Newsletter
Key congressional chair sends cannabis email to NORML activists (Newsletter: August 13, 2019)
POTUS candidate wants to bank marijuana biz; Top Senate Dem calls for hemp banking guidance; OR psilocybin measure ballot title draft; DEA app delays
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
In one of his only on-the-record comments about marijuana policy to date, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer hinted that he would be financing cannabis businesses through his own bank if not for federal prohibition.
In a notable signal of how the marijuana legalization movement has entered the mainstream corridors of power on Capitol Hill, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) sent NORML’s email list a request to help build support for his new cannabis bill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter urging federal financial regulators to provide clarity on banking access for hemp businesses. He also visited a hemp farm.
Oregon’s attorney general filed a draft ballot title for a proposed initiative to legalize psychedelic mushrooms for medical use. Notably, the measure states that regulators “may not require a client to be diagnosed with or have any particular medical condition as a condition to being provided psilocybin service.”
A full three years ago on Monday, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced it was accepting applications for additional growers of marijuana to be used in research—but it hasn’t yet acted on a single proposal, despite pledges from the attorney general.
/ FEDERAL
Attorney General William Barr criticized reform-minded local district attorneys who are “refusing to prosecute…drug cases, even where the suspect is involved in distribution.”
U.S. Department of Agriculture data indicates that hemp crop acreage in the U.S. has more than quadrupled in the past year.
The Department of Justice charged a friend of the man who carried out a mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio with lying about his mariuana consumption on a federal form used to purchase a handgun that was not used in the killings.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), a presidential candidate, called it a “crazy injustice” that New Hampshire stores sell alcohol along the highway while marijuana remains illegal.
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D), a presidential candidate, spoke about how his fears about marijuana legalization didn’t come true.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) said that while he doesn’t think his state should change its marijuana laws, he is examining ways to address cannabis businesses’ banking access issues.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) tweeted, “Legal marijuana businesses need to be able to open a bank account, pay employees, take out credit cards, & write checks. The SAFE Banking Act is a game changer. It gives cannabis businesses access to basic banking services, making the industry safer and the future brighter.”
Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) published an op-ed urging New Mexico lawmakers not to legalize marijuana.
/ STATES
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a bill expanding the state’s medical cannabis program.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) tweeted about her administration’s move to let patients from any state go to the city’s medical cannabis dispensaries. Separately, a District Council staffer was charged with firing a gun outside a marijuana pop-up store.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the odor of unburnt marijuana coming from a warehouse is not in itself probable cause to search the building. Separately, regulators will hold public hearings on cannabis social use areas and delivery services on Wednesday and Thursday.
Guam regulators are asking lawmakers for funding to implement a medical cannabis program.
Alabama’s Medical Cannabis Commission will hold its first meeting on Tuesday.
Oregon regulators tweeted about a national hemp conference being hosted in Portland this week.
Washington State regulators will host a session on marijuana quality assurance testing and product requirements on August 22.
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/ LOCAL
Manhattan’s district attorney reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit to seal the records of about 350 people convicted of misdemeanor marijuana offenses.
Cincinnati, Ohio’s vice mayor announced that prosecutions and charges of 100 grams of marijuana or less will be dismissed.
The Cutler Bay, Florida Town Council passed a resolution supporting marijuana legalization.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s district attorney tweeted, “In a deeply unequal society with a broken health care system, smart drug policy driven by good science and harm reduction strategies can save more lives than law enforcement alone could ever hope to.”
/ INTERNATIONAL
Mexican lawmakers held the first in a series of scheduled public meetings on marijuana legalization.
Barbados’s attorney general said a medical cannabis bill is being introduced in Parliament.
The son of UK Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn is opening an “all hemp” shop and cafe.
/ ADVOCACY
The Greater Baltimore Urban League rejected a request to let police use its headquarters to conduct covert surveillance of suspected nearby drug dealing.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study of a cannabis flavinoid demonstrated “the potential for this new cannabis derivative in the treatment of both localized and advanced pancreatic cancer.”
A survey of attendees at electronic dance music events found that “34.3% posted on social media while high (with 21.4% regretting it), 55.9% had texted or called someone while high (with 30.5% regretting it), and 47.6% had been in a photo while high (with 32.7% regretting it).”
/ BUSINESS
A second CannTrust marijuana cultivation facility was found to be “non-compliant with certain regulations.”
Flower Co. bought cats.com.
Headset and PAX Labs entered into a data-sharing deal.
FlowerCraft, an Oklahoma medical cannabis business run by the couple that got legalization on the state’s ballot, is closing, citing regulatory hurdles and banking issues.
/ CULTURE
The new HBO show “Pico de Neblina” depicts a fictional Brazil where marijuana has just been legalized.
Musician Carlos Santana spoke about how he performed at Woodstock under the influence of mescaline.
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