The Rise of Legal Marijuana Forces a Shift from “Say No” to “Delay”

Marijuana POBIn California, the year kicked off with long queues of eager customers waiting in the dark; outside medical cannabis dispensaries for their “budtenders” to open doors and allow them to start shopping when the clock ticks midnight.

And this year, the effect has gone far beyond the marijuana cash register. We have all come across the ads or heard the rumor— even minors have, yet the drug remains illegal for under 21s.

“As you leave SFO [San Francisco] airport, you see prominent billboards for Eaze [a surfacing weed delivery service] with the message ‘Marijuana is here,’” says Danielle Ramo, an Adolescent Drug Use psychologist from the University of California-San Francisco. “Did parents expect to see so many images of weed all over?”

With the surfacing of legal recreational cannabis imminent in more American states, drug prevention education has evolved significantly with most schools dropping the archaic “Just Say No” slogan for an approach that may be more effective for a Marijuana POB era where weed is readily accessible. This new strategy emphasizes decision-making and critical thinking rather than insisting on abstinence.

One tactic they are adopting is the Being Adept curriculum. It is a proof-based course that has been in use by over 20 schools in San Francisco. This method along with other new-era drug education skills is based on decades of painstaking effectiveness research and current teaching practices.

The egg in a frying pan advert accompanied with the words “This is your brain on drugs,“ is no longer useful in drug education campaigns.

According to Ramo, “These are scare tactics are no longer effective. Today, school-based prevention is taking a very different mindset.”

In other words, more focus is now on facts, and not fear. What’s more, educators have realized that the conspicuously simplistic slogans like “Just say no” are no longer efficient. It is no wonder teachers are now urging students to check up data, contemplate on motives, talk about risks and think about on their goals and values.

The bottom line

Teachers are now expected to give engaging illustrations of the perceived dangerous effects of the drugs on the body while encouraging participation and allowing facts to unfold to the students. This means you are not merely going to tell the adolescent that his or her brain will resemble a frying egg when on drugs but you will give a demonstration of what takes place in the brain when someone is on drugs.

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Debate to Make New Jersey Cannabis Legal Continues

legalmarijuananowlogoThe beginning of March, close to 150 people squeezed into a meeting room at the Statehouse in Trenton. The state of New Jersey then officially opened the conversation on marijuana legalization. The feelings on the topic were very divided. More than a dozen advocates and lobbyists spoke in favor of legal marijuana, while many others shared their reasons why recreational cannabis should not be allowed in New Jersey. As the meeting went on, six common themes emerged:

1.      All eyes are on N.J. – People traveled from far and wide to be apart of this hearing. Why? After all, the meeting was not geared toward any specific piece of legislation. Bill Caruso, an attorney with Archer Law in N.J. and a pro-marijuana lobbyist, explained. “Jersey sits in the middle of phenomenal wealth, phenomenal population centers and phenomenal transportation systems,” Caruso said, referring to the potential of a New Jersey marijuana industry.

2.      Data collection is paramount – Pro-legal weed lawmaker from Colorado, Pabon, shared the damage the lack of marijuana-related data has caused in his state. Even the president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (an organization opposed to recreational cannabis) agreed that there is simply not enough data available to determine the success of states that have legalized cannabis.

3.      There is much money to be made – Every marijuana legalization discussion turns to money at some point; New Jersey was no exception. The estimate is that New Jersey’s recreational marijuana industry would be worth about $1 billion per year. The recreational cannabis industry in the U.S. is worth $10 billion, which would increase if N.J. legalizes.

4.      N.J. has the potential to be the new industry leader – Considering New Jersey’s history in the pharmaceutical industry, the state could very easily become the new cannabis industry leader, surpassing Colorado.

5.      The black market is a very real problem – Those who oppose legalization, like Las Vegas police officer Todd Raybuck, say that there has been a significant increase in black market marijuana. Raybuck says that since Nevada’s recreational marijuana market went live in summer 2017, there has been a significant spike.

6.      This is just the beginning – Assemblyman Joe Danielsen, D-Somerset, announced that there would be three more hearings over the coming weeks throughout the state to continue to discuss the issue.

For now, the legalization of New Jersey marijuana is still up in the air. Although the recreational marijuana bills have been introduced in both the Assembly and the Senate, actions on the bills in either house are expected to be on hold. They await the review of the state’s medical marijuana program, as ordered by Gov. Phil Murphy.

Do you need merchant services for your cannabis business? The team at Marijuana Merchant Account can help you find the merchant account and payment processing solutions that are right for your business and have your account setup in as little as 24 hours.

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California Puts Study of a Public Bank for Marijuana Industry in Motion

hawaii-marijuanaCalifornia has successfully circumvented federal law and created a state-held bank with the purpose of serving the marijuana industry. While many are excited that these plans have moved from words to actions, others are questioning how viable it is. This has led state Treasurer John Chiang and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra to launch a new feasibility study. Chiang’s department will be focusing on the financial and operational issues, while Becerra is examining the legal.

