out for patients and that they are protecting them from themselves. But who has more right to decide what you ingest than you do?

More than anything else, the fear and stigma that surrounds marijuana needs to be overcome in states like Kentucky. What else would account for the hesitancy on the part of many lawmakers when it comes to advancing medical cannabis reform measures? Every year patients from all over the state descend on Frankfort and plead their case, and every year they are denied relief.

Who is harmed if a doctor recommends that a patient use cannabis? I can certainly show you who is harmed if a doctor is not allowed to make that recommendation.

Rep. St. Onge told us she believes that HB 136 would pass if it made it to a vote on the House floor. “There is also some support for medical marijuana in the Senate and as we allay fears with references as to how these have been addressed by this bill, we gain more support daily,” she said.

Hopefully 2020 will be the year the legislature gathers to improve the medical marijuana bill passed this year. Patients cannot wait any longer, and there is really no good reason to make them do so.


Medical Marijuana Legislation Introduced in Kentucky
Source: Marijuana Times

Ohio Medical Cannabis Dispensaries Officially Open

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Medical cannabis dispensaries in Ohio officially sold the first legal plant medicine this week. According to a report from Ohio 10 TV, four dispensaries were open for the first day of sales. This is good news for patients in need of cannabis medicine, but the state’s program is definitely not without its fair share of complications.

The state government has issued over 56 licenses to dispensaries, but unfortunately, only four of those were open this week – two in Wintersville, one in Canton, and one in Sandusky. A dispensary in the Cleveland area also expects to open within the next few days, according to Ohio 10 TV.

And only cannabis growers are currently licensed and certified to operate. Processing and manufacturing facilities for cannabis will still have to wait longer to be licensed, which is naturally causing some challenges. The medical program in Ohio currently allows for physicians to recommend patients use medical cannabis if they have one of 21 qualifying conditions. At this time, only cannabis flowers are being sold. Edibles, vape pens and tinctures will be available for purchase once the processing centers are open and operating.

As we are seeing with other legal states, the prices of the first legal cannabis being sold in Ohio are sky-high. An ounce of cannabis in Ohio medical cannabis dispensaries costs an astronomical $500. This, of course, isn’t including what it costs to see a doctor for a recommendation, and any costs for a medical card itself. This is a shame, because such high costs encourage the black market to flourish.

In addition to the high costs of the product itself, the medical cannabis program in Ohio has been delayed several times. Cannabis sales were initially slated to being last September, but regulators say that the quality of license applicants was lacking. Ohio Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, a cannabis legalization advocate, made a public statement criticizing the regulatory officials in the state for delaying sales and making patients wait for the cannabis medicine they need. He says that the number of dispensaries and processor licenses needs to continue to grow, creating “An opportunity for the new governor to do right by people who are suffering,” he said.

Yuko went on to urge Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to prioritize the growth of the medical cannabis program in the state. At any rate, at least some Ohio patients are finally given access to the medicine that they need and have been waiting for, and hopefully the program continues to expand successfully.


Ohio Medical Cannabis Dispensaries Officially Open
Source: Marijuana Times

Cuomo Unveils Cannabis Legalization Plan for New York State

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s long pivot towards cannabis legalization came to a head at the close of 2018. In mid-December, the Governor who once considered cannabis a gateway drug announced his emphasis on legalizing adult-use cannabis in the state. Cuomo went so far as to call on lawmakers to legalize marijuana within a busy first 100 days of the Governor’s third term in office.

Well over 60% of New Yorkers support legalization for scores of reasons. For Governor Cuomo, the reason is mainly driven by criminal justice reform. The move would be part of a proposed justice agenda that also focuses on stronger gun control laws.

Since the announcement, New Yorkers have waited to learn more about the proposed cannabis plan. On Tuesday, January 15th, the Governor released additional information about his administration’s plans during his State of the State address. The excitement was clearly felt right at the top when the Governor opened by proclaiming that 2019 was going to be a great year.

