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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018/01/09 Public Comments - Kathleen LippittPUM i �, ulmwynts U pp"4 -) Michael.Helms@sdsheriff.org to rsvp The Butane Hash Oil (BHO) training is set for January 24, 2018. There will be two sessions, 10:OOam to 12:OOpm and 1,:OOpm to 3:OOpm (both are some training) with the training being conducted in training rooms 3 & 4 at the Sheriff's Department Headquarters building located at 9621 Ridgehaven Ct. San Diego. The training will be presented by Detectives from the San Diego Narcotics Taskforce and will cover what a BHO manufacturing operation looks like, the manufacturing process, the dangers of butane extraction and what actions/notifications should be made if a BHO lab is detected or observed. The training is beneficial for employee's and their supervisors who'may conduct site inspections at properties in the county, including unlawful marijuana dispensaries and residences. Wax and Hash oils are often smoked using Vape - Pens or E cigarette type devices Butane Hash Oil • The process for making Hash oil involves using Butane gas to extract higher levels of THC. Butane gas is colorless odorless and highly flammable. • Butane is used as a solvent for hash oil extraction because it separates herbal oils from mostly useless marijuana plant/bud matter. This type of filtered oil is sometimes nicknamed "Hash or Honey Oil" because the results are similar in color and consistency to amber honey. • In September 2013, two men in Pacific Beach were burned attempting to make Butane Hash Oil (BHO). Highly potent forms of marijuana such as Wax and Honey Oil or Hash Oil are made using this process. HC levels can vary from 60% to 90% using this extraction method. MPI -- thehill. com 1. 03.18 Former Rep Patrick Kennedy (D -RI) and Kevin Sabet Rohrabacher/Leahy language is detrimental to public health Imagine if Big Pharma developed a new drug they claimed would cure cancer, but instead of providing proof of its efficacy, they demanded a stamp of approval from Congress and gave generously to Congressional political races. There would be widespread outrage, and a demand for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to step in and do its job. So why has the multi -billion -dollar marijuana industry — selling marijuana -infused candies, sodas and other foods — been given such a pass? The Rohrabacher/Leahy Amendment, a pesky congressional rider protecting the industry from FDA enforcement passed under the guise of protecting medical marijuana patients, prevents much action by the government. The FDA relies on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to take enforcement action when a company refuses to comply with the terms of an FDA warning letter. Because courts have interpreted the Rohrabacher Amendment broadly to prohibit the DOJ from taking any enforcement action, the FDA is highly limited in what it can do. In reality, the Rohrabacher/Leahy Amendment has enabled the growth of a massive, addiction -for-profit industry that is rapidly becoming this generation's Big Tobacco. No one wants to arrest and imprison seriously ill people. Everyone is in favor of responsible research to find new medicines that will help those who are suffering. But let's also be honest about what's really happening: Companies that are selling high -potency marijuana gummy bears and lollipops are not interested in medicine, they are interested in marketing kid -friendly products to hook the next generation of lifelong customers. Studies demonstrate a clear link between higher prevalence of marijuana use among youth and density of registered marijuana growers and adult users. Youth are more likely to try new methods of marijuana use, such as edibles or vaping. Pot shops are also linked to higher levels of property crime in nearby areas. These shops also tend to locate in disadvantaged minority neighborhoods where the residents are less able to right back against predatory marketing practices. Thankfully, some progress is being made. A promising CBD medication derived from marijuana is in the final stages of approval, with more than 1,000 families having received it during the research process. Congress has put forward worthy proposals to responsibly research new medicines derived from the hundreds of compounds found in the raw marijuana plant. In contrast, the Rohrabacher/Leahy Amendment runs counter to responsible medicine, enabling fly-by-night operations to sell contaminated products and avoid consumer protections. The FDA has already begun to send warningletters etters to companies claiming that marijuana can cure cancer and treat other illnesses. Tragically, some of these products, which were marketed to desperate parents for the treatment of childhood epilepsy, were found to contain dangerous levels of mold or pesticides — or were found to be missing the active ingredient entirely. This year, the House spending bills have no pro -marijuana riders. Let's keep the spending bills clean. It's time for the Rohrabacher/Leahy Amendment to go, and be replaced with real research. Critically ill patients deserve nothing less. Kennedy