Vape Crisis Prompts Calls for Greater Clarity in Cannabis Regulation

By | December 3, 2019

  • December 3, 2019 at 8:56 am
    Capta says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 8
    Thumb down 5

    “I think the [cannabis] industry is saying to the federal government, ‘Look, the time of the federal government’s only policy response to marijuana being criminal enforcement is over,’” said Ian Stewart, co-chair of Wilson Elser’s Cannabis Law practice. “This is now a public health crisis, people are dying because it’s not regulated.”

    I’m so old, I remember others out here saying the industry is NOT asking for stricter regulations. Hmmm. Further down the article, it also states the CDC has identified vitamin E acetate as the common culprit in these lung illnesses and deaths. Stricter regulations would implement testing to ensure that additive isn’t part of the solution in any type of E-cig vaping device, MJ or no MJ. Ian Stewart is right, it’s time for the federal government to change its tune. Even the President has made statements in contrast with the AMA on these vaping devices and saying a ban is not the right way to go. That doing so will only lead to a larger black market and more illnesses and deaths. Certainly, my conservative friends would never doubt this President’s position on anything, including vaping. Right?

    • December 3, 2019 at 9:23 am
      Captain Planet says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 4
      Thumb down 2

      Not sure how my name didn’t auto-fill – this came from me.

      • December 3, 2019 at 3:55 pm
        Common Sense says:
        Like or Dislike:
        Thumb up 4
        Thumb down 6

        I think the dopers/vapers should be the first ones to test all new Cannibus/Vaping products.

        • December 3, 2019 at 4:35 pm
          Captain Planet says:
          Like or Dislike:
          Thumb up 4
          Thumb down 1

          Or, you know, a simple lab test will do. But then, you wouldn’t get to peddle some of the people you hate into harm’s way.

          • December 4, 2019 at 1:31 pm
            FFA says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 1
            Thumb down 1

            Well,after the lab rats are all stoned, I might tend to agree with CS.

          • December 4, 2019 at 1:40 pm
            Captain Planet says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 1

            Lab…not as in rats, but a chemical composition test to see what’s in the solution, FFA.

      • December 4, 2019 at 3:01 pm
        perplexed says:
        Like or Dislike:
        Thumb up 1
        Thumb down 3

        Oh, I would have never guessed you penned that first response, Captain. (sarcasm)

        • December 4, 2019 at 3:06 pm
          Captain Planet says:
          Like or Dislike:
          Thumb up 5
          Thumb down 1

          Hey, I owned it rather than changing my name 25 times.

  • December 3, 2019 at 1:32 pm
    Ann says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 6
    Thumb down 2

    The cannabis industry is regulated. The FDA has regulations regarding vaping for the known carcinogen product of ‘nicotine’. Recently I have seen ads on television promoting various alternative uses of nicotine as a wonderful, enjoyable product.
    The FDA and DEA has oversight over Schedule I drugs which includes cannabis and cannabis products. The FDA and DEA is supposed to enforce federal laws to protect the public’s health and safety from a KNOWN product with adverse effects upon the public health. However, thanks to member of Congress they have placed a stranglehold on the DoJ from using any federal funds from prosecuting so-called medical cannabis in states that have ‘legalized’ cannabis. But now the cannabis industry is whining that they want the federal government to ‘regulate’ their industry — in other words to save the public from their own product that has known adverse impacts upon the individuals and communities.
    Rather than whining to the federal government to save the cannabis problems they should be looking to the states that have legalized it within their state borders. The states should actually be ENFORCING their laws against the cannabis industry but are either too inept or other reasons. The states that have legalized cannabis are in violation of four international narcotics treaties — placing the US in violation of these treaties.
    The marketing effort to get cannabis legalized has been that it is ‘safe’, ‘natural’, ‘herb’, well the rest of knew this was just so far from the truth. Cannabis laboratory studies show the products are frequently contaminated with mold, mildew, pesticides, and heavy metals. The product can be addictive. It can produce marijuana psychosis. It can increase the likelihood of miscarriages and mild – severe birth defects.

    • December 3, 2019 at 4:58 pm
      Captain Planet says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 3
      Thumb down 5

      At least a couple falsehoods in that post but I’ll just point to the “safe” aspect. I don’t know ANYONE who has ever called any intoxicant, including MJ, “safe”. By the very nature of all intoxicants, they alter one’s mental and/or physical capacities. How can that ever be safe? I can’t discount the fact organically it is a natural plant. That much I’ll give you.

