Data suggests that endocannabinoids (namely anandamide), rather than endorphins, are responsible for the so-called ‘runner’s high’ experience.
The post Study: Cannabis Use Enhances ‘Runner’s High’ During Exercise appeared first on NORML.
The Michigan Civil Service Commission has voted unanimously to adopt new rules ending the practice of pre-employment marijuana screening for most state workers. Under the new policy, those previously denied positions because of a failed marijuana test are also now eligible to immediately reapply for employment.
The post Michigan Ends Marijuana Pre-Employment Screens for Most State Employees appeared first on NORML.
This week’s updates include developments in: CA, MA, ME, NJ, NY, & PA.
The post State Policy Weekly Update 7/12/2023 appeared first on NORML.
A statewide poll of likely voters reported strong support for adult-use legalization among Democrats (79 percent) and Independents (61 percent), but far less support among Republicans (40 percent).
The post Ohio: Advocates Turn In Nearly Twice the Number of Signatures Necessary to Place Marijuana Legalization Initiative on November’s Ballot appeared first on NORML.
Weekly Newsletter of The California Chapter of the
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
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SB 512, to end double taxation of cannabis in California, faces a critical vote in the Assembly Revenue and Tax Committee on Monday, July 10. Only pubic testimony will be taken at the hearing (no call-ins).
Under the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, the cannabis excise tax is set at 15% of gross receipts from licensed retail cannabis sales. Many local governments impose additional taxes on cannabis, ranging as high as 10% in some jurisdictions. Retailers are required to include these excise taxes in the definition of gross receipts when charging additional sales taxes of 7.25 – 10.5%.
SB 512 would end this double or triple taxation on cannabis, delivering much-needed relief to what is currently an unfairly overtaxed industry.
Please tell your lawmakers to support SB 512.
News of the Week
STATE
California Voters Are More Supportive Than Ever Of Marijuana Legalization, And Most Want Retailers In Their Communities, Poll Finds
In a June PPIC Statewide Survey, a record-high 64% of Californians said that the use of marijuana should be legal. A smaller majority (56 percent; 60% of likely voters) say that they want adult-use retailers to operate in their community.
California Assembly Committee Approves Senate-Passed Bill To Stop Employers From Asking About Past Marijuana Use
Tell Your Assemblymember to Vote Yes on SB 700
UPDATE: Find Out How Your County is Complying With Sealing Past Marijuana Convictions
Thanks to the excellent (as always) reporting by Marijuana Moment, some of Cal NORML’s figures and tables about the progress of the expungement of past marijuana crimes in CA have been revised from an earlier release. Read more.
The CA DOJ also released its annual crime report, showing that felony marijuana arrests fell from 825 in 2021 to only 691 in 2022, a 3.4% drop. Misdemeanor arrests for marijuana also continued to fall, to 2,562 in 2022. Racial disparities in arrests continued, with 50.2% of felony marijuana arrests targeting Hispanics, 20.3% whites, and 16.2% blacks. Read more.
California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) reports seizing over $109M worth of unlicensed cannabis products in Q2 2023
UCETF is one of three suppression / eradication efforts against cannabis in California. Read more.
NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL
Marijuana in the military? A push in Congress would loosen cannabis rules, ease recruitment crisis
Booker Slams ‘Two-Tier System’ Of Marijuana Criminalization That Shields Powerful From Punishment While Discussing Hunter Biden Plea Deal
After 50 Years, the DEA Is Still Losing the War on Drugs
Ukraine’s President Says Legalizing Medical Marijuana Can Help People Impacted By ‘Trauma Of War’ With Russia
LOCAL
Orange County’s City of Seniors May Allow Cannabis Businesses
San Jose Cannabis Tax Revenue Set to Drop Tens of Millions, As Competition Rises from Black Market and Delivery Services
Santa Barbara Cannabis Update: Sniffing Smoke, Where’s the Fire?
