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Cannabis News Roundup: Congress, cops, courts and conferences

By Pixabay user typogrraphyimages. Licensed under Creative Commons CC0/cropped.
Untitled

Congress considers cannabis ... Marin blocks marijuana in county ... Dangerous pathogens found in medical cannabis ... Two conferences ... and more.

LEGISLATION

Congressional bill would split CBD from cannabis definition // ireadculure.com

A bill was introduced to the House of Representatives on January 27 that could change the future of medical cannabis in the United States. H.R. 715, also known as the Compassionate Access Act, aims to decriminalize cannabidiol (CBD) by excluding it from the definition of “marihuana.” H.R. 715 also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services alongside the Institute of the National Academy of Sciences officially recommend for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I.”

Group sues DEA over hemp classification // ireadculure.com

Hemp is not a drug, says the Hemp Industries Association, so the Drug Enforcement Administration should remove its Schedule 1 drug classification.

COPS & COURTS

Marin says no to recreational marijuana in county //KCBS-TV

The county board took less than five minutes this week to unanimously “ban non-medical marijuana business activities in the unincorporated areas of the county.” The board wants to focus on medical dispensaries in the coming months.

Los Angeles goes after illegal dispensaries, extends ban // NBC Los Angeles

“The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to extend a ban on the cultivation, manufacture, processing, testing, transportation and retail sale of medical and non-medical marijuana in unincorporated areas until a comprehensive regulatory framework can be put in place.

“The board also asked the county's lawyers to work with the district attorney to shut down 70 dispensaries illegally operating in unincorporated areas.”

Officer in infamous Santa Ana dispensary raid may get his job back // Voice of OC

“A split Santa Ana City Council voted Tuesday to ask a court to block the reinstatement of a police officer who was fired after allegedly committing crimes during a raid of a local pot shop. ...

A video released by the pot shop’s attorneywent viral and became a public relations nightmare for a department beset with officer misconduct issues.”

HEALTH

“Very serious” pathogens found on medical pot // KPIX-TV

“’We sometimes see 20 or 30 percent of our samples coming through the lab significantly contaminated with molds,” said [Dr. Donald] Land, who had plenty of experience finding mold and fungus strains.’”

“I need a drink” being replaced by “Pass the vape pen” // The Cannifornian

According to a recent survey, more and more Californians with medical marijuana prescriptions are trading in their after-work glass of vino for the drug, often in vaporized form — something advocates say offers a convenient and tailored amount of pot.”

EVENTS

Conference offers wide range of speakers // The Leaf Online

Gavin Newsom, Tommy Chong, Henry Rollins and Lori Ajax: you may never again see these experts, entertainers and policymakers together.  They and others are on the program next Friday (2/17) in San Francisco at the International Cannabis Business Conference.

Law seminar to focus on new California rules // NORML

The one-day seminar (2/18) in Oakland “will cover criminal and civil aspects of the MCRSA medical marijuana law and the AUMA recreational law,” as well as local land use regulations, DUI/DUID, and tax law.”

IN OTHER NEWS        

Colorado preparing guidelines for growing // The Cannifornian

“There’s no shortage of how-to books catering to pot growers both in and out of the black market, but Colorado’s forthcoming guidebook aims to apply established agronomy practices to the production of marijuana,” a first by a government agency.

New report on cannabis in Colorado is “encouraging” // The Leaf online

“Colorado experienced ‘encouraging trends’ including a significant drop in ‘marijuana-related’ ER visits in recent years, as awareness about edibles has grown, as well as a decrease in marijuana-related calls to poison centers and unintentional exposures in children.

“This is significant because Colorado is the state with the longest experience in legal adult use, home cultivation and regulated commercial access. Voters legalizes marijuana there in 2012 via ballot measure 64.”

Nine ways federal cannabis laws might impact you // OC Register

Several states have regulated marijuana, but it’s still a federal crime to possess. And that could affect users, ranging from housing to gun ownership.