'Joints for jabs': Free marijuana for vaccinated New Yorkers

NEW YORK - New Yorkers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 were able to get an unlikely freebie Tuesday: a marijuana joint.

Activists celebrating the recent legalization of recreational pot in New York state handed out free doobies in Manhattan to anyone with proof they had received at least one vaccine shot.

"This is the first time we can sit around and legally hand people joints," said Michael O'Malley, one of the organizers of the "Joints for Jabs" giveaway in Union Square.

"We're supporting the federal effort to roll out vaccinations. And we're also trying to get them to federally legalize weed," he told AFP.

Organizers chose April 20 as the date as a way to mark 4/20, an annual day of celebration amongst cannabis fans.

Marijuana activists also handed out free weed in Washington DC.

Several dozen, relaxed looking people formed an orderly queue as the distribution of joints in New York began at 11:00 am (1600 GMT). 

One woman held a sign that read "pro-vaxx, pro-weed." The giveaway was due to last until 4:20 pm.

They only had to wait ten minutes at most in the spring sunshine. They showed their vaccination card, in paper or via phone, gave their email address and a joint was theirs.

There seemed to be little verification required to prevent someone from queuing twice.

"We are not really being very careful," admitted O'Malley.

Sarah Overholt, 38, left with two joints in her pocket after showing vaccination cards belonging to herself and her 70-year-old mother.

For Overholt, marijuana and the vaccine are essential.

"I smoke every day and I am a better person if I smoke, trust me," she said with a smile.

"Everybody should get vaccinated. It should not be weed that is getting them there. But if it works, then it works," added Overholt, who received her first vaccine shot on March 25 and gets her second on Thursday.

Alex Zerbe, a 24-year-old a trader who came from his nearby office, agreed. He has already had both doses and said he smokes a joint once or twice a day.

"I can get a joint anyway, but (the giveaway) is just cool you know," Zerbe told AFP.

By 11:30 am, between 150 and 200 joints had already been distributed, out of some 1,500 rolled in advance by a handful of volunteers. 

On March 31, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation allowing adults 21 and over to purchase cannabis and grow plants for personal consumption at home.

Several US brands, particularly in food and drink, have launched various incentives for vaccinated patrons in recent weeks, from donuts to hot dogs and beer, in an attempt to counter vaccine

Agence France-Presse

Some 85,000 marijuana convictions to be dismissed in California

LOS ANGELES - More than 85,000 marijuana convictions, some going back decades, will be dismissed in California thanks to a pilot program that will mostly help minorities disproportionately targeted by law enforcement.

"The dismissal of tens of thousands of old cannabis-related convictions in Los Angeles County will bring much-needed relief to communities of color that disproportionately suffered the unjust consequences of our nation's drug laws," Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said.

The other counties taking part in the so-called Clear My Record program are San Francisco, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Contra Costa.

Officials say clearing the convictions will help people move on with their lives and more easily find jobs and housing in a state that legalized recreational marijuana in 2018.

"This is a clear demonstration that automatic record clearance is possible at scale, and can help to right the wrongs of the failed war on drugs," said Evonne Silva, a senior official with Code for America.

The non-profit partnered with California prosecutors to develop a computer algorithm that can quickly identify cases eligible to be cleared under Proposition 64, which in 2016 legalized the possession and purchase of small amounts of marijuana.

The law also allowed for people to grow up to six plants of cannabis for personal use.

Under legislation signed in California in 2018, prosecutors were required to clear the records of people eligible under Proposition 64 by July of this year.

Silva said the program developed by Code for America had helped speed that process and urged other communities to use the technology that can scan the records of 10,000 people in a matter of seconds.

"Looking forward, Code for America stands at the ready to help all California counties provide this much needed relief in advance of the July 1, 2020 deadline," Silva said.

According to a 2016 study, even though African Americans account for six percent of California's population, they represented nearly one quarter of those jailed for marijuana offenses across the state.

In Los Angeles County, of the 53,000 people who will receive conviction relief thanks to the Clear My Record program, nearly 32 percent are black, 45 percent are Latinos and 20 percent are white, Lacey's office said.

ban-jz/mdl

Agence France-Presse

Italy legalizes weaker form of cannabis

Italy's parliament legalized the production and sale of a weaker form of cannabis this week, ending months of uncertainty for farmers and sellers.

Tobacconists and specialized shops will be allowed to stock cannabis products, which must not contain more than 0.5 percent of the psychoactive compound THC, from January 1. 

Parliament approved the amendment overnight on Thursday after a long-running row pitching former interior minister Matteo Salvini against small business owners and the agriculture lobby.

Far-right leader Salvini had vowed to close all shops selling so-called cannabis light.

Italy's agriculture association Coldiretti welcomed parliament's move, noting that the area under cannabis production in Italy had grown from 400 hectares (988 acres) in 2013 to 4,000 hectares last year.

"It's the end of a nightmare," Luca Fiorentino, founder of cannabis supply firm Cannabidiol Distribution, told La Stampa after the parliamentary vote. 

"After Salvini's witch hunt I had to fire 10 people and I lost 68 percent of my revenues." 

Last May, Italy's highest court affirmed that the sale of cannabis was illegal, but gave judges discretion to consider the "narcotic effect" of the cannabis at issue when issuing decisions. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Cannabis made legal in Australian Capital Territory

Australians living in the home of the country's parliament will be allowed to grow and possess small amounts of cannabis from next year under a new law passed Wednesday.

While the possession of small amounts has been decriminalized in some parts of the country, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) -- home of Canberra, the nation's capital -- is going a step further and will legalize it for personal use.

People aged over 18 will be allowed to possess up to 50 grams (1.8 ounces) of cannabis and cultivate two plants -- or a maximum of four per household.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said although the territory's government "does not condone or encourage the recreational use of cannabis or other illicit drugs", it was time to acknowledge that outright prohibition was no longer an effective policy.

