Author: CannabisNewsWire (CNW)

About CannabisNewsWire CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) CannabisNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where news, content and information converge. To receive SMS text alerts from CannabisNewsWire, text “CANNABIS” to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

420 with CNW – US States Hope Legal Marijuana Will Fix Pension Crisis

Several U.S. states, such as Illinois and New Jersey, are facing an epic pension crisis and they hope that legalizing marijuana will avail badly needed funds to fix the crisis before it boils over.

For example, Chicago’s pension scheme alone will need a minimum of $1 billion to be injected each year into the retirement benefits scheme four years from today if the city is to meet its obligations to those who served and retired.

Consequently, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is suggesting that the taxes generated once cannabis becomes legal should be ring-fenced and sent to the pension scheme immediately.

The situation in New Jersey is no better. Debt repayment and pensions are expected to consume at least one third of the state’s budget by 2023. The legalization of recreational marijuana may help to bolster tax collections so that this risky situation is managed before it spirals out of hand.

New Jersey and Illinois still have a lot to do before cannabis can become available to the residents and bring revenue to the state coffers.

Of the two, New Jersey seems to be the closest to passing the necessary enabling legislation. Towards the end of November, committees in the state legislature passed some bills to put an end to cannabis prohibition.

One of the bills made it possible to wipe out some convictions and criminal records related to cannabis, such as those for misdemeanor possession.

However, the major sticking point that is yet to be agreed upon is the rate at which recreational marijuana will be taxed once it becomes available in the state. The Governor wants marijuana to have a 25 percent sales tax imposed on it while the proposed legislation puts it at 14 percent.

Each side is advancing its own reasons explaining why a certain tax percentage is appropriate, but a consensus hasn’t been arrived at as yet.

As already mentioned, Illinois still has ways to go before recreational cannabis is legalized. The incoming governor is in favor of legalization, but no details have been worked out as yet. Analysts suggest that it may take at least one year before adult-use cannabis becomes legal in the state.

Before that happens, however, the opposition of Republican legislators will have to be overcome. This task may be made easier by the approximately $525 million tax kitty expected from the industry each year. Setting up the right legal framework and the related infrastructure will be key to realizing that tax revenue dream or waking up to a different reality.

All in all, the problems that these two states face may not go away even if cannabis brings in the projected taxes since those revenues will be just a fraction of what is needed to keep the states solvent. All that the cannabis industry, including Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) and TransCanna, can do is wish Illinois and New Jersey the best as they find solutions to the funding gaps that they face.

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420 with CNW – Row Over Patents Threatens to Delay Thai Medical Cannabis Legalization

Thailand is in advanced stages of legalizing medical cannabis, but a row over the patent applications filed by foreign cannabis companies may jettison the process that was expected to culminate in a law being passed in January 2019.

Local businesses and activists feel that the granting of those cannabis patents will make the foreign companies control the cannabis industry in the country and deny scientists a chance to conduct needed research on the plant.

Chokwan Chopaka, a cannabis legalization activist, compared the patent applications to someone wishing to patent water and all its uses. Thai law doesn’t allow anyone to acquire a patent for any plant-related substance.

Civic networks and researchers are threatening to take legal action against the government in case the patent applications are approved.

Singapore and Malaysia, Thailand’s neighbors, are just getting started on the debate to legalize medical cannabis, so Thailand would be a kind of pioneer in the Southeast Asian region if it passed the appropriate legislation early next year as expected.

Such an action would be a major undertaking, given that the Asian region has been known to have some of the harshest penalties for possession, distribution and consumption of marijuana. For example, the death penalty is routinely handed out and implemented in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia in case someone is convicted for trafficking marijuana.

Similarly, thousands of people have been killed in the Philippines in a drug war that intensified when President Rodrigo Duterte started cracking down on narcotics in 2016.