was a member of Congress from 1995-2011. Kevin Sabet is president of Smart Approaches to Mar�uana (SAID. VISTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT EXCELLENCE INNOVATION December 18, 2017 VISTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Department of Student Support Services 1234 Arcadia Avenue, Vista, CA 92084-3404 Ph: (760) 726-2170 Fax: (760) 724-3295 www.vistausd.org Serving the communities of Vista, Oceanside, San Marcos, Carlsbad and San Diego County Student Support Services Safety Bulletin Board Members Rich Alderson Jim Gibson Carol Weise Herrera Rosemary Smithfield Cipriano Vargas Interim Superintendent Matt Doyle, Ed.D. From the beginning of this school year, the Student Support Services Department has worked with school sites to provide support for our students in the areas of social and emotional systems of support, suicide prevention, cyber -safety, anti - bullying, and healthy lifestyles. In light of recent incidents involving VUSD students using controlled substances, we have developed this safety bulletin in order to share with you our ongoing efforts to support our students in making healthy choices and describe how you can support VUSD in this work. Within the past several weeks at our high schools, we have observed an increase of students that have been determined to be under the influence of controlled substances, such as Xanax and marijuana, during school hours. As a result, there has been an increase in number of students suspended, and in some cases, expelled for reasons related to the possession and / or use of controlled substances. In each situation, our school staff and administration teams have responded swiftly by taking appropriate safety measures such as contacting parents, law enforcement, and paramedics. It is important to note that the increase of teens using controlled substances has been reported throughout San Diego County and the nation. The use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs has increased substantially over the past decade, otherwise known as the "Opioid Crisis". Please understand that VUSD is working closely with law enforcement agencies (Vista Sheriff and Oceanside P.D.) to address these challenges. As we increase supports and supervision related to controlled substance use, we will continue to follow all state and federal regulations regarding student privacy. A few examples of increased supports and supervision that VUSD is putting into place are: • Working with law enforcement to increase the presence of officers on and around school campuses in order to mitigate the recent resurgence of controlled substance use. • Planning additional events for students and parents at each high school to build awareness while addressing the increase of substance use. • Developing and distributing student / parent informational materials in order to build awareness of the importance to promote healthy choices and lifestyles. • Expanding nurse, counselor, and social worker support as needed. We are committed to maintaining a safe school environment for all students. We need your help in order to accomplish this commitment. Please remind your student and family members to utilize practices that ensure student health and safety. Please take time to review with your student the seriousness of using any controlled substances and the harmful effects that may lead to emergency medical attention. It is important that we are careful not to feed rumors, speculation, or hysteria as this only creates more uncertainty for our students. Finally, please use our anonymous tip webpage called PSST World (click HERE) to report any instances related to student safety or substance abuse. Together we will be able to keep all students safe. Please contact Student Support Services should you have questions or concerns. The purpose of Vista Unified School District is to inspire each and every student to persevere as critical -thinking individuals who collaborate to solve real-world problems. Rolling Stone 1. 05.18 Amanda Chicago Lewis Is Weed Legal in California Well sort of For California's cannabis enthusiasts, the week began triumphantly and ended in panic. On Monday, the Golden State celebrated its first day of legal marijuana sales – a joyful occasion that had taken the sustained work of activists, the slow creep of changing public opinion, several years of legislative debate and ultimately over $20 million dollars to accomplish. But then, on Thursday morning, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he was rescinding a series of Department of Justice memos that provided guidance on when the federal government would interfere with places that chose to legalize cannabis, immediately creating an increased sense of instability, chaos and anger along the West Coast. So what the hell just happened? The Official Guide to Being a Good Weed Citizen From proper dosing to odor control to public -consumption boundaries, our guide to life out of the cannabis closet For starters, experts say the most relevant memo eliminated by Sessions – the 2013 Cole Memorandum — would likely not have even protected CA's current marijuana environment from a federal