MOUNTAIN MAN MELTS EMBRACES AI

For those who have wondered where the crossroads of Artificial Intelligence and hash would meet, look no further than Mountain Man Melts’ latest flavors ahead of the 7/10 holiday.

This popular hash company has taken a fun step into the realm of AI, leveraging its capabilities to create captivating labels and push the boundaries of creativity.

When some of Mountain Man’s usual design team found themselves swamped, taking longer than expected to deliver labels for new flavors, Joseph, Pat’s trusted right-hand man, came up with an intriguing idea—to harness the power of AI. They quickly realized the potential.

According to Pat, the founder of Mountain Man, the initial results were impressive. “It actually works pretty well,” he told L.A. Weekly, clearly pleased with the outcome. Mountain Man has always strived to differentiate itself with unique and eye-catching labels, and the AI collaboration allowed them to explore uncharted territory while maintaining their commitment to vibrant and rich colors.

Pat from Mountain Man Melts

Inspired by this newfound creative tool, Pat pitched the idea of a lemon wearing sunglasses in front of a rainbow to the AI. Within no time, they received four versions of the concept. While the initial iterations were generally on point, some adjustments were made to fine-tune the proportions to their liking. Eventually, they were able to seamlessly transfer the AI-generated images onto their product jars, giving each flavor its distinct visual identity.

However, the real test of the AI’s capabilities came when it was time to create a label for Pat’s favorite strain, Fatso. Known for its intense gas and funk, this strain posed a unique challenge for the Mountain Man team. They had to be clever in their approach, as they couldn’t simply ask the AI to depict a “fat kid being abducted by a UFO” due to its potentially insensitive nature. Instead, they described a child with similar proportions to Cartman from South Park. The AI delivered beyond their expectations, resulting in a label that Pat proudly slapped as one of his favorite flavor in the recent batches

The integration of AI in Mountain Man Melts’ creative process has proven to be a game-changer. In just a day, they were able to complete labels for four different new flavors, a task that would have taken considerably longer without AI assistance. They then entrusted the final designs to their skilled designer, who ensured that everything was laid out properly and formatted correctly.

“The homie still helps us, and then we just get it done a lot faster,” Pat shared, reflecting on the remarkable efficiency AI brings to their workflow. While the speed at which they achieve results feels almost like cheating, it undeniably benefits the company as they strive to keep up with the demands of its expanding customer base.

Mountain Man Melts is eager to continue exploring the possibilities of AI-generated art in their future flavors. As they enter the early stages of the summer light dep harvest, they anticipate incorporating even more AI-generated designs into their product lineup. The harvested cannabis material, carefully selected from the bountiful hills of The Emerald Triangle, will find its way into the freezers of Mountain Man Melts, where it will be transformed into exotic hash with the help of their expert team.

Pat expressed his admiration for the evolving capabilities of AI-based imaging tools, noting the freedom it provides to conceptualize ideas without being restricted by the cost of someone else’s time. Whether he desires artwork reminiscent of Van Gogh’s masterpieces or any other imaginative concept, AI enables him to explore uncharted creative territories.

As our conversation progressed, Pat couldn’t contain his excitement for the forthcoming 7/10 holiday—a date cherished by hash enthusiasts around the world. Often regarded as the headiest holiday on the cannabis calendar, 7/10 has become the pinnacle celebration for connoisseurs of hash. Pat personally favors 7/10 over the traditional April festivities, recognizing its growing significance within the cannabis community.

This year’s 7/10 holiday promises to be Mountain Man’s biggest celebration to date. The company has been steadily gaining more shelf space and expanding its presence across the state. Their willingness to put themselves out there, both through their exceptional products and personal interactions with potential customers, has played a significant role in their continued success. In an industry where traditional mainstream public relations channels are often unavailable to cannabis companies, personal interactions serve as critical touchpoints for establishing rapport and loyalty.

With the integration of AI, Mountain Man Melts has found an innovative way to captivate customers and push the boundaries of creativity within the cannabis industry. As they eagerly prepare for the 7/10 holiday, their dedication to producing the finest hash and engaging with their audience sets them apart, ensuring that Mountain Man remains at the forefront of this exciting and evolving industry.

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

SENATE BILL

NO. 58

An act to amend Sections 11054, 11350, 11364, 11364.7, 11365, 11377, 11379, 11382, and 11550 of, to add Sections 11350.1 and 11377.1 to, to add and repeal Section 11214 of, and to repeal Section 11999 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to controlled substances.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 58, Wiener. Controlled substances: decriminalization of certain hallucinogenic substances.

(1) Existing law categorizes certain drugs and other substances as controlled substances and prohibits various actions related to those substances, including their manufacture, transportation, sale, possession, and ingestion.

This bill would, on and after January 1, 2025, make lawful the possession, preparation, obtaining, or transportation of, specified quantities of psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and mescaline, for personal use, as defined, by and with persons 21 years of age or older. The bill would provide penalties for possession of these substances on school grounds, or possession by, or transferring to, persons under 21 years of age.

The bill would require the California Health and Human Services Agency to convene a workgroup to study and make recommendations on the establishment of a framework governing the therapeutic use, including facilitated or supported use, of those substances. The bill would require that workgroup to send a report to the Legislature containing those recommendations on or before January 1, 2025.

(2) Existing law prohibits the cultivation, transfer, or transportation, as specified, of any spores or mycelium capable of producing mushrooms or other materials that contain psilocybin or psilocyn.

This bill would, on and after January 1, 2025, make lawful the cultivation or transportation of specified quantities of spores or mycelium capable of producing mushrooms or other materials that contain psilocybin or psilocyn for personal use, as defined, by and with persons 21 years of age or older.

(3) Existing law prohibits the possession of drug paraphernalia, as defined.

This bill would exempt from this prohibition, paraphernalia related, as specified, to these specific substances. The bill would also exempt from the prohibition items used for the testing and analysis of controlled substances.

(4) Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that the messages and information provided by various state drug and alcohol programs promote no unlawful use of any drugs or alcohol.

This bill would repeal those provisions.

(5) By eliminating and changing the elements of existing crimes and creating new offenses, and by requiring new duties of local prosecutors, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

(6) This bill would state that its provisions are severable.

DIGEST KEY

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal Committee: yes   Local Program: yes  

BILL TEXT

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) For over fifty years, the War on Drugs has caused overwhelming financial and societal costs. The current United States drug control scheme does not reflect a modern understanding of the incentives, economics, or impacts of substance use, nor does it accurately reflect the risks or potential therapeutic benefits of many presently illicit substances.

(b) Drug prohibition has failed to deter drug use, and it has increased its danger. Criminalization of drug use has created an underground market in which difficult-to-verify dosages and the presence of adulterants increase the risks of illicit drugs.

