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With Legalization, Teen Weed Use Lowest In 40 Years

Al Olson
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With Legalization, Teen Weed Use Lowest In 40 Years

With legalization, teen weed use lowest in 40 years.  As marijuana legalization spreads, American teens are drinking less booze, popping fewer pills, smoking less tobacco and toking less marijuana, researchers reported Tuesday.

You read that correctly. Despite the fear-mongering that legalizing marijuana would make teen use soar, data suggests just the opposite. Use of cannabis dipped among 8th- and 10th-graders. For high school seniors, use is roughly flat, according to the annual Monitoring the Future survey of American teens.

Marijuana use in the past month among eighth graders dropped in 2016 to 5.4 percent, from 6.5 percent in 2015. Daily use among eighth graders dropped in 2016 to 0.7 percent from 1.1 percent in 2015.

The survey also shows that there continues to be a higher rate of marijuana use among 12th graders in states with medical marijuana laws, compared to states without them. But the data also reflects previous research that has suggested that these differences precede enactment of medical marijuana laws.

“We’ve always argued that taking marijuana out of the unregulated criminal market and putting sales into the hands of responsible retailers would actually make it harder for young people to get,” said Tom Angell of Marijuana Majority, a pro-legalization group.

“The new data bear this out, and it’s just common sense. Under legalization, businesses have every incentive to follow the rules and make sure their customers are of legal age lest they lose their lucrative licenses. Conversely, black market dealers don’t care about the IDs in their customers wallets; they only care about the money in there,” Angell added.

The findings have stumped those that have warned against legalization.

“I don’t have an explanation. This is somewhat surprising,” says Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which commissions the annual survey. “We had predicted based on the changes in legalization, culture in the U.S. as well as decreasing perceptions among teenagers that marijuana was harmful that [accessibility and use] would go up. But it hasn’t gone up,” she says.

Other highlights from the 2016 survey:

Illegal and Illicit Drugs

  • Illicit Drugs other than Marijuana: Past year rates are the lowest in the history of the survey in all three grades. For example, 14.3 percent of 12th graders say they used an illicit drug (other than marijuana) compared to its recent peak of 17.8 percent in 2013.
  • Marijuana-Past year use: Past year marijuana use among eighth graders dropped significantly to 9.4 percent in 2016, from 11.8 percent last year. Past year rates were somewhat stable for sophomores at 23.9 percent, and for seniors at 35.6 percent when compared to last year. However, past year marijuana use has dropped in the last five years among eighth and 10th graders.
  • Marijuana-Daily use: Daily rates among 10th and 12thgraders remained relatively stable at 2.5 percent and 6 percent for the past few years.
  • Synthetic Cannabinoids: Past year “synthetic marijuana” (K2/Spice) use among 10th and 12th graders dropped significantly from last year. For example, the rate for seniors fell to 3.5 percent compared to 5.2 percent in 2015, with a dramatic drop from its peak of 11.4 percent the first year it was measured in 2011.
  • Cocaine: Past year cocaine use was down among 10thgraders to 1.3 percent from 1.8 percent last year. Cocaine use hit its peak in this measure at 4.9 percent in 1999.
  • MDMA (Ecstasy or “Molly”): Past year use is down among eighth graders to 1 percent, from last year’s 1.4 percent. MDMA use is at its lowest point for all three grades in the history of the MTF survey.
  • Heroin: Heroin rates remain low with teens still in school. High school seniors report past year use of heroin (with a needle) at 0.3 percent, which remains unchanged from last year. In the history of the survey, heroin (with a needle) rates have never been higher than 0.7 percent among 12thgraders, as seen in 2010.
  • Attitudes and Availability: Attitudes towards marijuana use have softened, but perception of harm is not necessarily linked to rates of use. For example, 44 percent of 10th graders perceive regular marijuana smoking as harmful (“great risk”), but only 2.5 percent of them used marijuana daily in 2016. This compares to a decade ago (2006) when 64.9 percent of 10th graders perceived marijuana as harmful and 2.8 percent of them used it daily. The number of eighth graders who say marijuana is easy to get is at its lowest in the history of the survey, at 34.6 percent.

