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.)

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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!

Why states should limit the potency of marijuana

Marijuana legalization states have taken no steps to limit the potency of marijuana, which has increased sharply in recent years. A new study suggests this could create public health problems down the road as more users become addicted or otherwise impaired.

The study was conducted in the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available through “coffee shops.” The researchers examined the level of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main intoxicant in marijuana, over a 16-year period. Marijuana potency more than doubled from 8.6 percent in 2000 to 20.3 percent in 2004, which was followed by a surge in the number of people seeking treatment for marijuana-related problems. When potency declined to 15.3 percent THC, marijuana treatment admissions fell thereafter. The researchers estimated that for every 3 percent increase in THC, roughly one more person per 100,000 in the population would seek marijuana use disorder treatment for the first time.

The Dutch findings are relevant to the United States because high THC marijuana products have proliferated in the wake of legalization. The average potency of legal marijuana products sold in the state of Washington, for example, is 20 percent THC, with some products being significantly higher.

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Although some people believe prohibiting drugs is what makes their potency increase, the potency of marijuana under legalization has disproved that idea. Potency rises in both legal and illegal markets for the simple reason that it conveys advantages to sellers. More potent drugs have more potential to addict customers, thereby turning them into reliable profit centers.

In other legal drug markets, regulators constrain potency. Legal alcohol beverage concentrations are regulated in a variety of ways, including through different levels of tax for products of different strengths as well as constraints on labeling and place of sale. In most states, for a beverage to be marketed and sold as “beer,” its alcohol content must fall within a specified range. Similarly, if wine is distilled to the point that its alcohol content rises too high, some states require it be sold as spirits (i.e., as “brandy”) and limit its sale locations.

As states have legalized marijuana, they have put no comparable potency restrictions in place, for example capping THC content or levying higher taxes on more potent marijuana strains. Sellers are doing the economic rational thing in response: ramping up potency.

The Dutch results suggest users and the public will suffer from this regulatory gap as more consumers of high-strength marijuana will fall victim to significant ill effects. However, this is an avoidable problem. Government can and should place limits on marijuana’s strength just as it does other addictive products, thereby protecting public health as well as saving the taxpayer the future costs of treatment and other needed health-care services.

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.

California’s History of Arresting Minorities for Marijuana

Despite its reputation for being a progressive state, California has a long history of arresting minorities for marijuana. But is there about to be a majors shift in the criminal justice system?

San Francisco’s District Attorney George Gascon will begin clearing the record of individuals convicted of marijuana offenses from 1975 to the present, under the authority of Prop 64 which legalized cannabis in the state.

Gascon has acknowledged that marijuana laws were unevenly enforced and that they disproportionately affected minorities.

One objective of this policy is “to address the wrongs that were caused by the failures of the war on drugs … and begin to fix the hard that was done … specifically to communities of color.”

The Racial Disparity in Weed Arrests

It is widely recognized that arrests rates for black people have been several times higher than marijuana possession arrest rates for white people throughout the United States.  However, this is not only true of marijuana law enforcement in California as a state, but also in San Francisco.

California decriminalized marijuana in 1975.  However, the Moscone Act did not actually remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession. It instead did away with custodial arrests and jail sentences for the crime of possession of one ounce.

Police began to issue citations for possession offenses, leading to court summons which could be resolved by payment of a $100 fine.   In 2010 State Senate Bill 1440 further reduced possession from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction, like a traffic ticket, also subject to a maximum $100 fine.

Throughout the history of the enforcement of these laws, black people were subject to legal sanctions at a much greater rate than white people.  According to data from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the arrest rate for black people in California has consistently been twice the arrest rate for white people.

In 1994 the arrest rate for possession was 192 per 100,000 black residents compared to 108 per 100,000 white residents.  In 2000 the black rate was 365 compared to a white rate of 149.

In 2010, the last year before the criminal sanction was replaced by a civil infraction, the black rate was 373 compared to a white rate of 171.  Remember: even though marijuana was decriminalized it was formally a misdemeanor crime and the issuance of a court summons was officially an arrest.

