[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-1-other--":3,"news-meta":149},{"data":4,"pagination":145},[5,62,112],{"_id":6,"slug":7,"articleType":8,"body":9,"createdAt":16,"dek":17,"entities":18,"headline":27,"imageAlt":28,"imageUrl":29,"keyFacts":30,"language":47,"publishedAt":48,"seo":49,"sources":52,"summary":60,"updatedAt":61},"6aa171605457399f4e5dcfad","cannabis-safety-awards-launch-to-reframe-safety-as-a-legalization-strength-44724cb1","other",[10,11,12,13,14,15],"Americans for Safe Access (ASA) has launched the first Cannabis Safety Awards, an initiative designed to spotlight people, programs, products, and innovations that address legitimate cannabis safety concerns. Nominations are open through September 10, 2026, across 18 categories, according to the organization.","The awards arrive amid what ASA founder Steph Sherer describes as an organized political backlash against cannabis access. Opposition campaigns are increasingly using public anxiety around impaired driving, contaminated products, emergency visits, and accidental exposures to argue for broader restrictions or a return to prohibition.","Sherer argues that the cannabis movement has historically advanced by addressing public concerns, citing product-safety standards, improved patient education, and successful efforts to force the Drug Enforcement Administration to remove unsupported assertions from its materials. She contends that acknowledging problems like confusing labels, contaminants, and youth access is not a concession to prohibition but a way to protect the future of cannabis access.","The op-ed points to the 2024 National Academies report, Cannabis Policy Impacts Public Health and Health Equity, which documented mounting concerns including accidental ingestion, impaired-driving crashes, secondhand smoke, and environmental impacts. Sherer says these concerns are no longer a fringe messaging problem but the foundation of a well-funded opposition movement.","The Cannabis Safety Awards are intended to make visible the work of researchers expanding the evidence base, patient advocates identifying policy failures, and companies developing safer storage, better dosing, clearer labeling, and tools for responding to THC overconsumption. ASA says recognition can help good ideas travel, encourage companies to compete on safety, and show policymakers that the cannabis community can confront difficult issues.","Sherer frames safety as a competitive advantage for the next stage of cannabis market development, arguing that companies investing in transparency, testing, quality, and consumer education are building the infrastructure a mature marketplace and healthcare integration will require.","2026-09-09T14:46:56.812Z","Americans for Safe Access opens nominations for the first Cannabis Safety Awards, arguing that confronting product and public health concerns is essential to protecting legal access.",{"brands":19,"products":20,"markets":21,"organizations":23},[],[],[22],"US",[24,25,26],"Americans for Safe Access","Drug Enforcement Administration","National Academies","Cannabis Safety Awards Launch to Reframe Safety as a Legalization Strength","Americans for Safe Access founder Steph Sherer announces the first Cannabis Safety Awards to highlight solutions to cannabis safety concerns.","",[31,35,38,41,44],{"claim":32,"sourceUrl":33,"_id":34},"Americans for Safe Access created the first Cannabis Safety Awards, with nominations open through September 10, 2026, across 18 categories.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.marijuanamoment.net\u002Faddressing-cannabis-safety-issues-is-a-strength-not-a-weakness-for-the-legalization-movement-op-ed\u002F","6aa17160723e26a876e0b223",{"claim":36,"sourceUrl":33,"_id":37},"Steph Sherer is the founder of Americans for Safe Access and authored the op-ed announcing the awards.","6aa17160723e26a876e0b224",{"claim":39,"sourceUrl":33,"_id":40},"The 2024 National Academies report Cannabis Policy Impacts Public Health and Health Equity documented concerns including accidental ingestion, impaired-driving crashes, secondhand smoke, and environmental impacts.","6aa17160723e26a876e0b225",{"claim":42,"sourceUrl":33,"_id":43},"Opposition campaigns are using public anxiety around impaired driving, contaminated products, emergency visits, and accidental exposures to argue for broader restrictions or a return to prohibition.","6aa17160723e26a876e0b226",{"claim":45,"sourceUrl":33,"_id":46},"The awards aim to highlight solutions including safer storage, better dosing and measurement, clearer testing and labeling information, and tools for responding to THC