Tobacco

  • Daily Smoking: The 2016 daily smoking rates for high school seniors was 4.8 percent compared to 22.2 percent two decades ago (1996). For 10th graders, the 2016 daily smoking rate is 1.9 percent, compared to 18.3 percent in 1996.
  • E-Cigarettes (Vaporizers): The rate for e-cigarettes among high school seniors dropped to 12.4 percent from last year’s 16.2 percent. Of note: only 24.9 percent of 12th graders report that their e-cigarettes contained nicotine (the addictive ingredient in tobacco) the last time they used, with 62.8 percent claiming they contain “just flavoring.

Alcohol

  • Past year use: More than half (55.6 percent) of 12thgraders report having used alcohol in the past year, compared to the peak rate of about 75 percent in 1997. Thirty-eight percent of 10th graders and 17.6 percent of eighth graders report past year use, compared to the peaks of 65.3 percent in 2000 among 10th graders and 46.8 percent in 1994 among eighth graders.
  • Binge drinking: Among eighth graders, binge drinking (described as five or more drinks in a row in the last two weeks) continues to significantly decline, now at only 3.4 percent, the lowest rate since the survey began asking about it in 1991, down from a peak of 13.3 percent in 1996. Binge drinking among high school seniors is down to 15.5 percent, half its peak of 31.5 percent in 1998.
  • Attitudes: Just over 71 percent of 10th graders think it is easy to get alcohol, compared to last year’s rate of 74.9 percent, and down from 90.4 percent two decades ago.

Highway is an essential source for cannabis science, how-to stories and demystifying marijuana. Want to read more? Thy these posts: The Majority Of Americans Now Want Legal Marijuana, Seattle’s Swankiest Marijuana Store Opens Its Doors.

Washington Marijuana Sales Expected Grow To Over $2 Billion By 2020

MJ News Network
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Washington Marijuana Sales Expected Grow To Over $2 Billion By 2020

Arcview Market Research, in partnership with New Frontier Data, has released its Washington Legal Cannabis Market State Profile, which explores the recent significant changes to the state’s cannabis industry.

The elimination of the medical system that was operating in parallel to the adult use market will lead to a significant contraction of the state’s medical market, making the adult use market the primary driver of the official Arcview Market Research projection of $2.4 billion in cannabis sales projected by 2020.

Washington’s Marijuana Market Is Maturing

“The Washington market is maturing, but it has a long way to go to reach saturation. It will practically double by 2020. People really like cannabis and the regulated market is beating the underground market, as predicted,” said Troy Dayton, CEO of The Arcview Group.

“Over the past 18 months, Washington has undergone some of the most dramatic changes to any regulated cannabis program in the country, from lowering the tax rates to consolidating the medical and adult use markets into a single channel. These changes are intended to streamline the market and eliminate structural inefficiencies. However, it will be at least another year before we understand their full impact on product supply and consumer behavior,” said New Frontier Data Founder & CEO, Giadha Aguirre DeCarcer.

Combining Recreational And Medical Is A Boon

Washington’s combined medical and adult use sales are projected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2016 to $2.04 billion in 2020, a compound annual growth rate of 23%. After more than two years in operation, sales in Washington’s adult use market have continued to exceed expectations. In 2014, average monthly sales were $10.8 million. By 2015 average monthly sales increased five-fold to $51.2 million. This then doubled in 2016 to more than $111.6 million, with strong demand expected to continue in 2017.

The state has folded medical sales into existing retail cannabis stores, eliminating all stand-alone medical dispensaries. Additionally, the state increased the number of retail licenses that will be made available from 334 to 556, and under the new harmonized medical program, patients will be required to pay the 37% excise tax on cannabis, thereby eliminating a key benefit of being a medical cannabis patient relative to being an adult use consumer.

