Marijuana News
Oregon Just Introduced A Recreational Marijuana Sales Tax
On Monday, January 4 2016, Oregon consumers bought pot and it was taxed. A 25 percent sales tax was introduced and has been added to all recreational purchases moving forward. Medical marijuana still remains tax-free. Oregon dispensaries saw many consumers stock up on before the tax kicked in.
“Customers don’t want to pay taxes, but they understand to have a safe, regulated marketplace there’s some costs associated with that,” said Jeff Johnson, owner of Nectar Cannabis in Portland.
Tax revenue for the first year is estimated at $3 million. It’s lower than what Colorado saw, due to loans, extra staff and costs it’s taking to implement Measure 91 (which legalized recreational marijuana in the state in 2015).
Australia’s 2016 Plans For Medical Marijuana
Cannabis still stands as the most widely used drug in the Australia. Although over 35% of Australians (over the age of 14) have consumed marijuana, according to the Australian National Drugs Strategy Household Survey in 2013, it is still quite illegal.
Australia’s government is starting to organize a plan for regulating medical cannabis. In December, it announced national licensing opportunities for the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal and scientific purposes in 2016. As part of 2016 medicinal cannabis regulations new trials will focus on cannabinoids, molecules in cannabis that have shown many encouraging effects
Recently, Australia was in the news for it’s anti-marijuana campaign that went viral. The campaign featured a “Stoner Sloth” and had people everywhere laughing. Despite the humor behind the campaign, it is a bit offensive to those who use the plant for medicine.
Medical Marijuana Users Are Still Being Forced To Move To Colorado
“It doesn’t matter who you are, pain is pain,” she said. “We all want to have a way to not be in pain and we all want a way to be able to live with our loved ones and not be tortured by our bodies.”
Enedina Stanger has benefited from medical marijuana for pain relief, but it is illegal in her home state of Utah. Earlier this week, Stanger was sentenced to six months of probation and required to go to a parenting class after an officer cited her for possession of marijuana while her daughter was in the car.
The initial charge for “child endangerment” was dropped in a plea deal, but Stanger still needs medicine to help with Ehlers-Danlo syndrome. The genetic disorder attacks the connective tissues, leaving her in a wheelchair and causing dislocations and muscle spasms.
“When that happens there is nothing that we have been able to find that stops those spasms and those cramps,” Stanger said.
Since the only medicine that has worked to ease the pain and minimize spasms is marijuana, Stanger decided to pack up and move to Colorado.
In 2014 over 200,000 people moved to Colorado. In most cases, families are in similar situations to Stranger – just trying to get the medicine they need to live a pain-free life. In 2016 many states hope to legalize medical marijuana, so patients do not have to leave behind their homes and move to another state to get medicine.
Is Alaska The New Amsterdam?
Last year Alaskan voters approved recreational marijuana for adults (21+). It still is illegal to buy or sell due to delayed license distribution. Applications will start being accepted in February, meaning first industry licenses will be awarded sometime around May.
This past November, the Alaska state marijuana control board also approved on-site consumption at retail stores. Alaska is slated to be the first state to have pot cafes where people can buy and consume marijuana.
Some question if Alaska’s small population could match the success that Oregon or Colorado have seen. Despite the fact that not many people live in Alaska year-round, pot cafes give people a legal place to consume marijuana, just like Amsterdam. Not to mention, with close to a million cruise ship passengers each year, marijuana cafes are an added tourist attraction in Juneau.
D.C. Residents Can Give The Gift of Cannabis This Christmas (Legally!)
In Washington, D.C., residents can spread holiday cheer by giving gifts of cannabis for the first time legally. Despite weed being DC’s hottest christmas gift, the law still prohibits buying, selling, and public consumption. Just last week, congress included a rider barring the District from taxing and regulating marijuana in the current budget bill—but gifting up to an ounce to other adults is fine.
With over 500 home growers in D.C., plenty of people are happy to “gift” their crop with friends and family (as long as they are 21 and older). However, there is still a long way to go before marijuana is legal on a federal level.
DEA Revisits Requirements for Natural Cannabis-Derived Drug Research
Drug policy reformers have been trying to urge U.S. government to revisit current restrictions on scientific research into marijuana’s potential as medicine. The federal government’s strict rules continue to prevent needed studies to So far, about half of U.S. states allow marijuana for medical use.
he U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently eased up on some restrictions for research evaluating cannabidiol specifically for medicinal use. The modifications will effect the Controlled Substances Act and help researchers follow a protocol cannabidiol (CBD) for a specific U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved research protocol, the DEA said.
States Most Likely To Legalize Marijuana In The New Year
NEVADA
Nevada was the first state campaign to officially gather the required number of signatures to qualify for the 2016 ballot, submitting 170,000 signatures last December. That’s about 60,000 more signatures than the 101,667 signatures needed, and nearly two years early. Nevada’s already opened a successful medical marijuana program that allows reciprocity without any issues.