crackdown. The memo outlined what a state needed to do if it wanted to legalize pot: specifically, in order to avoid the DEA from busting in on large, state -licensed producers of cannabis, the state would need to "implement strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems." CA has not done that, and has never been able to do that. In spite of Monday's blandishments about "legal" pot, CA's marijuana economy remains so utterly messy and confusing that the state did not even fall under the limited protections provided by the 2013 Cole Memo. "I think it's a false alarm," says cannabis attorney Henry Wykowski, who famously defended Oakland mega -dispensary Harborside Health Center in federal court, and was the first person to purchase legal weed there on Monday. "I guess they felt they had to react to all the publicity about Monday, but I don't think this will affect CA I don't think this is going to motivate any responsible prosecutors to take any action." Others believe that Sessions opened the door for federal prosecutors to initiate proceedings against state -legal pot businesses whenever they feel like it. "Certainly U.S. attorneys have their own political and prosecutorial agendas, so I think we are going to see selective enforcement, and that's really scary," says marijuana attorney Hilary Bricken. "I think Sessions would have been happy to pursue CA even with tightest regulations on the planet, but starting off the way didn't helped the situation." And how did California's era of legal marijuana start off, exactly? Well, to understand that, let's look quickly at how we got here. Most people are vaguely aware of the fact that cannabis has existed in a weird limbo in California for the past 21 years – not quite legal and yet not quite illegal. Since the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996, potheads and sick folks alike could plunk down as little as $30 in exchange for a five-minute meeting with a dubiously accredited physician who gives you a quick once-over before reflexively signing a document attesting to your medical need for marijuana. (Shout -out to the consummate professional who reviewed my paperwork last year, saw that I had listed "menstrual cramps" as my reason for wanting cannabis, and commented that I must be "a real bitch" when I'm on my period.) Then, all you had to do was mosey on over to one of the state's estimated 3,000 storefront medical marijuana dispensaries, or place an order with one of several thousand delivery services, and you could get high at home in peace. Eventually, it became possible – but not legal – for out-of-state stoners to obtain doctor's recommendations as well, and anyone with some strong Google skills could find a pot shop willing to sell to someone lacking a California driver's license. Because, at the end of the day, none of the hundred thousand or so medical marijuana businesses in California were licensed or regulated by the state, anyway. Most are, and were, technically considered illegal – subject to prosecution or raids even with the Cole Memo in place, because, again, the state lacked "strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems." Only a few cities and counties offered local permits or rules to follow, and even those modest regulations were often violated on a massive scale. It was a complicated and unstable situation in which even law enforcement felt genuinely confused about what was allowed. Then, in late 2015, the state legislature passed a set of regulations meant to clean up the medical industry, and in late 2016, voters passed Proposition 64, legalizing recreational use. Both of those laws were written with the goal of meeting the guidelines outlined Cole Memo, and both went into effect on January 1st, 2018. And by "went into effect" I mean "got the ball rolling for anyone lucky enough to live in a pot -friendly city or county." In reality, not much has changed since December. The only businesses able to obtain temporary state licenses are the ones that already have local licenses. At least 97 percent of pot businesses in the state of California remain unlicensed. There are currently zero legal marijuana businesses in the cities of Los Angeles or San Francisco. So here we are, less than a week into legalization, and navigating the details of what is and isn't legal remains rather difficult for nearly everyone involved. Truth be told, I felt such apprehension about what might happen when the clock struck midnight on January 1 st that I dropped about $360 at one of my favorite medical marijuana dispensaries the day before, hoping to stock up. The woman who checked my doctor's recommendation told me the shop would be closing indefinitely come 2018, but the budtender who measured out my pot insisted they would remain open. This isn't uncommon for Los Angeles: Jerred Kiloh, the president of L.A.'s United Cannabis Business Association, told me that 10 to 15 medical dispensaries in his group had shut down ori January 1st, so as to avoid putting themselves at a disadvantage once local licensing finally begins. "There wasn't a clear'Yes,"' he said, regarding whether the Los Angeles Police Department was