How Many Dispensaries Are In Each State?

How many dispensaries are in each state? With 29 states that all have some form of legalized marijuana, the number of dispensaries in the country is rapidly increasing to serve existing and emerging markets. States like California have recently implemented their recreational marijuana laws. As a result, many old dispensaries have shut their doors and new ones have surfaced as companies await their license to sell. We used data from state governments with legalized marijuana to see how many dispensaries are in each state.

Recreational Marijuana State Dispensaries

With many states adopting recreational marijuana laws, the number of dispensaries countrywide is rapidly changing.

California

Dispensaries: 261

California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana but not the first to go recreational. In 2016, California’s Proposition 64 passed, legalizing the sale of cannabis to adults. There are currently no businesses with full licenses to sell in California. However, temporary licenses are being awarded so retail cannabis is being distributed. According to the Bureau of Cannabis Control, there are currently 261 active temporary retail licenses to sell cannabis for adult use.

Nevada

Dispensaries: 61

Nevada had their first medical marijuana dispensaries opened in 2015. Residents voted to legalize recreational cannabis in 2016. The laws went into effect on January 1st of 2017. Now, weed can be legally acquired at any of the 61 dispensaries listed on the state government’s website.

Alaska

Dispensaries: 93

In 2014, Alaska voted to tax and regulate the legal production, sale and use of marijuana. A license search on the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development website yields 93 results for Oregon dispensaries.

Dispensaries: 560+

According to the Oregon government website, the number of approved licenses to marijuana retailers went from 213 in July 2016 to 560 by the end of January.

Washington – 103 retail stores

Dispensaries: 103 retail

Washington has had recreational marijuana for quite some time now so there are now many dispensaries in the state. According to Washington’s Department of Health website, there are currently 103 retail cannabis stores but many more “medically endorsed stores.” This means they have medical marijuana consultants on staff.

Colorado

Dispensaries: 520

Colorado has by far, the largest number of dispensaries in any state. The Colorado Department of Revenue has a list of all the licensed recreational and medical marijuana dispensing centers. There are 520 recreational facilities with 505 medical ones as well.

Massachusetts

Dispensaries: 19

On November 8th, 2016 Massachusetts became the first state on the East Coast to legalize cannabis. As of December 31, 2017, Massachusetts has 19 registered marijuana dispensaries around the state.

Medical Marijuana State Dispensaries

California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996. Since then, about half of the nation’s states have legalized medical marijuana. In states with strict laws, medical marijuana is limited to patients with truly debilitating conditions. Other states that allow a wider range of patients to register as medical marijuana patients and they have more dispensaries as a result.

Maine

Dispensaries: 8

8 total Medical Use of Marijuana Program Dispensaries

Maine joined Massachusetts in legalizing recreational marijuana on the East Coast. However, retailers currently have no way to get the required licenses. As a result, the only dispensaries in the state are only accessible to medical marijuana patients. There is currently 8 listed medical use of marijuana program dispensaries on the state government’s website.

Arizona

Dispensaries: 100+

Arizona is one of the first states with a drive-thru dispensary. Unfortunately, they are one of the few states that keep their list of dispensaries confidentialto anyone other than registered medical marijuana patients that cannot grow their own marijuana in the state.

However, the number of dispensaries allowed in the state is somewhere between 120 and 126. The number of dispensary agents is public. There are 4,731 individuals that can distribute marijuana on behalf of a dispensary.

New Mexico

Dispensaries: 68

New Mexico’s medical marijuana law was signed in 2007. Since it’s been more than a decade, there are now many dispensaries for the state’s patients to choose from. The state has 12 manufacturers that distribute from their own dispensaries. Recent data shows a total of 68 dispensaries in New Mexico.

Montana

Dispensaries: 50+

Medical marijuana laws in Montana were signed in 2004. Only patients with severely debilitating or terminal conditions qualify for medical marijuana in the state. Despite this, the number of dispensaries in the state has gradually increased over the year. According to the Montana Department of Health, they cannot give information out about dispensaries. However, there are over fifty listed online.

North Dakota

Dispensaries: 0

The North Dakota medical marijuana law was only signed in 2016. The program is not yet operational and there are no current dispensaries. The program was supposed to go into effect on April 18, 2017. The earliest effective date for medical marijuana rules would be on April 1, 2018.

Minnesota

Dispensaries: 8

The Minnesota medical marijuana law was signed in 2014 and it is currently operational. Several state-licensed dispensaries have opened. In fact, the Minnesota Department of Health has eight locations listed on their website.

Michigan

Dispensaries: 100+

Michigan is currently in the process of accepting medical marijuana business license applications but there are over 42,000 caregivers registered to supply cannabis. There are currently well over one hundred dispensaries listed online but they will close soon if they don’t receive a license when they’re distributed later this year.

Illinois

Dispensaries: 53

Illinois is one of the states with a long list of qualifying conditions but they have a decent number of dispensaries. The medical marijuana laws in Illinois were signed in 2013. Since then, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation list 53 licensed dispensaries across the state.

Arkansas

Dispensaries: 0

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission has yet to release the list of licensed dispensaries despite the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment. There is a delay because the law only came into effect in 2016 and the program is still a work in progress. So far the Department of Finance and Administration has released a list of all the names and proposed locations of applicants.

