National Expungement Works Releases 2021 Impact Report

The National Expungement Works (N.E.W.) organization released its 2021 Impact Report on February 22, which examines the victories from last year to help those who have been affected by the criminal justice system for a variety of reasons, including cannabis-related convictions.

N.E.W. Founder LaTorie Marshall shared in a statement that 2021 was a challenging but monumental year for the organization. “Staying true to the mission, 2021 was about tapping into our organizers because I know they do this healing work 24/7, with or without N.E.W. I challenged myself to get better with my actions with, for, and beside them,” Marshall said in a press release. “2022 is the year we can kick our five-year wealth plan up a notch with our fellowship program. From learning how to lobby in your community to becoming a building owner, we are the ones that heal and keep each other safe as we continue forward in our process for reforming systems that were built against us. It’s my belief that if there is a presence of N.E.W. in your community, and you have been systemically impacted or affected, and you need a safe haven to release; come talk it out with us, it’s on us.”

N.E.W. is also sponsored by Canopy Growth Corporation, who stated that it is the cannabis industry’s duty to work with organizations to help people and communities in need. “As we evolve our social impact strategy with the support of our community partners, we continue to learn about the injustices faced by equity-deserving communities,” said Canopy Growth Corporation Chief Advocacy Officer Hilary Black. “This includes the difficulties faced by people impacted by the criminal justice system—including the potential for the accumulation of additional progressive charges.  The comprehensive, wrap-around services, such as N.E.W.’s Brake Light Clinics, are a direct response to the barriers and experiences of justice-impacted communities.”

N.E.W. partnered with CFA to help The Social Impact Center and Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón to identify approximately 66,000 cannabis convictions that were dismissed in Los Angeles County last year. “The combined efforts of such powerful forces, along with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, helped to shine a light on the importance of automatic expungement, as those who qualify may not even know that they are eligible,” according to the 2021 Impact Report. The path was paved for the cannabis-related expungements by the original prop 47 which lowers specific non-violent property and drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, and will account for thousands of future automatic record expungements.

N.E.W. was founded in October 2018 and is currently operated by 632 volunteers, as well as organizations and individuals, who are working to help Americans whose lives have been affected by the War on Drugs. According to the 2021 Impact Report, its many accomplishments include hosting numerous events such as the Week of Action & Awareness, which comprised of 21 virtual and in-person gatherings in 10 different cities, and having assisted over 65,000 people expunge or seal their records through services such as “legal relief, employment workshops, food and produce giveaways, health screenings and voter registration.” Those seeking expungement or record sealing opportunities can fill out a form on N.E.W.’s website to determine the specific state laws and necessities for eligibility.

More recently, N.E.W. will be holding 2022 “Brake Light Clinics” on February 27 in Maryland, with many more plans for 2022 to be announced later. Other expungement efforts for cannabis convictions have continued growing annually as well. At the end of January 2022, California legislators filed a bill to speed up expungement for over 34,000 people who are still waiting for relief. Advocates in New Jersey recently held a free expungement clinic for low-level cannabis convictions in September 2021.

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source https://hightimes.com/news/national-expungement-works-releases-2021-impact-report/

Watchdog Flags Cannabis Products with Unproven Opioid Addiction Claims

Cannabis companies are crossing the line when they display claims such as CBD as a way to battle opioid addiction, a watchdog organization warns. Pennsylvania-based watchdog Spotlight PA looked at over 60 websites from cannabis retailers and businesses based in Pennsylvania and fact-checked the validity of health claims with health policy experts.

The report, “Unproven, unsafe” was published on February 21 and covered shortly after by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Investigators listed several problems: “cherry-picking and misrepresenting parts of studies, making broad claims without citing any specific research, and providing incomplete information about what it takes to qualify for the state’s medical marijuana program.”

One claim was bothersome in particular: the claim that CBD can abate cravings for opioids and fight addiction. While early evidence shows that CBD could be useful in this department, medical experts say promoting these claims is dangerous.

