Here's your week in DMV weed news!
Washington DC
Has cannabis legalization increased crime rates? Wikileaf seeks to dismiss Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund President Jason C Johnson's argument in this article that uses homicide rates in Seattle, Denver, and DC as a metric for cannabis legalization's success.
The article points out that the figures are in line with the national average and provides an alternate conclusion based on higher-ranking murder states. I think the entire premise is flawed. You'd have to look at marijuana-related homicide/crime figures specifically. You can't expect cannabis legalization to have a blanket effect over ALL THE CRIME regardless of any other influence. What about the tainted tap water that's making my frogs gay? Huh? What about that?
Virginia
Ok since there's only some minor busts since the last NL we might as well look at this whole 'what legalization means for craft beer' article since that seems cool. I LIKE BEER! When's my next Leap, Al? I gotta get out of this timeline.
Here's the lowdown: VA's craft brewers are excited to get started on some CBD-infused beers. In fact, a couple already have. But then their products got pulled or stuck in red tape, because they have to answer to the ABC. Since CBD's legality is not explicit, but rather assumed under hemp legalization, they've decided to err on the side of caution for now. Sounds about right.
Another interesting note in this article is that it appears any fear over marijuana legalization competing with alcohol seems to be overblown based on statistics from Denver. At least as far as craft beer is concerned, "consumers are enjoying both products side-by-side." Cheers to that!
Maryland
Uh oh, don't look now, Fellow Kids! The jig is officially up after a teen at Westminster High had an "adverse reaction" from a dab and her friends freaked and were all sent to the hospital as a "precaution." Now Carroll County schools and parents have been officially notified as to what vaping cannabis and dabbing looks like.
Sorry, kids that can handle your shit. I mean, um, kids shouldn't smoke weed. Just opiates and adderall. Their brains are still developing, after all, and THC might lead them to do something crazy like question authority or why, like, hands, man?
Why indeed, youngling? But maybe wait to dab until you have more experience and/or a lifetime of regrets you have to block out of your mind to function as productive member of society.