EP51 (8.6.2018) F.A.R.M.S. Inc.- Fighting for Grow Rights!

On Episode 51, I'll be speaking with F.A.R.M.S., Inc.!
From their website:
REPRESENTED BY OREGON'S PREEMINENT LAND USE RIGHTS ATTORNEY, ROSS DAY.
F.A.R.M.S. Inc. is a non-profit corporation representing cannabis and hemp farmers along with industry professionals who are committed to protecting property rights and individual liberties. 

• LEARN MORE
• DONATE NOW

NEWS (July 30th-Aug 6th)

Quick Rips

• Oregon Has An Oversupply Issue While Colorado Seems To Hit The Mark. Oregon also still has a serious problem with out-of-state trafficking. Read More
• FACEBOOK BLOCKS CANNABIS SEARCHES. Facebook recently began blocking search results that include the words “cannabis” and “marijuana.” While cannabis-related pages remain up as of today, blocking search results can make it nearly impossible for cannabis-related businesses to be found on Facebook. Read More... 
  
• Grand Rapids, Mich., Approves Ordinance to Allow Medical Marijuana Facilities. The ordinance will allow up to 53 provisioning centers and up to 83 medical marijuana facilities, which include growers, processors and others.
• U.S. Cannabis Companies Are Holding Their Own In Public Markets Against Canadian Competitors. The United States offers the largest addressable cannabis market in the world. Read More
• Oklahoma Health Department Releases Revised Medical Marijuana Rules. The new proposed rules remove some of the most criticized provisions, including a ban on the sale of smokable marijuana and a requirement that female patients get a pregnancy test.
• Dry Leaf Medical Marijuana Available to Pennsylvanians Aug. 1. Medical marijuana in dry leaf and flower form will be available to registered patients in Pennsylvania for the first time, beginning Aug. 1.
• Florida State Medical Marijuana Director Christian Bax Resigns. Christian Bax, the embattled head of the state’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use, is stepping down, the department announced Friday.
• Buckeye Relief First Large Scale Cultivator In Ohio To Pass Inspection And Get Certification. Two other smaller sites already have been issued certificates of operation. Read More
• Pennsylvania Issues 13 New Permits to Medical Marijuana Growers. The Health Department has named the chosen entities that will bring the total number of growers and processors in the state to 25.
• Iowa Officials Work with Medical Marijuana Manufacturers to Control Smell. A new Cedar Rapids facility plans technology to "nearly eliminate all odors."
• RETRACTION – Bloom Farms Not Involved In Product Recall. A redaction from the editorship at Marijuana Retail Report. Read More
• Detroit Council Sets Cap At Licensing Cap At 75. The City Council unanimously approved the zoning changes yesterday. Read More
• State of Colorado “mandatory pesticide testing” does little to address exposure to toxic chemicals in cannabis products. PRESS RELEASE. Denver—August 1, 2018. Today the State of Colorado implemented “mandatory pesticide testing” for the first time. Many consumers may be surprised to learn that a highly taxed industry functioning within significant regulations in licensing, permitting and beyond, has little oversight on the pesticides used on plants that are ultimately consumed by humans. Read More
• Nevada Releases Revamped Design For Mandated Cannabis Edibles Symbol. It is the second iteration of the symbol. Read More
• This weekend, CatCon is returning to Southern California and this year, it will feature a seminar on the benefits of using medical cannabis for cats. Read More...
• Landlords Are The Real Winners In Legal Cannabis. And it’s only going to get bigger and better for them. To Read The Rest Of This Article On Newsweek, Click Here

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
​
Events:

• Cannabiz Convention - August 16th-18th, 2018 - Salem, OR 
• The Cannabis Science Conference - August 27th-29th - Portland, OR
• The Infused Product Conference - August 27th & 28th, 2018 - Los Angeles, CA
• BIG Industry Show - August 30-31 - Los Angeles Convention Center, CA
• International Cannabis Business Conference - Sept. 27th-28th in Portland, Oregon
• Cannabis Expo Show - Oct. 13th & 14th, 2018 - Salinas Valley (King City), CA
• Cannabis Expo Show - Nov. 10th & 11th, 2018 - Contra Costa (Antioch), CA
• Cannabis Collaborative Conference​ - January 23rd & 24th, 2019 - Portland, OR
• The Cannabis Conference - April 1st-3rd, 2019 Westgate Resort - Las Vegas, NV 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BIG Stories:
Legal:​