Chelsea L. Shover, an epidemiologist and assistant professor-in-residence at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said that promoting cannabis as an alternative for buprenorphine as an opioid use disorder treatment is “really dangerous.”

“That’s complete nonsense. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t be allowed to make claims like that,” Shover told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “That’s kind of the worst-case scenario of this advertising.”

It’s also important to note that buprenorphine itself has a high risk for addiction and dependence, and causes respiratory distress and death when taken in high doses or when combined with other substances. But opioid addiction sometimes involves weaning, which CBD cannot do, under the supervision of a physician.

Among the other findings of Spotlight PA’s investigation:

• Seven websites cited a 2014 study that found U.S. medical cannabis laws were associated with lower rates of fatal opioid overdoses. But they chose not to cite a later study that showed different results. 
• Seven promoted the benefits of CBD for opioid addiction treatment, including to help with withdrawal or reduce cravings. But according to Spotlight PA, at least some of the messages go beyond the research.
• Governor Wolf’s administration says opioid use disorder should only be a qualifying condition for medical cannabis in certain circumstances, but at least 13 websites didn’t include those caveats when they described what it takes for addiction patients to qualify for cannabis.

“The findings reveal a somewhat deceptive strategy—whether intentional or not—adopted by many dispensaries and cannabis certification websites where very specific and limited scientific research is often cited to support very broad statements about cannabis’ benefits,” Stephanie Lake, a postdoctoral fellow at the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, wrote in an email. “The result of this strategy is an oversimplified and scientifically inaccurate message about cannabis.”

The warning serves as a reminder that individual studies are hardly conclusive—especially in the eyes of the medical community and in the eyes of authorities.

The Claim of CBD for Opioid Addiction

Early evidence suggests CBD could be used for opioid addiction, but regulators will not allow unproven medical claims to be displayed on products. A 2009 study found that CBD inhibits cue-induced heroin-seeking, but the study was limited to a rat model. A 2019 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study found that CBD for the reduced cue-induced craving and anxiety in drug-abstinent individuals with Heroin Use Disorder.

Cannabis companies must abide by strict regulations such as avoiding unproven medical claims, or otherwise face the wrath of regulators such as the FDA. The FDA notes, for instance, that the CBD industry is especially overrun with cure-all claims.

That said, if you go out looking for benefits, you’ll find plenty of peer-reviewed evidence, and if you go out looking for negative effects, you’ll also find ample peer-reviewed evidence in support of those claims. The integrity of the scientific process means absorbing all reputable evidence—good or bad.

The post Watchdog Flags Cannabis Products with Unproven Opioid Addiction Claims appeared first on High Times.

source https://hightimes.com/news/watchdog-flags-cannabis-products-with-unproven-opioid-addiction-claims/

Kontusion on Metal, Hardcore, and Tripping in the Woods

New, old-school band Kontusion is no stranger to the scene. Guitarist/vocalist Mark Bronzino is an underground, hardcore-punk pioneer from New Jersey who played in a slew of bigger metal bands—Mammoth Grinder and Iron Reagan, just to name a couple. He’s even collaborated with underground hip-hop weirdo Ghostemane.

In the early pandemic days of 2020, he teamed up with his old friend Chris Moore, drummer of Repulsion, Magrudergrind, Coke Bust, and many other bands, to start the old-school death metal band they’d been dreaming of for years … and Kontusion was born. We chatted with Bronzino about his history in the scene, his love of cannabis, and that one time he tripped in the woods.

Photo courtesy of Aaron Brown

Tell us more about your background in punk, hardcore, and metal, and your collaboration with Ghostemane. How did you get where you are today? 
There was a thriving hardcore punk scene where I grew up at the Jersey Shore in the late ’90s. Kids were putting out their own records, booking their own shows and going on tour, and they weren’t much older than me. I had to be a part of it. My first records and tours were a part of this international DIY scene. It was a lot of fun, and I met lifelong friends in the process, including Chris. 

