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[kayapharmacy]

The Potent Power of THC-O-Acetate: Unveiling the Secrets of the Cannabinoid

In the realm of cannabis potency, where THC crystals can already reach nearly 100 per cent THC, a new contender has emerged. THC-O-acetate, a psychoactive cannabinoid, is said to be two to three times stronger than the THC we are familiar with. Surprisingly, THC-O-acetate is derived from Vape Buddys THC, much like heroin is derived from morphine. In this article, we will delve into the intriguing world of THC-O-acetate and explore its history, effects, and current state of research surrounding this enigmatic compound.

History of THC-O-Acetate Use

Unveiling the Potential of THC-O-Acetate: The Secret Cannabinoid 300% More Potent Than THC

THC-O-acetate, as its name suggests, is the acetate ester of Buddie Carts THC. Although research on this cannabinoid is limited, a few studies were conducted between 1950 and 1980, shedding some light on its properties.

Technically, THC acetate is not classified as a scheduled substance. However, it could be considered an analogue of Delta-9 THC. The Federal Analogue Act of 1986 rendered all THC analogues federally illegal. The current status of THC-O's legality under this act remains uncertain.

From 1949 to 1975, the U.S. Army Chemical Corps conducted experiments at the Edgewood Arsenal facility in Maryland. They used Cart Buddy Vape THC acetate ester on dogs to explore its potential as a non-lethal incapacitating agent. The researchers discovered that THC-O-acetate had double the ability to disrupt the muscle coordination of dogs compared to delta-9 THC.

According to Donald A. Cooper from the DEA, THC-O-acetate was first encountered by the administration in 1978. That year, THC-O-acetate extracts were discovered in Jacksonville, Florida.

Since that initial encounter, the DEA laboratories have not encountered another sample of this acetate compound. There were discussions regarding classifying it as a controlled substance analogue, but the suggestion was eventually dropped when it was deemed an isolated incident.

The production of this cannabis concentrate involves a Soxhlet extractor. Cooper noted that the THC-O-acetate found by the DEA was produced using the same technique used to transform morphine into heroin.

"The extract had been acetylated with acetic anhydride, and in the final step, the excess acetic anhydride removed by distillation. The product contained neither quantities of nonderivatized cannabinoid nor any identifiable plant fragments."

Outside of the United States, a notable case was reported in June 1995 in the United Kingdom, where an individual who used D. Gold's book, "Cannabis Alchemy," to create THC acetate was convicted. Interestingly, the book mentions that adding the acetate structure to THC increases its weight by 25 per cent.

Effects of THC-O-Acetate

"The effects of the acetate are more spiritual and psychedelic compared to the ordinary product. The most distinctive property of this compound is the approximately 30-minute delay before its effects manifest," explained Cooper.

This delay can be attributed to THC-O-acetate being a prodrug of THC, requiring enzymatic deacetylation in our bodies for the Are Buddies Carts Good THC to become active enough to produce effects.

A review of the active constituents of the cannabis plant revealed that natural THC acetate was roughly twice as potent as natural THC derived from cannabidiol.

Michael Stark, in his published book "Marijuana Chemistry: Genetics, Processing, Potency," asserts that THC-O-acetate is 300 per cent stronger than the psychoactive THC we are accustomed to.

Final Hit: THC-O-Acetate

Obtaining THC acetate is not as straightforward as extracting something like butane hash oil. The process involving acetic anhydride is highly corrosive and as flammable as gasoline. Furthermore, it may also affect other solvents that are dangerous to handle. Given the complexity and hazards associated with its production, only a few individuals are manufacturing THC-O-acetate. Therefore, it is unlikely to find THC-O-acetate on the shelves of your local dispensaries. The legal status of THC-O-acetate remains unclear, and it is uncertain whether its presence in urine would yield a positive result in drug tests. As research on THC-O-acetate is still limited, we eagerly await further accessibility and exploration of this intriguing compound.

Conclusion

THC-O-acetate stands as a formidable competitor in the world of cannabis potency. With its claimed potency surpassing conventional THC, this mysterious cannabinoid has piqued the interest of researchers and enthusiasts alike. By understanding its history, effects, and challenges surrounding its production, we can pave the way for future research and exploration into the potential benefits and risks associated with THC-O-acetate. As the veil is slowly lifted on this enigmatic compound, we anticipate exciting developments that shed more light on its remarkable properties.

