numbers as a result of the blossoming cannabis economy. According to The Denver Post, Denver’s dispensaries recorded $587 million in sales in 2017, a record high, with sales continuing to rise into 2018. This was an increase of 16 percent over 2016. Sales throughout the state totaled $150.8 billion during the same time period, a 15 percent increase over 2016.

When broken down by recreational and medical marijuana, both the city of Denver and Colorado as a whole actually saw a decrease in medical cannabis sales, but the increase in recreational sales made up for the losses and then some. In Denver, medical sales dropped from $212 million to $206.4 million, while recreational retail sales spiked from $291.5 million to $377.5 million. Statewide, medical sales were $445 million in 2016 and $416.5 million in 2017, while recreational sales jumped from $861.6 million to $1.09 billion. When examined by location, while sales in Denver continue to climb, other regions in the state are starting to take a bigger percentage of the overall pie, which good news for those who live outside the big city.It is of no surprise to our experienced L.A. marijuana business attorneys that medical sales would lose ground to retail sales over time. Some people were using the medical marketplace for years to supplement their interest in marijuana for recreational purposes. Others find the process of obtaining a medical marijuana card and paying for doctor’s visits and fees to be cumbersome, especially when the federal classification of marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic prevents insurance companies from covering cannabis-based medications. Therefore they seek similar products from retail dispensaries instead that don’t require a doctor’s recommendation.

The one surprise, perhaps, is that the drop-off in medical sales in favor of recreational sales came several years after the January 2014 starting date of legal adult-use cannabis in the state. This data is valuable to California businesses who might also be examining the possibility of transitioning their focus from medical to recreational.

The taxes collected from the impressive revenue generated by the marijuana marketplace in the state make it self-sustaining, though it should be noted that marijuana taxes only make up 3.5 percent of the city’s general fund. Denver uses the tax revenue to pay for cannabis regulations, law enforcement, and drug abuse prevention programs. After those necessities are funded, the surplus is used for city maintenance, increased affordable housing, and programs that target the opioid crisis. Not only is cannabis helping to fund opioid intervention programs, but many are finding that consuming cannabis is a safer alternative to addictive opioids for pain relief, making this a win-win situation. Crime related to marijuana remains low, with only 1 percent of crimes across the state being connected to cannabis.

Californians are facing some rocky patches in the first year of recreational marijuana legalization. Regulations are driving up prices and causing product shortages, which are driving customers back to the black market. If the Colorado model is evidence, though, these wrinkles can successfully iron themselves out over time. While California has long been a trailblazer for the marijuana industry, state officials can learn a lot from Colorado’s example. The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients, defendants, workers and those facing criminal marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

The Denver Collaborative Approach: Leading the Way in Municipal Marijuana Management, City of Denver, 2018 Annual Report

More Blog Entries:

Report: Marijuana Legalization in Colorado Making Pot Cheaper for Consumers, Feb. 4, 2017, Cannabis Law Group

veterans are using medical marijuana. This is in spite of the fact that the department does not allow its doctors to recommend marijuana. The department cites Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812 as the reason for this policy, stating they are bound by the federal ban on cannabis being part of a federal agency. The department even shies away from studying the benefits of cannabis, instead focusing their research almost entirely on its problems, according to an article from New York Times.

For veterans who rely on medical treatment through the VA, this can mean they never receive access to medical marijuana. Many veterans have reported cannabis to be an effective treatment for chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder – two common issues among those who have fought in wars. It could also mean that veterans will still seek a way to obtain medical marijuana, either by visiting a physician certified to recommend cannabis other than their VA doctor, by purchasing recreational marijuana if they live in a state where it’s legal, or by illicit means. None of these methods are ideal, and this certainly is not the way we should be treating those who have served our country. There are, however, a few things that would be helpful for veterans to know about medical marijuana and the VA.The VA has a list of guidelines to help veterans understand their patient rights and how medical marijuana and VA treatments can co-exist.

• Veterans will not be denied VA benefits if they disclose marijuana use.
• They are encouraged to discuss medical marijuana use with their VA provider.
• Use will be recorded, but will remain confidential as part of privacy laws.
• VA will not recommend medical marijuana, will not fill out paperwork to participate in state programs, will not fill prescriptions for any form of marijuana at VA pharmacies, and will not pay for prescriptions of medical marijuana from other sources.
• Use or possession of medical marijuana is not permitted on VA property, which is considered federal property, operating under federal law.
• VA employees are subject to drug testing.

