A Weekly Roundup of Stories We Found Interesting – From The Profound To The Profane

Brooklyn District Attorney Plans to Erase Minor Marijuana Convictions
From arrest to arraignment, New York City law enforcement officials and prosecutors are making major changes to they way they handle minor, non-violent cannabis offenses. As of Saturday, officers will no longer automatically arrest people for smoking marijuana in public. Echoing changes on the streets, district attorneys in Manhattan and Brooklyn are ordering prosecutors to drop cases involving minor cannabis use and possession. And in Brooklyn, District Attorney Eric Gonzalez has opened a process to dismiss tens of thousands of past marijuana convictions.

30 Pounds of Marijuana Washes Ashore on Florida Beach
Last Thursday, a 30-pound package of marijuana was found on the shore of the Ponte Vedra Beach, after a man spotted a suspicious package during a casual walk. Over the weekend, an additional package was found, which led to the local police department’s message to beachgoers: Please don’t take it.

Medical Marijuana Users are Being Shut Out of Public Housing
Cancer patients and other people with debilitating conditions are being forced to choose between medical marijuana and federal public housing assistance. Even though some of the most conservative states are passing laws legalizing medical weed, marijuana is still a Schedule I controlled substance on a federal level, along with heroin and ecstasy, which can make users ineligible for programs like rental assistance or public housing.

Jimmy Buffett Signs Licensing Deal with Medical Marijuana Firm
Jimmy Buffett, the singer and entrepreneur will license his Coral Reefer brand to Surterra Holdings Inc. for a line of cannabis products including vape pens, gel caps, edibles and lotions, the companies said Tuesday.

Canada Gears Up for First Officially Legal Cyber Monday
Set for November 26, 2018, this year’s Cyber Monday will feature for the very first time, the ability to purchase cannabinoid products (those that include THC and/or CBD). The addition of these new products could likely push Cyber Monday numbers up to another new record, following last year’s incredible $6.6 billion in online sales in just one day.

Legal Cannabis in Switzerland: Between Hype and Hope
Switzerland has plenty of legal producers of cannabis, distribution through tobacco shops and supermarkets, a fully legal cannabis cup, and a handful of coffee shops. Police don’t seem to be too concerned about cannabis. Meanwhile, a growing number of Swiss politicians realize that the country could make millions if they export locally produced medicinal cannabis.