"There is good evidence from drug law reform around the world that a harm minimization approach delivers better outcomes both for individuals and communities," he said in a statement.

The change marks the first time it has been fully legalized anywhere in Australia.

The federal government, however, has the power to overturn the law -- and has done in the past when faced with controversial legalization passed by Australia's territories, such as voluntary euthanasia.

The new legislation also requires rubber stamping from the territory's health minister.

Lawyers warned Wednesday that users could still face prosecution as federal laws clash with the ACT's new legislation.

"It creates uncertainty where we don't seem to have a formal position from police themselves," criminal lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith told the Canberra Times newspaper.

Buying and selling the drug will remain illegal in the territory.

Australia last year agreed to allow exports of medicinal cannabis, in an effort to boost budding domestic manufacturers and fulfill its aim of becoming a leading global supplier.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Medicinal cannabis could bring in $6 billion a year for Colombia, gov't says

BOGOTA - Colombia could export $6 billion a year in medicinal cannabis products, making marijuana its third-largest source of foreign exchange, the government said on Thursday, as investors called for simpler regulations for marijuana producers.

Colombian law already regulates the possession, production, distribution, sale and export of seeds and other marijuana products like oils and creams, but investors say the export approval process is tortuous.

"It's possible to be a very important player at an international level in terms of exports. The estimates show we could effectively be at the level of $6 billion annually," commerce vice minister Saul Pineda told attendees at the country's first annual cannabis conference.

Colombia has so far only licensed seed-producing by businesses because of complex compliance standards for everything from sanitation to security, in a country still famous for being a top illegal narcotics producer.

"More forceful action in regulatory terms is needed so we don't lose the momentum that we have been growing with," said Gustavo Escobar, head of innovation at Colombian-Canadian joint venture Clever Leaves.

"We're lacking some adjustments that would allow us to attend to markets as quickly as possible, before other countries get ahead of us," he added.

Colombia's hearty sunlight and equatorial climate could make it a major producer of medicinal cannabis, whose cultivation in the country has been backed by the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

High-end US department store puts up marijuana section

BEVERLY HILLS, California - High-end department store Barneys New York has given the marijuana lifestyle the luxury treatment, launching a range of pot-themed products this week in the latest sign a drug once associated with bohemians and deadbeats is moving up the social ladder.

Customers at the upscale retailer's Beverly Hills store on Friday perused a new section with hand-blown glass bongs, Gucci ashtrays, jewelry inscribed with the words "Lighten Up" and cosmetics labeled as containing cannabidiol, a non-high inducing part of the cannabis plant.

Marijuana remains banned by federal law, although California is one of 10 US states that has legalized the drug for recreational use.

Barneys New York does not sell any marijuana in stores, but the retailer has given space at its Beverly Hills store to another company, Beboe.

Beboe's sales representatives at the store can help customers use an iPad to order marijuana for home delivery by another company called Emjay, said Beboe co-founder Scott Campbell.

"It's designed to replace the bottle of wine that you bring to a dinner," Campbell said. "Our stuff is what we call very socially dosed, which is something you can puff on and get warm and tingly but you're not going to get trapped in your sofa for four hours like a lot of other cannabis products."

Barneys New York's move into the pot lifestyle market comes more than one year after California, following a 2016 referendum to legalize weed, allowed dispensaries to sell the drug to adults for recreation.

"Legalization is only a year old and it's opening up our eyes to what's there in the market, what's missing in the market, what our customer wants," Matthew Mazzucca, who is the creative director of Barney's New York.

The retailer known for lavish fashion items, including leather bags and high fashion jackets and shoes, plans to bring its cannabis-themed "The High End" products to other stores, the company has said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

In Canada, some moms say cannabis makes them better parents

MONTREAL, Canada - Smoking cannabis has made me "a better mother," says Karine Cyr.

The mother of 2 leads a group of like-minded Canadian women challenging norms and rejecting stigmas around parenting and pot since Ottawa legalized its recreational use last October.

They are tired, she says, of having to hide their use of the mind-altering drug from family, neighbors and others, and have set out to educate their peers about its benefits.

"People are not informed. They still think that when we use cannabis, we sit in front of our television eating pizza like teenagers," Cyr says.

"When I consume cannabis, I do housework, I play with my children. I am more patient with my children, more present. It helps me to be a better mother, a better person."

Doctors disagree. But her message has resonated with hundreds of members of her Des fleurs ma chere (Flowers my dear) Facebook group, which she created to share experiences and thoughts about pot.

The group includes "entrepreneurs, psychologists, models, photographers ... they are women from all walks of life," said "ganja yoga" instructor Cynthia Petrin, herself a member.

Another similar Facebook group, "Mother Mary," based in Montreal, has some 5,000 members. 

Sitting in her living room, the smell of marijuana lingering, Jordana Zabitsky, in her 30s, said she started "Mother Mary" in a bid to push back against "mommy shaming."

"I'm expected to work full time. I'm expected to be with my kids full time. I'm expected to have a clean house. I'm expected to have my bills paid on time. I'm expected to have my winter tires on on time," she says.

"I have so much on my shoulders -- I am only one person. The cannabis allows me to accomplish my daily tasks so much better!"

Canada's health ministry warns parents against consuming cannabis because of the risks of second-hand smoke, while warning it also "may reduce a person's ability to pay attention (to their child), make decisions or react to emergencies."

But Cyr argues that cannabis is a far better alternative than prescribed opioids or anti-depressants to treat anxiety or depression in new mothers.

"Moms feel lonely and do not know where to turn. They feel ashamed and afraid," echoed fellow pot proponent Annie-Claude Bertrand.

