Chicago’s Amnesty Boxes, Beal Univ.’s New Cannabis Degree Programs, & House of Reps. Passes the MORE Act

Travelers are indifferent to Chicago’s amnesty boxes, Beal University introduces cannabis-focused degree programs, and the U.S. House of Reps. passes the MORE Act.

Let’s dive into this week’s cannanews.

Chicago’s Amnesty Box Problem

The roll out of Chicago’s new airport amnesty boxes has not gone according plan. The boxes made their debut in 2020 with the intention of giving travelers a place to dispose of their pot before hopping on a plane. After two years in operation the boxes have collected more internet jokes than actual cannabis from travelers.

According to the Chicago Sun Times in-fact, only 34 cannabis collections have been made from January 2020, to March 2022. That’s 22 collections at O’Hare Airport and 12 at Midway Airport TOTAL. 

To make matters worse, only half of all collection logs showed that cannabis, or “suspected” cannabis was found in the boxes. What police did find a lot of in however, was plastic bags and old packages, indicating that travelers were treating the boxes more like trash cans. 

So, why are Chicago’s amnesty boxes having such a hard time accomplishing their intended purpose? The main reason is that there’s no real incentive to use them. 

While transporting cannabis across state lines is federally illegal—there is no punishment for being caught with cannabis in your luggage in Chicago. TSA agents at airports in Chicago are instructed to send individuals caught with cannabis to local police. However, local authorities have stated that they are not arresting passengers caught with cannabis.

There are currently 12 amnesty boxes between Chicago’s two major airports. The 12 boxes cost tax payers in Chicago roughly $29,000 to install. 

What do you think of Chicago’s amnesty box issues? Let us know in the comments!

Get Your Cannabis Degree at Beal University

Maine’s Beal University has officially launched three cannabis-focused programs! The programs include two associate degree programs and one bachelor degree program, with the first cohort of students expected to start classes on May 2nd. 

All classes in the programs will take place completely online, allowing students from anywhere in the country to join. However, that doesn’t mean that students will be receiving a lesser education. 

“Our courses utilize engaging content through digital simulation and interactive experiences,” says Sheryl DeWalt, the university’s president. “This gives our students the ability to learn and retain the subject matter more easily.”

To create a comprehensive curriculum for the programs, Beal collaborated with a number of local cannabis industry mainstays on the retail, laboratory and cultivation sides of the industry. This will ensure that graduates coming out of the university will have the skills and knowledge needed to become immediately employable. 

At the end of their studies students will be able to earn either an associate degree in Cannabis Business Administration or Cannabis Laboratory science, or a bachelor’s degree in Medical Plant Sciences.

House Of Reps. Approves The MORE ACT…Again

Last Friday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act. If the MORE ACT becomes law, it would effectively end the prohibition of cannabis in the US.

The bill was previously approved back in December 2020, but it never made it past the Senate. This outcome was due to the bill entering the Senate so late in the legislative calendar.

This time around the MORE Act will get a chance to actually be heard in the Senate, but cannabis advocates are keeping their exceptions low. The bill needs 60 votes to make it through the Senate. That means that 10 Republicans would need to vote yes with democrats for the bill to have any chance of passing.

What do you think about the MORE Act’s chances at passing? Do you think it will die in the senate again? Let us know in the comments!