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GOP senator will file legal cannabis bill in PA (Newsletter: October 5, 2021)

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14 OH cities vote on marijuana next month; Seattle psychedelics decrim approved; Top MX senator on legalization; CA cannabis grants

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Voters in more than a dozen Ohio municipalities will decide on local ballot measures to decriminalize marijuana next month. Meanwhile, activists are already collecting signatures for a statewide cannabis legalization initiative for 2022.

The Seattle, Washington City Council unanimously voted to decriminalize psychedelics such as psilocybin, ayahuasca and ibogaine. It’s the largest city in the U.S. to do so at this point.

A Republican Pennsylvania senator—who is a former U.S. marshal and serves as chairman of the Senate Law and Justice Committee—announced that he plans to file a marijuana legalization bill, and he’s actively looking for colleagues to cosponsor it.

Mexico’s Senate majority leader said the time is right for lawmakers to finally pass a “long-delayed” bill to legalize marijuana sales and “put an end to 100 years of prohibitionist policy and criminalization.”

California officials are accepting applications for two separate marijuana grant programs—one to aid social equity businesses run by people from communities impacted by the drug war and another to help localities process pending cannabis business licenses.

/ FEDERAL

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration established a new Office of Recovery.

The House Judiciary Committee tweeted, “#ICYMI: @HouseJudiciary approved the MORE Act last week during its markup. This historic legislation would legalize marijuana at the federal level and would address the needs of communities that have been seriously impacted by the War on Drugs.”

Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) cited the marijuana regulation experience of the new U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) filed a housing bill that includes a provision to prevent landlords from evicting people over manufacturing marijuana extracts if they have a license to do so.

Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) tweeted, “One step closer to full legalization – and I’m thrilled to see we’re doing so on a bipartisan basis. We need to responsibly regulate legal marijuana, not perpetuate the decades-long war on drugs.”

Florida Democratic congressional candidate Jesse Philippe tweeted, “Psilocybin offers countless therapeutic benefits, is anti-addictive, and there is no dosage that anyone can die from. We need to follow Oregon and other cities and legalize its usage.”

/ STATES

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) election campaign is reportedly aggressively courting contributions from the marijuana industry.

Mississippi’s agriculture and commerce commissioner again voiced his concerns about a draft medical cannabis bill that gives his department a regulatory role.

Illinois regulators filed changes to cannabis rules.

Alabama regulators are moving to amend hemp rules.

Michigan regulators declined to comment on a recent voluntary recall of contaminated marijuana products.

Missouri regulators do not appear to have so far followed through on threats to revoke the licenses of medical cannabis businesses that did not begin operations by the end of September.

Maine regulators will hold a public hearing on proposed marijuana rules on October 18.

New Mexico regulators proposed and will hold a public hearing on emergency rules about marijuana solvents on October 28.

Colorado regulators will hold a hearing on proposed changes to marijuana rules on November 1.


Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,200 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.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

/ LOCAL

The Aspen, Colorado City Council heard a presentation from activists who want to see a psychedelics decriminalization measure adopted.

San Francisco, California’s Cannabis Oversight Committee will meet on Wednesday.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Italian activists say they’ve now collected more than 600,000 signatures on a marijuana referendum.

New Zealand regulators approved CBD medical cannabis products as meeting minimum quality standards.

A Malaysian lawmaker is calling on the government to legalize kratom.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review concluded that “while existing research suggests the potential for cannabis laws to reduce high-risk opioid prescribing and other opioid-related adverse outcomes, studies should be interpreted in light of limitations.”

A review found “high treatment effect sizes for psilocybin as an antidepressant.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Kansas Cannabis Chamber of Commerce is a newly formed group to advocate for reform in the state.

/ BUSINESS

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. completed its acquisition of Los Sueños Farms.

Ayr Wellness Inc. closed its acquisition of PA Natural Medicine, LLC.

The Parent Company is acquiring Coastal Holding Company, LLC.

/ CULTURE

Justin Bieber is partnering with Palms on a line of prerolled marijuana joints branded as “Peaches.”

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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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