The Statistics in San Francisco

In San Francisco, the disparity was not as great during the late 1990s.  In 1998, for example, the black rate was 255 compared to a white rate of 172.  But this changed, for the worse, in the next decade.

In 2000 the black rate, at 348, was over three times higher than the white arrest rate for possession of 106.  In 2005, the black rate was over 4 times higher at 262 compared to the white rate of 59.  In 2010, the black rate remained nearly 5 times higher at 192 compared to 44 for white people.

After 2010 the numbers of marijuana possession arrests dropped dramatically, as possession of 1 ounce or less was no longer counted as an arrest.  However, possession arrest rates for 1 ounce were still disparate.

In 2015, the arrest rate for black people for marijuana possession was 16, much lower than in the past, but still 8 times higher than the arrest rate for white people, which was 2 per 100,000.

Final Hit: California’s History of Arresting Minorities for Marijuana

California’s Prop 64 sets an important precedent by allowing for clearing the legal record of those arrested for marijuana offenses.  Marijuana is now legal in California, and the state has decided that it should not have been illegal in the past.

San Francisco Attorney General Gascon should be applauded for recognizing the need to address this past injustice, especially in light of the tremendous racial inequity caused by past enforcement practices. Will other cities in the Golden State follow suit? It might just be a matter of time.

Marijuana opponents call on state to halt regulations

BOSTON — As marijuana regulators kick off public hearings on their proposed industry guidelines this week, legal pot opponents plan to call on the Cannabis Control Commission to halt implementation and rework their proposed regulations.

The CCC started a 10-location public input tour Monday under tight deadlines they must hit in order to live up to the assurances that legal marijuana sales will begin July 1 in the Bay State. Voters legalized marijuana and policymakers have set out to structure an industry that will be tightly controlled, shrink illicit sales and counteract some of the social justice effects of marijuana prohibition.

But the Massachusetts Prevention Alliance says the CCC's draft regulations will actually "benefit the marijuana industry, increase access to our youth, increase the black market, and drive further health disparities and inequities in some of our most vulnerable communities."

"Our best recommendation is suspend the promulgation of these regulations, and delay the opening of a commercial marijuana market in Massachusetts until the best interests of the people and our communities are fully considered," the Prevention Alliance wrote in an email to supporters over the weekend.

MPA said its chief concerns are that marijuana remains illegal at the federal level and the Trump administration has signaled a renewed interest in enforcing that federal prohibition, and that the CCC could be subject to "regulatory capture" and cede too much power to the marijuana industry.

"The CCC's regulatory language drives market growth, targets the poor, and is counter-productive to the state's drug use and addiction prevention goals," MPA wrote in an email of talking points sent to supporters. "The CCC's regulatory measures are counter-productive to every community's social-emotional learning (SEL) goals and may widen the academic achievement gap we are trying to close in Massachusetts."

The group, which worked to oppose the 2016 ballot initiative that legalized marijuana, urged its supporters to attend the CCC's public hearings and send written testimony to the agency before the Feb. 15 deadline.

"We must help the CCC get these regulations in shape, or we risk fast-paced spread of a new addiction epidemic to THC products in the Commonwealth," the group said.

Appearing on WBZ-TV with host Jon Keller on Sunday, CCC Chairman Steven Hoffman said the agency wants to hear from all sides during its listening tour and plans to publicly debate any changes to the regulations after everyone has weighed in.

"There are compelling arguments on both sides. We listen, we take everything you're hearing from all sides under consideration. I will tell you that all of the things we decided in terms of our draft regulations, we decided in public. So people understand the debate we had, what the commissioners had to say and how we tried to make those decisions," Hoffman said. "I will tell you that I don't remember us ever talking about whether we were going too far or not far enough or too fast. We're trying to do this right. We're trying to honor the will of the voters by making this accessible but making sure we're doing everything we possibly can to enhance public health and public safety."

After four days of policy discussions in December, the CCC approved draft regulations that would govern the cultivation, processing, manufacturing, transportation, storage, sale and social use of marijuana, as well as the process businesses must follow to become licensed to legally deal in marijuana.