However, marijuana hasn’t always been illegal in Thailand or the region. Traditionally, it was used as a medicine for sore muscles for Thai field workers for thousands of years. Thai women also used it to ease labor pains.

Those who are familiar with the word “bong” may be surprised to discover that this word (referring to the water pipe used when smoking weed) has its origin in the Thai language. Marijuana only became illegal in Thailand in 1935.

The move to legalize cannabis, at least for medical purposes, is therefore seen as the Thai community returning to its roots of using the plant as a medicine.

Furthermore, Thailand already earns a lot from medical tourism. Adding cannabis to the treatment options available to its visitors will therefore boost the medical tourism industry.

Another major plus for the upcoming cannabis revival in Thailand is the favorable tropical climate of the country which can make it cheaper to grow cannabis when compared to the marijuana grows in other countries, such as Canada.

What is left is for the government to handle the controversy brewing over patents well so that the interests of the indigenous firms are protected without locking foreign companies out. The two need each other if the industry is to develop and thrive to its full potential.

Cannabis industry players, such as Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQB: SNNVF) and Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF), in areas where the sector is thriving can only hope that any sticking issues are resolved early so that the industry in Thailand takes off without any baggage to weigh it down.

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420 with CNW – South Korea Okays Medical Marijuana

In recent times, South Korea has been in the news for cracking down on cannabis use both locally and abroad. Their embassy in Canada even warned South Korean nationals that they will be prosecuted back home if they used medical or recreational cannabis in Canada or anywhere else. However, the East Asian country passed legislation in late November to allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes. This makes it the first East Asian country to do so.

The Food and Drug Safety ministry announced that epilepsy sufferers and those struggling with other rare diseases will be able to access medical marijuana early next year (2019).

The government further announced that medical cannabis products that had gained regulatory approval in other countries would be imported for use in South Korea. However, any medical cannabis product that hadn’t gained regulatory approval in its country of origin would be illegal to use in South Korea.

Similarly, South Korean companies will also be able to cultivate, manufacture and export medical cannabis products after getting regulatory approval from the relevant agencies.

To get medical cannabis, patients will have to submit their medical records showing that they have a qualifying condition. Those records will also be accompanied by a note from a doctor stating that the patient in question has a medical condition for which medication is unavailable in the country.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will then scrutinize those papers and decide whether the patient can start using medical cannabis or not. Approved applicants will get their medical marijuana from the Orphan and Essential Drug Center.

In other words, the government will not allow private entities to participate in the distribution of medical cannabis to the citizens.

Some cannabis legislation advocates are beginning to speculate that the passing of the medical cannabis legislation may eventually pave the way for the legalization of recreational marijuana in the country.

However, such optimism may be farfetched given that the countries in Asia are known for being very conservative and any change comes extremely slowly. Let us not forget that Asian countries are famous for being very harsh on drug use. For example, extrajudicial killings are almost tacitly sanctioned by the Philippines government in case the victims are suspected drug traffickers.

Additionally, the examples of jurisdictions that started with medical marijuana and went on to decriminalize the adult-use of cannabis are still very few.

All the same, the move to allow patients in South Korea to access medical cannabis should be applauded since the substance may help those who had lost hope of ever getting any relief from their ailments.

The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR), The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) and other industry players welcome South Koreans to the growing community of people who are enjoying the medicinal effects of cannabis.

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420 with CNW – New York Governor Speaks on Impending Cannabis Legalization

Traditionally, state Governors outline their plans during the State of the State address in January. However, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has opted to deliver his address early (on Monday, December 17). He talked about his priorities for the first 100 days in office. The issues discussed included his views on the legalization of recreational cannabis in the state.

Gov. Cuomo said that adult-use cannabis should be permitted “once and for all”, and he pledged to see this done within a few months from the start of the new Democrat-dominated legislature in January.

In his speech, it was clearly evident that his opinions on marijuana had undergone a major evolution because he was now championing legalization and yet he had previously opposed marijuana, even medical marijuana, as a gate-way substance.

