This week we’ve got hysteria over “scromiting,” yet another debunking of the gateway drug theory, the continued fight for 280E exemption, disturbing allegations of white supremacy, support for legal cannabis in Ireland, fatigue from the persistent wildfires in California, and reciprocity hypocrisy.
Here’s a roundup of quotes from the past week.
“CHS [cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome] is concerning for people who have it, but it is not a major public health hazard.”
– Harvard-trained physician Dr. Jordan Tishler, who runs a cannabis clinic in Massachusetts. Tishler spoke to Newsweek about CHS after it reported on increased cases in legal states and latched onto the word “scromiting,” a mashup of two symptoms, screaming and vomiting, that can be signs of CHS. Despite the increase of news articles this week about CHS, it remains an uncommon side effect for cannabis consumers.
“Another knock on the gateway theory: In Japan, where marijuana use is far lower than in most Western countries, 83 percent of illicit drug users did not start out smoking pot, according to a 2010 study. And there is now mountingevidence that factors such as poverty and poor social environment are a greater predictor of hard drug use than early exposure to soft drugs.”
– Douglas Quenqua in his New York Times article “A Comeback for the Gateway Drug Theory?”
“It’s an uphill climb, but we’re not giving up on it.”
– Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), who continues to argue that recent tax reform efforts should include an exemption from 280E for legal cannabis businesses complying with state regulations
“The debate for legalising recreational cannabis is different from the one for medicinal cannabis, even though the two usually get conflated. But I think it’s another debate that needs to happen in Ireland, and I think it’ll happen eventually. It’s moving very slowly at the moment, but it’s inevitable that it’s going to happen here in the next three or four years. We’re going to have that debate and I think it’s good to have. At this moment in time we want to deal with the medical issue first and get that over the line. We can think of other issues as they come.”
– Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, whose Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill is currently moving through the Dail in Ireland
“I find it extremely disconcerting that it is admired and revered to have ‘gay pride,’ ‘black pride,’ ‘Asian pride,’ or pride in any other cultural heritage, but if you have ‘white pride’ it automatically makes you a Nazi, and you are ostracized, attacked, and lynched by your community. I admit, I am proud that I am white, and I’m not ashamed of my heritage. And I admit that I have been so conditioned to feel shame about this pride that I discreetly sought community where I could. Knowing the potential ramifications of my actions, I did my best to keep them incredibly discreet.”
– Bethany Sherman, managing member and CEO of the Oregon state-licensed cannabis testing lab OG Analytical, in a written statement to The Oregonian/Oregon Live. She stepped down from OG Analytical amid allegations that she participates in neo-Nazi activities.
“This year has been some of the highest highs and lowest lows, where we’ve made so much progress toward a legal, regulated, normal future. But at the same time, we’ve had these catastrophic fires.”
– Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, to Reuters. California has been ravaged by wildfires across the state this past year.
H.R. 38 Concealed Carry Reciprocity is bad policy. If California legalizes marijuana, does that mean every state must legalize marijuana? This goes against the very idea of federalism. #OpposeCCRpic.twitter.com/My46QeQCzI
— Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) December 6, 2017
“Let’s think of this logically: If one state allows the legalization of marijuana, does that mean that every state needs to allow the legalization of marijuana?”
– Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA, 17th District) in a Twitter video where he criticizes the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would mandate states to recognize concealed carry permits from other states