Cuomo’s plan centers on an environmental plan referred to as the Green New Deal. This is not to be confused with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal. Though, both plans do have overlap when it comes to environmental.  

The Governor’s plan to legalize adult-use cannabis hopes to come within the first 100 days of the year. However, a jam-packed agenda consisting of, but not limited to, women’s equal rights, criminal justice reform, broadband internet for all and election reform could bog down the efforts.

“Stop the disproportionate impact on communities of color,” the Governor emphatically said while highlighting the plan. He added, “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.”

About an hour into the address, the Governor would elaborate on his adult-use program plans. Citing the findings of reviews the Governor launched last year, Cuomo called for a regulated market for adults 21 and over. Once again, an emphasis was placed on empowering poor communities instead of rich entities. Cuomo called this “an economic opportunity.”

Cuomo went on to touch on a few key topics of the plan. Highlighting the list was once again criminal justice reform. With legalization, communities of color should feel less of an impact concerning criminalization; which currently affects these communities at rates of 8:1 to white communities despite similar usage rates. The plan also aims to correct some past wrongs in the justice system by automatically sealing certain cannabis arrest records.

The plan also believes that it will provide quality control to a market that can only regulate medical cannabis consumption under the current laws. It was also announced that counties and large cities could opt out of the program. This option has not sat well with some State Senators. In a tweet, Julia Salazar, representing the state’s 18th District, called the option unacceptable.

Closing out this portion of the address, Governor Cuomo projected the state would earn $300 million in tax revenue, though no timeline was specified. The plan should also create “good union jobs that we need”, according to Cuomo, though no numbers were projected during the address.

Watch the full State of the State address below:

Some had hoped that Cuomo would use the address to speak more to specifics related to the program. That said, a packed agenda left the Governor little time to go in-depth on most topics during the nearly hour and a half speech. However, more details were made available in the Governor’s fiscal year 2020 executive budget financial plan.

Provisions include the enactment of the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act which would tax $1 per dry weight gram of flower cultivated and $.25 per dry weight gram of trim. A second 20% tax would be imposed on a wholesalers invoice to retail dispensaries. Wholesalers also face a 2% tax on the same sale “but collected in trust for and on account of the county in which the retail dispensary is located.”

Ryan Lepore, a Business Operations Specialist for the telemedicine company PrestoDoctor thought that “Cuomo was very vague in his approach to unveiling the program – though the summary was on the correct track.” He added, “The devil is in the details with any new program or system, especially with something as complicated as an adult-use cannabis program.”

The prospects for legalization appear to be in the state’s favor. With Massachusetts already luring New Yorkers across the border for legal cannabis, the pressure is on. With the impending legalization in New Jersey, New York lawmakers understand that a significant sum of money will be lost as long as the state is bookended by neighboring legal states.

Speaking of state lawmakers, legalization hopes received a significant boost when the 2019 session of Congress began. For the first time since 2010, Democrats gained full control of the state government. This should all but ensure that New York’s agenda for cannabis and several other subjects remains progressive until, at the very least, the next elections are held.

Governor Cuomo’s insistence on cannabis reform is a stark contrast from the Governor of just a year or two ago. However, the change has cannabis near the top of the list of priorities during his third term as Governor. Passing the law within the first 100 days could be difficult with a large sum of high-priority legislation on deck. That said, cannabis legislation means criminal justice reform and additional income for the state. It is likely that the multiple benefits associated won’t be lost on Cuomo or other state lawmakers. Only time will tell if this comes to fruition in the first 100 days or in 2019 at all.


Cuomo Unveils Cannabis Legalization Plan for New York State
Source: Marijuana Times

Michigan Sees A Shortage of Medical Cannabis So Unlicensed Facilities Are Re-opened

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At the beginning of the year Michigan legislature required that all non-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries shut down until proper licensing is obtained. Unfortunately, the closing of over 70 dispensaries left very few with their doors open to patients. This, in turn, abruptly left many patients without access to their medicine.

