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Congressional Dems play cannabis trivia at retreat (Newsletter: April 16, 2019)

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Study: Marijuana motivates people to exercise; POTUS candidate Eric Swalwell on cannabis; Kansas hemp bill signed

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Congressional Democrats participated in a marijuana-themed trivia round at their retreat last week. The cannabis category was called “Green New Deal” and one question was about gravity bongs.

Marijuana Moment’s latest presidential candidate analysis looks at the cannabis record of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA).

A new study smashes “lazy stoner” stereotypes, finding that marijuana consumption helps motivate people to exercise.

/ FEDERAL

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) tweeted, “Did you know that legal cannabis businesses don’t get to use banks like the rest of us? This week I introduced a bipartisan bill to give cannabis businesses access to banking. It’s crazy that legal cannabis businesses are forced to carry around cash in gym bags. Let them bank!”

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) tweeted, “The #SAFEBankingAct would recognize the will of Nevada voters by creating an infrastructure that would allow the marijuana industry in Nevada to operate legally and provide legitimate cannabis-related businesses with access to the banking system.”

Sen. Jacky Rosen, (D-NV) tweeted, “We should be helping our new industries thrive in Nevada, not stifle them with outdated federal laws. I’m co-sponsoring the #SAFEBankingAct to give our marijuana businesses access to the financial services they desperately need.” She also tweeted, “Nevada’s marijuana businesses are bringing in millions of dollars in revenue and creating thousands of jobs for our state, yet they continue to operate on an archaic cash-only basis as a result of outdated federal laws. I’m co-sponsoring the #SAFEBankingAct to put an end to this.”

Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), a cofounder of prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana, sent an open letter urging state lawmakers not to legalize cannabis.

/ STATES

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) signed a hemp bill into law.

The office of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) said she doesn’t believe a bill she signed will allow incarcerated people to use medical cannabis.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) shared an update on the marijuana legalization listening tour that Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) is conducting.

New Jersey’s Senate president said that Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) threat to expand medical cannabis if marijuana legalization doesn’t pass is “not helping.”

Florida’s agriculture commissioner and some lawmakers want health insurance plans to cover medical cannabis.

The Montana House of Representatives approved a bill to make a number of changes to the state’s medical cannabis program.

The Nebraska Senate approved a hemp bill. Separately, here’s a look at efforts to enact medical cannabis in the state, either through a ballot measure or legislation.

The Iowa Senate passed a hemp bill.

The Vermont House Committee on Government Operations has begun marking up a bill to legalize marijuana sales.

A Nevada judge delayed a hearing on lawsuits seeking to force regulators to release more details about their marijuana license awarding process.

The Bay Mills Indian Community is the first tribe in Michigan to legalize marijuana. Separately, regulators released guidance on cannabis product testing and RFID tag requirements.


Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,000 cannabis 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

The Cook County, Illinois state’s attorney is talking to Code for America about assisting with her office’s effort to expunge marijuana convictions.

Denver, Colorado marijuana regulators and cannabis industry representatives are teaming up to urge people not to bring kids to a 4/20 festival. Separately, the City Council voted to initially approve a measure to lessen distance requirements for cannabis social use areas.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Australia’s first taxpayer-funded medical cannabis cultivation facility has opened.

Panamanian lawmakers are considering medical cannabis legislation.

/ ADVOCACY

The Nebraska Democratic Party cheered lawmakers’ approval of a hemp bill.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review concluded that “cannabinoid-based treatments are a promising avenue of new research for medications that may help the Tourette syndrome population” but that “given the limited research available, the overall efficacy and safety of cannabinoid-based treatments is largely unknown.”

A study concluded that “compared with people who did not regularly use cannabis, people who regularly used cannabis required an amount of sedation for endoscopic procedures that was significantly higher.”

A study breaks down county-by-county marijuana arrest rates across the U.S.

/ OPINION & ANALYSIS

A poll of U.S. adults found that 62% expect marijuana to be legal across the country within 10 years, 50% support legalization and 72% back medical cannabis, among other findings.

A poll found that New York voters support legalizing marijuana, 52%-42%.

The Baltimore Sun editorial board is calling out both Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) and marijuana activists who are feuding with him for acting in a “petty and pointless” manner.

/ BUSINESS

Aphria Inc. shares dropped.

PAX Labs is in talks to raise over $400 million.

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Tom Angell is the editor of Marijuana Moment. A 20-year veteran in the cannabis law reform movement, he covers the policy and politics of marijuana. Separately, he founded the nonprofit Marijuana Majority. Previously he reported for Marijuana.com and MassRoots, and handled media relations and campaigns for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

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