Judges Reject Effort to Expunge Thousands of Cannabis Convictions in Baltimore


BALTIMORE, MD — A pair of judges have struck down an attempt by Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby to expunge the records of 4,800 citizens previously convicted of minor marijuana-related crimes.

In January, Ms. Mosby publicly announced that her office would no longer prosecute low-level marijuana possession violations, and that she would seek to vacate the records of those with past criminal convictions. The proposed expungement plan was similar to efforts recently taken by prosecutors in several other cities, including Brooklyn, Chicago, and Seattle.

But last week a pair of judges rejected Ms. Mosby’s request, opining that the State’s Attorney was bound by oath to defend state law. The possession of marijuana in quantities over ten grams is classified in Maryland as a criminal offense.

“I am deeply disappointed that this ruling did not afford us any opportunity to present legal arguments and essentially eliminated the court from being a safe harbor for those that were harmed by the discriminatory enforcement of marijuana laws,” Mosby’s said.

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Colorado Lawmakers Approve Multiple Marijuana Reform Bills


DENVER, CO — Multiple legislative proposals await action from Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.

House Bill 1234 establishes regulations for the delivery of cannabis products from state-licensed retailers. Under the plan, deliveries are limited to one per day per household, and are only permitted in municipalities that explicitly allow for such activities. Deliveries to college campuses are prohibited. The delivery of medical cannabis products would begin on January 2, 2020, while retail cannabis sales would begin on January 2, 2021.

House Bill 1230 establishes regulations for the licensing of “marijuana hospitality spaces.” Under the measure, licensed dispensaries and retailers could apply for on-site consumption permits. Hotels, restaurants and other private business would also be permitted to apply for similar licensing. At indoor facilities, marijuana smoking will be permitted unless prohibited by local rules. If signed into law, Colorado will become only the second state to regulate social use marijuana spaces.

House Bill 1263 reduces criminal penalties for the possession of large quantities of cannabis. It reduces penalties for the possession of over six ounces of marijuana and/or three ounces of marijuana concentrate from a level 4 felony to level 1 misdemeanor. It also mandates that police may not arrest a defendant for violations involving the possession of between one and two ounces of cannabis.

Finally, Senate Bill 13 permits doctors to recommend cannabis therapy for any “condition for which a physician could prescribe an opioid.”

Governor Polis is expected to sign each of the proposals into law.

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Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc. Accelerates Business Model, Expanding The Brand In Colorado

Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc. Accelerates Business Model, Expanding The Brand In Colorado

Company deploys capital from the sale of Seattle location into a vibrant cannabis marketplace


News provided by

Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc.

Jul 25, 2019, 09:08 ET

DENVER, July 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc. (OTCQB: DPWW) the premium marijuana brand and retail company, today announced that it is expanding the Diego Pellicer brand in Colorado.

Diego Pellicer Colorado, a DPWW branded operator, has acquired a dispensary located at 2057 S. Broadway, previously occupied by Colorado Wellness. With the legal change of ownership as well as approval by the City of Denver and the State of Colorado, the Diego Pellicer premium branding system is officially expanding to a second retail location in the state. To continue to serve its customers, the new location will remain open while under construction.

“This is great news. We congratulate our Colorado operator on this win and are looking forward to working with them on this second location in Denver,” said Ron Throgmartin, chief executive officer, Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc. “Diego Pellicer elevates the cannabis shopping experience and this location is another opportunity to take the brand to a new level. Look for a more modern take on the Diego brand, more retail space, customer-service based technology and even a live viewing room for a boutique cultivation operation.”

A Thriving Cannabis Marketplace
In May 2019, Colorado Governor Polis signed into law House Bill 1090. It is generally referred to as the “Public Company” bill because it allows public companies to own Colorado marijuana licenses for the first time. This law goes into effect on November 1, 2019.

“For DPWW to grow, we need to pursue the next steps which are direct national cannabis ownership and operations, as well as branded cannabis products that will be available at company stores and beyond its branded retail locations,” said Throgmartin. “With House Bill 1090 in Colorado taking effect in November, the state has become an optimal location for our company to reinvigorate expansion and acquisition as it ties in with our corporate strategy.”

Elevating the Cannabis Experience
Whether a new customer or a cannabis connoisseur, Diego Pellicer elevates the cannabis shopping experience, ensuring that no matter the location customers can count on Diego Pellicer to deliver the same exceptional customer service, premium cannabis and competitive pricing. Diego Pellicer branded stores feature the finest products, concierge quality service in an approachable, world-class environment.

The store’s innovative, elegant design, spearheaded by world renowned architect Michael Rotondi and original Apple retail store creative team member Jill Savini, will include cutting edge technology that will cater to the most discerning tastes and those who are eager to discover cannabis.

About Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc. (OTCQB: DPWW)
Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc. is the premium marijuana brand and retail company. The company actively seeks to develop and manage high-end, turnkey cannabis retail stores in addition to cannabis products. When federally legal, DPWW is positioned to become a national, vertically integrated marijuana company. To learn more about how to become a branded Diego Pellicer retailer, cultivator or investor visit www.Diego-Pellicer.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements contained in this press release may be construed as “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”). The words “estimate,” “project,” “intends,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the “safe-harbor” provisions of the Act. These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected on the basis of these statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company also undertakes no obligation to disclose any revision to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Also available here.

 

CONTACTS:

Suzanne Herrick, Fedoruk & Associates, Inc., 612-247-3079, suzanne@fedorukinc.com

Nello Gonfiantini, Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc., 775-690-2188, nello@diego-pellicer.com

WEBSITE:

diego-pellicer.com

SOURCE Diego Pellicer Worldwide, Inc.

