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54 lawmakers tell Trump to keep cannabis promise (Newsletter: Jan. 25, 2018)

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KY House asks feds to unblock marijuana research; Russian presidential candidate backs legalization; UT poll

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

A bipartisan group of 54 U.S. senators and House members sent a letter asking President Trump to keep his campaign promise to respect state marijuana laws.

The Kentucky House of Representatives adopted a resolution calling on the federal government to remove roadblocks to marijuana research.

/ FEDERAL

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions published an op-ed harkening back to the 1980s and 90s, when “Congress enacted important bipartisan legal reforms that gave prosecutors and law enforcement new tools to take criminals, gangs, guns and deadly drugs off of our streets.”

The Massachusetts U.S. attorney spoke about federal marijuana enforcement.

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) says he thinks Colorado would approve marijuana legalization by an even greater margin if it voted on the issue again, but that he hasn’t personally changed his mind from when he opposed the 2012 measure. (About 22:25 into the clip.)

A report suggests that prison reform efforts are regaining momentum in Congress.

Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) is pressuring U.S. Veterans Affairs Sec. David Shulkin to allow medical cannabis research.

The 24-year-old with resume inconsistencies who rose to a top position at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is leaving the agency.

Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) tweeted, “Legitimate marijuana businesses should be allowed the same access to the banking system as any other legitimate business. It’s time to get the cash off our streets and reduce the public safety threat.” He also tweeted about broader state marijuana protections.

Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted about racial disparities in marijuana enforcement.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) discussed her efforts to pass marijuana legislation.

The U.S. House bill to deschedule marijuana and withhold funding from states with racial disparities in cannabis enforcement got one new cosponsor, bringing the total to 24.

The U.S. House bill to prevent federal agencies from enforcing marijuana prohibition against people complying with state laws got one new cosponsor, bringing the total to six.

Utah Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jenny Wilson, currently a Salt Lake County councilmember, supports a proposed medical cannabis ballot measure.

/ STATES

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s (R) budget projected $63 million in recreational marijuana tax revenue over the next fiscal year.

Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt (R), a gubernatorial candidate, said in response to criticism that he will soon speak with the state’s U.S. attorney about marijuana enforcement. State Sen. Aaron Ford (D), an attorney general candidate, spoke out for cannabis industry banking access.

New Mexico Sen. Joseph Cervantes, who is a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, filed a bill to replace criminal penalties for low-level marijuana possession with fines.

Connecticut Democratic gubernatorial candidates debated legalizing marijuana.

A Florida judge denied state officials’ motion to dismiss a cancer patient’s lawsuit claiming that the state’s medical marijuana law allows home cultivation.

A Virginia House subcommittee voted to kill a marijuana decriminalization bill, but it approved legislation to allow CBD or THC-A to be recommended for any medical condition.

An Iowa Senate subcommittee approved a bill to lower marijuana possession penalties.

Oregon’s top marijuana regulator dismissed comparisons about marijuana retailers’ compliance rate for age checks with that of alcohol sellers.

The Georgia House Medical Cannabis Working Group unanimously voted to support legislation allowing CBD dispensaries.

Alaska regulators are auditing marijuana testing labs amid concerns about inconsistent results. And the state cannabis regulatory body has a new chair who is more friendly to the industry than his predecessor.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) is being pressured by a Democratic senator to expand the state’s medical cannabis program.

Oklahoma lawmakers are considering legislation to preemptively restrict medical cannabis ahead of a June ballot measure vote on the topic.

Washington, D.C. police made numerous arrests at an event where people were openly distributing marijuana products. Separately, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), speaking at a U.S. Conference of Mayors event, said that residents of cities across the country are “counting on” elected officials to “regulate marijuana.”

Washington State regulators issued several updates about marijuana rules and implementation.

/ LOCAL

Compton, California voters rejected two competing ballot measures to regulate marijuana sales.

The East Baton Rouge, Louisiana Metro Council deferred action on a proposal to lower marijuana penalties.

/ INTERNATIONAL

A Russian presidential candidate is supporting the legalization of marijuana, saying that it’s less dangerous than vodka.

France will institute fines for people caught with marijuana. A Parliament report recommended that the government consider decriminalizing all drugs.

New Zealand lawmakers will consider a medical cannabis bill on Wednesday.

The leader of Germany’s Free Democratic Party is calling for marijuana law reform.

A commission studying cannabis policies in Caribbean nations is working to finalize recommendations on “whether there should be a change in the current drug classification of marijuana” by July.

The Canadian government is spending $1.4 million on research projects studying the potential impacts of marijuana on driving, pregnancy, childhood health and workplace safety.

/ ADVOCACY

Prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana will hold a summit in Atlanta in April.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study concluded that “add-on cannabidiol is efficacious for the treatment of patients with drop seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and is generally well tolerated.”

/ OPINION & ANALYSIS

A poll found that 76% of Utah voters support a proposed medical cannabis ballot measure.

/ BUSINESS

The top New York Times technology columnist looks at innovation in the marijuana industry.

Privateer Holdings completed a $100 million Series C funding round.

Canadian marijuana producer Aurora Cannabis is buying CanniMed Therapeutics Inc for about $1.1 billion.

Colorado regulators are awarding a new three-year contract to Franwell’s METRC for marijuana tracking.

Pennsylvania regulators approved the state’s third medical cannabis dispensary to begin operations.

/ CULTURE    

 Actress Kathy Bates gave Conan O’Brien advice on how to act stoned.

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Tom Angell is the editor of Marijuana Moment. A 20-year veteran in the cannabis law reform movement, he covers the policy and politics of marijuana. Separately, he founded the nonprofit Marijuana Majority. Previously he reported for Marijuana.com and MassRoots, and handled media relations and campaigns for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

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