Louisiana

Dispensaries: 0

The Louisiana medical marijuana program has yet to start. Worst of all, the number of doctors that are approved to issue a “physician recommendation form” can be counted on one hand. If all goes according to plan, the program will begin operating this summer.

Florida

Dispensaries: 27

Florida has medical marijuana laws but they are restrictive like the laws in other states like New York. Medical marijuana treatment center is the term for a dispensary in Florida. These centers are responsible for cultivating and processing the cannabis. Additionally, they sell to qualified medical marijuana patients. There are 27 dispensaries total listed on the state government’s website.

Ohio

Dispensaries: 0

The Ohio medical marijuana laws were signed in 2016 but the program hasn’t started yet. The State Board of Pharmacy may award up to 60 dispensary licenses. So far, the board has received hundreds of applicants. There is no one to sell medical marijuana in the state yet. Unfortunately, patients will have to wait while the program starts handing out licenses to sell.

West Virginia

Dispensaries: 0

West Virginia signed their marijuana laws in 2016. As a result, the program is not yet operational. Therefore, there are no operating dispensaries in the state as of now. The West Virginia Medical Cannabis Program will release the application for dispensaries in the first quarter of 2018.

Pennsylvania

Dispensaries: 6

Six dispensaries received approval to start selling medical marijuana products once they are available. The only dispensary to have a grand opening is in Lehigh Valley. Unfortunately, they have no product. Therefore, patients won’t be able to make purchases until mid-February or later.

Maryland

Dispensaries: 0

A judge temporarily halted the medical marijuana industry in Maryland on the request of a company that alleged state regulators ignored racial diversity when deciding who could grow legal cannabis. A trial in June will determine whether state regulators acted outside of the law when awarding the first fifteen preliminary licenses to grow. So, there will still be some time before Maryland sees its first operational medical marijuana dispensary.

Delaware

Dispensaries: 2

Delaware currently only has two dispensaries owned by the same company. First State Compassion is currently the only provider of medical marijuana in Delaware and more are on the way.

New Jersey

Dispensaries: 5

New Jersey adopted their medical marijuana program rules in 2011. Since then, only a few dispensaries have opened up their doors in the state. In fact, the state currently has five operational medical marijuana dispensaries with more on the way.

New York

Dispensaries: 19

New York has one of the stricter medical marijuana programs for patients with debilitating conditions. In fact, there is no actual smokable cannabis available at dispensaries. However, other cannabis products are available at New York’s 19 registered medical marijuana dispensaries. More are opening soon which will more than double the number of dispensaries in the state.

Vermont

Dispensaries: 4

Vermont has had medical marijuana laws since 2004. Despite the early start date, few dispensaries have opened in the state. More than a decade later, there are only four operational dispensaries located in Montpelier, Brandon, Burlington and Brattleboro.

New Hampshire

Dispensaries: 4

The Therapeutic Cannabis Program passed through the state legislature in 2013 but things have moved slowly since then. In fact, only a few dispensaries have opened up. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services lists 4 dispensaries or “alternative treatment centers.”

Connecticut

Dispensaries: 9

Medical marijuana laws in Connecticut came about in 2012 and not too many dispensaries have opened up since then. According to Connecticut’s official state website, there are 9 total medical marijuana dispensary facilities in the state. That will change soon because the state is looking for more medical marijuana dispensaries.

Rhode Island

Dispensaries: 3

Rhode Island medical marijuana patients can purchase their medicine at compassion centers around the state but there aren’t many. As expected with a small state the Rhode Island Department of Health website lists compassion centers in only Providence, Warwick and Portsmouth.

Washington D.C.

Dispensaries: 8

Washington D.C. has legalized recreational marijuana but there are currently only medical marijuana dispensers. There are eight medical dispensaries in the state total but most of them in the North East region.

Final Hit: How Many Dispensaries Are In Each State?

Since marijuana laws in several states have changed in recent years, the online listings of marijuana dispensaries in certain states are unreliable according to research.

“The online listings appear to be inaccurate. We only found 815 out of the listed 2,174 dispensaries were active. This is 37 percent of the listings,” Erick Eschker, co-director of the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research stated.

The number of how many dispensaries are in each state will change because a few states are currently working on implementing their programs. Once they are operational, the number of dispensaries nationwide will continue to increase.

Expungement and Past Marijuana Convictions in Legal States: What Now?

As marijuana legalization continues to cultivate support across North America, more than a few states and their collective municipalities are working to expunge or reduce prior pot convictions – calling the absolution a states’ rights issue and a necessary atonement.

4,900 Californians have asked to have their past pot convictions expunged

In 2016, 574,641 American citizens were charged with simple marijuana possession. And for those with past marijuana convictions, they soon discovered it’s far more difficult to become a productive member of society with a criminal record; facing diminished access to employment, reduced chances at a higher education, and restricted housing opportunities.

Addressing the issue last week, elected officials from San Diego to San Francisco began the process of rolling out their amnesty program for people convicted of previous low-level marijuana crimes. This week, the Mayor of Seattle joined the call for greater opportunity for those with past convictions and announced similar efforts. Meanwhile, in Vermont, which recently became the first state to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and over through the legislative process, officials are examining their options ahead of the state’s July 1 implementation.

With some form of marijuana now legal in 29 states plus the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, the following states are collectively attempting to address their role in criminal justice reform in a meaningful way.