      • December 3, 2019 at 9:00 pm
        Craig Cornell says:
        Like or Dislike:
        Thumb up 4
        Thumb down 4

        Oh, the old disingenuous “intoxicant” argument.

        Well, LSD is an intoxicant. So are barbituates. Fentanyl. Shall I go on? So are you in favor of that old “responsible adult use” of THOSE intoxicants. And if not legalize those, why not?

        According to the Los Angeles Times, up to 80% of marijuana products sold in California are illegal products. (Blame the Feds.)

        • December 4, 2019 at 8:28 am
          Captain Planet says:
          Like or Dislike:
          Thumb up 6
          Thumb down 2

          Well, for one, all of those intoxicants you just mentioned are lethal of and by themselves. It is impossible to OD to the point of death while consuming MJ alone . So we have that for starters. Now, LSD is being used responsibly for terminally ill patients. It’s also being used in a fashion called “micro-dosing”. You should check it out. Barbituates and let’s call it for what it is, heroin…you seriously are trying to lump those into an argument about MJ? Well, good luck with that. That’s like trying to blackmail The Dark Knight.

          And, there you are shifting goalposts again because all I was speaking to was the very fact I’ve never heard anyone call MJ safe. It is not marketed that way. I don’t see the billboards in states where there is legal use touting it’s safeness. “Welcome to Colorado. Cannabis will be legal. Don’t worry, it’s safe!”

          Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar already!

          • December 4, 2019 at 12:05 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 4

            Shifting goal posts? Your ONLY measure for legalization is sudden death. Not car accident deaths? Those don’t count?

            IQ loss, addiction, mental illness? Those don’t count. You don’t care about those people?

            Man, we should make all prescription drugs legal under your “sudden death” standard. You with me?

          • December 4, 2019 at 12:13 pm
            Captain Planet says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 4
            Thumb down 2

            No, that isn’t my only measure, but thanks for trying to put words in my mouth…again.

            Permanent motor skill loss from alcohol abuse, addiction, liver cancer, actual OD to the point of death – legal and more harmful. Why is that? Go back and read up on what happened with cannabis and alcohol when prohibition was repealed.

            We’ve already hashed the black market comment. You can continue to beat the dead horse if you want. You and I both know what needs to happen with the development of the legal market in order to shrink the illegal market. There is too much product for the existing legal market, the producers are selling to the black market rather than sitting on a large surplus. The 60 Minutes you like to source all the time spoke exactly to that point.

            I’m with the President on this one. It’s better to have a federally regulated product on the market than to have US citizens who want it, turn to a black market with an unregulated product and suffer unnecessary health consequences. A majority of Americans want this. Despite your crusade.

          • December 4, 2019 at 2:17 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 3

            You keep saying the same untrue things. The Black Market is NOT going away. It is getting bigger. Prohibition actually limits the market for pot, not the other way around. Hello?

            Do you Pot Fans ever tell the truth? See link below from the far-left LA Times.

          • December 4, 2019 at 2:29 pm
            Captain Planet says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 4
            Thumb down 2

            No black market goes away if there is demand. I can get black market Michael Jordan shoes if I want. There is literally a black market for all things people want. Duh! But, if the legal MJ suppliers have more legal markets to sell to, they have less need to sell to the black market. Buh-bye, now.

          • December 4, 2019 at 2:52 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 4

            God, you are a persistently dishonest Pot Fan, aren’t you?

            Nobody makes Nike shoes in their garage. Millions can grow pot at home by watching videos on the internet.

            Please stop being so funny. The black market for Nike shoes isn’t anywhere near 80%. Or even 10%. Probably not even 1%. Just hilarious. Keep me laughing.

          • December 4, 2019 at 3:10 pm
            Captain Planet says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 5
            Thumb down 1

            Ahh, I see you’ve never tried to purchase rare Air Jordan retros. I am a collector. Tons of illegal knock-offs out there, so be careful if you decide to start collecting. (No, not in someone’s garage – more like dedicated factories in China – it’s a huge market). I can help you with how to spot a fake if you want to help bust those criminals. Nike loves hearing about them.

