“LEGAL WEED IS OK, BUT IT’S GOTTA BE LEGAL”
“Legal weed is OK, but it’s gotta be legal” - this line came from a recent article on TheVerge.com. The article highlighted some of the new guidelines and crackdowns to attempt to protect people against scammers and fraudsters using apps and social media. Yes this is most important, but the line also struck a chord from two perspectives. First, as we head into “Independence Day” this coming weekend, these words should stand strong. Every responsible adult should be able to decide whether cannabis is right for them or not. Independence means the right to choose so long as your choices do not infringe upon other members of your community. Adults should be free to consume cannabis as long as it is done responsibly.It was just over 50 years ago (June 17, 1971 to be exact) that President Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs. As stated in USA Today’s article, Cannabis reform? It's the right time for full federal legalization to help economy and people, “Nixon's war on drugs has failed for half a century. It’s time to end it.” In 1994, John Ehrlichman, counsel and Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon, stated “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the [Vietnam] war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” (Source)And what good has come from that? Then there is the economic side.“According to the Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform:
15.7 million people were arrested for cannabis offenses in the last decade.
$47 billion is being spent annually on the War on Drugs.
$10.4 billion were generated in legal cannabis sales in 2018 in the U.S.”
Including marijuana on the List of Schedule 1 Drugs was and still is, politically motivated.At the same time, we at Lucid Green strongly support a regulated and controlled cannabis industry. Back to the title of this article - “LEGAL WEED IS OK, BUT IT’S GOTTA BE LEGAL.” Being legal means that every consumer must know exactly what is in the cannabis they are purchasing. Cannabis safety and knowing what one consumes is imperative. In most states, each legal cannabis product must have a certificate of analysis (COA) produced by an independent cannabis lab.
“A COA is a verified document that provides details about the testing lab, the brand and product question, along with the potency of the ingredients the product contains. In the case of hemp, CBD and cannabis, the ingredients refer to cannabinoids like THC, CBD, CBG and CBN. COAs may also include terpenes, which are the aromatic ingredients that contribute to the product’s scent, flavor and therapeutic profile.
In addition to the potency of ingredients, the COA is vital for consumers to determine whether or not the product is free from harmful contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, molds and bacteria. USDA and State guidelines require that all products be tested. If there is no COA available do not consume or buy the product.”
(Source)
You should be aware if the cannabis product you purchase has a COA. There is an easy way to tell and to be able to view that COA to learn about all the product’s tests and ingredients - purchase products that carry a LucidID on their packaging.One LucidID provides a cannabis consumer with all product information laid out in an easy-to-understand way. Everyone should be able to know what is in their product and whether or not it is authentic. Some brands carrying a LucidID provide rewards to their customers which can be redeemed. Dosage logs are available through the Lucid Green app (available for IOS and Android) so the user can track their dose and know for next time exactly how much they should be taking. This allows every cannabis user to not only optimize their cannabis experiences, but most importantly, know exactly what is in the product they are consuming and that is free of harmful substances.So enjoy your freedom. Enjoy your independence - assuming you live in a state where cannabis is legal. And if not, we sincerely hope (and will work towards making) cannabis legal throughout the United States.