Newsletter
Cannabis banking listed as ‘priority’ heading into negotiations (Newsletter: April 12, 2022)
MD psychedelics bill to gov; ND marijuana initiative; PA cannabis edibles; Congressman’s Marijuana Moment op-ed; OK psilocybin research
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
More than two-thirds of House and Senate conferees on the America COMPETES Act have already voted for or cosponsored cannabis banking legislation—and House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) listed the reform as among the “priorities” as she heads into negotiations with the Senate.
North Dakota activists filed a marijuana legalization initiative they hope to place on the November ballot.
Maryland lawmakers voted—unanimously—to send Gov. Larry Hogan (R) a bill to create a fund for providing “cost-free” access to psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine to military veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injury.
The Oklahoma Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved a bill to encourage research on the medical benefits of psilocybin—but deleted a House-passed provision that would have broadly decriminalized possession of the psychedelic.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) wrote in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that the House—by passing federal cannabis legalization, research and banking bills—”has done its job and set the table for success in the Senate and ultimately for the American people.”
A Pennsylvania Republican senator said he will soon file a bill to legalize medical cannabis edibles, and he’s circulating a cosponsorship memo to line up more support from colleagues.
/ FEDERAL
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) said that once a marijuana legalization bill is formally introduced he wants to “work with both sides to have hearings as quickly as possible.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said she would sit down with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to learn more about his forthcoming marijuana legalization bill.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said it is “premature” to legalize marijuana and that “we need to have some serious studies into the impact on developing children’s brains and pregnant women.”
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said using marijuana is “against my faith, so for a couple of reasons I don’t use it and I would not vote to make it legal.”
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said he has “serious doubts” about legalizing marijuana.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said he hasn’t used marijuana and that “any foreign substance you inhale into your lungs is harmful.”
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) said he thinks marijuana is “very unhealthy” and is a “gateway drug.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said he doesn’t use cannabis.
Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) tweeted, “April is National Cannabis Awareness Month. Recently, I voted to pass the MORE Act to decriminalize cannabis nationwide and expunging the records of Americans arrested for cannabis-related offenses. It is time Americans learned more about the health-related benefits of cannabis.”
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) tweeted, “I voted YES on the #MOREAct because it will expunge the records of those harmed by cannabis criminalization, create opportunities for all to participate in the legal cannabis industry and decriminalize cannabis at the federal level.”
Florida Democratic Senate candidate Allen Ellison tweeted, “In Florida, manufacturing, selling, or possessing marijuana with the intent to sell, is a 3rd degree felony, punishable with up to 5 years in prison & a fine of up to $5k. Today, 40k people are in prison for weed offenses. I’ll work to legalize marijuana.”
/ STATES
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D), reacting to regulators voting to allow recreational marijuana sales to begin at some existing medical cannabis dispensaries as soon as next month, tweeted, “I applaud @NewJerseyCRC for approving seven alternative treatment centers to expand to recreational cannabis sales and over 100 conditional licenses. This is a monumental step in our work to create a new cannabis industry.” Meanwhile, the Senate president said he will move ahead with oversight hearings, tweeting, “I am happy to see that progress has been made by the @NewJerseyCRC, but we need to find ways to do better & in a timely way. Going forward, our focus should be to find solutions to enact a legal marijuana market that operates safely, fairly & effectively.”
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed legislation making it so medical cannabis patients won’t have to register with state officials after receiving doctors’ recommendations.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) said he thinks discussions about marijuana legalization are effectively inevitable but declined to weigh in on specific proposals.
The Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry scheduled a hearing on a medical cannabis bill for 4/20.
A Pennsylvania senator authored an op-ed about the need to legalize marijuana.
Massachusetts regulators are accepting public comment on draft marijuana business control and ownership guidance.
Ohio regulators are working to more than double the number of medical cannabis dispensary licenses.
Oregon’s drug decriminalization and treatment funding oversight panel created new subcommittees.
Washington State marijuana regulators are seeking feedback on conceptual draft rules related to service and filing of documents by electronic transmission.
Iowa regulators published a list of licensed hemp businesses.
California regulators are conducting a survey about how to best serve cannabis businesses.
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Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy 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.
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/ LOCAL
Rochester, New York’s mayor will host a session on cannabis business issues on Thursday.
The Clark County, Nevada Commission will hold a meeting to discuss regulating cannabis consumption lounges on April 19.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Thailand’s public health minister said people will be able to grow an unlimited amount of marijuana plans after June 9.
Canadian officials are reviewing all clinical trials involving MDMA in response to a complaint.
New South Wales, Australia lawmakers are seeking public comment on a bill to shield medical cannabis patients from driving under the influence charges.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study suggested that “C. sativa phytocomplex and its multitarget mechanism could represent a novel therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammatory-related diseases.”
The National Cancer Institute is accepting applications for grants to support “studies that address patterns of tobacco and cannabis use as a target for cancer prevention and control.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll of U.S. adults found that 52 percent have tried marijuana, 66 percent of those say their experiences were positive and that 58 percent overall say that alcohol is more harmful than cannabis.
A poll found that Georgia voters support legalizing marijuana, 49 percent to 38 percent.
The International Code Council preliminarily approved a residential code for the use of hempcrete.
/ BUSINESS
TerrAscend Corp. is acquiring Allegany Medical Marijuana Dispensary from Moose Curve Holdings, LLC.
Marijuana Business Daily projected that the economic impact of recreational U.S. retail marijuana sales will amount to $99 billion this year.
/ CULTURE
Seth Rogen said that “weed is a political thing in America right now, and if you pretend it’s not, that is a political stance where you are taking the position of denying reality and ignoring the actual political climate that we live in right now.”
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