          • December 4, 2019 at 3:51 pm
            Jon says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 3
            Thumb down 5

            LOL don’t you love when Craig makes blanket statements about things he has no idea about? Respect CP another sneaker fan, and yeah there is a HUGE black market for sneakers, so yet another Craig statement that is blatantly false. In addition to his complete lack of understanding on Prohibition LOL

          • December 4, 2019 at 4:15 pm
            helpingout says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 3
            Thumb down 1

            Reposting this because we tried describing this for Craig before:

            helpingout says:
            LIKE OR DISLIKE:
            Thumb up 2Thumb down 0
            Let’s dissect the logic, and your lack of it in regards to this. There is a still a black market, and there is a black market in legal states that are selling cannabis in states where it is illegal. This causes an easy market for young kids to get there hands on this stuff.

            Now if we made it easier to get cannabis for adults and implement laws almost exactly the same as alcohol, this would curb the youth consumption rate, similar how it worked with alcohol!

            Craig, the theory is not wrong, but there are issues with it in regards that when people discuss this, they are more than likely taking about it curbing the youth if it was legalized everywhere, but your simplistic approach to this theory is flawed in many ways.

            And now in other news today: Craig learns people will sell almost anything on the black market including, but not limited to: Organs, credit card information, sperm, humans, and a ton of other things that shouldn’t be happening, but still doesn’t comprehend people will sell sneakers on the black market….

          • December 4, 2019 at 4:45 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 1
            Thumb down 3

            Oh, now you change the topic to RETRO Air Jordans. A massive market, I must add. Almost as big as RETRO marijuana.

            P.S. If you can tell me where I can get knock off Nikes, I would be glad to buy direct from China instead of going through the Nike middle man.

            After all, Nike sucked up to China by pulling all of their Houston Rocket jerseys when the Dictator told Nike to dance. You know, Nike, that company with the Kaepernick commercial that said “Stand for what you believe in, even if it costs you everything”.

            HA HA HA HA. Nike Sucks.

          • December 4, 2019 at 4:49 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 1

            Here are some places you can buy knock-off Nike shoes. This took less than 30 seconds to find.

            http s://bestchineseproducts.com/nike-replica-seller-aliexpress/

            http s://www.luxurytradeclub.co/index.php?route=product/category&path=56

            http s://bestchinesereplicas.com/top-trusted-aliexpress-nike-shoes-replica-vendor-copy-shoes/

            http s://www.cheapshoes.us.org/

          • December 4, 2019 at 4:55 pm
            helpingout says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 1
            Thumb down 1

            Also another post regarding how big the fake footwear market is:

            “Luxury brands like Christian Louboutin are also targets for counterfeiters: In 2012, more than 20,000 knockoff pairs featuring the designer’s trademark red soles were seized by U.S. customs, at an estimated value of $18 million. Online counterfeit sales are responsible for approximately $30.3 billion in annual losses to luxury brands, according to data service firm ResearchAndMarkets’ Global Brand Counterfeiting Report.” – https://footwearnews.com/2019/business/retail/footwear-counterfeit-shoes-industry-data-1202784625/

            I don’t know who else, but if something is causing a $30.3 billion loss, that is a pretty huge market for off brand. This is for overall brand, but here is another quote:

            “The problem of fake footwear is enormous, with estimates valuing the fake footwear industry in the region of $12 billion per year, around 10% of the total global market value. With regards to brands affected, the OECD found that Nike trainers were the most common brand to be counterfeited.”

            $12B market for fake footwear? Doesn’t seem very small to me either for shoes only with Nike being the number 1 ripped off. Doesn’t matter how you feel about them in general, stop using them, but if you welcome this loss, you shouldn’t be arguing on this topic as you are showing your bias.

          • December 4, 2019 at 6:36 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 1
            Thumb down 3

            I still don’t have an answer to how big this fearsome black market for Nike shoes is. Hello? 80% like pot in California? Anyone care to be an honest person on the comparison? No?

          • December 4, 2019 at 9:20 pm
            Captain Planet says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 1

            Craig wrote, “P.S. If you can tell me where I can get knock off Nikes, I would be glad to buy direct from China instead of going through the Nike middle man.”

            Nice, he is seriously the demographic of ignorant buyers the criminals are hoping for. Good luck with your “Jordan’s” being comfortable and lasting more than a month. You done got took!