(c) Lack of honest, evidence-based drug education has paved the way for decades of stigma and misinformation, which have contributed to increasing the dangers of drug use.

(d) Encouraging access to harm reduction tools like fentanyl test strips, drug-checking kits, gas chromatography mass spectrometry machines, and milligram scales increases public health and safety by allowing users to make more accurate decisions about their personal use.

(e) Clinical research demonstrates the potential use of some psychedelic compounds, in conjunction with therapy, for the treatment of mental health, such as end-of-life anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and substance use disorders. Observational evidence and traditional uses of psychedelic plants and fungi demonstrate how ceremony and community are utilized to enhance the outcomes and increase the safety of spiritual practice, emotional healing, and responsible personal growth.

(f) Proposition 122 in Colorado, which passed in November 2022, with a 53 percent vote of the state population, will decriminalize the noncommercial, personal possession of psychedelic plants and fungi and establish a regulated therapy system to provide people with therapeutic access to psychedelic plants and fungi.

(g) Measure 109 in Oregon, which passed in November 2020, with a 56 percent vote of the state population, will establish a regulated psilocybin therapy system in Oregon to provide people therapeutic access to psilocybin.

(h) Measure 110 in Oregon, which passed in November 2020, with a 58 percent vote of the state population, decriminalized the personal possession of all drugs, and almost 20 countries around the world including Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Spain, have expressly or effectively decriminalized the personal use of illicit substances.

(i) The City Councils of the City of Oakland and the City of Santa Cruz and the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco have all passed resolutions deprioritizing the enforcement of the possession, use, and propagation of psychedelic plants and fungi, effectively decriminalizing in those cities. Since June 2019, the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Cities of Somerville and Cambridge, Massachusetts have all decriminalized the possession, use, and propagation of psychedelic plants and fungi at the local level. In 2020, Washington, D.C., passed Initiative 81 to decriminalize and deprioritize the possession and use of psychedelic plants and fungi with 76 percent voter approval.

(j) This act will decriminalize the noncommercial, personal use of specified controlled substances. This provision would take effect on January 1, 2025. This act further decriminalizes the use of specified controlled substances for the purpose of group community-based healing, including facilitated and supported use, risk reduction, and other related services, but delays implementation of this provision until a framework for the therapeutic use, which would include community-based healing, facilitated and supported use, risk reduction, and other related services, of the specified controlled substances is developed and adopted. This bill lays the groundwork for California to develop a therapeutic access program for psychedelic plants and fungi.

(k) These changes in law will not affect any restrictions on the driving or operation of a vehicle while impaired, or an employer’s ability to restrict the use of controlled substances by its employees, or affect the legal standard for negligence.

(l) Peyote is specifically excluded from the list of substances to be decriminalized, and any cultivation, harvest, extraction, tincture or other product manufactured or derived therefrom, because of the nearly endangered status of the peyote plant and the special significance peyote holds in Native American spirituality. Section 11363 of the Health and Safety Code, which makes it a crime in California to cultivate, harvest, dry, or process any plant of the genus Lophophora, also known as Peyote, is not amended or repealed.

(m) The State of California fully respects and supports the continued Native American possession and use of peyote under federal law, Section 1996a of Title 42 of the United States Code, understanding that Native Americans in the United States were persecuted and prosecuted for their ceremonial practices and use of peyote for more than a century and had to fight numerous legal and political battles to achieve the current protected status, and the enactment of this legislation does not intend to undermine explicitly or implicitly that status.

SEC. 2.

 Section 11054 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11054.

 (a) The controlled substances listed in this section are included in Schedule I.

(b) Opiates. Unless specifically excepted or unless listed in another schedule, any of the following opiates, including their isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and ethers whenever the existence of those isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is possible within the specific chemical designation:

(1) Acetylmethadol.

(2) Allylprodine.

(3) Alphacetylmethadol (except levoalphacetylmethadol, also known as levo-alpha-acetylmethadol, levomethadyl acetate, or LAAM).

(4) Alphameprodine.

(5) Alphamethadol.

(6) Benzethidine.

(7) Betacetylmethadol.

(8) Betameprodine.

(9) Betamethadol.

(10) Betaprodine.

(11) Clonitazene.

(12) Dextromoramide.

(13) Diampromide.

(14) Diethylthiambutene.

(15) Difenoxin.

(16) Dimenoxadol.

(17) Dimepheptanol.

(18) Dimethylthiambutene.

(19) Dioxaphetyl butyrate.

(20) Dipipanone.

(21) Ethylmethylthiambutene.

(22) Etonitazene.

(23) Etoxeridine.

(24) Furethidine.

(25) Hydroxypethidine.

(26) Ketobemidone.

(27) Levomoramide.

(28) Levophenacylmorphan.

(29) Morpheridine.

(30) Noracymethadol.

(31) Norlevorphanol.

(32) Normethadone.

(33) Norpipanone.

(34) Phenadoxone.

(35) Phenampromide.

(36) Phenomorphan.

(37) Phenoperidine.

(38) Piritramide.

(39) Proheptazine.

(40) Properidine.

(41) Propiram.

(42) Racemoramide.

(43) Tilidine.

(44) Trimeperidine.

(45) Any substance that contains any quantity of acetylfentanyl (N-[1-phenethyl-4-piperidinyl] acetanilide) or a derivative thereof.

(46) Any substance that contains any quantity of the thiophene analog of acetylfentanyl (N-[1-[2-(2-thienyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinyl] acetanilide) or a derivative thereof.

(47) 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-4-Propionoxypiperidine (MPPP).

(48) 1-(2-Phenethyl)-4-Phenyl-4-Acetyloxypiperidine (PEPAP).

(c) Opium derivatives. Unless specifically excepted or unless listed in another schedule, any of the following opium derivatives, its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers whenever the existence of those salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation:

(1) Acetorphine.

(2) Acetyldihydrocodeine.

(3) Benzylmorphine.

(4) Codeine methylbromide.

(5) Codeine-N-Oxide.

(6) Cyprenorphine.

(7) Desomorphine.

(8) Dihydromorphine.

(9) Drotebanol.

(10) Etorphine (except hydrochloride salt).

(11) Heroin.

(12) Hydromorphinol.

(13) Methyldesorphine.

(14) Methyldihydromorphine.

(15) Morphine methylbromide.

(16) Morphine methylsulfonate.

(17) Morphine-N-Oxide.

(18) Myrophine.

(19) Nicocodeine.

(20) Nicomorphine.

(21) Normorphine.

(22) Pholcodine.

(23) Thebacon.

(d) Hallucinogenic substances. Unless specifically excepted or unless listed in another schedule, any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains any quantity of the following hallucinogenic substances, or that contains any of its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers whenever the existence of those salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation (for purposes of this subdivision only, the term “isomer” includes the optical, position, and geometric isomers):

(1) 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxy-amphetamine—Some trade or other names: 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxy-alpha-methylphenethylamine; 4-bromo-2,5-DMA.

