Newsletter
House votes to let dispensary cannabis be studied (Newsletter: July 2, 2021)
CT/SD/VA marijuana laws take effect; ME Senate rejects drug decrim; Apple allows cannabis sales in App Store
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The House of Representatives passed a transportation bill that includes provisions to finally allow researchers to study marijuana that consumers actually buy from dispensaries—instead of using only government-produced cannabis.
New marijuana laws in Connecticut, South Dakota and Virginia took effect. This comes two days after recreational cannabis legalization also went into effect in New Mexico.
The Maine Senate narrowly rejected a House-passed bill that would have decriminalized possession of all drugs.
Apple changed the rules for its App Store to allow apps that “facilitate the legal sale of cannabis,” as long as they are geo-restricted and follow other rules. Google’s Android Play Store, however, continues to ban marijuana “regardless of legality.”
/ FEDERAL
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) tweeted, “Virginia expanded voting rights, legalized recreational marijuana, and abolished the death penalty BECAUSE of our incredible Democratic Majority.”
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) tweeted, “Beginning today, Virginians can legally grow and possess marijuana.”
/ STATES
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and the state’s attorney general tweeted about the enactment of marijuana legalization. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe tweeted, “The vast majority of Virginians support legal cannabis, but extreme Republicans are determined to make it illegal again. Yet another example of how Glenn Youngkin and the GOP are out of touch with Virginia.”
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) tweeted some questions and answers about the state’s new medical cannabis law.
Pennsylvania’s attorney general tweeted, “Making it easier for folks to access medical marijuana is good. Legalizing recreational marijuana, expunging the criminal records of those charged for possession, and righting the wrongs our Black and brown communities have experienced is even better.”
The Mississippi Supreme Court rejected a request to reconsider its decision to overturn the voter-approved medical cannabis law.
A Delaware representative who is sponsoring a marijuana legalization bill spoke about efforts to craft compromise language that can pass next year.
Oklahoma regulators enacted new emergency medical cannabis rules.
Colorado regulators adopted emergency rules on reinstatement of licensing fees.
Alaska regulators proposed rules on marijuana product exit packaging.
Michigan regulators sent a bulletin about hemp recordkeeping requirements.
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/ LOCAL
Sioux Falls, South Dakota told city employees that using marijuana remains prohibited for them even after medical cannabis became legal in the state.
The Missoula County, Montana Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on a proposed tax on marijuana sales.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study of people with multiple sclerosis found that “cannabis was associated with improved bladder symptoms.”
A study’s “findings corroborate previous results that MDMA-[assisted therapy] can achieve significant improvements in PTSD symptom severity.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus celebrated the enactment of the state’s new marijuana legalization law.
Texas marijuana activist Jeff LeBlanc, who played a major role in getting cannabis reform planks into the state Republican Party platform, passed away.
/ BUSINESS
The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe made South Dakota’s first medical cannabis sales.
Nabis raised $23 million in a Series B funding round.
TreCom Systems Group Inc. is asking a federal judge to dismiss MJ Freeway’s claims of breach of contract, charging illegal interest and defamation.
/ CULTURE
Basketball player Jalen Harris was dismissed from the league for a drug policy violation.
Travel writer Rick Steves authored an op-ed about the need to legalize marijuana.
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