With recreational marijuana use legalized in the state, more dispensaries are opening their stores for recreational users. The industry is booming, but authorities urge people to be responsible and think before getting behind the wheel after using cannabis.

It comes after experts report the increase of traffic deaths related to cannabis use in states that previously legalized the drug’s recreational use. A Phoenix lawyer reported that DUI incidents are on the rise even before Proposition 207 went into effect.

Fennemore Craig, P.C. attorney, Marc Lamber, expressed his immense concern with rising marijuana-related DUI incidents with his first-hand experience as a personal injury lawyer. He commented that he has hands-on knowledge of the devastation driving after getting high from using cannabis can cause.

Lamber said that once getting someone hurt or killed after getting behind the wheel while impaired changes many things. It can affect the victim’s life, including the families, and could also change the suspect’s life, he added.

Lamber has been keeping a close eye on the statistics from other states that already legalized the use of cannabis, especially for recreational purposes. He exclaimed that everything is still in the early phase, and the real data isn’t available yet, even in states that already passed the legalization of recreational cannabis.

According to him, what is present is the two-fold increase in the THC-fatality rate in states like Washington and Colorado. From a report made by RMHITDA after the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, traffic deaths increased by 35%, and the cannabis-related traffic deaths boosted by 151% in 2018.

It’s the kind of increase that he wishes to never see in Arizona, he stated. However, he also admitted that it might take some time before drug driving enforcement reaches the drinking and driving level in terms of the law.

Lamber stated that drinking while driving has been unlawful since the 1900s, with the earliest laws in New York regarding it established around 1910. Breath analyzers for alcohol have also been present for the longest time and have been used even back in 1950. However, THC only gets detected through the blood.

Lamber commented that among the methods they are testing are police drug vans. In this case, they won’t have to send people to the police station or the hospital to test for THC. However, dug vans will require the office to be certified phlebotomists.

According to Lamber, another challenge is the lack of a standard amount to consider a case of drug impairment, unlike in alcohol. So, police officers will only need to show the slightest degree of drug impairment to get someone prosecuted for drug DUI. Lamber added that such cases are largely similar to alcohol DUI but have heftier penalties, larger fines, jail time, and even suspension of driver’s license.

There is also the fact that researchers pointed out, like marijuana staying in the body for a couple of days. It means that even with toxicology tests, there is no way to point out whether a driver was under impairment during the accident. Although there are conflicting studies about this topic, researchers agree that more testing is necessary.

The Ohio state regulators have been facing a new lawsuit that claims they have failed to follow their own rules and processes and has hired scoring consultants who had made several scoring errors.

The unsuccessful applicants led by Jimmy Gould filed a lawsuit in Franklin County Common Pleas court that challenges the process of awarding highly sought after licenses by the Ohio Department of Commerce. Jimmy Gould of CannAscend OHIO LLC wanted the judge to block the Ohio state from granting legal marijuana production operating licenses to 12 companies who have been given provisional certificates.

Together with CannAscend that challenges the Ohio Department of Commerce with the lawsuit are CannaMed Therapeutics LLC, Schottenstein Aphria LLC, Trillium Holdings, Palliatech Ohio LLC, and Appalachian Pharm Products LLC.

The lawsuit complaint cites that the Ohio Department of Commerce of committing several mistakes, name:

1. Five companies should have been considered unfitted since they have been unable to meet the pass-fail criteria;

2. Two minority-owned businesses that have been awarded licenses aren’t owned and operated by the individuals;

3. The calculation of scores for some applicants is inaccurate;

4. Two scoring consultants who have knowledge of the scoring rubric prior to the application deadline have conflict of interest with the companies that have been awarded licenses.

The lawsuit identifies Ohio Department of Commerce Director Jacqueline Williams, three scoring consultants, and the 12 companies that have been awarded conditional licenses as defendants.

The mistakes that have been committed lead to unfair and flawed scoring process and plaintiff companies spent millions of dollars to comply with the rules of the department.

The Ohio Department of Commerce declines and does not comment regarding the pending litigation. Its officials have defended the scoring processes, and they continue to establish the program for the Sept. 8 deadline for legal marijuana production to be up and running.

The lawsuit has brought up issues that have evoked doubts on the consultants that the department employs to help assess applications.

The department has been sued for scoring errors. The complaint mentions that:

1. Some applicants were marked for failing to show appropriately packaged material under a rule that wasn’t finalized until three months after the applications have been submitted.

2. Applicants were scored with criteria that did not appear within the state law instructions.

3. The department had errors on adding up scores of 14 of 17 applications.

Plaintiffs accuse the department of neglecting the fact that the grow sites of 4 legal marijuana production applicants did not meet the prerequisite of being 500 feet away from a school, church, playground and more. While the department states that the licensees were given nine months to comply with the rules and regulations, the plaintiffs say that it isn’t intent of the law and has not been mentioned to applicants.

The lawsuit brought about by the plaintiffs mentions that most of the 25 scorers work for the state and have limited knowledge of medical marijuana.

