The bill requires county election commissions to include a public policy opinion poll related to the legalization of marijuana on the Nov. 2022 ballot.
Rep. Bruce Griffey (R) and Sen. Sara Kyle (D) from Tennessee are sponsoring legislation enabling voters to weigh in with a state-sponsored public opinion poll. Senate Bill 1973/House Bill 1634 would require county election commissions to include three non-binding questions related to the legalization of marijuana on the 2022 ballot, reported the Tennessee Lookout.
Although medical marijuana measures have moved slightly in committees in recent years, none made it to the House floor.
Photo by Brandon Jean via Unsplash
“To me, there’s no downside to it, very minimal cost. Let the Tennessee voters at least express their opinion in an unbiased manner so all of us as legislators have a sense of what the voters would like us to do,” Rep. Griffey said. “We’ve been wrestling around with this for years and years now. A bunch of jurisdictions have taken a step to legalize it. There’s certainly some valid arguments, is marijuana any worse than alcohol in certain situations?”
Sen. Kyle noted that states across the nation allow the use of medical marijuana. In fact, Tennessee is in the minority, allowing only cannabidiol or CBD.
The bill requires county election commissions to include a public policy opinion poll consisting of the following questions related to the legalization of marijuana on the November 2022 ballot:
(1) Should the State of Tennessee legalize medical marijuana?
(2) Should the State of Tennessee decriminalize possession of less than one ounce of marijuana?
(3) Should the State of Tennessee legalize and regulate commercial sales of recreational-use marijuana?
This bill requires the secretary of state to compile the results of the poll and forward the results to the members of the general assembly. The outcome of the poll will not be binding on the general assembly.
A chain of video rental stores will now be used as cannabis dispensaries in Ohio, increasing the number of dispensaries in a state that sorely needs them.
Remember the abandoned video store near the home where you grew up in? It may now be a cannabis dispensary. At least, if you live in Ohio.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that over a dozen video rental properties belonging to Family Video are candidates for housing dispensaries and cannabis businesses. These locations will be selected through a lottery starting this Thursday, with over 1,500 applications submitted for 73 new medical cannabis licenses.
The 12 Family Video locations in question received 192 applications from various contenders. While Family Video’s parent company announced that would be shutting down operations last year, Keith Hoogland, their CEO, said that the real estate branch was still in operation. It has been contacted by a variety of cannabis businesses looking to pursue rentals. “I think after a certain period of time, they realized they could capitalize on the situation,” said Adam Thomarios, CEO of Klutch Cannabis.
Ohio legalized medical marijuana in 2016, with dispensaries finally opening their doors in 2019. The process has been a slow and rocky one, with patients complaining over long wait times and expensive products. The addition of the 73 licenses would increase the state’s dispensaries to 130, with authorities hoping to grow the business, provide better demands to patients, and make it run smoother.
The cannabis licenses will be awarded via lottery, allowing a certain amount of licenses per district. According to authorities, this is the best method to ensure that small businesses are supported and that equity is encouraged within the cannabis industry.
Once you get past all the hurdles that nascent medical cannabis programs pose, it’s kind of awesome to realize that former video rental stores will now have a second life. Back in the day, having a video store that also sold snacks and weed would have been heaven.
Frankly, with all things considered, it may be fair to assume that tech is one of the most cannabis-friendly industries to work in.
There aren’t many industries that have been more welcoming to the cannabis community than tech. And the industry’s adoption of cannabis couldn’t have come at a better time.
Because cutting edge technology has been crucial in connecting cannabis brands and products with their consumers while meeting expectationsof regulators, it’s only natural to wonder how accepting employees in the tech industry are about the substance itself. Some of the signs that indicate an increasing level of acceptance of cannabis may surprise you.
Only 5-6% Private Sector Cybersecurity Companies Drug Test For Cannabis
In recent years, the FBI has had trouble selecting the best and brightest talent in the cybersecurity space due to their restrictive drug testing regulations. Private sector companies on the search for the best talent in the cybersecurity world don’t have the same problem given the fact that they don’t drug test nearly as much.
Former FBI Director James Comey claimed in a partially-joking manner that part of the problem when it came to hiring for cybersecurity roles was that “some of these kids want to smoke weed on the way to the interview.” That serves as a big indication that some of the employees who prevent data from being stolen from some of our favorite brands are likely big cannabis enthusiasts.
Amazon No Longer Tests For Cannabis And Supports Federal Legalization
Being one of the biggest and most valuable tech brands on the planet today, Amazon is responsible for starting trends. From grocery delivery, to one-day shipping the brand has introduced numerous transformative changes.