CALIFORNIA
The only issue with California was the complete and total lack of statewide regulations to help keep its medical marijuana system in check. The Wild Wild West is the perfect description for California, due to it’s initial attempts which caused friction within the city and county jurisdictions. The Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which is endorsed by Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and several major cannabis advocacy groups, is paving the way to ensure California is regulated.
MAINE
Maine has one of the best, most stable medical marijuana programs in the country. It offers a limited number of medical marijuana dispensaries (that cater to out-of-state patients, too!), but Maine’s caregiver program is so robust that dispensaries are less of a necessity and more of an obligation to meet patients’ needs. The state’s current legalization initiative, the Marijuana Legalization Act, would allow anyone over the age of 21 to legally possess up to 2 ½ ounces and grow up to 12 plants for personal use.
ARIZONA
The latest polling from Arizona State University showed that 49 percent of the state supports legalization, while 51 percent oppose. A previous poll from June indicated that 53 percent support legalization, which shows just how wide the margin of error can be and just how close the 2016 race will likely end up. Every vote will count in Arizona.
Places Around the World Where Marijuana is Legal
Argentina
Argentina has a lax “to each their own” policy with marijuana. Lighting up a bong in the privacy of your home is still totally fine. However you don’t want to get caught selling, transporting, or cultivating marijuana.
Australia
Much like the US, Australia has decriminalized weed in some states but opted to keep it more of a substantially-punishable offense in others. With their natural proclivity to co-exist with crocodiles, Russell Crowe, and other nightmarish animals, you’d think they wouldn’t be afraid of a little “old fashioned” relaxation.
Belgium
As far as legality goes, it’s only allowed if you only grow one bedrocan female plant- and that’s it. Possession has been made illegal again—so that means you just have to hang on to that one female plant.
Anti-Marijuana Campaign Backfires
The anti-marijuana campaign “Stoner Sloth” has gone viral, but not in the way that the Australian government wanted it to. The campaign, shows a sloth being stoned in a variety of social situations, but it does not represent cannabis consumption accurately. Sure, consuming too much marijuana can make you tired or a bit slow, but the video disregards all the medicinal benefits and a holistic view of the plant’s side effects.
Stoner Sloth has people everywhere laughing uncontrollably and has already inspired several parody videos. Despite the humor behind the campaign, it is also a bit offensive to those who use the plant for medicine. Thankfully, studies are helping to get rid of ridiculous and outdated stoner stereotypes such as this.
Rebranding Marijuana and The Dispensary Experience
It seems in places where both recreational and medical marijuana are legal, there are more dispensaries than coffee shops. As the cannabis industry turns the next page, business owners need to create environments that make consumers feel safe, informed and connected.
The only issue is that many dispensaries are not creating memorable or enjoyable experiences that consumers want and need. The experience can be intimidating and counterproductive, especially when it is someone’s first dispensary visit. As the stigma of cannabis use dissipates and more curious people venture to local dispensaries, it is important to look to major brands that have created unparalleled retail experiences like Apple and Warby Parker (reference video below).
This does not mean that dispensaries need to lose their authenticity. They simply must create an effective brand strategy in order to gain a major edge in an increasingly competitive market like cannabis.
Key Parts Of A Successful Brand:
Brand Identity
Brand identity helps establish a relationship between the brand and the customer by generating a value proposition involving functional, emotional or self expressive benefits.
Brand Image
Dispensaries can stay true to their roots and remain authentic, but they must ask themselves “how do i want consumers to perceive my brand?” Once you answer that question, you can start to gain the reputation you seek in the market through marketing, events and strategic partnerships.
Brand Consistency
Creating a consistent brand begins with the creation of coherent patterns. Patterns are how our brains perceive actions, thoughts, memory, and behavior to ultimately inform belief. Instead of trying to create and maintain one big idea, a brand must create multiple consistent smaller ideas. Embracing small and flexible ideas are a powerful way to navigate the rapidly evolving cannabis industry.
Brand Experience
Experiences are central to all great brands, especially for any brand who has a physical retail space. Think the Genius Bar at Apple or the famous customer service at Nordstrom. How do you want consumers to feel when they walk into your store and how do you want them to feel when they leave?
Brand Education
Ongoing education is important for any brand. Especially in the medical marijuana field where certain products will help certain ailments. Educational programs for consumers to help them better understand your business and the products you sell will help you become a trusted and credible source, which creates loyal customers.
Knowledgeable Employees
Marijuana is a plant, being compared to that of grapes to wine. Much like a Sommelier (a trained and knowledgable wine expert), the cannabis industry needs trusted experts that people to turn to for advice and industry updates.
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