Tag: Main Blog
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Some D.C. Dispensaries Say They Face Flower Shortages Because Growers Restrict Their Supply
Every week, Norbert Pickett orders cannabis from each of D.C.’s eight cultivators to restock the shelves of his small medical dispensary, Cannabliss, located on the East side of the Anacostia River in Deanwood. With the help of his wife and business partner, Collette Leonard, he selects various flower strains, oils, edibles, and other pot products,…
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In Loudoun County, Critical Race Theory Panics, Kvetching About Cannabis Legalization
Virginia’s Loudoun County made the news last month after an outrageous response from locals at a school board meeting. You likely saw the video or photos of adults losing their minds, screaming in opposition to policies that would protect trans rights and to what they’ve taken to calling “critical race theory” which has been turned…
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House Budget Bill Scraps Biden’s Proposed Ban On Recreational Cannabis Sales In D.C.
House lawmakers greenlit a spending bill on Tuesday that leaves out a controversial provision banning D.C. from legalizing recreational cannabis sales. In a 33 to 24 vote, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Financial Services and General Government bill for fiscal year 2022. The legislation, which now heads to the House floor for a full…
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Virginia Cannabis Advocates Will Hand Out 10,000 Pot Seeds To Celebrate Legalization And Promote Homegrow
Cannabis legalization goes into effect tomorrow in Virginia and—as the saying goes—good seed makes a good crop. Advocates are getting ready to hand out 10,000 cannabis seeds on Thursday, July 1 to celebrate the first day of legal pot in the commonwealth. Organized by Virginia Marijuana Justice (VAMJ), “The Great Commonwealth Cannabis Seed Share” hopes…
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Last Year, Ocean City Councilman Called For An ‘Attack on Pot.’ This Year, Cops Brutalized Vaping Teens
Video from earlier this month of violent encounters with Ocean City, MD police officers illustrated that there is no incident too minor for police to escalate. In both viral videos, the tasings and/or beatings by Ocean City cops began when the Black police brutality victims were vaping in areas where vaping is restricted. In one…
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Montgomery County Residents Describe Cannabis-Related Racial Profiling by Police
Montgomery County is heralded as one of Maryland’s more diverse counties in the state—it is also one of the top twenty richest counties by median income in the United States—but when the Montgomery County Police Advisory Commission held a public forum at their meeting on June 14, residents of color found themselves telling different versions…
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Virginia Police Report Shows Large Drop In Cannabis Arrests For 2020, But Omits Breakdown By Race
Roughly one year after Virginia decriminalized cannabis, pot arrests have almost been slashed in half in the commonwealth, according to an annual crime report released last week by state police. Cannabis arrests dropped by about 48% in 2020, decreasing to 13,640 incidents from 26,470 the previous year, the report shows. Arrests had peaked at nearly…
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Maryland Cannabis Companies Face Exorbitant Fees To Access Banking Services
If you’ve ever used a debit card at a Maryland dispensary, it’s more than likely that the company has a bank account opened with one of the three banks in Maryland that services the cannabis industry: Severn Bank, Bulldog Federal Credit Union, or the newest addition—CFG Bank. Out of more than 80 different banks in…
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D.C. Council Votes To Block Blanket Cannabis Testing For Volunteers At Public Schools
The D.C. Council on Tuesday voted to block D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) from requiring blanket drug tests––including cannabis screenings––for prospective volunteers and contractors. In a drawn-out legislative meeting that started three hours behind schedule, the emergency bill passed 10-2, with Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie voting no, and At-Large…
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Virginia Watchdog Suggests Adding Misdemeanor Penalties For Cannabis. Advocates Say It’s a Bad Idea.
A Virginia government watchdog is recommending significant changes to the state’s cannabis laws just weeks before possession is set to become legal, and as regulators prepare for the launch of recreational sales in 2024. In a report published last week, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), a state-funded group that keeps tabs on…
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Virginia Governor’s Race Offers Two Drastically Different Visions For Legalizing Cannabis
Terry McAuliffe cruised to the Democratic nomination for Virginia governor on Tuesday, setting the stage for what could be a close race between the former governor and Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin, a businessman with no prior political experience. Polls show McAuliffe, an establishment candidate who is running for his old job—he was governor of Virginia…
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In Maryland, Dispensaries Are Healthcare Settings And Still Require You Wear A Mask
Last month, Governor Larry Hogan lifted the statewide mask mandate in Maryland with three exceptions: schools, public transportation, and healthcare settings. This includes medical cannabis dispensaries. In Maryland, all dispensary visitors (regardless of their vaccination status) are still required to wear a mask while inside any cannabis storefront across the state. Maryland’s updated mask mandate…