There was no money in hardcore back then, I would support myself through a series of odd jobs: pizza delivery, screen printing, taste tester, etc., quitting when it was time to go on tour, or if lucky, getting the job back when I returned. Eventually I started getting offered paid gigs, playing lead guitar for metal bands and as a hired gun in the studio for indie rock and pop punk bands. 

The non-stop touring and recording eventually caught the ears and attention of a simultaneous, but very separate underground scene sometimes referred to as “soundcloud rap.” After meeting Eric (Ghostemane) via FaceTime and countless discussions about hardcore, goth, and extreme metal, he invited me to play guitar on his next LP, which would become the N/O/I/S/E album. On that album, my guitar riffs referred heavily to my New Jersey hardcore roots.

Kontusion seems to be somewhat of a supergroup—can you talk more about how the band came about? 
Chris and I met in our early 20s, and our bands would play together all the time. We both lived in DIY show houses, so we would be playing each other’s houses on tour, which became a regular stop over on the road. When we had extra time, we would jam on some Napalm Death-inspired riffs and talk about how cool it would be to play death metal the way we wanted to hear it. With gigs disappearing from the planet, we both found ourselves with more time and finally were able to get Kontusion off the ground. 

Chris, our live bassist Matt, and myself have been touring and putting out records for well over a decade; if you think we are a supergroup and you wish to give us free weed and mushrooms, we will humbly accept. 

What are some big plans you all have coming up in terms of records and touring? 
We are in an extremely deep dive writing our first full-length, which we’ve been working on since before we released any music publicly. We wanted to get our ideas together and define our band and our sound before anyone has the chance to tell us what we are about. But most importantly, it sounds brutal as fuck.

We have a tour coming up in late April, and we’re looking to do a lot more touring nationally and internationally. 

How do you advocate for weed and psychedelics, and why is it important to you? How do you highlight them through music? 
If you want to smoke a joint, you should be able to smoke a joint. But it’s more than that. Legalize everything. The “War on Drugs” was a disaster; it destroyed communities by filling for-profit prisons disproportionately with people of color. The history of prohibition in the USA is the history of racism. 
Music can be interpreted differently depending on the state of mind or experiences of the listener. If you turn up our EP really loud and hit the bong, the blast beats and distortion will wash over you in a singular cleansing wave.

What’s your favorite tour story surrounding either cannabis, psychedelics, or both? 
Years ago, my D-beat hardcore band was touring the East Coast into Canada, and we were invited to play a festival out in the woods. There were mostly crust punk and grind bands on the bill, but there was still some of that train-hopping folk punk going on as well. The crowd consisted of decked out spiky punks, traveller kids, crusties, grind freaks and people looking for a good time. 

We were getting ready to take the stage, which was crudely constructed out of what appeared to be two-by-fours, scrap wood, and held together by the spirit of DIY. I was approached by my friend SJ. “Hey bud, there’s some acid going around REAL cheap, and it’s really good; you want any?” After brief deliberation and taking inspiration from tales of Jimi Hendrix, we decided to all dose ourselves and get on stage. 

None of us had ever tripped on stage before; we thought, if nothing else, it would be a good learning experience. We started the set: so far so good. “No problem,” I thought, “Probably won’t kick in ’til later.” The more I played, the more the hot sun beat down on the ramshackle, outdoor stage.

I looked down at my hands. “I” was still playing the guitar, but it was on some kind of alien-controlled autopilot. It reminded me of an experiment I saw on the internet where they gave a spider LSD, and it spun a new type of web formation. My guitar solos were like a new web. Leads and bends that I had never done before, phrasing I never even considered playing. A whole different guitar player standing on stage, performing our entire set. 

