Another recent poll shows how New Jersey voters are swinging when it comes to cannabis.

Democrats Reject Marijuana Legalization For Official Party Platform

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) rejected an amendment proposal to support legalizing cannabis at the federal level.

The post Democrats Reject Marijuana Legalization For Official Party Platform appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

There’s no turning back now: the Internet is waiting to see Stewart light up—once and for all.

The Democratic National Committee seems to favor decriminalization over legalization.

Weed Edibles Have Sold Really Well During The Pandemic

Experts believed that the pandemic would be a great time for cannabis edibles. Sales now show that these predictions were true.

The post Weed Edibles Have Sold Really Well During The Pandemic appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

3 Ways COVID Is Hurting CBD Sales

The report stated that in 2020, the US hemp-derived CBD market is projected to reach 14% growth from 2019 sales, down from original projections of over 30%.

The post 3 Ways COVID Is Hurting CBD Sales appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

Image via

The US Navy’s fear of cannabis runs so deep that the armed service is prohibiting its members from using hemp shampoos or lip balms, even though these products are completely legal — and completely non-intoxicating.

Last Friday, the Navy released a memo informing all sailors and marines that they are not only barred from using CBD, but they are also prohibited from using pretty much any hemp product. This ban extends to all “topical products containing hemp, such as shampoos, conditioners, lotions, lip balms, or soaps,” Marijuana Moment reports. The only exceptions to this rule are FDA-approved medications like Epidiolex or hemp-derived clothing and rope products.

Hemp and hemp-derived products, including CBD, have been legal since the 2018 Farm Bill became law. But, even though these products are legal, every armed service prohibits its members from using CBD products. Even other government agencies, like NASA, have followed suit. Last February, the Department of Defense took this prohibition one step further by barring the use of all hemp products by active or reserve service members. 

At the heart of these bans is the fear that service members who use hemp products will fail drug tests for THC. The Farm Bill requires that all commercial hemp products contain THC levels of 0.3 percent or less, but the FDA has found that many of these products actually contain THC levels that exceed this limit.

“Sailors and Marines cannot rely on the packaging and labeling of hemp products in determining whether the product contains THC concentrations that could cause a positive urinalysis result,” the memo reads. “The use of products containing, made, or derived from hemp, including CBD, may interfere with the DON Drug Detection and Deterrence Program and result in the reporting of unlawful levels of THC in Sailors and Marines.”

Can hemp products even cause someone to fail a marijuana test, though? Especially if used topically? Technically, the evidence is unclear. Last fall, a research study reported that it was highly unlikely for pure CBD to trigger a positive test for THC. However, other studies have found that commercial CBD products often exceed the legal THC limit. One particular CBD product sold in North Carolina was actually found to contain over 30mg of THC.

Mislabeled CBD products have already been blamed for a number of failed drug tests. Last November, a trucker sued a CBD company, alleging that their product contained enough THC to make him fail a drug test for pot. This past February, several New Mexico cops also blamed commercial CBD products for causing them to fail their drug tests.

The evidence suggests that there may be some risk of failing a drug test due to legal CBD use, but so far, there have been no reports suggesting that simply using hemp shampoo or lip balm would also trigger a pot test. Like many government cannabis policies, this decision seems to be driven by fear rather than science.

Why Does Marijuana Have Different Colors?

While the marijuana plant is typically green, different chemicals in them can make it look purple, yellow or even red.

The post Why Does Marijuana Have Different Colors? appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

Plans appear to be underway for the House of Representatives to hold a September floor vote on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, according to a report by Marijuana Moment.

The MORE Act was introduced in 2019 by New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler. Since clearing a House Judiciary Committee last November, the comprehensive legalization bill has been under consideration by other congressional committees. So far, the bill has 78 congressional co-sponsors, which is up from the 52 sponsors it had about a year ago.

Now, despite numerous other legislation backups due to the coronavirus pandemic, the MORE Act is reportedly en route to a full House vote this September. Several factors will have to fall into place before that vote can happen, however.

Other committees will either have to suggest their own changes to the MORE Act, for example, or waive their jurisdiction on the matter. The Small Business Committee, for one, is planning to opt for the latter, according to an aide who spoke to Marijuana Moment under the condition of anonymity.

Sweeping in scope and intricately detailed in its specifics, the MORE Act represents a giant leap forward in U.S. drug policy. If passed, the legislation would deschedule cannabis on a federal level, fully expunge prior marijuana conviction records, and tack a five-percent sales tax on weed, the revenue from which would actively go back into the communities most devastated by the War on Drugs.

The new legislation would also enable a pathway for resentencing those presently locked up for marijuana busts and prevent government agencies from denying public benefits or security clearances to those who use cannabis. In addition, the act aims to remove cannabis as a factor that could deny citizenship to immigrants.

Even if the House votes to pass the MORE Act, though, the Senate remains dominated by Republicans — at least until November — and therefore may not follow suit. The big fall election may pose other challenges, as well.

At present, presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden remains opposed to federal cannabis legalization and instead favors decriminalization and more piecemeal reforms. With that in mind, some observers say, House Dems might be nervous to enact MORE’s sweeping changes so close to the voting public’s opportunity to end the madness of Donald Trump.

That’s why some analysts think a House move on MORE might drive Senators to back lower-impact proposals instead, such as the bipartisan Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act. The bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), would allow states to set their own cannabis policies without interference from the feds.

Still, Democratic lawmakers may perhaps realize there’s no time like the present to pass sweeping weed laws. “If they hold the gavel and have the votes, there is no reason to wait another term,” said Don Murphy, director of federal policies for the Marijuana Policy Project. “For the next 600,000 prisoners of the drug war, it would be a term too late.”

What Health Professionals Should Know About Recent FDA Actions On Vaccines

Confirming not only a clear commitment to data, the FDA re-iterated its inclusion of diverse populations in COVID-19 vaccine development.

The post What Health Professionals Should Know About Recent FDA Actions On Vaccines appeared first on The Fresh Toast.