Proposed Marijuana Expungement Legislation

California

Assembly Bill 1793, introduced by Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-18th District), seeks to enact legislation that would allow the “automatic expungement or reduction of a prior cannabis conviction for an act that is not a crime as of January 1, 2017.” Under Proposition 64, residents of California are now allowed to possess and purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana and cultivate no more than six plants for personal use. The voter-approved measure, in addition to legalizing adult-use consumption, cultivation, and distribution – allows individuals convicted of past criminal marijuana possessions to petition the courts to have those convictions expunged. An expensive and time-consuming venture for most individuals, the automatic expungement of records would be mandated by the passage AB-1793.

Massachusetts

H.2785, authored by Rep. Aaron Vega (D-5th District), and cosigned by 25 other elected officials, would allow for the expungement of “records of marijuana arrest, detention, conviction and incarceration.” Marijuana use in Massachusetts was first decriminalized in 2008, with the voters approving medical marijuana just four years later in November 2012. Officially legalized for adult use on Nov. 8, 2016, residents are still waiting for their first recreational dispensary to open.

Vermont

H.865, sponsored by Maxine Grad (D), Tom Burditt (R), Chip Conquest (D), would allow a person to file a petition with the court requesting expungement or sealing of the criminal history related to a conviction if “the person was convicted of an underlying offense for which the underlying conduct is no longer prohibited by law or designated as a criminal offense.”

New Jersey

S.830, sponsored by Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-22nd District), would not only legalize the personal possession and use of small amounts of marijuana by those over the age of 21, the bill also allows a person convicted of a prior marijuana possession to present an application for expungement to the state’s Superior Court.

While Colorado, Maryland, and Oregon have already passed legislation to have misdemeanor marijuana charges sealed or thrown out entirely, approximately 4,900 Californians have filed to have their past pot convictions expunged since Proposition 64 was passed.

Marijuana legalization effort vaults a hurdle with no outside challenge to signaturesMarijuana legalization effort vaults a hurdle with no outside challenge to signatures

The push to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use got a boost Friday when a deadline for opposition groups to challenge petition signatures passed and no one stepped up.

Now it will be up to the Secretary of State's election office to review a 500-signature sample of the 362,102 signatures that were turned in by the Committee to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol in November, to determine whether there are enough valid signatures from registered voters to qualify for the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

Once that review is complete, the state Board of Canvassers will rule on whether voters will see marijuana legalization on the ballot.

"It’s great news, it shows the opposition must feel that we have a well-worded proposal, but that doesn’t mean we’re taking anything for granted," said Josh Hovey, spokesman for the pro-legalization group.

 And just because the group may have won this first battle — it must have 252,523 valid petition signatures to get on the ballot — it does not mean it has won the war.

There are still two groups that have formed to formally oppose the ballot proposal: The Committee to Keep Pot out of Neighborhoods and Schools and the Healthy and Productive Michigan Committee.

Neither had asked to challenge the petition signatures by Friday's 5 p.m. deadline, however.

More: Group seeks Michigan ballot proposal to end gerrymandering

More: Marijuana legalization proposal could add to crowded ballot in November 2018

The first committee is funded by the Michigan Responsibility Council — an organization of businesses that are interested only in medical, not recreational, marijuana. That group is the only contributor so far to the anti-legalization effort with a $5,000 donation, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Secretary of State.

"There are a number of options being looked at" for how the opposition campaign will develop, said Chris DeWitt, spokesman for the committee. "There certainly will be opposition of a robust nature."

The other group — Healthy and Productive Michigan — is bankrolled so far by the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a Virginia-based group opposed to the legalization of marijuana, which has kicked in $150,000 to the campaign.

The group, which was founded in 2013 by former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-Rhode Island, and Kevin Sabet, director of the Drug Policy Institute at the University of Florida, has been active in opposing legalization efforts in other states.

Scott Greenlee, spokesman for Healthy and Productive Michigan, said his group kept an eye on the petitions as they were being delivered and figured that the pro-legalization group had gotten enough extra signatures that they would be able to easily qualify for the ballot.

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"So now we’re prepared to take our educational campaign to the voters through November," he said, adding that while the Virginia-based group provided the seed money for the anti-legalization effort, "I have no doubt that there will be a lot of other Michigan-based folks who will step up."

While millions are expected to be spent on both support and opposition of the proposal if it does make it on the ballot, that level of money hasn't materialized yet.

The group pushing the ballot proposal spent most of the $651,736 it had raised so far on paying the National Petition Management team, which collected the signatures for the ballot proposal.

And the Committee to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol is now in debt to the tune of $257,484 owed to consultants, attorneys and fund-raisers.

"We're focused right now on paying off our campaign debts. But our fund-raising continues to go strong. We have a lot of large and small donors across the state and country," Hovey said. "Ideally, we'd like to raise $8 million for the campaign, but we're aiming at between $5 million and $8 million."

If it makes the November ballot, the proposal would:

• Levy a 10% excise tax at the retail level as well as the 6% sales tax.
• Split the tax revenues with 35% going to K-12 education, 35% to roads, 15% to the communities that allow marijuana businesses in their borders and 15% to counties where marijuana businesses are located.
• Allow communities to decide whether they’ll allow marijuana businesses.
• Restrict possession of marijuana that a person can carry for recreational purposes to 2½ ounces,  but individuals could keep up to 10 ounces in their homes.
• Follow the same type of licensing model that is being used for medical marijuana, which will provide for five categories of licenses  — growers, processors, testers, secure transporters and dispensaries.