When we got off stage, we could not stop laughing for the rest of the night. The festival became a camp-out when the sun went down, with bonfires and punks actually being nice to each other. A very positive, social, tripped-out experience.

What would you like the future of psychedelics legalization to look like? 
I would like to see people freed who have been incarcerated for substances that are now (or will soon become) legal and reparations to families and communities of individuals who have lost years of their lives over prohibition. I would also like to see more funding for scientific research regarding psychedelics as mental health treatment. And personally, I would like to return to the Gathering of the Juggalos and smoke blunts, maybe do some of that clown acid.

Is there anything else you’d like to add? 
Chris is sober, and I’m a space cadet. We’re a regular death metal odd couple over here.

The post Kontusion on Metal, Hardcore, and Tripping in the Woods appeared first on High Times.

source https://hightimes.com/culture/kontusion-on-metal-hardcore-and-tripping-in-the-woods/

Watchdog Flags Cannabis Products with Unproven Opioid Addiction Claims

Cannabis companies are crossing the line when they display claims such as CBD as a way to battle opioid addiction, a watchdog organization warns. Pennsylvania-based watchdog Spotlight PA looked at over 60 websites from cannabis retailers and businesses based in Pennsylvania and fact-checked the validity of health claims with health policy experts.

The report, “Unproven, unsafe” was published on February 21 and covered shortly after by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Investigators listed several problems: “cherry-picking and misrepresenting parts of studies, making broad claims without citing any specific research, and providing incomplete information about what it takes to qualify for the state’s medical marijuana program.”

One claim was bothersome in particular: the claim that CBD can abate cravings for opioids and fight addiction. While early evidence shows that CBD could be useful in this department, medical experts say promoting these claims is dangerous.

Chelsea L. Shover, an epidemiologist and assistant professor-in-residence at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said that promoting cannabis as an alternative for buprenorphine as an opioid use disorder treatment is “really dangerous.”

“That’s complete nonsense. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t be allowed to make claims like that,” Shover told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “That’s kind of the worst-case scenario of this advertising.”

It’s also important to note that buprenorphine itself has a high risk for addiction and dependence, and causes respiratory distress and death when taken in high doses or when combined with other substances. But opioid addiction sometimes involves weaning, which CBD cannot do, under the supervision of a physician.

Among the other findings of Spotlight PA’s investigation:

• Seven websites cited a 2014 study that found U.S. medical cannabis laws were associated with lower rates of fatal opioid overdoses. But they chose not to cite a later study that showed different results. 
• Seven promoted the benefits of CBD for opioid addiction treatment, including to help with withdrawal or reduce cravings. But according to Spotlight PA, at least some of the messages go beyond the research.
• Governor Wolf’s administration says opioid use disorder should only be a qualifying condition for medical cannabis in certain circumstances, but at least 13 websites didn’t include those caveats when they described what it takes for addiction patients to qualify for cannabis.

“The findings reveal a somewhat deceptive strategy—whether intentional or not—adopted by many dispensaries and cannabis certification websites where very specific and limited scientific research is often cited to support very broad statements about cannabis’ benefits,” Stephanie Lake, a postdoctoral fellow at the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, wrote in an email. “The result of this strategy is an oversimplified and scientifically inaccurate message about cannabis.”

The warning serves as a reminder that individual studies are hardly conclusive—especially in the eyes of the medical community and in the eyes of authorities.

The Claim of CBD for Opioid Addiction

Early evidence suggests CBD could be used for opioid addiction, but regulators will not allow unproven medical claims to be displayed on products. A 2009 study found that CBD inhibits cue-induced heroin-seeking, but the study was limited to a rat model. A 2019 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study found that CBD for the reduced cue-induced craving and anxiety in drug-abstinent individuals with Heroin Use Disorder.

Cannabis companies must abide by strict regulations such as avoiding unproven medical claims, or otherwise face the wrath of regulators such as the FDA. The FDA notes, for instance, that the CBD industry is especially overrun with cure-all claims.

