Newsletter
House begins cannabis debate with Pelosi’s support (Newsletter: April 1, 2022)
MO legalization bill OKed; SC medical cannabis vote; Federal reform fiscal note; AL cannabis restrictions on women; IL workplace protections paused
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The House of Representatives formally began floor consideration of a federal marijuana legalization bill—with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) offering praise for the reform, saying it “addresses the injustice” of prohibition. Votes on the legislation and several amendments are expected on Friday.
A new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office projects that the federal marijuana legalization bill getting a floor vote this week would generate $8.1 billion in revenue over a decade and reduce incarceration by 37,000 person-years.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives approved a bill to legalize marijuana and conduct sales through state-run stores. The body defeated separate legislation to decriminalize psilocybin, however.
The Missouri House Public Safety Committee approved a Republican-led marijuana legalization bill called the Cannabis Freedom Act.
The South Carolina House Health and Environmental Affairs Subcommittee amended and advanced a Senate-passed medical cannabis bill toward a full committee hearing on Monday.
The Alabama Senate Children, Youth, and Human Services Committee approved a bill to require women of “childbearing age” to show proof they’re not pregnant in order to buy medical cannabis.
The Illinois Senate Executive Committee abruptly postponed debate on a House-passed bill to protect workers from being fired over marijuana as Republican lawmakers pressed the sponsor to respond to a series of hypothetical scenarios.
New Jersey’s delay in launching recreational marijuana sales isn’t particularly unusual compared to other states that have enacted legalization, an analysis suggests.
/ FEDERAL
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) tweeted, “Legal marijuana businesses in my district need Congress’ support. It’s time we puff, puff, pass legislation that protects legal marijuana and decriminalizes it!”
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted, “Today the House is taking up the MORE Act to decriminalize and deschedule cannabis and expunge many cannabis offenses. 91 percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana. Let’s get it done.”
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) tweeted, “By decriminalizing cannabis, we can stop over-incarceration and get one step closer to racial justice. On top of this, 91% of Americans support legalizing cannabis. Tomorrow, the House will vote on the MORE Act, a bill to decriminalize cannabis. I look forward to voting ‘yes.'”
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) tweeted, “My whole career I’ve supported decriminalizing legalizing marijuana and expunging the records of those affected by the War on Drugs. Tomorrow, the House will vote to get it done.”
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) tweeted, “Think the MORE Act repeals all marijuana crimes? Think again, because it creates new marijuana crimes that could result in someone spending the rest of his or her life time in prison and losing the ability to vote and the right to own a firearm.”
Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) posted that it would be “dangerous and irresponsible to not only decriminalize, but use taxpayer funds to incentivize the selling and usage of marijuana.”
Rep. John Joyce (R-PA) said a federal marijuana legalization bill is “poorly thought out.”
Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA) tweeted, “Back in Jan. 2018 I became the first member of PA delegation to legalize marijuana. I support it at the federal level and the PA legislature needs to as well.”
The House bill to expand research on medical cannabis got one new cosponsor for a total of nine.
/ STATES
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced that there will be a booth on cannabis industry opportunities at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Career Fair on Thursday. Separately, the Assembly majority leader tweeted about the one-year anniversary of the state’s marijuana legalization law being enacted.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) tweeted, “New Mexico’s recreational cannabis effort preserved and expanded the medical cannabis program, ensuring current patients can continue to receive the high-quality medicine they depend on.” She also tweeted, “Just 1 day until NM makes history by legalizing cannabis. This moment means new opportunities and a clean slate for those with low-level cannabis charges. It’s time we begin to address the failed war on drugs and its disproportionate impact on minorities and young people.” And she tweeted, “Recreational cannabis is the next frontier of New Mexico’s economic expansion. Entrepreneurs will benefit from the opportunity to create lucrative new enterprises, and the state and local governments will benefit from millions in new tax revenue. Sales start tomorrow.”
Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried, currently the agriculture commissioner, sent a letter urging the state’s congressional delegation to support a federal marijuana legalization bill.
The Washington, D.C. Council is scheduled to consider a bill to let medical cannabis patients self-certify for access without a doctor’s recommendation on Tuesday.
The Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee approved a cannabis equity bill.
The Ohio Senate Health Committee held a hearing on a House-passed bill to add autism spectrum disorder as a medical cannabis qualifying condition.
A California senator participated in an event to support his bill to place warning labels on cannabis products.
Pennsylvania regulators are being sued over the recall of medical cannabis vape products.
Connecticut’s Bond Commission approved $10 million in funding for the Social Equity Council to help people enter the cannabis industry.
Washington State regulators adopted a policy statement on cannabis quality control testing.
Oregon regulators published a bulletin on marijuana product potency issues and changes to daily sales limits.
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/ INTERNATIONAL
Mexico’s Senate president spoke about efforts to craft a marijuana legalization bill.
New Zealand’s House speaker said officials are “weeding out the weed” after suspected cannabis plants were found growing on the grounds of Parliament.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency is calling on local authorities for help in removing unauthorized CBD products from store shelves.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “cannabis bong smoking in the home generated 4 times greater PM2.5 concentrations than cigarette or tobacco hookah (waterpipe) smoking.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that U.S. adults oppose allowing employers to test workers for marijuana in states that have enacted legalization, 44 percent to 36 percent.
The Nevada Democratic Party tweeted, “Decriminalizing marijuana is a major step towards restorative justice, a means of creating jobs for Americans, and a way to energize our economy with new industries. It’s a common-sense solution that will lift up everyone. Democrats are calling for it. Why aren’t Republicans?”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and ACLU sent a letter asking members of Congress to vote for a federal marijuana legalization bill.
The Family Research Council is urging its members to pressure Congress to defeat a federal marijuana legalization bill.
/ BUSINESS
Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. reported quarterly net cannabis revenues of C$29.3 million.
Schwazze reported quarterly revenue of $26.5 million.
Curaleaf was named one of the 100 most influential companies of 2022 by TIME.
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