At a recent news conference, Chiang voiced caution about the idea of a public bank, comparing it to – of all things – a potato chip: “Today we are taking the next steps in determining the practical considerations that could lead to the creation of a public bank. Is there a solution there? Maybe. Or is it like a potato chip? It tastes good going down but is ultimately of no nutritional value.”

The need for a public bank for the marijuana industry is not new one. Medical marijuana has been available in California since the mid-1990s. It is the recent boom in growth and acceptance that has more and more people jumping onboard with the public bank idea. As of now, legal cannabis business owners are forced to deal in cash only. Obviously, incredibly inconvenient and unsafe.

Why does a multi-billion-dollar industry find itself in this position? As of now, marijuana is still categorized as a Schedule I illegal drug at the federal level. Fearing entanglement in federal law, banks will simply not extend their services to marijuana merchants. This leaves businesses with a number of major problems. They are not only unable to process customers’ credit and debit card transactions (no merchant account), but they also deal with security issues dealing in cash only and having shocking amounts of cash on hand. They also face potential penalties for paying state taxes and fees in cash.

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Experts Say California Will Become Largest Job Creator for Marijuana

medical marijuana payment processingIndustry experts recently shared that California will become the largest recreational cannabis market in the world and the largest creator of jobs for marijuana. Not only is California going to be the largest market, but it is also the ideal location for growers, processors and sellers. For those looking for work in this booming market, growers, processors and sellers are not the only businesses that will be hiring; adjacent services (legal advice, marketing, security, etc.) will be seeking additional staff as well.

According to a report by online employment marketplace, ZipRecruiter, “When it comes to growth in this industry, we see the most significant growth in states that recently loosened their marijuana laws.”

ZipRecruiter’s data revealed Los Angeles and San Francisco advertised the most marijuana-focused jobs in the legal marketplace. Contrary to what you might think, this is not an achievement that was built slowly over time; California’s recreational cannabis market just recently opened. Yet, it has already topped the list of marijuana-related help-wanted postings.

The Cannabis Marketplace report, published by Consumer Research Around Cannabis, revealed that there are approximately 13.7 million adults over the age of 21 in the Los Angeles Greater Metropolitan Area, and approximately 5.3 million of those individuals are cannabis consumers. With California’s legal medical marijuana reaching 3.8B$ in 2017, the question now is how much more will the marijuana market grow with recreational use.

In its 2018 Cannabis Investment Report, investment and research firm Ackrell Capital estimated that a 100B$ market could develop if the federal government supported full legalization – which it currently does not. With the many risks of running a cannabis business – under federal law, marijuana is still a Schedule 1 substance – entrepreneurs and employers constantly worry whether the government will come after them.

The recently revoked Cole Memorandum that protected marijuana companies operating legally under state laws from federal prosecution has also given the industry another reason to be nervous. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made it clear that he does not support the legalization of marijuana.

The solution for many marijuana merchants has been alternative providers like Marijuana Merchant Account. As the industry continues to grow rapidly and businesses hire employees, many will continue to turn to high-risk providers for marijuana funding. If your business needs cash to grow and hire new staff, consider what a MMA can do for your company.

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Cannabis Safe Haven: Berkley First City to Declare Sanctuary for Cannabis

hawaii-marijuanaThe cannabis industry is rejoicing over the recent victory and groundbreaking move for recreational marijuana. The city of Berkeley California has prided itself for years for being a pot-friendly place. Now, the city has taken this acceptance a step further by declaring the city a sanctuary for recreational marijuana – an unprecedented move.

The beginning of February, the Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to declare the city a sanctuary for recreational marijuana. The adoption of this resolution means that Berkeley’s agencies and employees are now prohibited from using city resources to assist in enforcing federal marijuana law or providing information on legal cannabis activities.

“The city of Berkeley does not support cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration in its efforts to undermine state and local marijuana laws,” the measure states.

However, the measure does not cover other Schedule 1 drugs the federal government feels have a high potential for abuse. It also does not prevent the city’s resources from being used in the investigation of cannabis-related crimes that are illegal under federal, state and city laws. Part of these efforts appear to be to provide clarity not only for marijuana businesses and users, but also for state and local law enforcement. Until last month, the 2013 Obama-era federal policy – “Cole memorandum” – provided legal shelter for marijuana sales. However, sessions in January ended this policy.

Following the approval of the sanctuary law, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin released a statement saying, “Millions of peaceful Americans have been fined, arrested, imprisoned, or otherwise needlessly criminalized and stigmatized, sometimes for life, because of their use of marijuana. Ending this misguided policy is long overdue.”

Within a week of this declaration, a Berkeley marijuana lab announced that it would hire hundreds of employees as it prepares for rapid growth. California marijuana companies are expecting the industry to grow by tens of thousands of employees. According to an estimate by The Arcview Group, the total economic output legal cannabis will grow 150 percent from $16 billion in 2017 to $40 billion in 2021, accompanied with an increase of nearly 300,000 full-time jobs.

“The economic excitement around the legal cannabis industry is no longer just theory,” said Troy Dayton, CEO of The Arcview Group.