overconsumption.","6aa17160723e26a876e0b227","en","2026-09-09T14:46:58.308Z",{"title":50,"description":51},"Cannabis Safety Awards Launch to Reframe Legalization Debate","Americans for Safe Access opens nominations for the first Cannabis Safety Awards, highlighting solutions to contamination, dosing, and impaired driving concerns.",[53,57],{"name":54,"url":33,"trustTier":55,"_id":56},"Marijuana Moment","trade","6aa17160723e26a876e0b222",{"name":24,"url":58,"trustTier":59},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.safeaccessnow.org\u002Fnominations_close_september_10_for_2026_cannabis_safety_awards","official","Americans for Safe Access has created the first Cannabis Safety Awards, with nominations open through September 10, 2026. The initiative aims to highlight researchers, companies, and advocates who are solving cannabis safety problems such as contamination, inconsistent dosing, and impaired driving, positioning safety as a competitive advantage rather than a concession to prohibition.","2026-09-09T15:41:02.993Z",{"_id":63,"slug":64,"articleType":8,"body":65,"createdAt":74,"dek":75,"entities":76,"headline":87,"imageAlt":88,"imageUrl":29,"keyFacts":89,"language":47,"publishedAt":103,"seo":104,"sources":107,"summary":110,"updatedAt":111},"6a9191a4aeddfad21a39f9f9","florida-democrats-seize-on-grand-jury-report-alleging-medicaid-funds-misused-to-fight-marijuana-legalization-9f076b7b",[66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73],"Florida Democrats went on the offensive Thursday against Republican leaders after the release of a statewide grand jury report that found $10 million in Medicaid funds were “misappropriated” and wound up being used for “political activities,” including a campaign against recreational marijuana legalization.","The 19-page report, obtained by CBS Miami, did not result in charges but criticized several top state officials, including Attorney General James Uthmeier and Jason Weida, now chief of staff to Gov. Ron DeSantis. It also said U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, the former state attorney general, knew about the transfer of Medicaid funds from a $67 million drug overpricing settlement to the Hope Florida Foundation.","The foundation “quickly funneled” the money to two non-profit groups that directed some of it to a campaign against the marijuana legalization effort. The probe originated after the Republican-controlled House held hearings in spring 2025 amid speculation that First Lady Casey DeSantis, who started the Hope Florida initiative, might run for governor.","Democrats say the report shows top Republicans knowingly flouted Florida law by diverting money paid by Centene Corp., a managed care company, from state coffers to political action committees Uthmeier controlled. “This is blatant corruption,” Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried told reporters. “And for 30 years, Republicans have controlled this state, and somewhere along the way, they started acting like taxpayer money was theirs to spend, state government was theirs to exploit, and nobody had the right to question them.”","Uthmeier and DeSantis played down the findings. The governor said the only apparent crime was committed by “whoever leaked the grand jury report,” and insisted the transfer was “legally sound.” Uthmeier called the investigation a “politically motivated witch hunt driven by Democrats and a far-left Democrat state attorney in Tallahassee.”","Democrats, noting the Republican-controlled House launched the original investigation, insist the issue is not partisan. Jose Javier Rodriguez, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, said, “My opponent is a criminal. He’s a criminal who should resign.” Rodriguez blamed Uthmeier directly, saying he “was the person with authority here. It was his [political] committee. He directed the money.”","The grand jury report stated, “Nobody will take responsibility for deciding the $10 million of taxpayer money would go to Hope Florida. This decision was the original misappropriation, and no witness would take responsibility for making the decision or had any memory of who made it.” Because “virtually everyone involved is a lawyer and acted on the advice of other lawyers,” the grand jury concluded that fact would pose an “impediment to criminal prosecution.”","Democratic U.S. senatorial candidate Angie Nixon called the diversion the “ultimate betrayal of working families” and said she would file complaints against Uthmeier, Moody, and Weida with the Florida Bar. Democratic gubernatorial hopeful David Jolly released a statement saying the investigation must be reopened: “The scheme defunded healthcare services for poor children to instead advance the political