April 1 2021
In todays report
Most Americans want full decriminalization of #cannabis
Hemp Hemp Hooray! Get involved with hemp today
and #texans largely prefer cannabis for medical treatment over the endless pharma pills
Three In Four U.S. Voters Support Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition, New Poll Finds
Bills introduced so far in #congress to federally legalize marijuana wouldn’t make it so every state would automatically legalize the plant; rather, they would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, legitimizing existing industries and further empowering states to make their own choices without interference.
Still, the survey does highlight how voters in different parties view the issue ideologically, with Republicans more likely to favor state-level decision-making and Democrats preferring the federal legalization option.
No political, age, racial, geographic or other demographic in the survey showed majority support for keeping cannabis illegal across the board.
In any case, lawmakers are pursuing both reform options this year.
This week alone, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a legalization bill into law and the New Mexico legislature sent a measure to legalize to the governor’s desk. And in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said a bill to end federal prohibition that he and colleagues have been working on will be introduced “shortly.”
This new survey, which involved interviews with 1,882 registered voters from March 24-26, is just the latest example of how much public opinion has shifted in favor of ending federal prohibition.
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Three Pennsylvania initiatives get grants to promote hemp
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced $157,735 in funding for three projects aimed at boosting the hemp sector in the state. The money, from Pennsylvania’s #hemp Promotional Grant Program, supports initiatives that raise awareness of hemp and hemp products.
The largest recipient, DON Services of Lawrence County, was awarded a $109,000 grant for its Project PA Hemp Home. The initiative is designed to inform farmers and builders about the potential economic impact of industrial hemp and the plant’s promise for end uses in the construction sector.
DON Services is affiliated with DON Enterprises, a non-profit that announced late last year it has plans to invest in a hemp fiber decortication factory in the western part of the state.
Team Pennsylvania in Dauphin County was tapped for $32,095 in grant money to connect and advance communication among hemp farmers, processors, industry experts and those in adjacent and supporting industries.
A third award, of $16,640, was given to Urban Affairs Coalition All Together Now PA in Philadelphia county. That group stages hemp education and promotional events.
“Hemp is an opportunity to revolutionize the norm for everything from agricultural conservation practices to home building,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said in announcing the grants. “But for the revolution to take hold and make a lasting impact, we need programs that raise awareness and educate growers, processors, and consumers alike.”
The Hemp Promotional Grant Program, which began earlier in the year, reimburses up to half of eligibile costs that occur between July 1 and June 30, 2021.
https://hemptoday.net/three-pennsylvania-initiatives-get-grants-to-promote-hemp/
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Survey Finds Over 60% of Patients In Texas Prefer Medical Cannabis To Prescription Drugs
The survey, which comes from InformedTexas.org and was carried out by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy in conjunction with Texas NORML, revealed that over 60 percent of patients who admitted to using medical cannabis also reported that they used it to replace prescriptions meds that they preferred not to take.
The survey looked at a sample size of 2,900 people and asked them about their medical cannabis use. Sixty-one percent of those who answered claimed they “replaced” drugs like opioids or benzodiazepines with medical cannabis. This is similar to the information found in several similar studies, but noteworthy due to how recently the survey was conducted and the amount of people reached.