A NEW APPROACH
California tackles its illicit cannabis problem
California’s cannabis industry is now four years old – and the State is still seeing issues with illegal cannabis farms. The San Diego Union Tribune reports that California’s top prosecutor, Attorney General Rob Bonta, has now said he will be trying a new approach to disrupting these illegal operations that undercut the legal economy.
To do this, the State will expand its four-decade eradication programme – the annual Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) programme – that will attempt to prosecute underlying labor crimes, environmental crimes and the underground economy centered around the illicit cultivations.
“The illicit marketplace outweighs the legal marketplace,” Bonta told the publication. “It’s upside down and our goal is complete eradication of the illegal market.”
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FIRST STEP TO REFORM
Advocates weigh in on Biden’s cannabis reform efforts
Talking Drugs writes that, while only a first step towards true cannabis reform in the US, Biden’s announcement that he would be pardoning simple cannabis convictions is incredibly welcome for a country that has increasingly become fragmented in its regulation of the drug.
However, it highlights that some experts have noted that the executive order has not gone as far as it could.
A number of experts have weighed in on the matter, with some noting that:
- “As there is no federal expungement, a pardon is the only way to get relief from the collateral consequences that come with a conviction.”
- “The overwhelming majority of cases involving simple possession are under state law and Biden’s pardon does not apply to those cases.”
- Undocumented migrants were excluded from the pardon, a significant omission as they tend to be overly criminalized through cannabis possession offences, with some facing deportation due to these charges.
Neuroscientist and author Carl Hart told Talking Drugs that exploring federal legalization, and regulatory freedom to design different state-level implementations, makes sense for a country where around half of its citizens’ states can legally access cannabis.
UBER EXCITING!
Uber Eats to start cannabis deliveries in Toronto
For the first time, cannabis delivery will be available through a major third party delivery platform, Uber, reports Axios. The programme is being initiated thanks to a new partnership with Leafly.
It will initially be rolled out with three retailers including Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis and Shivaa’s Rose.
The service will enable:
- Those in Toronto aged 19 years old and over to order from the app
- Deliveries made by the cannabis retailer’s staff
- Those delivering the order to verify a customer’s age and sobriety
Uber Eats Canada general manager Lola Kassim stated: “We are partnering with industry leaders like Leafly to help retailers offer safe, convenient options for people in Toronto to purchase legal cannabis for delivery to their homes, which will help combat the illegal market and help reduce impaired driving.”
ONSITE SALES
BC’s new license aims to support rural and Indigenous cannabis growers
Leafly reports that British Columbia is joining other provinces in allowing cannabis producers to sell products on-site. According to the publication, the Province may also open the door to product sampling and on-site consumption starting at the end of November.
Cultivators will be able to apply for a license to do so, which B.C.’s Public Safety and Solicitor General says aim to “support the development of a robust, diverse and sustainable legal cannabis economy that is inclusive of Indigenous and rural communities.”
According to the publication, cultivators have welcomed the news: “We’ve been looking forward to farmgate programs for a while,” says Glen Valley CEO Paul DeThomas. “Having a store will let us showcase our products in a way that is more personable, more face-to-face, than what we currently are doing now.”
