Cannabis News
Let Cops Smoke Weed! – Possible Bill Would Exempt Police from State Protections Around Cannabis Use
Let Cops Smoke Weed!
Should cops be allowed to smoke weed? Some are staunchly against it, but this stoner here believes it would make the world a better place. Love them or hate them, cops have an incredibly stressful job. They regularly encounter dangerous situations, witness traumatic events, and deal with hostile people. It’s no surprise that many officers suffer from PTSD, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
On top of that, the public’s perception of police is largely negative these days. Incidents of police brutality and abuse of power have eroded trust in law enforcement. Of course, not all cops are bad apples, but the reputation has taken a major hit. This animosity and stigma undoubtedly add to the already overwhelming stress and pressures they face.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean police officers should be excluded from cannabis use. In fact, regulated access to marijuana could potentially allow cops to finally connect with the public they are sworn to protect and serve. By legally partaking in the same vice that millions of law-abiding citizens enjoy, a human bridge could be built between the police force and the people.
Rather than being seen as an authority figure disconnected from the lives of ordinary citizens, a cop smoking a joint in their off-hours makes them significantly more relatable. It humanizes them. If regulated responsibly, cannabis use among law enforcement could paradoxically improve police-community relations and their mental wellbeing.
However, a new California bill threatens to move in the opposite direction. SB 1264 would prohibit various categories of public workers, including law enforcement officers, from lawful marijuana use that is currently protected under state employment laws. In this article, we’re going to explore why this proposed amendment is a step backwards and a terrible idea that could have serious negative ramifications.
The California bill in question, SB 1264, was originally introduced last month as a minor technical fix to an existing law protecting workers from employment discrimination over legal marijuana use. However, it took a controversial turn this week when it was substantially amended in committee with an entirely new section that would roll back those protections for various categories of workers.
The new amendment, sponsored by Republican Senator Shannon Grove, specifically removes the employment protections for “employees in sworn or nonsworn positions within law enforcement agencies” who have job functions related to:
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Apprehension, incarceration, or correction of criminal offenders
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Civil enforcement matters
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Dispatch and public safety communications
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Evidence gathering and processing
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Law enforcement records
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Animal control
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Community services duties 8 ) Public administrator or public guardian duties
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Coroner functions
This proposed change comes just months after the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training removed questions about marijuana from police job application forms, stating that several forms were “modified to remove inquiries about a candidate’s prior cannabis use.”
The legislation currently sits before the Senate Rules Committee after Grove’s amendments were adopted on Tuesday. If passed, it would represent a major setback for the employment protections that were established by two pieces of legislation signed into law in 2022 and 2023.
Those laws, which took effect on January 1st of this year, made it illegal for California employers to ask job applicants about past cannabis use or penalize most employees for lawful off-duty marijuana use. Certain exceptions were already included, such as workers in the building/construction trades and those requiring federal background checks, but this new amendment extends those exceptions even further.
Specifically, the 2022 law states it is “unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person in hiring, termination, or any term or condition of employment, or otherwise penalizing a person, if the discrimination is based upon…off-duty marijuana use.”
The separate 2023 law prohibits employers from “requesting information from an applicant for employment relating to the applicant’s prior use of cannabis.”
If SB 1264 passes with the new amendment, it would nullify those protections for a huge swath of law enforcement employees across the state. From police officers to animal control workers to coroners, an entire sector of public service workers could once again face discrimination and job consequences for their personal cannabis use outside of work hours.
The potential rollback of such recently-enacted worker protections has voter advocacy groups and cannabis supporters sounding the alarm about the proposed changes. With the bill now awaiting a Senate Rules Committee vote, all eyes are on whether California lawmakers will side with the police unions pushing for the amendment or the wave of pro-cannabis worker policies that have been advancing.
If lawmakers are going to single out cannabis and prohibit its use among certain public employees like law enforcement officers, a glaring double standard arises: Why not enact the same draconian policies for alcohol?
By virtually every objective metric, alcohol is more dangerous and detrimental than cannabis. It’s more toxic, more addictive, and causes significantly more health issues and societal harm. Alcohol dependency can lead to life-ruining consequences like job loss, domestic violence, and севере organ damage. The same simply cannot be said about cannabis dependence.