'FEMALE VIAGRA'

Cyr began using cannabidiol (CBD) oil, made from a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis plants, after her second pregnancy to relax.

She refused to take opioids prescribed by her doctor that made her feel like a "zombie."

"I wasn't sleeping, I had big sleep disorders, (but) the first time I took CBD oil, I slept through the night like I used to," she said.

According to the government statistical agency, 12 percent of Canadian women have used cannabis, compared to 19 percent of the total Canadian population.

And several studies show that the drug's popularity among women in both Canada and the United States -- where several states have legalized it -- is growing fast. 

Marketers have even taken notice and started targeting their products specifically to women and young mothers.

For women, said Zabitsky, who admitted to consuming "micro-doses" during her first pregnancy and daily when she was pregnant with her second child, "the top question is, 'Can I use cannabis during pregnancy?'"

"Right before I went into labor, I smoked a really big joint, and it was fantastic. All my doctors knew," she says, assuring that her 3-year-old and 1-year-old children are healthy and "too smart" for their respective ages.

Doctor Antoine Kanamugire, however, says marijuana is not recommended during pregnancy because "THC, the psychoactive substance, will cross the placenta, so the baby will get 10 to 30 percent of the dose consumed by his mother."

"Cannabis can greatly influence the development of the central nervous system and the immune system of the fetus," said the author of "The 21 Unspoken Truths About Marijuana."

Cannabis also passes into breast milk.

Those warnings, however, have not dissuaded Zabitsky and the other mothers in her group, who note that a century of prohibition has had the effect of throttling research into cannabis.

In her living room, she unveils THC-infused butter, sweets, soaps and skin creams for her guests, while touting cannabis as good for women's libido.

"It's like Viagra for women," she says with a smile.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Teen cannabis use linked to higher risk of adolescent depression

LONDON - Teenagers who use cannabis have a higher risk of developing depression and suicidal thoughts as young adults and should be made aware of those risks by parents and doctors, scientists said on Wednesday.

About 7 percent of cases of adolescent depression could be averted if cannabis use was eliminated, according to an analysis of data on mental illness among young people in the United States, Britain and Canada who used cannabis in their teens.

“Although the size of the negative effects of cannabis can vary ... and it is not possible to predict the exact risk for each teenager, the widespread use of cannabis among the young generations makes it an important public health issue,” said Andrea Cipriani, a professor of psychiatry at Britain’s Oxford University who co-led the work.

Cannabis is the most commonly used recreational drug by teenagers worldwide. In Canada, more than 20 percent of teens aged 15 to 19 years say they have used it in the past year. In England, for those aged 11 to 15, about 4 percent say they used cannabis in the last month.

The researchers said the results suggested that, if cannabis use were eliminated, there would be an estimated 400,000 fewer cases of depression in 18 to 34 year olds in the United States, 25,000 fewer in Canada and about 60,000 fewer in the Britain.

“It’s a big public health and mental health problem,” Cipriani told reporters at a briefing in London. “Adolescents should be made aware of the risk.”

The study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry and co-led by Cipriani and researchers at McGill University in Canada, was a systematic analysis pooling the best available evidence.

Teva slides on forecast, drags other generic drugmakers. It included 23,317 people from 11 international studies and looked at depression, anxiety and having suicidal thoughts in young adults.

Independent specialists asked to comment on the study said its findings were robust and important.

“Among young adults worldwide, depression is the leading cause of disability, and suicide is the most common cause of death,” said Joseph Firth, a specialist at Australia’s Western Sydney University.

By showing cannabis as a contributing factor to both, he said, the study showed the importance of seeking ways to reduce teenage cannabis use.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Chronic pain most common reason US patients get medical marijuana

Chronic pain most common reason US patients get medical marijuana
Lisa Rapaport, Reuters

Almost two-thirds of patients in the US who get medical marijuana are using it as a treatment for chronic pain, a new study suggests.

That’s in line with the large number of Americans who suffer chronic pain and the strong scientific evidence that marijuana is an effective pain treatment, the authors report in Health Affairs.

Thirty-three US states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical use since 1996, and 10 states have legalized it for recreational use since 2012, the study team notes. Patients receiving cannabis for medical purposes need a license issued in states where this is legal, and licenses require a doctor to certify that patients have a condition that qualifies for treatment with marijuana.

For the current study, researchers examined data from state registries tracking the numbers of patients using medical marijuana and the conditions they got the drug to treat. Twenty states and the District of Columbia had registries tracking total patients using medical cannabis, and 15 states tracked the conditions that qualified patients for the drug.

Overall, 65 percent of medical marijuana patients used it for chronic pain. After that, the most common reasons patients used cannabis were for multiple sclerosis, nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Based on a 2017 report by the National Academies of Science that assessed the scientific evidence supporting the use of marijuana to treat specific conditions, the study team also looked at how often medical uses are evidence-based. They found uses had strong backing 86 percent of the time.

“The vast majority of conditions for which people use cannabis have substantial or conclusive evidence of cannabis being an effective treatment,” said lead study author Kevin Boehnke of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“However, that doesn’t mean that it’s going to necessarily be easy for them to figure out how best to use cannabis or cannabinoids to treat their conditions,” Boehnke said by email.

That’s because even though many states have legalized medical marijuana, the federal government still classifies it as a “schedule 1” substance with no medical use and a high potential for abuse. Unlike traditional prescription drugs, there are no clinical guidelines for medical marijuana, Boehnke said.

“Medical cannabis patients are placed in a position where they typically have no choice but to experiment to find their optimal dosing regimen,” Boehnke added. “Safety is definitely a concern, especially when smoking or taking high doses of THC.”