#california #marijuana #weed

[kayapharmacy]

Santa Monica Welcomes First Medical Cannabis Dispensary as Industry Expands

Only two dispensaries hold licenses for medical cannabis retail in Santa Monica, California.

Exploring Santa Monica's Medical Cannabis Market

Though delivery services and dozens of dispensaries are open close by, steps away in Venice and surrounding areas, Santa Monica, California's first medical cannabis dispensary with a permit, will open.

Limited Permits in Santa Monica's Thriving Cannabis Market

Though Santa Monica falls smack dab in the middle of "America's largest legal weed market," the McReynolds firm reports that The City of Santa Monica "severely limits" the number of medicinal cannabis retailer permits. Currently, the City has only issued two licenses for medical cannabis retail.

Local Cannabis Company Leads the Way |  Buddies Vape

The Santa Monica Daily Press reports that Local Cannabis Company, owned by Massachusetts-based Calyx Peak, will be the City's first permitted Buddy Carts dispensary. It's also Calyx Peak's first opening an outlet west of Kansas City, Missouri.

Long-Awaited Opening of Santa Monica's First Cannabis Dispensary

Santa Monica, California's first cannabis dispensary, opened last week, six years after the application was requested in December 2017. The permit was granted over a year ago, in October 2021.

"It's six years on from when they decided to do this, and look where the market for cannabis is right now," CEO of Calyx Peak Erin Carachilo said. "And not a lot of people have medical cards because they don't need them anymore. Since we've opened, we've only had about a 20 percent conversion rate. I think it's closer to 10 percent, but you can see how far off that is. It's people just not wanting to wait."

Second Dispensary in the Works

Harvest of Santa Monica—a second dispensary planned at 1416 Wilshire Blvd—was also approved in January 2022, but that hasn't taken shape yet.

Santa Monica and Cannabis Regulations

The City of Santa Monica currently allows medical dispensaries with limited on-site cultivation and light manufacturing operations requiring no volatile solvents. Medical cannabis manufacturing, testing, distribution, and standalone commercial cultivation are prohibited.

Tax Approval for Cannabis Businesses

Last November, joining dozens of other communities in California, Santa Monica voters approved Measure HMP with a 66.79% "yes" vote to implement taxes for non-medical cannabis retailers, medical retailers, and all other licensed cannabis businesses. Cannabis-related measures in Claremont, Cudahy, Lynwood, and South El Monte also passed.

Santa Monica's Measure HMP is unique in that it includes retailers of products containing all psychoactive cannabinoids—i.e. cannabinoids derived from industrial hemp.

Discussion on Market Expansion |  Wholesale Carts Vape

But city lawmakers are currently discussing the possibility of growth in the market. However, one issue is that many medical cannabis patients in California stopped getting their medical cannabis recommendations because the same products are legal for adults 21 and over without an annual fee.

"We've got the doors open, so that's a start, then we'll look at how to change this thing. We should be able to do both medical and regular sales. Medical customers should have access to medicine and shouldn't have to pay the same taxes; I 100 percent believe that," Carachilo said.

Advocating for Adult-Use Cannabis

"Calyx Peak Chief Corporate Development Officer Howard Keum told the Santa Monica Daily Press that 'Santa Monica is still working off the antiquated medical-only rules,' adding that it's time for the City to get up to speed and graduate to adult-use cannabis possibilities."

Grand Opening of Local Cannabis Company

The Local Cannabis Company is at 925 Wilshire Blvd. The dispensary's official grand opening will be held on Saturday, 24 June.

As the cannabis industry grows and evolves, Santa Monica welcomes its first medical Dab Carts In Bulk cannabis dispensary, signalling a shift in the City's approach to cannabis retail. With limited permits and discussions about expanding the market, Santa Monica aims to adapt to the changing landscape and meet the needs of both medical and adult-use consumers. The grand opening of the Local Cannabis Company signifies an exciting milestone for Santa Monica's residents and visitors interested in exploring the world of medical cannabis.