            Can’t you just admit you are wrong about this one, Craig? Every sneakerhead knows you are out of your league here, bud. You didn’t even think it existed, let alone be a big problem for collectors.

            https://gritdaily.com/inside-the-world-of-counterfeit-shoes/

            https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-repsneakers-20170905-htmlstory.html

            Or would you rather talk about DVDs or illegally pirated digital music and film? Where there is a demand, there is a black market. That is my point. So, no, it isn’t going away for MJ. But, once MJ is federally legal, you will see it greatly diminished. The quality of the product will increase with the legal shops, there will be less if zero chance of getting vitamin E acetate in the vape oil, and if operated innovatively, a much better experience than meeting Joe at the park. After all, it is an experience economy we are in now.

          • December 5, 2019 at 8:24 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 1
            Thumb down 2

            And STILL you won’t answer the question about how big this horrible black market for RETRO Nikes is.

            Are we talking 13% of a $200,000. market? Less? Smaller?

          • December 6, 2019 at 8:54 am
            Captain Planet says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 1
            Thumb down 1

            Craig,
            Take your right pointer finger. Now, place it on the upper right hand of your mouse. Hover over my links. Click.

          • December 6, 2019 at 8:54 am
            Captain Planet says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 1
            Thumb down 1

            Sorry,
            Left side – duh! Major brain fart there.

  • December 3, 2019 at 1:51 pm
    Craig Cornell says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 4
    Thumb down 6

    This article is awesome, a treasure chest of information to feed dumb comments from people who parrot the same responses to every fact.

    In California, 75% of sales of THC products are black market, as reported last week in the San Diego Union Tribune.

    So how in the hell is this the Federal Government’s fault in failing to regulate? Hello? California is already supposed to be “regulating” THC sales (heh heh). How’s that working for you, Pot Fans?

    To steal a quote: “. . . people are dying because it’s not regulated.” Correct, the exact prediction of people who opposed legal pot, that it would never stop the black market and that the black market would just grow as incarceration for illegal pot sales disappeared.

    Supporters of legal Pot for Fun can’t be trusted to regulate it, no matter what the Feds do or don’t do.

  • December 3, 2019 at 2:24 pm
    Jon says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 5
    Thumb down 9

    Funny, why wouldn’t you link the article? Because the only article I see from the san Diego Union tribune from last week doesn’t say anywhere that 75% of sales of THC products are black market. Is this another lie, Craig?

    Since your first statement was massively incorrect (there are estimates that there are a larger number of illegal sellers but no clear numbers on sales) how in the hell is anyone supposed to trust your word on this subject in the slightest, since you’ve been shown to lie and spread misinformation in the past? Do we need to touch on your repeated attempts to claim FALSELY that marijuana lowers IQ, causes schizophrenia, or whatever else comes to your little mind you want to yell about?

    Your little quote stolen looks nice as it is, but you’re taking it way out of context. Weren’t you the one yelling at others over “Fear tactics” and “chicken little” tactics on climate change? Totally fine when you do it though? we call that hypocrisy Craig.

    Anti-marijuana activists such as yourself can’t be trusted to paint a clear picture of the facts, they will twist and lie to distort the truth into whatever picture they want. Thankfully the world is moving on, marijuana regulation is here and will continue without the boomers, Craig.

    • December 3, 2019 at 2:59 pm
      helpingout says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 0
      Thumb down 0

      The Tribune is not behind a pay wall, you can read articles that up to a point (5 a month), and I just looked it up, and nothing came up regarding what you claimed.. Again link the source yourself, or stop with the misleading/false claims Craig. This continuous back and forth is ridiculous. You made the claim, so please back up your assertion, you have posted many bad links before. Many times they don’t say what you believe and a few times they go nowhere.

    • December 3, 2019 at 3:28 pm
      Rosenblatt says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 0
      Thumb down 0

      Your reply to “where’s the link to support your argument” is to say you provided a link to some other argument you made in another discussion. That’s highly suspect.

    • December 3, 2019 at 5:56 pm
      Craig Cornell says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 0
      Thumb down 0

      https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-gavin-newsom-crackdown-pot-black-market-20190219-story.html

      “As much as 80% of sales of marijuana in California are illegal sales.”