The next major shift the online marketplace could be responsible for is doing away with drug testing for weed. As of June of 2021, the company declared that as a result of changing cannabis laws throughout the nation that they would no longer drug test for cannabis.
Additionally, the company announced that their public policyteam will actively support the passage of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. If more companies follow Amazon’s lead, cannabis drug testing will no longer serve as a barrier of entry to long, fulfilling tech careers.
Photo by 400tmax/Getty Images
Nearly 1 In 5 Tech Workers Got High On The Job Before The Pandemic
What’s potentially the biggest indicator of the tech industry’s acceptance of cannabis is the fact that employees have grown increasingly comfortable using it on the job. According to a poll conducted in 2019, 17% of tech workers used cannabis on the job for numerous reasons, ranging from making it easier to deal with coworkers to coping with daily responsibilities.
Since the poll was taken before the pandemic caused millions of employees to work from home, left to their own devices, it’s fair to question how much that number has increased. It should also be taken into consideration that additional states such as New York and Virginia have legalized recreational cannabis use which likely inflates that number, too.
Frankly, with all things considered, it may be fair to assume that tech is one of the most cannabis-friendly industries to work in.
Federal financial regulator Rodney Hood noted that marijuana legalization “in some form is going to happen, and the abdication of responsibility to address these issues in Washington is simply ludicrous.”
During an interview with PBC Conference that was released on Wednesday, Federal financial regulator Rodney Hood, a board member of the federal National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) said marijuana legalization is not a question of “if” but “when,” reported Marijuana Moment.
In conversation with Josh Radbod, CEO and co-founder of the PBC Conference, a B2B conference for payments, banking, and compliance in the cannabis industry, Hood talked about the “prohibition mindset” that has influenced banking activity and said there is an opportunity for rural communities in cannabis, which could be facilitated by modest reforms in Congress to protect banks from being penalized.
He argued in favor of passing the SAFE Banking Act to build much-needed infrastructure. In the meantime, Hood said credit unions “must embrace the cannabis-related businesses.”
A Serious Market Failure
In a press release by the NCUA prepared for the conference, Hood noted that marijuana legalization “in some form is going to happen, and the abdication of responsibility to address these issues in Washington is simply ludicrous.” He described the “explosive growth of the state-legal cannabis industry over the last decade,” as a “remarkable social and cultural change that has taken place right before our eyes, and it’s only going to continue to develop over the coming years.” At the same time, he noted that “federal law surrounding marijuana and cannabis-derived products have barely changed.”
According to Hood, these limitations have reduced the development of the banking infrastructure needed to provide financial services to this rapidly growing industry.
“The NCUA regulates the system of federally insured credit unions, which includes more than 5,000 institutions. Yet, only 169 of those are providing services to one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation. That can only be described as a serious market failure,” Hood explained. “It is time for federal action to clarify and harmonize the laws and regulations surrounding the state-legal cannabis industry and marijuana-related businesses so that this industry can take part in the legitimate financial services industry.”
Moderna just announced the beginning of the human trials of the Omicron booster. Here’s why that’s potentially great news.
On Wednesday, Moderna announced the start of their new COVID-19 booster trial on humans. This time, the company is working on a booster that’s specifically meant to target the Omicron variant.
While data and health experts assure that the original vaccine and booster provide protection from the new COVID-19 variant, Moderna wants to target Omicron with a fresh booster, one that’s capable of circumventing the challenges that the new variant poses. Research shows that Omicron is more resistant to the vaccine’s antibodies, something that increases as time passes and the effectiveness of boosters and vaccines fade.
Moderna’s omicron vaccine trial is made up of two groups of about 300 people each. One group will be comprised of people who received two doses of the vaccine at least six months ago, and another with those who received two doses plus a booster within the past three months.
Despite the great spread of Omicron, more and more data is shedding light on the fact that it’s much milder than previous variants of the virus, at least on patients who are immunized.
A recent study conducted by the CDC shows that Omicron is less likely to result in deaths and hospitalizations, with even those who were hospitalized having higher odds of recuperating. The study found that those infected with Omicron are 75% less likely to require intensive care and that hospitalized patients require an average of 1.5 days of treatment when compared to patients in the past, who required an average of five days of attention. None of the subjects with Omicron had to go on a ventilator, a striking fact considering the number of people whose data was analyzed.
While this is good news, it’s still important to have a vaccine that can target the new variant, protecting those who are more likely to get ill and narrowing the path of the virus, which would give breathing room to hospitals and healthcare workers.
