20 Massachusetts Weed Businesses in Running for Recreational Licenses

Massachusetts’ Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) agreed to expedite the application process for the 20 Massachusetts weed businesses in running for recreational licenses. Details about the identities of the businesses that received prioritized review status were disclosed Tuesday night in a document available on the CCC website.

No conflicts of interest were reported in the spreadsheet. Several of the dispensaries are based in Boston, but other businesses are located in remote cities throughout the state, including Holliston, Fall River and Nantucket.

Massachusetts voters opted to legalize recreational marijuana statewide during the November 2016 election. But the implementation of the law has been delayed, as lawmakers continue to debate regulatory provisions such as taxation, which were included in the voter-approved initiative sponsored by the advocacy group, Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA).

The Future of Massachusetts’ Recreational Marijuana Market.

Recreational marijuana dispensaries are scheduled to open on July 1, 2018. But as local radio station WBUR reported, there’s uncertainty as to whether the state will be prepared to meet that deadline—in large part due to ongoing disputes over the regulatory policies governing Massachusetts’ recreational cannabis program.

“It is likely that the 17 existing medical marijuana establishments will be allowed to convert to retail sales,” WBUR reported in December 2017. “One problem facing the industry could be supply. Cultivators might not have enough time to grow an adequate amount of cannabis to meet demand. That could spell shortages and initially high prices soon after the doors open to retail sales.”

For business applicants that have met requirements for prioritized certification—including the 20 dispensaries recently approved—the commission is able to certify recreational licenses as early as June 1, 2018, according to the news site WickedLocal.

Steven Hoffman, chairman of the Cannabis Control Commission, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In earlier interviews, however, he insisted that transparency and efficiency represented key components of the recreational marijuana business approval process.

Final Hit: 20 Massachusetts Weed Businesses in Running for Recreational Licenses

Though it remains to be seen why the 20 dispensaries selected for an expedited review process were given such an advantage, Massachusetts has also put in place a separate process for “economic empowerment” candidates. That designation refers to cannabis dispensaries and businesses “connected to communities with high rates of drug-related arrests,” according to Boston Magazine.

Research demonstrates that people of color in low-income communities are at far greater risk of being arrested for marijuana-related offenses such as possession, and so the state’s “economic empowerment” program is one of several launched around the U.S. that aim to assist communities that have been adversely affected by racially biased marijuana enforcement practices, empowering community members to enter the legal industry.

Even so, none of the 20 marijuana dispensaries granted prioritized approval processes qualify under the “economic empowerment” program, as WickedLocal reported. Hoffman argued that his commission’s goal is to facilitate licensing approvals responsibly. Businesses that failed to provide the required information in their applications would be given five business days to amend their applications.

“Our philosophy and intent is to help people get those applications completed,” Hoffman told WickedLocal. “We’re not rejecting applications because they’re not complete, we’re going back and saying, ‘you need to provide this information.'”

Data Shows The Demand For Legal Cannabis Is Increasing

Demand for legal cannabis continues to show a steady increase, according to new data from Anderson Economic Group (AEG). In particular, the data reveals a significant jump since the 2016 elections, when a number of states passed new legalization laws.

Digging Into the Data

According to AEG’s AndCan Index, which tracks trends in the marijuana industry, the first part of 2018 showed a small uptick in the demand for legal cannabis products. In particular, the report found a 0.1 percent increase in the U.S. demand for legal weed in January of this year.

On its own, that figure is obviously not impressive. But the relatively slow start to 2018 is an anomaly in the context of larger trends, more dramatic trends.

“While 2018 has gotten off to a slow start, the demand for legal cannabis products is poised for even further growth in the coming months,” AEG consultant Traci Giroux said in a press release. “The recreational market in California will start to settle, and the market in Massachusetts is expected to come online this July.”

Despite the tiny uptick in January, the cannabis market has been showing steady growth for years. Since the beginning of 2015, the demand for legal weed in the U.S. has grown by 25.8 percent. Similarly, demand is up almost 11 percent since this time last year.

In the timeline of legal cannabis, 2016 was a standout year. That’s because a number of states voted to legalize new marijuana bills during that year’s elections.