“There are still many problems with how medical cannabis is actually utilized in day-to-day medical practice, but this paper provides some reassurance that it is being used in many cases to treat the right medical conditions,” said Dr. Kevin Hill, director of addiction psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a researcher at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

A nationwide patient registry would make it easier to understand how patients are using medical marijuana and whether it’s safe or effective for these conditions, the study authors conclude.

In the meantime, patients should consider cannabis an option to discuss with a doctor after other traditional treatments fail, Hill, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email.

“Many physicians in specialty cannabis clinics will give certifications to anyone who will pay for it, and the level of follow-up care is often poor,” Hill said.

“One way we can change this is to improve the education that healthcare professionals receive on medical cannabis so that they will feel more comfortable certifying patients when appropriate and be more likely to offer useful guidance to patients on what type of cannabis to obtain, how to dose it, and what side effects to look out for,” Hill added.

“Right now, ‘budtenders’ often play a more important role in medical cannabis than doctors do - and that needs to change.”

SOURCE: bit.ly/2GcqdJp Health Affairs, online February 4, 2019.

Canada job numbers higher on cannabis boost

OTTAWA, Canada - Canada's pot legalization helped to significantly boost job numbers in November and push the unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points to 5.6 percent -- the lowest level since 1976, the government statistical agency said on Friday.

In total, 94,000 jobs were added in the month. Gains were spread throughout most of the country, but led by Quebec and Alberta. Only the 4 eastern Maritimes provinces saw no changes, according to Statistics Canada.

It said the number of people employed in cannabis-related jobs -- including bud trimming -- in November rose 266 percent to 10,400, against the same period a year earlier.

Recreational-use cannabis was legalized on Oct. 17, creating an entirely new industry.

More than half of these jobs were in Ontario province, which has the largest concentration of licensed producers.

Pot workers were also paid slightly more than the national average salary, Can$29.58 (US$19.43) versus Can$27.03.

Overall, more people worked in the month in professional, scientific and technical services, which employed an additional 26,000 people; as well as in health care and social assistance; construction; business, building and other support services; transportation and warehousing; and agriculture. 

At the same time, fewer people were employed in information, culture, and recreation jobs.

The private sector increased hiring in the month, while there was little change in the public sector or in the number of self-employed individuals.

Employment increased for both core-aged women and men (aged 25 to 54), as well as for older Canadians aged 55 and over.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Marijuana, abortion, greyhounds: the local issues on US midterm ballots

WASHINGTON - In addition to choosing members of Congress and state governors, Americans also cast ballots on a slew of local initiatives in the midterm elections, including the legalization of recreational marijuana, limits on abortions and banning greyhound racing.

MARIJUANA 

Michigan became the 10th state to legalize recreational marijuana, and in the future residents will be able to grow up to 12 plants for their own personal use. A 10-percent tax was imposed on marijuana sales, with the revenue to be used to fund local councils, education and transport.

Missouri and Utah each legalized medical marijuana, which will carry a tax of four percent, with the funds earmarked to support health care for veterans.

ABORTION 

Voters in Alabama and West Virginia approved amendments aimed at limiting future access to abortion. 

The Alabama amendment aimed to "support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, most importantly the right to life in all manners."

The text of the proposal stated that "this state does not protect the right to abortion or require the funding of abortion." The state makes no exception for abortions in cases where the pregnancy results from incest, rape or where the mother's life is in danger.

Women's rights advocates fear the measures could lead to a challenge to the landmark Roe vs Wade Supreme Court ruling of 1973, especially at a time when appointments by President Donald Trump have swung the court far to the right.

JUSTICE 

Louisiana scrapped a law dating back to its segregated past that allowed non-unanimous decisions in juries deliberating in felony trials.

The law, from 1898, allowed a jury to convict a person of felony by only 10 out of 12 jury votes, a move designed to negate the influence of black jury members who were allowed by the 14th Amendment after the Civil War to serve on juries. Its stated aim was to "perpetuate the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race in Louisiana."

Oregon is the only other state that does not require a unanimous jury decision in felony cases, except for murder.

Florida pass an initiative to restore voting rights to convicted felons who have served their sentence, except for those convicted of sex crimes or murder. 

That will give an estimated 1.5 million people the right to cast ballots in a key swing state in presidential elections.

Colorado also voted to remove the word "slavery" from its statute books as a punishment for crime. The western state's constitution had until Tuesday's vote stated that "there shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime."

MINIMUM WAGE 

Missouri approved raising the minimum wage from $7.83 dollars an hour to $12 dollars by 2023. In Arkansas, it will go up from $8.50 to $11 an hour by 2021.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 

Alabama voted to allow the display of the biblical Ten Commandments in public buildings and schools.

ENVIRONMENT 


Nevada backed a measure calling for public electricity providers to increase the amount of power generated from renewable sources from 20 percent to 50 percent by 2030.

Under the western state's regulations, however, the proposal has to be approved again in a second election, in 2020, to become law. 

Florida banned offshore drilling in waters belonging to the state and also forbade vaping in the workplace.

ANIMAL RIGHTS 

In Florida, 69 percent of voters supported a ban on greyhound racing to come into effect by 2020, backing animal rights activists who denounce the sport as cruel.

Florida has 12 of the United States' 18 dog tracks, while 40 US states ban betting on greyhound races. 

California passed an initiative requiring all eggs in the state to come from cage-free hens by 2022, while setting minimum cage size requirements for pigs and calves raised for veal.

Alaskans however rejected a ballot measure increasing protections for wild salmon and their habitat, that would have tightened the permitting process for oil developments, mines and dams.

TECH TAX FOR THE HOMELESS 


San Francisco voters backed a tax on the city's wealthiest companies to tackle homelessness, passing a measure that divided the tech community.