Some other critical issues related to Washington’s market explored in the report include:

  • Adult Use Sales Continuing to Outperform Expectations
  • Washington exemplifies the value of making cannabis industry data publicly available
  • The growth of concentrates as the dominant non-flower product segment
  • The state’s goal to expand the random testing program for pesticides

For more cannabis business coverage, visit the MJ News Network.

Burglar Ends Up With Black Eyes After Homeowner Beats Him With Firewood

Taylor Berman
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Burglar Ends Up With Black Eyes After Homeowner Beats Him With Firewood

To protect your home, you don’t need a gun or knife or even anything usually considered a weapon: Instead you need only a big chunk of firewood, which a North Carolina resident recently used to beat away a would-be thief.

The incident took place Monday evening in Raleigh. According to WTVD, a spokesman from the Raleigh Police Department say 27-year-old Matthew Lawrence Bergstedt kicked in the door of an apartment only to run face first into its firewood-wielding resident, who reportedly smashed Bergstedt in the face with the hunk of wood.

Bergstedt, his face now a mess, fled to a nearby vacant home, where he was arrested. As you can see from the mugshot, the run-in with the firewood left him with a bloodied nose and two big ol’ black eyes.

He’s since been charged with breaking and entering and attempted breaking and entering. The News Observer reports Bergstedt had had some sort of relationship with a woman who also lived in the apartment.

2016: Americans Are Cool With Mary and Jane Being Legal

Al Olson
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2016: Americans Are Cool With Mary and Jane Being Legal

Same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization are two social movements that have gained tremendous support over the last few decades. In fact, if you look at the progress both policy issues have made recently, you would think the two are related.

A study, “Should Mary and Jane Be Legal?,” published earlier this month in Public Opinion Quarterly, examines changes in attitudes toward both same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization from 1988 to 2014. The results, although not shocking, reveal that Americans may be more tolerant and libertarian than we realize.

Landon Schnabel and Eric Sevell, the Indiana University researchers who authored the report, discovered that “support for marijuana legalization more than doubled from 1988 (17.7 percent) to 2006 (38.4 percent). Support for same-sex marriage legalization almost tripled from 1988 (12.1 percent) to 2006 (35.6 percent). In 2012, slightly more than half of all Americans supported marijuana legalization (50.3 percent) and same-sex marriage legalization (50.6 percent). By 2014, almost three out of every five Americans supported marijuana legalization (57.4 percent) and marriage legalization (57.8 percent).”

The researchers are not certain as to why this is happening, but they offer this hypothesis: “Both marijuana and same-sex marriage legalization are related to individual liberty and what the government should and should not regulate, and therefore our findings may reflect a broader shift in the public’s support for maximizing individual freedom—or autonomy—and not regulating behavior that does not affect others. Our findings speak to the possibility of a wider liberalization (or maybe just libertarianization) of American attitudes that should be examined in future research.

“In 1988, most Americans wanted the government to regulate these issues, but in 2014 Americans want people to be able to choose for themselves whether these behaviors are right for them. … Policy legitimation justify and reinforce the redefinition of marijuana and same-sex marriage from behaviors to regulate to issues of individual autonomy that, in the views of many, do not have much effect beyond the individual.”

As we close out 2o16 and enter into a new year, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues.

9 Gorgeous Cannabis Truffles To Pair With Champagne On NYE

Jillian Peterson
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9 Gorgeous Cannabis Truffles To Pair With Champagne On NYE

Even if NYE is just another night you’re forced to get off the couch, turn off Netflix and go out, there is one thing everyone can enjoy: truffles and champagne. The combo doesn’t care if you’re dressed to kill or not dressed at all. Here are 9 truffles that look like they’re ready to party at any moment, making them the perfect Plus One, regardless of how you ring in 2017.

Leif Medicinals
Portland, OR

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFICzuMGWXH

This family-run company in Portland popped up in 2014, using ingredients that are locally sourced, fair-trade and organic. Many of their items are also vegan and gluten-free, like these dark chocolate truffles that are made with rich coconut cream and full extract cannabis oil.