#california #colorado #weed dispensary #marijuana dispensary

[kayapharmacy]

Jerry Garcia’s Grateful Dead cannabis brand is leaving California

Jerry Garcia is one of California's most iconic pot smokers. Born in San Francisco, Garcia led the Grateful Dead for 30 years as the city became an international beacon of the counterculture. He did it all while casually and openly smoking weed. His pot pipe is considered an artifact of California cannabis and thc Krt Carts history.

But even the iconic Jerry Garcia name couldn't survive California's turbulent legal pot market.

The Garcia Hand Picked brand, launched by the deceased musician's family in 2020, has pulled out of the state, a spokesperson confirmed to SFGATE. Garcia's exit comes as cannabis insiders predict a "mass extinction event" for California's pot and thc  Lions Carts industry, with thousands of companies expected to go out of business this year.

Andrew DeAngelo, a cannabis consultant and former owner of Harborside, one of the state's pioneering medical cannabis dispensaries, said the Garcia brand probably learned the same thing that all of California's pot and thc  Muha Meds Carts companies have realized: "You can't make any money in this market."

"Not only is Garcia leaving, a lot of people are leaving," DeAngelo told SFGATE. "It's a real shame that California is losing out. We're losing out on jobs and economic activity and other places are benefiting from that."

Like most celebrity brands, Garcia selected who to contract out its cannabis, growing and manufacturing to partner companies and then stamped Jerry Garcia's face on the packaging. The company said they are looking for a new cannabis or thc Orchid Vape supplier but declined to be interviewed for this story. It did not elaborate on how long the brand would be on hiatus in California. Garcia Hand Picked is still available in five other states.

"We're taking a pause in California. We want to ensure CA consumers have the highest quality flower for the long term, so we are in the process of choosing a new local partner for cultivation, production, sales and distribution of Garcia Hand Picked in CA," a spokesperson from Holistic Industries, the brand's parent company, said in an email to SFGATE.

California's cannabis and thc  Pure One Carts industry has faced substantial economic hurdles in its first four years of legal sales. The state's complicated cannabis regulations and high taxes add costs to legal operators, while widespread illegal farms and retailers undercut legitimate companies. Limited access to banking means these companies pay exorbitant fees for simple banking services and have almost no access to loans. Federal law blocks pot companies from deducting most business taxes from their federal taxes, making pot businesses pay an effective federal tax rate as high as 80%.

These factors have made California a painful place to run a legal pot business. Most small legacy cannabis farms are on their way out of business, and even the country's most prominent cannabis/ vape companies such as Rove carts are leaving the state. 'This is very painful for them.'

Nearly a dozen states had legalized cannabis by the time Jerry Garcia's surviving family decided to start a pot brand built around the Grateful Dead front man, who died of a heart attack in 1995. But the Garcias chose to launch their brand in California, where Jerry was born, spearheaded an artistic movement, and died.

The Golden State featured prominently in that initial launch. An air-stream painted with swirling psychedelic colors crisscrossed the state in late 2020, announcing the new brand. Esquire profiled the family as they smoked a bong in Oakland and asked, "If Jerry Garcia were a kind of weed, what would the high feel like?" The family told Esquire they were planning on opening a Jerry Garcia-themed cannabis consumption lounge at a dispensary in San Francisco, which never materialized.

But there's now only one jar of Garcia Hand Picked available in San Francisco, according to Weedmaps, and there's no sign that any more will return to the Bay Area. DeAngelo, who said he did some early consulting work for Garcia Hand Picked but is no longer involved with the brand, saying leaving California was probably hard on the family.

"This was a hard decision for them, they love California," DeAngelo said. "They were born and bred here. This is very painful for them, I guarantee that."

Eli Melrod, the CEO and co-founder of the Soulful dispensary chain, which deal in thc Wonka Oil said the brand's exit from California was a sign of a struggle for even good cannabis brands to make money in the state.

"California is probably the most competitive cannabis market in the country, it is a market where there are a lot of brands fighting for shelf space," Melrod told SFGATE. "I think for some folks the margins and the challenges in California make it better for them to focus on other states."