The regulations cover issues like whether to license establishments where an adult could purchase and use single-servings of marijuana, how to make the fledgling legal industry accessible to racially and economically diverse communities, what price to set for license fees, what security precautions the state will require of marijuana establishments, and what restrictions to place on marijuana marketing.

The CCC will hold public hearings on the draft regulations each day this week, wrapping up with a hearing next Tuesday in Roxbury. The agency is planning to discuss and vote on any changes to their draft before filing its final regulations by March 9, ahead of the March 15 statutory deadline.

The CCC cannot begin to review license applications until April 1 and cannot issue any license until June 1. Hoffman has said that the CCC is committed to having legal marijuana sales begin on July 1, but told Keller on Sunday that the launch date could be pushed back if the regulators are not ready.

"If we're not ready, it will slide," the chairman said. "It's more important to do this right than on time but right now we think we can do both."

This Congressman Could Be Sabotaging Legal Cannabis

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher of California may be one of the most vocal proponents of legal cannabis on Capitol Hill. But in some circles, he is also considered a lunatic.

For nearly 30-years, this Republican soldier has been waving the freak flag in Washington D.C. Yet, despite getting Congress to support medical marijuana, his voice is also behind asinine comments and conspiracy theories. Some of them should inspire the cannabis advocacy community to bury its head in sand.

Not only does Rohrabacher believe Muslims were responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing. He also testified once that it was possible that dinosaur farts may have caused global warming. We would be remiss to discount his importance to the cannabis movement.

But Rohrabacher is the kind of political weirdo that threatens the progress of national reform. Still, he is out there on the front lines. Is this Congressman sabotaging legal cannabis?

Dinosaur Farts and Ancient Martians

Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California’s 48th District, a longtime member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, once toldhis constituents that the concept of man-made global warming was a scam.

Although an IPCC report concluded that humans have been the driving force for climate change, the Republican stood against science. He told the study authors that “dinosaur flatulence” was more likely to blame. Rohrabacher later said his dino fart comments was just a joke

But Rohrabacher was not joking last year when he asked whether Mars was once inhabited by an ancient civilization. It was during a Science, Space and Technology Space Subcommittee meeting that Rohrabacher questioned NASA officials about the possibility of Martians inhabiting the solar system.

Scientists told the Republican that there was no evidence that intelligent life ever roamed the Red Planet. But, from the look on Rohrabacher’s face when they delivered the news, we’re not convinced he believed them. And he probably still doesn’t.

Robert Kennedy and Bad Arabs

Representative Rohrabacher became obsessed with the 1968 assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy. He believed the LAPD covered up the fact that Sirhan Sirhan, convicted in 1969, was part of a Palestinian conspiracy.

Sure, to this day, some folks remain unsettled about the details surrounding the murder of Robert Kennedy, but Rohrabacher has, perhaps, taken the paranoia on this subject to a whole other level.

A 2008 report from the Pasadena Weekly indicates that Rohrabacher visited Sirhan at the Corcoran State Prison in hopes of getting to the bottom of the Kennedy assassination. But he thought it would be difficult to secure a meeting as Dana Rohrabacher.

So, in order to get a face-to-face with Sirhan, Rohbacher reportedly disguised himself as a woman named Diana. Yes, the lawmaker visited the prison in drag in hopes of solving the assassination of Senator Kennedy. The Republican then “repeatedly badgered” the prisoner for a confession.

Oklahoma City Bombing and Other Baloney Conspiracies

Incidentally, Rohrabacher pulled a similar stunt in order to interview Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols. He reportedly traveled to a Colorado prison to talk to Nichols because he was convinced that Muslims were responsible for the terrorist act, not a couple of local boys.

One would think that a man who claims to have such close tied to the Central Intelligence Agency would have access to top secret plots without imposing this level of crazy. But then again, Rohrabacher’s madness did not end there.

Last year, Representative Rohrabacher called the neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Virginia “a total hoax.” He believes liberals orchestrated the violent scene in an effort to put President Donald Trump “on the spot.”

