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Another fed agency bashes USDA hemp rules (Newsletter: October 14, 2020)

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SCOTUS rejects marijuana case; Mexican Senate votes on legalization soon; PA gov steps up cannabis push; ME cop’s Facebook rant about legal sales

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

The U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition to take up a case challenging the Drug Enforcement Administration’s restrictive classification of marijuana. Several members of Congress had urged the justices to hear the cannabis lawsuit.

The Small Business Administration is calling out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s hemp rules, saying they have “stifled” industry growth and benefit large businesses while forcing smaller operators out of the newly legal market.

  • “In some instances, [businesses] have noted that the rules are so stringent that they feel as though they are being set up to fail.”

Mexico’s Senate majority leader said the chamber will pass a marijuana legalization bill within the next two weeks.

For the third month in a row, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) held another public event focused specifically on building the case for marijuana legalization and calling out the Republican-controlled state legislature for failing to enact the popular reform.

The Bangor, Maine Police Department’s official Facebook page posted a 1,400-word rambling treatise on the state’s launch of legal marijuana sales. It touches on everything from Phish festivals to drug-sniffing dogs to cannabis’s medical benefits to sweet chili Doritos.

/ FEDERAL

The Department of Veterans Affairs’s Office of Research & Development tweeted, “New study by researchers @SFVAMC indicates that a growing number of women are either using cannabis or want to use it for the management of menopause symptoms.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and four other lawmakers sent a letter urging the Drug Enforcement Administration to allow pharmacists to withhold portions of patients’ opioid prescriptions.

Tennessee Democratic congressional candidate Christopher Hale tweeted, “Why is it that kids and veterans who smoke marijuana in Tennessee have criminal records, but the Wall Street executives who committed billions in fraud and wrecked our economy do not? Congressman DesJarlais opposes legalizing marijuana. I support it.”

/ STATES

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed a hemp bill into law.

The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a bill to allow school nurses and other school employees to administer medical cannabis to students.

A New Mexico judge invalidated additional requirements that regulators added for out-of-state medical cannabis patients.

Kentucky’s agriculture commissioner said the state’s hemp acreage dropped significantly from last year.

Mississippi’s secretary of state hosted the final in a series of public hearings on the state’s medical cannabis ballot measures.

The Washington, D.C. psychedelics decriminalization campaign touted endorsements for its ballot measure from District Council candidates and the local Democratic Party.

Supporters and opponents of Arizona’s marijuana legalization ballot measure will debate on Wednesday.

Michigan regulators published guidance for credit unions on offering financial services to marijuana businesses.

Testing of Missouri medical cannabis is now underway, meaning sales are set to launch soon.

Alabama regulators began accepting hemp license applications.

Hawaiian regulators released an updated list of approved hemp genetics.

Minnesota regulators will discuss adding new medical cannabis qualifying conditions on October 21 and 22.


Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,500 cannabis bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

/ LOCAL

The Los Angeles, California City Council voted to act as the fiscal agent for money donated from legal marijuana businesses for a reward for information to find a man who has been missing after being last seen at an unlicensed dispensary.

New York City mayoral candidates were asked whether they use marijuana at a forum.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Rwanda’s cabinet approved guidelines for medical cannabis cultivation, processing and exports.

Thailand’s cabinet approved a bill to legalize kratom.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that cannabis extracts “showed remarkable antioxidant activity and strong antimicrobial properties against both ATCC and methicillin‐resistant clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus” and that they “could be promising for their possible use as novel antibacterial agents for the treatment of widespread S. aureus infections.”

A study concluded that “misinformation around CBD for cancer is widespread on medical crowdfunding campaigns.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

Here’s a look at campaign finance activity in favor of and in opposition to marijuana and drug policy reform ballot measures.

The New Zealand Medical Association switched its position on the country’s marijuana legalization referendum from opposed to neutral.

The Hemp Industries Association and RE Botanicals filed another federal lawsuit against the Drug Enforcement Administration’s proposed hemp rules.

/ BUSINESS

Amazon launched a pilot program for CBD sales in the UK.

Aurora Cannabis Inc. sold its stake in Cann Group Limited.

Ocean State Cultivation Center reached a contract agreement with the United Food and Commercial Workers.

Colorado retailers sold $218.6 million worth of marijuana products in August.

/ CULTURE

Kristen Bell’s CBD skincare brand Happy Dance has a new ad.

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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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