California's AB45 Puts Kids at Extreme Risk

Assembly Bill 45 is the latest in marijuana legalization intended to make access to marijuana (THC) easy and defacto-legal for all ages. Details about the bill can found here.

The marijuana industry wants NO limits on who can consume and how much they can consume. AB 45 is focused on “hemp,” but hemp is a low-THC marijuana plant that can yield high-THC products easily. Hemp farmers are reeling from the reality that no real hemp markets exist - read more. Perhaps AB45 is trying to be a farm bill - but one that hurts kids, should be abandoned.

THC (the cannabinoid in marijuana that makes a user “high") and CBD are fat soluble (lipophilic), so they stay in the body, in the fatty tissues, for a long time. THC is horrible for the developing brain which doesn’t stop until age 25. CBD is less so, but has many researched (documented) side effects (liver damage, interaction with a host of common medications, etc) of which few are aware.

With this, people build up toxic loads of cannabinoids - powerful neurotransmitters with negative implications to brain health and over all well-being, not to mention reinforcing the addiction process and degrading cognition.

AB 45 allows THC and CBD from hemp to be included in all foods and beverages in California and sold in any kind store. AB 45 also includes the new concept of "hemp smokables." These are just another way of getting "high" and are addictive. The 2018 Farm Bill that allowed <.3% THC in hemp products was grotesquely mis-guided, because of cannabinoid toxicity and because .3% by weight is a lot of THC - how much is .3% THC?

California's legal marijuana framework is complicated and non-functioning in many ways, but AB 45 blatantly disregards several safety precautions established in its regulatory code, i.e.:

• No THC product can be sold outside of a “dispensary” - a dedicated store that sells only marijuana, marijuana-based products or products with any marijuana-derived components or cannabinoids. The black market still rages on in California. Estimates in 2021 still project that over 80% of commercial activity relative to marijuana (THC) happens outside the legal framework, and like most states, California is lax about CBD and CBD stores. But dispensaries are the law of the land - not anymore with AB45.

• No one under 21 may lawfully purchase or consume marijuana and/or marijuana-based products or products with any marijuana-derived components or cannabinoids. AB45 allows anyone of any age to buy and consume.

• Products adulterated with THC (THC added) can only contain 10 mg for THC per serving, with an overall limit of 10 servings (100mg of THC) per product. This guideline is categorically ignored in practice, but AB 45 institutionalizes no serving size limits.

Education is a primary focus in Parent Movement 2.0’s mission to try to reduce underage drug and alcohol use, but the legal framework around drugs and alcohol have impact on what we do. Helping political outsiders like parents understand when these frameworks can hurt their kids, is important. 

Helping those outside California understand what’s happening here is also important as other parts of the country take California’s lead relative to marijuana legalization.

ParentMovement2.0’s hope is that the majority of CA legislators really do not understand what they are doing with AB45, and we know the public understands very little. As such, Parent Movement 2.0 is launching its social media effort this week to help parents (and other interested adults) understand what is happening with Marijuana Legalization and all its political derivatives, like hemp, etc….

A side note: State Legislators always say, "we only hear from the marijuana industry, never regular constituents." This is because the marijuana industry pays millions of dollars to lobbyists and heavy users to be in contact with legislators, and most regular citizens (unpaid) are unaware of the marijuana industry's constant assault on public health and safety in their state capitals.

Marijuana Legalization could threaten Texas’ pro-business, pro-family identity

CSHT works specifically in Texas and is run by a colleague.

Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Texas is a nonpartisan group, uniting and educating communities on the impacts of marijuana.

Please consider a donation to CSHT - two options on their donation page, 1) 501-c3 (tax deductible for education) and 2) 501-c4 (non-tax deductible for political action)

Texas holds a unique pro-growth, business-friendly, family-friendly, family-affordable position in our country.  This could be in jeopardy if Texas were to legalize marijuana. Here’s why:

Legal marijuana damages other industry sectors:

• Colorado has increasing difficulty hiring Coloradoans, because they can’t pass drug tests. 

• Liability insurance does not cover incidents caused by workers testing positive for marijuana, which means fewer job candidates. 

• Companies increasingly hire outside the state; and some have even had to leave Colorado. 

• Pro-pot litigators constantly challenge drug-free workplace laws and some have won.  This means employers must allow drugs in the workplace compromising all forms of safety and resulting in violations of federal drug-free workplace laws. 

Raising kids in marijuana-legal states can be dangerous – because youth use increases in legal states, and at the same time marijuana can inflict significant harms on kids. Everyone needs to understand today’s weed (it’s nothing like when you were in high school). Kids may try marijuana whether it’s legal or not, but since 2013, no regulatory policies that protect kids from legal weed have been found to work.  Legalization increases access to marijuana for all and decreases perception of harm for all, resulting in population-level increases in marijuana use among 12-17 year olds and 18-25 year olds.   States that legalize are effectively saying “marijuana use is more important than kids and families.”  Is this a Texas value?

Please know, the velocity with which “normalization” takes over after legalization makes it difficult for parents, schools or communities to react.  Kids quickly start to find “all their friends” are using.  We hear story after story of families contemplating a move because their kids can’t find friends who aren’t smoking pot.   

The national economy needs states like Texas to remain drug-free.  More and more businesses seem to be moving to Texas for its strong economy.  When they arrive, employers need qualified, sober workers and the employees that move with the company need safe environments for their families.  The announcement of a “corporate move to Denver” is becoming nightmarish news for moms and dads raising kids.  The Texas economy – one of the strongest and most productive in the US may be damaged if it becomes unfriendly to families.

The marijuana industry tends to hijack state political processes - Few understand how quickly this happens.  In addition to massive funding for political candidates, after 6 years, the Colorado state government has passed basically no meaningful legislation to limit the marijuana industry except one – the labeling of products that contain THC with a warning logo.  One additional law limits edibles (foods infused with THC) to shapes that will not appeal to kids. However, this law still allows all basic geometric shapes, candy bars, ice cream and sodas. Worse, the law is not enforced.  This amounts to basically no change in the marketplace and no consumer protection. 

After four years following the enactment of California’s law, only 15% of the marijuana industry has applied for licensing, which leaves 85% of the industry outside the state’s regulatory framework and in the black market.

It takes years for those running Cannabis Control Commissions (departments set-up to build and oversee a state’s regulatory framework) to understand the endless aspects of the marijuana supply chain in order to regulate it.  In the meantime, these commissions get staffed with industry insiders who push for frameworks that benefit the industry instead of public health or safety. 

Marijuana legalization does not equal social justice - In fact, communities of color get further hurt by legalization. See more on this topic.

Stay aware of pro-pot activities in Texas - follow Texas legislative records. Texas is not an initiative state, so legal weed would have to come through your legislators. https://thecannabisindustry.org/ncia-news-resources/congressional-scorecards/texas/ is a marijuana industry website that monitors legislative records - red means that politician votes against marijuana.