The brand is still for sale in Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Oregon. It offers a range of cannabis flowers, thc carts  Big Chief Carts , pre-rolled joints, and colorful pot-infused gummies shaped like guitar picks. Its packaging features Jerry Garcia's face connected to swirling, psychedelic colors, akin to Milton Glasser's iconic 1966 poster of Bob Dylan.

Melrod said he usually doesn't sell celebrity brands at his stores because most celebrities have poor-quality products, but Garcia was different. He said they had good cannabis grown by some of the state's best outdoor cannabis growers, like Moon Made Farms and Sonoma Hills Farms.

"We start from a place of skepticism because we've seen a lot of celebrity brands launch in cannabis that are really just basically a celebrity name on a product that is marked up," Melrod told SFGATE. "We really appreciated the approach that the Garcia Hand Picked team took to sourcing. They worked with a lot of great legacy farmers in the Emerald Triangle."

The Garcia brand's departure also signifies that customers are tired of celebrity pot brands. There are so many famous people selling weed that even rock stars are noticing that it might not be an accessible business to invest. David Crosby told the Los Angeles Times last year that he wanted to start his pot brand but said, "Celebrity brands didn't turn out to work nearly as well as anyone thought they were gonna."Can we say Buddha Bear Carts ?

Indeed, Garcia Hand Picked isn't even the first Grateful Dead pot brand. Drummer Mickey Hart launched his pre-rolled joint brand called Mind your Head in 2019, although that brand also appears to be on hiatus. Its website is down, and a brand representative could be contacted for this story.

Garcia Hand Picked and Mind Your Head could return to the state, but Deadheads in California will have to get by without smoking any cannabis blessed by the legendary band.

#politics #cannbis #media #culture

[kayapharmacy]

Lawmakers want investigation, hearings into ‘Wild West’ of California cannabis and farm work

California lawmakers are calling for a sweeping investigation into corruption in the state's cannabis and thc Big Chief Carts industry, legislative hearings on farm workers' exploitation and new laws to thwart labour trafficking in response to revelations of rampant abuses and worker deaths in a multibillion-dollar market that has become increasingly unmanageable.

The proposals follow a series of Times investigations last year showing that California's 2016 legalization of recreational cannabis spurred political corruption, explosive growth in illegal cultivation, unlicensed thc Buddha Bear Carts and widespread exploitation of workers. The Times found wage theft rampant, and many workers were subjected to squalid, sometimes lethal conditions.

A spokesperson for the state's Department of Industrial Relations told The Times last week that the agency is examining the deaths of 32 cannabis and thc  Buddies carts farm workers — never reported to work safety regulators — uncovered by the newspaper.

"We should be a little bit ashamed that we've allowed this helter-skelter approach to commercializing and legalizing the cannabis industry," said Sen. Dave Cortese, a San Jose Democrat who leads the Senate Labor Committee. Cortese called California's cannabis market the "Wild, Wild West."

Cortese and Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) said they are discussing an agenda for legislative hearings this spring on the plight of workers on all types of California farms. But they said the abuse and exploitation chronicled in The Times's investigation, "Legal Weed, Broken Promises," highlights the hazards for those who labour in cannabis and thc  Cali Plug Carts fields.

Assembly member Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) said she intends to resurrect legislation to fight labour trafficking that was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and to include a mechanism to ensure that the state Department of Cannabis Control acts on evidence of such crimes. The Times found that the agency failed to respond to worker complaints and even to abuses uncovered by its staff.

Assembly Labor Committee Chair Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) told The Times it is essential to act before labour abuses become standard practice in the emergent legal cannabis industry.

The Assembly's Public Safety Committee chairman, Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), has declared himself the state's "cannabis cop." He has vowed to tackle failures highlighted by the newspaper's reporting, including farm worker fatalities and exploitation, and the corruption plagues cannabis business licensing at the city and county levels.

"People dying from harvesting or processing cannabis — it's just outrageous," Jones-Sawyer said.

He said he would seek a state investigation into licensing cheap carts corruption, particularly in areas highlighted by The Times.

"It's very important to me that we finally get a grip on this and start to crack down," he said.