The department is currently involved in two studies about the potential positive effects of medical marijuana: one that tests CBD and its effects on PTSD (which is slated to last through 2023) and another that studies pain relief for hospice care patients. These studies are small steps, but steps nonetheless. Meanwhile, other people and organizations are stepping up to bat for our veterans. American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars are pushing for expanded studies, for example. The Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance gathers donations from growers to give away to veterans for free every month to help those who cannot afford to get cannabis without the help of their VA benefits. The giveaway bags include a variety of products, such as candies, hemp oils, lotions, pills, and smokable strains, giving veterans many options depending on their needs.

Our Los Angeles medical marijuana lawyers also will always be here to defend our veterans seeking relief with the help of cannabis.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients, defendants, workers and those facing criminal marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

VA and Marijuana – What Veterans Need to Know, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

More Blog Entries:

Veterans Continue to be Denied Medical Marijuana Access, May 1, 2014, Cannabis Law Group

country where, despite mounting evidence, the federal government is stubbornly standing by marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I narcotic, it’s discouraging to see facts seemingly ignored. It’s no wonder, then, people would take the opposite extreme stance to combat. A report from Los Angeles Times delves into the phenomenon of pro-marijuana hyperbole in the face of anti-cannabis hysteria.

Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812, deems that marijuana has no medical benefits, is addictive, and would be harmful to use even under a doctor’s supervision. Thirty states and Washington, D.C., disagree with this assessment and have passed medical marijuana laws as such. Those states laws, however, can only go so far to usurp the authority of the federal government. As such, certified doctors in those states can only dole out medical cannabis recommendations, rather than a full-fledged prescription. They can suggest certain forms of consumption for the ailments of the particular patient, such a lotions or edibles, but the patient is on their own for the most part once they reach the dispensary. Dispensary owners, for their part, have done a tremendous job learning about the different products they carry. They gather information from their shoppers about which products have had the most effective results for what disorders and diseases and they try to share this anecdotal knowledge with other patients. This strategy is hardly the exact science many patients with really dire diagnoses need.

This has bred a grassroots culture of knowledge sharing among cannabis users that has been both good and bad. The good is, millions of people across the country have woken up to the plentiful benefits of cannabis, for both medical purposes and pleasure. Without leading medical authorities to point to for guidance in the quest for knowledge about cannabis, though, it has been challenging to rein in exaggerated claims. For example, cannabis can ease the nausea associated with cancer chemotherapy treatments, and medical professionals are beginning to discover a link between CBD and cancer treatments. If you look to the authority of the collective intelligence of the Internet, though, cannabis allegedly can outright cure seven out of 10 cancer patients. Evidence is lacking, obviously, for such an over-the-top claim. When authority figures try to disputes these claims, however, there’s little room for trust. After all, how can the common person believe the same authority figures who tell them that cannabis has absolutely no medical benefits whatsoever, when it obviously does.

That is why our L.A. medical marijuana attorneys believe so strongly in legalization. People need to be able to trust their doctors again. They need to be able to have legal access to marijuana that can potentially ease the symptoms of chronic pain, anxiety, Alzheimer’s Disease, and, yes, cancer. Doctors need to have access to the best medical research available to be able to prescribe exactly what their patients need. And researchers need funding and freedoms to conduct such tests without federal agencies looming over their shoulders. We all need to be operating on the facts, and the first step is for the federal government to face the facts about marijuana’s health benefits.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients, defendants, workers and those facing criminal marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

With Marijuana Legal, California Flooded with Dubious Health Claims About the Drug, July 9, 2018, By Gary Robbins, Los Angeles Times

More Blog Entries:

FDA Approval Could Change Everything for Medical Marijuana, July 1, 2018, Cannabis Law Group

State Question 788 passed with 57 percent approval despite almost half a million dollars spent on a campaign to shut down the proposal. Gov. Mary Fallin and Sen. James Lanford (R) joined several health and law enforcement organizations to voice opposition to the ballot initiative, according to a report from Forbes. Some voters claim the issue did not even appear on their ballot, causing speculation as to how far some would go to stop the measure. Even the fact that the issue was placed on a primary ballot rather than during a general election seemed to be tactically designed to set it up for failure since voters who show up at primaries tend to lean more conservative. The passage of the measure in spite of such obstacles, however, proves what cannabis advocates like our medical marijuana attorneys have been saying all along: marijuana is not a partisan issue.