That said, if you go out looking for benefits, you’ll find plenty of peer-reviewed evidence, and if you go out looking for negative effects, you’ll also find ample peer-reviewed evidence in support of those claims. The integrity of the scientific process means absorbing all reputable evidence—good or bad.

The post Watchdog Flags Cannabis Products with Unproven Opioid Addiction Claims appeared first on High Times.

source https://hightimes.com/espanol/news-espanol/watchdog-flags-cannabis-products-with-unproven-opioid-addiction-claims/

South African State of Gauteng to Build Country’s First Cannabis Hub

For all the delay and excuses to be heard on the cannabis reform front just about everywhere else right now, one region of the world has the issue on a fast track. South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa just declared in his recent state of the union address that the country was moving forward, finally, to regulate the industry, create jobs, and create much needed income for the country.

Now comes the news that this country is moving to create a multibillion dollar cannabis “hub” in Gauteng. David Makhura announced that the project, located at the Vaal River, would include a green hydrogen innovation centre, an aerotropolis, an aerodrome, and a steel manufacturing sector. The four municipalities in the district have collectively made land available to create a Special Economic Zone.

Even more intriguingly, there have been other hints that this area of the country, also known for its gold mines, has been looking to cannabis, including for environmental remediation.

It certainly does not sound like the powers that be are going to wait around much longer to get things going. It is clear that the South African government has identified cannabis as a key economic differentiator for the country in the coming years.

Moving The Pending Legislation Forward

The Cannabis For Private Purposes Bill is currently moving forward in Parliament, this time with a little more speed. It was introduced in September 2020 and has been delayed both by COVID and bickering about the particulars. However, in its present form, the draft bill says that an adult may possess cannabis for personal use. Such individuals may also possess a limited number of plants, cultivate those plants in a private place and if found in possession in a public place, not be charged if this amount is within the law.

While the bill has been criticized, including for putting more burden on the poor who do not have access to such privacy, it is likely to move forward, at this point, given the political heavy-hitters now coming to the plate to support it.

Where this leaves cannabis clubs is still another question. However, what the passage of the bill will mean is that South Africa appears to be on track to both pass legislation and have projects in the hopper as early as 2023.

Implications and Impact

The South African cannabis discussion is an interesting one for several reasons, if not continents.

The first reason is that this exported crop means money for a country and continent now looking to reinvent itself in the 21st century. 

Beyond this, geopolitically however, there is also this intriguing twist. Chinese investments, which are happening all over Africa, have focused so far on building roads and other infrastructure. Given the current climate in China proper on the cannabis conversation, this pretty much leaves such investment in Africa out (for now). That also means that by focusing on cannabis as an economic builder and infrastructure focus, Africa may well be the first place that Chinese, American, and Canadian money come together and build sustainable, if not green, infrastructure with a cannabis theme.

But the significance of all of this will be felt far down the line. The impact outside of Africa is also going to be significant, and indeed it already has. Israel, Germany, and Macedonia, for starters, are lining up to purchase African-grown, medically-certified weed, simply because it is cheaper than growing it domestically. To put all of this in perspective, one can find African cannabis producers who are willing to meet the price set by the German bid for cannabis cultivated in Germany. This means that German producers will not maintain a price advantage, and further, everyone else (including producers from Portugal, Greece, and Columbia) will have to lower prices to meet the challenge. It also means that for the first time, there will be price pressure on not only the German/Canadian companies who won the first German cultivation bid, but also Dutch Bedrocan, right across the border.

This is good for the medical reform question in Europe right now because it also creates impetus on the industry to lower prices, and thereby help insurers see the light when it comes to approvals. There is a fierce battle currently underway at the moment of insurers now fighting back, even when a doctor prescribes cannabis, simply because of the cost. What it means for the recreational discussion is also an intriguing twist that will no doubt play out in the next several years, particularly in Europe.