Omicron’s great spread, while initially terrifying, is now seen by some as the start of the end of the pandemic. The more the virus spreads, the more it immunizes people, eliminating further avenues for the virus to mutate and infect, as it’s been doing over the past two years.
This possibility is encouraging, with the best possible outcome being that the virus reaches its endemic stage and becomes just another virus to keep an eye on, like the flu. Still, it’s impossible to know whether or not this will happen, or if other variants, perhaps ones who are more deadly, will appear.
A new study shows that one simple addition to your routine could prevent thousands of deaths a year.
A new study says that over 110,000 deaths a year could be prevented by doing something really simple: adding 10 minutes of exercise to your day.
More specifically, the study focused on people over 40 and how collective health would benefit from them adding in 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity to their lives.
Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It then looked at the activity levels of over 5,000 participants between the ages of 40-85, while also tracking their death rates. While the number of prevented deaths is an estimate, the study showed that the more people worked out, the better were their odds of living longer.
“We know exercise is good for us. This study provides additional evidence of the benefits at the population level: if all adults in the United States (over age 40) were to exercise just a bit more each day, a large number of deaths could be prevented each year,” study author Pedro Saint-Maurice told CNN.
While most studies focus on showing the bare minimum of workout per day, they tend to be demoralizing for a large group of people, who may not have the time or mentality to work out four days a week. These types of studies provide attainable goals that everyone can include in their everyday routines, improving their quality of life and helping communities live longer and healthier lives.
Ten minutes of exercise is not a big-time commitment; it can be done by setting a timer and going up and down the stairs, going on a walk, or doing body weights at home. New studies and researchers are taking new approaches to fitness, changing the definition of what that means, thus, welcoming more people to a healthier lifestyle that is also convenient long-term.
On Wednesday, Mississippi’s Republican-led legislature finally agreed on a medical cannabis bill to be sent to Gov. Tate Reeves’ desk. After months of negotiations, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act will establish a system of licensed dispensaries to provide medical cannabis to qualified patients.
The Senate and House passed slightly different versions of a bill last week, with wide margins of bipartisan support. Lawmakers approved a final version of the legislation in conference committee on Wednesday.
“It’s nice to be at a place where everyone’s in agreement,” said House Drug Policy Committee Chairman Lee Yancey (R), reported the Jackson Free Press. “It looks like that we’re finally going to be able to provide relief to those people with debilitating illnesses who suffer so badly.”
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves argued on various occasions that he wanted tight limits on how much cannabis people can purchase because he strongly opposes a recreational marijuana program. As it stands, the bill allows patients to buy up to 3.5 grams of cannabis per day and up to six days a week.
Reeves has not yet said whether or not he will sign the bill, veto it or let it become law without his signature.
“We’re veto-proof on both sides,” said Republican Sen. Kevin Blackwell who worked with Yancey in leading negotiations.
A wide margin of Mississippi voters approved a medical marijuana initiative in November 2020, but the state Supreme Court invalidated it six months later by ruling the state’s initiative process was outdated and the measure was not placed properly on the ballot.
NORML State Policies Manager Jax James responded to the news. “This news is arguably bittersweet for Mississippi’s patients. While these steps forward are a welcome development, they are also long overdue. The overwhelming majority of voters decided in favor of this policy change over a year ago, and for the past 14 months the will of the people has been denied as a result of the actions of the state Supreme Court and the Governor.”
Once enacted into law, Mississippi will become the 37th state to regulate the possession and distribution of medical cannabis.
Raising cattle on land that can be used to grow recreational marijuana is becoming more and more difficult to justify.
The life of a farmer in modern America has grown to be a difficult way to make a living. In addition to the hardships involved in agriculture, the lives of chicken and other livestock farmers continues to be scrutinized for its cruelty towards animals and negative impacts on the environment and public health.
At the same time that farming in America has become more difficult in many regards, it has become a goldmine for some livestock farmers who have switched to growing cannabis in states that have legalized marijuana. With the continued growth of recreational cannabis one must wonder if cannabis may just have the momentum to shift the trajectory of American farming from mammals to marijuana.
One fact is certain: cannabis is a real cash crop, and it keeps on growing. In fact, some strategists predict that cannabis taxes alone may generate $12 billion for U.S. states by 2030, according to Fortune. While other businesses tanked, marijuana sales grew.
