JULY 15, 2021
The scientific community disagrees with the foundational tenets of the book Bowers has been pushing like a heroin dealer on a playground. In February 2019, a group of 100 scientists and clinicians published an open letter condemning the book for erroneous conclusions, cherry picking data and “selection bias.” They also criticized Berenson’s suggestion that marijuana made Black people crazy. “In one of his book’s most disturbing passages, Berenson suggests that one of the reasons that police so disproportionately arrest black people ... for marijuana use is that marijuana makes young black people mentally ill and violent. Conveniently, Berenson ignores the fact that Black and white people use marijuana at the same rates and that the reason for the higher rate of arrests is over-policing of communities of color, based on prohibition. Berenson’s irresponsible and inaccurate statement reeks of the crack baby and super-predator myths of the ‘90s. And though the scientific evidence clearly refutes both theories, we are still working to roll back draconian policies based on those myths today. Tell Your Children race-baits with its pictures of Black marijuana-fueled aggressors, while simultaneously perpetuating uninformed stigma about schizophrenia.” Robinette said money from the medical marijuana fund shouldn’t be wasted on such silliness. “We opposed that on the principle that we do not want to set a precedent of raiding that fund to fund things unrelated to marijuana,” Robinette said. Rep. Randall Friese, a Tucson Democrat who recently announced he was running for Congress next year, sponsored a number of bills, the worst of which died. One of Friese’s good bills, SB 1833,
passed after the legislation was taken up by Republican Sen. Nancy Barto. The bill allows DHS to provide proficiency testing and remediate problems with third-party testing labs. Arizona was the last medical marijuana state to mandate testing for medical cannabis with 2019’s omnibus SB 1484. Testing was required beginning in November 2020 and with the onset of recreational sales in January 2021, there have been many problems with the system that led to shortages and several skirmishes between the dispensaries and the testing facilities. Last month, cannabis tested by OnPoint Laboratories in Snowflake was recalled following test results that showed salmonella and mold. The contamination was discovered after the facility failed to detect either contaminate, but a verification of the test results uncovered the issue. While no one suffered any ill effects from the weed and OnPoint took full responsibility, SB 1833 gives the Arizona Department of Health Services more oversight. “It is important that the DHS has that capacity, to be able to monitor and remediate where there are problems with testing,” Robinette said. Friese’s HB 2414, which evolved into SB 1834, allows for unannounced dispensary inspections and requires that every dispensary gets at least one unannounced visit a year. SB 1834 also has a clause that states that a third-party testing company cannot be in a “familial or financial relationship” with any kind of dispensary or other marijuana business. Thankfully, our vaunted leaders have the rest of the year off to recuperate before the next lousy batch of bills comes down the pike. ■
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