With high hopes and laws moving in the right direction, more and more cannabis merchants will be entering the market. If your business is seeking funding and services to take advantage of opportunities and grow, consider the recreational cannabis processing services Marijuana Merchant Account has to offer.

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Buying Cannabis in California

Marijuana Business FundingCalifornia constituents unanimously voted in favor of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), famous as Proposition 64 eventually becoming the 5th state to decriminalize recreational pot after Colorado, Washington DC, Oregon and Alaska. It also shouldn’t be forgotten that California was the first state to legalize medicinal cannabis and currently, (and it has been so from January 1, 2018), you can freely smoke your pot in marijuana as long as your use your weed within the law.

And now, gone are the tough days when you hastily purchased your weed from a backstreet peddler or in dimly-lit shops with the fear of Feds pulling over anytime. There’s good-quality legal cannabis in California. Any adult, 21 and over can now walk into one of the many officially authorized dispensaries or order for weed delivery. Today’s cannabis stores are more like any other store where several different product varieties are displayed for potheads or any newbie smokers to choose from.

Here’s what to look for.

  1. lndica vs. Sativa vs. Hybrids

While Indica comes with a more relieving and relaxing effect, Sativa leads to high energy levels and fosters creativity. Most times, an enjoyable mixture of the two is preferred, but all hybrids typically have one dominant species. In essence, most strains we have are hybrids due to the cross-breeding that has continued in cannabis genetics since the first experiments.

Indica has higher CBD levels responsible for relieving pain and anxiety than sativa does. Sativas often this has antidepressant-like effects.

  1. What’s the Smell?

One way to tell the quality of weed before purchase is to break the buds and sniff the scent that comes from it. Buds may smell like, skunk, gasoline or earthy tones. Moldy or strongly ammonia smell means that the buds weren’t correctly cured. Be sure to substantiate that the cultivator behind it is a trusted source.

  1. Blunts or G-bags?

Blunts are cannabis rolled just like cigarettes would be. However, they come in different sizes and therefore differ in price. G-bags come in measures of grams and are a “bulky” way of buying pot, which is way cheaper. Most times, bulk buying will save you money and give you the stoner’s prime pleasure of rolling your marijuana. Plus, you can’t trust all dealers; someone could be hiding their low-quality weed between rolling papers and selling you the same for a high price.

4.THC and CBD

CBD & THC are the two phytocannabinoids that constitute cannabis resins. Each has different medicinal advantages according to ratios used.

  • Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) –high THC levels are used as an analgesic.
  • Cannabidiol (CBD) –reduces seizures in the body.

Finally,

It shouldn’t be forgotten that there are some possession and use rules that should be adhered to until America fully legalizes cannabis (if it ever does).

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Marijuana is Finally Legal in California But Not Everyone is Enjoying The Party

Marijuana Merchant ProcessingMarijuana decriminalization is now one of the hottest topics in California and the whole of U.S. On Jan. 1, California celebrated the legalization of weed for all over 21s and joined Colorado in the list of ‘high states.’

But soon after (on Jan. 4), Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the weed seller, and pothead’s main headache showed up uninvited and ruined the party. Sessions have been resilient in his efforts to thwart all the years of struggle other lawmakers have made to see that the United States legalizes cannabis. And his Jan. 4 repeal of the Cole memo that protected states from federal interference with local laws threatens to scare the future of weed.

Bipartisan Resistance

Not that Sessions is winning his war on the now flourishing cannabis industry; in fact, he’s been facing a lot of bipartisan resistance. State leaders and Democrats won’t watch their legally established and regulated sector go down with one man’s declaration.

Republicans like Sen. Cory Gardner (Colorado) have even stated that the revoke contradicts President Trump’s campaign promise and Jeff Session’s pledge to the nation’s highest lawmaking office.

Investors in the industry have also warned that it may lead to interference with the billions in revenue and the thousands of jobs Marijuana and related companies are making.

Non-citizens and Immigrants Not Protected in California legalization

But despite legalization, possession, and consumption of legal California pot could still mean severe legal issues for non-citizens and undocumented immigrants.

Cannabis hasn’t been federally decriminalized, and federal regulations control immigration.

Brendon Woods, Alameda County Public Advocate expressed his concerns stating that immigrants are disadvantaged because being convicted for possessing anything above 30 grams of pot, whether in the U.S lawfully or not, is punishable by deportation.

The situation is worsened for non-citizens after A.G Jeff Sessions asked federal prosecutors to crack down on marijuana dealers and users in states that have decriminalized it.

This is so unfortunate given that California hosts over 10 million immigrants. That’s a large number considering the currently trending weed culture meaning chances are a good number may run into problems with the law.

There have been claims of the lack of federal resources to follow up marijuana cases, plus California has more liberal prosecutors; two factors that may cool things down a bit for now. But still, there’s reason to remain paranoid and have some eyes on the back of your head (if you’re a non-citizen).

The uncertainty is primarily caused by the administration’s general stance on immigration.

In a nutshell

The ultimate solution for Americans (including immigrants) would be legalization but getting to that is proving to be a long legal battle. Nevertheless, there’s hope for the cannabis industry and potential full decriminalization. It’s only a matter of time.

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