Oklahoma Governor Signs Bill Allowing Osteopaths to Recommend Medical Marijuana


OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed legislation into law expanding the pool of health professionals who may issue medical cannabis recommendations in Oklahoma.

Senate Bill 162 explicitly permits those licensed by the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners to issue medical cannabis recommendations to their patients. The new law takes immediate effect.

Separate legislation, Senate Bill 754, to permit nurse practitioners to similarly issue medical cannabis recommendations is pending.

According to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, regulators have approved over 80,000 patients for cannabis access in the months following the June 2018 passage of the state’s voter-initiated medical marijuana law.

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Friday, July 26, 2019 Headlines | Marijuana Today Daily News


The end of a Blu vape pen is seen close up.

Marijuana Today Daily Headlines
Friday, July 26, 2019 | Curated by host Shea Gunther

// Auxly Cannabis stock soars as British tobacco giant Imperial takes 20% stake (Financial Post)

// CannTrust chaos continues with ousting of CEO, chairman resignation (Marijuana Business Daily)

// Quebec Bans Weed Edibles And Products ‘Attractive To Minors’ (Huffington Post)


Today’s headlines are brought to you by our friends over at Eaze.com, California’s top one stop website for legal marijuana delivery. If you live in the golden state, swing over to Eaze.com to see if they are active in your area. With deliveries taking place in less than an hour, it’s never been easier to get legal California marijuana delivery. And of course, if you don’t live where Eaze delivers, you can still benefit from all the useful bits of industry insight and analysis they’ve developed using their properly aggregate and anonymized sales data stream.


// CBD Products Are Testing Positive for High Levels of THC in North Carolina (Merry Jane)

// How to Grow Sustainable Cannabis? Look to Beer, Wine, and Rice Industries (Leafly)

// FDA (Again) Rejects Petition To Further Restrict Marijuana (Marijuana Moment)

// Coalition Urges USDA To Limit Implementation Of Hemp Industry Felony Ban (Marijuana Moment)

// How This Chain of Illegal Dispensaries Captured the Hearts of Toronto (Leafly)

// This Texas School District Is Mandating Drug Tests for 7th Graders (Merry Jane)

// Marijuana Use Similar to New Lower Rate of Cigarette Smoking (Gallup)


Check out our other projects:
Marijuana Today— Our flagship title, a weekly podcast examining the world of marijuana business and activism with some of the smartest people in the industry and movement.
Marijuana Media Connect— A service that connects industry insiders in the legal marijuana industry with journalists, bloggers, and writers in need of expert sources for their stories.

Love these headlines? Love our podcast? Support our work with a financial contribution and become a patron.

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Sacramento District Attorney’s Office Dismisses Marijuana Convictions


SACRAMENTO, CA — Representatives of the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office have identified and dismissed several thousand past marijuana convictions, and reduced thousands of others to misdemeanors.

According to a Fox News analysis, officials dismissed nearly 2,000 low-level marijuana convictions. They also reduced over 3,300 past felony marijuana convictions to misdemeanors.

State lawmakers last year passed legislation, AB 1793, permitting the “automatic expungement or reduction of a prior cannabis conviction for an act that is not a crime as of January 1, 2017.”

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North Dakota Governor Signs Marijuana Penalty Reduction Law


North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (North Dakota Office of the Governor)

BISMARCK, ND — Republican Gov. Doug Burgum signed legislation into law reducing North Dakota‘s marijuana possession penalties.

House Bill 1050 reclassifies the possession of up to one-half ounce (14.175 grams) of cannabis and/or the personal possession of marijuana-related paraphernalia for a first-time offender from a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail, to a criminal infraction — punishable by a fine but no possibility of jail time. Those charged with subsequent infractions over the course of a calendar year may face the possibility of misdemeanor charges.

In 2016, North Dakota ranked sixth in the nation in per capita marijuana possession arrests.

Separate provisions in the measure reduce penalties for the possession of up to 500 grams of cannabis from a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, to a class B misdemeanor. Penalties for the possession of greater amounts are amended from a felony to a Class A misdemeanor.

The new penalties will take effect on August 1, 2019.

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Most Health Professionals Supportive of the Use of Medical Cannabis in Clinical Practice


BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — The majority of health professionals — including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists — express support for the use of medical cannabis in clinical practice, according to a systematic review of the relevant literature published in the journal PLOS One.

An international team of investigators reviewed over 100 studies assessing health professionals’ opinions with regard to medical cannabis.

Authors identified growing support for marijuana therapy in the more recently published literature. They concluded: “[H]ealth professionals [are] relatively supportive of the use of medicinal cannabis in clinical practice. This notion was consistent across the three predominant professional populations of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing.”

Under federal law the cannabis plant is defined as a schedule I controlled substance with “no currently accepted use in treatment in the United States.”

Full text of the study, “Health professional beliefs, knowledge, and concerns surrounding medicinal cannabis — A systematic review,” appears in PLOS One.

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Many CBD Products Inaccurately Labeled


(file photo)

BOSTON, MA — CBD-infused products commercially available in retail stores or online seldom provide accurate information on their label, according to Channel 7 News Boston investigation.

Reporters randomly purchased nine commercially available CBD-infused products, including oils and candies, and submitted them to a third-party laboratory analysis.

In every instance, the percentage of CBD identified in the products failed to match the information provided on the label.

In most cases, products contained far less CBD than advertised.

The results are consistent with those of previous reports which similarly determined that many commercially available CBD-infused products are of variable potency and may contain adulterants.

For more information, please see the NORML fact-sheet ‘FAQs About Cannabidiol.’

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