news Archives - The Daily Organic

October 13, 2017

✅ California Companies Rethink Drug Testing

While data shows more people are consuming cannabis every year, this also means more people are failing their workplace drug tests.

California companies, particularly, are beginning to rethink their no-tolerance policies on cannabis in the new world of legalization, paving the way for companies around the country to consider doing the same.

Lion, tigers, failed drug tests, oh my!

According to one of the nation’s largest clinical lab companies, cannabis was detected in 3% of Northern California’s workplace drug tests (that’s 1.5 times the national average).

Companies are beginning to question whether prohibitive pot policies are now untenable given the consumption habits of its workforce. An increasing number of companies are working together with local lawyers to re-think their pot policies, potentially moving towards more forward-looking options like “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” or specific protections for those with medical cannabis recommendations.

Why are pot drug tests in legal states still a thing?

Fair question. Current drug tests are notoriously non-specific when it comes to cannabis, which can stay in your system for up to 30 days.

They are generally unable to determine exactly when cannabis was consumed. If an employee is using a state-legal substance outside of work hours, is it fair for them to lose their job for doing so?

This is a signal to the rest of the country that more must be done to develop accurate testing for cannabis use. It also identifies the need for state laws to specifically address workplace protections for cannabis consumers and patients in legal and medical states.

October 5, 2017October 5, 2017

🏔️ Alaska voters reject proposed cannabis ban.

Please enable images.

This past Tuesday, voters in three Alaskan communities decisively rejected a bill seeking to ban commercial cannabis operations. [Tweet this]

So, someone cares enough to try to ban pot?

Yup, and the bill is actually quite unique for being suggested this far into legalization.

Marijuana has been legal in Alaska since 2014 and has enjoyed strong public support for the much needed influx of tax revenue. When this anti-pot bill was introduced, it shocked the local industry and sparked a high profile debate.

Proponents of the bill said lax zoning laws were negatively affecting local communities. While many supported state-wide cannabis legalization, they did not support it in their own cities.

Opponents successfully argued this was hypocritical thinking, and that those same communities were happily benefiting from the industry. 70% of votes agreed, and the bill was rejected.

Why is this important?

As communities continue to have more skin in the game, it’s important to notice how voters lean in the prohibition wars.

Its true that neighborhoods continue to bear the brunt of enforced cannabis regulation and zoning. It’s up to the businesses and members of those communities to find the right balance.

Giving voters control over cannabis businesses in their neighborhoods means that people are given a voice. If that voice is supportive, the industry can enjoy years of unattested growth.

Prohibition is nearing its end and there are both bumps and successes on the way there. As long as the successes continue to win out, we’ll be sitting pretty.

October 5, 2017October 5, 2017

🐻 Colorado bans gummy bear edibles.

Earlier this week, Colorado started enforcing a ban on gummy bear (and other animal-shaped) edibles. The legislation, which was approved last year but only recently went into effect, is an effort to keep cannabis out of the hands of children.

How big is this issue, anyway?

Colorado has seen a 34% increase in children ingesting marijuana after legalization took effect. [tweet this]

While poison control centers get more calls about children drinking household cleaners than digesting edibles, this increase is still troubling and something the industry has been working to address. Edibles already needed to be wrapped in child-proof packaging, but lawmakers were looking to altogether ban the practice of making pot candy look like real candy.

With many companies looking to appeal to adults, and having over a year to prepare, phasing out these edibles has been generally met with support.

Why is this important?

Regulating marijuana sales is key in ensuring its success and largely accepted across the industry.

How and to what extent regulation occurs, however, is still up for debate. Washington State, for example, requires products to be approved by the government before being sold, which hinders industry growth and causes inconsistencies (such as rejecting a product for being the wrong color yellow).

Ultimately, each state will have to strike a balance in how they want to regulate cannabis. This will continue to shape the industry and significantly impact what products you see hit shelves. Let’s just pray cannabis-infused BBQsauce never goes away .

October 3, 2017October 3, 2017

🚨 New stats show pot arrests remain at the forefront.

#crime #arrests #dontdropthedime

New data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report recently revealed that last year, over 1.5 million people were arrested for drug related offenses.

Despite medical and adult recreational use coming a long way, more than 41% of those arrests came from marijuana — that’s more than murder, rape, aggravated assault and robbery, combined.

So why are people still getting arrested for weed?

Someone is arrested for weed every 48 seconds, proving that the drug war is far from over. [tweet this]

While legalization is painting a pretty picture of progress across the states, there’s still a long way to go. There is some good news, though — the annual amount of marijuana arrests has actually been decreasing every year since 2007.

Why does this matter?

Arresting people for weed can tarnish someone’s record for life, making them unable to retain jobs, housing and stability.

On top of that, arrests disproportionately affect communities of color, sparking up deep-rooted issues of civil rights, racism, and criminality.

Conversely, activists claim that regulating cannabis can provide much needed tax dollars, create jobs and protect consumers. Since Colorado’s decision to legalize, for example, the state now has a cannabis industry larger than some countries’ entire GDP. Who knows…with that kind of economy, maybe Colorado can secede (and bring the 60% of Americans who support recreational use with them!)

October 3, 2017October 3, 2017

🇨🇦 Cannabis jobs flood in to Canada.

