Digital Commons Network^™

We(Ed) The People Of Cannabis, In Order To Form A More Equitable Industry: A Theory For Imagining New Social Equity Approaches To Cannabis Regulation, Garrett I. Halydier

University of Massachusetts Law Review

States increasingly implement “social equity” programs as an element of new cannabis regulations; however, these programs routinely fail to achieve their goals and frequently exacerbate the inequities they purport to solve, leaving inequitable industries, high incarceration rates, and broken communities in their wake. This ineffectiveness is due to the industry’s fundamental confusion of the modern, individualized concept of “equity” with the historical, society-level concept of “social equity.” In this paper, I develop a new theory of “cannabis social equity” to integrate these concepts, and I apply that theory, first, to diagnose why current policies fall short and, second, to propose …

Improving The Water Solubility Of Cannabidiol Using A Peptide Carrier, Melek Parlak Khalily

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Cannabidiol (CBD), nonpsychotropic cannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa, is a very promising drug candidate offering many differential effects such as sedative, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Nevertheless, the therapeutic use of CBD is hindered by its lack of water solubility and relatively low bioavailability. Various carriers have been used to address the solubility issues of CBD and other highly lipophilic drugs so far. However, self-assembled peptide nanostructures as carrier have not been used to improve the water solubility of CBD yet. In this study, a self-assembling peptide micelle was demonstrated to be an effective vehicle for encapsulation of CBD and …

Illegal Contracts And Agreements: A New Standard For Prostitution And Marijuana Agreements, Doug Rendleman

Washington and Lee Law Review

Agreements exchanging sex for money and those involving marijuana may encounter illegality defenses in court. Granting a legal remedy for breach of an agreement that exchanges seriously illegal consideration would lower the court’s public standing and endanger its legitimacy. On the other hand, the spectacle of a buyer claiming its own illegality to escape paying its seller troubles courts.

Lord Mansfield stated the illegality defense in Holman v. Johnson: “No Court will lend its aid to a man who founds his cause of action upon an immoral or an illegal act.” Yet he rejected the illegality defense in that case …

The Use Of Oral Fluid Samples To Test For Driving Under The Influence Of Marijuana, Ian Wise

Georgia Criminal Law Review

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) cases pose unique challenges to the criminal justice system. An evidentiary chemical test is a vital piece of evidence in a DUID prosecution because unlike alcohol, drugs do not cause impairment in a uniform fashion. Breath tests cannot detect drugs, and the intrusiveness of blood and urine tests has been the focus of Court cases over the past half-century with decisions in Missouri v. McNeely and Birchfield v. North Dakota curtailing the government’s ability to obtain this evidence without a warrant.

The need for a less intrusive alternative is driven by the doubling …

Settler Cannabis By Kaitlyn Reed, Danielle Lopez

Natural Resources Journal

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of Mycorrhizae And Vermicompost Seed Inoculation For Germination, Vegetative Growth, Cannabinoid Content, And Cured Flower Weight Of Cbd-Rich Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.), Hannah Boyer, Nicole Wagner, Merritt Drewery

Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research

Effective germination and vigorous growth of hemp cultivars is paramount to cultivators’ ability to produce high-quality hemp products. Beneficial bacteria and fungi are known symbionts to plants and are used in regenerative agriculture to increase plant health and crop yield. This pilot study investigated the effect of microbial seed inoculation on germination rate, plant height, cured flower weight, and cannabinoid content of cannabidiol (CBD)-rich hemp (Cannabis sativa L). The experiment included a control and the following treatments: 1) seed inoculation of Great White ^â Premium Mycorrhizae (GW), 2) seed inoculation of vermicompost (V), and 3) seed inoculation of Great …

We(Ed) Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident: All Things Cannabis Are Inequitable, Garrett I. Halydier

University of Massachusetts Law Review

Current approaches to social equity in the cannabis industry continue to fail to promote racial equity while simultaneously exacerbating gender, environmental, and other inequities. To better understand the structural dynamics underlying this phenomenon, I first present a multi-disciplinary recounting of not only the racial inequities, but also the stigma, business, research, energy, sex and gender, hemp, and international inequities of the War on Drugs. This serves as the foundation for a compilation of the structural and theoretical reasons for how current social equity policies, whether targeting the cannabis industry, community reinvestment, social justice, or access equity, will only continue to …

Weed Like Our Money Back: Amending Pennsylvania’S Medical Cannabis Law For Insolvent Cannabusinesses, Nikolajs V. Gaikis

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

In 2016, Pennsylvania joined what is now 37 states and the District of Columbia in legalizing medical cannabis. The Commonwealth’s cannabusinesses share in a struggle that is common in other legal jurisdictions: operating within the confines of the Controlled Substances Act and the Bankruptcy Code. Insolvent individuals and businesses that profit from cannabis or hold cannabis assets cannot declare bankruptcy because cannabis is a Schedule I drug. Under state law, other insolvency alternatives like an assignment for the benefit of creditors, receiverships, and compositions with creditors exist as potential alternatives.

