Legal Weed Isn’t The Boon Small Businesses Thought It Would Be
As California opens its market Jan. 1, Washington state’s experience serves as a warning.
By Lester Black
The business of selling legal weed is big and getting bigger. North Americans spent $6.7 billion on legal cannabis last year, and some analysts think that with California set to open recreational dispensaries on Jan. 1 and Massachusetts and Canada soon to follow, the market could expand to more than $20.2 billion by 2021. So it’s no surprise that you see eager business people across the country lining up to invest millions of dollars in this green rush.
But here’s a word of warning for those looking to dive head-first into these brand-new legal weed markets: The data behind the first four years of legal pot sales, with drops in retail prices and an increase in well-funded cannabis growing operations, shows a market that increasingly favors big businesses with deep pockets. As legal weed keeps expanding, pot prices are likely to continue to decline, making the odds of running a profitable small pot farm even longer.
Washington offers a cautionary tale for would-be pot producers. The state’s marijuana market, for which detailed information is available to the public, has faced consistent declines in prices, production consolidated in larger farms and a competitive marketplace that has forced cannabis processors to shell out for sophisticated technology to create brand new ways to get high.
“A lot of people (in Washington) are surprised, and a lot of people are in denial about the price dropping,” said Steven Davenport, a researcher with the RAND Corporation. “The average price per gram in Washington is about $8, and it’s not clear where the floor is going to be.”
For more https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/legal-weed-isnt-the-boon-small-businesses-thought-it-would-be/
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Criminals could avoid jail if they go to rehab under plans being considered by ministers to tackle racial bias
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Teenage inmates at a Young Offenders facility CREDIT: HEATHCLIFFE O\’MALLEY- Kate McCann, senior political correspondent
19 DECEMBER 2017 – 12:01AM
Criminals will have charges dropped if they go to rehab under plans being considered by the Government to tackle racial bias in the justice system.
David Lidington is in talks with the Mayor of London to extend a pilot scheme which would allow those accused of low-level crimes to get treatment for alcohol or drugs rather than go to court.
The plan formed part of a comprehensive review by Labour MP David Lammy about the way black and minority ethnic people are treated by the criminal justice system.
Accepting the need to do more the justice secretary confirmed the Government is looking at each of the 35 recommendations made by Mr Lammy in a bid to improve the treatment of BAME people.
For more DRUG COURTS USE THIS PRACTICE
Legalized marijuana use threatened as Sessions rescinds Obama-era directive that eased federal enforcement
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescinded several Obama-era directives that discouraged enforcement of federal marijuana laws in states that had legalized the substance.
In a memo sent to U.S. attorneys Thursday, Sessions noted that federal law prohibits the possession and sale of marijuana, and he undid several previous Obama administration memos that advised against bringing weed prosecutions in states where it was legal to use for recreational or medical purposes. Sessions said prosecutors should use their own discretion – taking into consideration the department’s limited resources, the seriousness of the crime, and the deterrent effect that they could impose – in weighing whether charges were appropriate.
“It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States, and the previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission,” Sessions said in a statement. “Therefore, today’s memo on federal marijuana enforcement simply directs all U.S. Attorneys to use previously established prosecutorial principles that provide them all the necessary tools to disrupt criminal organizations, tackle the growing drug crisis, and thwart violent crime across our country.” For complete story RESCIND
Prescription drugs misused by 1 million Australians in year, report shows
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report also finds ‘substantial rise’ in drug-induced deaths involving prescription drugs
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Australian Associated Press Tue 19 Dec ‘17 10.28 AEDT
One million Australians misused pharmaceuticals in the previous 12 months, a new report has found.
Analysis by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed the misuse of powerful prescription medications for non-medical reasons was rising and accounted for more drug-induced deaths than illegal drugs.
“Over the past decade, there has been a substantial rise in the number of deaths involving a prescription drug, with drug-induced deaths more likely to be due to prescription drugs than illegal drugs,” said an institute spokesman, Matthew James.
“No Liberalisation”: How Drug Policy was Discussed in the Russian Parliament
The chairman of the conference was Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma. As the first speaker, he suggested introducing stronger penalties for drug use. One measure, for instance, included toughening the penalty for advertising and propaganda of forbidden substances:
“…we need to press for imposing more responsibility for propaganda and advertising of drugs and psychoactive substances. To form a sustainable hostility in the society against not only the drug itself but also the subculture built around it”.
Volodin also mentioned drug distribution done through anonymous, online instant-messaging platforms. Here, he advised the Duma to expand legislation that combats “propaganda” of drug use on social media, and to react “flexibly” to the issue, recommending pre-court bans:
“Drug dealers [have now moved] to anonymous messengers and modern payment systems. And we need to be quick and flexible in decision making. In the Russian Federation, there are already legislative acts on counteraction against the propaganda of drug use in media and social networks. In accordance with them, the pre-court bans of these resources are possible”.
He also spoke against countries that legalise “light drugs”, accusing them of creating difficulties amongst their neighbours. Rather, Volodin suggests opposing this trend by creating a unified legal model:
“We need to base [ourselves] on the principle of united and equal responsibility of all countries. We need to conduct analysis to avoid situations in the future when one country can create difficulties and problems in the neighbouring states by changing its legislation. It primarily concerns the liberalisation and legalisation of so called ‘light drugs’”.
For more Russian Parliament Talks Drug Policy
FEDERAL REGISTER – Dept of Justice (Vol. 81 Friday, No. 156 August 12, 2016)
Drug Enforcement Administation21 CFR Chapter II and Part 1301Denial of Petition To Initiate Proceedings To Reschedule Marijuana; Proposed Rules and Applications To Become Registered Under the Controlled Substances Act To Manufacture Marijuana To supply researchers in the United States; Policy Statement
Document One – DEA Submission Federal Register Denial of Cannabis Rescheduling Petition 2016
Document Two – Dalgarno Institute Summary Federal Register Document Sumary_JV_19_12_17
America\’s opioid crisis behind \’shocking\’ two-year drop in life expectancy![\"\"](\"http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2017/12/22/TELEMMGLPICT000149829222_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQfyf2A9a6I9YchsjMeADBa08.jpeg?imwidth=450\")
Boston paramedics face front lines of U.S. opioid crisis CREDIT: REUTERS Rozina Sabur, Washington DECEMBER 2017
America\’s worsening opioid crisis has caused life expectancy to fall for the second year running for the first time in more than half a century.
The average life expectancy in the US is now 78.6 years – down by 0.1 years, figures from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) found.
It is the first consecutive drop in life expectancy since 1962-63 and surpasses the previous one-year dip in 1993 at the height of the Aids epidemic.
America\’s opioid addiction crisis – caused by the over-prescription of opioid-based painkillers – has been blamed for the trend. For complete Story click here Lifespan
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