• Michigan’s governor has asked the state police to investigate and determine if any state officials have accepting bribes from those wanting to participate in the medical cannabis market. Read More...
• FELONIES PLUMMET POST-LEGALIZATION IN WASHINGTON STATE. Herb — Legalizing marijuana greatly decreases the number of felony charges for marijuana-related crimes, according to an analysis by the Washington State Caseload Forecast Council. While that may seem like a fairly obvious outcome for legalization—after all you might expect arrests to decline for something that is no longer illegal—it indicates that there is little truth to the idea that drug-related crime will increase if drugs are legalized. Read more.
• Manhattan DA Announces End of Marijuana Criminalization. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has unveiled a new policy ending almost all prosecution of marijuana possession and smoking.

Medical/Health:

• CBD MAY EXTEND LIVES OF PEOPLE BATTLING PANCREATIC CANCER. Cannabidiol, the second most popular cannabinoid, may prolong the lives of people battling deadly pancreatic cancer, according to new findings. Read More... 
• A Southern California university was recently awarded with a $9 million dollar grant to study cannabis’ impact on teenage brains. Read More...
• Preventing Cancer with Cannabis.Lanny Swerdlow, RN dives into the long list of published studies that suggest cannabis consumption can prevent the development of cancer.

Hemp:

Financial:

• Molson Coors Bets On Cannabis-Beverage Joint Venture With Hydropothecary Corp.. The product is thought to have staggering potential within the market. Read More
• 1st Year Of Nevada Marijuana Sales Exceeds Expectations. A legal battle over distribution licenses made for a rocky start last July. Read More

Culture:​

• Deadpool 2 producer and star Ryan Reynolds has reportedly signed up to produce the reimagination of the 1990 classic Home Alone as an adult comedy called Stoned Alone. Read More...
• SMOKING POT IS BECOMING THE LEAST PREFERRED METHOD OF CONSUMPTION
  Herb -- While cannabis use isn’t decreasing, smoking it is. According to USA Today, a study conducted by the Government of Colorado, in conjunction with insight provided by industry experts, revealed that smoking pot is decreasing in popularity. While the number of cannabis users in legal states is growing, the cannabis market is also witnessing a shift in the way that people are choosing to partake. Consumers are increasingly trading smoking pot — be it joints or bongs — for edibles, vapes, capsules, and drinkables; arguably, healthier and more discrete alternatives. READ FULL STORY
• DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill) and Del the Funky Homosapien (Hieroglyphics & Gorillaz) are two living legends that have performed at after parties for the International Cannabis Business Conference before, but never have both performed at the same time. That changes in Portland, Oregon, on September 28th when they take the stage at the Portland ICBC. Read More!

Sports:​

• ‘CONCUSSION PILL’ USING CANNABIS COULD BE A GAME CHANGER FOR PRO-ATHLETES. Herb -- In Miami, researchers are now developing a medication derived from cannabinoids that they believe could one day be mandatory for professional and youth athletes alike. The medication would likely come in pill form and be used to treat concussions and related symptoms. Traumatic brain injuries are responsible for a significant number of fatalities and disabilities in the United States. Roughly 30% of all injury deaths in the country involve traumatic brain injuries (like a concussion), as recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These types of injuries are common among those with highly physical and dangerous careers, like athletes and U.S. military members. READ FULL STORY

​International:

• Portugal’s parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill on Friday to legalize marijuana-based medicines, after rejecting earlier proposals to allow patients to grow the drug at home. Read More.
• COUNTRY OF GEORGIA REMOVES PUNISHMENTS FOR CANNABIS CONSUMPTION. The country of Georgia’s Constitutional Court abolished punishments for the consumption of cannabis on July 30. The cultivation and solicitation of cannabis in Georgia will remain a crime. Read More... 
• Cannabis Reform Moving Slowly in New Zealand: That In a Country Profile from Cannabis Business Executive. With two medical cannabis bills competing in the New Zealand Parliament, what can the global industry expect from the small island nation?
• Israeli Company Opens California Cannabis Clinic. A cannabis company from Israel announced earlier this month that it will be opening a clinic in California that will cater to patients who are interested in medical cannabis.
• According to the blueprint for regulation, Spain could raise €177 million per year through cannabis taxes, plus a further €1.2 billion on indirect taxes. The proposed measures have been largely welcomed by parties on both sides of the political spectrum. Read More! 
  