#canada #economy #gethigh-ered

Please turn on your images

Good news, everyone! Plentiful, well-paying cannabis jobs are coming to Canada. With the country’s medical marijuana biz booming and nationwide recreational use just around the corner, cannabis license holders are scaling up dramatically (and bringing jobs with them!)

I like jobs! Tell me the deets…

According to some estimates, as many as 150,000 new cannabis jobs will be created in Canada within the next few years. [tweet this]

We’re not talking about minimum wage, scrubbin’-the-toilet jobs, either. Salaries have increased significantly in an effort to attract top talent, particularly in professional-type services such as marketing and accounting.

With legalization coming to Canada next July, and the market expecting to balloon to over $20 billion in the next few years, this explosive growth is likely not slowing down.

Why is this important?

For those in the USA, Canada’s booming industry shows a glimpse of what the future might look like.

With Canada leading the way in nationalized recreational use, America stands to learn from this rapid expansion. While the positives (like new jobs) will be studied in depth, so will the inevitable growing pains that come with the rollout. Any serious missteps could very well derail progress in the states.

For Canada, cannabis might provide a much-needed windfall to shrinking industries (such as oil). With a nationwide focus on diversification, the timing of the emergence of an entirely new industry couldn’t be better.

And for the rest of the world…well, it shows that Canada is so much more than just America’s hat 🇨🇦.

September 6, 2017September 24, 2017

📉 Legal cannabis prices drop to all time lows.

#dollarsandcents #legalization #racetothebottom

In the three years since recreational marijuana was legalized, the price has decreased by 33 percent [tweet this], causing delight for consumers, but issues in the industry. The current retail price averages out to about $10 per gram and, despite the regulated market being expected to triple in the next five years, these low prices can potentially mess a lot of things up.

Why is this happening?

Blame it on the free market. The legal cannabis market is saturated and, while demand is higher than ever before, so is production and distribution. In Denver, there are more dispensaries than Starbucks and McDonalds combined. That keeps costs low for the consumer, but these prices are creating an interesting dichotomy for the industry.

Why does this matter?

On the plus side, this has implications for drug policy nationwide. The dropping price of weed is proof that when you make things legal to produce and sell, they get cheaper than the black market. However, it also causes challenges. States use the price of marijuana to calculate the way it should be taxed. The less it costs, the less revenue they will receive. As the price of weed drops, it might also force growers to cut corners, creating a race to the bottom in terms of product.

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September 6, 2017September 24, 2017

From around the web: China is now cultivating more than half the world’s legal hemp.

Quick read from around the web

China is now cultivating more than half the world’s legal hemp. Don’t get the wrong impression, they still give the death penalty for possessing more than 11 pounds of cannabis. CFN dives in.

September 6, 2017September 24, 2017

💰 HERB raises $4 million in seed funding.

#media #investment #makeitrain

Last week, cannabis media company HERB closed a $4.1 million round, scoring some big name investors like Shopify's Tobi Lutke, Buddy Media founder Michael Lazerow and famed football legend Joe Montana. The investment, which is more than 3 times the average seed round, will give the company a significant leg up in becoming a major player in consumer-oriented cannabis media.

What does $4 million buy?

Some sweet real estate and top talent. The Toronto-based HERB is looking to expand into the U.S. market, starting in LA and NYC and hire a team of writers and developers. HERB is focusing on video, already boasting 200 million video views and 5.3 million unique visitors per month. CEO Matt Gray has ambitious long-term plans, stating he wants to eventually turn HERB into an online cannabis marketplace.

What does this mean for other Cannabis media outlets?

Status quo won’t cut it. There are millions of people interested in cannabis, and these consumers are looking for quality content to fuel their knowledge. Until recently, cannabis content has been hard to find and the media that existed was aimed towards a stereotypical “stoner” audience. The recent fundraising round by HERB cements the changing times, exemplifying that cannabis media companies who do it right will be rewarded with a loyal audience and investors. Hey...we're a media company who's doing it right! Right?

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September 1, 2017September 24, 2017

👮 Raids make growers think twice about coming out of the shadows.

#legalization #enforcement #ifoughtthelawbutthelawwon

In the Emerald Triangle, at least 15 farms were raided by the Fish & Wildlife Service after applying for county licenses. [tweet this] Underground cannabis growers have come out by the thousands to apply for county growing licenses in Northern California, an attempt to be part of the new legal industry. Unfortunately, environmental agencies are using these applications to target gray market growers.

Why is this happening?

Yet another example that the legal framework surrounding cannabis is weird. The Fish & Wildlife Service say they’re just doing their job to enforce environmental laws. Local regulators and industry advocates have penned letters asking state agencies to cool it, arguing these targeted raids on licensees and applicants will have a chilling effect on those trying to get legal.

But isn’t cannabis already legal in California?

Yep, since 1996. But California failed to create any real regulations around cultivation. With the passing of Adult Use, lawmakers are really scrambling to get it together but don’t expect state licenses to be granted until 2018. In the meantime, counties have put together their own licensing programs. Since May, Emerald Triangle counties have received more than 3,500 applications. The volume of applicants has overwhelmed the system, leaving many stuck in legal limbo. In Mendocino County, only 3 of 700 applicants have been successful.

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September 1, 2017September 24, 2017

Quick read from around the web

Denver auto fatalities in which the driver tested positive for marijuana have increased annually since 2013. While this coincides with the timeline of legalization, does correlation equal causation? The Denver Post examines this.