Connect with us

breaking news

FL Media Report: Florida hemp industry fears for the worse as regulations loom

Published

2 years ago

on


The Florida Phoenix reports

More than 20 states have passed similar restrictions on hemp products

Hemp entrepreneurs from all parts of Florida have made the trek twice to Tallahassee this month to testify against a legislative proposal that they say poses an existential threat to their livelihoods.

At the same time, states around the country have been enacting regulations regarding intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids, and that’s become a conundrum for all sides of the hemp debate.

Florida’s hemp program went into effect in 2019, shortly after the passage of the 2018 farm bill, which made hemp production and distribution legal under federal law and allowed states to create hemp programs. The farm bill defined hemp as the cannabis plant with one key difference: hemp cannot contain more than 0.3 percent of THC, the compound in the plant associated with getting you high.

The most lucrative part of the hemp industry has involved the production of biomass that contains cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound believed to treat health conditions like anxiety, stress, anxiety and inflation.

But a new measure introduced in the Florida House this spring (HB 1475) would limit the amount of THC in hemp products to not exceed 5 milligrams per serving or 50 milligrams per package and prohibit those products to anyone under the age of 21. The Senate version calls for such products not to exceed 0.5 milligrams per serving, or just 2 milligrams per package.

Completely ineffective

Vendors and patients say those levels are far too low and would make hemp products like gummies, CBD pre-rolls and oils and tinctures completely ineffective.

“I have lupus and tremors and it’s one of the reasons why I got into this business, so that I could make sure that the medicine that I received was the best and top quality,” says Shaina Ortiz, the CEO of Siesta G based in eastern Hillsborough County.

 

“I operate on about 1,000 milligrams a day of hemp-derivative products. All different spectrums of that hemp derived products. This bill essentially would knock out any form of hemp, CBD’s, HHC’s (hexahydrocannabinol) CBN (cannabinol). The whole entire plant.”

Matt Schwarmann, the vice president of Outpost Brands, a Daytona Beach hemp manufacturer with 142 employees, says the current packaging limits would eliminate “virtually every hemp product” on the market.

“Every vape and cartridge would all be eliminated, and when you have gummies of such small efficacy doses, less than 5 milligrams – that’s not enough for the majority of people who are using it strictly as therapeutic uses,” he says.

Their fears are not unfounded, says Nikki Fried, now chair of the Florida Democratic Party.

“The exact intent of this bill is to eliminate 189,000 jobs and 10,000 small businesses,” the former state Agriculture Commissioner told the Phoenix.

What about Delta-8?

Overall, the bill calls for hemp products to be illegal for anyone under 21 years of age; it requires packaging, labeling and testing requirements for hemp-based products; it requires that hemp products be sold in a container that is “not attractive to children” and is designed to minimize exposure to light and high temperatures; and puts limits on doses and on the packages.

It’s that last provision which is raising serious concerns.

One of the main products that legislators want to regulate is what is known as Delta-8, which is legal and soared in popularity in 2020 at hemp and CBD stores around the country.

 Board displayed at news conference held at the Department of Agriculture’s office in the Capitol on March 22, 2023 (Photo credit: Mitch Perry) 

 

 

 

But Delta-8 also has psychoactive and intoxicating effects, says the FDA, though those who have consumed it say that it provides a lighter and more relaxed feeling and is ideal for those who don’t want to get high from medical cannabis.

Nevertheless more than twenty states have banned or restricted Delta-8 use in the past two years.

“Some will say that this bill will end the hemp industry,” Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said. He was at a press conference in the Department of Agriculture’s office in the Capitol last week next to a display of photos of high-THC products that had been discovered in convenience stores by agriculture inspectors.

“Let me be clear – the current wild, wild west situation, selling anything to anybody, is going to end. We will close the loopholes in state law being exploited to sell euphoric recreational cannabis products without restrictions,” Simpson said.

The black market

Carlos Hermida is the owner and manager of Chillum Glass Gallery and Hemp Dispensary that’s based in the heart of Ybor City in Tampa.

Read more at 

Florida hemp industry fears for the worse as regulations loom



Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

breaking news

Fiji police concerned about the increasing number of marijuana plants uprooted from maritime islands

Published

4 days ago

on

January 26, 2025

By


Concerns have been raised about the increasing number of marijuana plants being uprooted from maritime islands, highlighting the prevalence of illegal cultivation in these areas.

A total of 46,000 plants were uprooted in Vanua Levu, while 146 plants were discovered and destroyed in Vanuabalavu and Gau Island earlier this month.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations Livai Driu told fijivillage News that the war against drugs requires a holistic approach, involving not only enforcement but also education and rehabilitation to address the root causes of drug cultivation and use.

He says this demonstrates the strong partnership between communities and the Police.

Driu stresses the importance of community cooperation in combating drug-related activities and praised the ongoing efforts of residents to report suspicious activities.

