California recreational cannabis laws could stall sales ... New restrictions on CBD ... Santa Rosa extraction firm now legal ... Petitions, Health, and more.
LEGISLATION
Recreational pot might be delayed // The Cannifornian
“Right when it seems like ‘The Great Pot Moment’ is upon us, it turns out there are a lot of really tough regulatory issues to resolve first, according to government and industry experts who sketched out all the thorny challenges at the two-day [Emerald Cup] conference, competition and harvest celebration at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds [last weekend].
[Editor’s note: See related story under Event heading.]
New CBD rules issued by DEA // KRCR-TV
Cannabidiol (CBD) has a new identification code from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It went into effect yesterday.
“This means that any cannabis extract, other than separated resin, that contains one or more cannabinoids falls under the code 7350 and is now a Schedule 1 substance, meaning it cannot cross state lines.” CBD has shown to be helpful in treating childhood epilepsy, among other ailments.
Rural Sonoma County now a “no-grow zone” // North Bay Business Journal
“Sonoma County supervisors on Tuesday rejected a proposal to allow small-scale growers to farm marijuana in any rural residential zones outside city limits,” but “voted to approve a broader, far-reaching land-use ordinance regulating marijuana cultivation, both indoors and outdoors, on agricultural and industrial zones across the county.”
Livermore might allow dispensaries // East Bay Times
“During an informal discussion Monday night, the City Council agreed to continue working toward drafting new rules to drop the ban in 2017, and to license at least one dispensary in an industrial area away from homes and schools.”
Patients petition DEA over “incorrect statements” // The Leaf online
The complaint calls for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to update or remove statements from its website “that do not meet informational standards required by the law.”
Petition calls for removal of cannabis from Schedule 1 classification // Petitions.whitehouse.gov
“President Obama, we urge that you direct the Attorney General to de-schedule cannabis (remove from Controlled Substance Act scheduling) immediately.
“This petition is initiated by Patients Out of Time, for more information on our Resolution to De-schedule Cannabis visit www.PatientsOutofTime.org.”
COPS & COURTS
Santa Rosa extraction plant back in business // Press Democrat
“CannaCraft this week received a final level of approval from the city of Santa Rosa to run its multimillion-dollar enterprise, making it the first in the city — and among only a handful of companies statewide — to receive local authorization to manufacture marijuana-infused products for medicinal use.
“The Santa Rosa plant is the largest cannabis extraction and manufacturing facility in the state, said Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Association, a Sacramento trade group.”
BUSINESS
Entire Mendo Small Farmers Assn. board resigns // mendovoioce.com
Citing an abuse of responsibility and power, “[t]he entire Board of Directors of the Small Farmers Association (SFA), a cannabis farmer advocacy group, resigned last month.” See specifics at the bottom of this article.
Reminder: cannabis use at work still illegal // L.A. Times
“Recreational use of marijuana is now legal in California, but the new law states that employers still have the right to maintain a drug- and alcohol-free workplace and can keep policies that prohibit the use of cannabis by employees and prospective workers."
HEALTH
Stanford study: dispensary staff don’t know much // motherboard.vice.com
“Led by clinical psychologists at Stanford University, the new study found that many dispensary staffers have had little to no training that would allow them to recommend types of weed to their patients in a responsible and informed manner. It is the first study to systematically look at the characteristics and practices of dispensary staff, otherwise known as ‘bud tenders.’”
EVENT
Emerald Cup breaks its own records // SFGate.com
“Basically the Emerald Cup has become the hot center of the cannabis universe. You’re seeing the best-judged competition, the best entries, and really the community in Northern California come together.” Thousands of enthusiasts jammed the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa last weekend for the event.
[New content is generally posted on Friday.]