African cannabis is certainly a game-changer for all of that — in addition to the significant impact it will also have locally.

The post South African State of Gauteng to Build Country’s First Cannabis Hub appeared first on High Times.

source https://hightimes.com/espanol/news-espanol/south-african-state-of-gauteng-to-build-countrys-first-cannabis-hub/

Private Companies Taking Over Alberta Online Cannabis Sales

Privately owned cannabis dispensaries in Alberta, Canada will be able to accept online orders for cannabis products for home delivery to customers under new provincial regulations that go into effect next month. 

Under new regulations passed by the legislature last year, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) will stop accepting online orders for cannabis products on March 8. At the same time, privately owned licensed dispensaries will take over online cannabis sales throughout the province. But before online sales can begin, dispensaries must first upgrade their license for online sales and the AGLC must approve e-commerce websites before they go live.

AGLC spokesperson Karin Campbell said that cannabis ordering websites must have a “robust” system for verifying the age of customers placing orders. Additionally, purchasers who appear to be less than 25 years old at the time of delivery will be required to show identification to the driver. So far, no retailer has received an endorsement from the AGLC for its website, Campbell noted, although she said that several companies have indicated that they will be prepared to begin taking online orders on March 8.

Dispensaries Preparing for Launch

To prepare for the change, brick-and-mortar dispensaries are busy preparing their websites and developing their infrastructure to make home deliveries. High Tide, a company that operates 58 Canna Cabana stores in Alberta and already sells cannabis online in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, is working with the AGLC to put the finishing touches on its plan for online cannabis sales and home deliveries to begin on the March 8 launch date.

“We’ve done a pretty good job that we can operate online sales and home delivery in a safe, secure manner,” chief revenue officer Andy Palalas told the CBC. “It’s a big part of our strategy for addressing the illicit market.”

On Tuesday, High Tide announced that it was rolling out its new cannabis delivery on demand program at select Canna Cabana stores in Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, with plans to expand the service to Alberta when regulators allow. Under the new program, customers will be guaranteed delivery of all online orders from participating stores within two hours of their order being placed, or at an hourly time slot chosen by the customer outside of the two-hour window.

“In addition to creating a fantastic delivery experience for our customers, this initiative also represents a proactive and thoughtful approach to competing with and drawing consumers away from the illicit cannabis market, which we know remains resilient in part due to their offering of unregulated delivery services,” High Tide CEO Raj Grover said in a statement from the company. “We plan on introducing this program in all provinces where we operate as soon as possible, and I look forward to seeing the growth and success of this program as we roll it out across Canada.”

Dank Cannabis in Alberta is also preparing to take online orders for home delivery of cannabis products beginning on next month’s launch date. Currently, customers can place orders on the dispensary’s website for pickup within a few hours. A Dank Cannabis spokesperson said that the beginning of online ordering for delivery will streamline cannabis purchases for its customers.

“Now with the landmark ruling in Alberta, cannabis connoisseurs will be able to enjoy their marijuana from the comfort of their homes,” the spokesperson told Digital Journal. “You can pick and choose to your heart’s delight on our carefully designed, feature-rich website and watch your favorite products arrive at your doorstep with no extra effort.”

Not all Dispensaries will be Ready

Some cannabis retailers, however, are not sure if they will be ready to begin taking online orders for home delivery on March 8. Matthew Anderson, vice-president of legal, business affairs, and compliance with cannabis retailer Fire & Flower told reporters he does not believe the retailer’s 42 dispensaries in Alberta will begin accepting online orders for home delivery on launch day.

“We’re down to the wire in terms of timing, and based on the responses I’ve received so far, I’m not optimistic that March 8 will be the day that we first deliver in Alberta,” said Anderson.

Not all of Alberta’s licensed dispensaries are keen to begin taking online orders for home delivery, however. Catherine Hill, the owner of the It’s 420 Somewhere dispensaries in High Level, Alberta, and Hay River, Northwest Territories said that she expects Alberta’s cannabis delivery market to be saturated with competition.

