The year 2018 saw numerous wins for the marijuana community. From the legalization of the plant in Canada to the support it received in individual states in the United States, the plant continues to receive victory after victory. This is why there is no surprise when these 3 important cannabis-related developments occurred this year:
Research Center for Environmental Impact
If you remember, much of the negative view on cannabis depended on its physiological and social effects on users. In addition to this, critics are also raising a rather valid point: How will legalization affect the environment, especially as cultivation of the plant will escalate? In the same way, what will be the effect when human wastes containing cannabis traces resources such as land and water?
These questions are important in light of the expanding medical marijuana policies in the U.S., as well as the passing of Farm Bill 2018.
In response to these concerns, the University of California Berkley launched the Cannabis Research Center in January 2019. This aims to study the environmental and social impact of marijuana legalization.
The FDA’s Cannabis Hearing in
While the plant remains to be in the list of Schedule I substances along with LSD and ecstasy, the hearing about marijuana and derived products is a huge leap forward. The public hearing organized by the Food and Drug Administration took into account the experiences of stakeholders (users, patients, physicians, advocates and critics, to name a few).
The recently finished hearing on May 31, 2019, resulted in conflicting findings about the plant and the cannabinoid CBD, which resulted in a drop in marijuana-related stocks.
A Congressional Report Advocates for Updated Employment Policies
The federal government recently received a congressional report urging it to reconsider the existing marijuana policies in federal employment. According to the hiring guidelines, federal employees are prohibited from using marijuana. This policy has an effect on the hiring and firing rules for public employees even in states in which medical and recreational marijuana is legal.
There is no denying that 2019 continues to be one of the most progressive years for the cannabis world. These developments are just a few of many advancements that happened this year, and there is no doubt that there will be more to come. With a mounting number of people calling for legalization, many others will be able to gain access to the wonders the plant has to offer.
With recent legalization of CBD in the US, premium CBD products can now be easily ordered online.