      Honesty Test for Jon: care to admit you are wrong? (FAIL. Again. As usual.)

    • December 4, 2019 at 12:02 pm
      Craig Cornell says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 3
      Thumb down 1

      https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-gavin-newsom-crackdown-pot-black-market-20190219-story.html

      Quote from the article: “As much as 80% of sales IN California are illegal . . .”

    • December 4, 2019 at 3:15 pm
      Rosenblatt says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 1
      Thumb down 1

      We keep saying we need better regulation. The article supports that: ‘”Fragmented and uncoordinated” enforcement has allowed the black market to flourish, threatening licensed business with unfair competition. “Lack of enforcement is creating a thriving environment for the unregulated ‘underground market,’ ” said the 22-member panel, which was appointed by former Gov. Jerry Brown.”

      • December 4, 2019 at 4:48 pm
        Craig Cornell says:
        Like or Dislike:
        Thumb up 1
        Thumb down 2

        All the Pot Pushers said legal pot would eliminate the black market. Nobody said “well, it’s going to be fragmented and uncoordinated” for years and years.

        So what’s taking you Lefties so long to get going? Legal pot isn’t new. Chop chop.

        Safe prediction: the black market will be just as big in California 10 years from now. And Pot Fans will STILL be blaming the Feds. HA HA HA HA!

        • December 4, 2019 at 4:53 pm
          Rosenblatt says:
          Like or Dislike:
          Thumb up 1
          Thumb down 1

          HYPERBOLE ALERT: “All the Pot Pushers said legal pot would eliminate the black market.”

          REALITY CHECK: Not a single soul on this website has ever said legal pot would eliminate the black market (nor that it was safe, nor that it should be smoked by teens or pregnant women, etc.)

          CONCLUSION: You’re making hyperbolic Straw Man arguments and are not debating any actual points that people here have raised.

          • December 4, 2019 at 6:40 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 1
            Thumb down 2

            Anyone with a brain and a grain of integrity knows that one of the very BIGGEST arguments for legalization by Pot Fans was that it would eliminate the black market, hurt the Mexican cartels.

            Please, Rosenblatt. No more civility lectures if you are now going to pretend that isn’t true. Being disingenuous is the opposite of civil.

            (And I didn’t say anyone on THIS site said that, so stop putting words in my mouth. Speaking of Straw Men.)

          • December 4, 2019 at 7:40 pm
            Jon says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 5

            You’re making a moot point. We didn’t legalize marijuana. We allowed for strict regulation in our state, it’s still federally illegal and the black market consists of a LARGE amount of marijuana moving out of california to states where it’s still illegal. You keep denying this and insulting the intelligence of others because you don’t actually have data to support your statements. You also like to ignore that whole prohibition thing that happened that provided a lot of data to say the black market for alcohol pretty much dried up with legal booze, and the same would likely be true of marijuana. Instead you hold onto your scared old FOX news talking points. Bring something new to the table maybe, like admitting you’re wrong above where Helpingout and Rosenblatt proved you were incorrect.

          • December 4, 2019 at 9:02 pm
            Captain Planet says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 1

            Craig?
            What was one of the greatest contributors to the newest heroin epidemic? The fact that people could say they have an “injury” and get it legally through a prescription, correct? Have we seen a correlation between the resurgence of the heroin black market and the declination of prescribe heroin?

          • December 5, 2019 at 4:27 pm
            Jon says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 2
            Thumb down 3

            As usual, when conservatives are confronted with things like “Reality” and “fact” about a subject like marijuana, climate change etc. they have no choice but to shrink away into the night, pretending they didn’t see anything. It’s a sad way to live with your head in the sand but the right has taken this stance on the major subjects of our time. At least the impeachment is going forward, I’d like to see them yelling about Trump 2020 now.

  • December 5, 2019 at 10:50 pm
    Nellie Wilson says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 1
    Thumb down 0

    I had to give up smoking pot recently. It affected my lungs and caused ‘clouds’, not ‘clarity’.

    • December 6, 2019 at 8:56 am
      Captain Planet says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 1
      Thumb down 1

      Willie will still eat it. He’s just done smoking it. I imagine it’s difficult for any 86 year old to breathe.

    • December 6, 2019 at 8:56 am
      Captain Planet says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 1
      Thumb down 1

      Oh, and hi Yogi!



Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*