More specifically, Nevada, California, Massachusetts, and Maine voted to legalize recreational weed. Additionally, Florida, Arkansas, Montana, and North Dakota all managed to pass new medical marijuana laws.

As a result of all those legislative changes, 1 in 5 Americans now has access to some form of legal cannabis, whether recreational or medical.

Not surprisingly, these new markets have contributed to the rise in demand for legal weed. And the experts at AEG expect that demand to keep rising. That’s especially true as more and more states continue to loosen their cannabis laws.

Final Hit: Data Shows The Demand For Legal Cannabis Is Increasing

One of the biggest changes to the national weed scene this year was the rollout of legal recreational cannabis in California. Retail sales began at the beginning of 2018. Close on California’s heels, Massachusetts is also expected to get its retail program up and running this year.

Earlier in 2018, Vermont lawmakers voted to legalize recreational weed. There are also at least 12 other states that could see marijuana bills on the ballot this year.

All of these changes could add to the spiking demand for legal weed. But at the same time, the Trump administration continues to generate uncertainty. A lot of the confusion and concern coming from industry players has to do with Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Sessions has long been an outspoken opponent of cannabis. He once said that “good people don’t smoke marijuana.” Earlier this year, he suggested that cannabis is one of the primary causes of the ongoing opioid epidemic.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Sessions rescinded the Cole Memo at the very beginning of January. The Cole Memo is an Obama-era policy that directs federal agencies to take a “hands-off” approach to dealing with states where weed is legal. By rescinding the Cole Memo, Sessions may have opened the door to a federal crackdown on weed-legal states.

How To Treat Eczema With Cannabis

Cannabis has an ever-growing list of medical applications. In the 29 states with medical marijuana programs, dermatologists are explaining to patients with skin conditions, such as eczema, that cannabis can be an effective, and all-natural treatment. Here’s a definitive guide on how to treat eczema with cannabis.

Eczema: A Brief Overview

Eczema is the overarching name for a variety of dry skin conditions. Namely, eczema includes redness, itchiness and dry patches. It’s often located on joints, hands and feet, but can occur anywhere including the face, scalp and eyelids. Eczema is common in both children and adults, who generally experience sporadic flare-ups.

There is no longterm cure for eczema. Typically, dermatologists recommend using sensitive skincare soaps and moisturizers. Many cases, however, require prescription ointments and creams that often contain steroids.

People develop eczema for a number of reasons, many of which are difficult to detect. Environmental factors, allergies and stress can cause outbreaks. For many with eczema, dry, cracked skin, itchiness and redness are a lifelong issue. Most eczema care is preventative with moisturizing and avoiding certain soaps and toxins.

How Cannabis Can Treat Eczema

According to the National Eczema Association, cannabis can be an effective treatment for eczema. Research demonstrates that cannabinoids have anti-itch, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties–all of which make it an effective tool for coping with eczema.

Cannabis’ use as an eczema treatment goes as far back as Dr. Henry Granger Piffard, the founder of the world-renowned journal, JAMA Dermatology. Dr. Piffard, who lived from 1842 to 1910 was a leader in the study of dermatology.

He writes in the first textbook ever published on dermatological remedies, “a pill of cannabis indica at bedtime has at my hands sometimes afforded relief to the intolerable itching of eczema.”

Cannabis is effective largely because the skin contains cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system, a web of neurotransmitters and receptors that exists throughout the whole body. The body’s endocannabinoid system, which has cannabis receptors that interact with other naturally forming cannabinoids, such as those found in cannabis, make’s marijuana such an effective medicine. Through communication with the skin’s cannabinoid receptors, phytocannabinoids found in cannabis can reduce itching and redness.

Cannabis also treats eczema by controlling a bacteria that commonly causes it. Staphylococcus aureus colonization is a normal bacteria found in humans. Its side effects don’t always require treatment, but can lead to severe cases of eczema. According to the National Eczema Association, the most common cannabinoids can control outbreaks of this type of bacteria.

Another benefit of cannabis when it comes to eczema is that topical THC lotions can reduce inflammation. Not only can cannabis reduce the look and itchiness associated with eczema, but it can control the bacteria responsible for the infection. Cannabis’ effectiveness goes beyond homeopathy.

