In today’s news…
#cannabispolitics – ““I’m really worried about the Senate,” said Justin Strekal, founder of the Better Organizing to Win Legalization Political Action Committee (BOWL PAC) and a former lobbyist for NORML.
“If you look at the upcoming (redistricting) map for 2024, if the Dems lose the Senate this year, it’s very, very unlikely they’ll be able to pick up any seats the following cycle.”
Strekal said such a development would almost certainly derail marijuana legalization or other major changes to federal cannabis laws until 2026, when Democrats would have a decent shot at retaking the Senate majority.”
#cannabispolicy – “With AB 2188 going into effect on January 1, 2024, employers must take the following steps to ensure compliance with AB 2188:
Evaluate any policies and procedures regarding drugs and alcohol in the workplace with experienced legal counsel to ensure drug screenings are https://armadalawyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/blog-03-1.jpgistered properly; and
Review how drug screenings are https://armadalawyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/blog-03-1.jpgistered to ensure any drug tests take into consideration psychoactive cannabis metabolites to guarantee employees are not punished for off-duty marijuana consumption.”
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/ab-2188-leaves-california-employer-s-6685403/
#californiacannabis – San Bruno – “The City Council reversed years of prohibition last week, approving a total of three storefronts and a distribution center in specific parts of the city. A ban on cultivation, manufacturing, on-site consumption, processing, lab testing and wholesale will remain.
The vote was 3-2 with Tom Hamilton, Linda Mason and Marty Medina in favor. Mayor Rico Medina and Councilmember Michael Salazar voted no.
“I am pleased to see the council is finally moving forward with this proposal to bring welcomed revenue to fund city services and infrastructures improvements,” said Sarnecky, noting that a majority of residents approved a 10% tax on cannabis products two years ago. “I respect the fact that we must consider the sensibilities of our residents and address their concerns, but we cannot ignore the clear directive of the people any longer.””
https://www.californiacitynews.org/2022/10/san-bruno-opens-its-doors-commercial-pot.html
#californiapolitics – Employment – “Though attorneys who work in the state say this past legislative session in California may have been roughly average in the number of labor and employment laws passed and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), they said the content of these particular measures means outsized new compliance expectations for employers.
“They’re scary signposts for what’s in California’s future,” said Adam Abrahms, a Los Angeles-based attorney with Epstein Becker Green PC. “Most employers are usually sitting around every September wondering if this is the year they need to call a bankruptcy lawyer or business relocator.”
The new laws drew praise from worker advocates for their role in promoting pay equity, combating wage theft, and advancing the concept of sectoral bargaining. But business and industry groups say California employers can’t bear more legal uncertainty while they’re still recovering from the fallout of Covid-19.
Small businesses in particular “are attempting a slow crawl out of the Covid hole that they have been in for the last two years,” said John Kabateck, California state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, which represents small employers. “Uncertainty continues to rule the day on main street.””
#psychedelic – “The psychedelic drugs LSD and psilocybin activate serotonin receptors on brain cells in a way that reduces the energy needed for the brain to switch between different activity states, according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers.
The study, which appears Oct. 3 in Nature Communications, offers insight into the mechanism of these drugs’ effects—effects that many hope can someday be harnessed therapeutically. The research also represents a new approach to the evaluation of drugs that act on the brain.
“If we want someday to use psychedelic drugs clinically, we should understand not only how they’re impacting brain cells, but also how they’re impacting the wider dynamics of brain activity,” said study lead author Parker Singleton.”
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