Marijuana growing licenses are highly competitive in states where it is legal to grow, and some of the best growing land in these states is becoming coveted similarly to that of a wine region. Some of this land has become so costly that farmers have stopped raising animals in these lands altogether. The profits from livestock on this land can be a fraction of the earning potential of marijuana’s.
One Oregon livestock producer, Angela Boudro, told Reuters about the nearly impossible feat it is to compete with cannabis. “We had looked at purchasing a piece of ground, and the price that the hemp growers were willing to pay was phenomenally higher than we could ever pay with livestock,” she said.
Livestock producers still exist in all states with legalized weed, but the decision to raise cattle on land that can be used to grow recreational marijuana is becoming more and more difficult to justify.
Some animal rights organizations noticed this shift in profitability going from livestock to plants. Some such organizations have already created ways to assist and encourage farmers into this “vegetarian” and profitable business transition. One of these organizations is the Transformation Project, launched by Mercy for Animals (MFA). The transformation project’smission is “to help farmers transition their industrial animal-agriculture operations to plant-focused farms raising crops for human consumption.”
“We decided to create a platform where we would have this conversation about our current factory farm system and how to get the people who want out involved in the plant-based space, whether it’s hemp or even solar and wind energy,” MFA President Leah Garcéstold Civil Eats.
Organizations like these can be instrumental for farmers looking to make the switch. The influence and investors provided by groups like the Transformation Project can make the switch from chicken and livestock to cannabis and other farming possible for small-time farmers. This change, after all, comes with a significant initial investment.
This investment in cannabis, however, has shown great payoff for some former-livestock farmers already.
“I’ve got 1,500 acres of normal row crops and 400 head of cattle,” J.F. Foster, a livestock farmer who has begun the switch to cannabis,told Farm Journal. “If it was possible I’d turn my entire operation over to some type of cannabis production today. Every acre. Today.”
At the current growth rates, the cannabis industry will support over 400,000 jobs this year, so it is best to fill these positions with competent individuals who have been appropriately trained.
Thousands of students across the United States of America are looking to study cannabis-related programs in top universities across the country. To some, graduating with a degree in cannabis may seem strange, but the truth is that cannabis job openings are opening up faster than ever. Recently, it was reported that cannabis jobs would increase by 161% in the U.S. by 2029.
With everything going on in the world, this development is not a surprise. The cannabis industry is one of the mature industries growing quickly. From 2019 till this moment, the sector has increased by 47%. It is also looking to be an economic driver in many emerging markets around the world today. In 2020, the total annual sales were about $18 billion. The U.S. cannabis industry is worth over $60 billion now and is projected to be worth at least $100 billion by 2030.
Photo by Alexis Brown via Unsplash
Looking at the available stats on the industry right now, cannabis could be the new gold in a few years, so why not get on top of it and get an education in cannabis before then?
The Legality of Cannabis Degrees
The absence of federal legislation for cannabis substances has cast doubt on the legitimacy of these programs. Not to mention the lack of federal accreditation agencies for cannabis degrees. The ANSI National Accreditation Board’s Cannabis Testing Lab Accreditation Program has accredited laboratories across the country to investigate important cannabinoid and terpene properties. Relevant tests on pesticides, microbial contaminants, heavy metals, and residual solvents can also be performed by these labs.
Cannabis degrees are not limited to only research; the space has prepared students for opportunities in engineering, math, technology, chemistry, and engineering. The industry still has a lot of expansion to do. Students passionate about the plants need to be equipped with knowledge of lucrative business opportunities in the industry, as well as how they can focus on medical cannabis innovations.
This means that colleges have rules and regulations guiding the degrees. As soon as federal legislation is quickly passed, proper accreditation agencies will be established and funded.
Cannabis In Major American Schools
Colleges and universities in America now offer three to four years of cannabis education. Some cannabis companies are offering employees scholarships to study cannabis studies at any of the major schools in the country. At the forefront of this movement are Veriheal and Steadfast Labs. They have offered annual scholarships worth $1,200 to employees interested in pursuing a cannabis-related degree.
Not all of these accredited universities offer full degrees in cannabis. Some offer part-time and full-time classes, while others only provide a few lessons. This presents students to pick preferable courses that suit their interests and visions. Here is a list of accredited institutions investing money and time in equipping students with cannabis education. The following are undergraduate degrees, whereas places like Thomas Jefferson University offer post-graduate degrees in cannabis as well.
Lake Superior State University (LSSU)
LSSU started offering cannabis studies in 2019. The degree focuses on cannabis chemistry. Recently, they added another degree in the cannabis business. Other courses offered in the university’s Cannabis Center of Excellence include cannabis law and policy, a survey of cannabis business, and cannabis economics.