He told the San Francisco Chronicle that the commotion stemming from the rally, which resulted in the death of Heather Hayer, was “baloney.” That all of the insanity between white supremacists and counter protestors was masterminded by Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders supporters “in order to have this confrontation.”

The Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment

 Los Angeles Times

Representative Rohrabacher is a salvation’s wing for medical marijuana. In 2013, he proposed a unique plan designed to prevent the Justice Department from spending tax dollars to investigate, raid and prosecute the medical marijuana community.

And it worked. For the past few years, the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment has been part of the federal budget. It continues to keep medical marijuana states safe from federal interference.

But this temporary reform could end up being Rohrabacher’s swan song. The lawmaker has signed on in support of other marijuana-related measures. However, Congressional leadership has not given them any consideration.

Final Hit: This Congressman Could Be Sabotaging Legal Cannabis

It is possible that the eccentric, Republican voice of this long time lawmaker could be part of the reason marijuana legalization seems to have hit a snag at the nation level.

It could be that all of the influential members of Congress see a man passionate for the cause, but then they find themselves concerned about how crazy it might look to join him.

A representative for marijuana reform connected to conspiracy theories and dinosaur farts is not likely taken seriously by  Congressional members. Yet the legal cannabis advocacy community continues to embrace him.

Will New Jersey Marijuana Legalization Include Home Grow?

Will New Jersey marijuana legalization include home grow? As of now, the new governor of the state seems to only be insistent that adults be able to consume cannabis—not grow it.

“Marijuana legalization” doesn’t guarantee fully legal marijuana. Other states allow adults to grow small amounts of cannabis at home. Will New Jersey marijuana legalization allow home grow?

It’s far from certain.

What Legalization Should Do

New Jersey will almost certainly become the second state to legalize recreational marijuana without a ballot initiative.

But right now, Gov. Phil Murphy’s promise to allow adults 21 and over to use cannabis does not guarantee “home grow.”

This is a problem that needs fixing. Enter Reed Gusciora.

The state Assembly’s deputy leader, Gusciora wants to permit adults 21 and over to grow up to six cannabis plants at home.

“Looking at the marijuana laws in place in California, Oregon, Washington and the like, I thought that homegrown should be an essential element of the New Jersey law, too,” Gusciora told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Should. Absolutely. But will home-grow be written into marijuana law in New Jersey?

The “Problem” With Home Grow

The New Jersey state Assembly and Senate are considering several legalization efforts. Gusciora, who co-authored the state’s medical-marijuana legislation, introduced his home-grow amendment to a proposal in the lower house.

Yet it’s still unclear which effort will reach Murphy’s desk. Gusciora’s bill would allow New Jersey residents to grow up to six plants. But only indoors, and only in a “controlled environment.”

Why so serious? Anyone who’s followed marijuana legalization for any length of time is familiar with the arguments legalization opponents trot out. A favorite hobbyhorse is a canard that cannabis automatically equals crime.

The notion that a few marijuana plants in someone’s backyard will cause gangsters and crooks to behave as if a supply of unguarded gold bouillon appeared in the neighborhood is false.

What’s news is Gusciora, a prosecutor, is willing to admit it. The problem is his colleagues behave as if it were true.

“They have visions of kids jumping over fences to steal Mrs. Smith’s marijuana plants,” he told the paper.

What About Hemp?

Gusciora is also pushing a bill that would legalize hemp farming.

An earlier effort to allow New Jersey residents to cultivate the non-psychoactive plant, good for fiber and fuel, died in 2012. For that, you can thank Chris Christie.

The state’s famously reactionary former governor also vowed to block a hemp bill.

For this reason, the bill died along with other efforts to expand the state’s extremely limited medical marijuana law.

By most measures, New Jersey’s medical marijuana law is terrible. Restrictions are so tough that through the end of 2016, fewer than 12,500 patients were enrolled.

