Newsletter
GOP congressman says alcohol worse than marijuana (Newsletter: Dec. 1, 2017)
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280E amendment text; WI hemp bill signed; Georgia court says cannabis criminalization unconstitutional
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TOP THINGS TO KNOW
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) filed two amendments on the 280E penalty on marijuana businesses to the GOP-led tax reform bill being considered on the Senate floor this week. Votes on one or both measures could happen on Friday.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/senators-will-vote-marijuana-tax-amendments-week/
The U.S. House appears likely to approve two short-term budget extensions this month — almost certainly including the state medical cannabis protections and other policy riders — as Congress completes work on a final Fiscal Year 2018 spending package.
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/30/republican-government-shutdown-strategy-271367
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http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/house-likely-vote-stopgap-funding-dec-22
FEDERAL
President Trump donated his quarterly salary to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “large-scale public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.”
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/936336569769771008
Congressman Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said that alcohol “has become a worse drug for our culture than marijuana” and that he doesn’t have a problem with letting states set their own cannabis laws even though he personally opposes legalization.
https://www.sayanythingblog.com/entry/audio-congressman-kevin-cramer-says-hes-open-leaving-marijuana-legalization-states/
Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) delivered a floor speech commemorating federal Judge Harry Pregerson, who passed away this month, and noting his ruling in favor of shielding state-legal medical cannabis patients from federal prosecution.
https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2017/11/29/extensions-of-remarks-section/article/e1617-5
Separately, Lieu tweeted that a federal crackdown on marijuana would be a “S. T. U. P. I. D. waste of federal resources” and “beyond dumb.”
https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/936305173231816713
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https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/936465730538819584
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted in support of letting states set their own medical cannabis policies.
https://twitter.com/RepRoKhanna/status/936240148932542464
STATES
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) signed an industrial hemp bill into law.
http://fox6now.com/2017/11/30/gov-scott-walker-to-sign-bill-legalizing-hemp-farming-in-wisconsin/
Ohio regulators announced the winners of medical cannabis cultivation licenses.
https://medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/News?articleID=101
A company that did not win a license plans to challenge regulators over alleged problems with the application process.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/ohio/articles/2017-11-30/the-latest-marijuana-grower-applicant-plans-challenge
Minnesota regulators added autism spectrum disorders and obstructive sleep apnea as medical cannabis qualifying conditions.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/11/30/minnesota-oks-medical-marijuana-for-autism-apnea
Maryland medical cannabis sales are expected to begin on Friday.
https://wamu.org/story/17/12/01/weed-waiting-years-made-legal-medical-marijuana-sales-start-maryland/
California regulators adopted rules on marijuana taxation.
http://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/Reg3700-Notice-2017.pdf
The Virginia State Crime Commission will discuss marijuana decriminalization on Monday.
http://lis.virginia.gov/171/oth/Agenda.VSCC.120417.pdf
Tennessee’s medical cannabis task force met on Thursday.
http://www.localmemphis.com/news/local-news/tns-medical-marijuana-task-force-hears-testimony-thursday/871242863
Oregon regulators released a series of videos urging marijuana sellers and cultivators to participate in the legal industry.
http://www.oregon.gov/olcc/docs/news/news_releases/2017/nr_12_01_17_GoLegalLaunch.pdf
A Florida representative is pushing legislation to ban the use of food stamp cards in medical cannabis dispensaries.
http://www.nbc-2.com/story/36955781/proposed-bill-would-crack-down-on-food-stamp-abuse
A Missouri senator is prefiling industrial hemp legislation.
https://themissouritimes.com/46176/munzlinger-to-pre-file-legislation-to-add-a-new-crop-to-missouris-fields/
A Louisiana company that failed to win a medical cannabis contract is suing regulators to obtain public records related to the selection process.
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_44d45690-d54b-11e7-b0f3-573cfa407b75.html
LOCAL
Honolulu, Hawaii police will review a policy that resulted in letters recently being sent to medical cannabis patients asking them to to turn in their guns.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/11/30/breaking-news/hpd-reviewing-policy-requiring-legal-marijuana-users-to-turn-in-guns/
A Los Angeles, California police captain is on paid leave as the department investigates whether his alleged involvement in the illegal marijuana trade.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-lapd-captain-marijuana-20171130-story.html
INTERNATIONAL
The Constitutional Court of Georgia ruled that criminalization of marijuana consumption is unconstitutional. Separately, the nation’s Parliament will hear a bill to decriminalize all drugs next week.
http://oc-media.org/court-decriminalises-cannabis-consumption-in-georgia/
The Washington Post looks at how the Italian army provides medical cannabis.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/in-italy-the-army-provides-medical-marijuana-and-thats-a-problem/2017/11/29/339e027e-d454-11e7-9ad9-ca0619edfa05_story.html
ADVOCACY
Americans for Tax Reform is urging senators to support an amendment to remove the 280E penalty on marijuana businesses.
https://www.atr.org/key-vote-atr-urges-yes-vote-gardner-280e-amendment-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act
The California Democratic Party passed a resolution that “encourages counties and cities to cease banning and to enact ordinances regulating the commercial cultivation, manufacture and sale of cannabis.”
https://www.cadem.org/our-party/standing-committees/body/2017-November-Reso-Final-Floor-Packet.pdf
SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study concluded that “exposure to marijuana advertisements was associated with higher odds of current marijuana use among adolescents.”
https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2017/17_0253.htm
A study determined that “both alcohol and cannabis were used to facilitate creativity and the emotional states that are necessary for the artistic creative process.”
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2017.1404103?journalCode=isum20
A survey of people with multiple sclerosis found that “the majority of responders favor legalization and report high interest in the use of marijuana for treatment of MS symptoms, but may be reluctant to discuss this with health care providers.”
http://cp.neurology.org/content/7/4/333
Researchers “develop[ed] and validate[d] a new liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method for the identification and quantification of THC and CBD in olive oil.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29189144
NPR looks at cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, in which some frequent marijuana consumers experience severe vomiting.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/11/30/564993538/rare-and-mysterious-vomiting-illness-linked-to-heavy-marijuana-use
CULTURE
Boxing promoter Bob Arum credits marijuana with helping him have a long career.
https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/bob-arum-credits-marijuana-as-the-secret-to-his-longevity-for-50-years-in-boxing/
