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Cannabis part of deal to end gov’t shutdown? (Newsletter: Jan. 22, 2018)
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Poll: marijuana safer than sugar; Industry campaign funding for GOP; Roger Stone says Trump could lose reelection over marijuana
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
As a federal shutdown went into effect, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) filed two far-reaching marijuana amendments he wants attached to legislation to re-open and fund the government.
A poll found that Americans think marijuana is safer than alcohol, tobacco or sugar, and that 60% support legalization.
/ FEDERAL
A USA Today analysis found that marijuana industry and advocacy federal campaign contributions heavily shifted toward Republican candidates for this election cycle.
Taylor Weyeneth, the 24-year-old former Trump campaign worker who suddenly ascended a a post at the top of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, was previously fired from a law firm because he “just didn’t show” up for work.
Members of Congress told Rolling Stone that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s anti-marijuana move may backfire and spur efforts to change federal laws.
- Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA): “It’s a big plus for our efforts that the federal government is now aware that our constituents have been alerted. We can be confident we can win this fight, because this is a freedom issue.”
- U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ): “I’m hopeful that this action is going to have a powerful reaction. This is a movement that’s going to happen, and I’m glad to see I’ve got partners on the Republican side of the aisle that are very animated on this issue.”
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted, “California’s marijuana legalization will also restore the voting rights for up to one million people and make it easier for them to apply for licenses, apartments, and jobs. This is smart criminal justice policy that we need nationwide.”
The U.S. House bill to deschedule marijuana and withhold funding from states with racially discriminatory cannabis enforcement got five new cosponsors, bringing the total to 23.
The U.S. House bill to deschedule marijuana got three new cosponsors, bringing the total to 28.
The U.S. House bill to increase marijuana businesses’ access to banks got one new cosponsor, bringing the total to 67.
The U.S. House bill to remove the 280E tax penalty on marijuana businesses got one new cosponsor, bringing the total to 41.
The U.S. House bill to respect state marijuana laws got one new cosponsor, bringing the total to four.
The U.S. House CBD medical cannabis bill got seven new cosponsors, bringing the total to 30.
The U.S. Senate bill to protect water rights for hemp growers got one new cosponsor, bringing the total to six.
California Democratic congressional candidate Andrew Janz, a former prosecutor, said he supports legalizing and rescheduling marijuana.
/ STATES
There’s still no word on whether Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) has signed marijuana legalization into law as promised. Monday is the deadline for him to act. Meanwhile, the lieutenant governor will host a town hall meeting on marijuana law reform on Monday evening.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) says he doesn’t support pending medical cannabis legislation.
Alaska Gov. Bill Walker (I) appointed another police chief to the Marijuana Control Board.
Minnesota Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tina Liebling, currently a state representative, supports legalizing marijuana.
Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial candidates oppose legalizing marijuana.
Colorado Democratic attorney general candidate Michael Dougherty said he would defend the marijuana industry from federal attacks.
A Maine legislative committee voted to extend a moratorium on legal marijuana sales until mid-April.
Virginia’s Senate majority leader filed a bill to replace jail time for first-time marijuana possession with a fine. The bill stops short of removing cannabis criminalization, maintaining it as a misdemeanor.
Massachusetts lawmakers filed a bill to prohibit public employees from assisting federal actions against state-legal marijuana activity.
Hawaii senators introduced a bill claiming that “federal scheduling of cannabis as a controlled substance does not apply to the medical use of cannabis in Hawaii because the medical use of cannabis in Hawaii is currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.”
A Utah representative filed a bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis. Meanwhile, activists say they have collected 95,000 signatures toward qualifying a broader medical marijuana ballot initiative.
California’s Cannabis Advisory Committee will examine taxes that some growers and retailers say are too high.
Iowa representatives filed a resolution calling on the federal government to reschedule marijuana.
Pennsylvania senators filed a resolution calling on Congress to “amend the Gun Control Act of 1968 to protect the constitutional rights of medical cannabis users.”
Florida regulators issued a warning about “medical marijuana scams.”
Oregon regulators will consider new marijuana rules on Thursday.
Nearly half of unsuccessful Ohio medical cannabis cultivation license applicants plan to appeal their denials.
/ LOCAL
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said he is skeptical about marijuana legalization but it willing to study it. He also said that the 17,000 cannabis arrests in the city over the past year is “a normal level in the sense of what we were trying to achieve.”
The East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana council will vote on a proposal to avoid low-level marijuana arrests on Wednesday.
A Prospect, Kentucky assistant police chief suggested that cops should shoot African-American teenagers for smoking marijuana.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Thailand’s Narcotics Suppression Bureau is endorsing a plan to allow cultivation of marijuana for research.
France’s minister of economy and finance said he opposes decriminalizing marijuana.
/ ADVOCACY
Trump ally Roger Stone said the president will lose reelection if his administration launches a marijuana crackdown.
The Drug Policy Alliance will release a report tracking the results of marijuana legalization on Tuesday.
Marijuana Policy Project staffer Heather Fazio, who focuses on Texas legislation, is leaving the organization to join MPP founder and former executive director Rob Kampia’s new Marijuana Leadership Campaign.
The Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police is opposing pending marijuana law reform legislation.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “cannabidiol has been well-tolerated in pediatric patients and may be an effective treatment for medically intractable epilepsy.”
/ OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that West Virginia likely votes support medical cannabis, 67%-30%, but oppose legalizing marijuana, 34%-62%.
The Burlington Free Press editorial board is pushing Vermont lawmakers to tax and regulate marijuana sales.
The Star-Ledger editorial board wants New Jersey to legalize marijuana.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial board is calling on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to participate in medical cannabis research.
/ BUSINESS
Arizona medical cannabis sales rose considerably in 2017.
/ CULTURE
Check out this editorial cartoon about U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s anti-marijuana moves.
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