Patients must also be “re-assessed” to see if they’re still sick enough to use cannabis every 90 days. And plenty of sick people who could benefit from marijuana aren’t sick enough: Jersey is only one of three states where chronic or “intractable pain” is not a qualifying condition.

In the context of an opiate crisis that kills 60,000 people a year, rules like these are criminal.

Home grow could help. So will New Jersey marijuana legalization allow home grow? Maybe not. In order for marijuana legalization to live, home grow may have to die.

Final Hit: Will New Jersey Marijuana Legalization Include Home Grow?

Christie is gone, but neither hemp farming nor home grow is a sure thing. Neither is legalization itself.

A recent poll found only 42 percent support among voters for legalization. And in preparation for legal cannabis, several townships have prepared by laying plans to ban it—even before the issue goes to a vote.

If legalization looks like it’s stalling out, home grow may be one of the first “rights” to go by the board. Stupid? Yes. But that’s how marijuana is legalized.

Six-Year-Old Girl Just Became First Medical Marijuana Patient In Texas

A six-year-old girl just became first medical marijuana patient in Texas. Cannabis is an effective medicine for anyone seeking relief from pain, a method to de-stress or a sleep aid. Meaning: medical marijuana is good medicine for everyone and anyone. Texas medical marijuana, however, is all about the kids.

On Thursday, an anonymous six-year-old girl who suffers intractable epilepsy became the first legal medical marijuana patient in Texas.

Knox Medical, licensed to provide cannabis in the state under the name Cansortium Texas, announced the victory in a statement sent to the press.

It took almost three years for Texas’s medical marijuana law to help its first patient. We don’t know her name—it has been withheld to protect her privacy—and we don’t know how many of the other 150,000 people suffering from epilepsy in the state will be able to receive cannabis.

The state blew an initial deadline to license marijuana providers. And restricting medical marijuana to CBD-only—no THC—is a fallacy. Even worse, the girl whose battle with epilepsy inspired Texas’s marijuana law still doesn’t have any.

Still, a milestone is a milestone. And make no mistake: Texas medical marijuana is a very big deal.

Medical Marijuana Arrives in Texas—Finally

Whenever and wherever marijuana legalization appears in America, it arrives carried on the backs of sick people.

In California, where voters legalized medical marijuana in 1996, the ghastly suffering of HIV/AIDS patients inspired the Compassionate Use Act and the nation’s first medical marijuana law.

Cannabis appears to have potential in aiding cancer patients, whose pain is intolerable and who often can’t manage to eat thanks to chemotherapy. In Montana, it took the death of four-year-old pediatric cancer patient Cash Hyde to reveal medical marijuana’s value—and the steep price paid when lawmakers decide to restrict cannabis access.

In Texas, an organized campaign of open lawbreaking—weed civil disobedience—shamed lawmakers into finally taking action. Mothers of autistic children forced to defy state law to obtain medicine went public with their stories.

Other kids—like Elissa Howard, now seven years old—put their suffering on display.

Epilepsy Only, And Only If You’re Lucky

Elissa experiences 30 seizures every day, according to her parents. Terrifying enough on their own, seizures can lead to permanent brain damage, and the mainstream pharmaceutical treatments can lead to terrible side effects. So the Howards turned to cannabis—and only the coincidence of a connection to a state lawmaker through family led to legal protection, according to the Dallas-based CBS affiliate.

There’s still Texas-sized room for improvement. Only three providers in the state can provide marijuana-derived oil. Very little THC is allowed, meaning the medicine’s applicability is severely limited.

Forget trips to the pharmacy: A social worker or nurse must deliver Texas medical marijuana directly to a patient’s home. Only seventeen doctors sprinkled throughout the state can write recommendations.

Only patients with intractable epilepsy are eligible. And they must obtain paperwork from two doctors: A state-certified neurologist, and then a second independent physician.

These are all reasons why Elissa Howard isn’t a registered medical marijuana patient in the very registry she helped inspire.

Final Hit: Six-Year-Old Girl Just Became First Medical Marijuana Patient In Texas

Painful and obvious as that irony is, there’s still reason to celebrate—while pushing for more from Texas medical marijuana.