Not only was the medical marijuana initiative passed, but it also stands apart from other states in that it gives more freedom to doctors. Some government officials in other states have decided they know better than medical doctors and have confined the permissible medical conditions by which health practitioners can recommend cannabis to a pre-determined list. The new Oklahoma law, however, keeps the power to decide squarely where it belongs, with board-certified medical professionals.

The measure allows for patients who are granted ID cards to possess up to eight ounces of marijuana in their home and up to three in public. For concentrates, one ounce is permitted and up to 72 ounces of edibles. Limited home cultivation is also allowed. The measure also leaves room for an extremely fair system of law enforcement in which those who are found with 1.5 ounces or less without the proper paperwork are not punished as if they had committed high treason. If they can cite a medical condition as the reason for their use, they would be issued a $400 fine. That is, so long as voters get their way.

Some leaders, however, can’t leave well enough alone. Citing her respect for the will of the people, Gov. Fallin also made it clear that respect does not extend so far as letting voters decide how much freedom people in the state would enjoy. She seeks to tighten up any points that would dare to resemble anything close to recreational legalization. Support for recreational cannabis, however, is growing quickly across the country, with nearly two-thirds support and legalization in nine states and Washington, D.C. Buttoning up medical laws too tightly could spur Oklahomans to take that next step toward full adult-use legalization.

Our L.A. medical marijuana lawyers see this victory in Oklahoma as a big win for all of us. The more support cannabis receives nationwide, the quicker we can all move on to removing the federal ban and start working together toward breakthrough medical research, creating interstate marketplaces, and learning more about this highly beneficial plant.

Additional Resources:

Oklahoma Voters Approve Medical Marijuana Measure, June 27, 2018, By Madison Park, CNN

More Blog Entries:

Med Students Must Learn About Medical Marijuana, March 23, 2018, By L.A. medical marijuana lawyers blog

Americans not only support cannabis in theory, but also in practice. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs recently published a report showing that daily use of marijuana among adults is on the rise since 2007, while teen use is actually dropping.

Findings showed daily use increased among all age groups between 18 to 64, with an insignificant lead in the data among 18 to 34-year-olds. Non-daily use increased across all adult categories as well, but especially among 26- to 34-year-olds. The most likely cause is the wave of states that have legalized marijuana in some form. California is one of nine states (with a guest appearance by Washington, D.C.) that has total legalization for adult use. The number jumps to 29 when counting states with medical marijuana laws. The specifics vary by state, but the fact of the matter is Americans are discovering the health and recreational benefits of marijuana and incorporating it into their daily lives. The study was put together by researchers from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York. Results were compiled based on more than 700,000 respondents ages 12 and older to the 2002-2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

The increase of use mirrors the increase of support for marijuana legalization across the country. A Quinnipiac University poll released in April showed nationwide support of recreational marijuana legalization at 63 percent, the highest yet in the university’s surveys. This data is coming from a sampling of participants in which only 22 percent said they lived in a state where it was currently legal, showing the interest is spreading. This aligns roughly with the number of respondents who believe marijuana is not a gateway drug at 61 percent.

Positive responses for medical marijuana legalization have typically been higher in such polls, and this survey is no different, with support coming in at a staggering 93 percent. Furthermore, 70 percent of participants said the federal government has no business enforcing federal bans on states that have their own permissive laws in place. Despite all of this support, though, cannabis users are still facing resistance from a dying ideology. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made it well known his feeling on marijuana. A majority of states still are nervous about recreational use, despite massive shifts in public opinion. Even in states where there is legalization, many overly protective restrictions have been put in place to appease those still caught up in fear-based hysteria over cannabis.

That’s why our trusted Los Angeles medical marijuana attorneys are always on the ready. Cannabis freedoms are at an all time high, but don’t let that cloud your awareness of the many restrictions that are still in place. Some officials are just waiting for someone to slip-up so they can enforce archaic laws in any way they can. If that should happen, our attorneys are prepared to protect your rights. We are proud to stand alongside the majority of Americans in the fight for cannabis laws to recognize the positive uses for marijuana and finally align with the will of the people.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients, defendants, workers and those facing criminal marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

Study Finds Increase in Daily Cannabis Use Among American Adults, June 20, 2018, News Medical

More Blog Entries:

Public Support for Marijuana Legalization Higher than Ever, April 6, 2017, Cannabis Law Group