“Everybody’s going to be doing it,” she said.

Instead, It’s 420 Somewhere will focus on providing an engaging store experience for its clientele. 

“A lot of people also just love going in and speaking to their local budtender,” Hill explained.

The post Private Companies Taking Over Alberta Online Cannabis Sales appeared first on High Times.

source https://hightimes.com/news/private-companies-taking-over-alberta-online-cannabis-sales/

New Zealand Police Reboot Illegal Cannabis Operation Search After Year of Inactivity

New Zealand Police National Headquarters recently brought back its cannabis eradication program, which was cancelled in January 2021. According to Stuff.co.nz, the program was costing the department more than $700,000 annually to send out helicopters and airplanes, and the program has been running for approximately 20 years. However, the department recently set aside $635,000 to fund this effort once again, which began in January 2022 and will be conducted through March. The cannabis eradication program utilizes flight vehicles to scan for large-scale illegal grow operations.

A briefing was originally published by the police department in December 2021 detailing this decision, but was only recently released to Stuff.co.nz through the Official Information Act of New Zealand. Until now, all information was withheld until the police minister had approved it. In the briefing, it states that although the program had been stopped in all 12 districts last year, the funding was still available.

With the revival of the program, now called Operation Emerald, six out of the 12 districts have opted in. “Running a nationally coordinated operation provides efficiencies in terms of negotiating a fixed-wing plane and helicopter contracts, deploying staff, provision of training for staff, and administration of the budget,” the briefing states.

However, there has been one report of an incident that involved three cannabis plants, rather than a large cultivation operation. In early February, a police helicopter flew over one couple’s property to remove three cannabis plants. “It got closer and closer and then just zoomed in on this little hill about 80 metres from our house and sprayed three small cannabis plants that were in pots up on the hills,” the individual said. “We could see the pilot, he could see us, we waved to them, and he was just sitting there above the hills spraying the plants and then just buggered off.” The individual noted that he had recently received an operation to remove cancer, and invested in a $150 cannabis oil bottle to treat the pain, instead of the tramadol and codeine he was prescribed. (His wife also suffers from an autoimmune disease, and medical cannabis helps her sleep.) As a result, he and his partner believed it would be easier and more cost effective to grow their own cannabis plants for medical use.

“The spraying of our plants seems like overkill, we would’ve been happy if someone had knocked on our door and said ‘hey we’ve had a complaint’ or something … we would’ve destroyed them if they asked us to,” he continued. “We’re just a mother and father … good community jobs, we work in the community, we help the community with sports, we’re both in community groups and are working for non-profit organizations. We don’t understand why we got targeted in a distressing manner.”

Chlöe Swarbrick, a Green Party MP and previous advocate of cannabis legalization, criticized how the plant eradication was handled. “This situation underlines yet again how these police chopper operations are not only a waste of time and money but literally cutting off some people’s medicinal cannabis supplies,” she said. “New Zealanders going about their business harming nobody have had a police chopper drop into their family dinner simply because parliament continues to prefer and enable people to get legally fully blackout drunk with all the social harms that come with that instead of moderately using an evidentially less-harmful substance that 80 percent of us will already have used by the time that we’re out of our teens.”

The focus of Operation Emerald is to target large-scale grow operations in New Zealand, but a spokesperson confirmed that it is common for smaller plants and grows to be targeted in this manner. “However, as this work is often conducted in remote or rural areas, and from the air, smaller cannabis plots can naturally be sprayed during the discovery phase of flying operations,” the spokesperson said.

The post New Zealand Police Reboot Illegal Cannabis Operation Search After Year of Inactivity appeared first on High Times.

source https://hightimes.com/news/new-zealand-police-reboot-illegal-cannabis-operation-search-after-year-of-inactivity/