DEA hearings, Mass rollback, and California seizures

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“They’re going through it very methodically because both sides are trying to create a very specific argument,” journalist Natalie Fertig said on Thursday’s Cultivated Live.

Natalie was in the courtroom for the historic DEA rescheduling hearings this week. She shared what she heard, and what she expects next.

Catch up »

The DEA cancelled Thursday’s session of the rescheduling hearings because they’re ahead of schedule. In her dispatch yesterday, Natalie noted the DEA attorneys barely cross-examined witnesses, asking just a few questions leaving a lot of time on the shot clock.

It’s because the DEA has a far easier job in the hearing than those opposed to rescheduling: If they prove that cannabis has at least one medical use, and that no one has died directly from consuming cannabis, it by law has to be removed from Schedule I. 

This is obviously speculation, but there’s a clear pattern emerging — the DEA wants to wrap this up quickly. The hearings continue today and into next week. 

-JB

California seizes 63,000 pounds of illicit cannabis in Q2 ⚖️

The state's Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force destroyed over 63,000 pounds of cannabis worth $104 million between April and June, eradicating nearly 90,000 plants and confiscating 17 firearms across 10 counties. The catch: total seizures since the task force launched in 2022 now top 841,000 pounds and $1.3 billion, and the illicit market hasn't slowed down.

Massachusetts marijuana rollback measure officially makes the November ballot 🗳️

State officials certified that a Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts initiative to repeal recreational cannabis sales and home cultivation qualified for the November ballot, squeaking by with just 122 more valid signatures than required. The catch: the campaign has been dogged by fraud accusations, including a fired signature gatherer caught on video, and it already survived a state Supreme Judicial Court challenge over misleading ballot language.

Virginia shuts down claims it just legalized cannabis a year early ⚖️

An internal Virginia State Police email saying there were no cannabis violations on the books as of July 1 set off claims that Virginia had accidentally legalized cannabis a year ahead of schedule. VSP walked it back within a day, and the Code Commission has since patched the ambiguous budget text to confirm the old rules still apply until 2027.

Toronto police probe uncovers alleged illegal cannabis dispensary scheme ⚖️

A corruption investigation into Toronto officers illegally checking license plates uncovered an alleged conspiracy to run illegal cannabis dispensaries and massage parlors, with claims that officers took bribes for protection from law enforcement. Seven Toronto officers have been arrested as part of the probe

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Cannabis treatment delays for teens are creeping back up 🏥

A new study in American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that 33.8% of adolescents with cannabis use disorder faced treatment delays in 2022, up from a low of 26.1% in 2018, with nearly 1 in 20 waiting at least a month for care. The catch: youth cannabis use has been falling for years, but the researchers say referral bottlenecks and thin treatment capacity mean the kids who do need help are waiting longer to get it.

Your grandparents are using cannabis. Doctors can help them do it safely | STAT News 

Interstate Commerce After Rescheduling | Cannabis Confidential