Sonoma County cannabis: An uncertain future
CONSUMPTION LOUNGES
The Almost World Famous Crisp Lounge Opens in Eureka
See: Cal NORML’s List of Cannabis Lounges in CA
Blowing Smoke About Cannabis Consumption Lounges
Cannabis Consumption Lounges No Danger to Public Health: A Cal NORML White Paper
Looking for cannabis doctors, lawyers,stores, products or business services? Visit the Cal NORML Cannabis Marketplace and Support the Businesses that Support Reform!
Thank you to Medithrive in SF for renewing its membership!
Join Cal NORML with a business membership or renew your membership today.
BUSINESS / LAW
Herbl collapse signals wider fallout in California marijuana industry
Purple weed could save California’s pot farms from ‘severe’ pathogen
Cannabis Media Council Publishes First Industry-Wide Guidelines and Standards for Responsible Cannabis Advertisements
Mendocino County Selects Accela to Regulate its High-Volume Cannabis Industry and Improve Process Transparency
SCIENCE/HEALTH
FTC Sends Cease and Desist Letters with FDA to Companies Selling Edible Products Containing Delta-8 THC in Packaging Nearly Identical to Food Children Eat
More Than Pain Relief: Sustained Cannabis Use Leads to Improved Cognition in Cancer Patients
Study: Prenatal marijuana exposure not associated with worse neuropsychological test scores at age 10 or autistic traits at 19-20.
DCC-funded USCF Study Finds Warning Signs About Cannabis and Pregnancy May Have “Unintended Adverse Consequences”
CULTURE / MEDIA
Meta-Owned Social Media App Threads Directs Users To Drug Treatment Help When Searching Marijuana Or Psychedelics—But Not Alcohol Or Cigarettes
Daniel Ellsberg’s Real Role
It would be interesting to know when and where Ellsberg started smoking the herb and to what extent the absurdity of prohibition accelerated his transition from hawk to dove. During the Vietnam war years there was a strong synergy between the two causes – ending the war and ending marijuana prohibition. Seeing the absurdity and futility of one opened your eyes to the absurdity and futility of the other.
Coming Events
COMMITTEE HEARINGS
Many committees are halting accepting call-in testimony now that Covid has subsided. Check the committee websites and agendas for more information
Monday, July 10 • 11 AM
1021 O Street, Room 2100, Sacramento
Sen Business, Professions and Economic Development committee hearing on:
A.B. 1126 Lackey. Cannabis: citation and fine.
A.B. 1448 Wallis. Cannabis: enforcement by local jurisdictions.
A.B. 1565 Jones-Sawyer. California Cannabis Tax Fund: local equity program grants.
Tell Your State Senator to Vote Yes on AB 1565.
Monday, July 10 • 2:30 PM
State Capitol, Room 437
All witness testimony will be in person; there will be no phone testimony option for this hearing.
Asm. Revenue and Taxation Committee hearing on:
S.B. 512 Bradford. Cannabis: taxation: gross receipts.
Tell Your Assemblymember to Support SB 512
Tuesday, July 11 • 9:30 AM
1021 O Street, Room 1100, Sacramento
Asm. Business and Professions committee hearing on:
S.B. 51 Bradford. Cannabis provisional licenses: local equity applicants.
Tell Your Assemblymember to Support SB 51
Tuesday, July 11 • 9 AM
1021 O Street, Room 2100, Sacramento
Sen. Judiciary Committee hearing on:
S.B. 1684 Maienschein. Local ordinances: fines and penalties: cannabis
A.B. 1171 Blanca Rubio. Cannabis: private right of action.
California Cannabis Events
July 14-30
California Cannabis Exhibit at State Fair
Sacramento
July 27
Cannabis Drinks Expo
San Francisco
September 2
Medical Cannabis Conference
Brought to you by Society of Cannabis Clinicians & The ReLeaf Institute
UCLA
September 9-10
Cannifest
Eureka
December 1-3
National Interdisciplinary Cannabis Symposium 2
Portland, OR
Cal NORML has been the voice of the cannabis consumer in California for 50 years, and we need your help to keep fighting for your rights in Sacramento and across the state.
JOIN CAL NORML WITH A PERSONAL OR BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP AND SUPPORT OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN 2023.
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The post Cal NORML News of the Week – July 10, 2023 appeared first on CaNorml.org.