A tally posted Wednesday showed that 60 percent of voters in the city that is home to Airbnb, Uber, Salesforce, and Twitter cast ballots in favor of "Proposition C," a local ballot measure brought about by a 28,000 signature petition this summer.

Designed to rake in $250 to $300 million in taxes per year, the Robin Hood-esque measure is intended to fund housing for 5,000 people and finance mental health and housing aid services, according to its backers.

Generally, San Francisco's tech bosses -- including Twitter chief Jack Dorsey and Patrick Collison of payment start-up Stripe -- resisted the proposal.

But billionaire Marc Benioff, head of cloud computing firm Salesforce, pumped millions of dollars into the "Yes On C" campaign.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Canada legalizes marijuana for recreational use

OTTAWA, Canada - Nearly a century of marijuana prohibition came to an end Wednesday as Canada became the first major Western nation to legalize and regulate its sale and recreational use.

The change was praised by pot enthusiasts and investors in a budding industry that has seen pot stocks soar on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, but sharply questioned by some health professionals and opposition politicians.

"We're not legalizing cannabis because we think it's good for our health. We're doing it because we know it's not good for our children," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on the eve of the reform.

"We know we need to do a better job to protect our children and to eliminate or massively reduce the profits that go to organized crime."

The Cannabis Act, which fulfills a promise Trudeau made in the 2015 election campaign, makes Canada only the second nation after Uruguay to legalize the drug.

Its implementation will be scrutinized and dissected by Canadians ahead of the next election in 2019, as well as other nations that the prime minister has said may follow suit if the measure proves a success.

Trudeau himself admitted in 2013 to having smoked pot five or six times in his life, including at a dinner party with friends after being elected to parliament.

He has also said that his late brother Michel was facing marijuana possession charges for a "tiny amount" of pot before his death in an avalanche in 1998, and that this influenced his decision to propose legalizing cannabis.

But Trudeau's office told AFP he "does not plan on purchasing or consuming cannabis once it is legalized."

In total, Statistics Canada says 5.4 million Canadians will buy cannabis from legal dispensaries in 2018 -- about 15 percent of the population. Around 4.9 million already smoke.

Stores in St. John's in the Atlantic island province of Newfoundland were due to open their doors to pot enthusiasts as of 12:01 am local time (0231 GMT) on Wednesday.

"I'm going to have a lot more variety than the black market dealers, so you have a lot more choice at our store. The prices are very comparable," Thomas Clarke, owner of THC Distribution store, told public broadcaster CBC just prior to the big event.

A new industry is born

Under the new regulations, Canadians at least 18 or 19 years old (soon to be 21 in Quebec) will be allowed to buy up to 30 grams of cannabis, and grow up to four plants at home.

A patchwork of private and public cannabis retail stores and online sales have been set up across the 13 provinces and territories, ramping up to 300 storefronts by year's end, the government predicts.

Sales of derivatives like edibles will be legalized next year.

To meet demand, hundreds of growers have been licensed, some taking over horticulture and floriculture greenhouses.

This new industry has attracted billions in funding, as well as interest from alcohol and soft drink makers such as Constellation Brands and Coca-Cola, respectively, which have expressed an interest in developing cannabis-infused drinks.

Cannabis sales are forecast to boost economic growth by up to Can$1.1 billion and provide a Can$400 million tax revenue windfall for the government, according to Statistics Canada.

Public health officials contend that smoking cannabis is as harmful as tobacco, but welcome what they call the opportunity that legalization affords for open dialogue. 

Some doctors, however, remain wary. Diane Kelsall, editor in chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, called legalization "a national, uncontrolled experiment in which the profits of cannabis producers and tax revenues are squarely pitched against the health of Canadians."

Police, meanwhile, are scrambling to prepare for a predicted uptick in drug-impaired driving.

It's unclear as yet if the new framework will succeed in undercutting the black market, as prices for illicit pot have plunged in the last year to an average of Can$6.79 per gram, and most sellers had planned to charge more.

Bill Blair, a former police chief in Toronto who is Trudeau's pointman for pot legalization, remains optimistic.

"For almost a century, criminal enterprises had complete control of this market, 100 percent of its production and distribution and they profited in the billions of dollars each year. I suspect they're not going to go gently into the night," he told AFP.

"But the fact that some individuals want to cling to a prohibition model that has led to the highest rates of cannabis use of any country in the world is a little shocking to me," he said.

According to a recent Abacus Data poll published on Monday, 70 percent of Canadians accept or support legalization.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

In Canada, greenhouse drops orchids to grow cannabis

Dressed in white overalls, horticulturists carefully tend to small pot plants lined row after row. Not long ago, orchids were growing in this greenhouse south of Toronto where cannabis plants are now budding.

Recreational marijuana will be legalized Wednesday, and in this 1.8 hectare facility in the Niagara escarpment best known for wineries, they're rushing to be ready.

On one side of the large sanitized greenhouse, workers are busy filling earthen pots: 12,000 cannabis plants are planted each week. On the other, gardeners prune the mature shrubs and prepare cuttings while listening to music.

"It's good for plant growth," said Up director of operations Kevin Epp. "We're installing a sound system throughout the facility."

In a secure room, others stick excise stamps on packages of one and 3.5 grams of cannabis, respectively, that will eventually be sent to each province for sale in accordance with local retailing rules, marking the end of 95 years of pot prohibition.

For licensed growers, such as Up, legalization represents a new business opportunity. But it requires some patience.

It takes four months to grow and harvest cannabis, notes Epp. "Compared to other horticultural plants, it's pretty quick growing but it still takes a lot of time," he told AFP. It's also a new commercial crop and "so it's a slow learning process," he added.

Opening a safe on the premises, Epp is apologetic that it is half empty. "So, right now the value of pot in this vault is Can$6 million. But of course we have been shipping to all the provinces in the past several weeks, so (what's in there) it's gone down dramatically from where we started say three or four weeks ago," he says.

