RECOGNITION! Washingtonian Magazine has named yours truly one of the "Best of DC" for my keen canna-reporting. "Best Local Weed Columnist" wasn't even a thing before me, but I'm so good, they made me a category. HOT DAMN, BABY! Now I'm the "Award-Winning" Gentleman Toker. Hahahaha!
Here's some other NEWS you might be interested in:
Virginia
The director of the state's Dept of Forensic Science, Linda Jackson, has sent out a letter to all prosecutors and police depts that their current lab equipment definitively CAN'T tell the difference between THC and CBD, as was reported last week.
I know some lab equipment manufacturers must be salivating at this opportunity!
But this is big news for me and you, too. It effectively means that if your products are labeled as CBD, police might be willing to look the other way until this mess is straightened out.
Fewer arrests of law-abiding citizens and stoners alike in Virginia would be a very good thing! CBD shop owners can breathe easy, too, at least for now. And those that have run into legal trouble should probably get their cases dismissed.
SHOTS ON ME, BOYS!!!
Maryland
4 Grower & 10 Processor licenses were up for grabs, netting more than 160 applicants. The application fee for the much cheaper Processor license is $2K. That means the state of Maryland just collected at least $320k. And probably way over that. Damn!
The state says they're committed to get licenses into the hands of minority-owned businesses ventures that are Maryland residents. But they had problems last time they tried that cuz of anti-discrimination laws. I don't think any legislation has changed since then, but there's a wink & nod sorta vibe that they're just make it happen this time.
My money's on it going roughly halfsies. 2 Grower licenses and 5-7 Processor licenses will go to minority-owned businesses at least. I could see Grower going to 3 & Processor to 10, but less likely.
Washington, DC
The FDA held its hearing on CBD today. I haven't had enough sleep to parse this article from Marijuana Moment about the key takeaways today, so you'll have to read it yourself. I'm positively knackered.
A marijuana growing/extraction op was exposed to police because the residents were letting their two pitbulls roam free and they mauled a neighbor.
...for Fuck's sake. THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS!
A reminder that a 20 year old MDMJ activist is facing 10 freaking years in prison for broadcasting a meeting in Rep Harris' office on Facebook Live. MDMJ is an offshoot of DCMJ, spearheaded by Adam Eidinger. So this kid's life is being held as a pawn in the middle of a longstanding feud.
Harris is just being petty. Despite Eidinger's efforts, he hasn't managed to oust Harris from power or even wound him in any significant way. Let the kid walk, jagoff. You're winning by a healthy margin.