New Zealand Leaders Demand Cops Stop Spraying Chemicals on Cannabis

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New Zealand’s recently revived cannabis eradication has gotten out of control, residents say. A couple growing three weed plants last February, for instance, were having dinner together when a helicopter flew overhead, spraying chemicals onto their three weed plants that they used for medical reasons.

The program isn’t settling well in the modern world—not at a time when nearly 70% of New Zealanders support legalization or decriminalization. Both leaders and residents are fed up with the waste of resources as the country races toward cannabis reform.

Legalization backer and Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick said spraying cannabis plants from helicopters isn’t the way to solve this. Last February, the New Zealand Police National Headquarters made the decision to revive its cannabis eradication program, which was canceled in January 2021.

“But obviously, we have an incredibly ineffective law when this amount of money is being continually spent on an annual basis, and making no effect on the supply on the streets,” Swarbrick told Stuff.co.nz yesterday.

Instead, Swarbrick suggested focusing on a real problem the country is grappling with—such as meth. On June 9, the New Zealand customs issued a news release that they had uncovered “435 grams of methamphetamine, approximately $455,000 in cash, and clan lab-related items.” 

New Zealand Drug Foundation executive director, Sarah Helm, agreed that the police policies don’t align with what is happening across the country. “Nearly half of the country voted for full legalization of cannabis in the 2020 referendum,” Helm said. “Polling commissioned last year by The Helen Clark Foundation found 69 per cent of New Zealand respondents supported either full legalisation or decriminalisation of cannabis.”

According to uncovered documents provided to Waikato Times under the Official Information Act of New Zealand, the country spent $2,653,878 on aerial spraying cannabis nationally over the past five years. Locals are fed up that over $2.6 million was spent on destroying what the majority of the country supports.

Over 48% of New Zealander voters said they support legalizing cannabis in a referendum held last year. A poll conducted by market research firm UMR for the Helen Clark Foundation found an additional 20%, give or take, voted no but said they think cannabis should be decriminalized, bringing the total to 69%.

What the F*** are Cops Spraying on Weed?

So what exactly are cops spraying on weed? A journalist from Te Ao Māori News also wanted to know in 2018.

Officers were asked what substances they were using and one officer told Te Ao Māori News “nothing, just dye and water.” But local resident Whetu Paitai caught cops in the act, pouring a mysterious blue liquid onto the beach, and posted a video on Facebook. It turns out it’s the same herbicide they’re using to kill weed plants.

“I took a photo of the container and Googled them to find they were a weed killer called Bio-Safe from AGPRO,” Paitai said. “They have a hazchem code of 2XE which means any waste material is to be contained and removed to be correctly disposed of, as opposed to material that you can just dilute down,” 

According to AGPRO Bio-Safe’s Safety Data Sheet (SDS), it can harm aquatic life with “long lasting effects,” and it is classified a poison despite being produced using natural ingredients.

A police spokesperson claimed the spray used only affects plants and has no major impact on the soil. “A blue marker dye, which is non-toxic and environmentally safe, is used to alert growers to the fact that a plant has been sprayed,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

We can learn from the past when it comes to herbicides. When U.S.-funded cannabis eradication programs in Mexico (and other countries) in the 1970s used the dangerous herbicide paraquat, the weed made its way back into the United States where it ended up harming Americans. 

In March 1978, 21% of marijuana samples surveyed from the southwestern United States were found to be contaminated with paraquat. A recent study on paraquat poisoning in 2020 shows that “the in-hospital mortality rate was 72.7%” of people surveyed, with “acute kidney injury” being the major reason. It is also believed to cause Parkinson’s.

There are dangerous effects of smoking pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides (in legal operations, especially myclobutanil). On top of that, herbicides can harm foliage, shoots, flowers, and fruits—and the spray gets everywhere. Lab-tested legal weed is typically tested for contaminants like those. There must be better ways of mitigating illegal cannabis crops without spraying chemicals on them.



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New York City Mayor Says to Light Up Your Cannabis, Not Concerned with Cracking Down on New York’s Illicit Market

New York City Mayor Says to Light Up Your Cannabis, Not Concerned with Cracking Down on New York’s Illicit Market

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mayor on new york on weed

New York cannabis lovers are all going into a frenzy presently following a recent statement by the Mayor of the city. Eric Adams appeared to tell the people of New York to continue to light up till the recreational market in the state matures. On hearing this many cannabis enthusiasts in the state are jubilating already as well as most cannabis advocates. Others on the other hand are still quite apprehensive. Read on as we explore what this means for all parties in the cannabis industry in New York.

