Newsletter
Cannabis decrim heads to LA Senate floor (Newsletter: May 26, 2021)
DE gov: Marijuana a “gateway”; MN gov signs smokable medical cannabis; CT legalization vote next week; IL equity bill passes; Young hemp farmers
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed a bill legalizing smokable medical marijuana—a significant expansion to the state’s current cannabis program.
Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) reiterated his opposition to legalizing marijuana, saying it can be a “gateway” to opioid addiction, but he declined to say if he would veto a legal cannabis bill that’s advancing in the legislature.
- “Look, I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
The Louisiana Senate Judiciary C Committee approved a House-passed bill to decriminalize marijuana. It now heads to the Senate floor for a vote on final passage. If approved there, it would go to the governor’s desk.
Connecticut’s House majority leader said negotiations on marijuana legalization are nearing a deal and the Senate could vote on a cannabis bill “early next week.” The speaker puts the odds at getting it done this year at 57-43, upgraded from his previous prediction of 50-50.
The Illinois House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at increasing equity in the marijuana industry.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said the legalization of hemp is bringing a younger generation of people to farming. He also said there’s a good chance Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will cosponsor his new bill to legalize CBD-infused foods and drinks.
The Wyoming Supreme Court censured a prosecutor for allowing a police officer to lie during testimony in a case that sought to pin hemp farmers as marijuana traffickers.
A new analysis from the Marijuana Policy Project finds that states have generated $8 billion in tax revenue from cannabis since legal sales first began in 2014—including $2.7 billion in 2020 alone.
/ FEDERAL
The acting U.S. solicitor general filed a brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court not to take up a case challenging the Internal Revenue Services’s ability to investigate marijuana businesses.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality published a review on the use of cannabis for treating chronic pain.
Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) argued in a House floor speech that marijuana legalization has caused Mexican cartels to shift to trafficking other drugs.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted, “It’s long past time we did away with the racist, unscientific prohibition of our cannabis laws. Republicans at the Minnesota Capitol are blocking this legislation, but I’m hopeful we’ll get this done. Legalize it!”
/ STATES
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed a bill adding insomnia and autism spectrum disorder as medical cannabis qualifying conditions, as well as other marijuana legislation.
Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler, a former state attorney general, said he would seek to legalize marijuana if elected.
Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor posted on Facebook, “When I traveled to all 67 counties for a listening tour in 2019, I found that a majority of PA supports legal weed. In 2021, a majority of PA voters *still* support decriminalizing the plant. 🌱 How much longer will we deny justice for our commonwealth??
New Mexico regulators published draft marijuana producer rules.
Draft Arizona marijuana social equity rules would allow people who obtain licenses to immediately sell them.
Rhode Island regulators are delaying a lottery to award new medical cannabis dispensary licenses.
The New York Justice Center for Protection of People with Special Needs issued updated medical cannabis guidance.
Colorado regulators issued a compliance tip about quarantining contaminated marijuana.
Texas regulators published a list of registered hemp laboratories.
South Carolina regulators published a list of permitted hemp transporters.
The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission will meet on Thursday.
Florida’s top medical cannabis regulator will hold a town hall meeting on Thursday.
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/ LOCAL
The Albuquerque, New Mexico City Council is considering a proposal to restrict where marijuana businesses can be located.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The Scottish National Party published a report saying that the country could form a commission to examine potentially decriminalizing drugs if it gains independence from the UK.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “data from experimental animal models of [autoimmune diseases] showed that natural and synthetic cannabinoids downregulate inflammatory responses mediated by immune cells responsible for AD chronicity and progression.”
A study examining the effects of Canada’s cannabis legalization law on marijuana use found that “increases were observed among individuals who were not actively using cannabis prior to legalization, whereas decreases were observed among those who were active consumers.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that a majority of voters in Arizona, Utah and West Virginia support federal marijuana legalization and other cannabis reforms.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party tweeted, “RT if you believe Republicans should stop obstructing marijuana legalization in Wisconsin.” It also tweeted, “Wisconsin Democrats: Let’s legalize marijuana and raise tax revenue off its sale! WisGOP: nah 🤡”
The Alabama Democratic Party tweeted, “How cannabis legalization could effect AL’s bottom line: 💰 In 2020, recreational cannabis created 77,000 jobs 💰 Sales taxes on cannabis raised more than $1.9B in 2019 💰 Cannabis legalization could save AL an estimated $22M a year by not charging and locking folks up for weed.”
The National Association of Attorneys General noted that it has not endorsed marijuana banking legislation during the 117th Congress, unlike in the last Congress.
/ BUSINESS
TILT Holdings Inc. reported quarterly revenue of $46.8 million and a net loss of $1.6 million.
Union Harvest and Nature’s Root Labs employees will join the United Food and Commercial Workers in the first-ever national agreement to unionize the entire workforce of a joint cannabis venture.
Greenlane Holdings, Inc. and KushCo Holdings, Inc. announced that the federal waiting period for their proposed merger has expired.
MATTIO Communications launched an influencer marketing agency.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
