In December 2014 the states of Nebraska and Oklahoma filed suit against Colorado to stop the state from allowing commercial growing and distribution of marijuana in Colorado. Because the case involves a dispute between two states it was filed directly with the U.S. Supreme Court. In early May, the court asked the U.S. Solicitor General to file a brief on the administration’s view of the case.

The U.S. Solicitor General sided with Colorado in that brief filed on December 16th. In essence, the brief urges the Court to reject the challenge to Colorado law. Here’s the Solicitor General’s main point:

The motion for leave to file a bill of complaint should be denied because this is not an appropriate case for the exercise of this Court’s original jurisdiction. Entertaining the type of dispute at issue here — essentially that one State’s laws make it more likely that third parties will violate federal and state law in another State — would represent a substantial and unwarranted expansion of this Court’s original jurisdiction.

The federal government’s argument does not address the merits of the case, arguing instead that the Supreme Court does not normally take cases of this type and that now is not the time to start. If the Court accepts the Solicitor General’s argument, Nebraska and Oklahoma could still file the suit in federal district court.

Here are other important news stories for the week.

The Best Kept Banking Secret in the Marijuana Industry
During a routine audit of a business account in 2014, Maps Credit Union discovered it was providing financial services for a marijuana dispensary.

Shane Saunders, vice president of operations for Maps, said the credit union had a decision to make: Close the account, or create policies to serve it within state and federal guidelines. They chose to keep the account open.

The accounts Maps offers to marijuana businesses are one of the best-kept secrets in the industry.

The credit union doesn’t advertise the accounts. Businesses that have an account can’t talk about it — Maps has them sign a non-disclosure agreement when the account is opened, Saunders said.

For Oregon’s cannabis business owners unaware of Maps’ unique service, securing something as simple as a checking account can be nearly impossible.

Read more at the Statesman Journal.

Finding the Right Strain of Medical Marijuana
As a medical marijuana patient and caregiver since 2007, I would like to share some thoughts and observations about a recent survey by Care by Design, a medical cannabis company based in California.

They surveyed 621 patients who had been using medical marijuana for over 30 days, asking them about:

1. The conditions for which they are taking cannabidiol (CBD) rich cannabis

2. The ratio of CBD-to-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) they are using

3. The impact of CBD-rich cannabis therapy on their pain, discomfort, energy, mood, and overall well being.

I would like to address three areas about the survey findings, based on my personal use of medical cannabis and the patients we assist as caregivers.

“Patients with psychiatric or mood disorders and patients with diseases of or injuries to the CNS (central nervous system) system favor CBD-dominant cannabis therapies,” the survey found. “Patients with pain and inflammation favor CBD-rich cannabis therapies with more equal levels of CBD and THC.”

Read more at painnewsnetwork.org.

Shatter, a Super-High-Potency Marijuana, Is Appearing on the East Coast
As marijuana extracts expand their presence on the East Coast, an especially potent concentrate is appearing on law enforcement radar.

Shatter, a cannabis extract with about 80 percent THC content, is legal for recreational use in states such as Colorado and Washington, sold in medical marijuana dispensaries in other states and is faster-acting and far more easily concealed than marijuana.

On Monday, Loudoun County sheriff’s deputies intercepted a truck that had about $900,000 worth of packaged marijuana near Dulles International Airport. Included in that load was 15 pounds of shatter, in total packaged weight. Shatter, which is sold by the gram because of its potency, retails for about $60 a gram in Colorado, so 10 pounds of shatter would be worth nearly $270,000 — in a state where it is legal. Black-market shatter probably would cost much more.

Read more at The Washington Post.

Volunteers Give Away Free Marijuana Joints to the Homeless on Christmas Eve in Denver
A local nonprofit hit the streets of downtown Denver on Christmas Eve and gave away a thousand free, pre-rolled marijuana joints to the homeless and anyone else who wanted one.

“Merry Christmas and a puff puff, New Year’s,” said one woman who accepted a joint.

Nick Dicenzo, the founder of Cannabis Can and the one responsible for handing out the free weed, said they’re trying to raise awareness about homelessness and encourage people to donate to their cause.

The cause? To raise money to buy several RV’s and provide restrooms and showers for those in need. Dicenzo said their goal is to use weed for good and to bring people together to make a difference.

Read more at wxyz.com.

‘Adults were not the target audience’: Advertising agency behind ‘Stoner Sloth’ anti-marijuana ads defends the campaign despite social media backlash
The advertising agency behind ‘Stoner Sloth,’ an anti-marijuana ad campaign, has hit back against social media backlash.

Saatchi & Saatchi have argued that the concept was intended specifically for teens and ‘not for adults or long-term cannabis users,’ reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

The $500,000 ad which was used as the New South Wales government’s latest anti-drugs initiative was launched last week under the slogan ‘you’re worse on weed.’

The NSW Government’s #StonerSloth campaign depicts a human sized stoned sloth looking lethargic in settings such as a school examination and a house party.

The bid to raise awareness about the dangers of marijuana has been relentlessly mocked on social media, with the #StonerSloth soaring to the number one trending Twitter spot last week.

Read more (and see the ad) at the Daily Mail.

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