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Dems & GOP clash over who can lead on cannabis (Newsletter: Oct. 15, 2018)

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Michigan legalization = more tax $ than expected; New doc profiles 80-year-old busted for marijuana possession; Trump briefly meets cannabiz owner

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Democratic and Republican members of Congress who support marijuana reform are clashing over which party is better positioned to take the lead on cannabis in 2019.

An analysis by the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency found that approving the state’s marijuana legalization ballot measure will generate even more tax revenue than activists themselves predicted.

A new short documentary tells the story of an 80-year-old Michigan woman arrested for marijuana possession because her medical cannabis recommendation had lapsed. She had to spend the night in jail, which aggravated her arthritis, and now she’s campaigning for the state’s legalization ballot measure.

/ FEDERAL

President Trump reportedly told a marijuana business owner, “I’m with you” during a brief conversation at a fundraising event.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse tweeted, “Some studies have suggested that medical marijuana legalization might be associated with decreased prescription opioid use and overdose deaths.”

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada posted a Canadian government video about not bringing marijuana over the border.

Customs and Border Protection revealed that more than 500 of its employees were charged with drug trafficking, accepting bribes and a range of other crimes over a two-year period.

The Senate approved a new U.S. attorney for Colorado, replacing Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, who has in recent weeks sent a number of concerning signals about marijuana enforcement.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Republican challenger Leah Vukmir debated marijuana law reform.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) visited a hemp farm.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted, “While the Wall Street executives whose greed caused the Great Recession still haven’t been held accountable, too many young black teenagers have had their lives destroyed for smoking a plant. We need to end the injustice of marijuana prohibition in America.”

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) tweeted, “Hemp is an incredibly versatile and environmentally restorative crop that has great potential – to make things like clothing, paper, houses and more. We must eliminate the obstacles blocking farmers and innovators from pursuing these opportunities.”

The Senate bill to encourage the Department of Veterans affairs to study medical cannabis got one new cosponsor, for a total of six.

The House bill to increase military veterans’ access to medical cannabis got one new cosponsor, for a total of 29.

/ STATES

Michigan gubernatorial candidates debated marijuana legalization.

Idaho gubernatorial candidates debated marijuana legalization.

Tennessee gubernatorial candidates debated medical cannabis and marijuana legalization.

South Carolina gubernatorial candidates debated medical cannabis.

Colorado Democratic congressional candidate Jared Polis, currently a congressman, tweeted a photo of himself visiting a marijuana business, adding, “Colorado has proven that allowing responsible adults to legally purchase #cannabis gives money to classrooms, not cartels; creates jobs, not addicts; and boosts our economy, not our prison population.”

Wisconsin attorney general candidates clashed on marijuana policy at two separate debates.

Washington State regulators reversed their decision to ban certain marijuana edibles.

New Jersey regulators are now allowing medical cannabis dispensaries to publicly post their prices. But they also announced they would miss a November 1 deadline to approve additional dispensaries.

A medical cannabis bill in the U.S. Virgin Islands Senate has been referred to a committee expected to be more friendly than a panel that similar proposals have languished before in past sessions.

Here’s a look at whether key Florida candidates for elected office have ever smoked marijuana and how it impacts their views on cannabis policy.

An Arkansas medical cannabis cultivation license applicant secretly recorded a conversation with a regulator.

/ LOCAL

The mayor of Ocean Springs, Mississippi is helping to collect signatures for the state’s proposed 2020 medical cannabis ballot measure.

/ INTERNATIONAL

The Australian Senate debated a bill that would allow states and territories to legalize marijuana.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Quebec’s decision to set the legal age for marijuana at 21 leaves an opening for organized crime groups to sell to younger adults.

New Zealand officials are working to legalize medical cannabis by mid-2020.

/ ADVOCACY

Utah medical cannabis advocacy group Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education is pressuring lawmakers to say whether they plan to overturn provisions of the state’s medical marijuana ballot measure if it passes.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review of studies on medical cannabis use for multiple sclerosis found that “cannabinoids were significantly associated with efficacy for subjective spasticity, pain, and bladder dysfunction compared with placebo” and that “cannabinoids appear to be safe regarding serious adverse events, but their clinical benefit may be limited.”

The Lancet published three letters about marijuana as a substitute for opioids.

/ OPINION & ANALYSIS

A poll of Missouri likely voters found that all three of the state’s medical cannabis ballot measures are polling over 60%, with one at 69%.

The Lansing State Journal editorial board endorsed Michigan’s marijuana legalization ballot measure.

/ BUSINESS

Terra Tech will try to encourage President Trump to reform marijuana laws through ads in the Wall Street Journal and on Fox and Friends.

The New West Summit got caught in the middle of a labor dispute as hotel workers carried out a strike at the Marriott facility hosting the event in Oakland, California.

Iowa State University tightened its trademark policy in response to its loss in a First Amendment case from marijuana legalization activists who sued the university after being prevented from using its logo on t-shirts.

/ CULTURE

Travel writer Rick Steves posted a blog about his experience campaigning for marijuana legalization in Michigan and North Dakota.

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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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