“In spite of the program’s unreasonably restrictive nature, we’re really happy to see the (cannabidiol) is getting into the hands of at least one patient who needs it,” Heather Fazio, political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, told the New York Post.

From here, the pressure will be on Texas lawmakers to expand. And that’s a good thing.

Mendocino Cannabis Company In Showdown With Authorities

Barely a month after California implemented legal weed, a Mendocino cannabis company in showdown with authorities has caught our attention.

Just little over a week before legalization took effect in California on January 1, state police stopped a truck hauling 1,875 pounds of cannabis in Mendocino County, seizing the goods and slapping the two occupants with misdemeanor possession charges.

This despite the fact that they were hauling for their employer, Ukiah-based Old Kai Logistics, and had paperwork showing the firm is licensed by county authorities. Now that cannabis is recreationally legal, the Mendocino cannabis company in showdown with authorities is wondering where they stand.

It remains to be seen if prosecutors will pursue the case in light of legalization, and the affair has enflamed suspicions between growers and authorities at a critical moment.

Supply Chain Problems

Old Kai, the Mendocino cannabis company in showdown with authorities, is a cannabis industry logistic company that offers “supply-chain solutions” including testing, processing and distribution to area cultivators. The truck was hauling product for six growers in the Covelo/Round Valley area of the county.

During the December 22 traffic stop, the two employees presented law enforcement with documentation that the company was licensed as of December 19—to no avail.

Old Kai founder Lucas Seymour told the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat: “We’re a licensed entity. We have all the paperwork. All of our employees are aboveboard. We have payroll, pay stubs, workers’ comp. We’re not trying to scam anyone.”

Angry county residents packed a Jan 22 Board of Supervisors meeting to protest the bust in the public-comment period, local radio reports. Joe Rogoway, attorney for Old Kai, told the Supervisors he contacted both the California Highway Patrol and the sheriff’s office as soon as he knew the bust was underway and was “rebuffed” by both. He called the affair a “grave injustice.”

Authorities Claim Haul Was Still Illegal

Officer Jake Slates, a spokesman for the Highway Patrol’s Ukiah office, told the Press-Democrat he couldn’t comment on the case. The reason being, the investigating officer was out of the office. But Slates did say, “Let’s say they went through and got all the documentation and it’s 100 percent legal — it’s still illegal because it’s before Jan. 1, 2018.”

The participation of the Mendocino Sheriff’s department in the bust is particularly disconcerting. It indicates that the county’s own law enforcement is at odds with the county’s regulatory bureaucracy. Mendo Supervisors passed an ordinance to license and regulate cannabis in the county in April 2017. But Sheriff Tom Allman is a leader of the right-wing “Constitutional Sheriffs” movement, as the Press-Democrat has reported.

Legalization has been law in California since New Year’s Day. But the charges against the two Old Kai employees haven’t been dropped. Worst of all, the cannabis is still being held as evidence. Or, perhaps it has been destroyed.

And just 17 days after the bust, local officers, acting on a “probation search” linked to a 2015 misdemeanor cannabis conviction for Old Kai co-owner Lucas Seymour, entered the firm’s place of business and removed boxloads of financial documents.

The case is being watched closely by those who fear that a continued heavy police hand will discourage growers from joining California’s newly established legal and regulated market.

As attorney Rogoway told the Supervisors: “What I hear from a lot of operators in Mendocino County is, ‘Why should I participate in the system, put myself at risk? Why bother? If this is what happens to Old Kai, what will happen to me?'”

Final Hit: Mendocino Cannabis Company In Showdown With Authorities

Mendocino has approved more than 400 cannabis permits. But even licensed growers are clearly worried. Joshua Artman, one of the cultivators whose product was seized in the bust, told the Press-Democrat: “If I lose my crop… what do I tell my wife and kids? It’s tough. Honestly, I’m not sure what to do. Hopefully some good will come out of this; we can set a precedent and it won’t happen again. But this has massive repercussions for the county of Mendocino.”

And for what the legal cannabis economy is going to look like in the state of California.