The Governor lamented that it was time to change things and fix the injustices that had been suffered by the African-American community and other minorities during the selective enforcement of the laws against marijuana use.

The speech didn’t give any details about how the recreational use of marijuana will be regulated within the state. However, some information about the likely regulatory framework can be gleaned from a report that was submitted to the Governor by the Department of Health in the state.

The report famously concluded that the benefits of regulating and taxing cannabis outweighed any shortcomings that could be attributed to legalization of adult-use cannabis. This report seems to have tied the hands of the Governor, especially given that his major opponent (Cynthia Nixon) made legalization the center of her campaign.

The Health Department report estimated that legalizing recreational cannabis would add between $248 million and $677 million in tax revenue within the first year of legalization. Additionally, legalization would fix some of the imbalances in the criminal justice system while easing the opioid crisis.

It is not yet clear how the state will spend the millions in taxes expected from the recreational cannabis industry, but several sectors and sections of the community are clamoring for that money.

For example, one suggestion is that the money be directed to fix the crumbling subway system while other activists suggest that the money should go to the black community that bore the brunt of the injustices during the war on drugs.

The state legislators will have their hands full as they debate and decide how these monies will be spent. Already, some assembly members are threatening to withhold their support for the bill in case the tax money isn’t allocated in the way they approve, such as going to the black communities.

Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP) urge all involved to consider all sides before eventually passing a law that will allow New Yorkers who so wish to consume recreational cannabis in a way that is safe for all.

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California Cannabis Market Offers Growth for Cultivation Suppliers as Authorities Tackle Licensing Backlog

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Growth in the Californian cannabis industry, currently restricted by licensing delays, is expected to accelerate over the coming months, bringing profits for suppliers of cultivation equipment.

California is one of the largest recreational cannabis markets in the world.
Recent delays in issuing cannabis licenses in California seem to be approaching an end.
Outside California, the growing global reach of the cannabis industry is drawing interest from significant international investors.

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) is one of the companies set to profit from this acceleration, thanks to its sales of hydroponic equipment to cannabis cultivators. Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is looking forward to a presence in Latin America after recently establishing a subsidiary in Chile. Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) has drawn billions of dollars in investment from a beverage giant, while Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) has benefited from a similar move from big tobacco as those industries’ big names look to get involved in cannabis. Meanwhile, Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) is expanding its reach beyond North America through an acquisition in Germany.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

California’s Pot Power

When California passed the Adult Use of Marijuana Act in November 2016, the legislation sent waves through the American cannabis industry. The legalization of recreational cannabis in the most populous U.S. state offered the potential for a huge and lucrative market. The first U.S. state to legalize medical cannabis, California had been near the forefront of the cannabis industry for more than 20 years.

With an estimated population of nearly 40 million people and an electorate that had voted by a 57 percent majority in favor of legalization, California clearly has huge potential for the industry. Not only cannabis growers and retailers but also the companies supporting and supplying them are set to benefit from the change. Recreational cannabis sales became legal in January 2018, and businesses have moved to make the most of the new market. Licensing has caused delays for many companies, but if authorities can tackle the backlog, there’s potential for an enormously influential industry to spring up.

Cultivation Operations

The cannabis industry doesn’t operate in isolation. Companies such as Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD), which has become established in other industries, are now moving into this field.

Sugarmade is a product and brand marketing company that invests in products and brands with disruptive potential. Building upon experience in food, restaurant supplies and packaging, it has recently made two big moves in the cannabis sector. These are natural moves for companies aiming to expand their customer base in consumable products, applying existing skills and experience to a relatively new market, and the approach appears to be working well for the company.

Sugarmade’s most recent move in hemp is the investment of $1 million in Hempistry Inc., a Nevada corporation catering to the growing demand for the pharmacologically active CBD component of hemp. The investment is a bold move that comes just as hemp cultivation is on the verge of federal legalization.