Voters in eight states — Colorado, California, Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Washington — and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of marijuana in recent years. Canada has legalized marijuana for recreational use and that market is expected to start up sometime this summer. And Vermont's Legislature approved legalization last month.

The state of Arizona defeated a marijuana ballot proposal in 2016.

The Board of State Canvassers has three ballot proposal petitions to work through and will do them in the order they were received: repealing the prevailing wage, which requires union-scale wages on public construction jobs; marijuana legalization, and shifting the way district lines are drawn for state and federal offices from the political party in power in the state Legislature to an independent commission.

The Board has not set a timeline for when it will consider the three petitions.

Solevo Wellness Opens First Pittsburgh Medical Marijuana Dispensary

In the Pennsylvania city of Pittsburgh, patients will finally have access to medical cannabis. Solevo Wellness has passed its final inspection by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Patients will now know it as the city’s first-ever medical marijuana dispensary.

Solevo Wellness

When its doors open to the public, Solevo Wellness will be the fourth operating medical marijuana dispensary in Pennsylvania. To celebrate this triumph, Solevo hosted an Open House on February 7th. Over 100 guests were in attendance, including the State Senator Jay Costa, Aids from Representative Dan Frankel and Pittsburgh City Councilman Corey O’Conor.

Also in attendance was a representative of the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, where the dispensary is located. Marian Lien, the CEO of the Squirrel Hill Urban Collective, expressed delight that Solevo Wellness has found a home in the neighborhood.

One of the reasons that the Squirrel Hill community strongly supports the opening of Solevo Wellness’ dispensary is that the company has renovated a building that has been vacant for over a decade. Experts also predict that the new medical marijuana dispensary, located on a major intersection, will revitalize the area.

A Long, Hard Journey

 Solevo Wellness

The process of establishing, licensing and opening Solevo Wellness took 18 months. The company credits much of their success in obtaining the proper permits to their hired industry consultant, Sara Gullickson. She’s the President of Arizona Dispensary Permits. They were also aided by the law firm Buchanon, Ingersoll & Rooney.

Solevo COO Samuel Britz said, “it has been a long, hard journey to get to this point. It took huge efforts by many people in the Solevo Organization.”

He continued, “it started nearly 18 months prior, by retired county executive James Roddey and Nicky Geanopulos, Pittsburgh Insider and owner of the Nicky’s Grant St Restaurant.”

Britz also places credit within the Executive Committee formed by the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Robert Capretto. Britz has said that he believes that Chairman Capretto’s decision to form the committee, as well as their tireless work, was a key factor in Solevo’s success. The other committee members included Medical Executives Lucy Cichon and Kathi Lenart, Attorney Lou Gold and pharmacist Alex Mickalow.

Final Hit:

Solevo Wellness has proven time and time again that they are committed to providing their clients with the best possible team. From a pool of over 900 applications, they hired industry veteran Rocco Levine to manage their dispensary. They also hosted an event featuring Cannabis Pharmacy author Michael Backes that over 60 medical professionals attended. And on February 10th, they will host a seminar conducted by faculty of the University of Sciences.

There will soon be a total of five dispensaries in the city of Pittsburgh. Solevo Wellness predicts that their head start, in addition to their team of industry leaders, will prove advantageous when the other dispensaries open.

Legal Marijuana and Restorative Justice

Restorative justice is an emerging trend in the implementation of marijuana’s legalization.  In other words, how can society make up for the damage caused by prohibition? San Francisco is taking steps to clear convictions for marijuana offenses, utilizing authority provided by the passage of Prop 64 which legalized marijuana in California.

Equal Opportunity Efforts In The Marijuana Industry Throughout California

Efforts are underway to ensure that areas hardest hit by marijuana law enforcement receive equitable treatment. Especially, when it comes industry participation and awarding licenses for retail outlets.

San Francisco

In San Francisco, these goals also include consideration of how to invest marijuana tax revenues. The economic infrastructure in areas hard hit by prohibition is one of the main considerations. Giving priority to providing opportunities to people with prior arrest or convictions for marijuana offenses is another consideration.

A study of these issues in San Francisco notes that the city has been a leader in legalization efforts and that African-Americans have been hardest hit by arrests.  After a review of arrest, election, local economic and cannabis industry data a city report has identified several key barriers to entry into the adult-use cannabis market.  These include financial barriers such as access to capital and real estate, technical barriers involving business ownership and understanding of legal and regulatory issues, the role of criminal background checks in financial and regulatory procedures, and other problems related to geographic placement of businesses and an overall distrust of government.

The San Francisco study reviewed similar efforts in Oakland, Los Angeles, Colorado and Massachusetts. They arrived at 15 findings with numerous recommendations associated with each one to achieve the objectives identified above.  The priority will be to target populations “disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition.” Then, make sure they “are not crowded out by more well-resourced applicants.”  The report promotes incubator programs to provide incentives for entrepreneurs and established vendors.  Another policy goal is to promote equitable employment opportunities, targeting formerly-incarcerated individuals and hiring in neighborhoods with high arrest rates under prohibition.

Oakland

The City of Oakland, California based their equity analysis on the identification of “marginalized communities of color based on poverty, recent cannabis arrests and unemployment rates.”  This involved a comparison of the percentage racial groups in the general population with their percentage of total arrests in an area, along with the unemployment rate and poverty rate for the area.