None of the inquiries is guaranteed to happen. A corruption investigation would need approval from the Legislation's audit committee, which meets in March. Likewise, legislative hearings on farm worker conditions have yet to be presented to Senate leadership for discussion.

A spokeswoman for California's central Labor & Workforce Development Agency said its labour safety branch was "assessing" cannabis worker deaths reported by The Times "to determine whether they have jurisdiction in each of the incidents reported."

The newspaper found that California's dual state and local cannabis, thc  Chronic Carts licensing system created fertile ground for corruption by giving thousands of often part-time, low-paid municipal officials the power to choose winners and losers in multimillion-dollar deals.

Local politicians held hidden financial ties to cannabis businesses even as they regulated the industry. Consultants and elected officials told of backroom lobbying and solicitations for cash — while criminal investigations were isolated and scrutiny was sporadic.

A lawmaker in October called for state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to form a task force that would target corruption in cannabis licensing but received no reply. Bonta's office told The Times such action would be the responsibility of the state cannabis or thc Cookies Carts department.

Lawmakers taking these measures said they are particularly sensitized to the treatment of farm workers. Hurtado is the daughter of immigrant agricultural workers. Rubio's parents first came to California as part of a federal migrant worker program, then returned without documentation because, as she said, "we still had to eat."

Some lawmakers, including Hurtado and Rubio, said the state set up its cannabis market without addressing the labour-intensive crop's reliance on easily exploited immigrant workers. For some industries — garment factories and car washes, for example — the state set up special enforcement programs and created funds to compensate exploited workers, but this has not been done for cannabis or agriculture.

"It's the Wild, Wild West in terms of the lack of any uniform scheme [on] how we deal with this industry," Cortese said.

Lawmakers and labour advocates said farmworkers were given little thought during behind-the-scenes negotiations for legalization. In a deal cut with labour unions, the law contained just two provisions that, in reality, have offered little protection: requiring large farms to give the union access to workers and requiring all thc  Cookie Carts license holders with two or more employees to have at least two people receive generic workplace safety training.

Labour advocates told The Times they tried to warn the state about the potential for worker exploitation as the commercial cannabis market was being structured.

Because cannabis remains illegal under federal law, labour advocates in 2017 sent letters to those crafting regulations noting that workers would unlikely benefit from federal labour protections, putting the onus for their safety on the state.

"Lawmakers aren't really aware of the problem. It's shameful that they're not," said Christopher Sanchez, policy advocate for the Western Center on Law & Poverty. He said The Times' reporting "just highlights a lot of the fears that a lot of us had."

UCLA labour researcher Robert Chlala said legalization attracted investors who borrowed business models from the agricultural industry — a sector notorious for wage theft and abuse.

"We are just transferring what we haven't fixed yet in our agricultural system" to cannabis, he said. "What we haven't done yet to protect the people who make the food for this country."

The Times investigation documented accusations of exploitation against more than 200 cannabis operations — more than half of those licensed for thc  Guava cake strain by the state.

Workers told reporters of bosses who threatened them with guns or physical violence, living on remote work sites without housing, sanitary facilities, food access, and fraudulent pay promises. In some cases, they said, bosses threatened to report them to immigration authorities or withhold their wages if they tried to leave.

Fraud and coercion are elements of labour trafficking, a felony offence in California. A series of 2020 reports by California's independent government watch group, the Little Hoover Commission, faulted the state for failing to have clear labour trafficking laws and for lacking a single agency responsible for prosecution.

Newsom has rejected the Legislature's keystone bills to curtail the crime.

In 2019, he vetoed a bill to gather data on labour trafficking because it wasn't introduced as part of the budget. In September 2022, he vetoed a bill to police foreign labour recruiters, echoing the same objections the Chamber of Commerce and agriculture industry lobbyists raised.

Last fall, he rejected a unanimously passed, unopposed bill to create a labour trafficking crime unit within the state's labour department, saying he would prefer to see trafficking complaints heard by the California Civil Rights Department, which seeks civil remedies so that victims "are not further victimized by the prosecutorial process."

Newsom's press office did not respond directly to a request for comment on The Times's findings of cannabis labour exploitation and deaths but released a statement criticizing federal immigration policy.