Pennsylvania’s insolvent cannabusinesses are in a uniquely poor position because …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Current Cannabis Use Among U.S. Young Adults, Afolakemi C. Olaniyan, Keith A. King, Laura A. Nabors, Ashley L. Merianos

Health Behavior Research

Cannabis use is a significant public health issue among U.S. young adults. The objective of this study was to assess the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and current cannabis use among U.S. young adults. We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, which involved 498 U.S. young adults 18-24 years old who had data available for analysis on ACEs and current cannabis use. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were fitted to examine the associations between ACEs and current cannabis use. Adjusted models included participants’ sex, race/ethnicity, education level, and household income …

Tribal Cannabis Agriculture Law, Ryan B. Stoa

Utah Law Review

Indian tribes have some freedom to develop their own approach to cannabis agriculture, but what is the nature of that freedom, and how have tribes acted upon it?

This Article investigates the current legal framework surrounding tribal cannabis agriculture and tribal participation in legal cannabis markets. It is generally believed that tribes have some authority to determine the legality of cannabis cultivation on their lands, and to create rules and regulations governing that practice. However, this freedom is nascent and inconsistently granted by the federal government. In addition, the legal frameworks tribes are developing with respect to cannabis agriculture are …

To Hemp In A Handbasket: The Meaning Of “Controlled Substance” Under The Career Offender Enhancement, Jacob Friedman

Georgia Criminal Law Review

Sentencing enhancements can drastically impact prison sentences for people convicted of federal crimes. The career offender enhancement is particularly harmful to a federal criminal defendant because it automatically raises their minimum offense level and criminal history score under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which, although no longer mandatory, are almost always followed by judges in determining actual prison sentences. Since 2016, the career offender enhancement has been applied to almost 8,000 criminal defendants who, at the time of their convictions, had accrued a total of two or more predicate felony convictions, for either a drug offense or a crime of violence …

Legalize For Legal Highs: How Georgia Can Address Racial Disparities In The Criminal Legal System By Legalizing Recreational Cannabis, Nneka Ewulonu

Georgia Criminal Law Review

Cannabis prohibition is a policy failure that nevertheless continues to impact more than half of Americans, including Georgians. Remaining true to its roots in racism and xenophobia, cannabis criminalization has disparate impacts, with Black Americans being more likely to be arrested or incarcerated for a cannabis related offense. Furthermore, cannabis criminalization results in tens of millions of missed tax dollars for the state. This article argues for a clear policy solution; it is time for Georgia to legalize cannabis. As demonstrated by the 21 states that have legalized recreational cannabis as of Fall 2022, legalizing recreational cannabis creates both economic …

Brain And Behavior: Cognitive Failures Are Associated With Sensation Seeking Via Adolescent Marijuana Use, Nicole B. Rodrigues

FIU Undergraduate Research Journal

A main concern regarding adolescent marijuana use is its long-term negative health effects, such as alterations to brain structure and function, which can lead to deficits in working memory (e.g., cognitive failures). This raises concerns for the development of proper executive functioning in marijuana-using adolescents. As such, understanding factors leading to adolescent marijuana use, such as personality, can allow for an assessment of predispositions that could pose a threat to their cognitive health. This study examined whether adolescent marijuana use mediates the effect of sensation-seeking on cognitive failures. An adolescent sample (N=165; 48.8% Female, 88.6% White, 84.9% Hispanic/Latinx, …

Cannabis, Communities, And Place: (Re)Constructing Humboldt’S Post-Prohibition Present, Josh Meisel, Dominic Corva, Ara Pachmayer

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Since 1990, many Cal Poly Humboldt faculty and students have made cannabis the focus of scholarship and learning. This work has been shaped by the political, economic, and cultural legacies of cannabis in Humboldt County. Scholarly interest spans multiple dimensions of cannabis cultivation, commerce, consumption, and related social issues. As a multidisciplinary team of scholars, Cal Poly Humboldt faculty affiliated with the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HIIMR) have also shaped the Bachelor of Arts in Cannabis Studies that will launch in Fall 2023. This is the first social science degree program in the United States with this orientation. …

Vegetable Oil-Based Cannabis: Its Cannabinoid Profiling And Photoprotective Effect On Uva-Irradiated Human Skin Keratinocytes, Nur Alfan Muhammad Zen, Kwanlada Kobtrakul, Petlada Khositanon, Kittipong Sanookpan, Visarut Buranasudja, Sornkanok Vimolmangkang