Compassion Edibles
San Francisco, CA

https://www.instagram.com/p/kpsioIB6Tq

These pillows of cannabis chocolate ganache are covered in a vanilla white chocolate coating and drizzled with ark chocolate. Tainted Truffles come in regular 100 mg strength and super 225 mg strength packages.

The Bakeree
Seattle, WA

http://www.instagram.com/p/BFUdDZ_E5r1/

The truffles at this Seattle-based confectionery are legendary for a reason: they’re absolutely beautiful. They’re the perfect gift for any occasion, even if that occasion is a Netflix binge of “House Hunters”. Available in Sativa, Indica, CBD and their famous Sunset Sherbert.

The Herbsmith
Los Angeles, CA

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCguX0SOBnD/

The best part about Crowns, besides the fact that they resemble a Perugina Baci, is that they can (in theory) be cleanly split in half and enjoyed separately. Here, a Belgian semi-sweet chocolate shell is filled with caramel and a candied almond and topped with a second candied almond, because texture. Each chocolate is filled with 30mg of THC.

Marigold Sweets
Los Angeles, CA

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOdOVfphbKX

If the term “bespoke” was an edible, it would be made by Marigold Sweets. Composed entirely of organic ingredients, including recycled packaging made by a hydroelectric factory, Marigold is a nod to Alice B. Toklas’s 1950s recipe for “hashish fudge.” The chocolates come in two varieties, Peanut Creme and Fleur de Sel caramel, and are available in doses ranging from 5mg to 25mg of THC.

Opus
Encinitas, CA

https://www.instagram.com/p/_w-dmctGiT

The passion fruit and matcha green tea truffles pack the most punch at 40mg of active CBD each. Unlike the mystical Lindt Master Chocolatier, these beauties are handcrafted by a real life MC, who we can only assume would rather toke than wear one. Even more visually mesmerizing than these lacquered chocolates is the video showcasing their production. As usual, the Pixies deliver on the chill soundtrack.

Verdelux
Bellingham, WA

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJRBkLqAeho

Recreational edibles are easy to come by in Seattle, and Verdelux is quickly making a name for itself in this arena. Handmade in Bellingham, WA (about 90 minutes north of Seattle), the Famous Meltaway got its notoriety, not from being gluten-free (oh, Seattle), but for its indulgent texture and flavor. It’s equally firm and soft, like the perfect piece of fudge. Flavors include dark and milk chocolate, peanut butter and peppermint. Each truffle contains 10mg of THC.

Zuma Chocolates
Santa Monica, CA

https://www.instagram.com/p/9Sh1CeKvTf/

Hiring an award-winning chocolatier and pastry chef to oversee the production of your chocolates is not only a brilliant marketing move, it guarantees credibility in an burgeoning market. Sam Christopher is the guy we have to thank for not only making these French truffles, but coming up with irresistible flavors such as Peanut Butter & Pecan, Frosted Red Velvet Cupcake, and Coconut + Dark.

Coda Signature
Denver, CO

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEkLE9KotPw

These stunning chocolates are created by Head Chocolatier Lauren Gockley, who studied at Valrhona before heading out to work at a string of Parisian pastry shops and more recently, Per Se. If that’s not a solid seal of approval, just look at these truffles! Each one tells a story through bright colors and bold flavors that, according to Coda, “harmonize seamlessly with impeccable craftsmanship and quality ingredients.”

Often-Shot Rapper Shot At Waffle House: “God Made Me Bulletproof”

Taylor Berman
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Often-Shot Rapper Shot At Waffle House: “God Made Me Bulletproof”

Waffle House is one of the great American culinary institutions. It’s a place where 24 hours a day and seven days a week you can order hash browns, eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, raisin toast, biscuits, and, of course waffles. But because of its round-the-clock schedule and drunk-friendly food, WaHo occasionally serves as the location for all sorts of late night brawls and disruptions, like the time in 2007 Kid Rock started and a brawl in one and the time this week that an Atlanta rapper was shot in the chest in one.