"Strengthening our efforts to enforce workplace standards will continue to be a priority, but it is not sufficient, especially for this vulnerable population," the statement said. "Congress needs to get up the courage to bring our country's immigration — and cannabis — policies into the 21st century."

Newsom's office issued the same statement a day later in response to the killings of seven people on Monday on produce farms in Half Moon Bay.

Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, a Fresno Democrat who sponsored the ill-fated legislation to create a labour trafficking unit, told The Times he intends to push again this year for a criminal investigation unit within the labour department. "I believe we need a single entity that can help us prosecute and prevent labour trafficking in the future," Arambula said.

Sheriffs confronted with cannabis workers living in squalor, without food, pay, or the ability to leave, said they lack local resources to address the problem. They said the number of workers at risk is huge: The state has tens of thousands of illegal cannabis farms spread across vast, remote regions, and even licensed farms are not closely watched.

"There used to be some state support," Trinity County Sheriff Tim Saxon said, adding that the support focused on ripping out illegally grown plants, not on addressing the exploitation of cannabis or  Fire Tanks dispensary workers.

Saxon said he relies on private outside funding to investigate cases of human trafficking.

The Times investigation found little outreach to apprise cannabis workers of their rights. Those workers who knew to complain of wage theft to the California labour agency waited as long as two years for a decision, even after telling the state that their lives had been threatened. Lawmakers told The Times the labour department suffers from chronic staffing shortages, failing to fill already funded positions.

The Times investigation also found that some workers sought the help of the Department of Cannabis/thc  Glo carts Control, unaware that the agency despite having sworn law enforcement officers, had no process for handling labour abuses discovered by staff. The department did not respond to Times questions over three weeks on its policies for handling allegations of labour trafficking.

Rubio said she is negotiating with Newsom's administration and Bonta's office to create a state government position to ensure that cannabis labour complaints get forwarded to the right agency. She also is considering taking up the labour trafficking bills that Newsom vetoed.

She said it is "stunning" that lawmakers have paid so little heed to the impact of cannabis legalization on farmworkers, a group she and others said lacks strong political representation, despite California's legacy as the birthplace of the farmworkers' rights movement half a century ago.

"For my colleagues not to even be looking at it is ... shocking to me," Rubio said. "So instead of pointing fingers, my commitment is to work with the governor's office and work with the departments to make something that is doable."

#politics #cannabis #news #media

[kayapharmacy]

Cannabis, education top priorities for Md.’s Legislative Black Caucus

Establishing a criminal justice policy that prevents police officers from stopping black drivers and searching vehicles just because they smell cannabis, thc Big Chief Carts , and recruiting more people of African Americans to teach in public schools are two of twelve priorities the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland served out on Wednesday.

Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D-Montgomery) said that caucus members lead on a range of issues and in “key roles to keep the House and the Senate moving as we do the people’s work. We’re excited to deliver on our strength in our leadership this 2023 session and beyond.” she said.

The caucus laid policy priorities into five areas: cannabis legalization, education equity, wealth and Black businesses, health, and housing.

In drafting legislation defining the cannabis industry, the caucus wants to ensure that African Americans who are minorities be included in growing, processing, and dispensing cannabis including thc Buddha Bear Carts .

A framework for weed licensing, regulation, and taxation must be enacted before recreational use can become legal on July 1.

A consulting firm has estimated that revenue from dispensaries in Maryland could reach about $1 billion after the industry gets underway within two years.

Sen. Jill Carter (D-Baltimore City) is sponsoring legislation to make certain criminal offenses involving cannabis civil offenses instead, punishable by civil penalties.

For instance, the court would be able to order a person younger than age 21 who is found guilty of possession of cannabis or Buddies carts to attend a drug education program approved by the state Department of Health. The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee plans to hold a hearing on that bill on Feb. 1.

That same committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on Feb. 2 to review a bill Carter is sponsoring that would prevent law enforcement officers from stopping a motorist solely based on an odor of cannabis without any evidence of intoxication or other valid cause.

