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Crosscurrents

Cannabis News Roundup: Expect "greater enforcement" of federal law

Photo by Pixel user Max. Used under Creative Commons license. Cropped from original.

Will California be ready for “adult use” in January? ... Will Trump administration ignore pot? ... Cannabis treatment saves boy from institution ... Where to hide a nuclear bomb ... and more.

LEGISLATION

Legislator considers pausing January 1 legalization// L. A. Times

“State Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), chairwoman of the committee, said she was concerned about banks being unwilling to handle marijuana sales revenue because the drug is still illegal under federal law, which could require license holders to transport large amounts of cash to pay state taxes and fees.”  She also asked if the Assembly has the right to delay implementation.  [Editor’s note: see following related story.]

State will be ready for January 1 roll out (sort of) // The Cannifornian

“We are going to issue licenses (on Jan. 1)… we may issue temporary licenses until we complete our background investigations,” Lori Ajax, chief of the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation said at a conference Friday in San Francisco.

“But it’s going to take awhile for the whole system to ramp up.  ‘There is no possible way we can issue everybody a license on Day 1. ... For some people, it make take a few months.’ ”

Assembly bill would block state from cooperating with federal marijuana enforcement // The Mendocino Voice

“The legislation specifically applies to legal cannabis activity as outlined in the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA) and Prop. 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA). State and local agencies are defined as law enforcement agencies including police and sheriffs, licensing authorities and state and local agencies who have information on licenses under AUMA or MCRSA, and agencies with information about medical cannabis patients.”

Gaps in Prop. 64 to be closed // CBSLocal - Sacramento

Proposed bill would add restrictions concerning those under 21, as well as rules for advertising.

Cautious optimism over Trump administration policy // SF Chronicle

“While there has been speculation about how the month-old administration, particularly cannabis-shaming Attorney General Jeff Sessions, will deal with the marijuana business, insiders and industry advocates are ‘cautiously optimistic’ that Trump doesn’t have it in for weed.”

COPS & COURTS

Dept. of Justice could be looking into recreational marijuana  // Politico.com

“White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Thursday that he expects states to see “greater enforcement” of the federal law against marijuana use, a move that would be at odds with a growing number of states’ decisions to legalize it.”

Police follow their nose to find illegal stash // The Cannabist

“Jason Koch told [federal agents] that the pot spread all over the basement and other parts of the house  [in the Denver area] weighing 278 pounds was solely for personal use.” Authorities went to the house after an anonymous call complaining about “a pungent odor emanating from a rental home.”

HEALTH

Boy avoids institution through cannabis treatment // SF Weekly

His parents tried “every conventional option, from applied behavior analysis to horse therapy” before trying cannabis. 

“’His aggressions became less ferocious and less frequent, [the boy’s mother] wrote in the Post. ‘Mealtimes became less fraught. He was able to maintain enough self-composure that he even learned to ride a bike — despite every expert telling us it would never happen.’”

IN OTHER NEWS        

Oregon reaps “green rush” in taxes // Civilized Life

Collections far surpass original estimates, despite high tax rates.

Ignore that bale of marijuana — look out for the nuke inside // Alternet.org

“An Arizona Republican congressman has defended the notion of building a border wall by claiming it could prevent a nuclear weapon being smuggled into the United States concealed in a bale of marijuana.”

Crosscurrents