Cannabidiol: A nonpsychoactive constituent of cannabis.—The Free Dictionary
The sign read “Euflora” and for a modest storefront, it was doing a brisk business.
You can buy about any kind of marijuana you desire here, but as an out-of-state visitor, I was limited to one ounce at a cost of about $278.
I passed.
What I really wanted to know was what one of these modern day “head shops” looked like. Colorado prides itself on being cutting edge when it comes to legalization of pot – first for medicinal purposes and now for recreation.
My other motivation – since I happened to be in Denver anyway – was prompted by Senate Bill 95, passed by the South Dakota Legislature. Our state has now taken what could be the first step toward legalization of marijuana. SB 95 legalizes cannabidiol, an oil used for certain types of medical conditions. The bill, introduced by Sen. Blake Curd, a Sioux Falls orthopedic surgeon, failed last year but this year’s version was more tightly written.
Supporters of the measure say it truly is valuable for a narrow range of medical maladies, especially epileptic seizures. Plus, they argue, the hallucinogenic component – THC – is absent.
Sen. Brock Greenfield, of Clark, voted against the bill, one of only seven to do so in the Senate.
“It is a step in the wrong direction, potentially,” he said.
Some call it the slippery slope.
Advocates push for medical marijuana, citing the positives, then lobby even harder to allow “harmless” access to recreational pot down the road.
Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed SB95 into law on Friday. But cannabidiol needs approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before the new law can take effect. That decision is expected this summer.
As I wandered about in Euflora, I couldn’t help but see the similarity to an old-fashioned jewelry store. Glass display cases were everywhere, and helpful clerks appeared at your side just as they used to before the advent of big box stores.
As Mata answered my questions, she was approached by a customer who wondered if the store would be getting in a new quantity of “Red Dot” anytime soon. A higher quality
grass, Mata told me.
And, oh by the way, she asked, have you seen our edibles display?
As I left, I realized the future foretold by some in the 1960s has arrived, and I said a little prayer that it wouldn’t come to South Dakota.
March 22, 2017