(2) 2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine—Some trade or other names: 2,5-dimethoxy-alpha-methylphenethylamine; 2,5-DMA.

(3) 4-methoxyamphetamine—Some trade or other names: 4-methoxy-alpha-methylphenethylamine, paramethoxyamphetamine, PMA.

(4) 5-methoxy-3,4-methylenedioxy-amphetamine.

(5) 4-methyl-2,5-dimethoxy-amphetamine—Some trade or other names: 4-methyl-2,5-dimethoxy-alpha-methylphenethylamine; “DOM”; and “STP.”

(6) 3,4-methylenedioxy amphetamine.

(7) 3,4,5-trimethoxy amphetamine.

(8) Bufotenine—Some trade or other names: 3-(beta-dimethylaminoethyl)-5-hydroxyindole; 3-(2-dimethylaminoethyl)-5 indolol; N,N-dimethylserolonin, 5-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine; mappine.

(9) Diethyltryptamine—Some trade or other names: N,N-Diethyltryptamine; DET.

(10) Dimethyltryptamine—Some trade or other names: DMT.

(11) Ibogaine—Some trade or other names: 7-Ethyl-6,6beta, 7,8,9,10,12,13-octahydro-2-methoxy-6,9-methano-5H-pyrido [1’,2’:1,2] azepino [5,4-b] indole; Tabernantheiboga.

(12) Lysergic acid diethylamide.

(13) Cannabis.

(14) Mescaline, derived from plants presently classified botanically in the Echinopsis or Trichocereus genus of cacti, including, without limitation, the Bolivian Torch Cactus, San Pedro Cactus, or Peruvian Torch Cactus, but not including mescaline derived from any plant described in paragraph (15).

(15) Peyote—Meaning all parts of the plant presently classified botanically as Lophophora williamsii Lemaire, whether growing or not, the seeds thereof, any extract from any part of the plant, and every compound, manufacture, salts, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds or extracts (interprets 21 U.S.C. Sec. 812(c), Schedule 1(c)(12)).

(16) N-ethyl-3-piperidyl benzilate.

(17) N-methyl-3-piperidyl benzilate.

(18) Psilocybin.

(19) Psilocyn.

(20) Tetrahydrocannabinols. Synthetic equivalents of the substances contained in the plant, or in the resinous extractives of Cannabis, sp. and/or synthetic substances, derivatives, and their isomers with similar chemical structure and pharmacological activity such as the following: delta 1 cis or trans tetrahydrocannabinol, and their optical isomers; delta 6 cis or trans tetrahydrocannabinol, and their optical isomers; delta 3,4 cis or trans tetrahydrocannabinol, and its optical isomers.

Because nomenclature of these substances is not internationally standardized, compounds of these structures, regardless of numerical designation of atomic positions covered.

(21) Ethylamine analog of phencyclidine—Some trade or other names: N-ethyl-1-phenylcyclohexylamine, (1-phenylcyclohexyl) ethylamine, N-(1-phenylcyclohexyl) ethylamine, cyclohexamine, PCE.

(22) Pyrrolidine analog of phencyclidine—Some trade or other names: 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-pyrrolidine, PCP, PHP.

(23) Thiophene analog of phencyclidine—Some trade or other names: 1-[1-(2 thienyl)-cyclohexyl]-piperidine, 2-thienyl analog of phencyclidine, TPCP, TCP.

(e) Depressants. Unless specifically excepted or unless listed in another schedule, any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains any quantity of the following substances having a depressant effect on the central nervous system, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers whenever the existence of those salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation:

(1) Mecloqualone.

(2) Methaqualone.

(3) Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (also known by other names such as GHB; gamma hydroxy butyrate; 4-hydroxybutyrate; 4-hydroxybutanoic acid; sodium oxybate; sodium oxybutyrate), including its immediate precursors, isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and ethers, including, but not limited to, gammabutyrolactone, for which an application has not been approved under Section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 355).

(f) Unless specifically excepted or unless listed in another schedule, any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains any quantity of the following substances having a stimulant effect on the central nervous system, including its isomers:

(1) Cocaine base.

(2) Fenethylline, including its salts.

(3) N-Ethylamphetamine, including its salts.

SEC. 3.

 Section 11214 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

11214.

 (a) The California Health and Human Services Agency shall convene a workgroup to study and make recommendations on the establishment of a framework governing the therapeutic use, including facilitated or supported use, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 11350.1 and paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 11377.1, of mescaline, ibogaine, Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and psilocyn or psilocybin.

(b) The Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency or their designee shall be the chairperson of the workgroup.

(c) The workgroup shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) Persons with expertise in psychedelic therapy, medicine and public health, drug policy, harm reduction, and youth drug education.

(2) Law enforcement and emergency medical services or fire service first responders.

(3) People with experience with the traditional indigenous use of psychedelic substances, including representatives from the National Council of the Native American Church and Indian tribes in California.

(4) Veterans groups.

(5) University researchers with expertise in psychedelics.

(6) Research scientists with expertise in clinical studies and drug approval process under the federal Food and Drug Administration.

(7) Individuals from other states that have decriminalized psychedelics and established regulatory frameworks for the lawful use of psychedelics.

(d) The workgroup shall study subjects, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Research on the safety and efficacy of using each of the controlled substances specified in subdivision (a) in a therapeutic setting for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health conditions.

(2) Long-term impact of supervised psychedelic or dissociative drug use with seeking and misusing other substances, including alcohol, cannabis, illicit substances, and unregulated psychedelic or dissociative drugs.

(3) Perceptions of harm of psychedelic or dissociative drugs following enactment of decriminalization both on a personal use and therapeutic use level.

(4) Impact of different regulatory frameworks on different health outcomes among vulnerable populations, including youth, people with substance use disorders, and minority or disenfranchised groups.

(5) Regulated use models for the controlled substances specified in subdivision (a) from other jurisdictions.

(6) Content and scope of educational campaigns that have proven effective in accurate public health approaches regarding use, effect, and risk reduction for the substances specified in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, public service announcements, educational curricula, appropriate crisis response, and appropriate training for first responders and multiresponders, including law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire service, and unarmed coresponder units.

(7) Policies for minimizing use-related risks, including information related to appropriate use and impacts of detrimental substance use.

(8) Appropriate frameworks to govern the therapeutic use of controlled substances, including qualifications and training for therapists or facilitators.

(e) The workgroup shall develop policy recommendations regarding, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Development of a statewide program or programs for the training of individuals providing therapeutic psychedelic services in therapeutic settings, including facilitated and supported use settings.

(2) Development of a statewide credentialing process for individuals providing therapeutic psychedelic services in therapeutic settings, including facilitated or supported use settings.