Los Angeles

The City of Los Angeles took a 5-part approach in their equity analysis.  They identified racial disparities, areas with higher cannabis arrests and low-income populations. Then, areas with disproportionate numbers of arrests and high percentages of low-income households were designated as communities eligible for the equity program.

The City and County of San Francisco based their equity analysis on a similar comparison.  First, San Francisco compared census and arrest data to identify communities with “disproportionate levels of cannabis arrests.”

Finally, these areas were “cross-referenced . . . with low-income census tracts.”

Massachusetts’ Race-Neutral Approach

Massachusetts has taken a race-neutral approach to restorative justice. Instead, they’re focusing on assessing which communities have had the highest overall arrest rates for both marijuana and drug offenses. Additionally, incorporating local economic data on unemployment and the number of families living under the poverty level. Then, assessing the impact of prohibition in the past. Unemployment is the final factor Massachusetts will use to designate communities for economic development.

Final Hit: Legal Marijuana and Restorative Justice

All of these efforts provide solid models for the rest of the country as more areas legalize marijuana. The country continues to grapple with making up for the past harms created by marijuana prohibition. Restorative justice is a way to make things right instead of kicking people while they’re down.

Congress Just Extended Federal Medical Marijuana Protections

Congress just extended the federal medical marijuana protections known as the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, or the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment. It happened early Friday morning when President Donald Trump signed a huge budget deal that brought a short federal shutdown to an end. But these temporary protections still face some uncertainty in the coming months. The latest spending plan only runs until the end of March. At that time, the medical marijuana community could become more volatile at the hands of the Department of Justice.

The Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment Keeps Going

The Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, which prevents Attorney General Sessions from spending tax dollars to prosecute medical marijuana businesses and patients, has been a part of the federal budget for the past few years. In fact, this is the eighth time the rider has been renewed since 2015.

This temporary rider is the only document on the books that protects medical marijuana states. Without it, the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would have free rein to investigate, raid and prosecute all connections to statewide medical marijuana programs.

Congress Riding Same Budget Since 2015

This does not mean Congress has been giving medical marijuana serious consideration during budget talks. It has not. Since Rohrabacher-Farr has been a part of the federal budget for the past three years, it has been gliding on the coattails of the renewal process. Basically, since Congress has not approved a new budget since 2015, the federal medical marijuana protections keep living.

Similar riders have been proposed in the past, but none have ever been given the time of day.

Sessions Pressures Congress to Eliminate Federal Medical Marijuana Protections

It is distinctly possible that the medical marijuana debate will come to a head next month. The current protections are only good until March 23. The Rohrabacher-Farr amendment must find its way inside a much larger budget to maintain. If it will survive the next round of negotiations is anyone’s guess. The protections are at risk for elimination. Attorney General Sessions has been pressuring both the House and Senate to ensure this happens.

It was just last year that Sessions sent a letter to Congressional leaders asking them to abandon support for Rohrabacher-Farr.

“I believe it would be unwise for Congress to restrict the discretion of the Department to fund particular prosecutions, particularly in the midst of a historic drug epidemic and a potentially long-term uptick in violent crime,” Sessions wrote last June. “The Department must be in a position to use all laws available to combat the transnational drug organizations and dangerous drug traffickers who threaten American lives.”

Final Hit: Congress Just Extended Federal Medical Marijuana Protections

Congressional leadership will need to approve the language for inclusion in the new appropriations for the rider to stay intact. Although the Senate has shown some support, the House of Representative has been less than enthusiastic. As NORML political director Justin Strekal pointed out in his analysis, “The provision will now be considered by House and Senate leadership when the two chambers’ appropriations bills are reconciled, should Congress ever set a FY18 budget, of which is already over a third of the way behind us.”

Is Arizona Trying To Legalize Marijuana Again?

Arizona has come close to legalizing weed in the past, but so far, it hasn’t quite succeeded. But now, thanks to a new proposal introduced yesterday in the House of Representatives, the state could give it another shot. With Arizona trying to legalize marijuana, the push for more weed-friendly laws around the country continues.

Arizona’s New Legalization Proposal

Republican Representative Todd Clodfelter, representing Tucson, and Democratic Representative Mark Cardenas, representing Phoenix, introduced the proposal on Thursday.

The proposal calls for the legalization of marijuana for adults 21 and older. More specifically, it would allow adults in Arizona to possess up to an ounce of cannabis. The proposal would also make it legal for adults to grow up to six plants.

Under the proposal, smoking in public would be illegal. Similarly, cities and towns would have the ability to choose whether or not to allow weed businesses. Employers would also have the freedom to choose whether or not to bar employees from consuming weed.

The proposal would also establish a system for taxing legal cannabis sales. These changes would apply to recreational weed. The state’s current medical marijuana laws would all remain intact.

Arizona and Cannabis

This isn’t the first time that lawmakers and voters in Arizona have considered the possibility of legalizing weed. In fact, the state has a bit of an up-and-down relationship with cannabis laws.

After several failed attempts to create a viable medical marijuana program during the late 1990s and early 2000s, the state finally legalized MMJ in 2010. That year, Proposition 203 passed with a narrow 50.1 percent favorable vote.

Proposition 205, which called for the legalization of recreational cannabis, made it onto the 2016 ballot. In a close contest, the bill lost, receiving 48.7 percent of the vote.

