Newsletter
Congressional cannabis & psychedelics amendments approved (Newsletter: June 23, 2023)
Vets medical marijuana vote; Trump confused on death penalty & drugs; CO gov wants psychedelics pardons; CA cannabis cafes; NFL funds CBD research
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The House Armed Services Committee approved marijuana and psychedelics research amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to allow military veterans to get medical cannabis recommendations from their Department of Veterans Affairs doctors.
Former President Donald Trump seemed confused when a reporter pointed out that a woman he proudly pardoned for a cocaine trafficking conviction could be executed under his plan to impose the death penalty on people who sell drugs.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) is calling on lawmakers to give him the power to issue mass pardons to people with psychedelics convictions. He made the comments at a conference where former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) also talked about the therapeutic benefits of entheogens.
The California Assembly Business and Professions Committee approved a Senate-passed bill to legalize cannabis cafes—allowing marijuana retailers to sell foods and beverages along with having on-site consumption.
The National Football League and NFL Players Association are funding research on the therapeutic benefits of CBD as a pain treatment alternative to opioids for players with concussions.
Nebraska senators are pushing Gov. Jim Pillen (R) and the Board of Pardons to create a process to expedite pardons and commutations for people with marijuana convictions.
Missouri regulators’ decision to only look at incarceration rates from the past 20 years when determining areas where people qualify for marijuana microbusiness licenses could ignore the harms of historic criminalization, advocates say.
/ FEDERAL
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said she hopes the Senate Banking Committee will take up a marijuana banking bill soon.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) tweeted, “Casinos received preferential treatment over churches. Liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries stayed open while gyms were shuttered. Uneven application of COVID restrictions and government infringement on American’s God-given liberties is totally unacceptable.”
The House marijuana banking bill got 10 new cosponsors for a total of 57.
The House bill to loosen restrictions on hemp growers got one new cosponsor for a total of four.
/ STATES
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced the result of a crackdown on unlicensed marijuana businesses. Separately, state officials are being sued by anti-drug activists who are upset about the state’s legalization law.
Oregon lawmakers sent Gov. Tina Kotek (D) a bill aimed at improving implementation of the state’s voter-approved drug decriminalization law.
The Delaware Senate confirmed Gov. John Carney’s (D) nominee to be the state’s top marijuana regulator.
The Pennsylvania Senate Law and Justice Committee approved three bills to increase medical cannabis access, including by eliminating the list of specific qualifying conditions.
The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on “issues concerning the implementation of recreational cannabis” on Friday. Separately, regulators approved additional marijuana dispensaries to open.
The Minnesota representative who sponsored the state’s new marijuana legalization law said he doesn’t think a provision of the state Constitution protecting the right of people to sell products they grow without licenses covers homegrown cannabis.
A Florida appeals court upheld the firing of a Department of Corrections officer for using medical cannabis.
Colorado regulators issues a health and safety warning about potentially unsafe levels of yeast, mold and Aspergillus on marijuana produced by Tumbleweed Steamboat, LLC
A Rhode Island Department of Transportation official claimed that the state’s marijuana legalization law may be leading to more fatal car accidents.
Maryland regulators filed proposed cannabis tax rules and posted answers to marijuana tax questions for businesses and individuals.
Washington State regulators are preparing rules to create a cannabis laboratory accreditation program.
Missouri regulators will begin accepting marijuana microbusiness license applications on July 27.
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Marijuana Moment is 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
Killeen, Texas officials said legal expenses in a lawsuit that Bell County filed against the city’s voter-approved local marijuana decriminalization law will exceed $50,000.
Baltimore County, Maryland police sent a warning about driving under the influence ahead of the state’s launch of marijuana legalization.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The Bahamian attorney general spoke about the timeline for introducing marijuana reform legislation.
Colombian lawmakers said they will reintroduce marijuana legalization legislation next month.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “cannabis legalization led to fewer fatal, serious, and minor injury collisions” and that “commercialization (cannabis sales) correlated with an increase in less severe crashes,” concluding that “although cannabis use generally increased in Washington State following legalization/commercialization, survey data suggest that driving behavior while under the influence of cannabis did not change significantly over the post-commercialization period.”
A study of rats found that “the efficacy of all oral CBD doses decreased paw edema and was comparable to or had greater efficacy than an anti-inflammatory agent.”
/ BUSINESS
Tilray Brands, Inc. completed its acquisition of HEXO Corp.
Canopy Growth Corporation reported quarterly net revenue of C$87.5 million and a net loss of C$647.6 million.
TerrAscend Corp. announced its intention to complete two concurrent private placements for total gross proceeds of approximately $15 million.
iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc. is being sued by a Maryland dispensary that is accusing it of using an associate company to “funnel” money to subsidiaries.
A union representing Long Island Rail Road workers is pushing to overturn its zero-tolerance employee marijuana policy.
/ CULTURE
Afroman was cited by the U.S. Border Patrol for allegedly possessing cannabis lotion when attempting to cross the border from Canada.
Football player Aaron Rodgers spoke about the “radically life-changing” effects of ayahuasca at a psychedelics conference.
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