​Canada:

• Canadian Cannabis Farmers Will Qualify For Some Federal Funding. Unfortunately, cannabis farmers won’t receive the same treatment as corn or dairy farmers. Read More
• Canada’s Attorney General plans to approve a device that tests for the presence of THC in saliva, which is part of the country’s plan to regulate and control impaired driving after cannabis is legalized on Oct. 17. Read More...
  

California:​

• Southern California Coalition, California Growers Association Will Collaborate on Political Interests and Industry Leadership.Two of the state’s largest industry trade organizations are combining forces at a critical time in the California market’s growth.
• Los Angeles Marijuana Industry Still In Turmoil As Second Licensing Round Begins. So far, the city has issued permits for 156 retail operations. Read More
• California Reminds Industry: State Will Not Allow Cannabis-Infused Alcoholic Beverages. The state has taken steps to clarify cannabis product regulations in recent weeks.
• California is essentially letting the FDA dictate what it will do with hemp CBD. Earlier this month, the California Department of Public Health’s Food and Drug Branch (CDPH-FDB) issued a revised FAQ on cannabidiol (CBD) in food products. Per these FAQs it appears California intends to block the sale of hemp-derived CBD products — which are pretty much already everywhere in California, including juice bars, yoga studios, and even beer breweries. Read More
• New Origins Dispensary Sues City of La Mesa After San Diego Center for Children Appeals Cannabis Retail License. La Mesa City Council revoked New Origins’ retail license, and now the dispensary is taking the city to court.
• San Diego Is Struggling To Shut Down Illegal Marijuana Delivery Services. The SDPD has successfully shut down 11 illegal delivery services during the past year. Read More
  
• 1 in 5 Marijuana Samples in California Isn’t Making Grade: Local News Report. The Orange County Register reports on the first cannabis tests since the July 1 regulations went into effect.

​Oregon:

• August 1, 2018

MEDICAL MARIJUANA INFORMATION BULLETIN 2018-06. Subject: OMMP inspecting small-scale grow sites claiming exemption from tracking system; Inspectors to shorten advance notice before inspection to one day. Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) inspectors will fan out across the state during August to inspect grow sites that reduced the number of patients designated to be grown for at their locations to fewer than three. Growers growing for less than three patients are not legally required to use the Cannabis Tracking System (CTS) administered by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. In 2017, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 1057, which requires certain medical grow sites and all dispensaries and processing sites to use the CTS. At the time, OMMP predicted that about 3,800 grow sites would be required to use CTS. That estimate dropped to 2,400 after the 2018 legislative session, when SB 1544 passed and modified how qualifying grow sites are determined. Now any grow site with more than two patients being grown for must use CTS. In April and July of 2018, around 1,000 OMMP registered grow sites reduced the number of patients that they grow for to below the CTS threshold. Two hundred of those quit growing completely and the rest are now growing for one or two patients.  OMMP inspectors will inspect a random sample of the nearly 800 medical marijuana grow sites that have reported reducing the number of patients below the CTS threshold. To expedite the process, OMMP’s Compliance Unit will drastically reduce the amount of time grow sites are notified in advance of an inspection. Normally, grow sites are given a 10-day notice of an impending inspection via letter, followed by phone call 24 to 30 hours before the site visit.  But for these specific inspections, compliance staff will attempt to make phone contact the day prior to an inspection to make sure someone will be at the grow site, and will not send a 10-day notice letter. There are consequences for failure to cooperate with an inspection.  In addition to civil penalties of up to $500 per day, failure to respond to OMMP inspectors may also result in formal action against a PRMG registration, including revocation.
For information about OMMP visit healthoregon.org/ommp

• From Culture Magazine: Visit These Top Stops on a Trip to Cannabis-Friendly State of Oregon. 

Southern Oregon:​

• Billy Williams, Oregon's US Attorney Generals Says the Marijuana Industry is Out of Control. Replying to a recent report on drug policy in Oregon and Idaho, US Attorney for Oregon Billy J. Williams slammed the state's handling of legalized marijuana.