Hydroponic equipment is vital to the cannabis industry. It allows producers to cultivate plants in secure, tightly controlled indoor facilities where they can ensure the product is healthy and its potency is appropriate to their market. Without the hydroponics industry, there is no cannabis industry; thus, the rise of cannabis has been hydroponics’ gain.

As a large hydroponics company whose reach includes its ZenHydro brand, Sugarmade could become a leading supplier to California’s cannabis industry. As companies expand to serve the growing market and new companies emerge alongside them, they will depend on cultivation supplies, and Sugarmade is forecasting accelerating revenue growth as a result.

Licensing Issues

Currently, the biggest obstacle to this growth is the ability of California authorities to license cannabis cultivation applicants.

As with any drug requiring a doctor’s prescription, cannabis should be properly regulated. California’s laws include provisions for this, requiring commercial growers to apply for cultivation licenses to operate within the state. However, because federal law still prohibits the cannabis industry, it is difficult for cannabis companies to operate across state lines. Therefore, those aiming to sell cannabis in California will need to grow the crop within the geographic bounds of the market.

Companies applying to grow cannabis in California have encountered a fluid response over the past few months. Recreational legalization encouraged a rush of license applications as approved medical cannabis companies sought the ability to supply the new market and entrepreneurs sought to seize their own piece of the pie. This inevitably put a strain on the system, as happens after any big change. Applications started piling up. According to state licensing agency CalCannabis, an estimated 2,547 cultivation licenses were under review by the beginning of November, with little sign that the backlog was moving.

This slow movement has delayed expansion for the whole industry, including hydroponics suppliers such as Sugarmade. Without a license, the equipment to grow cannabis is of no use to a dedicated cultivator. A lack of licenses deters investment in the associated hardware and supplies. Until the industry is fully up and running, the consumer market won’t have time to fully expand.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Fortunately, the problems appear to be nearing an end, spurred on by a crisis point.

Around 6,000 licenses have been issued on a temporary basis, with 1,054 of them about to expire. Given the further disruption to the industry that problem could cause, authorities seem to be speeding up their efforts to tackle the backlog. The licensing agency has started issuing annual permits, and industry insiders expect this process to accelerate over the next few weeks. More licenses will mean more companies cultivating cannabis, which will mean more purchases from cultivation suppliers such as Sugarmade.

Jimmy Chan, the CEO of Sugarmade, said: “Our customers, especially those in Santa Barbara, Monterey and Humbolt counties, the three most prolific cultivation areas in California, are indicating to us they too are expecting the permitting process to break free shortly, and they are thus informing us of their plans to accelerate purchasing. We believe this will add to our already strong expected growth rate. We are seeing the cultivation market increasingly shift to the larger commercial growers and we view these operators as our prime markets. We believe, especially considering the recently announced acquisition of Sky Unlimited, LLC, which focuses primarily on these large cultivation operators, we are optimally positioned to meet this expected wave of purchasing of cultivation supplies.”

The Bigger Cannabis Picture

California’s huge potential and brief licensing crisis are only small details in the much bigger picture of the global cannabis industry.

Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is a pioneer in the cultivation, production and distribution of cannabis and cannabis-derived chemicals, as well as in research to improve understanding of them. Through affiliates in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Portugal, Tilray operates across multiple continents, engaging with researchers, doctors and consumers. It recently made a move into Latin America through its new subsidiary Tilray Latin America SpA. Licensed by the Chilean government to produce medical cannabis, Tilray is using Chile as a base to prepare for sales into other Latin American markets, as local laws allow.

One of the most important trends in the cannabis industry is the increasing interest outside companies exhibit in getting involved. Alcohol and tobacco companies have been sniffing around the big players of cannabis, which are relative small fry by comparison and therefore can easily be given a proportionately significant boost. The best-known example is Constellation Brands’ investment of $4 billion in Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED), showing Constellation’s interest in the future of the cannabis market. The involvement of big alcohol and tobacco companies, with their experience in lobbying and public relations for recreational drugs, will put more momentum behind the global move towards legalization.