According to WGCL, Atlanta Police said Yung Mazi was shot in the chest Tuesday morning at about 4 a.m., just before he was about to place his order. By his own count, this would be the 11th time Mazi has been shot.

The brush with death over cheese-covered hash browns and scrambled eggs* brought out Mazi’s boastful side. Shortly after, CBS News reports that the rapper tweeted, “God made me bulletproof [prayer emoji].” He later deleted the tweet.

In a YouTube video from June, Mazi explains why he’s been shot so many times. “I might walk around with a quarter-million-dollars-worth of jewelry on,” he said.

Our humble suggestion is to not wear so much jewelry to Waffle House at four in the morning.

*My guess about what he ordered.

Marijuana Restrictions In The Olympics: Is It Time For A Change?

Taylor Berman
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Marijuana Restrictions In The Olympics: Is It Time For A Change?

If you’re an Olympian and you’ve spent the vast majority of your early adulthood intensely training for an obscure sport that’s only appreciated on a mass scale every four years, you’ve certainly earned the right to catch the responsible buzz of your choice. But when would athletes be able to do so without risking a suspension? (Legal issues are another matter, of course.)

The short answer is: anytime they’re not competing at the Olympics. The World Anti-Doping Agency, which oversees drug testing for Olympic athletes, considers cannabinoids to be a prohibited substance, meaning they’re prohibited in-competition only.

To hit or exceed the 150 ng/ml limit, the athlete would have to be a “pretty dedicated cannabis consumer.”

In 2013, the WADA raised the threshold for a positive test to 150 nanogram of THC per millileter, from 15 ng/ml. To hit or exceed the 150 ng/ml limit, the athlete would have to be a “pretty dedicated cannabis consumer,” as Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), told USA Today.

Ben Nichols, a spokesperson for WADA, said that the athletes were only forbidden from using cannabis during competition. “The new threshold level is an attempt to ensure that in-competition use is detected and not use during the days and weeks before competition,” he told USA Today.

Before the increased threshold, athletes were also at slight risk of testing positive from second-hand smoke, which is what Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati claims he fell victim to when he failed a drug test after winning gold at the 1998 Olympics.

And if athletes were hoping to blow off steam by having a few beers or cocktails after their event, they better reconsider: Alcohol is also considered an prohibited substance by the WADA, and is forbidden during competition.

The Largest Marijuana Grow Facility Ever Will Be Someplace Surprising

Mike Adams
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The Largest Marijuana Grow Facility Ever Will Be Someplace Surprising

The largest marijuana cultivation facility in the United States will soon be built in Massachusetts, according to a report from the Boston Business Journal.

Denver-based AmeriCann marijuana grow announced last week the initial phase of its plan to establish the one-million-square-foot Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Center in the jurisdiction of Freetown. The construction project, which is said to be the largest of its kind, will be positioned on over 50 acres that were previously owned by the Boston Beer Company.

From Beer To Marijuana Grow

An expansion to the operations of the Boston Beer Company was originally scheduled to take place there several years ago, but those plans fell through for unknown reasons. In the fall of 2016, AmeriCann snatched up the property, which had been for sale for around eight years, for a cool $4.475 million. The company will get started on the new facility in early 2017.

The initial focus of the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Center is a 130,000-square-foot cultivation and processing space, along with another 30,000-square-foot building that will be used for research. This phase of construction, which company officials expect will be finished by the fall of 2017, is said to come with a price tag of around $25 million.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the new facility is it is slated to become a business incubator, of sorts, for smaller marijuana operations. Reports indicate that the company will section off portions of the facility to lease to tenants in need of training centers and corporate offices.

However, the company’s primary focus will be to produce a variety of cannabis products for the state’s licensed marijuana dispensaries.

A New Horizon

AmeriCann “will set a new cannabis industry standard for energy efficiency, cost control, clean cultivation practices, and the production of Nutraceutical-grade infused products for the patients of Massachusetts,” the company said in a statement.

Although medical marijuana has been legal throughout Massachusetts since 2012, officials with AmeriCann say it was the legalization of recreational marijuana in the November election that moved them to get serious about whipping the Freetown facility into shape.