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Vegetable oils serve as affordable, non-toxic, and eco-friendly solvents for plant extraction. Chemical fingerprinting shows that vegetable oil-based cannabis has a cannabinoid profile similar to that of organic solvent-based cannabis. All samples possess antioxidative effects as they contain several cannabinoids and other unidentified compounds, with rice bran oil-based sample exhibiting the strongest effect. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content in sesame oil-based and perilla seed oil-based cannabis differed significantly from that in virgin coconut oil (VCO)-based cannabis. In addition, THC and CBD content in all vegetable oil-based samples prepared using the heating and frying method differed significantly from that in …

Declaring Dankruptcy: Exploring Avenues To Relief For Debtors Involved With Cannabis, Danny O'Connor

University of Cincinnati Law Review

No abstract provided.

Prevalence And Effect Of Cannabis Use In Acute Pancreatitis Of Unknown Etiology, Hanna Tran

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Simons-Linares CR, Barkin JA, Wang Y, et al. Is There an Effect of Cannabis Consumption on Acute Pancreatitis?. Dig Dis Sci. 2018;63(10):2786-2791. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-018-5169-2

for a patient with cannabis-associated acute pancreatitis.

The Fallacy Of A One Size Fits All Cannabis Policy, Amanda Reiman

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Although the cannabis plant is one of the oldest herbal products currently in use, the policies and research surrounding its use and associated risks and benefits have been points of contention throughout its modern lifespan. Cannabis has been seen as a revered botanical medicine, a demon substance sure to ruin modern society, and an alternative to Western-born pharmaceutical drugs and treatments. Over time, the debate concerning cannabis has been driven by morality, science, politics, economics and social control. Given its multiple uses (textiles, medicine, and relaxation), developing one policy to encompass these uses in a responsible way remains elusive. This …

Women In The Marijuana Industry, Karen August

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

This paper explores the experiences of women involved with rural marijuana production in Northern California. Using grounded theory analysis, my research explores patterns and trends in the daily lives of women participants in the growing community. Multiple dimensions are explored, highlighting divisions of labor, gender, social networking, and elements of power and class. My research aims to provide a rich and highly textured portrait of various women as they operate from different positions within a legally ambiguous economy. Though the federal government continues to judge marijuana cultivation and distribution to be illegal, the marijuana industry thrives in the progressively tolerant …

Should Per Se Limits Be Imposed For Cannabis? Equating Cannabinoid Blood Concentrations With Actual Driver Impairment: Practical Limitations And Concerns, Paul Armentano

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Fourteen US states have amended their longstanding, effect-based DUI drug laws to per se or zero tolerant per se statutes in regard to cannabis. Other states are considering enacting similar legislation. Under these amended traffic safety laws, it is a criminal violation for one to operate a motor vehicle with trace levels of cannabinoids or their metabolites in his or her blood or urine. Opponents of per se cannabinoid limits argue that neither the presence of cannabinoids nor their metabolites are appropriate or consistent predictors of behavioral or psychomotor impairment. They further argue that the imposition of such per se …

Influence Of Acute Exercise On Postprandial Lipemia And Fat Oxidation In Active Cannabis Users, Grace Handler, Colin Atkins, Casandra Mendez, Alvin Molina, Lauryn Outlaw, Maren Plant, Matthew M. Schubert

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Adults residing in industrialized nations spend most of their day in a postprandial state. This can cause prolonged elevated levels of triglycerides and glucose post-meal, leading to increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease. In epidemiological literature, cannabis users have been reported to have similar or lower levels of blood lipids compared to nonusers. However, postprandial responses and whether prior exercise improves postprandial lipemia (PPL) in this population is not known. PURPOSE: To examine the influence of prior exercise on PPL in active cannabis users. METHODS: This analysis presents preliminary data from a larger ongoing study comparing prior …

Highlighting The Disconnect Between Legislation And Sustainable Cannabis, Johnathon A. Macias

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Current legislation takes little regard for two major issues challenging the cannabis industry. The carbon footprint and legislation of cannabis are looked at where it is realized that neither is currently sustainable long-term. Solutions that require social responsibility from the legislation to preserve the culture and industry are delved into.