Like Tilray, Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) is making the most of the growing global market for cannabis, doing business in North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia and Israel. The company has recently secured C$2.4 billion in investment from Altria Group, the owners of Phillip Morris USA. A move in line with Constellation’s investment in Canopy Growth, this will see a strengthening of ties between big tobacco and cannabis. As tobacco companies see their profits hit by anti-smoking campaigns, cannabis offers a promising alternative, and their presence provides a promising source of finance for cannabis.

Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA), another North American company with investments in Latin America, has recently announced a move to strengthen its presence in Europe through the acquisition of CC Pharma. CC Pharma is a leading distributor of pharmaceuticals to Germany pharmacies that will provide Aphria with a useful channel to get its products onto German shelves.

The cannabis market is becoming a truly global one, with sales on nearly every continent and investment from huge multinationals. Even so, some regions remain particularly crucial, and an accelerated pace of licensing in California will bring huge benefits to the industry.

For more information on Sugarmade, visit Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD)

About CannabisNewsWire

CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) CannabisNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where news, content and information converge.

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420 with CNW – Utah Seeks Cannabis Program Manager After Prop 2 Passes

The Mormon Church, lawmakers and other stakeholders formulated a compromise bill to legalize medical marijuana long before Prop 2 was voted on in the midterm elections. This compromise deal enabled the different factions to cede some ground on their hard stance about medical marijuana and Prop 2 became a pawn to shape how the final legislation would appear depending on which side won the polls.

Now the polls are over and a law is in place to operationalize the medical cannabis program. In light of this development, Utah published an online advert calling for interested individuals to apply for the job of “Cannabis Program Manager”.

The time within which applications can be submitted is slowly ticking away and the deadline is literally hours away. The job is a hefty one, since the selected candidate will spearhead the establishment of a system to regulate not just medical marijuana but industrial hemp as well.

Hemp cultivation was permitted under the recently passed Hemp Farming Act of 2018, so the Cannabis Program Manager has his or her work cut out.

Among other things, the person selected will be expected to have the ability to “navigate highly stressful and political circumstances” in the course of executing his or her duties. This candidate requirement is a reflection of how sharply divided the population is regarding marijuana despite legalization.

The ideal candidate is also expected to have stellar academic qualifications that will enable him to be the go-to expert on all matters cannabis and industrial hemp.

That person will provide training and leadership to the staff charged with inspecting and enforcing the provisions under which medical cannabis became legal in the state.

It is noteworthy that that Utah opted to select an individual to head the medical cannabis program. Many other states place this responsibility in a commission or other such body where several people at the same seniority level share the responsibility of overseeing such programs.

It remains to be seen how the Utah program will pan out under the direction that they have chosen. Actually, that individual may do a better job than boards since he or she will know that the buck starts and stops at his or her desk regarding the successful implementation of the program. All that is therefore left is to put the right person in office without bending to the wishes of one group or the other since the politicking time has long elapsed and work must be done.

Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) and other cannabis sector participants like Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD) wish the person selected to head the Utah program all the success in the new office.

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420 with CNW – Study Finds Proximity to Cannabis Dispensaries Increases New Home Prices

A recent study whose findings were published in the Contemporary Policy journal shows that prices of new homes jump by up to 7.7 percent in case a cannabis dispensary opens close to those homes.

The researchers compared the data for new homes in Denver, Colorado that were within quarter a mile, half a mile and three-quarters of a mile from a newly opened dispensary. The researchers discovered that the biggest increase (7.7 percent) in price occurred in the price of homes that were within quarter a mile from the cannabis dispensary.

The homes that were within half a mile (but beyond the quarter mile mark) had modest price increases of about 4.7 percent. However, these price hikes fizzled out as the distance between a new home and the cannabis dispensary increased.