Last Wednesday, the Medical Marihuana Licensing Board agreed in a unanimous 4-0 vote to allow dispensaries that are in the process of applying for a license and have a local buy-in to re-open their doors – at least until March 31st.

“We have heard from Michiganders closely affected by the ongoing transition to licensed marijuana facilities,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a news release Tuesday. “It is important that we ensure that patients have access to their medicine while the medical marijuana industry continues to develop.”

Along with the lack of open dispensaries, 72 unlicensed provisioning centers were closed at the start of the year and there are not enough established licensed growers in the state. All of this has led to an extreme shortage of product. Regulators have now put temporary regulations in place in an effort to fix this problem, allowing licensed provisioning centers to continue buying marijuana from a caregiver or temporarily operating facility and sell it without testing it until March 31st.

“There is a shortage of supply in the market because there are only a handful of licensed growers in Michigan,” Jeff Schroder with law firm Plunkett Cooney said. “This would allow dispensaries and retail provisioning centers to purchase their quantities from caregivers again.”

However, patients are required to sign an acknowledgement that states that the product has not met complete testing requirements before they are able to purchase it. As it stands now, there are nearly 300,000 medical marijuana cardholders in the state of Michigan. For several years they have been purchasing their medical marijuana from local dispensaries that get their product from unlicensed growers or even local caregivers – so most of them are frustrated with the less than smooth transition to a more regulated market.

“I think it’s a step forward,” said The Reef’s Rush Hassan. “It’s definitely a short term solution but it does open up patient access for these products.”

Until the medical marijuana industry in the state is functioning optimally, it will be almost impossible to successfully roll out the recreational industry that was legalized in November 2018. Hopefully by the time these temporary regulations expire at the end of March there will be enough licenses for the industry to properly sustain itself.


Michigan Sees A Shortage of Medical Cannabis So Unlicensed Facilities Are Re-opened
Source: Marijuana Times

Is Medical Marijuana Denial the New Flat Earth?

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No matter how many people say something is true, there will always be a segment of the population that will deny the truth of it no matter what evidence they are shown. To be clear, there is something to be said for a healthy amount of skepticism; humanity wouldn’t have lasted long without it.

But the stalwart denial of something in the face of overwhelming evidence goes beyond mere skepticism. In most cases, it doesn’t matter on a practical level. For instance, if people gather in groups online and in real life to discuss why they believe the Earth is flat, it really doesn’t affect anyone else. Prohibitions haven’t been enacted by governments over adult human beings based on Flat Earth. People haven’t gone to jail for thinking the Earth is round and acting accordingly.

Marijuana, however, was prohibited by those who claimed it had no worth and was dangerous for people to use. For their own good, citizens had to be barred from possessing, growing, selling or consuming cannabis.

While much of this has been wiped away, there still remain to this day people who claim that cannabis has no medical value. I’m not talking about government officials who say that because the only substances they will admit are medicine are those that are FDA-approved; I’m talking about people who really believe that every person who claims to have medical ailments alleviated by cannabis use is either delusional or lying because they are trying to justify their urge to get high.

Is this group of people small? Maybe so, relatively speaking. But they each have a vote and many of them also have deep pockets and they use those deep pockets to fight legalization measures across the country.

Sadly, all it would take for these people to see their error is for someone they know to get sick and be helped by medical cannabis. It happens all the time. But some refuse to see. The evidence is there, even if they don’t see what medical marijuana can do on a personal level. Studies show people using cannabis to get off prescription painkillers, and there are studies that show cannabis use being effective for treating pain, nausea and a myriad of other ailments.

But beyond the studies are the millions of people who will tell you that they use cannabis to help with medical problems – millions of people who are able to function because cannabis exists. Telling those people that you think marijuana has no medical value makes you sound like a moron.

And if you truly believe that cannabis has no medical value, maybe moron is the best word to use to describe you. Perhaps your absolute refusal to look deeper into an issue you espouse an opinion on brings you the ridicule you deserve.


Is Medical Marijuana Denial the New Flat Earth?
Source: Marijuana Times