Never has it been more clear than during the current COVID-19 pandemic that marijuana has arrived at the forefront of mainstream American society.
In state after state, governors and public health officials are deeming cannabis businesses “essential” operations that can stay open amid coronavirus-related forced closures and stay-at-home mandates. People might not be able to go bowling or see a movie in theaters, but they can still stock up on marijuana.
It wasn’t long ago that anyone growing and selling marijuana faced the risk of being arrested, prosecuted and jailed. But now, in the era of expanding legalization, cannabis providers in many states are held up as vital members of the community who are providing a valuable service on par with picking up prescription drugs at a pharmacy or filling up your car at a gas station.
Advocacy groups have pushed governors and state officials to ensure that medical marijuana patients in particular can maintain access to the cannabis they need. But because many people who use marijuana for therapeutic purposes don’t necessarily jump through the hoops needed in order to become officially certified as patients, recreational businesses are also seen as crucial access points that need to stay open.
“Most of the American public and an increasing number of government leaders stopped buying into the demonization of cannabis years ago,” Karen O’Keefe, state policies director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said. “Now, not only have two-thirds of states recognized that medical cannabis should be legal—with 11 legalizing adult-use—many are recognizing that safe access to cannabis is essential.”
NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said it is “encouraging to see our nation’s public policy in practice is finally catching up to where the vast majority of Americans have been for years.”
“The recognition by our government officials that cannabis is indeed not just here to stay, but an essential part of life for millions of Americans—particularly in the patient community—is a welcome move in the right direction,” he said. “It is also a move that could not have come at a better moment for those who still require access to maintain quality of life during these trying and troubled times.”
In some states, officials have enacted new temporary policies such as expanded delivery services or curbside pickup that make it easier for consumers to get their hands on marijuana while respecting social distancing measures. Others are allowing doctors to issue medical cannabis recommendations via telemedicine instead of requiring that they conduct in-person examinations.
Here’s a look at how states that are taking steps to maintain legal marijuana access during the COVID-19 outbreak:
California
Regulators deemed cannabis retail outlets to be essential businesses that can stay open amid a broader stay-at-home order. Localities, including Los Angeles County and San Francisco, have also said that certain cannabis businesses are essential providers that can continue operations.
Colorado
Gov. Jared Polis (D) issued an executive order allowing marijuana businesses to provide curbside pickup services and letting doctors issue medical cannabis recommendations via telemedicine without in-person examinations. A subsequent order from the governor says that marijuana businesses are critical retail operations, but only for the sale of medical cannabis or curbside delivery. Regulators also issuedemergency rules temporarily loosening requirements for fingerprinting of marijuana business owners, modification of premises and transfer of cannabis product samples for testing.
Connecticut
Regulators deemed medical cannabis businesses to be essential and thus exempt from a general mandate to suspend in-person operations.
Florida
The state surgeon general issued an order allowing physicians to issue medical cannabis recertifications to existing patients—but not new ones—via telemedicine.
Illinois
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s (D) stay-at-home order declares marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities to be essential businesses that can stay open. Dispensaries are also being allowed to do curbside sales of medical cannabis—but not recreational marijuana—products.
Maryland
Medical cannabis growers, processors and dispensaries. are exempt from an order Gov. Larry Hogan (R) issued to close non-essential businesses. Regulators are also allowing dispensaries to deliver medical marijuana to patients in parking lots.
Massachusetts
Gov. Charlie Baker (R) issued a stay-at-home order deeming medical cannabis businesses—but not recreational marijuana ones—to be essential and exempt from a general shutdown. Regulators also encouraged medical cannabis delivery services to promote and expand their offerings, and are allowing doctors to remotely recommend marijuana to patients through the use of telehealth waivers.
Michigan
Marijuana businesses will be able to continue curbside sales and home deliveries but cannot perform in-person transactions in stores under a stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). Regulators previously sent a bulletin allowing curbside pickup and encouraging delivery services, and another bulletin extending the period of prequalification status for marijuana business license applicants that may experience building delays.
New Hampshire
Regulators are allowing medical cannabis patients to do curbside pickup at dispensaries and are letting doctors issue recommendations via telemedicine.
New Jersey
Gov. Phil Murphy (D) exempted medical cannabis dispensaries from a stay-at-home order. Regulators moved to allow patients pick up medical marijuana at dispensaries’ curbsides and to reduce caregiver registration fees.
