Newsletter
Cannabis amendment to criminal justice bill defeated in procedural move (Newsletter: Dec. 19, 2018)
Feds ask for help finding studies on marijuana & Alzheimer’s; States look to allow medical cannabis in schools; Marijuana Moment’s holiday gift guide
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Sen. Cory Gardner’s (R-CO) move to attach a far-reaching marijuana amendment to a criminal justice reform bill was defeated in a procedural move, but he vowed in a fiery floor speech to continue the fight. The senator also said that he had another conversation with President Trump about cannabis on Tuesday.
Democrats on Congress’s Joint Economic Committee published a report on the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana.
A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency is asking the public to help identify studies on medical marijuana’s role in treating Alzheimer’s.
Lawmakers in Washington State and Virginia pre-filed bills for 2019 that would allow students to use medical cannabis at schools.
Marijuana Moment put together a cannabis-themed holiday gift guide.
/ FEDERAL
The U.S. Senate approved criminal justice reform legislation. A House vote is expected shortly, and President Trump has pledged to sign the bill into law.
The Library of Congress published an overview of New Zealand’s new medical cannabis law.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) spoke about racial disparities in marijuana enforcement in a Senate floor speech.
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) spoke about how medical cannabis is legal in his state during a Senate floor speech.
Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) tweeted, “Ohio is one of the 47 States that now allows some form of legalized cannabis. In Ohio, the voters spoke and decided the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes should be between a doctor and a patient. The federal government must respect that. #STATESAct”
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) tweeted, “CBP is becoming increasingly hostile toward anyone in the cannabis industry coming from Canada, threatening a lifetime ban. My bill, the MAPLE Act, fixes this unfair, out of date policy which has no place in a rapidly evolving cannabis reform landscape.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) tweeted, “Further research is needed on medical cannabis. I hope that next Congress we will pass serious reform, and put an end to the constant foot-dragging from @TheJusticeDept.”
/ STATES
Rhode Island’s Senate president said he is “not optimistic” about legalizing marijuana in the state in 2019 unless his concerns about impaired driving and “toxicity” are addressed.
The Washington, D.C. Council approved legislation to decriminalize drug checking kits and remove restrictions on syringe exchange programs.
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Sustainability Advisory Workgroup did not explicitly endorse using marijuana tax revenue to fund subways, but its report said, “A number of new sources of revenues are in public discussion, such as taxes on the sale of marijuana, if legalized… Transit should be a priority for any new authorized funding source.”
Arkansas regulators are delaying a meeting at which they will announce medical cannabis dispensary licensees until next month.
Maryland regulators ordered a medical cannabis cultivation company to pay a $125,000 fine for using unapproved pesticides, and directed it to issue refunds on some products and operate under a two-year probationary period.
New Mexico regulators are facing a lawsuit from a medical cannabis producer who says they don’t have legal authority to license manufacturers.
Pennsylvania regulators issued additional medical cannabis dispensary permits.
California regulators released a clarification on which marijuana products are subject to testing requirements.
Virginia regulators gave final approval to a CBD oil manufacturing company but denied a request to relocate its operations.
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/ LOCAL
Brooklyn, New York’s district attorney will appear in court on Wednesday to vacate outstanding warrants and erase past misdemeanor marijuana convictions.
Clark County, Nevada moved to indefinitely delay the issuing of recreational marijuana business permits.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Trinidad and Tobago’s attorney general said Parliament will consider marijuana decriminalization legislation in the first half of 2019.
/ ADVOCACY
The Republican Party of New York tweeted, “@AndrewCuomo in 2017: ‘Marijuana is a gateway drug’. @NYGovCuomo now: ‘legalize recreational use once and for all!’ More empty political rhetoric from the governor with zero principles.”
The New York State Association of County Health Officials is expressing concern about the move to legalize marijuana in the state.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law said that any effort to legalize cannabis in New York “must include a plan to expunge low-level marijuana convictions in order to give people the second chance they deserve.”
CALmatters looks at the intersection and overlap between California Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom’s (D) advisors and lobbyists for the marijuana industry.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review of marijuana’s effects on peripheral neuropathy found that “most studies show moderately improved pain from inhaled cannabis use, but adverse effects such as impaired cognition and respiratory problems are common, especially at high doses.”
A study found that “compared to opioid use alone, opioid and cannabis co-use was associated with elevated anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, and sedative use problems, but not pain experience.”
A study concluded that “cannabinoid use was associated with higher pain scores and a poorer quality of sleep in the early postoperative period in patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery.”
/ OPINION & ANALYSIS
The New York Daily News editorial board supports Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) call to legalize marijuana.
/ BUSINESS
Tilray Inc. entered into a global medical cannabis supply and distribution agreement with Novartis AG.
Terra Tech Corp said in a statement that it denies fraud allegations made against it in a lawsuit.
New Leaf Data Services LLC launched an effort to develop a benchmark Canadian cannabis price.
The New York Times examines odor issues stemming from California marijuana fields.
/ CULTURE
Seth MacFarlane, in an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, told the story of how he smoked marijuana with his parents.
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