It is also interesting to observe that the effect of cannabis dispensaries on housing prices mirrored the effect of new groceries or shopping malls in neighborhoods. However, the researchers refrained from trying to explain why the opening of a cannabis dispensary had such an effect on the price at which homes were sold. They could only guess that it may be due to the convenience of accessing the marijuana dispensary, especially when the public is positive towards marijuana in general.

Another study conducted thousands of miles away in the Netherlands seems to confirm that the findings in Colorado are valid. Igor Goncalves Koehne de Castro, a doctoral student, wrote a master’s dissertation about what happens when a cannabis coffee shop closes in a neighborhood.

He discovered that the rents paid by Airbnb clients reduced by approximately 3 percent in case a cannabis coffee shop closed within a radius of 250 meters from a facility registered on Airbnb.

Locations that were further than 250 meters from the closed coffee shop didn’t register any change in rents.

De Castro had plenty of case studies to follow since lots of coffee shops had closed within the four-year window he examined (2014-2017). Various factors, such as the enactment of laws barring cannabis coffee shops from operating within a certain radius from a school, compelled different marijuana coffee shops to close.

The statistical models from which he gathered his findings reveal that the coffee shops may be an attraction since Amsterdam is a tourist destination and visitors want to be within walking distance from a cannabis coffee shop.

This pair of studies in different geographical locations proves that cannabis legalization has widespread benefits beyond the ones immediately noticeable (taxes and direct jobs in the industry, for example). This also gives further justification that the Colorado jury which dismissed a claim that a marijuana grow facility depressed the value of a nearby property made a correct decision to throw out that claim.

Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and other industry participants like SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) welcome this piece of additional positive news about the effects that cannabis is having upon the lives of people.

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420 with CNW – Medical Marijuana May Soon Be Allowed in Federally Subsidized Housing

The New York and New Jersey regional officer of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Lynne Patton, has revealed that there is a need to reconcile state and federal marijuana laws so that individuals who are using medical marijuana in locations where it is legal don’t risk losing federally subsidized housing.

She was reacting to media reports about a 78-year old man (John Flickner) who had been evicted from his apartment in Niagara Falls, New York due to his use of medical cannabis.

Lynne Patton went on to reveal that she was working to get Flickner back into permanent housing once more, as well as helping any other individuals in the same situation.

The good news is that John Flickner received a call from his former landlord asking him to retake his apartment shortly after Flickner’s case appeared in the media. The company owning that block of apartments also revealed that it was reconsidering its policy on medical marijuana. It was not clear whether the Department of Housing and Urban Development played a role in getting Flickner to return to his old apartment.

New York is expanding its medical cannabis program, and plans are underway to legalize recreational marijuana as well. These developments have raised concerns about what will happen to all those people who live in federally subsidized housing and want to use medical or recreational marijuana.

It should be remembered that President Clinton signed a law in 1998 barring landlords from having a tenant (new or existing) who uses an illegal substance, such as cannabis.

However, President Obama’s government wrote a memo in 2014 clarifying that landlords had the liberty to accept or reject (even evict) tenants who consume illegal substances. The eviction of Flickner was therefore done at the discretion of the landlord since there was no legal obligation for that action to be taken.

Good news may be on the way for people in federal housing regarding marijuana. This is because the Department of Housing and Urban Development (as hinted upon by Patton) is working to clear up the policy issues resulting from the difference between state and federal laws. In the meantime, Congress may act on the same issue either sooner or after HUD reconsiders its position formally.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat from DC, introduced a bill that seeks to provide housing safeguards at the federal level for people using either medical or recreational marijuana in legal states.

Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF), Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) and others in the industry are saddened by the fact that an old man (John Flickner) had to undergo the distress of being evicted in order for the housing authorities to see that things need to change.