New Mexico
Regulators ruled that medical cannabis businesses are essential and can stay open. They also allowed curbside pickup services, extended expiring patient and caregiver cards for 90 days and suspended background checks for new industry employees.
New York
The state Department of Health deemed that medical cannabis providers are essential businesses not subject to a general closure order. Those that are authorized to carry out home delivery are temporarily allowed to expand those services without written approval.
Ohio
Gov. Mike DeWine’s (R) stay-at-home order exempts medical cannabis businesses from a broader business shutdown. The State Medical Board also moved to allow doctors to issue medical cannabis recommendations via telemedicine without meeting patients in person. Additionally, regulators are letting patients phone in orders ahead of their arrival at dispensaries to reduce time spent inside.
Oregon
Regulators approved rules to allow curbside delivery of marijuana at licensed retail locations and to increase medical cannabis sales limits. They also moved to make it easier to obtain cannabis worker permits.
Pennsylvania
Regulators deemed medical cannabis providers as “life-sustaining” operations that are exempt from Gov. Tom Wolf’s (D) order to close businesses in general. They also took other steps, including allowing patients to have marijuana brought to their cars outside of dispensaries and letting caregivers make deliveries to an unlimited number of patients.
Washington State
Gov. Jay Inslee’s (D) stay-at-home order exempts marijuana businesses as essential, allowing them to stay open. And regulators are allowing marijuana dispensaries to carry out curbside service for medical cannabis patients.
Despite the significant number of states deeming cannabis businesses to be essential and issuing rulings temporarily expanding their services, that is not the case in every legal marijuana market.
In Nevada, for example, Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) and regulators are mandating that all sales be done via delivery, effectively shuttering businesses that only have storefront operations.
And despite the accommodations, many regulators are also directing businesses to implement social distancing measures such as limits on the number of customers who can enter a retail operation at a given time or guidance on physical space between those who are standing in line—changes that can slow down operations and reduce revenue.
Still, many industry leaders seems to understand the public health necessity of such moves, and cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg LLP, for example, issued a set of suggested voluntary guidelines for marijuana businesses to consider.
For now, industry trackers have indicated that sales are strong as consumers stock up in preparation to hunker down at home for several weeks.
Nonetheless, the industry has called on Congress to give it equal access to disaster relief funds—a request necessitated by the fact that ongoing federal prohibition means that their operations are still illegal and not generally eligible for such aid.
Legalization opponents, meanwhile, are not pleased with moves by a growing number of states to keep cannabis stores in business despite the steps intended to foster social distancing at such locations.
“We have seen numerous reports of marijuana stores with long lines of people stocking up on the drug and have additionally seen states move to keep these stores open,” Kevin Sabet, president of prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana, said. “Quite frankly, this presents a unique harm to public health and safety. Across the country, states are doing everything in their power to limit the gathering of people in one location. Long lines outside of establishments engaged in the distribution of marijuana should be a tremendous cause for concern.”
When it comes to consumers, while advocates have cautioned them to consider refraining from smoking or vaping for the time being due to the risk of agitating lungs amid the respiratory effects of the novel coronavirus, they have also pointed out that there are other ways to use cannabis, such as edibles.
For now, the coronavirus pandemic has further highlighted the disconnect between federal and state policies: Under one set of laws cannabis is a banned drug, and under the other it’s a medicine deemed just as essential as any other.
This story first appeared at Forbes. Tom Angell is a 20-year veteran of the cannabis law reform movement, and I know where to look to spot the most interesting legalization developments. I’m the editor of the cannabis news site Marijuana Moment, and I founded the nonprofit Marijuana Majority.
Federal agriculture officials will delay the requirement that all THC testing on hemp crops must be performed at laboratories registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
And food and drug regulators say it’s a “fool’s errand” to get people to stop taking over-the-counter CBD.
The testing delay comes after farmers and states alike complained there wouldn’t be enough DEA labs to handle demand. The U.S. Department of Agriculture acknowledges the complaints in an update Thursday.
“We now better understand how the limited number of DEA-registered labs will hinder testing and better understand the associated costs with disposing of product that contains over 0.3% THC could make entering the hemp market too risky,” USDA wrote.
We were able to reach an agreement (with DEA) that we are going to be able to provide some relief from the laboratory certification process for this crop year,” Greg Ibach, undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told members at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) meeting this week in Arlington, Virginia.