(3) The content and scope of educational campaigns and accurate public health approaches regarding use, effect, risk reduction, and safety for the substances specified in subdivision (a).

(4) Policies for minimizing use-related risks, including information related to appropriate use and impacts of detrimental substance use.

(5) Policies for the regulation of controlled substances specified in subdivision (a), including responsible marketing, product safety, and cultural responsibility.

(6) Policies for the safe and equitable production, access, use, and delivery of the controlled substances specified in subdivision (a).

(f) Subsequent to the Legislature’s adoption of a framework governing therapeutic use of the substances described in subdivision (a), it is the intent of the Legislature that the transfer of a substance described in subdivision (a), without financial gain, in the context of therapeutic use, which includes facilitated or supported use, be decriminalized.

(g) As used in this section, “facilitated or supported use” means the supervised or assisted personal use of a substance described in subdivision (a) by an individual or group of persons 21 years of age or older, or the assisting or supervising of such persons in such use, within the context of spiritual guidance, community-based healing, or related services.

(h) (1) On or before January 1, 2025, the workgroup shall submit a report to the Legislature detailing its findings and recommendations.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(i) This section shall remain in effect until January 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 4.

 Section 11350 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11350.

 (a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, every person who possesses (1) any controlled substance specified in subdivision (b), (c), (e), or paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11054, specified in paragraph (15) or (20) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054, or specified in subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 11055, or specified in subdivision (h) of Section 11056, or (2) any controlled substance classified in Schedule III, IV, or V that is a narcotic drug, unless upon the written prescription of a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or veterinarian licensed to practice in this state, shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, except that such person shall instead be punished pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code if that person has one or more prior convictions for an offense specified in clause (iv) of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of Section 667 of the Penal Code or for an offense requiring registration pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 290 of the Penal Code.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this division, whenever a person who possesses any of the controlled substances specified in subdivision (a), the judge may, in addition to any punishment provided for pursuant to subdivision (a), assess against that person a fine not to exceed seventy dollars ($70) with proceeds of this fine to be used in accordance with Section 1463.23 of the Penal Code. The court shall, however, take into consideration the defendant’s ability to pay, and no defendant shall be denied probation because of their inability to pay the fine permitted under this subdivision.

(c) Except in unusual cases in which it would not serve the interest of justice to do so, whenever a court grants probation pursuant to a felony conviction under this section, in addition to any other conditions of probation that may be imposed, the following conditions of probation shall be ordered:

(1) For a first offense under this section, a fine of at least one thousand dollars ($1,000) or community service.

(2) For a second or subsequent offense under this section, a fine of at least two thousand dollars ($2,000) or community service.

(3) If a defendant does not have the ability to pay the minimum fines specified in paragraphs (1) and (2), community service shall be ordered in lieu of the fine.

(d) It is not unlawful for a person other than the prescription holder to possess a controlled substance described in subdivision (a) if both of the following apply:

(1) The possession of the controlled substance is at the direction or with the express authorization of the prescription holder.

(2) The sole intent of the possessor is to deliver the prescription to the prescription holder for its prescribed use or to discard the substance in a lawful manner.

(e) This section does not permit the use of a controlled substance by a person other than the prescription holder or permit the distribution or sale of a controlled substance that is otherwise inconsistent with the prescription.

SEC. 5.

 Section 11350.1 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

11350.1.

 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this section and notwithstanding any other law, all of the following shall be lawful for a natural person 21 years of age or older and shall not be a violation of state or local law:

(1) The possession, preparation, obtaining, or transportation, of no more than the allowable amount of mescaline, as described in paragraph (14) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054, for personal use.

(2) The ingesting of mescaline.

(3) The possession, planting, cultivating, harvesting, or preparation of plants capable of producing mescaline, except for the plant presently classified botanically as Lophophora williamsii Lemaire, on property owned or controlled by a person, for the purposes described in this subdivision by that person, and possession of any product produced by those plants.

(b) Possession of mescaline by a person 21 years of age or over on the grounds of any public or private elementary, vocational, junior high, or high school, during hours that the school is open for classes or school-related programs, or at any time when minors are using the facility is punishable as a misdemeanor.

(c) (1) A person who knowingly gives away or administers mescaline to a person who is under 18 years of age in violation of law shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for a period of not more than six months or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a person 18 years of age or over who knowingly gives away or administers mescaline to a minor under 14 years of age in violation of law shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a period of three, five, or seven years.

(3) A person who knowingly gives away or administers mescaline to a person who is at least 18 years of age, but under 21 years of age is guilty of an infraction.

(d) Except as otherwise provided, possession of mescaline by a person under 18 years of age is punishable as an infraction and shall require:

(1) Upon a finding that a first offense has been committed, four hours of drug education or counseling and up to 10 hours of community service over a period not to exceed 60 days, commencing when the drug education or counseling services are made available to them.

(2) Upon a finding that a second offense or subsequent offense has been committed, six hours of drug education or counseling and up to 20 hours of community service over a period not to exceed 90 days, commencing when the drug education or counseling services are made available to them.

(e) Except as otherwise provided, possession of mescaline by a person at least 18 years of age but less than 21 years of age is punishable as an infraction.

(f) Mescaline or related products involved in any way with conduct deemed lawful by this section are not contraband nor subject to seizure, and no conduct deemed lawful by this section shall constitute the basis for detention, search, or arrest, or the basis for the seizure or forfeiture of assets.

(g) As used in this section, the following terms are defined as follows:

(1) “Allowable amount” means four grams per person. “Allowable amount” does not include the weight of any material of which the substance is a part or to which the substance is added, dissolved, held in solution, or suspended, or any ingredient or material combined with the substance as part of a preparation.

(2) “Financial gain” means the receipt of money or other valuable consideration in exchange for the item being transferred.

(3) “Mescaline” does not include synthetic analogs of mescaline, including derivatives of mescaline that are produced using chemical synthesis, chemical modification, or chemical conversion.

(4) “Personal use” means for the personal ingestion or other personal and noncommercial use by the person in possession.

(5) “Preparation” means processing or otherwise preparing for use.

(h) This section shall take effect on January 1, 2025.

SEC. 6.

 Section 11364 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11364.

 (a) It is unlawful to possess an opium pipe or any device, contrivance, instrument, or paraphernalia used for unlawfully injecting or smoking (1) a controlled substance specified in subdivision (b), (c), or (e) or paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11054, specified in paragraph (15) or (20) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054, specified in subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 11055, or specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 11055, or (2) a controlled substance that is a narcotic drug classified in Schedule III, IV, or V.

(b) This section shall not apply to hypodermic needles or syringes that have been containerized for safe disposal in a container that meets state and federal standards for disposal of sharps waste.