agenda of Gov. Ron DeSantis.”","2026-08-28T13:48:20.239Z","A statewide grand jury found $10 million in Medicaid funds were misappropriated and funneled to political activities opposing recreational marijuana, prompting calls for resignations.",{"brands":77,"products":78,"markets":79,"organizations":81},[],[],[80],"Florida",[82,83,84,85,86],"Florida Democratic Party","Hope Florida Foundation","Centene Corp.","Florida Phoenix","CBS Miami","Florida Democrats Seize on Grand Jury Report Alleging Medicaid Funds Misused to Fight Marijuana Legalization","Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried speaks at a press conference about the grand jury report on Medicaid funds.",[90,94,97,100],{"claim":91,"sourceUrl":92,"_id":93},"A statewide grand jury found $10 million in Medicaid funds were misappropriated and used for political activities, including opposing recreational marijuana legalization.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.marijuanamoment.net\u002Fflorida-dems-pounce-on-grand-jury-finding-that-desantis-admin-misappropriated-medicaid-funds-to-fight-marijuana-legalization\u002F","6a9191a40385656fb2e29d05",{"claim":95,"sourceUrl":92,"_id":96},"The grand jury report criticized Attorney General James Uthmeier, Jason Weida, and U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody for their roles in the transfer.","6a9191a40385656fb2e29d06",{"claim":98,"sourceUrl":92,"_id":99},"The funds came from a $67 million drug overpricing settlement with Centene Corp. and were funneled through the Hope Florida Foundation to political action committees.","6a9191a40385656fb2e29d07",{"claim":101,"sourceUrl":92,"_id":102},"No criminal charges were filed because the grand jury found that the involvement of lawyers acting on legal advice posed an impediment to prosecution.","6a9191a40385656fb2e29d08","2026-08-28T13:48:22.427Z",{"title":105,"description":106},"Florida Dems Slam Grand Jury Report on Medicaid Funds","Florida Democrats attack GOP leaders after grand jury finds $10M in Medicaid funds misused to fight marijuana legalization.",[108],{"name":54,"url":92,"trustTier":55,"_id":109},"6a9191a40385656fb2e29d04","Florida Democrats are attacking Republican leaders after a grand jury report found $10 million in Medicaid funds were misappropriated and used for political activities, including opposition to a recreational marijuana legalization amendment. The report names top officials but resulted in no charges.","2026-08-28T13:48:22.430Z",{"_id":113,"slug":114,"articleType":8,"body":115,"createdAt":119,"dek":120,"entities":121,"headline":127,"imageAlt":128,"imageUrl":29,"keyFacts":129,"language":47,"publishedAt":137,"seo":138,"sources":140,"summary":143,"updatedAt":144},"6a91662faeddfad21a39f9f4","diversity-is-not-the-same-as-equity-in-us-cannabis-industry-5e77231c",[116,117,118],"A commentary published by MJBizDaily contends that diversity and equity are distinct concepts in the US cannabis industry, warning against treating them as synonymous.","The piece argues that meaningful equity requires repair to follow harm, rather than relying on diversity metrics alone.","It further states that power must include the people who built the road to legalization, pointing to the need for structural inclusion of communities most affected by cannabis prohibition.","2026-08-28T10:42:55.140Z","Commentary argues that repair must follow harm and power must include the people who built the road to legalization.",{"brands":122,"products":123,"markets":124,"organizations":125},[],[],[22],[126],"MJBizDaily","Diversity is not the same as equity in US cannabis industry","MJBizDaily commentary on diversity and equity in the US cannabis industry.",[130,134],{"claim":131,"sourceUrl":132,"_id":133},"Diversity is not the same as equity in the US cannabis industry.","https:\u002F\u002Fmjbizdaily.com\u002Fnews\u002Fdiversity-is-not-the-same-as-equity-in-us-cannabis-industry\u002F617799\u002F","6a91662f0385656fb2e2094c",{"claim":135,"sourceUrl":132,"_id":136},"Repair must follow harm, and power must include the people who built the road to legalization.","6a91662f0385656fb2e2094d","2026-08-28T10:42:56.554Z",{"title":127,"description":139},"Commentary argues that repair must follow harm and power must include the people who built the road to legalization in the US cannabis industry.",[141],{"name":126,"url":132,"trustTier":55,"_id":142},"6a91662f0385656fb2e2094b","A new commentary from MJBizDaily argues that diversity and equity are not interchangeable in the US cannabis industry, emphasizing that repair must follow harm and that power must include the people who built the road to 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