He adds the Police will continue to work closely with maritime communities to create a safer and drug-free environment.

https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Police-concerned-about-the-increasing-number-of-marijuana-plants-uprooted-from-maritime-islands-x854fr/



Source link

Continue Reading

breaking news

South Africa: Stop arresting cannabis users, Human Rights Commission urges police after complaints about arrests from Rastafarian community.

Published

1 month ago

on

December 25, 2024

By


The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has written to national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola to express concern over the ongoing arrests of cannabis users and Rastafarians despite a law permitting the private cultivation and use of cannabis by adults.

The private use, possession and cultivation of cannabis by adults was decriminalised in 2018, with President Cyril Ramaphosa signing the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act on May 28 this year.

However, the SAHRC has received complaints about arrests from cannabis users and the Rastafarian community.

“As the festive season approaches, the SAHRC reminds law enforcement, in particular the SA Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority, that the arrest and/or prosecution of adults for the private use, possession or cultivation of cannabis, as well as making assumptions about dealing, is inconsistent with the law and national operational directives. Such arrests and/or prosecutions could lead to human rights violations being perpetrated by law enforcement,” the SAHRC said.

Since August last year, a directive issued by Masemola titled “Arrests by the SA Police Service for Cannabis — Related Matters” recognised legislation did not prescribe the quantity of the cannabis in possession of or cultivated by an adult to presume it was the unlawful dealing of cannabis.

“Therefore, as things stand, the directive directs that adults may not be arrested on the presumption of dealing in cannabis,” the SAHRC said.

The SAHRC urged the department of justice and constitutional development to consult with the Rastafari and other cannabis-using communities to draft regulations for the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act. This includes advice on a specific commencement date for the act, which has yet to come into effect.

https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2024-12-24-stop-arresting-cannabis-users-sa-human-rights-commission-urges-police/



Source link

Continue Reading

breaking news

Press Release: Health Canada releases new data on cannabis use in Canada – “18% of people who had used cannabis in the past 12 months reported driving after cannabis use, a significant decline from 27% in 2018.”

Published

2 months ago

on

December 15, 2024

By


The 2024 Canadian Cannabis Survey provides important insights into Canadians’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours on cannabis use

December 6, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Health Canada

An important part of the Government of Canada’s public health approach to legalizing and strictly regulating cannabis is ongoing and comprehensive surveillance, data collection and evidence gathering. The results from the annual Canadian Cannabis Survey provide a snapshot of public health and public safety data on cannabis in Canada.

Today, Health Canda published the 2024 Canadian Cannabis Survey (CCS) results. The data was collected from April 4th to July 2nd, 2024.

Since 2017, Health Canada has conducted the annual Canadian Cannabis Survey to better understand attitudes and knowledge regarding cannabis, as well as patterns of cannabis use in Canada. Through the information gathered, Health Canada can better understand where support is needed the most and develop program initiatives that will help educate and raise awareness around the use of cannabis.

Findings from the 2024 survey include:

  • The proportion of people in Canada who report smoking cannabis continues to decline. That said, smoking remains the most common method of consuming cannabis (69%), followed by eating (57%) and vaporizing with a vape pen or e-cigarette (37%).
  • The number of respondents who reported getting cannabis from a legal source in 2024 was 72% – an increase from 37% in 2019 to 72% in 2024, with legal storefronts being the most common source since 2019. A smaller proportion reported accessing cannabis through illegal sources (3%) compared to 2019 (16%).
  • 18% of people who had used cannabis in the past 12 months reported driving after cannabis use, a significant decline from 27% in 2018.
  • There was no change in rates of cannabis use among youth (age 16-19) over the past year. Past 12-month cannabis use among youth aged 16-19 was 41%, similar to several previous years (44%, 44%, and 43% in 2019, 2020 and 2023 respectively).
  • Overall, the proportion of respondents who said they used cannabis and reported daily, or almost daily use has been stable since 2018 (approx. 25%), including among youth (approx. 20%).
  • The percentage of people in Canada who said they use cannabis who are ‘at high risk’ of developing problems from cannabis use has remained stable since 2018 (approx. 3%).

Health Canada has made significant investments to educate youth and young adults about the health risks of cannabis, as they are at an increased risk of experiencing adverse effects from cannabis use since the brain continues to develop up until around the age of 25. These efforts include the Spring 2022 Reduce your risk: Choose legal cannabis public education campaign, the Prevention of Accidental Paediatric Cannabis Poisonings among Children campaign in Spring 2023, and the Pursue Your Passion: A Teen Cannabis Education Program, which was re-launched in March 2023 as a virtual program to educate youth and young adults about the health effects of cannabis. The department has also produced public education material that emphasizes the importance of storing cannabis securely away from children and pets.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2021 The Art of MaryJane Media