Why Cannabis Is Better Than Traditional Eczema Medication

For some cases of eczema, dermatologists will prescribe steroid creams. Over time, the body builds up a resistance to this type of cream, which means you have to use larger amounts and up the dosage of your prescription.

Steroid cream can thin your skin, and can even cause rosacea. Worse than that, steroid cream can seep into your bloodstream through the skin. This can increase your blood pressure and blood sugar levels and affect your hormones over time.

Steroid cream is not meant for continued use, though it’s often prescribed as an indefinite cure for eczema. This is why knowing how to treat eczema with cannabis could be better for your health in the long run.

How To Treat Eczema With Cannabis Topicals

Just because cannabis can treat eczema doesn’t mean that any cannabis cream will work. People with eczema typically have sensitive skin, which means that certain terpenes can cause skin irritation.

Look for products that are designed for irritated and inflamed skin. Don’t use cannabis topicals made for joint pain, for instance. Stick with something that is mostly CBD rather than THC.

As always, be wary of where you’re buying your topicals. Cannabis regulation is in its infancy, which means that anything could be in your moisturizer. This could include pesticides, heavy metals or other skin irritants. As with any moisturizer or oil you purchase at a drug store, go for the most organic topical you can find.

To avoid something that will aggravate, rather than soothe, your eczema, go to a dispensary rather than buy something online. States with legal medical or recreational marijuana have better regulations. Remember that the FDA has not approved medical marijuana for anything, including eczema.

Final Hit: How To Treat Eczema With Cannabis

Refrain from using steroid cream by treating eczema with all-natural cannabis topicals. Through the interchange between marijuana’s cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system in the skin, you can reduce inflammation, redness and itchiness. However, take time to research the topicals before trying to remedy any skin condition with cannabis.

Man Fired For Smoking Weed Gets His Job Back With Bonus Compensation

The question of how employers will handle drug tests grows more complicated as cannabis becomes legal in more places. This is especially true in Canada right now, as full legalization is on the immediate horizon. Most recently, as a man fired for smoking weed gets his job back with bonus compensation in Thunder Bay, Ontario, many of these questions are coming into better focus.

Weed Smoker Gets His Job Back

In October 2017, two workers at Bombardier Transportation were fired after a supervisor said he saw them smoking weed at work. More specifically, the supervisor said he saw the men taking their afternoon break outdoors. He said he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from their direction and saw smoke.

Further, the supervisor said that when he approached the men, he saw one of them toss something to the ground. The object smoldered and then went out. However, the supervisor was unable to find anything when he searched the ground.

Despite not finding any physical evidence, the supervisor brought the two men to Human Resources. Throughout the entire incident, the two men insisted that they hadn’t been smoking weed. They also said that they would probably fail a drug test since they smoked at home on their own time. Regardless, the company fired both men.

Now, a few months later, one of the men has been reinstated. His co-worker’s case is still ongoing. But for the man who got his job back, things have worked out pretty well.

The arbitrator handling his case said that Bombardier Transportation did not have just cause to fire him. As a result, the company was required to give him his job back with no loss of seniority. Additionally, the company had to compensate the man for lost income during his months of unemployment.

“He was not seen smoking, exhaling, or disposing of drugs or paraphernalia,” arbitrator Paul Craven told TB News Watch. “The company has not demonstrated that it is more probable that the grievor smoked marijuana on its property on October 5 than he did not.”

Final Hit: Man Fired For Smoking Weed Gets His Job Back With Bonus Compensation

Along with citing lack of evidence, Craven also brought up the issue of Canada’s pending legalization. Similarly, he cited concerns with drug testing protocols. In particular, Craven said that drug tests do not accurately determine whether or not a person is impaired at the time the test is administered.

“It has become notorious that current tests for cannabinoids are incapable of demonstrating either present impairment or recent consumption,” he said. He added that companies like Bombardier “might well consider other more reliable methods of assessing impairment and/or alternative policy approaches to the problem of marijuana use in the workplace.”

Ultimately, this case also highlights questions about employment and legal weed. Canada is preparing for federal legalization, which is scheduled to occur sometime this summer. In the age of legalization, many have wondered if it makes sense to allow companies to screen employees or potential employees for marijuana use. This particular case suggests that policy could be moving toward protecting cannabis users.