Mayor Eric Adams spoke on Friday at the Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition (CWCBExpo) where he asked everyone to “light up”. The congress lasted from June 1 to 3 in New York City where he spoke on many topics regarding the cannabis markets in and out of New York. Mayor Adams asked attendees to stand strong and support New York cannabis businesses during the gray period until the New York market is fully matured. By this, he meant the period with which cannabis business owners need to wait till licensing is available for the recreational market.

Mayor Adams was the keynote speaker at the CWCBExpo which also featured other top personalities in the cannabis industry. Among the list of top personalities include Charles Beams of Weedmaps and Nick Kovaceich from Greelane Holdings. Also, it is not a cannabis expo if cannabis regulators are not present as Tremaine Wright from the NYS Cannabis Control Board was present to give a rule update.

Many attendees looked forward to the expo after the Mayor was announced as the keynote speaker following a press release last month. Attendees and different cannabis enthusiasts in the state were eager to know the position of the Mayor on the market presently. Also many were waiting to know what to expect from the new recreational cannabis market set to be effected in the state. The Mayor didn’t disappoint as he was straight to the point in assuring cannabis lovers of what to expect. This was when he made the popular statement “Enjoy yourself, light up, and spend some money “.

There are a number of take-home points from what Mayor Eric Adams had to say at the expo. First on the list is that the cannabis market is very important to the state as a source of revenue. The fiscal spending plan for 2023 by Governor Kathy Hochul shows that the state stands to pull in $1.25 billion from cannabis in six years. This means the legal medical marijuana market and the incoming recreational market are big cash cows for the state.

Another point the Mayor addressed is the issue of the gray area following the approval and implementation of the recreational market in the state. Due to structures and regulations still being put in place by the regulatory bodies, the adult-use retail market hasn’t commenced in the state. This is despite the fact that legislation for the market has been passed since March 2021.

The Mayor assured attendees that he doesn’t have any plans to clamp down on retail cannabis operators during this transition period. This is because he believes it is a gray area and he also believes that the legislature can’t do the same except they give a warning. By this, he spoke about the recent bill seeking to empower state officials to clamp down on retail operators selling recreational cannabis during this period.

Mayor Adams is also seeking to help New Yorkers apply for adult-use licenses after he allocated $5 million to help give them the needed boost. This is good news for many considering that many had fears of a clampdown given the Mayor’s history as a cop with the New York Police Department (NYPD). Those fears have all been allayed following the disposition of the Mayor and his speech at the conference.

The Mayor also used the opportunity to address the issue of weed trucks that are currently everywhere in the city of New York. The Mayor believes it is them that the legal path is quite better and more dependable. This he mentioned as he sought to stress that he is out to ensure that all in the cannabis industry are carried along and no one is shortchanged.

New York will be joining the list of states factoring social equity in their cannabis policy which includes New Jersey, Illinois, and Massachusetts. The need for equity is that it is more important to legalize recreational cannabis the right way than it is to legalize it early. This is evident in New Jersey where diversely-owned businesses possess most of the recreational licenses. This includes Blacks, Asians, Veterans, women, or people who are from zones impacted by the War on Drugs.

The Mayor of New York is following this line as he seeks to ensure that social equity debts are paid before the recreational markets open. He also hopes to address the issue of diverse people being more arrested for low-level cannabis charges compared to whites. The Mayor also suggested that summons can be used to address simple cannabis crimes. This further strengthens his voice for an all-inclusive market that is devoid of discrimination and disenfranchisement.

As we wait for the new era for recreational marijuana in New York City, the recent statements of the Mayor come as a breath of fresh air. It comes right after a bill to clamp down on retail cannabis operators during this transition period failed to get its third vote on the Senate floor. This shows that many of the lawmakers are of the same view as the Mayor in allowing the cannabis market and its users to thrive. So, we go with the words of the Mayor and enjoin all cannabis users and lovers to light up.

 

NEW YORK CITY’S CANNABIS BOOM, READ MORE…

NEW YORK CITY MARIJUANA ARRESTS DROP 95%

NYC MARIJUANA ARRESTS DROP 95% AFTER LEGALIZATION!

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New Product Alert 6-14-2022

DSPSBLS+ Delta9 Oil Disposable Vape Carts NEW to the Members Menu!

