Newsletter
Gun ban for cannabis consumers struck down by federal court (Newsletter: August 30, 2024)
Study: Americans shift from cigarettes to marijuana & psychedelics; Congresswoman backs FL legalization; CA cannabis cafes & farmers market bills pass
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the federal ban on gun ownership by cannabis consumers is unconstitutional—saying that “repeat marijuana users, like repeat alcohol users, are of sound mind upon regaining sobriety.”
A new federally funded study shows that U.S. adults are moving away from smoking cigarettes and are instead increasingly opting for marijuana and psychedelics—with National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow saying the results underscore “the urgent need for rigorous research on the potential risks and benefits” of the substances.
U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) is supporting the cannabis legalization initiative on Florida’s November ballot—an endorsement that comes shortly after she told Marijuana Moment she wasn’t sure how she would vote on the measure due to concerns about impaired driving.
California lawmakers sent Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) bills to let small marijuana growers sell their products directly to consumers at state-organized farmers markets and to legalize cannabis cafes.
Denver, Colorado officials published a report on the first ten years of legal marijuana sales—showing that the cannabis industry has generated hundreds of millions in tax revenue that’s been distributed to homelessness services, affordable housing, education and more.
The director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration is stepping down after launching the state’s recreational marijuana market, with Gov. Wes Moore (D) saying he did so in an “efficient and equitable way.”
/ FEDERAL
The Food and Drug Administration announced a final rule raising the minimum age for certain restrictions on tobacco product sales.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) tweeted a photo of himself visiting a cannabis cultivation facility, saying, “Recreational marijuana sales began this month because Ohioans went to the ballot box and made their voices heard last year. That’s democracy at work.”
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) discussed the implications of marijuana rescheduling.
/ STATES
California’s attorney general touted enforcement actions against an organized retail crime operation targeting cannabis dispensaries.
Missouri’s state auditor said his office is conducting a “huge” audit of the state’s marijuana program. Separately, regulators said they will begin taking steps to “embargo and condemn” intoxicating hemp-infused foods on Sunday.
Minnesota regulators are reviewing marijuana social equity verification and business license preapproval applications.
Ohio regulators sent a notice urging tailgating football fans this season to “make safe, responsible and legal decisions regarding the use of alcohol and cannabis leading up to kickoff.”
New York regulators launched a survey for marijuana businesses seeking to amend their license records.
Pennsylvania regulators posted a list of physicians approved to recommend medical cannabis.
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/ LOCAL
Voters in more than 100 Kentucky cities and counties will decide on questions on allowing medical cannabis businesses to operate on the November ballot.
/ INTERNATIONAL
UK officials are warning travelers from Canada, Thailand and the U.S. not to bring marijuana into the country.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “cannabidiol enhances the anticancer activity of etoposide on prostate cancer cells.”
A review concluded that “psilocybin is highly effective in reducing depressive symptoms severity” and that “both single-dose and two-dose psilocybin treatments significantly reduced depressive symptoms severity, with two-dose administration sometimes yielding more pronounced and lasting effects.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights published a blog post arguing that marijuana legalization and drug policy reform “requires acknowledging and affirmatively working to repair communities impacted by the War on Drugs.”
/ BUSINESS
SNDL Inc. announced a successful bid to purchase Indiva Limited.
/ CULTURE
Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith, who has long expressed opposition to marijuana use, said he’s “going to try some gummies.”
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
