Newsletter
Fed health agency slams cannabis’s Schedule I restrictions (Newsletter: March 22, 2019)
Study: Marijuana consumers are less obese than non-users; Veterans orgs press Congress on cannabis research; More WI legalization ballot questions
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
A federal agency under the National Institutes of Health is slamming marijuana’s restrictive Schedule I status as a reason for “slow” research on its medical benefits, and says it will spend money on studies examining cannabis as a pain treatment.
A number of military veterans advocacy organizations such as Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America have been pressing Congress on expanding medical cannabis research in a series of joint House-Senate hearings in recent weeks.
Voters in some Wisconsin localities will get the chance to decide on marijuana legalization and medical cannabis ballot questions during the state’s April 2 election.
A new study smashes stereotype about lazy stoners who are too busy stuffing their faces with munchies to exercise, finding that “actively cannabis-using subgroups were under-represented among newly incident cases of obesity.”
/ FEDERAL
The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the driver of a truck that got stuck on railroad tracks and was collided into by a train carrying members of Congress last year was under the influence of marijuana and an anti-seizure medication.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), a presidential candidate, tweeted, “The drug pushers at Big Pharma have enough crooked politicians in their pocket to maintain the appearance of legality – that’s the only difference between them & every other global drug cartel. I’m for legalizing marijuana & holding Big Pharma accountable.”
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) touted his 95% Conservative Voting Record from Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom, which is based, in part, on the Farm Bill’s hemp legalization provisions.
/ STATES
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) held a press conference to build support for marijuana legalization votes on Monday, saying that he is “making progress, but we have a ways to go.” He also spoke about the reasons for ending prohibition in an MSNBC interview.
Alabama’s Republican House speaker is cosponsoring a medical cannabis bill.
A majority of Illinois House of Representatives members have cosponsored a resolution calling to slow down the process for marijuana legalization legislation. Separately, a representative filed a bill to make the state’s medical cannabis program permanent and to add new qualifying conditions.
The Connecticut legislature’s General Law and Judiciary Committees will hold hearings on marijuana legalization on Friday.
Guam lawmakers began debating a marijuana legalization bill.
Several large marijuana companies appear to be testing the limits of a Massachusetts law that allows firms to control no more than three retail cannabis outlets in the state.
The North Dakota Senate is expected to vote on legislation to expand the state’s medical cannabis program soon.
Maine officials hired a top regulator to run the state’s recreational marijuana program.
Michigan regulators are moving to shut down 50 unlicensed medical cannabis businesses.
Ohio regulators awarded certificates of operations to three more medical cannabis dispensaries.
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/ LOCAL
Boston, Massachusetts’s mayor published a letter in the New York Times about the city’s efforts to ensure equity in the marijuana industry.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The former presidents of Colombia, Mexico and Switzerland co-authored an op-ed calling for drug legalization.
A Guernsey senior deputy said the jurisdiction should consider legalizing marijuana.
/ ADVOCACY
The Connecticut Republican Party is conducting a survey on support for legalizing marijuana.
The Indiana Democratic Party tweeted, “33 other states have passed some form of medical marijuana- including our neighbors of Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. Hoosiers are ready to join them.” It also launched a petition on the issue.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “lifetime cannabis use is associated with better working memory and processing speed and worse real-world functioning in the area of socially useful activities in patients with schizophrenia-related disorders.”
/ OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that Montana voters support legalizing marijuana, 51%-37%.
/ BUSINESS
Trulieve Tallahassee made Florida’s first legal sale of smokable medical cannabis flower.
SunTrust closed the bank account of the Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida.
/ CULTURE
Travel writer Rick Steves gave the New York Times Magazine a look at some of the musings he has jotted down while high.
The New York Times looks at high-end marijuana-related jewelry.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