 

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America’s winning weed Strains of Summer 2022

America’s winning weed Strains of Summer 2022

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Push off those negative vibes, like shoo—there are plenty of reasons to put some amazing weed smoke in the air this summer.

We’re in a verified golden age for weed breeding and enjoyment. Champion-grade ganja blankets the country in 2022. Nineteen states have legalized it. The $25B legal industry ranks as America’s 5th largest cash crop. Modern weed blasts out designer flavors never before tasted, with higher, deeper effects never before felt.

Leafly’s annual Strains of Summer for 2022 includes new crosses of all-stars like Wedding Cake (Dream Cake) and Runtz (Red Bullz, Apple Tartz). It’s a summer of nostalgia, with ‘90s OG gas (Double OG chem), grapes (Alien Labs’ Y2K), and catatonic Hindu Phunk from Cypress Hill rapper B-Real. Their grower Kenji Fujishima has seven different OGs in their South LA flowering room.

“Word on the street is that gas is coming back—so green weed; a lot of OGs,” said Fujishima.

Lock the fridge—this summer, scrumptious new dessert strains like Cookies’ BernieHana Butter and Seed Junky Genetics Georgia Pie will be in every pantry. And it’s a summer of guaranteed gobstopping, candy-aisle, connoisseur terps—check the Zkittlez crosses like Zoap, Team Elite Genetics’ Pearadise, and Karma Genetics’ Zowahh.

Below, Leafly sniffs out the best-selling, award-winning, on-trend, dozen-ish hit strains for your summer. We looked at search and sales data, and interviewed top breeders, growers, brands, and stores across the US. Most importantly, we smelled and smoked file cabinets full of flavors. So pull up a chair and join the zaza conversation. Delivery services stand ready to take your order.

A summer of OGs

Double OG Chem

Double OG Chems can run 1.5-3% terpenes, far higher than the national average. (David Downs/Leafly)
Double OG Chems can run 1.5-3% terpenes, far higher than the national average. Hybrid. (David Downs/Leafly)

Break out the ripped denim—late ‘90s OG Kush, Sour Diesel, and Chemdog have roared back, baby. Rebel Grown Seeds’ Double OG Chem swept up at the Emerald Cup Awards 2022 in downtown LA, May 14. The all-star industry judges could not deny the classic lemon, pine, and fuel bite of OGs, and that heavy, high-THC, after-work, blast-off effect.

Double OG Chem is “two-thirds OG, one-third Chem with a dash of Sour,” says Rebel Grown breeder Dan Pomerantz, and will make you hungry, giggly, and relaxed. Exactly what we need amid the grim realities out there. Rebel Grown’s breeder carries forward the legacy of Humboldt County greatness into the legal age. Four of the top 10 strains at The Emerald Cup featured Dan’s work. “It felt great,” he said. “I felt really honored and validated.”

Woody Harrelson’s new weed shop in LA opened with Double OG Chem, and dozens of other Cali stores have it, too. Double OG Chem seeds are in commercial gardens big and small across the US—sometimes under a different name. So if you love OGs, Chems, Sours, and Glues, follow your nose to those terps and take home a bag.

Step on the gas

Animal Face

Fig Farms Animal Face. Hybrid. (David Downs/Leafly)
Fig Farms 1st place Animal Face. Hybrid. (David Downs/Leafly)

Sometimes you need to orbit the earth so high you can only hear heavy breathing and your pulse in your ears. Lunatics smoke Animal Face and go beast mode in a gym. Us mortals can enjoy this winner alone on the couch when ready to take our faces off for the night.

Animal Face crosses Face-Off OG to Animal Mints, and we’ve celebrated the Seed Junky Genetics strain since it jumped out of the bag and bit us in December. The Leafy Buzz strain grew into a Leafly Strain of 420 ‘22 and stays hot into summer, thanks to a first place finish in the indoor flower category at The Emerald Cup 2022.

Winning grower Fig Farms says they have a bunch of it this summer, so all of us mere mortals can bask in the glow of the judges’ favorite: expert-level, maximum fuel bite, dank-cookie back notes, and scorching high-THC effects.

Related

How to order weed delivery online with Leafly

Cake days and nights

Dream Cake

Dream Cake. Indica Hybrid. (Foxy Cannabis)
Dream Cake. Indica Hybrid. (Foxy Cannabis)

Take home a new Wedding Cake or Ice Cream Cake cross this summer for a guaranteed good time. Stoners keep Wedding Cake in the top 5 most searched this summer because the strain looks so icy, smells so inviting, and feels so yummy. People get relaxed, aroused, and hungry on Wedding Cakes—three feelings we could all use more of in the tense, hot months.