That year, four other states voted in favor of legalizing weed. Arizona was the only state with a legalization bill that year that did not pass.

Arizona was also the state that saw some of the most well-funded opposition efforts in the nation. Most notably, pharmaceutical company Insys Therapeutics gave $500,000 to Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, a leading anti-legalization group.

Then, a few months after the state’s legalization bill was defeated, news surfaced that Insys was developing its own synthetic marijuana drug called Syndros. In March 2017, the company received DEA approval for Syndros.

On top of all that, Insys has also been investigated for possible criminal activity related to the aggressive marketing of a drug containing the highly addictive opioid fentanyl.

Final Hit: Is Arizona Trying To Legalize Marijuana Again?

Clodfelter’s and Cardenas’ proposal could give voters in Arizona another chance to legalize weed. If it receives approval from the House and the Senate, the proposal will appear on November’s ballot.

At this point, it’s unclear whether or not the new proposal has a chance of succeeding. Importantly, the proposal was introduced by a bipartisan partnership between Clodfelter, a Republican, and Cardenas, a Democrat.

Despite this, local media sources report that there is strong Republican opposition to legalization throughout the state. The proposal is now up for consideration in the House. If it clears the House, it would then go onto the Senate.

California Today: How a Market Tumble Affects California

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“Sell off!” “Crash!” Investors bracing for “uncertainty.”

After plummeting early this week, Wall Street rallied on Tuesday, recovering some, but not all, of what had been lost. What implications does the drop have specifically for California?

In an interview on Tuesday afternoon, Annette Vissing-Jorgensen, a professor of finance at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, put the market decline in context for the Golden State.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

The market’s impact on capital gains – and the state budget

When the stock market goes down, the amount of money Californians who sell stock must pay in capital gains taxes also decreases. The state’s tax code is very progressive, which, in this case, Dr. Vissing-Jorgensen said, compounds the problem.

California has one of the highest top tax brackets in the country, and the state relies heavily on those top earners to fill its coffers. (In 2014, the top 1 percent of earners paid 48 percent of all state income taxes in California, according to a 2016 article in the Economist.)

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“Since the top 1 percent of Californians own a lot of stocks, a stock market decline that results in lower capital gains could have a disproportionately large impact on California – and its state budget,” Dr. Vissing-Jorgensen said.

We have a lot of tech companies in California – and their stocks tend to feel the impact of market movement more acutely

Tech companies like, say, Apple, tend to sell products known as “consumer durables” – products like an iPhone that do not have to be bought frequently because they last for a long time. When people are feeling strapped, they tend to cut back on buying those types of products.

Those companies tend to be “high beta,” Dr. Vissing-Jorgensen said, meaning that tech stocks move more than “one for one” with the stock market. Companies like Apple, she said, have a beta above one, meaning that a 10 percent drop in the market tends to be associated with a larger than 10 percent drop in their stock prices.

“The industry composition of our businesses matters because some industries like tech are more affected by the underlying economic drivers of the stock market decline,” Dr. Vissing-Jorgensen said.

The big picture

All that said, Dr. Vissing-Jorgensen urged people to keep things in perspective.

“The stock market has declined, but it’s a pretty modest decline compared to how much the run up has been,” she said. “It’s now basically flat for this year, but it still went up a huge amount last year.”

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TODAY IN LAS VEGAS, NVUpdate Location

Plenty of sunshine

 50°F 70° 49°

TOMORROW:  75° 50°

California Online

(Please note: We regularly highlight articles on news sites that have limited access for nonsubscribers.)

Photo

Patrick Soon-Shiong CreditKevork Djansezian/Getty Images

• The billionaire Los Angeles doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong is close to buying The Los Angeles Times from its parent company Tronc in a $500 million deal that would happen as early as Wednesday. The move follows months of turmoil at the paper. [The New York Times]

• Elon Musk’s SpaceX company launched the world’s most powerful rocket, with a Tesla sports car as payload, into space. [The New York Times]

• But editorial writers are turning their attention to Mr. Musk’s other pursuits, blasting his sale of thousands of flamethrowers and calling him a “self-centered child in a grownup’s body.” [Mercury News and East Bay Times]

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Activists in San Francisco calling for the removal of Judge Aaron Persky. CreditEric Risberg/Associated Press

• New polls show that a majority of voters are not looking favorably at a pair of Southern California Republicans. This could spell bad news for their colleagues in the rest of the state. [San Francisco Chronicle]

• The Los Angeles County district attorney is not planning to follow her counterparts in San Francisco and San Diego, who are dismissing thousands of marijuana convictions. [KQED]

• The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 13 “alt-right killers” whose actions have left 43 people dead. Among them was Elliot Rodger, who killed six people in the college town of Isla Vista in 2014. [The Los Angeles Times]

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Students at the University of California, Santa Barbara attended a vigil after a 2014 shooting in Isla Vista.CreditJonathan Alcorn/Reuters

• San Francisco could open a pair of safe injection sites as early as July 1, making it the first city in the nation with clinics that allow drug users to shoot up with supervision. The method is controversial, but cities from Seattle to Baltimore are examining their own sites. [San Francisco Chronicle]

• The Olympics begin Friday. These are the California athletes to watch. [Sacramento Bee]

• The Girl Scouts aren’t sure what to do with a 9-year-old who sold 312 boxes of cookies outside a pot shop. Urbn Leaf was apparently not on the approved cookie booth list. [San Diego Union-Tribune]

And Finally ...