High Time For Change: The Legalization Of Marijuana And Its Impact On Warrantless Roadside Motor Vehicle Searches, Molly E. O'Connell

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

The proliferation of marijuana legalization has changed the relationship between driving and marijuana use. While impaired driving remains illegal, marijuana use that does not result in impairment is not a bar to operating a motor vehicle. Scientists have yet to find a reliable way for law enforcement officers to make this distinction. In the marijuana impairment context, there is not a scientifically proven equivalent to the Blood Alcohol Content standard nor are there reliable roadside assessments. This scientific and technological void has problematic consequences for marijuana users that get behind the wheel and find themselves suspected of impaired driving. Without …

Associations Between Cannabis, Psychosis, And Schizophrenia In Adolescents, Lauren Moment

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research

The effects of cannabis use on the brain, mind, and body have been studied for decades. The developing brain, particularly the adolescent and young adult brain, undergoes critical development that makes it especially susceptible to the effects of cannabis use. Among the adverse effects of cannabis use in adolescence and young adulthood, psychosis and psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia) have been examined. The association of cannabis use with schizophrenia was first elucidated in a Swedish study of army conscripts. Specifically, conscripts reported their cannabis use exposure and were followed longitudinally to assess the emergence of schizophrenia. The authors found that those …

"Serving Time And It's No Longer A Crime: An Analysis Of The Proposed Cannabis Administration And Opportunity Act, Its Potential Effects At The Federal And State Level, And A Guide For Practical Application By Local Government", R. Allyce Bailey

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

There has been much recent discussion surrounding cannabis use with some researchers supporting the use of medical marijuana, some investors relishing in the recently booming cannabis and CBD industry, and some states decriminalizing marijuana and even harsh controlled substances. As it appears, at least some public opinion is changing regarding marijuana, but the law has not effectively caught up to that change. Bias in the criminal justice system has led to the over-policing of, higher conviction rates, and harsher sentences for minorities. Thus, the decriminalization of marijuana alone does not remedy the grave disproportionate negative effects on populations of color …

Trends In Cannabis-Related And Opioid-Related Hospitalization Rates In Maine, 2010-2020, Suzanne Mcmahon, Katherine Ahrens

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction: Medical marijuana use became legal in the state of Maine in 1999, and recreational adult-use marijuana became legal in 2016. However, the rates of hospitalization related to marijuana (also known as cannabis) use have not been studied. We estimated trends in cannabis-related hospitalization rates in Maine based on rurality and descriptively compared these trends to opioid-related hospitalization rates during the past decade.

Methods: We obtained de-identified data of inpatient encounters for Maine residents between 2010 and 2020 from MaineHealth Data Organization. We then calculated age-standardized rates of cannabis-related and opioid-related hospitalizations overall and by rural-urban residence using International Classification …

Review Of Cannabis Use Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Julia Butt, Mandy Wilson, Jocelyn Jones, Simon Lenton

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

The health effects of cannabis use may not always be seen as a high priority for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. However, the impact of cannabis use on physical and mental health can have significant consequences. It is known that the use of high potency cannabis has increased over the last two decades, with a corresponding increased risk to health. In particular, young people are at increased risk of experiencing harms to mental health. Physical harms to health include effects on the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, an increased risk of cancer, and in-utero effects from maternal use. The review …

Legalization Without Disruption: Why Congress Should Let States Restrict Interstate Commerce In Marijuana, Scott Bloomberg, Robert A. Mikos

Pepperdine Law Review

Over the past twenty-five years, states have developed elaborate regulatory systems to govern lawful marijuana markets. In designing these systems, states have assumed that the Dormant Commerce Clause (“DCC”) does not apply; Congress, after all, has banned all commerce in marijuana. However, the states’ reprieve from the doctrine may soon come to an end. Congress is on the verge of legalizing marijuana federally, and once it does, it will unleash the DCC, with dire consequences for the states and the markets they now regulate. This Article serves as a wake-up call. It provides the most extensive analysis to date of …

Taking It To The Bank: The Need For A Federal Legislative Safe Harbor For Financial Institutions Offering Services To State-Legal Marijuana-Related Businesses, Andrew Bloomfield

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

(Excerpt)

Imagine that you are a small business owner. Rather than opening a new coffee shop, craft brewery, or chic clothing store, you decide to enter one of the fastest-growing industries in the country: marijuana (also referred to herein as “cannabis”). Your state, Washington, has recently legalized recreational use of marijuana, and your new marijuana-related business (MRB), Plantworks, has joined thousands of other licensed producers to supply the new growing market.

You and your business partner lease 2,500 square feet of industrial workspace in Seattle’s North End and produce several pounds of high-quality “craft” cannabis for distribution to local dispensaries. …

Cannabis Derivatives And Trademark Registration: The Case Of Delta-8-Thc, W. Michael Schuster

Indiana Law Journal

The legal environment surrounding the cannabis industry is ambiguous and constantly changing. While cannabis is prohibited under federal law, a 2018 statute legalized a variant of the cannabis plant (“hemp”) that is low in its most common intoxicating agents. Recognizing this, entrepreneurs began to process hemp to extract and sell chemicals contained therein. Included in this trend is the extraction of Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC)—a psychoactive drug with an increasing market presence in states where most cannabis (e.g., “marijuana”) is illegal.

As competition in the Δ8-THC field emerged, firms sought to distinguish their wares through brand recognition and federal trademark registration. …