“DEA will still expect states to work with their laboratories to try to achieve certification for the 2021 crop year,” he added.
Hemp entrepreneurs cheered the delay.
“This about-face by the USDA means that farmers can continue to use their trusted local and regional analytical testing labs to ensure compliance with USDA rules,” Josh Schneider, CEO of San Diego-based young plant producer Cultivaris Hemp, told Hemp Industry Daily.
“Getting rid of this ridiculous DEA testing requirement is a step in the right direction by the USDA,” he added. “Hopefully this means that the USDA has come to their senses and will be making better and smarter rules going forward.”
FDA changes?
Also this week, Dr. Stephen Hahn, the newly appointed commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, acknowledged that American consumers want CBD.
He said Wednesday that the agency is working to move forward with regulations.
“We’re not going to be able to say you can’t use these products. It’s a fool’s errand to even approach that,” Hahn said told NASDA attendees.
“We have to be open to the fact that there might be some value to these products, and certainly Americans think that’s the case. But we want to get them information to make the right decisions.”
The FDA developed a working group after a public meeting and comment period to gather industry input about CBD, but the agency said in November that it had not yet seen enough scientific studies or data to allow it to recognize CBD or products containing cannabidiol as generally recognized as safe.
FDA has not provided a timeline for when it will release guidance on CBD regulation.
Widespread opposition
The USDA received more than 4,700 comments about its hemp rules, Ibach told NASDA members.
Many of the comments took issue with the DEA testing requirement.
There are 47 laboratories currently registered with the DEA, and many states do not have a registered testing facility, which would require state, tribal and federal law enforcement agents responsible for testing hemp crops to send samples from out of state within a tight, 15-day testing window.
Not all hemp advocates were satisfied by the testing delay. Eric Steenstra of advocacy group Vote Hemp pointed out that the delay won’t help producers after this year.
“This will help for the season but is not what we wanted or needed for the industry to be successful,” Steenstra wrote on Twitter.
Other changes
The USDA also delayed enforcement of the requirement that producers use a DEA-registered reverse distributor or law enforcement to dispose of non-compliant plants and allow producers to use on-farm practices to dispose of hot hemp crops to render them non-retrievable or non-ingestible.
Hemp farmers are required to document and report the disposal of all non-compliant plants by providing USDA with a completed disposal form, according to the agency. Examples of disposal practices and outcomes are pictured on the agency’s website.
William Richmond, director of the USDA’s Domestic Hemp Production program, told farmers at the Industrial Hemp Summit in Virginia on Monday that testing and sampling requirements were among the aspects the agency could change.
Other parts of the rule, such as a 0.3% total THC limit and the requirement for information sharing, can be changed only by the U.S. Congress, Richmond said.
Richmond reiterated on Monday that the USDA will open another public comment period in the fall to gather industry input on the 2020 production season.
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Carbon footprint: a phrase we hear almost as often as we hear global warming and climate change. Not surprising, as all of them are connected. Climate change is a threat to the future of planet earth. Global warming is one of the major factors behind climate change. Increased carbon emission is one of the core reasons for global warming. In this article, we will discuss how hemp can help us reduce carbon dioxide and fight against global warming.
Carbon here refers to gas carbon dioxide or CO2. Human activities since the industrial revolution, and especially since the mid-20th century, has been consistently increasing the level of CO2 released into the earth’s surface. Hence the phrase ‘carbon footprint’. Today, the amount of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere is much higher than what it would be naturally.
CO2 and the Greenhouse Effect
Higher levels of CO2 and some other gases in the earth’s atmosphere cause the greenhouse effect. A greenhouse is a structure built entirely of glass, used in gardening to grow plants that need warm weather. The typical use of greenhouses is for growing tropical flowers, fruits, and vegetables in places where the natural weather is cooler than these plants need.
A greenhouse maintains warmth 24X7 even during winter. The sunlight passes through the glass structure easily and warms the air inside during the day. The glass walls and ceilings trap the heat so that the warmth lingers through the night also.
Higher CO2 levels in the atmosphere have just this effect on the earth. CO2 traps the heat and increases temperature levels on the earth’s surface. It is like the whole planet is inside a greenhouse.
Why Does It Matter?