Thanks to your advocacy, activism, and support, dozens of new marijuana laws took effect around the country this month.
The post Major Changes to Cannabis Law Take Effect Around the U.S. appeared first on NORML.
UPDATE 7/10/2023 –
SB 512 (Bradford), to end double taxation on cannabis by include state and local excise taxes when calculating sales tax, was held in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation committee and will likely not advance this year.
Committee chair Jacqui Irwin, whose bill AB 1207 to restrict cannabis packaging and flavorings was opposed by cannabis industry groups, commented at the hearing that it’s too soon to evaluate the results of AB 195 (2022), which eliminated the cannabis cultivation tax and shifted the responsibility for paying state excise tax from the distributor to the retailer, while making the changes SB 512 sought to correct.
Cal NORML supporters sent in nearly 900 letters in support of the bill and our director Dale Gieringer spoke up in its favor at the hearing. We will continue to advocate for cannabis tax reform in California. Stay tuned.
Under the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, the cannabis excise tax is set at 15% of gross receipts from licensed retail cannabis sales. Many local governments impose additional taxes on cannabis, ranging as high as 10% in some jurisdictions, including Los Angeles.
Local governments are currently required to include these state and local excise taxes in the definition of “gross receipts” when charging additional sales taxes of 7.25 – 10.5%.
SB 512 would end this double or triple taxation on cannabis, delivering much-needed relief to what is currently an unfairly overtaxed industry.
Please tell your lawmakers to support SB 512.
Cannabis is already heavily overtaxed relative to comparable goods in California. Adding the sales and use tax of 7.25% to 10.5% on top of the excise tax raises the cost of a joint by another 8 – 11 cents—more than the total state excise taxes for an alcoholic beverage. If local cannabis taxes are added in, the difference ranges as high as 18 cents.
Cannabis sales currently contribute more to California’s coffers than do alcohol taxes, despite far less sales. Overtaxation impedes legal, tested, and taxed cannabis access for consumers and fuels the illicit cannabis market. California’s cannabis consumers want access to safe, tested, and fairly taxed products.
Please tell your lawmakers to support SB 512.
BACKGROUND
The double taxation started not in Prop. 64 but when the 2022 budget bill AB 195 shifted the excise tax payment responsibility from the distributor to the retailer. The bill amended Section 34011(d) of the Revenue and Taxation Code to define gross receipts from the sale of cannabis or cannabis products for purposes of assessing the sales and use taxes to include the 15% excise tax. Subsequently, the CDFTA instructed retailers to add in delivery fees and local taxes to the definition of gross receipts for the purposes of accessing sales taxes, making for triple taxation.
Compounding the issue of taxing the taxes, many jurisdictions have local cannabis tax laws that are now in direct conflict with the directive issued by the CDTFA. For example, the City of Los Angeles’s definition of their gross receipts tax (LA Municipal Code: Section 21.51 (a)4) is in direct conflict with the CDTFA’s guidance. This conflict leaves retailers in LA and elsewhere subject to fines or loss of licensure.
A $73.35 purchase made recently at a CA cannabis shop turned into the customer paying $97.20 at the register. SB 512 would have saved $2.03 off this sale by not re-taxing the excise taxes, a small step towards #cannabistaxfairness.
SB 512 would clarify and roll back the double and triple taxation on cannabis, which is helping to drive consumers back to the illicit market in California, in the end undercutting the tax base.
The post Support SB 512, To Help End Unfair Taxation of Cannabis appeared first on CaNorml.org.
This week’s update highlights legislative developments in CA, FL, OH, & OR.
The post State Policy Weekly Update 7/6/2023 appeared first on NORML.
Seven years after California voters passed Proposition 64 in 2016, successfully legalizing marijuana possession, cultivation, and sales, the courts are finally nearly finished relieving all qualifying cannabis cases.
The post California Addresses 90% of Cannabis Cases in Expungement Efforts appeared first on NORML.
Multiple improvements to the state’s medical program became law July 1, 2023.
The post Virginia: Changes to Medical Cannabis Laws Take Effect appeared first on NORML.