Newsletter
Alabama Senate approves medical cannabis legalization (Newsletter: May 10, 2019)
ND gov signs marijuana decrim; Lawmakers press VA on denying home loans over cannabis industry work; Top Dems filing descheduling bill
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signed a marijuana decriminalization bill into law, making the state the 25th in the U.S. to remove the threat of jail time for low-level cannabis possession.
The Alabama Senate approved a bill to legalize medical cannabis. It now heads to the House of Representatives.
The House Appropriations Committee is directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to explain its policy of denying home loans to military veterans solely because of their work in the marijuana industry. Members of Congress are also currently circulating a sign-on letter about the issue.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced they are filing marijuana descheduling legislation.
/ FEDERAL
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) tweeted, “What could go wrong? Denver voters narrowly approved a ballot measure to effectively decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms.”
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) spoke about her support for marijuana banking legislation in a Senate floor speech.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) tweeted that she was “especially proud to see” marijuana banking legislation advancing and that “it is critical (& long overdue) we harmonize the #banking industry & services with the #cannabis industry.”
Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) tweeted, “Discrepancy between federal and state cannabis laws are forcing legitimate businesses to operate on a cash-only basis – a serious public safety risk. I’m proud to be a cosponsor of #SAFEBankingAct to address this concern.”
Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) tweeted, “Federal banking laws were designed to prevent illicit activity and help law enforcement do their jobs. #SAFEBanking will apply these laws to legal marijuana businesses to improve transparency and accountability.”
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) tweeted about hearing from “cannabis industry experts about its potential to boost the economy and create jobs.”
The House marijuana banking bill got two new cosponsors, for a total of 175.
/ STATES
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed a bill creating an industrial hemp pilot program.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said that putting marijuana legalization before voters as a referendum is an option but that he’d prefer to pass a bill on the issue instead. Meanwhile, the Senate president skipped out on a planned cannabis meeting with the governor and Assembly speaker.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said that marijuana tax revenues aren’t meeting projections because cities and counties have been “stubborn” in blocking legal access. His new budget contains a number of cannabis-related items. Meanwhile, here’s a look at where marijuana reform bills stand in the legislative process.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) tweeted, “DC: It’s time to legalize marijuana. For years, marijuana possession has been a pipeline to prison for people of color. We must replace that pipeline with jobs, equity, and pathways to prosperity.”
Minnesota’s attorney general tweeted, “Most states now make marijuana legal in some form, but federal law hasn’t caught up, so most banks won’t provide financial services to legal cannabis-related businesses. That has to change. I joined 32 other AGs to support a bill to allow banks to do so.”
The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that patients don’t have the right to use medical cannabis in parked cars.
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands House passed a bill setting marijuana taxes and fees.
The Wisconsin legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance voted to remove medical cannabis and marijuana decriminalization language from the state budget as proposed by Gov. Tony Evers (D).
Alaska regulators are proposing changes to rules on marijuana testing, on-site consumption and tracking.
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/ LOCAL
Denver, Colorado’s mayor, reacting to the passage of a psilocybin decriminalization initiative, said he “respects the decision of the voters and the Denver Police Department will enforce the law accordingly.” Meanwhile, the city attorney’s office is mulling what the word “personal” means in the measure with respect to amounts of psilocybin that are shielded from enforcement.
A Jacksonville, Florida City Council member filed a marijuana decriminalization proposal.
The Anchorage, Alaska Assembly has scheduled a series of work sessions about allowing on-site consumption at marijuana dispensaries this month.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that UK drug laws should be amended to allow for safe consumption facilities for illegal drugs.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study on “the efficacy and safety of medical cannabis for a wide variety of chronic medical conditions” is currently seeking 10,000 participants.
/ OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that U.S. adults back decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms, 35% – 34%, with 31% undecided.
A poll funded by prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana found that when given options, 41% of Illinois voters support legalizing marijuana, 31% want to keep the current policy of decriminalization and medical cannabis, 16% want to add record expungements and 9% want marijuana to be totally illegal.
The Colorado Springs Gazette editorial board is not happy about Denver voters’ decriminalization of psilocybin.
The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board is calling on Congress to pass marijuana banking legislation.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board is concerned that political donations by medical cannabis business license applicants could improperly affect decisions and regulations.
/ BUSINESS
Patagonia released a short film about the history of hemp.
Albertsons is being sued for allegedly improperly firing an employee for medical cannabis use.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