The official website of the climate department of the US government mentions that the current atmospheric CO2 level is higher than it has ever been in the last 800,000 years. In 2018, the CO2 level on the earth’s surface reached 407.4 parts per million, a record high after three million years.
Unless we control the greenhouse effect on the earth’s atmosphere, CO2 levels are likely to cross 900 parts per million by the end of the 21st century. Higher levels of thermal energy trapped on the earth’s surface imply that the planet is warmer than it would be naturally.
So what if we live in a warmer planet? Well, for one, it causes the polar ice to melt faster than it gets replaced. The Arctic and Antarctic icecaps play a critical role in keeping our landmass intact. If these icecaps get damaged, all coastal areas in the world will be submerged.
Here is a photo of the Arctic ice sheet at its peak in winter on 13 March 2019. It is the seventh-lowest in 40 years.
Ocean and sea levels are rising because of global warming. That is another threat to losing coastal areas to water bodies. Also, the natural habitat of flora and fauna gets affected and so does the overall ecological balance. Also, our oceans are already 30% more acidic because of absorbing excessive CO2.
The threats are many and varied. One way out is to explore outer space for creating new human settlements there. But a much more practical solution is to look for natural responses to reduce the greenhouse effect.
Why Hemp Counts
The hemp, or industrial hemp as it is also called, the plant is a natural solution to much of the excessive CO2 emission issue. It is an amazingly versatile plant that had been in human use for thousands of years. It is only in the 20th century that we declared it an outlawed plant in many countries of the world.
A simple act of omission caused this (though there are conspiracy theorists who believe that it was more an act of commission). Psychoactive cannabis or marijuana is a cousin of the hemp. They both belong to the same plant species, Cannabis Sativa. But hemp does not have the psychoactive properties of its cannabis cousin.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the chemical that gives marijuana its capacity to cause a “high”. But the THC level in the industrial hemp is limited to 0.3%. That is why this plant does not have the psychoactive capacity of cannabis the drug.
The hemp has a number of benefits for human beings and the environment we live in. Reducing our carbon footprint is only one of them.
Fossil Fuels vs. Hemp Biofuel
Much of the excess CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere is because of our dependence on fossil fuels like petrol and diesel. Hemp biofuel is one of the most easily available renewable energy sources that we can use to substitute fossil fuels.
A 2010 report from the University of Connecticut, USA, reports on a research initiative led by Richard Parnas, professor of biomolecular, chemical and materials engineering at the university. According to the findings of this research, industrial hemp is a feasible source of producing biodiesel.
One of the main advantages of using hemp for producing biodiesel is that the plant grows on infertile soil not suitable for cultivating other crops, especially foodgrains. It is an easy-to-grow plant thatneeds no additional fertilizersand is naturally resistant to pests.
The research report states that hemp seeds are naturally rich in oil content and 97% of that can be used to generate biodiesel. Hemp biofuel can also be used at temperatures lower than other plant-based fuels presently in use.
Hemp Can reduce Carbon Dioxide
Planting more trees is an effective means of addressing the carbon emission issue, for plants absorb carbon dioxide. Hemp is a plant with a particularly high level of efficiency in this regard. Experts say that every ton of hemp can sequester 1.62 tons of CO2. In simple language, that is how much CO2 a ton of hemp can trap and hold.
Hemp can also reintegrate CO2 back into the soil through biosequestration. This is a process of smoldering a harvested plant slowly. Harvested hemp produces charcoal-like biochar when smoldered slowly post-harvest. To mix this biochar with the soil is to return the carbon to the soil, rather than releasing it into the atmosphere.
Hempcrete Reduces Carbon Emission
A recent report from the United Nations Environment Program mentions that the construction industry is responsible for up to 30% of the total greenhouse gas emissions globally. This industry also accounts for about 40% of the total global energy consumption.
Using hempcrete as insulation for buildings can reduce carbon dioxide emissions considerably. A 2010 report by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, Government of UK, mentions that one square meter of hempcrete wall framed by timber can store up to 35.5 kg of CO2. That is after absorbing the energy cost of transportation and assembling of the materials.
Hempcrete is a biocomposite made of hemp hubs, water, and lime or some other natural binder. Hemp hubs or shives are the inner core of hemp stalks left after the outer fibers have been taken out. These hubs are woody in texture. Hempcrete is not strong enough for load-bearing, but they are effective for insulation.