Orchids versus cannabis

The greenhouse currently produces 12.5 tonnes of cannabis per year. That will increase to 40 tonnes in 2019 after an expansion of the facility.

Epp started Up four years ago with his chief executive Jay Wilgar, who quit a job in the energy sector to jump into the budding cannabis sector. They spent Can$4 million to acquire the greenhouse, which had been used to grow orchids, and adapted it to grow pot. The company is now valued at Can$420 million on the Toronto stock market.

Using an established growing operation was far easier and less time-consuming than starting from scratch. 

Dozens of other greenhouses across Canada have been converted to grow cannabis, including one in Montreal that once was the largest grower in North America of pink tomatoes, and one in a suburb of Vancouver that was the largest greenhouse operator on the continent.

"This greenhouse has been in existence for about 11 years, some of (the staff) have been here since the very beginning," said Epp. "When we purchased this facility they came along with it. Basically everyone who was working here previously has taken on employment with us."

Staff say the job has not changed much. Growing orchids or pot plants, there's not much difference. However, cannabis crops earn a much higher return -- as much as four times more, compared to top vegetable or flower crops.

It is also in higher demand, requiring more staff. Up boosted the number of employees from 20 to 140 in just the past year, and plans more hirings in the new year.

The goal, said Wilgar, is to "create a very strong footprint in Canada, which is the biggest legal market in the world."

"We're also looking at what's going on in Europe, (we're) certainly looking at (what's going on) in South America and Australia, but those markets are still so, so young right now, that we're not spending a lot of time and money and resources developing them yet," he added.

For the former wind turbine executive, "cannabis is much less controversial" than renewable energy. "Quite frankly cannabis in my view is far less destructive than cigarettes or alcohol," he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Coke eyeing cannabis-infused drink market

The Coca-Cola Company said on Monday it was closely watching the growing marijuana-infused drinks market, responding to a media report that the world’s largest beverage maker was in talks with Canada’s Aurora Cannabis Inc.

The discussions over a possible product tie-up, reported by Canadian financial channel BNN Bloomberg, could open a new front in Coke’s battle to overcome sluggish demand for its sugar-heavy sodas by diversifying into coffee and health-focused drinks.

The report said there was no guarantee that talks between the companies would be successful but Aurora shares responded by soaring 22 percent. Coke stock gained slightly on a New York market weakened by concerns over trade tariffs.

The marijuana industry has been attracting interest from a handful of big corporate names as Canada and a wave of US states move to legalize recreational use of the drug.

However, US corporations are still cautious about taking steps into a business that remains illegal under US federal law.

Both Coke and Aurora, in separate statements, said they were interested in cannabidiol infused beverages but could not comment on any market speculation.

Coke and Aurora would likely develop beverages that will ease inflammation, pain and cramping, the BNN report said, citing sources familiar with the matter

A partnership between Coke and Aurora would mark the first entry of a major manufacturer of non-alcoholic beverages into the market for cannabis-related products, up till now a hunting ground almost solely for the alcohol industry.

Corona maker Constellation Brands is plowing more than $4 billion into marijuana producer Canopy Growth to make cannabis based products, while Molson Coors Brewing Co’s (TAP.N) Canadian arm has said it will make cannabis-infused drinks with Hydropothecary Corp.

The size of the Constellation investment, announced a month ago, sparked speculation of other buy outs, investments and partnerships in the industry, pushing Canadian marijuana stocks higher.

“We continue to expect to see more deals between Canadian cannabis companies and the larger players in the global alcohol market who have yet to gain exposure to the category,” Cowen analyst Vivien Azer said.

Azer said he would not be surprised by a similar move from Pepsi with “with CBD seemingly a good compliment to their market share leading Gatorade franchise”.

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US approves Epidiolex, first marijuana-derived drug

WASHINGTON - US regulators on Monday approved the first marijuana-derived drug ever to hit the US market, Epidiolex, which will be used to treat 2 rare and severe forms of childhood epilepsy.

Made by the British biopharma company GW Pharmaceuticals, Epidiolex uses purified cannabidiol, or CBD, which is one of more than 80 active compounds in the cannabis sativa plant, often known simply as marijuana.

"This is an important medical advance," said US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. 

"But it's also important to note that this is not an approval of marijuana or all of its components. This is the approval of one specific CBD medication for a specific use."

The drug is approved for use against Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome in patients two years of age and older, the FDA said.

Both forms of epilepsy cause severe seizures.

Dravet syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes frequent fever-related seizures, involuntary muscle spasms and a potentially life-threatening state of continuous seizure activity requiring emergency medical care.

"Children with Dravet syndrome typically experience poor development of language and motor skills, hyperactivity and difficulty relating to others," said the FDA.

Like Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome also begins in childhood and causes multiple types of seizures. Most children affected develop learning problems, intellectual disability, delayed motor skills and need help with daily activities.

"For those living with intractable seizures caused by LGS and Dravet syndrome, Epidiolex represents a true medical advancement," said Philip Gattone, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. 

"Clinical development for these rare and severe conditions is essential, and today's news brings hope for these patients and their families that a new treatment option may have the potential to help better control their seizures."

RECLASSIFICATION NEEDED 

Before the drug can be made widely available, the US Drug Enforcement Administration must reclassify CBD, which is considered a Schedule 1 drug that has a high risk of abuse and no medical value because it is derived from marijuana.

A reclassification is expected within 90 days, according GW Pharmaceuticals. The drug should be available in the coming months.

Epidiolex will be marketed by Greenwich Biosciences, a subsidiary of GW Pharmaceuticals.

The European Medicines Agency is currently reviewing Epidiolex for treating seizures associated with LGS and Dravet Syndrome, with a decision on whether or not to recommend approval expected early next year.