“Courts have been divided about odor searches. But now, as marijuana products such as Chronic Carts will be legal, it would be an illegal activity for law enforcement officers to continue to use it as a pretext — the odor of marijuana,” Carter said. “What we’ll have is partial legalization and Black people will be vulnerable to existing arrest patterns where they will continue to be disproportionately targeted by law enforcement and saddled with criminal records as a result of marijuana legalization.”

Also, To combat bias searches of blacks that have led to undervaluing homes, businesses, and other real property that is owned by people of color or is in minority neighborhoods, legislation is being worked on to encourage, and educate, more Marylanders to become appraisers through a program called PAREA, said Del. Marvin Holmes Jr. (D-Prince George’s).

Similar legislation has been authorized in other states, including Iowa and New Jersey; lawmakers are reviewing legislation requiring appraisers to complete anti-bias training.

Other proposals backed by the caucus, including some in draft form and some yet to be filed, are:

   Doubling funds for the state’s Student Loan Tax Credit program — to be sponsored by Del. Karen Toles (D-Prince George’s).    Establishing the Small Business Protection Act to ensure minority-owned businesses are involved in the procurement process for state contracts — to be sponsored by Del. Nick Charles (D-Prince George’s) and Sen. Antonio Hayes (D-Baltimore City)    Creating a Commission on Public Health to focus on equity, the state’s response to COVID-19, racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality and birth outcomes, and other health measures — a bill sponsored by Del. Arianna Kelly (D-Montgomery County).    Establishing a statewide housing voucher program with an upfront investment of $15 million.

The 64 legislators in the caucus, which Wilkins said is the most significant Black caucus in the nation, are a powerful voting bloc and include four prominent leaders from both chambers: House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County), Speaker Pro Tem Sheree Sample Hughes (D-Lower Shore), House Majority Whip Jazz Lewis (D-Prince George’s) and Senate President Pro Tem Malcolm Augustine (D-Prince George’s).

“Our strength is not just in our numbers. It’s in our leadership,” Wilkins said. “The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland stands together…ensuring that every single one of these priorities are passed this legislative session.”

[kayapharmacy]

CBD not shown to be safe enough for use in food or supplements, FDA says

This is not good news for cannabis fans.

The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that products infused with CBD, which is derived from cannabis, Thc  Buddies carts or hemp and used in items as varied as soap and seltzer, do not appear to meet federal safety standards and require stricter regulations.

The announcement was a blow to the rising CBD industry, which had hoped the agency would approve CBD’s use. Instead, the agency suppressed that hope by asking Congress to pass new regulations governing its use.

“It’s not apparent how it would be safe to put in food and supplements,” an FDA spokesman said. “The safety standards for food and supplements are very shielding, by law. We don’t see how CBD can meet those safety standards.”

According to the FDA statement, the use of thc Cali Plug Carts  raises various safety concerns, especially with long-term use. It noted studies that show potential harm to the liver and the male reproductive system and risky interactions with some medications. CBD exposure may also hold risks for certain vulnerable populations, such as children and those who are pregnant.

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, but the legal status of hemp-derived cannabidiol remained hanging. This is because CBD can be derived from hemp or thc Chronic Carts . Still, if a hemp plant contains more than 0.3 percent THC (the active “high” ingredient in marijuana), it is technically a marijuana plant under the Farm Bill. Amid these confusing classifications, experts at the time said drafting and implementing regulations could take years.

In short, the federal government never concluded that CBD is “generally recognized as safe” for human or animal food use. And the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act prohibits adding even approved drugs to human or animal food in interstate commerce — which has meant that CBD in food and drink has remained illegal.

Despite the lack of green light, CBD products have increased in the marketplace, from energy drinks and bubbly water to ointments and tinctures — and even pet foods. Industry studies had predicted the global CBD market would grow to $1.25 billion by 2024, with thousands of CBD-infused products such as Cookie Carts now available online.

That all may have to take a pause.

Advocacy groups and food industry experts criticized the FDA decision.

“When it comes to the safety of CBD, the FDA gets it wrong,” Jonathan Miller, general counsel of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, said in a statement. He called the agency’s intent to tighten regulations “unprecedented and unnecessary” but said he endorsed a legislative solution to allow the marketing of CBD in dietary supplements and foods.

