Newsletter
First Senate cannabis bill of 2019 filed (Newsletter: Jan. 21, 2019)
GOP rep calls colleagues “stupid” for blocking marijuana research; Bloomberg bashes legalization; House Dem sells GOP on descheduling in crim justice
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There are 355 cannabis-related bills currently moving through state legislatures and Congress for 2019 sessions.
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
U.S. Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced a bill that would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to research the medical benefits of marijuana for military veterans. While the legislation has the same title as a proposal they filed last year, its updated language more forcefully directs the departing to begin clinical trials on medical cannabis for chronic pain and PTSD.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the fifth top ranking House Democrat and a key criminal justice reform champion, is pushing to include marijuana descheduling in what is tentatively being called the Next Step Act.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) called Republican colleagues “stupid” for blocking marijuana research and spoke about cannabis conversations he’s had with President Trump.
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is considering a 2020 Democratic presidential run, is far out of step with the party’s voters on marijuana. Legalization “doesn’t make any sense at all” he said last week.
/ FEDERAL
A federal judge expressed doubt about the merits of a case brought by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia against a hemp farm and its associates.
House Democratic leadership filed its third bill this month that would continue blocking Washington, D.C. from using its own money to legalize and regulate marijuana sales.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) supports medical cannabis but doesn’t have a position on full legalization, saying, “If the people of Illinois do support recreational marijuana, then we need to make sure that the federal laws are not going to put them in a gotcha situation.” She also spoke about banking access for cannabis businesses as “something I can certainly help to work on.” (About 5:20 into the clip.)
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said that anyone who thinks Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report is going to remain confidential “has been smoking some of that medicinal marijuana.”
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) included “legalize marijuana” in a list of “we could do if Trump and the GOP finally ended their shutdown.”
/ STATES
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said “the train is leaving the station” on marijuana legalization and “we’re going to be part of it,” but lawmakers aren’t sure if there are enough votes to get a bill to his desk this year.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) spoke about her reasons for including marijuana legalization in her budget proposal (about 10:30 into the video). She also denied rumors that her husband is financially connected to the marijuana industry. Meanwhile the House minority whip said that he’s not “overly puritanical” about marijuana but that he has “major concerns” about driving and workplace issues and would “absolutely” vote no on the governor’s legalization proposal.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) will attend the opening of a medical cannabis dispensary on Thursday.
New Jersey’s Senate president, frustrated that lawmakers and Gov. Phil Murphy (D) have thus far failed to reach a deal on marijuana legalization legislation, says he’s considering putting the issue on the ballot for voters to decide on.
Vermont’s House speaker committed to taking up legislation to legalize marijuana sales in the chamber’s committees this year.
Texas’s House speaker said if there’s majority support for marijuana decriminalization in his chamber he “won’t get in members’ way,” though he doesn’t think there’s enough support for full legalization.
Tennessee’s House speaker indicated he is sympathetic to patients who want medical cannabis to be legalized.
Arkansas regulators issued the state’s first six medical cannabis dispensary licenses.
North Dakota regulators began issuing medical cannabis patient and caregiver ID cards.
The Alaska attorney general’s office filed a complaint against a California man who allegedly used two stolen business identities to apply for marijuana licenses.
Michigan regulators announced another medical cannabis product recall.
An Oregon senator filed a bill that would allow marijuana exports to other legalized states.
A Kansas senator said he may file a medical cannabis bill as soon as this week.
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/ INTERNATIONAL
Portuguese lawmakers defeated marijuana legalization legislation.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena praised the bloody Philippine “drug war” and said it should be an “example to the world.”
/ ADVOCACY
Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist tweeted, “Democrats can screw up anything. NY Gov. Cuomo (only recently a champion of prohibition) now wants to legalize marijuana. Ok. The legalization section is 171 pages long. One hundred and Seventy one?”
The New York State Association of Chiefs of Police is opposing marijuana legalization in the state.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study concluded that “cannabis in [autism spectrum disorders] patients appears to be well tolerated, safe and effective option to relieve symptoms associated with ASD.”
A study “re-demonstrated the effects of CBD treatment in vivo, thus confirming its role as a novel, reliable anticancer drug.”
/ BUSINESS
Cannabis investor network Arcview Group plans to raise up to $100 million for its own venture fund.
Amtrak tweeted that the transportation of marijuana on its trains “in any form for any purpose is prohibited, even in states or countries where recreational use is legal or permitted medically.”
/ CULTURE
The new season of HBO’s “High Maintenance” debuted on Sunday.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
