Americans For Safe Access’ Post

"Minnesota’s medical cannabis patients are the most vulnerable users of these products. Their voices should be amplified. Not muted.” - Patrick McClellan With the rise of recreationally legal states, the latest of which being Minnesota, a top concern continues to surface - "What about the medical patients?" ❓ Medical patients (myself included) continue to be impacted by state programs that lose focus of their needs among the blinding onslaught of adult-use demands. Illinois has done a fair job of combating the fallout through maintaining medical operations, programs and benefits, but with the issuance of many new rec. licenses, there's a looming sense of uncertainty about the future of such initiatives. 🤔 What could possibly help enable budtenders at recreational establishments become more apt to deal with all patient needs? 👉 The answer lies in continuous education. 👉 Building a culture of knowledge will be a crucial step for new dispensaries to enable them to serve whole communities (not only a fraction). 👉 Cannabis agents and their teams require constant nurturing - which is more than a few brand pop-up's here and there can offer. 👉 Sustainable training has proven ROI & serves as the catalyst for continued success in many businesses. How has your state handled the medical ➡ recreational transition? . . . #cannabisindustry #retail #medicalcannabis #adultuse #recreational #cannabisbusiness #training #employeedevelopment #legalization #employeeexperience

⚖️ Cannabis (marijuana) is currently considered a Schedule I drug under federal law, meaning that the federal government considers it to be one of the most dangerous substances you can take, with no medical benefit whatsoever. However, with the science to back it up, we know now this isn’t the case. Our federal laws need to catch up. 📝 A group of senators, spearheaded by John Fetterman (D-PA), is calling for the total de-scheduling of cannabis from the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) once and for all. A letter was sent to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram in which this group expressed the need to eliminate cannabis from scheduling altogether, referring to both medical and adult-use. ✅ The list of Senators includes Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-VT.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Peter Welch (D-VT.), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD.), and Alex Padilla (D-CA.). ⁉️40 U.S. states have a medical cannabis program. Shouldn’t the federal government catch up with what most of the country wants - access to medical cannabis?! #cannabispolicy #cannabiseducation #cannabisscience #cannabislaw #adultuse #medicalmarijuana

It’s far more likely that cannabis will be “rescheduled” from Schedule I to III than “descheduled”, which would have the effect of treating cannabis like alcohol. Schedule III drugs are a category with a moderate to low potential for abuse and dependence. They have accepted medical uses, but they do have a recognized potential for abuse. As a Schedule III drug, cannabis will be treated the same as these examples of Schedule III drugs: ➡️Products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (such as Tylenol with codeine) ➡️Ketamine ➡️Anabolic steroids ➡️Buprenorphine (Suboxone) Cannabis is not benign just as any of the above regularly prescribed medications are not. It needs federal oversight, required healthcare provider education, and the ability to conduct gold standard FDA clinical trials. The good news is as we’ve highlighted below, Senate leadership is paying attention, and is recognizing a change needs to happen. #cannabisindustry #medicalcannabis #cannabiseducation #cannabispolicy #patientcare

Please refrain from comparing medical users to recreational users! They are two entirely different categories. Recently, certain thoughts have been preoccupying my mind, and I feel compelled to share them. In regard to the up-and-coming decriminalization of cannabis in Germany. I fully support the legalization of recreational cannabis use, albeit with some reservations. It is crucial that authorities and law enforcement agencies receive proper education on the matter. For instance, the current law stipulates that a recreational user can carry up to 25 grams of dry cannabis, whereas a medical cannabis patient like myself is permitted up to 100 grams. Moreover, there's a limit of 50 grams of dry cannabis for recreational users in their private residences. Once again, as a medical cannabis patient, the limit is double - up to 100 grams. It's vital to consider that any future laws concerning the legal limit for driving under the influence of cannabis should not apply to medical users. Given our regular usage, any tests administered would naturally show us exceeding the limit, and this should only be applicable to recreational users. Additionally, recreational cannabis consumption is only permitted publicly from 8 PM to 7 AM. However, for medical cannabis patients, there are no such time constraints. We are free to consume cannabis at any time, provided we do so respectfully, at a safe distance from non-users and children. The point I'm trying to make is not to suggest that medical cannabis patients have it better than recreational users. My objective is to emphasize the importance of distinguishing between recreational users and medical users. It's essential to understand that medical users do not consume cannabis for recreational purposes, but rather to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some individuals heavily rely on cannabis as a means of medical treatment. Therefore, it's unjust to compare medical users to recreational users. #MedicalCannabis #RecreationalUse #CannabisLegalization #PatientRights #CannabisEducation #HealthyLifestyle #CannabisLaw #Healthcare #CannabisCommunity #MedicalVsRecreational #CannabisAwareness #CannabisPatients #CannabisAdvocacy