University of Denver (UoD)
UoD focuses on cannabis law courses.
The Sturm College of Law offers classes on cannabis policies and regulations. A current course teaches us about the challenges faced when representing offenders with cannabis-related charges. The course features the frequently changing rules and regulations in legal states.
Northern Michigan University (NMU)
The program offered by NMU focuses on experimental horticultural practices and advanced analytical chemistry in cannabis. There’s also an additional option that focuses on the entrepreneurial track for students.
The degree, which debuted in 2017, takes four years to complete.
The school’s news director, Kristi Evans, announced that NMU now offers degrees in multidisciplinary indoor agriculture to students interested in medicinal plants or agricultural food production.
Western Illinois University (WIU)
WIU offers two cannabis-related courses. The first is a cannabis production minor focusing on plant physiology and horticulture practices. Classes like crop biotechnology are taught to the students.
The other course is a cannabis culture minor. It focuses on the various ways the prohibition of cannabis has negatively impacted the lives of colored residents in the country. Students take classes on popular cannabis cultures and contemporary moral problems.
Photo by Ryan Jacobson via Unsplash
Stockton University, New Jersey
Stockton University is one of the few schools that offer online cannabis certification courses. The curriculum is composed of six courses. These courses are an introduction to business, cannabis cultivation, and research in medical and recreational cannabis.
The school also offers students a minor in cannabis studies. Registered students take courses relating to medical marijuana and cannabis laws.
Ohio State University (OSU)
OSU offers a seminar on marijuana law. The school’s Moritz College of Law also offers a course on marijuana laws and policies.
The students are taught about business-first approaches to legalizing the cannabis industry. The lectures also emphasized existing marijuana laws and policies. Cannabiz: Exploring the “legalized” cannabis industry from a corporate transactional standpoint is a popular course.
University of California
It would have been a huge oversight to exclude this institution from the list, as it is one of the hottest locations for cannabis production and sales. The course offered focuses on medicinal cannabis and chronic pain. The course is only offered in the Davis section of the university.
Colorado State University, Pueblo
In 2016, the Institute of Cannabis Research was established in the Pueblo division of Colorado State University. It is the first multi-disciplinary cannabis research center in the United States, and it offers degrees in cannabis biology and chemistry. A minor course is also offered in cannabis studies.
Bottom Line
Universities have a vital role in preparing thousands for careers in the cannabis industry. There is an urgent need to train students to deal with legal, financial, marketing, product development, medical care, and technology issues relating to the cannabis industry.
At the current growth rates, the cannabis industry will support over 400,000 jobs this year, so it is best to fill these positions with competent individuals who have been appropriately trained.
New research found trends in people suffering from long COVID-19, which could help researchers develop a test to predict who’s at higher risk for the condition.
While COVID-19 is terrifying in and of itself, long COVID-19 is an even more concerning condition. Poorly misunderstood, long COVID-19 affects people and produces different symptoms that can last from weeks to months, from having trouble breathing to not being able to smell or taste food.
New research suggests that there’s a way of knowing which people will get long COVID-19, which, if corroborated by other studies, could then help researchers develop a test for it, letting them know as soon as possible who is at risk for developing this condition.
Published in the journal Nature Communications, the research shows that people who develop long COVID-19 are likely to have lower levels of certain antibodies in their blood after their coronavirus infections.
The research began in 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic, and followed patients through their COVID-19 infections. It continued to keep track of them for six months and then for a year when long COVID-19 became a known concern for health practitioners and patients alike. Researchers compared their patients and were able to spot trends, including the immune system’s reaction to the virus.
Dr. Onur Boyman, the lead author of the study, spoke with NBC News and explained the reactions that people with long COVID-19 displayed. According to the data, these people showed decreased levels of two immunoglobulins: IgM and IgG3. This decrease, paired with an underlying condition or the fact that the patient was over a certain age, made it 75% effective in predicting long COVID-19.
“These individuals might have a disadvantage from the start,” said Boyman. “And then due to their asthmatic background, they might also react slightly differently to viruses, which then leads to a misguided immune response.”
Long COVID-19 is a cluster of symptoms that affect people, most likely those who suffered from a strong COVID-19 infection. Due to organ damage, inflammation in the lungs or the heart, people might develop symptoms like a fast heart rate, breathing problems, cognitive issues, and severe fatigue, for weeks or months to come. For now, the most effective way of avoiding long COVID-19 is to be vaccinated and boosted.
