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Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana. This week, we check in on the state of hemp in the state of Ohio. We note that Medicare will now cover CBD products. Idaho cannabis supporters have collected signatures for a medical marijuana ballot initiative. And finally, could cannabis provide a source of funding for TSA?
OHIO
Restrictions on cannabis products went into effect in Ohio late last week. Opponents of the measure were unable to gather enough signatures to put a referendum on the ballot that might have stopped the implementation of the new rules. Cannabis is still legal in Ohio, but smoking in public is not allowed, there are limits on THC levels, consumers can only purchase cannabis at licensed dispensaries (goodbye gas station weed!), and users cannot possess cannabis grown outside the state.
MEDICARE
Starting next week, Medicare participants could get up to $500 in coverage for eligible hemp products. There are any number of caveats, of course, and the whole thing could blow up if federal hemp policy changes later this year, as it is currently expected to do. So, get that hemp now, seniors!
IDAHO
Medical cannabis supporters have gathered more than enough signatures to put a ballot initiative before the voters in November. Because there are always some signatures that are disqualified, collection will continue until the May 1 deadline. Legalization efforts have failed in the past, so there are no guarantees this will even get on the ballot, let alone win, although a recent poll showed overwhelming support for medical cannabis in the state. And because of course every state has its own special wrinkle, Idaho voters will also be presented with a constitutional amendment (passed by the legislature) that would allow only the legislature to legalize cannabis or any other controlled substance. So if you want legal cannabis Gem Staters, you better turn out in November!
AND FINALLY
As we all know, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers are currently not being paid, due to a lack of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Jimmy Kimmel recently joked that perhaps they could sell the weed they confiscate to help pay the bills.
Be well everyone – we’ll see you next week.
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