going to abruptly start raiding medical dispensaries that lacked local permits — i.e. all of them. Most experts think it will take at least two years for the state to convert to a functional system. No one thinks this process will be easy. And now that the feds have made it even easier for federal prosecutors to take action against marijuana businesses nationwide, things could get even more complicated. In the meantime, here are the answers to some key questions. Q - Can anyone over 21 just walk into any marijuana dispensary and buy pot? Not really! As of this writing, there are only 113 storefront marijuana dispensaries with full permission from the state to conduct legal adult -use sales. Remember: that's out of an estimated total of 3,000 pot shops in the state. There are not yet legal shops in the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, though that could change in the coming weeks. For now, if you find yourself in L.A., head to West Hollywood. If you're in S.F., try Berkeley or Oakland. A bunch of other shops are illegally conducting "legal" sales (I know! It's a mess out here) by advertising themselves as "Prop 64 compliant" or just by willfully ignoring the rules. Grab some popcorn while we see how long it takes for local, state, or federal law enforcement to crack down on these businesses! Q -How do I know if my local pot shop has a temporary license to operate legally? Do some poking around with this handy - dandy license search tool put out by the Bureau of Cannabis Control. Just remember that right now legal businesses only have temporary licenses, and that the name on a business' paperwork might not be the exact same as the name on the storefront. Q - Where is it okay for me to smoke? Basically, for now you are limited to using cannabis on private property, where the owner is okay with it. But worry not! By the end of the year there will likely be legal lounges in cities like West Hollywood, Palm Springs, and San Francisco. Q - How much will it cost? Considering the added taxes, legal weed currently costs about as much as an illegal eighth on the east coast — about $50 to $60. Prices will likely go down over the course of the next year, though. Q -I'm a tourist! What should I buy? Depends on your experience level! Talk to your budtender about what kind of high you want, and hopefully he or she will have some advice on strains. If you're looking for unique products you probably can't find on the black market in your state, you might want to pick up some low-dose edibles (divided into servings of live milligrams or fewer), some products that contain both THC and CBD, or some topical creams and salves. Topicals don't get you high, even if they contain THC, and they can be incredibly helpful for sore muscles or arthritis or other localized pain. If you haven't used cannabis in a few years, don't eat more than five milligrams of THC. If you're willing to go through the vetting process of getting an official California cannabis ID, it will mean cheaper marijuana. Q -I live in Cali! Do I need to renew my medical recommendation? If you live near a shop that has a temporary license for adult -use sales, you don't need to wade back into the lair of one of those janky pot -recommending doctors, but you might want to. Taxes on adult -use cannabis in some municipalities will be around 40 percent. Being a medical marijuana patient will allow you to get out of some of those taxes, possess more pot and buy stronger edibles. But here's the rub: in order to qualify, you'll'need a state medical marijuana ID card in addition to your doctor's rec. That will involve an additional errand to your county health department and a possible additional fee: at most, the card will set you back $100, or $50 if you're on Medi -Cal. ID cards are free for indigent folks through the County Medical Services Program. Oh, and unlike the current sham system of pot doctors, not everyone can just waltz in and get a state,ID card for pot. Expect to be vetted. Q - Is this weed different from the medical weed that was for sale on December 31st? It's exactly the same weed. Q -Is the whole supply chain regulated now? Nope! Not at all. California will have rather strict safety standards for its cannabis products in place by next year, but for now, it's still pretty much an anything -goes environment. So you won't have any guarantee that, say, that vape pen, cartridge is free from concentrated toxic pesticides for another six months at a minimum. Q - What kinds of things could still get me in trouble?. - Lighting up in public. - Driving while high. Driving after having used cannabis any time in the past few days .(That's how bad the science is on testing for marijuana in someone's system.) Driving with a half -smoked joint or an unsealed jar of weed anywhere in the main part of the car. (Always keep cannabis products in your trunk.) - Growing, selling or manufacturing any kind of cannabis product without both a local and state license. - Selling to anyone under 21. - Growing more than six of your own pot plants at home. - Growing or smoking at home if it pisses off your landlord. - Using cannabis if you have a job that drug tests.