Newsletter
AOC’s psychedelics amendment considered in Congress this week (Newsletter: June 10, 2019)
NY Dem chair doesn’t realize legal marijuana is popular with voters; RI Senate approves safe consumption sites; Jamaica to press US on cannabis banking
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) filed an amendment to a funding bill that would make it easier for scientists to study the medical benefits of psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelic drugs.
- A separate proposal from Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) would allow medical marijuana on college campuses.
The New York Democratic Party chairman said voters will “throw us out of office” if lawmakers legalize marijuana. But polling shows legal cannabis is very popular—statewide, upstate, in the suburbs and among independents—and gets more support than elected Democrats themselves do. Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said that he doubts the Senate could get enough support for legalization legislation if he kept lawmakers in session for 10 years.
The Rhode Island Senate approved a bill to allow the creation of safe consumption sites for illegal drugs. Federal prosecutors have already issued threats against similar moves in other states.
The Jamaican minister of industry, commerce, agriculture and fisheries said his government will pressure the U.S. Congress to pass marijuana banking legislation.
/ FEDERAL
Colorado’s U.S. attorney said he thinks the state can do more to regulate marijuana but that he’s “a states’ rights guy, and I think we have an intractable problem between federal law and state law that has to be resolved” by Congress. He also expressed concern about a move to allow supervised injection facilities and said that Denver’s move to decriminalize psilocybin isn’t really on his office’s radar.
The U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that more than 1,000 requests for reduced sentences were granted in the four months following President Trump signing criminal justice reform legislation.
The Food and Drug Administration’s deputy commissioner for food policy and response outlined the agency’s efforts to craft CBD regulations in a letter to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a presidential candidate, and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), sent press releases about the endorsement of their marijuana bill by 12 governors.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a presidential candidate, spoke about racial disparities in marijuana enforcement and the need for equity in the cannabis industry.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a presidential candidate, said he is hopeful about the prospects for ending federal marijuana prohibition.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a presidential candidate, tweeted, “With this marijuana legalization plan, we can start working to not only heal the damage done by racist drug laws, but tap into the medical and economic opportunity that marijuana offers.”
South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D), a presidential candidate, tweeted, “Thousands of patients in Iowa are struggling thanks to a limited medical marijuana program that doesn’t meet their health care needs — the governor’s veto will only prolong their suffering.”
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D), a presidential candidate, spoke about his support for reforming federal marijuana laws but said that no state should be forced to legalize.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted, “There are too many people locked in jail for marijuana possession, while investors make millions and people in ten states can go to dispensaries and buy cannabis legally. It’s well past time to end the prohibition of marijuana and expunge all prior offenses for use.”
/ STATES
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed a bill requiring the testing of medical cannabis products.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed bills making it easier for out-of-state patients to obtain medical cannabis and clarifying other provisions of the state’s medical marijuana program. Separately, the legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on marijuana regulations on Monday.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said that if lawmakers can’t pass marijuana legalization legislation they should put a statutory measure on the ballot for voters to enact.
Rhode Island’s House speaker said that he’s not passionate about marijuana legalization either way and that there is “no interest in doing that at this time.”
The New York Assembly majority leader reiterated her support for legalizing marijuana at an NAACP dinner.
A Nevada judge will continue hearing arguments in a case challenging the state’s marijuana license awarding process this week.
Colorado regulators have scheduled meetings of work groups to help formulate rules to implement several recently enacted marijuana bills.
Minnesota regulators are being sued by a hemp grower who says his license was improperly revoked.
California marijuana regulators posted a new frequently asked questions webpage.
Massachusetts’s top marijuana regulator spoke about ongoing efforts to implement legalization, including oversight of business ownership restrictions.
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/ LOCAL
Denver, Colorado police sent a bulletin about an uptick in burglaries at marijuana facilities.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Canada’s Senate is taking up a bill to expedite pardons for marijuana possession offenses.
Several Conservative UK candidates for prime minister have acknowledged past illegal drug use in recent days.
/ ADVOCACY
The Hemp Industries Association said that its email list was the apparent target of a malware and phishing scam.
Prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana is airing anti-cannabis ads in Nebraska as reform advocates collect signatures to qualify a medical marijuana measure for the state ballot. Despite claims that the spots have nothing to do with the proposed measure, government filings list “2020 Ballot Initiative” as the subject of the campaign.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A survey found that “the majority of oncology providers in Colorado do not recommend and do not feel comfortable recommending or suggesting medical marijuana to a cancer patient, yet most believe it provides medical benefit.”
/ OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that New York voters support legalizing marijuana, 55%-40%.
A poll found that New Zealand voters oppose legalizing marijuana, 52%-39%.
The Star-Ledger editorial board is calling on New Jersey lawmakers to pass legislation expunging marijuana convictions.
The Boston Globe editorial board is urging more research into the effects of CBD.
/ BUSINESS
JP Morgan and four other firms submitted bids to handle medical cannabis banking for West Virginia.
The Church of England is rescinding a self-imposed ban on investing in medical cannabis companies.
Terra Tech paid $6.3 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that the company improperly shifted money from a Nevada dispensary to other projects.
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