The easiest win? Order up Dream Cake (Wedding Cake x Sunset Sherbert) from Foxy Cannabis for delivery in LA and across California. Foxy’s team picks out and jars up only the most unique, iconic, fresh, small batches of LA indoor hydro; like, 100 pounds of each strain, or less.

Prepare to be stoked when the delivery arrives, instead of furious at a year-old jar of cardboard terps. “Everything is hand-curated. We pass on more than we’d like to,” said CEO Ryan Littman. Fashion never stops advancing, so when a Foxy flavor runs out, it’s gone.

Zkittlez country

Zoap

Zoap combines two of Deo Farms’ OZ Kush breeding projects—Rainbow Sherbet V2 x Pink Guava #16 F2. (David Downs/Leafly)
Zoap combines two of Deo Farms’ OZ Kush breeding projects—Rainbow Sherbet V2 x Pink Guava #16 F2. Hybrid. (David Downs/Leafly)

Another guaranteed win: Zkittlez crosses in 2022, especially to other champion strains like OG Kush and GSC. Go straight to the peak with Zoap. While everyone else iterated on Gelato, Deo Farms went a different way and got much farther ahead.

Like David Bowie in the Ziggy Stardust phase—it’s awe-inspiring. The secretive Oakland group dug deep into OZ Kush (Zkittlez x OG Eddy Lepp) to make a Pink Guava; then added Sunset Sherbert to make a Rainbow Sherbert—then combined those. If that just sounds like algebra, focus on Zoap’s inimitable look, and the smashing tropical-candy, creamy dank smells, and high-voltage, high-THC hybrid effects.

Zoap’s took home Best Overall at the 2022 Zalympix Championships in downtown LA, June 11. Find your snobbiest weed friend and wash their mouth out with Zoap.

See also: Cali Kush Farms Zowahh—Karma Genetics’ Zkittlez x Karma Sour D Bx.

Pearadise

Team Elite Genetics Pearadise (Peach Ozz x Kosher Kush) (David Downs/Leafly)
Team Elite Genetics Pearadise (Peach Ozz x Kosher Kush) tastes like a champ. Sativa hybrid. (David Downs/Leafly)

Sticking with Zs and OGs, Team Elite Genetics’ Pearadise may win the High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal People’s Choice 2022 for sativa flowers. It’s new, different, and well-made enough to go up against the champ, Gelonade.

LA remains the global epicenter of designer weed; they know peachy Zkittlez OG goes great with daytime fun—like disc golf or a chill hike. Pearadise fuses Peach Oz with Kosher Kush for a paradisiacal, pear-fuel smell, and daytime hybrid sativa effects.

See also: Wonderbrett Pink Picasso (Candyland x OZ Kush), which comes to Michigan this summer.

Runtz up your summer

Apple Tartz

SF Cultivators Apple Tartz (David Downs/ Leafly)
SF Cultivators Apple Tartz. Hybrid indica. (David Downs/ Leafly)

Apple Fritter has clawed its way into the top 20 most popular strains in the US through sheer genetic power. Runtz won Leafly Strain of the Year 2020 and became a national top 10 flavor. Get them on their own this summer, or even better, together: Check out Apple Tartz from legacy, small-batch indoor growers, SF Cultivators.

Apple Tartz has the bright green of Fritter and the deep purple of Runtz and hits the sweet spot between tart, sweet, and creamy gas. It’s bred by highly respected Clearwater Genetics and leans more Cookie/Diesel, with Zkittlez adding loudness. Pair this high-THC hybrid with some chillaxation, like watching the local game with a craft brew.

See also: Colorado’s Veritas Apple Fritter (Sour Apple x Animal Cookies)

Red Bullz

Compound Genetics Red Bullz. (Courtesy Compound Genetics)
Compound Genetics Red Bullz. Grape Gas x White Runtz. (Courtesy Compound Genetics)

Listen up, Runtz nation. Leading breeder Compound Genetics has begun running Red Bullz for the California legal market, and drops Red Bullz flower at the Zalympix Championships awards ceremony, June 11. Few breeders chase the platonic ideal of perfect pot harder than Compound.

Red Bullz smashes Grape Gas to White Runtz and smells like preternaturally strong grape candy that’s also tropical, spicy, and fuel-like. Effects hit like a super duper high-THC hybrid, for a concert crossfade or a gaming marathon.