Epidiolex's effectiveness was studied in three randomized clinical trials involving 516 patients with either Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome, comparing Epidiolex to a placebo. 

Across the board, the drug was shown to be effective in cutting the frequency of seizures.

Side effects included sleepiness, sedation, lethargy, elevated liver enzymes, decreased appetite, diarrhea, rash, weakness, insomnia, poor quality sleep and infections.

An advisory panel to the FDA recommended in April that the drug be approved.

The FDA is not required to follow the advisory panel's advice but usually does.

CBD does not cause intoxication or euphoria. That so-called "high" comes from a different compound in marijuana, known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

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Canada lawmakers vote to legalize cannabis

The Canadian parliament passed a bill Monday to legalize cannabis that would make Canada the first G7 country to allow free consumption of the mind-altering drug.

The bill was passed by 205 votes to 82 in the House of Commons. The legislation must now pass the Senate, and receive royal assent by the governor general before becoming law, likely by September.

The Senate could still delay its implementation, but not block it.

"We're probably looking at a date of implementation (of legalization) somewhere toward the beginning of September, perhaps mid-September," the Liberal government's pointman on the pot file, Bill Blair, told broadcaster CTV on Sunday.

Last week, the government rejected 13 out of 46 amendments to the bill proposed by the Senate after several months of study, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's health minister rising to defend home cultivation of cannabis and branded pot swag.

"Canadians are allowed to make beer at home, or wine," Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said Friday.

"It is already possible for Canadians to grow cannabis for medical purposes and we absolutely believe the legislation should be consistent when it comes to recreational cannabis."

The government, she said, would follow its expert panel's recommendation to allow at-home cultivation of up to four pot plants for personal use.

As for the proposed advertising restrictions, she said the bill already contains limits such as a requirement for plain packaging.

Legalizing weed was a 2015 campaign promise of Trudeau, who has admitted having smoked a joint with friends "five or six times."

An initial July 1 target was set for ending the pot prohibition that dates back to 1923.

Despite political setbacks, Trudeau has insisted his government would move to legalize the production, sale and consumption of the psychoactive drug this year.

Statistics Canada has estimated that the market will be worth Can$5.7 billion ($4.5 billion US), based on last year's consumption data.

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Canada Senate passes law legalizing recreational marijuana

OTTAWA - Canada's Senate passed a law Thursday legalizing recreational marijuana, moving it closer to becoming the first member of the Group of Seven nations to legalize the production, sale and consumption of the drug.

Bill C-45, or the Cannabis Act, passed the Senate with 52 votes for, 30 against and one abstention after months of debate over the ramifications of legalization.

The Cannabis Act will now go back to the House of Commons, which passed the bill in November 2017 but needs to sign off on changes made by the Senate.

Legalizing weed was a 2015 campaign promise of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has admitted having smoked a joint with friends "five or six times."

The initial timeline for legal pot sales called for it to be available by July 1, Canada's national day, but August or September now appears more likely.

It would then be up to Canada's provinces and territories to set up distribution networks and enforcement.

The sale of medical marijuana has been legal in Canada since 2001.

Bill C-45 would allow individuals over the age of 18 to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana for personal use.

Sales to anyone under 18 would be banned under federal law but provinces and territories could set their own age limits.

Statistics Canada has estimated that the market will be worth Can$5.7 billion ($4.5 billion US), based on last year's consumption data.

Uruguay approved the recreational usage of marijuana five years ago and nine US states have too but Canada will be the first G-7 country to do so.

'CANADA IS BEING DARING'

In an interview with AFP last month, Trudeau said the world is closely following Canada's plans and predicted several nations would follow suit.

"There is a lot of interest from our allies in what we're doing," he said.

"They recognize that Canada is being daring... and recognize that the current regime (of prohibition) does not work, that it's not preventing young people from having easy access to cannabis.

"In many countries, especially in Canada, it is easier (as a minor) to buy a joint than buy a beer," Trudeau said. "Organized crime is making huge sums of money on the illicit sale of marijuana."

Trudeau insisted that creating a regulated market would take it out of the hands of crime groups and "better protect communities and children."

However, he added the allies he spoke with "are interested in seeing how things go... before they try it," without specifying which nations.

It would also allow the federal government and the provinces to levy taxes on legal weed sales amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Pot sales would be through authorized retail stores much like the current situation regulating alcohol sales in Quebec and Ontario.

A total of 105 businesses have been authorized to grow marijuana and offer pot-based products. Under the new law, individuals could grow up to four plants at home.

The government has also set aside funds to study the impact of legalized cannabis consumption on public health.

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Legal cannabis to generate USD40-B, 400,000 jobs: study

LOS ANGELES - The legal cannabis sector is expected to generate $40 billion and more than 400,000 jobs by 2021 in the United States, according to a study released Tuesday.

The estimate by consulting firm Arcview includes direct purchases by consumers of $20.8 billion and indirect revenue for growers and various subcontractors as well as money spent with businesses not affiliated with the sector, such as supermarkets.

The projection would represent a rise of 150 percent on the $16 billion revenue recorded in 2017, according to the study, released the day after recreational use of marijuana became legal in California.

Arcview and its partner in the research, BDS Analytics, expect $4 billion in taxes to be generated within three years.

The new regime will lead to the creation of nearly 100,000 cannabis industry jobs in California by 2021, about a third of the nationwide figure and 146,000 jobs overall when indirect effects are considered.

Customers and operators in California have complained however about the punitive sales taxes to be applied to cannabis and its derivative products, which can hit 35 percent when state, county and municipal levies are taken into account.

California, the most populous US state, became the largest legal market for marijuana in the world on Monday, and public reaction to the law change has been enthusiastic, with long lines and stock shortages reported at clinics already licensed and open.