(c) Until January 1, 2026, as a public health measure intended to prevent the transmission of HIV, viral hepatitis, and other bloodborne diseases among persons who use syringes and hypodermic needles, and to prevent subsequent infection of sexual partners, newborn children, or other persons, this section shall not apply to the possession solely for personal use of hypodermic needles or syringes.

SEC. 7.

 Section 11364.7 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11364.7.

 (a) (1) Except as authorized by law, any person who delivers, furnishes, or transfers, possesses with intent to deliver, furnish, or transfer, or manufactures with the intent to deliver, furnish, or transfer, drug paraphernalia, knowing, or under circumstances where one reasonably should know, that it will be used to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, pack, repack, store, contain, conceal, inject, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body a controlled substance, except as provided in subdivision (b), in violation of this division, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(2) A public entity, its agents, or employees shall not be subject to criminal prosecution for distribution of hypodermic needles or syringes or any materials deemed by a local or state health department to be necessary to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, or to prevent drug overdose, injury, or disability to participants in clean needle and syringe exchange projects authorized by the public entity pursuant to Chapter 18 (commencing with Section 121349) of Part 4 of Division 105.

(3) This subdivision does not apply to any paraphernalia that is intended to be used to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, pack, repack, store, contain, conceal, inject, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body, any of the following substances:

(A) Dimethyltryptamine (DMT).

(B) Mescaline.

(C) Psilocybin.

(D) Psilocyn.

(b) Except as authorized by law, any person who manufactures with intent to deliver, furnish, or transfer drug paraphernalia knowing, or under circumstances where one reasonably should know, that it will be used to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, test, analyze, pack, repack, store, contain, conceal, inject, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body cocaine, cocaine base, heroin, phencyclidine, or methamphetamine in violation of this division shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or in the state prison.

(c) Except as authorized by law, any person, 18 years of age or over, who violates subdivision (a) by delivering, furnishing, or transferring drug paraphernalia to a person under 18 years of age who is at least three years younger, or who, upon the grounds of a public or private elementary, vocational, junior high, or high school, possesses a hypodermic needle, as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 11014.5, with the intent to deliver, furnish, or transfer the hypodermic needle, knowing, or under circumstances where one reasonably should know, that it will be used by a person under 18 years of age to inject into the human body a controlled substance, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.

(d) The violation, or the causing or the permitting of a violation, of subdivision (a), (b), or (c) by a holder of a business or liquor license issued by a city, county, or city and county, or by the State of California, and in the course of the licensee’s business shall be grounds for the revocation of that license.

(e) All drug paraphernalia defined in Section 11014.5 is subject to forfeiture and may be seized by any peace officer pursuant to Section 11471 unless its distribution has been authorized pursuant to subdivision (a).

(f) If any provision of this section or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, it is the intent of the Legislature that the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application and to this end the provisions of this section are severable.

SEC. 8.

 Section 11365 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11365.

 (a) It is unlawful to visit or to be in any room or place where any controlled substances that are specified in subdivision (b), (c), or (e), or paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11054, specified in paragraph (15) or (20) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054, or specified in subdivision (b) or (c) or paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 11055, or that are narcotic drugs classified in Schedule III, IV, or V, are being unlawfully smoked or used with knowledge that such activity is occurring.

(b)  This section shall apply only where the defendant aids, assists, or abets the perpetration of the unlawful smoking or use of a controlled substance specified in subdivision (a). This subdivision is declaratory of existing law as expressed in People v. Cressey (1970) 2 Cal. 3d 836.

SEC. 9.

 Section 11377 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11377.

 (a) Except as authorized by law and as otherwise provided in subdivision (b) or Section 11375, or in Article 7 (commencing with Section 4211) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, every person who possesses any controlled substance that is (1) classified in Schedule III, IV, or V, and that is not a narcotic drug, (2) specified in subdivision (d) of Section 11054, except paragraphs (10), (11), (13), (14), (15), (18), (19), and (20) of subdivision (d), (3) specified in paragraph (11) of subdivision (c) of Section 11056, (4) specified in paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (f) of Section 11054, or (5) specified in subdivision (d), (e), or (f) of Section 11055, unless upon the prescription of a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or veterinarian, licensed to practice in this state, shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for a period of not more than one year, except that such person may instead be punished pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code if that person has one or more prior convictions for an offense specified in clause (iv) of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of Section 667 of the Penal Code or for an offense requiring registration pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 290 of the Penal Code.

(b) The judge may assess a fine not to exceed seventy dollars ($70) against any person who violates subdivision (a), with the proceeds of this fine to be used in accordance with Section 1463.23 of the Penal Code. The court shall, however, take into consideration the defendant’s ability to pay, and no defendant shall be denied probation because of their inability to pay the fine permitted under this subdivision.

(c) It is not unlawful for a person other than the prescription holder to possess a controlled substance described in subdivision (a) if both of the following apply:

(1) The possession of the controlled substance is at the direction or with the express authorization of the prescription holder.

(2) The sole intent of the possessor is to deliver the prescription to the prescription holder for its prescribed use or to discard the substance in a lawful manner.

(d) This section does not permit the use of a controlled substance by a person other than the prescription holder or permit the distribution or sale of a controlled substance that is otherwise inconsistent with the prescription.

SEC. 10.

 Section 11377.1 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

11377.1.

 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this section, and notwithstanding any other law, all of the following shall be lawful for a natural person 21 years of age or older and shall not be a violation of state or local law:

(1) The possession, preparation, obtaining, or transportation, of no more than the allowable amount of any of the following substances for personal use:

(A) The controlled substance specified in paragraph (10) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054.

(B) The controlled substance specified in paragraph (18) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054.

(C) The controlled substance specified in paragraph (19) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054.

(D) Spores or mycelium capable of producing mushrooms or other material which contains the controlled substance specified in paragraph (18) or (19) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054.

(2) The ingesting of a substance described in paragraph (1).

(3) The possession, planting, cultivating, harvesting, or preparation of plants capable of producing a substance described in paragraph (1), on property owned or controlled by a person, for the uses described in this subdivision by that person, and possession of any product produced by those plants including spores or mycelium capable of producing mushrooms or other materials that contain a controlled substance specified in paragraph (18) or (19) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054, for that purpose.

(b) Possession of a controlled substance specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) by a person 21 years of age or over, on the grounds of any public or private elementary, vocational, junior high, or high school, during hours that the school is open for classes or school-related programs, or at any time when minors are using the facility is punishable as a misdemeanor.

(c) (1) A person who knowingly gives away or administers a controlled substance specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) to a person who is under 18 years of age in violation of law shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for a period of not more than six months or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a person 18 years of age or over who knowingly gives away or administers a substance described in paragraph (1) to a minor under 14 years of age in violation of law shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a period of three, five, or seven years.

