Newsletter
Canada releases proposed cannabis regs (Newsletter: Nov. 22, 2017)
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MPP head steps down; Privateer layoffs; DEA OKs synthetic THC drug
TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Canada’s federal government launched a public consultation process on proposed legal marijuana rules.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/consultation-proposed-approach-regulation-cannabis.html
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pot-regulations-1.4412015
And the House of Commons advanced the government’s marijuana legalization bill to third reading by a vote of 201 to 97.
http://www.parl.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&billId=8886269
Marijuana Policy Project founder Rob Kampia stepped down as executive director and will transition to new role focused on fundraising and strategy. Staffer Matt Schweich will serve as interim executive director while a search is conducted for a full-time replacement.
https://www.mpp.org/news/press/marijuana-policy-project-announces-leadership-changes-begins-national-search-new-executive-director/
FEDERAL
Visitor logs and calendars released by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy show meetings and calls with active prohibitionists like Smart Approaches to Marijuana’s Kevin Sabet and Drug Free America Foundation’s Calvina Fay.
https://twitter.com/tomangell/status/933064210199740416
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https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/wh-complex#ONDCP
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is moving to grant Schedule II status for synthetic THC drug Syndros, which is developed by Insys Therapeutics, a company that donated significant funding to help defeat Arizona’s 2016 marijuana legalization measure.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/11/22/2017-25275/schedules-of-controlled-substances-placement-of-fda-approved-products-of-oral-solutions-containing
U.S. military forces launched airstrikes against Taliban opium processing facilities in Afghanistan.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/world/asia/airstrikes-taliban-opium.html
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) is happy that a draft Senate spending bill contains no riders on Washington, D.C. policies, including one that has prevent the city from legalizing marijuana sales.
https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-elated-that-republican-senate-dc-appropriations-bill-contains-no
Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) spoke about his support for marijuana law reform.
http://www.dailyhelmsman.com/news/congressman-cohen-comments-on-impeachment-taxes-and-marijuana/article_31c105e8-ce7b-11e7-8858-2b64f73f02fb.html
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted that legalizing marijuana is a partial solution to opioid issues.
https://twitter.com/RepRoKhanna/status/933003974751543298
STATES
Massachusetts regulators plan to put together draft marijuana rules in December.
http://www.telegram.com/news/20171121/mass-marijuana-board-moving-toward-first-draft-of-regs
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) says he’s “concerned” about his successor’s plans to legalize marijuana, which he called “reprehensible.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCqu2SADDHA&t=46m50s
Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), a Colorado gubernatorial candidate, is proposing to use more marijuana tax money to pay for schools.
https://www.greeleytribune.com/news/local/u-s-congressman-colorado-gubernatorial-candidate-jared-polis-visits-billie-martinez-elementary-school/
Florida medical cannabis patients and a cultivation business are suing state regulators over a delay in issuing new production and sales licenses.
http://sunshinestatenews.com/story/veteran-family-files-complaint-against-florida-department-health-over-medical-marijuana
Separately, a senator filed a bill allowing medical cannabis use in schools.
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2018/00986
Virginia’s Joint Commission on Health Care is supporting legislation to allow doctors to recommend THC-A or CBD medical cannabis oil for any condition.
http://www.newsleader.com/story/news/2017/11/21/support-virginia-growing-medical-marijuana/846880001
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http://jchc.virginia.gov/Decision%20Matrix%202017.pdf
In an official opinion, the Indiana attorney general’s office outlined the limitations of the state’s CBD medical cannabis law.