The plaintiffs have claimed that the department has failed to assign the legal marijuana production applications to competent scorers who have enough knowledge of the subject matter and are capable of producing efficient and legitimate results.

The commission voted after the residents of Viera, Tom and Anita Unrath, persuaded the commissioners to help the people who can benefit from the use of medical marijuana. Tom Unrath, a pastor at Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cocoa, urged commissioners to help people who have medical conditions.

Tom has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a disabling disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, back in 2004. Because of his ailment, Tom wishes there will be medical marijuana dispensaries in Brevard County. Multiple sclerosis is one of the conditions which can be solved with the use of medical marijuana.

Anita Unrath has stated that the decision is a no-brainer and is in support of the proposal to allow the opening of medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated Brevard. Anita has also mentioned that these dispensaries can be beneficial as it can provide access to something that isn’t opioids.

Anita reveals how it pains her to watch her husband suffer from the consequences of having multiple sclerosis, adding that she knows how it can be excruciating.

Tom Unrath has included in his debate that there are more than 170,000 Floridians who are suffering from multiple sclerosis; therefore, a lot of people can benefit from having medical marijuana dispensaries.

The county commissioners are considering the measures to create the new zoning rules that cover medical marijuana dispensaries and pharmacies. The proposed rules includes that dispensaries should have access to major roads, sanitary sewer, and water utility hookups. There should be at least 500-feet distance between dispensaries and schools.

Kristine Isnardi, the County Commission Vice Chair and a registered nurse, has been in support of the idea of having dispensaries, stating that it is the will of the voters.

Back in 2016, Florida voters favored the constitutional amendment to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to open for certain people who have medical conditions. The voting generated 71.3 percent in support of the opening of the dispensaries.

Isnardi says that some people have fears about the existence of medical marijuana dispensaries, but once people can look past the fear, treatment centers will open up all over the county.

Commissioner Curt Smith claims that he is aware it was the voters who voted for it, and he would like to give them the opportunity. However, the problem is the unintended consequences which they won’t know might happen.

The chief executive officer of U.S. Cannabis Pharmaceutical Research and Development told the commissioners that it’s the right time to move forward, noting that medical marijuana is legal in 29 other states.

The director of Brevard County’s Planning and Development, Tad Calkins, has explained that the dispensing facilities will be regulated by the state, and will be monitored through video surveillances; its employees will be registered with local enforcement agencies.

Marijuana news providers like The High Times have reported that North Korean cannabis is legal, plentiful,  and overwhelmingly cheap. According to sources, Chinese tourists to this secretive country are hoarding up on bags of marijuana which only costs around $US3 for almost half a kilo. These are then being sold illegally in their home country.

However, this news circulating about the legality of marijuana in this secretive nation is a bit hazy. Apparently, its cultivation in the North is completely authorized but selling and smoking it is illegal. Marijuana users can face serious trouble in the North.

Yeoksam

Locally in North Korea, marijuana is known as “Yeoksam”. As encouraged by the former leader, Kim Il Sung,it has been widely cultivated in the North for the longest time. This was the solution to their cooking oil shortage in the 80s. It is still being used for that purpose until now.

This plant can be seen everywhere in North Korea. They are so widespread that they have long been considered as a wild one. One source said that the people there have just recently realized that this plant can really be very profitable. They are now fighting with one another for the possession of this wonder plant.

No High

A traveler who frequents North Korea, Troy Collings, explained that the marijuana plant that is abundant there is just hemp or also called as industrial hemp. It has no THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)which is its active chemical component that is responsible for its hallucinogen effects or “high” on marijuana users. This is sold as a cheap alternative to tobacco. He said that this marijuana strain cannot even give you a high no matter how much you smoke.

It grows wild in the North Korean Regions that are mountainous. People pick and dry these and then being sold to local markets. Aside from cooking oil, marijuana plants are also being used as the rabbit food.

The Pyongyang Hemp Processing Factory promotes hemp as an environment-friendly product that they use on several things. Not only that it is being used as cooking oil or rabbit food, it is being utilized for clothes, towels, and noodles as well.

Rumors

On the other hand, Koryo Tours’ General Manager Simon Cockerell stressed that the idea cannabis is legal in North Korea has spread like wildfire. Koryo Tours is an agency that brings foreign tourists to North Korea and because of this “rumor”; they just keep getting queries about marijuana from their prospective tourist clients who are possibly marijuana users.

He firmly stated that this plan is not lawful and that tourists will not be able to get it easily.  However multiple sources and news outlets have in fact confirmed, though certain parties such as Simon Cockerell denied this due to what is most likely a healthy dose of paranoia, marijuana is a common commodity in North Korea that is prized by Chinese smugglers and the government turns a blind eye to this revenue generating pastime.

Either way, it’s still reasonable to say in the off chance one find’s themselves within North Korea and sees a marijuana plant, best to just keep moving no matter what the reality may be.