Drug Driving Statement 🌱👇 Yesterday, Victoria’s Allan Labor Government announced that the closed-circuit track driving trial for medicinal cannabis has been delayed - originally promised to be completed at the end of 2024, is now expected to be completed mid-2026. As a team of doctors, pharmacists, and nurses dedicating our lives to caring for our patients, we are deeply disheartened by this news. Having helped over 20,000 patients navigate their natural medicine health journeys, we understand the huge impact this news has on your daily lives. This delay is a devastating setback for all Astrid and medicinal cannabis patients. Despite being legally allowed to access medicine since 2016, patients continue to be denied the right to drive when unimpaired. The current roadside drug testing only detects the presence of cannabis, not actual impairment, and there is still no exemption for medicinal cannabis patients. By delaying reform, the Government is neglecting the urgent needs of patients who deserve the right to drive safely while managing their health responsibly. If you have a personal story about how the drug driving laws impact your wellbeing and quality of life, or would like to voice your opinion, please share your story with us: hello@astrid.health Lisa Nguyen Uyen Nguyen Hansen Tsai Paul Pack Stuart Kwan Judy Nguyen Dr Shu Ng Rachel Payne #astriddispensary #advocateforchange #drugdriving #cannabis

We stand at a pivotal moment for cannabis policy reform. Classified as a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, cannabis was deemed to have no medical use and placed among drugs like heroin, regarded as carrying the highest potential for abuse and addiction. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) are gathering feedback from citizens in a once-in-a-lifetime review to consider regrouping cannabis with other drugs that have medical benefits —and no longer with the most addictive and dangerous drugs. This public comment period – now, through July 22 – presents a critical opportunity to shape this decision and influence the entire US industry. Reclassifying cannabis to Schedule 3 offers numerous benefits, including:  • Acknowledging medical use • Reducing legal restrictions • Enhancing public health by promoting safer practices • Unlocking economic opportunities • Improving access to financial services • Reducing security risks • Increased access for veterans  • Clear and more consistent regulations • Supporting overall industry stability • Supporting state-legal adult-use businesses • Regulating synthetically-produced cannabinoids This is a defining moment. Make your point of view heard to educate and shape cannabis policy reform: https://lnkd.in/gAw2shKy Before submitting your comments, consider taking a few minutes to check out Marijuana Policy Project's suggestions for public comments: https://lnkd.in/e3nGcvfV #CannabisPolicy #Schedule3 #CannabisIndustry #DEACommentPeriod #MedicalCannabis

I've been working with people in the cannabis industry for 6+ years. And like any new industry, the people i have had the good fortune of working with come from a vast range of professional backgrounds. But one constant exists among us. Ask ANYONE in the industry: EVERY ONE OF US has a story about how cannabis has helped a loved one (be it cancer pain management, post-traumatic stress disorder support, lowered blood pressure, reduced inflammation, prevention of drug / alcohol addiction relapse, anxiety disorder treatment, GI disorders treatment, seizure prevention...). And many of us also love people who have suffered the catastrophe of unjust cannabis-related incarceration. 38 states regulate botanical cannabis. 6M+ patients participate in medical programs. But one of the ugly vestiges of cannabis prohibition is inaccurate scheduling. I am proud to know some of the smartest voices in this industry, and their articulation of the need to reclassify cannabis to Schedule 3 is making real change. (And it's VERY "We the people...".)

Join the conversation and stay informed about all things cannabis in our blog. 💬🌿✨➡️ https://lnkd.in/gzDNq3PA - #medwellhealth #medwellhealthandwellness #latestnews #cannabiscommunity

#Cannabis - wow big news earlier today - the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officially recommended that cannabis be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act—a landmark recommendation from HHS which indicates that HHS no longer considers cannabis to be a drug with high abuse potential and no medical value. After completing a scientific review into cannabis per a requested review from the Biden Administration, HHS advised the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that it believes marijuana should be placed in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).   Note, HHS’s recommendation is NOT binding on DEA but given the report’s findings and growing public sentiment is likely that DEA agrees with the recommendation and shifts its policy. Historically, cannabis was federally prohibited as a Schedule III controlled substance. As noted by many pundits, including Marijuana Moment, the rescheduling would have major implications for researchers who have long criticized the Schedule I classification that creates significant barriers to access for studies.   For researchers, this would likely mean that they would no longer need to go through the onerous registration process with DEA in order to access cannabis for studies as a Schedule I drug.   The shift to Schedule I would also enable various federal tax deductions to become applicable to the cannabis industry and unlock value for them that is currently stuck in an onerous tax structure under the Federal Tax Code. Schedule III drugs are not subject to the same onerous structure under federal rules. The cannabis ball is now firmly in DEA’s court as DEA has the final authority to schedule a drug as schedule III rather than schedule I under the CSA (or transfer a controlled substance between schedules or remove such a drug from scheduling altogether). Big shifts in the sands here friends - #DuaneMorris #Cannabis #ControlledSubstances

Calling all advocates for equity and patient access!!! It's high time that our state update its medical cannabis laws and PASS H.4409. This bill is our chance to eliminate unnecessary hurdles and unlock opportunities. Help make history—lend your voice to support H.4409 and dismantle the outdated barriers holding back patients and social equity businesses! Check out my op-ed in Talking Joints Memo to learn more about this important issue.