Hempcrete insulation also reduces energy consumption for insulating buildings as it is naturally breathable. It can both store thermal energy and release it, which makes it suitable for different temperature zones.
Think Hemp for a Greener Planet
There are myriad other ways that hemp can help us find natural solutions to the climate change menace. Reducing our carbon footprint is only one of them. It is time we started relying more on the ancient wisdom associated with the use of this miracle plant.
Jaspreet Singh is the Co-Founder and COO of Hemp Foundation. He is passionate about adventures tours, trekking, and long bike rides. This story originally appeared at Hemp Foundation.
We all can agree, growing hemp for paper in 12 to 16 weeks is much greater for our environment than growing trees for years and cutting them down for the same reason, paper products. Hemp can not only augment the paper industry, it can be well on it’s way to replacing the tree paper industry.
Whether you need product packaging, business cards, posters for an event, product brochures, or you have an idea for print media you need help bringing to fruition, Hemp Press can make your brand look good and reflect your business’ value.So then, why choose cutting down our forest trees when we can choose Hemp for all our paper products?
As for me, of course, I live by all things hemp! I believe in choosing life sustaining products over all others. How about the cost we think? For a few dollars more, (which will never really break our pocket book) we give our participation to the greatest sustainable evolution of our time. We know that we are doing our part in choosing the sustainable values for our planet which is well worth our small additional investment.
Printed on all natural white Hemp paper – I love the natural texture
Here’s a few vital reasons why Hemp Paper Vs Tree Paper
The Library of Congress found that, “While the hemp paper in volumes 300-400 years old is still strong, 97% of the books, printed between 1900 and 1937 on tree paper, will be useable for less than 50 years.” Hemp paper can be recycled 7 to 8 times, compared with only 3 times for wood pulp paper.
The USDA reported in 1916 that an acre of hemp produced as much paper as four acres of trees annually , yet 70% of American forest have been destroyed since 1916. Read more here https://hempfrontiers.com/hemp-paper-vs-tree-paper/
In the United States alone, paper companies consume over one billion trees each year and convert it to pulp to make paper. It takes that many trees to provide an average of 735 pounds of paper for each and every person. That number is expected to rise approximately 60% by the year 2050. The United States uses up about 32 % of the world’s paper. In the US, only about 5 % of our once vast virgin forest remain. We are using up our trees faster than we are growing new ones. At that rate, we have to import more trees from other parts of the world forest just to meet the demand.
HEMP PRESS Printing says, ‘Why package your sustainably grown, ethically produced product in a paper box made from farmed trees that were grown on land that isn’t able to support that kind of agriculture?’
Why print our marketing material, such as business cards, posters, and flyers on paper produced in China when you could promote your brand and values with sustainably grown, American hemp?
In 2012 the founder of Hemp Press, Matthew Glyer, asked that same question. The search for sustainable paper stock to print labels for his beeswax candle company led him to a very special paper made of hemp fiber.
Then he wondered…“What else could I print on hemp paper?”And Hemp Press was born.
We at HempingtonPost we are super delighted to have discovered Hemp*Press – So we reached out for a product review in which I, the CEO had the opportunity to have my new cards printed on Hemp Paper. We begin with looking at these three things, Quality of Product, Quality of Customer Service and Quality of Fair Pricing.
Hemp Press has all of this and ordering was easy, fast and I recieved my new cards in about a week’s turnaround. I love them – I choose the natural background so we can see it’s printed on hemp paper – I’m super proud to be a part in making our world green and sustainable again.
The pricing varies and Hemp paper is a bit more pricey than tree paper, again, in the long run, over time when it’s amortized out, as I always do when quantifying any product or service, if my extra pennies a day can create a greater impact on our life and our environment then I’m all in. Someday Hemp can be the paper we’re all choosing and using. It’s important to step up to this all natural table of life now, if we can. We can help make our world a more sustainable place to live which would make this priceless!
The staff, I worked with Gared is super easy and helpful to work with – Give them a call and get a quote on business cards or other hemp packaging. Keep in mind they do have their own design team if this is also a part of your needs.
It’s time we make our choices not only work for us but also work well for our world.
Give them a call, get a quote, ameritize it out, including the priceless effects we make when we choose for the good of all life.
PrintonHemp.com – At Hemp Press we believe that The Future of Paper is Rooted in Fields, Not Forests.™