Alex Buscher, a Colorado-based lawyer who advises hemp companies, said that CBD doesn’t seem riskier than other dietary supplements on the market that have the potential for side effects if taken at higher-than-recommended doses.

“The FDA is kicking the decision back to a divided Congress, which will take time to create a new regulatory framework,” he said. “We need actual regulation from the FDA.”

Food safety experts have said that the FDA has been in an impossible situation as states have decriminalized marijuana and  Eureka Carts — which remains illegal under federal law — and related products have gained popularity. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, as of this past February, 37 states (plus D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) have legalized medical use. As of Nov. 9, 21 states (plus D.C., Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) have decriminalized recreational use — a strong indication that public sentiment has shifted.

“I’m sure the FDA probably concluded that no matter which way they went, it would involve trying to fit a very big genie back into a very small bottle, and create a political firestorm,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports. “It’s not surprising that they would want to seek some cover from Congress.”

Peter Lurie, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, described the appeal to Congress as “kicking the can up the Hill.” But he also said that because there is a legal CBD-based drug, Epidiolex, prescribed for a severe form of epilepsy, the FDA has limited ability to expand access to the substance. Federal law says active compounds in prescription drugs can’t be used as food additives.

Food safety experts have said that the FDA has been in an impossible situation as states have decriminalized marijuana — which remains illegal under federal law — and related products have gained popularity. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, as of this past February, 37 states (plus D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) have legalized medical use. As of Nov. 9, 21 states (plus D.C., Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) have decriminalized recreational use — a strong indication that public sentiment has shifted.

“I’m sure the FDA probably concluded that no matter which way they went, it would involve trying to fit a very big genie back into a very small bottle, and create a political firestorm,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports. “It’s not surprising that they would want to seek some cover from Congress.”

Peter Lurie, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, described the appeal to Congress as “kicking the can up the Hill.” But he also said that because there is a legal CBD-based drug Fire Tanks , Epidiolex, prescribed for a severe form of epilepsy, the FDA has limited ability to expand access to the substance. Federal law says active compounds in prescription drugs can’t be used as food additives.

#news #politics #cannabis #culture

[kayapharmacy]

Cathedral City leaders support cutting cannabis tax in half

There could soon be a break in the years-long battle between valley cannabis business owners and local authorities over weighty taxes they say are crippling small businesses. Cathedral City is tied with other west valley cities for the highest-paid tax on retail cannabis and thc  Buddha Bear Carts businesses: a 10% tax on sales and state taxes.

At Wednesday's Cathedral City council meeting, city leaders unanimously supported cutting the tax to 5% – a move business owners see could be key to saving the city's cannabis and thc  Wonka Oil  industry. "Everybody thought that was going to be the new frontier," said Mayor Pro Tem Mark Carnevale. "We were gonna make all that money and in a sense, that is kind of greedy on our part. I hate to say, it was kind of greedy." Kenneth Churchill, CEO of West Coast Cannabis Club, has worked hard for years to get Cathedral City leaders to lower tax burdens.

"Our goal is just to keep our stores open," Churchill said. "It puts us in a situation where it's impossible to survive, and you're seeing stores close all over Cathedral City, you're seeing sales go back to the black market, go back to other cities."

Dr. Stone James, Cathedral City's economic development director, said cutting the tax will be an important support for the industry in the city – but it could come at a cost.

"In a worst case scenario, we're looking at about a $1.3 million reduction in city revenues – however, that's not the complete picture," James said. He said that consumers are usually willing to spend more as prices decrease. And last year, Cathedral City had a budget surplus of about $7 million. But the issue extends beyond Cathedral City. Palm Desert looked at lower cannabis  Big Chief Carts taxes late last year, too.

"We put that high rate of tax in thinking that there would be public safety issues," said Mayor Jan Harnick. "We don't need that increase that we thought we did and I think we need to look at what we're taxing."

It's a movement that Churchill is inspired to see – on an issue he said has taken years to reach this point.

"These are local companies and these are locally owned companies. We're just trying to find a tax rate that is a little bit more competitive," Churchill said. City Council voted in a study session to bring the issue back for a formal vote in its Feb. 22 meeting.

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