The year was 1968, and California-born Peggy Fleming took to the ice at the Stade de Glace in Grenoble, France — a 19-year-old with a shot at Olympic gold. Just a few years before, a plane crash had killed the entire American figure skating delegation, wiping out a generation of top skaters.

Deafening applause rolled through the rafters, according to coverage in The New York Times. Ms. Fleming wore chartreuse. Rhinestone glittered under the lights.

Peggy Fleming - America's Golden Girl | Grenoble 1968 Winter Olympics Video by Olympic

“Here they were, one after another—the double loop, the double axel, the Wally jump, the ballet jump, another Wally, the flying camel and the double lutz,” wrote our reporter. “Peggy was nearing the end now—her skates flowing onto the ice and there suddenly was the finale—a half-toe loop, one-and-a-half toe loop, then a double-toe loop, perfectly conceived, perfectly executed.”

Ms. Fleming took home the nation’s only gold medal in that Olympics, and her victory became a global symbol of the resurgence of U.S. figure skating.

Getting to know the cannabis tech industry

Our experiences working with a growing software development market in the US

To be up to date with the US, our primary market, our commercial team is always on the road! One of our goals is to stay ahead of the curve, following trends in the software development market. That’s why we visit the country very often. Every time we organize a business trip, we look for events and other opportunities to meet people and connect with potential partners.

For some time now we’ve been checking out news about the different states that are embracing cannabis legalization, like how Uruguay did in the past. Recently, California’s legalization process has fostered new information and opportunities. In fact, during my last trip to the US, I participated in a meetup that united all kinds of professionals; “Blunt Talk: The Future of Cannabis” is a series of events that take place around California to spread the word about the cannabis industry.

Right now we are still finding out more about this curious industry. In fact, our motivation has grown since we’ve partnered with a cannabis tech startup from California. Our goal is to learn more about their industry, better understand their needs and get involved in this new market. That’s how I found myself at “The Future of Cannabis” LA. In this post I’d like to share more of our experience with the cannabis industry so far.

The Future of Cannabis

Last November 1st I arrived at the meetup and walked around the first part of the room. It was full of exhibitors who wanted to share their products and services. In the back, there was a simple stage where four short talks took place, followed by a networking period.

After walking by and listening to different experts, I got a collection of business cards that were as diverse as the industry itself! Growers who are concerned with the upcoming regulations and want to get ready to comply with them; HR professionals willing to understand the right roles cannabis companies are looking for; journalists whose mission is to inform people about legalization and its consequences; government representatives focused on making the regulations and norms crystal clear; investors looking for a great idea to put their money on; entrepreneurs developing tech solutions for this market; among others. Around 100 people were there to understand the changes this industry is going through and what opportunities they could explore.

In January 2018 California’s cannabis legalization became official, but it’s far from being fully implemented. Right now several organizations and government institutions are working to put together a set of norms. Their goal is to organize the cannabis production and make users and producers aware of them. The Blunt Talks organization strives to connect cannabis companies and startups with technology solutions that can help them in the process of becoming an official industry.

Cannabis tech opportunities

In the production and distribution of cannabis products there are a lot of benefits that entrepreneurs can get from applying tech solutions. Software can be of great help to track and control cultures following official regulations. Also, it allows producers to evidence the quality of their products to consumers. Moreover, when selling and shipping these products, it’s a good idea to use applications to connect with users and offer convenient payment and delivery methods.

As more entrepreneurs focus on new ideas to explore this industry, many venture capitalists are becoming attracted to it as well. Privateer Holdings and Casa Verde are among several cannabis-focused investment firms in the U.S. that want to be part of the industry. Business accelerators, such as Canopy, are also good examples of how the cannabis tech market is on the spot.

Our own experience

Since October 2017 we’ve been working as a software development provider for a startup aimed at becoming the best e-payment app for cannabis product distributors. Its goal is to be the leader of payment methods for cannabis companies, by intermediating the financial transactions between consumers and merchants. To do that, we set up a team of four developers and a Scrum Master. With weekly sprints and constant iterations, an MVP (minimum viable product) was already developed and presented last November at the Marijuana Business Conference, a Las Vegas event that gathered entrepreneurs, investors and other industry figures. This prototype allowed us to try out a payment transaction in a very robust and secure environment, perfect for such a strict industry as this one.

Right now we’re working on the product’s second phase. It will include the creation of the main users’ (client and merchant) platforms; integration with payment APIs; and with different authentication factors to fulfill different banks’ requirements. The app is being built in React and Node.

Our learning points

Although exciting, building a brand new product for an innovative market is not an easy process. There’s a lot of uncertainty. In this situation, it’s important to move fast and validate ideas as soon as possible, before investing in a full product. An entrepreneur can have a great idea, but the lack of  a market of consumers ready to adopt it can be an obstacle to overcome when creating an application.

California startups have found in nearshore companies a more efficient way to develop a high quality application with a lean approach and fast-responding teams that adapt fast and generate a smaller budget. In the relationship we’ve built with our cannabis tech client, it’s important for both sides to validate ideas soon and constantly release software that brings true value to its users.

If you’d like to know more about our experience and even discuss your software needs, contact us!

Can Cannabis Wean Addicts Off Heroin and Other Opiates?