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/21/after-months-confusisattorney-general-curtis-hill-says-cbd-oil-illegal-indiana-after-months-confusio/884505001/
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https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/files/Cannabidiol.pdf
The Kentucky secretary of state’s medical cannabis task force held its first meeting.
http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Task-force-to-discuss-legalization-of-medical-marijuana-in-Kentucky-459014683.html
Michigan regulators plan to release medical cannabis rules next week.
http://wkar.org/post/state-needs-little-more-time-release-official-rules-medical-marijuana-licenses
A South Dakota marijuana consultant had charges dismissed following a case concerning his work to help a Native American tribe open the nation’s first cannabis resort.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-dakota/articles/2017-11-21/tribes-marijuana-consultant-pays-fine-court-costs
A Texas medical marijuana company named a new strain and grow room after the representative who authored the state’s CBD cannabis law.
https://twitter.com/tomangell/status/933097811117084674
A New Jersey senator is pushing to “slow down” the push toward legalizing marijuana.
https://patch.com/new-jersey/bloomfield/new-jersey-senator-has-worries-legal-weed-do-you-agree
LOCAL
The Detroit, Michigan City Planning Commission is asking the City Council to challenge voter-approved ballot measures that will allow medical cannabis businesses to operate in more locations.
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/11/21/detroit-marijuana-proposal/886339001/
A Los Angeles, California City Council committee approved proposed marijuana regulations.
http://www.foxla.com/news/local-news/la-city-council-approves-rules-ahead-of-legal-marijuana-date
San Francisco, California public transit authorities banned marijuana ads on buses.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/muni-bans-cannabis-ads-buses/
San Diego, California cannabis businesses are playing a role in local Board of Supervisors elections.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-marijuana-supervisors-20171120-story.html
Police in Mart, Texas are now required to arrest people caught with small amounts of marijuana and no longer have the option to issue citations under a new zero-tolerance policy.
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/police/mart-police-end-tickets-for-misdemeanor-marijuana-possession/article_1ba1986f-1293-5ae3-942a-7dc6499e78c9.html
INTERNATIONAL
Statistics Canada will begin tracking marijuana industry data.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-21/statistics-canada-moves-to-include-marijuana-in-gdp-accounts
The Philippine Supreme Court is hearing a case against the nation’s bloody “drug war” policies.
http://sea-globe.com/philippine-unconstitutional/
A Brazilian senator is stalling consideration of an official petition to allow personal marijuana cultivation.
https://theintercept.com/2017/11/21/senador-ignora-apelos-e-mantem-relatorio-contra-plantio-de-maconha-para-uso-proprio/
ADVOCACY
Google is giving $4 million to efforts to fight back against mass incarceration.
https://twitter.com/verainstitute/status/933004563875028993
The Virginia Farm Bureau’s upcoming conference will feature a panel on cannabis cultivation.
https://www.vafb.com/membership-at-work/news-resources/convention-agenda
SCIENCE & HEALTH
The Open Cannabis Project says it is building an archival record of all existing cannabis strains to ensure they remain in the public domain, unrestricted by commercialization or patenting.
https://opencannabisproject.org/
An article in JAMA Internal Medicine decries the secondhand smoke effects of large 4/20 events.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2663848
OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Orange County Register editorial board is cheering bipartisan work in Congress to roll back asset forfeiture and protect state marijuana laws.
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/11/21/bipartisanship-to-curb-civil-asset-forfeiture-and-marijuana-crackdowns/
BUSINESS
Privateer Holdings confirmed significant staff layoffs that I first reported last week on Twitter.
https://www.geekwire.com/2017/marijuana-investment-firm-privateer-confirms-layoffs-calls-master-p-lawsuit-nonsense
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https://twitter.com/tomangell/status/931681914888564736
Marijuana products from Citi-Med LLC, dba Starbuds are being recalled due to pesticide contamination.
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/HSA%20Citi-Med%2011172017.pdf
CULTURE
Rapper Nelly has been ordered not to sing about marijuana, alcohol or sex during a concert in Saudi Arabia.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/11/21/rapper-nelly-is-to-perform-in-saudi-arabia-only-men-are-allowed-to-attend/
Rapper Cassidy was arrested for possessing marijuana and paraphernalia.
http://www.tmz.com/2017/11/21/cassidy-arrested-marijuana/
Rolling Stone looks at cannabis-consuming athletes.
http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/pictures/sports-all-star-stoners-20100720/nate-and-nick-diaz-w512027