(3) A person who knowingly gives away or administers a substance described in paragraph (1) to a person who is at least 18 years of age, but under 21 years of age is guilty of an infraction.

(d) Except as otherwise provided, possession of a controlled substance specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) by a person under 18 years of age is punishable as an infraction and shall require:

(1) Upon a finding that a first offense has been committed, four hours of drug education or counseling and up to 10 hours of community service over a period not to exceed 60 days, commencing when the drug education or counseling services are made available to them.

(2) Upon a finding that a second offense or subsequent offense has been committed, six hours of drug education or counseling and up to 20 hours of community service over a period not to exceed 90 days, commencing when the drug education or counseling services are made available to them.

(e) Except as otherwise provided, possession of a controlled substance specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) by a person at least 18 years of age but less than 21 years of age is punishable as an infraction.

(f) A controlled substance described in this section or any related product involved in any way with conduct deemed lawful by this section are not contraband nor subject to seizure, and no conduct deemed lawful by this section shall constitute the basis for detention, search, or arrest, or the basis for the seizure or forfeiture of assets.

(g) As used in this section, the following terms are defined as follows:

(1) “Allowable amount” means the following quantities of a substance per person. “Allowable amount” does not include the weight of any material of which the substance is a part or to which the substance is added, dissolved, held in solution, or suspended, or any ingredient or material combined with the substance specified in this subdivision as part of a preparation:

(A) One gram of dimethyltryptamine, otherwise known as DMT.

(B) One gram of psilocybin or one ounce of a plant or fungi containing psilocybin.

(C) One gram of psilocyn or one ounce of a plant or fungi containing psilocyn.

(D) The amount of spores or mycelium capable of producing an allowable amount of a plant or fungi which contain a controlled substance specified in paragraph (18) or (19) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054.

(2) “Controlled substances” in this section does not include synthetic analogs of these substances, including derivatives of these substances that are produced using chemical synthesis, chemical modification, or chemical conversion.

(3) “Financial gain” means the receipt of money or other valuable consideration in exchange for the item being transferred.

(4) “Personal use” means for the personal ingestion or other personal and noncommercial use by the person in possession.

(5) “Preparation” means processing or otherwise preparing for use.

(h) This section shall take effect on January 1, 2025.

SEC. 11.

 Section 11379 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11379.

 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), in Section 11377.1, and in Article 7 (commencing with Section 4211) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, every person who transports, imports into this state, sells, furnishes, administers, or gives away, or offers to transport, import into this state, sell, furnish, administer, or give away, or attempts to import into this state or transport any controlled substance that is (1) classified in Schedule III, IV, or V and that is not a narcotic drug, except subdivision (g) of Section 11056, (2) specified in subdivision (d) of Section 11054, except paragraphs (13), (14), (15), (20), (21), (22), and (23) of subdivision (d), (3) specified in paragraph (11) of subdivision (c) of Section 11056, (4) specified in paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (f) of Section 11054, or (5) specified in subdivision (d) or (e), except paragraph (3) of subdivision (e), or specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (f), of Section 11055, unless upon the prescription of a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or veterinarian, licensed to practice in this state, shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for a period of two, three, or four years.

(b) Notwithstanding the penalty provisions of subdivision (a), any person who transports any controlled substances specified in subdivision (a) within this state from one county to another noncontiguous county shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for three, six, or nine years.

(c) For purposes of this section, “transports” means to transport for sale.

(d) Nothing in this section is intended to preclude or limit prosecution under an aiding and abetting theory, accessory theory, or a conspiracy theory.

SEC. 12.

 Section 11382 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11382.

 Except as otherwise provided in Section 11377.1, every person who agrees, consents, or in any manner offers to unlawfully sell, furnish, transport, administer, or give any controlled substance that is (a) classified in Schedule III, IV, or V and that is not a narcotic drug, or (b) specified in subdivision (d) of Section 11054, except paragraphs (13), (14), (15), and (20) of subdivision (d), specified in paragraph (11) of subdivision (c) of Section 11056, or specified in subdivision (d), (e), or (f) of Section 11055, to any person, or offers, arranges, or negotiates to have that controlled substance unlawfully sold, delivered, transported, furnished, administered, or given to any person and then sells, delivers, furnishes, transports, administers, or gives, or offers, or arranges, or negotiates to have sold, delivered, transported, furnished, administered, or given to any person any other liquid, substance, or material in lieu of that controlled substance shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code.

SEC. 13.

 Section 11550 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11550.

 (a) A person shall not use, or be under the influence of any controlled substance that is (1) specified in subdivision (b), (c), or (e), or paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11054, specified in paragraph (15), (21), (22), or (23) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054, specified in subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 11055, or specified in paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (d) or in paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 11055, or (2) a narcotic drug classified in Schedule III, IV, or V, except when administered by or under the direction of a person licensed by the state to dispense, prescribe, or administer controlled substances. It shall be the burden of the defense to show that it comes within the exception. A person convicted of violating this subdivision is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be sentenced to serve a term of not more than one year in a county jail. The court may also place a person convicted under this subdivision on probation for a period not to exceed five years.

(b) (1) A person who is convicted of violating subdivision (a) when the offense occurred within seven years of that person being convicted of two or more separate violations of that subdivision, and refuses to complete a licensed drug rehabilitation program offered by the court pursuant to subdivision (c), shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not less than 180 days nor more than one year. In no event does the court have the power to absolve a person convicted of a violation of subdivision (a) who is punishable under this subdivision from the obligation of spending at least 180 days in confinement in a county jail unless there are no licensed drug rehabilitation programs reasonably available.

(2) For the purpose of this section, a drug rehabilitation program is not reasonably available unless the person is not required to pay more than the court determines that they are reasonably able to pay in order to participate in the program.

(c) (1) The court may, when it would be in the interest of justice, permit a person convicted of a violation of subdivision (a) punishable under subdivision (a) or (b) to complete a licensed drug rehabilitation program in lieu of part or all of the imprisonment in a county jail. As a condition of sentencing, the court may require the offender to pay all or a portion of the drug rehabilitation program.

(2) In order to alleviate jail overcrowding and to provide recidivist offenders with a reasonable opportunity to seek rehabilitation pursuant to this subdivision, counties are encouraged to include provisions to augment licensed drug rehabilitation programs in their substance abuse proposals and applications submitted to the state for federal and state drug abuse funds.

(d) In addition to any fine assessed under this section, the judge may assess a fine not to exceed seventy dollars ($70) against a person who violates this section, with the proceeds of this fine to be used in accordance with Section 1463.23 of the Penal Code. The court shall, however, take into consideration the defendant’s ability to pay, and a defendant shall not be denied probation because of their inability to pay the fine permitted under this subdivision.