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420 with CNW – UN Committee Delays Release of Cannabis Scheduling Recommendations

The Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) of the World Health Organization (WHO) met in November to discuss whether the scheduling of marijuana should be revised from its current status as a Schedule 1 substance to another less restrictive category. In a surprise move, the expected release of their findings has been postponed to January instead of this month as had earlier been indicated.

The ECDD called for, and received input from various stakeholders regarding various aspects of cannabis, such as its medicinal value as well as evidence of abuse or overdose incidents. The response to this call was massive, as was the situation when the FDA asked for input on the same matter in October.

The WHO committee subsequently released a pre-review report which had some positive findings about cannabis, such as the observation that no evidence had been presented that any fatality had ever occurred due to a cannabis overdose. The pre-review also indicated that there was evidence to show that some ingredients in cannabis can improve sleep and reduce pain.

The findings in the pre-review prompted the agency to take their examination a notch higher with a critical review done on the findings gathered. The findings of that in-depth critical review would then be used by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs to decide whether to revise the scheduling of cannabis or leave it in the category where it is currently listed.

It is the release of the recommendations made after the in-depth critical review that have been delayed until January next year.

The Expert Committee said more time was needed “for clearance reasons” before the recommendations are made public. This announcement poured cold water on the marijuana advocates’ spirits since they had expected a favorable recommendation on the basis of the findings stated in the pre-review.

Speculation is rife that the delay was motivated by political factors since a recommendation to reschedule cannabis would have imposed a lot of pressure on various authorities to adjust their stance on cannabis. Remember, the UN sets the agenda for many international policies and member states are expected to follow the suggestions made by the world body.

Whatever the true reason for the delay, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs will meet in March 2019 and vote on the scheduling of cannabis. So, a decision will still be made one way or the other, and it may be hard for the Commission to keep cannabis as a Schedule 1 substance yet pure CBD (cannabidiol) was removed from international scheduling so that access by patients isn’t restricted. CBD can be extracted from cannabis.

Industry players like Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) and Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) eagerly await the decision made by the UN since such a decision will have a global impact on how the cannabis industry evolves.

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420 with CNW – Study Shows Your Working Memory May Improve After Smoking Cannabis

One of the stereotypes that surround marijuana consumers is that they become forgetful when high on cannabis. However, a new study at the University of Florida has established that such a stereotype is just a myth.

The researchers designed the study in a unique way that involved exposing rats to cannabis smoke so that they inhale it. The rats were first taught to perform a number of delayed response tasks, such as poking the nose into a feeding trough a defined number of times before getting a reward of food pellets.

Alternatively, the rats in the study were required to look for, and press a lever several times before getting their reward.

The rats were divided into two groups based on their gender. In total, 32 rats took part in this study. Females tended to have lower working memory scores when compared to the scores of the males before cannabis smoke was introduced.

The researchers compared the working memory scores of the two groups when the rats were sober and how they performed after being exposed to cannabis smoke. The results showed that there appeared to be no difference in the scores obtained by the male rats when sober and after inhaling cannabis smoke.

However, there was a marked improvement in the working memory of the female rats when they performed the delayed response tasks after being exposed to the marijuana smoke. Remember, the female rats had lower scores in the working memory tasks performed prior to the introduction of cannabis smoke.

The placebo smoke used as a control in the study didn’t trigger any changes in the cognitive performance of either the male or female rats. This leaves the only logical conclusion for the better working memory as attributable to the cannabis smoke to which the rats were exposed.

The researchers also experimented with the dosage, the timing and the route of cannabis administration. Each of these variables triggered a difference in the working memory of the rats in the study.

Consequently, the researchers concluded that the cognitive outcomes observed will vary based on the specific route, dosage and duration of cannabis administration. They called for additional research to be done on this subject so that a better understanding of the effects of cannabis on cognitive function can be attained.

Stakeholders in the cannabis sector, such as Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) and Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) welcome all scientific studies that help to separate fact from myth on the subject of marijuana.

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