Perhaps most importantly in the context of police work, alcohol is clearly linked to increased violent and irrational behavior in a way that marijuana is not. Over 40% of all violent crimes involve the presence of alcohol, according to data from the Department of Justice. Excessive drinking has been identified as the most significant predictor of intimate partner violence.
On the other hand, cannabis does not appear to be a major factor in violent crimes. In fact, some studies have found that marijuana use is associated with decreased domestic violence. While certainly not an excuse, alcohol’s disinhibiting effects resulting in aggressive behavior are well-documented. This makes the potential exception for law enforcement particularly concerning from a public safety standpoint.
Interestingly, there are no blanket policies prohibiting police officers and law enforcement from using alcohol off-duty, despite it being an objectively more impairing and destructive substance. An officer can get blindingly drunk on their day off, showing up to work hungover and potentially exhibiting residual impairment, and face no disciplinary action in most jurisdictions as long as they are no longer intoxicated on the clock.
Yet if that same officer consumed cannabis responsibly in their personal time, they could potentially be reprimanded or even fired solely due to outdated cannabis stigma rather than any evidence of real impairment or safety risks. This is fundamentally hypocritical.
The key difference is that the mere presence of THC metabolites can be detected through standard drug testing, weeks or even months after impairment from consumption. However, this alone does not indicate intoxication or impairment – it simply shows evidence of prior cannabis use, just as alcohol metabolites would indicate past alcohol consumption.
By specifically targeting cannabis in this way, the implicit argument seems to be that marijuana is so profoundly mind-altering and perception-warping that any prior use, regardless of timeframe, fundamentally compromises an individual’s ability to perform their duties. This is an argument not supported by science or data.
Perhaps this antiquated “reefer madness” mentality persisting in some lawmakers is the real concern driving these efforts. By treating cannabis as a unique demon to be stamped out at all costs, even among responsible adults, they reveal a dogmatic belief that marijuana is inherently immoral and eroding to society. This puritanical viewpoint fails to align with current realities around the plant’s mainstream acceptance and legalization in much of the country.
Police officers deal with immense stress and traumatic situations on a regular basis as part of their job duties. The consequences of this unrelenting pressure often manifest as PTSD, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues among law enforcement. Cannabis provides a non-toxic avenue to help manage these conditions without the dangerous side effects of alcohol or pharmaceuticals.
A 2022 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that cannabis consumption is associated with increased empathy levels and ability to share the emotional experience of others. For police officers, who can sometimes lose sight of the humanity in the communities they patrol, this empathy-promoting effect could be invaluable.
With more empathy, cops may be less inclined to strictly enforce draconian laws that criminalize victimless crimes like personal marijuana cultivation or possession. They could start focusing more resources on actual violent crime that damages society. A force occupied with busting down doors over roaches is one that lets murderers and rapists run free.
A more relaxed, empathetic police force could foster greater trust and cooperation with the public they serve. When the people view law enforcement with less fear and animosity, it becomes harder for real criminals to hide and operate within those communities. Aligning police and citizens makes it a tough day for crime.
At its core, cannabis is a plant that millions worldwide use to unwind, relax, and bring joy and peace into their lives. To declare that certain categories of public servants don’t have the same fundamental human right to make this choice is to assert a repugnant authoritarian notion – that there are two classes of people: those subjected to the law, and those upholding it.
For officers risking their lives daily, being denied a plant-based reprieve from their immense stress and trauma is not just contradictory policy, it’s institutionalized discrimination cloaked in outdated reefer madness. If we truly want equality in this country, we need to start by treating everyone equally, regardless of their profession or civilian status.
The same laws, freedoms, and human rights need to apply universally.
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People in the UK increasingly realize that CBD vaping is quite safe. Even NHS recommends CBD vaping as one of the relatively safer ways to quit smoking. Vaping is not without any harm, but it is much safer than tobacco smoking. Even more, CBD vaping is associated with some good health effects. However, now people are realizing that THC vape pens could be an even more potent way of enjoying CBD’s health benefits.
What is THC Vape?
If readers noticed that in the introduction of this text, we talked about CBD, there is a reason for that. THC vaping is different from CBD vaping, but not entirely. It has much in common with it.