(e) (1) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b) or any other law, a person who is unlawfully under the influence of cocaine, cocaine base, heroin, methamphetamine, or phencyclidine while in the immediate personal possession of a loaded, operable firearm is guilty of a public offense punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not exceeding one year or in state prison.

(2) As used in this subdivision “immediate personal possession” includes, but is not limited to, the interior passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

(f) Every person who violates subdivision (e) is punishable upon the second and each subsequent conviction by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years.

(g) This section does not prevent deferred entry of judgment or a defendant’s participation in a preguilty plea drug court program under Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 1000) of Title 6 of Part 2 of the Penal Code unless the person is charged with violating subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 243 of the Penal Code. A person charged with violating this section by being under the influence of any controlled substance that is specified in paragraph (21), (22), or (23) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054 or in paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 11055 and with violating either subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 243 of the Penal Code or with a violation of subdivision (e) shall be ineligible for deferred entry of judgment or a preguilty plea drug court program.

SEC. 14.

 Section 11999 of the Health and Safety Code is repealed.

SEC. 15.

 The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

SEC. 16.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district because, in that regard, this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

VIBES AND THE LAST PRISONER PROJECT DROP RELEASE PAPERS

Vibes and The Last Prisoner Project are releasing a new line of papers advocating for the release of cannabis prisoners. 

Founded by Cookies co-founder and rapper Berner, Vibes has carved a place for itself in the higher-end rolling paper scene traditionally dominated by Raw’s unbleached papers and Elements. Regardless of how difficult it is to truly claim a chunk of the rolling paper market, Vibes was able to pull it off. A variety of sizes and offerings you just don’t see from the competition also helped put the company on the map. 

Vibes will now turn that energy to aid the Last Prisoner Project(LPP). At the end of July, Vibes and LPP launched Release Papers in collaboration with the creatives at Mother. The papers now serve as the heart of an advocacy campaign looking to push the continued release of cannabis prisoners. 

“So many people are still locked up with lengthy sentences related to cannabis. While at the same time, so many states have made up their mind that cannabis should be legal, and those states are where those people are still serving time, which makes absolutely no sense,” Berner said when announcing the effort. “Campaigns like this are part of who I am, we have to speak up, stand next to and support causes like Last Prisoner Project. I’ve helped raise awareness for Richard Delisi, Corvain Cooper and soon, Robert Deals. There are so many more people to fight for, and I need your help to fight for their freedom.” 

The collaborators went on to note 72% of Americans support cannabis pardons for the numerous folks serving time for nonviolent cannabis offenses.

The general ethos of the campaign is to use RELEASE PAPERS as an educational tool that will also get the public to engage in advocating for those still behind bars. The papers will include the name of one of the four prisoners featured in the pack. They are:

• Edwin Rubis, currently serving a 40-year sentence in Talladega, Alabama, for a victimless offense
• Hector McGurk, serving a life sentence in Victorville, California, without the possibility of parole for a nonviolent marijuana offense
• Moe Taher, sentenced to 25 years in prison in Welch, West Virginia, for selling cannabis
• Ricardo Ashmeade, serving a 22-year sentence in Pollock, Louisiana, for a victimless offense. Despite a reclassification of a California conviction from a felony to a misdemeanor, the federal courts have refused to resentence him.

The collaborators noted inside the pack people will find a QR code directing them to release-papers.com. The site gives supporters the opportunity to sign the Cannabis Clemency Now petition urging President Biden to release federal cannabis prisoners. Site visitors also will be able to participate in the letter-writing program supporting the featured inmates. 

I work at a dispensary that used to organize letter-writing campaigns for Eddy Lepp, one of California’s most famous medical cannabis prisoners. He always notes how thankful he was when mail call came and it showed how much people cared about his fight. It’s not unreasonable to think the same could be said for the four prisoners featured in this campaign. 

“Vibes Release Papers are helping illuminate the injustice our constituents continue

to face, even as more states legalize cannabis. President Biden has the power to right

history and free Edwin, Hector, Moe and Ricardo with the stroke of a pen, says

Stephanie Shepard, LPP board member and director of advocacy. “We are grateful to

have Vibes join our fight, as we keep advocating until everyone still incarcerated for

cannabis is fully free.”

A portion of the profits also will go back to the Last Prisoner Project to support its efforts in calling on President Biden to grant clemency to the tens of thousands of individuals currently incarcerated due to federal cannabis-related convictions.

MISSOURI CELEBRATES FIRST ADULT-USE CANNABIS SALE

Missouri’s first weekend of legal cannabis sales is in the books. 

The nearly 200 dispensaries dotting the state netted $12.6 million in sales in the first three days of adult-use sales. There is an argument to be made that number may have been higher had the permit release timing been a little clearer; even operators didn’t realize they would be allowed to commence sales Friday. 

John Mueller is the CEO of Missouri’s largest operator Greenlight, a multi-state operator that has 15 retail permits in Missouri. Mueller, a Missouri native, told L.A. Weekly that Greenlight had its fair share of action over the weekend, with sales doubling overnight once adult-use kicked in. 

Mueller notes the tail end of last week was a bit of a gray zone. 

“Then what happened is, on Thursday, the state said they would start issuing out the licenses and you didn’t have to wait. We thought they would have all licenses at open at whatever time on the sixth,” Mueller explained.

They would get the permit at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning and be open in an hour and a half. But unlike the big lines we’re used to seeing outside dispensaries on opening day, at first it was a quest by consumers to confirm the news on shops opening earlier than expected. Mueller says the phone continues to ring off the hook in that regard. 

Even with the traditional first sale not the spectacle it’s been in other states, dispensaries did great. Mueller noted some places saw up to four times the amount of usual foot traffic depending on where. 

Mueller said there is plenty to be happy about besides the numbers. He feels dispensary operators got a lot to work with in the regulations. 

“Thrilled with the performance, but there is a whole lot of stuff. You know we got drive-through here authorized, express pick-up windows in the lobbies and then also making sure that that patient wasn’t relegated to a bad status.”

Greenlight has separated the adult-use and medical lines at the dispensaries to make sure none of the state’s 200,000 medical cannabis patients feel left behind in the transition over to adult-use sales. 

Mueller doesn’t feel like things have been overly restrictive on operators, apart from the normal childproofing packaging and things like that.

“We carry about 300 products per store, so we’re a pretty wide selection and we’ve got a pretty robust cultivation and manufacturing side of this equation,” Mueller said. 

He noted the dispensaries currently operating are able to acquire flower from 28 different cultivators in the state. He thinks there are about 50 different manufacturers in the state that are all cranking out products too. 

While that number may sound small to Californians, it’s still a decent number of producers on day one. We asked Mueller if it was enough for a real level of competition similar to the fight for shelf space we’re seeing on the west coast. 

He was quick to argue, sure. Currently, Greenlight’s discount eighths are running $25, with the top shelf clocking in at $45. 

