Texas Republicans Come Out in Support of Marijuana Decriminalization

Texas Republicans have come out in support of marijuana decriminalization in their official party platform. State GOP delegates also approved an expansion of medical marijuana access and support for industrial hemp at their convention.

Nearly 10,000 delegates attended the state Republican Party convention last week. Before Saturday’s vote on the platform, delegates had the opportunity to learn about cannabis policy and regulation. In a first for the convention, three pro-pot groups and one anti-pot group had booths in the exposition area.

The platform approved by delegates contained more than 330 planks covering policy issues ranging from gay rights to immigration. Of those, four are related to the regulation of cannabis.

One plank calls for a change in state law to remove criminal penalties for cannabis possession. Instead, civil penalties would apply to adults caught with an ounce or less.

“We support a change in the law to make it a civil, and not a criminal, offense for legal adults only to possess one ounce or less of marijuana for personal use, punishable by a fine of up to $100, but without jail time,” .

Currently, adults possessing up to two ounces of pot can receive a six-month jail term and a fine of $2,000.

Another platform item seeks a federal rescheduling of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. “Congress should remove cannabis from the list of Schedule 1 and move to Schedule 2,” according to the document.

Republicans also support an expansion of the state medical marijuana program with a call for “the Texas Legislature to improve the 2015 Compassionate Use Act to allow doctors to determine the appropriate use of cannabis to certified patients.”

Additionally, GOP delegates voted to “recognize industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity.” They also urged “the Texas Legislature to pass legislation allowing cultivation, manufacture, and sale of industrial hemp and hemp products.”

Cannabis Activists React to GOP Platform

Cannabis activists applauded the party’s stance on cannabis issues. Heather Fazio of Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy told Forbes that the proposals would be positive changes for the state.

“Texas Republicans, like the majority of Americans, are ready to see more sensible marijuana policies enacted,” said Fazio. “Our state wastes valuable criminal justice resources arresting between 60,000-70,000 Texans annually. Delegates took a stand this week for a better approach. While it would be preferable for cannabis to be de-scheduled entirely, this call by the Texas GOP signifies a very positive shift in opinion. Outright prohibition is not working and Texas Republicans want to see Congress take action to make cannabis more accessible.”

Fazio also said that more Texans would be able to access medicinal cannabis if the GOP proposals become law.

“Under the current [medical cannabis] program, most patients are being left behind,” she said. “Texas conservatives are seeing the value of medical cannabis and want to see more inclusive access. Now we will take this to the Legislature for action during the 2019 legislative session.”

Under current law, only patients with intractable epilepsy may use low-THC cannabis oil after receiving approval from two doctors. The new platform calls for doctors, not lawmakers, to decide which patients might benefit from medical marijuana.

Lawmaker Writes Bill To Let Kids Bring Medical Marijuana To School

In California, a lawmaker just introduced a bill to let kids bring medical marijuana to school. Although there are some stipulations, the proposed bill would give students in the public school system to have access to their medication on campus.

The Bay Area Bill

One state senator in the Bay Area of California is unwaveringly in favor of a sensible medical marijuana policy. So much so that he wants to extend the state of California’s already generous medical marijuana program. State Senator Jerry Hill, of San Mateo County, has proposed a bill to let kids bring medical marijuana to school with them.

He introduced the bill, titled Senate Bill 1127, early this week, on Tuesday. The bill would apply to students in the public school system, from kindergarten to the twelfth grade, who depend upon medical cannabis for normal, day-to-day functions.

While this proposed bill is certainly progressive, there are a few stipulations. First and foremost, the medical marijuana may not be consumed in a smokeable form. Or even in the form of a vaporizer. It would have to be delivered in a tincture, capsule or topical.

Another specific detail to Senate Bill 1127 is that a parent or guardian would have to come to the campus to administer the medication. Unlike other medications, the students’ medical marijuana would not be able to be stored in the school’s infirmary, or in lockers, in the case of older students.

Yet another piece of fine print to this proposed bill? If it is passed, there is no guarantee that it would apply to all students who use medical marijuana. School districts in the state of California would not be required to implement this policy.

Still, there seem to be quite a few school district officials who are in favor of Senate Bill 1127. In a press release from Senator Hill’s office, educators in the district lent their voice in support of the measure. Linda Cravalho-Young, the principal for Special Education Services, called pediatric medical marijuana access a “critical issue.”

“Knowing that the bill is being introduced shows amazing progress towards acceptance of our students with special medical needs,” she said.

Final Hit: Lawmaker Writes Bill To Let Kids Bring Medical Marijuana To School

The bill was just introduced this week. But it’s already been met with support from educators and parents alike.

“This legislation is about giving students access to the medicine they need so they have a better chance for success in the classroom and in the community,” Senator Hill proclaimed.

Senate Bill 1127 is not the first of its kind. In the states of New Jersey, Washington, Colorado, Maine and Florida, school districts have adopted similar policies. And in Chicago, Illinois, a sixth-grade girl and her parents are working with their school district to allow her to do the same.

When it comes to medical marijuana, the main thing to remember is that it’s not only effective for adults. Children and teens benefit immensely as well. And as such, they should enjoy the same right to access their medication as adults do. They shouldn’t have to choose between their education and their health. Thankfully, many lawmakers feel the same way.

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.

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.

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.