Newsletter
DE legal cannabis bills advance in Senate (Newsletter: March 16, 2023)
New DC expungements law; KS medical marijuana hearing; TX poll; Outgoing NORML head interview; Former top MN lawmaker launches cannabis drinks
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The Delaware Senate Health & Social Services Committee approved House-passed bills to legalize marijuana and regulate sales.
The Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee held the first of two hearings on a bill to legalize medical cannabis that are scheduled for this week.
A Washington, D.C. bill to automatically expunge certain marijuana possession records became law after Congress declined to block it.
A new poll shows that a majority of Texas voters want marijuana laws to be made “less strict.” The survey result comes as a bill to decriminalize cannabis is advancing in the state House of Representatives.
Former NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri, who stepped down last week after six years on the job, spoke to Marijuana Moment about the organization’s top wins and challenges during his tenure—and previewed his next steps.
A former Minnesota House majority leader—who championed a marijuana legalization bill—is starting a cannabis-infused beverage company.
Last Prisoner Project staffers argue in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that Hawaii’s cannabis legalization bill that is advancing through the legislature needs to be strengthened with resentencing provisions to free current prisoners.
/ FEDERAL
The National Institutes of Health published a brief about research investigating psychedelics’ potential to treat depression.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) claimed in a Senate floor speech that “overdoses caused by marijuana laced with fentanyl are common now.”
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she has “a hard time” President Joe Biden’s “strong support for D.C. statehood, which would give D.C. not only voting representation in Congress but also full local self-government, with a budget that prohibits D.C. from spending its local funds on recreational marijuana commercialization.”
/ STATES
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) signed a bill to revise membership of the Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed a bill to decriminalize fentanyl testing strips.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced the opening of a new recreational marijuana dispensary in Ithaca on Thursday.
The Montana Senate gave initial approval to a bill to use some marijuana tax revenue to fix roads.
The Arkansas Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee approved a bill to ban delta-8 THC products.
The Colorado Senate Finance Committee approved nominations for members to serve on the Natural Medicine Advisory Board.
A Georgia representative disclosed that she consulted with a company seeking a medical cannabis license.
Vermont regulators provided an update on processing a backlog of medical cannabis patient and caregiver applications.
The Florida Commission on Ethics said it did not find probable cause to determine that a former top cannabis regulator violated financial disclosure laws by failing to timely file a form.
Oklahoma regulators posted updated medical cannabis tax revenue figures.
Washington State regulators sent a reminder about the March 30 deadline to submit social equity marijuana retail license applications.
Michigan regulators will host an education session on cannabis banking compliance on Thursday.
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Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of 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
The union representing New York City deputy sheriffs is questioning the legality of the city’s directive for them to inspect unlicensed cannabis retailers.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The German Bundestag Health Committee held a hearing on marijuana legalization.
Sergipe, Brazil’s Legislative Assembly approved a medical cannabis bill.
UK lawmakers discussed the medical potential of psychedelics.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “there is a moderate and positive correlation between the prevalence of marijuana consumption in an U.S. state and the electoral support for the Democrat candidate in both 2016 and 2020 Presidential Elections.”
A case study described “an immunocompetent male with serologically positive neuropsychiatric Lyme disease who did not tolerate antimicrobial or psychotropic medications and whose symptoms remitted when he began psilocybin in microdosed (sub-hallucinogenic) amounts.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
ACLU of Maryland officials authored an op-ed calling on state lawmakers to pass a bill preventing police from conducting searches based on the smell of marijuana.
/ BUSINESS
Field Trip Health & Wellness Ltd. announced it will be closing its locations in Chicago, Washington DC, Seattle, San Diego and Fredericton.
Temescal Wellness announced it is treating 4/20 as a paid holiday for its employees in Massachusetts.
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. declared a quarterly dividend of $1.80 per share.
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