There weren’t a lot of surprises for Greenlight during the transition. The company was able to lean on its past experiences transitioning from a medical market to adult-use in Nevada. Greenlight also has operations across the southeast and midwest in Arkansas, West Virginia, Illinois and South Dakota.

Courtesy of NASA

Hash Holes Go to Mars With Jiko+

Jimi Devine August 18, 2023 Cannabis

Can tech-backed oversupply ruin clout? We’re about to find out with the new Jiko+ Donut Maker designed by a former NASA engineer.

The creators of the Jiko+ are looking to conquer one of the points in the cannabis supply chain people have not been able to automate up to this point. Sure there have been infused preroll machines, but they were never a true donut, or as we call them now, hash hole. The tech attached to those machines was mostly needles attached to a heating element that would shoot the concentrate into each joint evenly as it removed the needle. A lot of the time the material being used in these infused prerolls, both the flower and hash, was between garbage and subpar.

On many occasions, those infused prerolls were simply an attempt to bump the price of their contents by trying to make them sound nicer. These kinds of preroll entities have existed since the early 2010s because, for every more educated connoisseur that knew they were garbage, there were a few part-time puffers that knew they wanted to get “messed up.” Add to that the fact prerolls have continued to grow their market share as a whole in the years since legalization and it’s easy to see why there are some shady folks that remain commercially viable.  

There is an argument to be made that darkness before the light partially helped rocket hash holes into the stratosphere. We were so used to how bad it had gotten with infused prerolls that when we finally started seeing small batch artisan hash holes after Fidel brought the premise back from Barcelona, it was like a hype lightning storm that came out of nowhere. Overnight, the most expensive prerolls in the state were hand-rolled small-batch prerolls filled with exotic rosins and equally high-end flowers. 

Since hash holes came out the gate so strong, it was easy to see who was skimping on quality. To this point, they’ve remained a daily boutique thing. 

When I asked Fidel what he thought of something like the Jiko+, he simply replied wondering why someone would need to roll 800 hash holes in an hour. What will the top-shelf preroll market turn into?

Or, will the hardware truly even be able to compare to Calirofnia’s best rollers? You could even say the hash hole hype helped breathe this new generation of famous rollers that took off after the pandemic. The Brunos, the CGOs, and others who have conquered the space, are turning into legit cannabis celebrities and influencers around the world. When I was at Hash Hole Island earlier this week up north outside Sacramento, I met people from Texas and New York that just flew in to smoke hash holes. The last time I was in Africa, I saw Bruno’s star power firsthand as some of the local hitters were simply giddy to see him. Can a machine recreate this kind of culture?

I don’t know. But once you get past the philosophical questions about maintaining the boutique aspect of hash holes, the Jiko+ is admittedly pretty dope. It accommodates various joint and blunt sizes that range from one to three grams. The amount of hash inside of each range from .2 to a full gram. 

“Up until now, crafting these intricate, infused prerolls by hand required labor-intensive processes that lacked scalability, consistency and dependability. We’re proud to have developed the technology and equipment that both brands and consumers will appreciate and enjoy,” says Nohtal Partansky, co-founder and CEO of Sorting Robotics.

Partansky is a former engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. While there, he worked on the MOXIE project. That instrument is currently on the surface of Mars producing oxygen from the Martian atmosphere. That kind of hardware is obviously critical for any future exploration of the red planet. 

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.

FIG FARMS DOUBLES UP AT SOCAL CANNABIS CUP

Fig Farms continued its 2023 run of excellence by winning two out of three flower categories at the High Times SoCal Cannabis Cup.

The victories came in the Indica and Hybrid categories. Animal Face won in the hybrid category after winning best indoor flower at the 2022 Emerald Cup. Blue Face won the Indica category a few months after winning both best indoor flower and best indoor at this year’s Emerald Cup. This is just further validation for the work Keith and Chloe Healy are doing with their team of monster growers in Oakland. 

The Blue Face took home two top prizes this year and is absolute rockstar cannabis. Fig Farms describes the aroma as a combination of acetone, tree bark and pickled ginger. The Animal Face that took home the top hybrid is absolute gas and fuel terps. I judged the hybrid category it won. I saved the Animal Face for last to see if anything would top it. Nothing did, but the same could be said for the 20 Emerald Cup flower judges who didn’t see a strain or farm when they picked Blue Face, just the heat in the jar and a number. Regardless of mine being labeled, we came to the same conclusion on Fig’s different flavors. 

Animal Face

Fig Farms finds itself among a small group of people who have been holding strong in certain contests for the last few years. It raises the question from others as to whether these contests are even worth it. Do they matter?

“They do for sure. We got offered space in Oakland the next day after we won the Cannabis Cup,” Keith Healy, Fig Farms founder and CEO, told L.A. Weekly.

They were negotiating on an Oakland location and one in Sacramento. 

“The day after winning we got offered the Oakland space,” Healy said. “I wouldn’t have been as confident to perform. I wouldn’t have been as confident to pull it off.”

Fig has been selective in the contests it has entered in the years since that win. But after winning The Emerald Cup earlier this year, it returned to the Cannabis Cup for the first time since that 2017 victory that changed everything. Fig was certainly thrilled with the results of its comeback. 

“To win two out of three was just mind-blowing and honestly confusing since, like you win the Emerald Cup and High Times, trying to explain to somebody like a stranger that these things aren’t easy,” Healy said emphasizing he doesn’t have the confidence of being some egomaniac. 

The catch-22 of that lack of confidence Healy claims is that he only enters his absolute flame. By the time he’s convinced it’s fire, it probably is, as opposed to someone that needs that new hype strain to keep their thing going. So it’s easy to understand why everything they entered this year, in everything, did so well.

Blue Face

We asked Healy which of the accolades the farm has received in recent years meant the most to him.

“I think being on stage with Chloe while she was pregnant at the Emerald Cup win in 2022 was pretty incredible because that was the first time that I’ve been able to share a stage with her,” he replied. 

Healy went on to note that another thing that has made each win special was the timing. Just like the 2017 win got him into that new space, these other wins have each meant something in the moment.  

“Every single one has come at a time when I needed it,” Healy said. “That kind of time where it’s like the confidence to push forward on the next task, whether that’s building out more space or it’s just the confidence to keep doing what I’m doing.

The High Times win meant a lot to Fig because it was so different from the win at The Emerald Cup. High Times is essentially people’s choice compared to the expert panel The Emerald Cup brings in for judging. We joked with Healy about how many cup kits he bought, he laughed and noted just one to try the other flavors. 

Despite their continued dominance, Animal Face and Blue Face need to keep an eye on their shoulders. Fig recently worked with Zeclair and their whole catalog. We got to check out the pheno hunt a few weeks before it was chopped down. Everything was absolute heat and you can expect some crazy Z terps from Fig Farms soon.