The hemp plant is rich in many cannabinoids. Two major cannabinoids are THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (Cannabidiol). It also has many minor cannabinoids in smaller amounts, like CBG, CBC, CBN, THCV and CBDV. CBD vape pens generally have all these compounds except THC.
However, THC vape differ in the way that they also contain small amounts of THC along with CBD, minor cannabinoids, and other beneficial organic compounds like terpenes for added flavour and enhanced vaping experience.
So, why do some of the vape pens have added THC in small amounts? After all, THC is known to be addictive and has mind-altering properties. Well, the explanation is simple: the secret is in the dosage. In smaller and legally permitted dosages, THC does not cause a high; it is safe and can have many health benefits.
When small amounts of THC are added to CBD, minor cannabinoids, and terpenes, it results in much more powerful health benefits. That is why some of the CBD-based clinically approved drugs also contain THC.
THC vape pens may also have some distinct benefits not experienced with CBD vape pens. This is due to “the entourage effect.” The entourage effect is a bit different from synergy. Synergy is like two-plus-two equal to five, meaning that using some compounds together results in a more potent effect, yet safety is not compromised. However, the entourage effect means combining two compounds may result in some unique health benefits not seen when those compounds are used in isolation. So, the entourage effect is more powerful and unique than synergy.
Therefore, using THC vape pens means some unique health benefits, although these vape pens contain THC in small amounts.
THC Vape: The Dangers
It is no secret that THC is the main compound responsible for all side effects of the cannabis plant. This substance is addictive and, at higher dosages, causes euphoria, has potent mind-altering properties, and may cause hallucinations.
However, there is one important thing to understand. All these effects of THC are seen at much higher dosages than those in legally produced THC vape pens.
Legally produced/sold vape pens in the UK, like those by CBDoilking, do not contain THC more than 0.2%. This is significantly lower than cannabis indica or marijuana, which may contain 25% or even more THC. So, there is no comparison between legal THC vape pens and marijuana. At these small dosages, THC does not cause euphoria or other side effects and has no addictive properties. It only has mild stress-relief properties at these dosages.
Secondly, THC vape pens sold by CBDoilking follow other important UK guidelines and legal requirements, which means that THC vape pens cannot contain more than 1 mg of THC. Hence, it is not just about low concentration but also about low amounts, thus ensuring its safety.
Safe and Potent THC vape pens
THC vape pens are for health-conscious individuals who would like to vape on a regular basis. It is safe and may have beneficial effects like reduced anxiety, improved mood, and enhanced sleep, and it may also help reduce pain sensation.
THC vape pen is even better than your regular CBD vape pen for quitting smoking. This is because it is better at reducing tobacco cravings.
CBDoilking sells one of the strongest THC vape pens in the market (75-80% CBD plus CBG along with THC in permitted amounts), and yet all pens sold on the platform follow strict legal guidelines. All the products undergo third-party testing and are proven to contain THC, CBD, and other minor cannabinoids within legally permitted and safe limits.
Another good thing about CBDoilking is that these excellent THC vape pens come in many flavours. These flavours are not due to some artificial substances but rather due to their content of terpenes. Terpenes are plant-based aromatic compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
CBDoilking offers vapes that are based on science, combining different natural compounds in the right ratio. This is both about safety and potency. So, these products are really good for those looking for something better, potent, and yet safe.
The Bottom Line
CBD vape pens have been around for some time, and their safety is well-established. They are an excellent way to quit smoking and also enjoy CBD’s health effects. However, some people are looking for something more potent. THC vape pens are good for such individuals. These contain all beneficial compounds present in the cannabis plant but in the right proportions.
THC vape pen is a new way to enjoy vaping. It is unlikely to cause any side effects as these products are made for regular use. Of course, one should not overdose on THC or CBD. It is important not to have more than a few puffs a day. Rare side effects like nausea or stomach issues might occur but are transient and short-lived. Such issues are rarely the cause of concern, except in a very small number of cases.
Thus, if you are looking for something better to reduce stress and overcome pain and anxiety, then a THC vape pen may be the right choice. Choosing something strong like the one offered by CBDoilking may be a good idea. Despite being strong, these vape pens contain THC only in legally permitted amounts and in concentrations proven to be safe and not cause euphoria.