The Compound flower brand officially launches with Red Bullz, plus Mellowz #8 (Spritzer x Grape Gas), Grapple Pie (Apple Fritter x Grape Gas), Jokerz #31 (White Runtz x Jet Fuel Gelato), and Rainbow Cheddar (Zkittlez x Cheese). For the growers, Compound pushes Pave (Paris OG x The Menthol)—a project with Migos’ Quavo, plus Cookies. Gangsta.

Cookie monster mode

Georgia Pie

Georgia Pie grown by Eve Gardens (Photo by Ryan Herron for Leafly)
Georgia Pie grown by Eve Gardens, Oregon. (Photo by Ryan Herron for Leafly)

This summer, America has developed a distinct craving for Seed Junky Genetics’ Georgia Pie (Gellati x Kush Mints). The crew at Real Eve Farms in Oregon are making a name for themselves on this cultivar alone. At this year’s Oregon Leaf Bowl, their Georgia Pie took home the gold in the mixed-light category.

With big fruit flavors and a fresh-baked bread scent, it’s easy to see why. A rough trim shows the dense trichomes coating both the buds and sugar leaves. The origin of the fruity peach scents? Anyone’s guess. But there’s certainly plenty of those bright and sweet scents to go around.

Lighting up a J is the best way to enjoy the big kush notes on the inhale and a pronounced effect that left us as baked as a pie fresh out of the oven.

See also: Cereal A La Mode from Powerzzzup—a new Cookie cross of Cereal Milk x Georgia Pie won Best Looking at the LA Zalympix Championships of ‘22.

BernieHana Butter

BernieHana Butter. Indica hybrid. (Courtesy Cookies)
BernieHana Butter. Indica hybrid. (Courtesy Cookies)

There are more potential weed terpene combos than could be smoked in a lifetime, so leave room for butter and dough aroma amid funk, floral, berry, and gas. Smoke the same as weed and rap mogul Berner this summer with BernieHana Butter—a crazy, intense GSC family cross (Jet Fuel Gelato x Guava) x (Blue Cookies x Oreoz).

Since surviving cancer, Berner’s made “no time for negative energy” a mantra, and this strain protects your peace with a calm, relaxing body high, that’ll help you go easy on yourself.

See also: For more GSC royalty—Blueprint Triple Lindy in CA, Decibel Farms’ Macaroon #31 (MAC x Cookies and Cream).

Fresh Purps

Purple Octane

Purple Octane. (Photo courtesy Seed Junky Genetics)
Purple Octane is (Biscotti x Sherb BX1) x (Jealousy F2). Indica. (Photo courtesy Seed Junky Genetics)

Some folks will not buy weed unless it’s purple—and those folks buy a lot of weed; a lot of weed from leading breeder/grower Seed Junky Genetics. Shocker, the LA gang has a purple on tap this summer—their Purple Octane.

It’s got a tank full of GSC genes that grow out grapey, gassy, and cookie, hitting purple gas lovers right in the nostrils and pinning them to the back of their seat with maximum THC scores. “This is a strain that’s been picking up a lot of traction in the market due to its coloring as well as its nose,” the SJG team tells us. “We’ve had it on our menu here and there, but expect to keep the volume up through the summer.”

See also: Lithouse’s Emerald Cup ’22-winning Modified Grapes (GMO x Purple Punch).

Straight indica old school

Hindu Phunk (aka Hindu Kush)

Insane brand Hindu Phunk. Indica. (David Downs/Leafly)
Insane’s grower Kenji Fujishima said, “If it has less than 1% terpenes, it’ll never see the inside of an Insane bag.” Hindu Phunk. Indica. (David Downs/Leafly)

We’re seeing a lot of breeders hunting deep in their genetic libraries, digging out a classic, and polishing it up for today’s heads. For example, rapper B-Real’s brand Insane popped an ancient seed of deep indica Hindu Kush and found a 2022 winner in Hindu Phunk. It’s big, icy, dark, hashy, and minty, with insomnia-crushing indica effects.

“We’re definitely getting a lot more requests for it, so we’re bumping up production of that one,” said Kenji Fujishima.

The legacy cultivation licensee has a 400-light indoor farm in South LA pumping out the Phunk, and lots of OG crosses, so stay on them. Hindu Phunk crushes regular insomnia or something spicier; like when the molly starts wearing off.