Can cannabis wean addicts off heroin and other opiates? These drugs are now killing more Americans than the Vietnam War. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows 64,000 people died in 2016 due to an overdose of these drugs. It is a scourge against humanity, one that has become public enemy number one in the eyes of a population who have lost friends and family to this debilitating disease. But no one seems to have the solution.

Last year, President Trump deemed the opioid epidemic a national health crisis. Yet the efforts put forward have not been enough to stop the bleeding. Much of the focus is on providing addicts with more treatment options. Yet, these programs preach abstinence. They force recovering addicts to refrain from all intoxicating substances. Even marijuana.

Unfortunately, these rehab centers have only about a 30 percent success rate. After all, if heroin and other opiates were easy to kick, it wouldn’t be a problem. So, what happens to the other group who needs an alternative to abstinence-only treatments? Are we talking about harm reduction rather than total sobriety? Can cannabis wean addicts off heroin and other opiates?

Marijuana-Based Rehab

There is evidence that marijuana-based rehabs might be a solution to taming the addict daze. While other programs force people addicted to heroin and other opiates to stay clean, these alternative rehabs have looser policies.

It is more about progress rather than perfection. And for many addicts, the best progress that can be made is staying away from dangerous opioids.

The philosophy behind this treatment model is to give those people unable to stop taking hard drugs a safer option. And through this less restrictive concept, allow them to live a healthier existence without the pressure of unrealistic expectations.

Basically, let cannabis wean addicts off heroin and other opiates.

Marijuana-based rehab centers are rare. But they are becoming more popular in states that have legalized the leaf. High Sobriety in Los Angeles is one of the first rehab programs of this kind.

There are also clinics in Massachusetts and Oregon. And it’s not just an excuse for addicts to hide out for a month or two and get high.

There is a growing body of evidence showing that opioid use is down in states where marijuana is legal. It seems that people suffering from chronic pain and anxiety are more than willing to exchange pills for pot. But only if they can buy it legally.

Since this change is mostly of their own volition, there is not a lot of solid data on the whys and hows. However, all of the studies on this subject are clear: Legal marijuana is causing less opioid use. More importantly, legal weed is contributing to fewer overdose deaths.

Marijuana-Based Rehab Works

The folks behind marijuana-based rehab understand its importance more than most. In 2015, Dr. Gary Witman, a physician who operates the Canna Care clinic in Massachusetts, told the Boston Herald that 75 percent of his patients stopped using hard drugs with the help of marijuana.

This means when an addict is put in a structured environment where using marijuana is a path to recovery, they are more successful.

At High Sobriety, the initial goal is “to eliminate the risk of death from drug use.” From there, the facility emphasizes that cannabis is safer than heroin and other opiates. But since the herb has therapeutic benefits, it helps addicts—physically and mentally—get over the savage withdrawal symptoms that often come when trying to kick the habit.

The facility says on its website that “Cannabis is used for a variety of medical conditions as both treatment and symptomatic care. It goes on to explain that “Cannabis can aid in the detox process, helping with discomfort, insomnia and flu-like symptoms associated with the withdrawal process, reducing or eliminating the need for other drugs.”

So is it true? Can cannabis wean addicts off heroin and other opiates?

The Federal Government Doesn’t Buy the Hype

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions doesn’t just believe good people don’t smoke marijuana. He also thinks the jibber-jabber over how marijuana could help solve the opioid crisis is a giant scam.

Does he know something science doesn’t? Can cannabis wean addicts off heroin and other opiates?

Just last year, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, which consists of the country’s top scientific minds, published a studyshowing that marijuana is effective in the treatment of pain and other conditions.

What lends credibility to the study is that it reveals the proven therapeutic benefits of the cannabis plant, without blowing smoke.

The report went on to say, “There is a clear need to establish what is known and what needs to be known about the health effects of cannabis use.” In other words, the nation’s top researchers believe the federal government needs to allow more marijuana research.

These results combined with studies showing how legal marijuana has cut down on opioid-related deaths should be enough for the federal government to at least consider it as an option. But that has not been the case.

Last year, while Trump was going on about putting the leashes on the opioid crisis, not one word was spoken about marijuana research.

Hustler Magazine publisher and First Amendment Rights activists Larry Flynt called the President out for this blatant inattention to the truth. “He’s letting his throwback attorney general wage war against the one cheap, totally safe alternative to these highly addictive and deadly drugs—cannabis,” he wrote in an op-ed.

Final Hit: Can Cannabis Wean Addicts Off Heroin and Other Opiates?

Marijuana is now legal in over half the nation. Still, Congress has refused to give any consideration to legislation calling for this reform at the national level.

Despite national polls showing more than 80 percent support for the legalization of medical marijuana, federal lawmakers are still concerned with how their association with this plant will affect their political careers.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to die this year from heroin and other opiates. Many of these folks do not have access to legal marijuana. And moving to a legal state may not be a viable option.

For this group, entering into an abstinence-based rehab program is the only alternative to death. This sets most up for failure. The federal government claims marijuana is a non-debate in the interest of public health and safety.

Yet, it allowed opioid epidemic, one of the greatest scourges on the nation, to come unhinged. Can cannabis wean addicts off heroin and other opiates?

The least it could do is, at this point, is give addicts a chance to try marijuana-based rehabilitation. Considering the statistics, these programs could keep thousands of addicts each year from an early grave.