To sum up, if you are already an experienced CBD vaper, it may be a good idea to give THC vaping a try.
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Thailand To Change Weed Laws Soon?
It’s Still Weed Paradise Right Now, So Go If You Can
Sure, weed is already legal in most of the United States.
However, for people who are in need of a holiday and want nothing to do but relax on a tropical Asian beach while enjoying a joint, the best place is still Thailand. Or at least, for now. Last June 2022, Thailand became the first nation in Asia to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, albeit due to some governmental loopholes that allowed adult-use dispensaries to pop up like weed around the country.
Just a few days after weed was legalized, budding (pun intended!) entrepreneurs put up all kinds of weed shops and dispensaries. The smell of marijuana was soon prevalent all over, whether you were walking down a street in Bangkok or sunbathing in Phuket. These days, weed shops are as common as ATM machines or bubble tea kiosks.
We aren’t sure how long this is going to last. Over the last 1.5 years, throngs of tourists have come from all over the world to enjoy the globe’s newest weed haven. And while many cannabis businesses and farmers are thriving economically from the weed boom, some government officials are against it. As of the time of writing, the Thai government is working on regulating the cannabis industry much more tightly, so much so that smoking weed may not be such a liberal act to enjoy anymore.
Could Thailand’s weed heydays be this short-lived?
According to the news, Thailand’s health minister is set to ban recreational marijuana use completely by year end. A new bill is forecast to be discussed to parliament before session ends in October. Anutin Charnivakul, the public health minister responsible for initially proposing cannabis legalization, didn’t intend for weed to be as widely sold and consumed as it was. Instead, he explained that he merely intended for it to be used medicinally, helping farmers and other industries earn from the economic benefits of cannabis legalization.
“We have always emphasized using cannabis extractions and raw materials for medicinal purposes and for health,” he disclosed to CNN back in July 2022. “There has never once been a moment that we would think about advocating people to use cannabis in terms of recreation – or use it in a way that it could irritate others,” he added.
They likely did not anticipate or foresee that the tourism sector would experience a massive boom due to the said loopholes in cannabis law. Nobody knew that thousands of tourists would be coming from all over to enjoy partaking, and, helping to boost the tourist economy which was much-needed after the pandemic.
In a Reuters interview with Public Health Minister Dr. Cholnan Srikaew, he says that marijuana will only be permitted for medical use. Recreational users and cannabis growers who do not have a permit can expect to be charged with heavy fines, if the new bill is passed. “Under the new law, cannabis will be a controlled plant, so growing it would require permission. We will support cannabis cultivation for the medical and health industry,” he told Reuters.
The fines they are discussing are certainly steep: in the draft bill, it states that penalties of up to $1,690 can be charged to recreational users. Meanwhile, individuals who are caught selling weed or advertising its use can face a file of as much as $2,770, jail time, or even both.
The news to change Thailand’s once-ideal regulations regarding cannabis use was announced a few months ago, leaving businesses and other industries that are reliant on it, afraid and unable to make any plans for the future.
Can Tourists Still Smoke Weed In Thailand?
Until the government announces final changes to the weed law, tourists are still welcome to smoke weed and partake of recreational marijuana in various forms throughout the country. I just came from spending a few days in Bangkok, the nation’s capital, where hundreds of weed shops are still flourishing throughout the massive city.
Dispensaries are designed in fun, colorful interiors using bright colors and world-class marketing to attract smokers and consumers. We’ve walked into several different kinds of dispensaries and had no problems buying flower, edibles, vapes, and a variety of paraphernalia to consume either in the dispensary or in our hotel room. However, you do have to keep in mind that there are still rules in place.
For one, vaping or smoking weed in public places is still prohibited. Don’t be tempted to light up on the streets even if you can smell weed, because getting caught by the cops can lead to a $700 fine. That said, there are certain areas in Thailand where the law is a bit more – uh, relaxed. For example, in the backpacker central of Khao San Road, it’s not uncommon to see tourists lighting up at night. In the tourist beach areas of Krabi and Samui, there have been reports of tourists being able to easily light up a joint on the street with no problem.
Again, there’s no timeline of how long this is going to last. So if you can go to Thailand before the year end, when the new laws are expected to be set in place, go!
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