And a GMO to go

Chemical Compound

Speaking of heavy indicas, we saved a GMO Cookies cross for last. Chemical Compound comes from Nevada flower brand Pistola, via the Thrive Cannabis Marketplace. Pistola’s flagship strain crosses GMO Cookies x Otter Popz for a weird, singularly heady, intense hybrid that pairs with Amazon’s new season of The Boys.

See also: Freddy’s Fuego of Washington’s Dante’s Inferno #4 (Devil Driver x Oreoz); bred by Clearwater Genetics and Tiki Madman.

Devil Driver #4 from breeders Clearwater Genetics and Tiki Madman. Grown and hunted by Freddy's Fuego, WA. (Courtesy Freddy's Fuego)
Devil Driver #4 from breeders Clearwater Genetics and Tiki Madman. Grown and hunted by Freddy’s Fuego, WA. (Courtesy Freddy’s Fuego)

Oregon freelancer Ryan Herron contributed to this story.

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David Downs

David Downs directs news and lifestyle coverage as the California Bureau Chief for Leafly.com. He’s written for WIRED, Rolling Stone and Billboard, and is the former cannabis editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as the author of several cannabis books including ‘Marijuana Harvest’ by Ed Rosenthal and David Downs. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. TW: @davidrdowns | IG @daviddowns

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West Virginia Advocates Collecting Signatures for Decriminalization Ballot Measures

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A West Virginia cannabis advocacy group called Charleston Can’t Wait has recently been collecting signatures to put a decriminalization measure on the ballot this November in Fairmount and Charleston.

The organization is connected to West Virginia Can’t Wait, which is led by former 2020 governor candidate Stephen Smith. Described as “a movement to win a people’s government in the Mountain State,” it strives to support political candidates who represent the people of West Virginia and aren’t accepting donations from corporations or the fossil fuel industry.

Charleston Can’t Wait is on track to collect the required 2,000 signatures for its decriminalization effort by July 14. As of May 27, the organization’s Facebook page reported an update on the overwhelming support from local residents. “We’re a whole heap of signatures closer tonight! Why? Because nearly every single person we ask says YES,” the organization said on its social media.

If voted into law, those caught in possession of cannabis would be charged a fine similar to that of a speeding ticket. “So, that’s what the goal is, and essentially, the ordinance that we have would do. It’s commonly referred to as, ‘No fines, no time and no court costs,’” said West Virginia Can’t Wait Director Sarah Hutson.

According to the Times West Virginia, Charleston Can’t Wait is aiming to collect 3,000 signatures in Fairmount. Only 2,010 are required, which is 15% of the city’s 13,402 residents, but they currently have under 100 signatures. In Charleston however, only 1,919 valid signatures are required, and over 1,000 signatures have been collected so far.

“In Charleston’s Charter, you do not need to pre-file to do a ballot initiative, you just start collecting signatures and then turn them in at the end,” Hutson said. “Whereas, here in Fairmont, you have to actually start with a committee of five people who are going to be responsible for the petition and you have to have an affidavit signed by each of them, then the city provides the format of the signature collection.”

Fairmount was chosen as a focus location because the organization had previously been established there in 2020 with Smith’s run for governor. To Hutson though, it was a matter of local support. “We didn’t really choose Fairmont, Fairmont chose us.”

West Virginia passed a medical cannabis law in 2017, which was signed by Gov. Jim Justice. However, the state didn’t open up license registration until May 2021, which initially began with 1,400 applicants and quickly increased to 4,000 by November 2021. West Virginia welcomed the opening of its first dispensary, located in Morgantown, in November 2021.

Medical cannabis dispensary rollout has continued, albeit not at a rapid pace. According to West Virginia Public Broadcasting, seven out of the 10 cultivators are operational now, but only 17 out of the state’s 100 dispensary allowances are currently open.

Johnny McFadden, co-founder of Mountaineer Integrated Care, explained that the state’s 17 dispensaries aren’t enough to serve the state’s many medical cannabis patients. “Unfortunately, they’re not spread out, especially the Eastern Panhandle.” said “You look at the map, there’s nothing, and that is a huge barrier to patient access right now.” To date, West Virginia’s Office of Medical Cannabis has received 10,031 medical cannabis patient applications.

McFadden added that the desire to hire local has caused a few delays. “You couldn’t possibly have legal cannabis experience as a potential employee, unless you’re breaking the law, which makes it tough to put it on a resume,” McFadden said.

Charleston Can’t Wait advocates are regularly hosting education and signature collecting events, which are happening nearly every weekend between now and July 14.

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