It was revealed last week in a report by Arcview Market Research and New Frontier Data that Massachusetts could soon become home to the “marijuana capital of the world,” giving way to a more than $1 billion marketplace by 2020. The report suggests the cannabis market in the Bay State will experience a growth rate of 113 percent over the next three years, knocking Colorado off its throne as the reigning champion of weed.

Happy New Year: 7 Best Moments In Marijuana in 2016

Al Olson
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Happy New Year: 7 Best Moments In Marijuana in 2016

For many of us, 2016 was a year like no other in memory. Merriam-Webster announced last week that “surreal” was named its  Word of the Year. Surreal, indeed.

For the cannabis industry, however, the operative word was “progress.” Not everything was rosy for marijuana, but there were a lot of encouraging headlines made in 2016. Here are some of the year’s cannabis highlights:

1. Election Day: The voice of the people is heard loud and clear

History was made on Nov. 8 when eight states out of nine (the lone exception being Arizona) voted for some form of progressive marijuana reform. Nearly 20 percent of Americans now live in states where adults can enjoy cannabis recreationally without fear of arrest. California, Massachusetts, Nevada and Maine joined Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C. with full adult legalization. Medical marijuana laws are now on the books in 28 states, giving more than 60 percent of Americans access to medical or adult-use cannabis.

On the night of the historic vote, Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said: “This represents a monumental victory for the marijuana reform movement. With California’s leadership now, the end of marijuana prohibition nationally, and even internationally, is fast approaching.”

2. More research shows the promise of cannabis


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It was also a breakthrough year for medical research. One of the largest studies conducted was in New Zealand. A team of researchers from around the world published a 20-year study in JAMA Psychiatry that examined the effect of cannabis on about a dozen common health measures. The study concluded that cannabis had “no negative impact on a dozen other health factors, including lung function, systemic inflammation, BMI, or metabolic health.” The only adverse effect was on periodontal health.

Another promising study conducted by the National Institutes of Health showed “a continued long-term decline in the use of many illicit substances, including marijuana, among the nation’s teens.”

There were other research conducted in 2016 that showed cannabis as a promising substance for a variety of ailments. The DEA’s refusal to reschedule cannabis was a disappointment, but more studies will be conducted at the state level as more states legalize and regulate the herb.

3. Obama commutes more victims of drug war

President Barack Obama cut the sentences 1,176 citizens sentenced under the harsh drug laws of the Just-Say-No 1980s. Obama commuted more sentences in a single year than any president in history and more sentences than the last 11 presidents combined. That’s right. More than every President since Harry Truman … combined.

4. Pro athletes come out of the cannabis closet


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For years, a growing number of professional athletes have rejected opioids and opted for medical marijuana to treat pain and inflammation. NBA Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors made this bold statement after admitting he used the herb to help with post-operative back pain: “Medicinal marijuana is much better for you than the opioids that are prescribed. You realize that the stuff that is invented by mankind is horrible for us. Medicinal marijuana is nothing compared to that, and yet the perception is the pills are fine, so we’ll give those to the athletes.”

The athlete chorus of support is getting louder. Current and former NFL players are coming out in support of loosening the league’s drug-testing program.

As the Drug Policy Alliance points out:

The NFL is also dealing with a concussion crisis — many players are retiring early and some people are choosing not to play football at all because of the consequences that can come later in life after having too many head injuries. The non-psychoactive part of marijuana known as CBD has the potential to treat and even prevent concussions. The NFL should set an example by investing in marijuana research to see how it can help improve the health of its players.

5. Luxury brands become part of the landscape

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOQDdVFhT9R/

As the cannabis industry matures, the market has expanded to include more luxury brands than ever before. Sure, you can still go old-school and purchase lower priced bud and rolling papers. But a new, high-end clientele has entered the market and companies are discovering a whole new sector.  From pricey vaporizers to fine edibles, marijuana is getting a bit of a sophisticated makeover as it becomes more mainstream.

Even retailers are getting in on the luxury game.