   
Berkeley mayor Jesse Arreguin hailed the reforms at a ceremony on Monday at Berkeley Patients Group, one of the oldest dispensaries in the United States.

"I'm stoked about this historic moment, not just for Berkeley, but for the state of California," Arreguin said, praising the state for "embracing this new economy."

Cannabis possession remains illegal under federal law, and Arcview's Tom Adams said fewer than 100 out of the 3,000 outlets and delivery services operating in California were ready to go with the required local and state permits.

"Those that were generally report doing multiples of their typical day's business with a far more diverse and less experienced customer base that need a lot of hand-holding and educating from their bud-tenders," he added.

"We were very cautious in projecting revenue growth from $3 billion to $3.7 billion in this first year of adult-use legality in California, but we'll have to revise that upwards if, as now appears likely, San Francisco and Los Angeles are going to get permits issued more quickly than we expected."

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California launches legal sale of cannabis for recreational use

LOS ANGELES - California will launch the world's largest regulated commercial market for recreational marijuana on Monday, as dozens of newly licensed stores catering to adults who enjoy the drug for its psychoactive effects open for business up and down the state.

It becomes the sixth U.S. state, and by far the most populous, venturing beyond legalized medical marijuana to permit the sale of cannabis products of all types to customers at least 21 years old.

Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Nevada were the first to introduce recreational pot sales on a state-regulated, licensed and taxed basis. Massachusetts and Maine are on track to follow suit later this year.

With California and its 39.5 million residents officially joining the pack, more than one-in-five Americans now live in states where recreational marijuana is legal for purchase, even though cannabis remains classified as an illegal narcotic under U.S. law.

The marijuana market in California alone, which boasts the world's sixth-largest economy, is valued by most experts at several billion dollars annually and is expected to generate at least a $1 billion a year in tax revenue.

"Adding California to the regulated market for cannabis is a really big deal," said Heather Azzi, a senior attorney for the Marijuana Policy Project, an advocacy group working to liberalize marijuana laws.

Uruguay became the first and only country to legalize recreational marijuana sales nationally, permitted through its pharmacies starting in July 2017, but is far smaller in comparison, with a population of just 3.4 million.

Still, most California jurisdictions are sitting out the highly anticipated New Year's Day inauguration of recreational cannabis sales.

Many, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, will not be ready for days or weeks because of additional red tape required by city and county governments before would-be retailers can obtain their state licenses.

But business will almost certainly be brisk at newly permitted shops ready on Day One. They number about four-dozen outlets across California, according to an authoritative guide to the cannabis market, GreenState, published by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Stores authorized to carry recreational weed were set to go on New Year's Day in San Diego, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Oakland, Berkeley, Eureka and Desert Hot Springs, among other locales. Hundreds more are expected to open throughout the state as the year progresses.

Many previously operated strictly as medical cannabis dispensaries under a patchwork of local regulations, and will now be licensed by the state for recreational merchandise as well.

Among the very first will be the Oakland-based Harborside dispensary, which has long ranked as the largest U.S. medical marijuana outlet. It planned to opens its doors at 6 a.m. local time on Monday.

Customers in the recreational sector - which state regulators prefer to call the "adult use" market - are only permitted to buy an ounce (28 grams) of raw cannabis or its equivalent at a time.

Medical patients can buy unlimited quantities, but must present a doctor's note and have purchased a medical ID card.

The stage for Monday's grand opening was set when voters passed a ballot measure in November 2016, Proposition 64, immediately legalizing personal possession and use of recreational pot by adults 21 and over.

But it has taken California lawmakers and bureaucrats over a year to devise a licensing, regulatory and tax structure for all phases of the commercial distribution chain.

California in 1996 became the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use, and more than 30 states have since done likewise. (Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Kim Coghill)

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Mexican lawmakers OK marijuana for medicinal purposes

MEXICO CITY - Mexican lawmakers gave final and overwhelming approval Friday to a bill legalizing medical marijuana after a national debate on narcotics policy in a country mired in brutal drug violence.

The legislation also allows use of marijuana for scientific research, as well as production and distribution of pot for those two stated purposes.

The vote in the Chamber of Deputies was 371 in favor and seven against with 11 abstentions.

The bill will now go to President Enrique Pena Nieto for his signature and then publication in the official government gazette, the lower house said in a statement.

The Senate approved the bill by a wide margin in December.

With Friday's vote, Mexico will join several US states and other nations in Latin America that allow cannabis for medical uses.

Pena Nieto proposed legalizing medical marijuana in a major policy shift in April after his government organized forums to discuss changes to the laws.

The bill fell short of demands from some lawmakers and civil groups that argue that a wider legalization of marijuana use could help the country reduce drug-related violence.

But proponents said it was a major step that will address Mexicans' need of an alternative medical treatment.

The bill authorizes the Health Ministry to design regulations for the use, import and production of pharmaceutical products made from cannabis or marijuana, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the plant's main psychoactive ingredient. Products with one percent concentration of THC will be allowed.

Growing marijuana for medical and scientific purposes will not be punishable.

A family in northern Mexico became a symbol of the push to legalize medical marijuana last year when the parents of a young epileptic girl won a court battle to import a cannabis-based treatment to stop her daily seizures.

The girl's father, Raul Elizalde, told AFP then that the legislation represented "great progress," but that it should make it easier for patients to acquire THC by letting them buy it without a prescription.

In a separate major case in November 2015, the Supreme Court authorized four people to grow and smoke pot for recreational purposes.

Although Pena Nieto is opposed to a broader legalization of marijuana, he has proposed increasing the amount of the drug that can legally be possessed for personal consumption to 28 grams (one ounce) from five grams.

source: news.abs-cbn.com