6. Polling keeps showing support

It doesn’t matter if the polling is done by Gallup or Harris or Pew or any of the other survey outfits; marijuana has never enjoyed the popularity and support it does today.

In October, the Pew Research Center survey showed widespread support for sensible cannabis laws in nearly every demographic.  Nearly six out of every 1o Americans (57 percent) is in support of full legalization.

“It’s more clear than ever which way the country is moving on marijuana,” said Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority.

7. Other nations jump aboard the cannabis train


via GIPHY

It’s not just the United States that is changing history. Nations around the globe are reviewing their arcane cannabis laws.

To the north of us, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to legalize recreational cannabis use and sales. To our south, Mexico announced may relax its medical marijuana laws and will even consider legalization.

Israel continues to lead the way in cannabis research.

What will 2017 hold?

Clearly 2016 was, on balance, a breakthrough year for cannabis. As 2017 approaches, there may be some roadblocks along the way, but momentum is on the side of progressive legislation. Here are some prediction for the coming year.

What Is The Future Of Weed? 6 Predictions For 2017

Mike Adams
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What Is The Future Of Weed? 6 Predictions For 2017

It is distinctly possible that 2016 will go down in history as one of the biggest years ever experienced in the marijuana legalization movement. Not only did the American people offer a positive response to weed in the November election, but some of the latest market analysis shows the nationwide cannabis industry is poised to become a $23 billion dollar operation within the next three years.

Of course, with the good comes the bad, and there is certainly the possibility of some unsettling news for legal weed with the coming of the Trump Administration. The entire legal industry is on the verge of soiling its drawers right now over the possibility of Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions ripping the Cole Memorandum to shreds.

But, according to Forbes, there are six events most likely to happen with respect to legal weed in 2017 and a shutdown isn’t one of them.

Los Angeles Assumes the Title of Marijuana Capital


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Industry insiders suggest that Los Angeles is destined to become the “Marijuana Capital” of the United States, since its medical marijuana market alone is already worth almost $1 billion – putting it in a position to put Colorado’s cannabis market to shame. An ordinance is expected to be approved in the coming year that will provide more opportunities for the recreational sector to flourish, something that investors are aggressively monitoring, according to Adam Beirman, CEO of the marijuana investment company Med Men.

Professional Sports Will Embrace Medical Marijuana


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With more influential leaders of professional sports coming forward in support of marijuana as an alternative to dangerous prescription drugs, Bierman also believes that 2017 will give way to one of the leagues amending its drug policy in a manner that allows players to use medical marijuana.

Marijuana Will Become the Subject Of A Prime Time Network Show


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There were more marijuana-themed television shows given the green light for production in 2016 than ever before, which may make it easier for some of the major networks to head in this direction in the coming year. In fact, Chuck Lorre, creator of “Two and Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory,” is expected to unleash a pot comedy on Netflix in 2017. There is some belief that the success of these types of series, especially those produced by major players, could give way to the television industry setting aside some time slots for pot-related shows.

Synthetic CBD Could Stir More Interest

According to Seth Yakatan, CEO of biotech company Kalytera, “With AG Sessions and the DEA’s clarification that plant derived CBD isn’t legal federally, there will likely be interest in synthetic forms of CBD, which is what Kalytera has been testing the efficacy of for a few years.” However, it should be noted that these types of synthetic hemp products, which are legally imported into United States, do not hold the same power as the CBD medicine currently restricted under the Controlled Substances Act.

Expansion Of The “Craft Marijuana” Market


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Industry players believe the cannabis market will follow in the footsteps of the alcohol industry in 2017 by creating more pot products with “organic features.” Next year “will be the year of the craft bud,” Forbes suggests.

Second Chance For Cannabis Fails

Since pesticides were a heavy issue for the cannabis industry in 2016, there is now a push for lawmakers to give cannabis crops that fail pesticide testing a second chance in the marketplace. The Cannabis Business Alliance hopes to establish new protocol that would allow rejected harvests to be made into products that are not considered a health hazard.

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