Newsletter
LA lawmakers vote for legal cannabis (Newsletter: April 28, 2021)
TX House advances marijuana & psychedelics bills; HI legislature wants DEA exemption; MN legalization takes another step; NY cannabis recycling
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The Louisiana House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee approved separate marijuana legalization and decriminalization bills, sending them to the floor.
The Texas House of Representatives advanced bills to reduce cannabis penalties and study the medical benefits of psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA. The full House is also set to vote on a marijuana decriminalization bill later this week.
The Minnesota House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Committee approved the majority leader’s marijuana legalization bill—the ninth panel to do so. A floor vote is expected in May.
Montana lawmakers sent Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) a bill to implement the voter-approved legalization of marijuana.
The Hawaii legislature adopted a resolution seeking a federal exemption from the Drug Enforcement Administration for the state’s medical cannabis program. Separately, the Senate passed resolutions calling on officials to develop a legal psilocybin therapy program.
A New York assemblymember filed a marijuana packaging recycling bill to require dispensaries to collect bottles and jars from consumers who wish to return them after use and to ensure they’re made from at least 50% recycled materials.
/ FEDERAL
The Department of Health and Human Services released new buprenorphine guidelines.
A former U.S. attorney for Kansas is working to ask a federal judge for compassionate release for a man serving 23 years in federal prison for a marijuana offense.
The Library of Congress published an overview of Switzerland’s marijuana laws.
Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Dan Crenshw (R-TX) filed a resolution that claims marijuana use increases the risk of infertility.
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) tweeted, “It’s time to legalize marijuana on the federal level. The war on drugs was a colossal failure, which did nothing to combat genuine health problems, like addiction, while criminalizing and disrupting whole communities. We need to invest in undoing those harms.”
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) tweeted, “State-legal marijuana use should not be used as a pretext to bar individuals from purchasing firearms, which is a well-defined Constitutional right. I’ve long believed that laws regulating marijuana should be left to the states, not the federal govt.”
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) tweeted, “Medical marijuana can help our veterans manage chronic pain, PTSD, and a host of other injuries common to those who served our country. I’m proud to take this step forward in Congress in support of caring for our veterans.”
Former House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) again spoke about his reasons for changing his position on marijuana.
/ STATES
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) tweeted, “legalizing medical marijuana is a commonsense measure that’s supported by a majority of Wisconsinites, will be good for our state’s wallet, and can help Wisconsinites struggling with chronic pain or debilitating illness.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf tweeted, “Marijuana is legal in: Alaska Arizona California Colorado Illinois Maine Massachusetts Michigan Montana Nevada New Jersey New Mexico New York Oregon Vermont Virginia Washington D.C. I want to add Pennsylvania to this list. Tell your legislator it’s time to #LegalizeIt.”
Florida’s agriculture commissioner tweeted, “Reminder: marijuana is medicine. States with legalized marijuana had a reduction in opioid prescriptions.” She also tweeted, “Today marks the one-year anniversary of Florida’s state #hemp program, overseen by @FDACS! With an estimated $370M in economic impact, 9,000 jobs supported, and $17M in tax revenue generated, Florida Hemp is off to a great start.”
The Oregon Senate approved a bill to waive medical cannabis fees for disabled veterans.
Tennessee’s House speaker is supporting a medical cannabis bill, but the Criminal Justice Committee defeated the legislation.
Rhode Island’s House speaker said it is “very possible” a marijuana legalization bill will not pass this year.
Alabama lawmakers removed language from a bill that would have banned delta-8-THC and delta-10-THC.
The New Hampshire Senate is expected to vote Thursday on a bill to add insomnia and autism spectrum disorder as medical cannabis qualifying conditions, as well as separate legislation restricting who can become a registered patient.
The Colorado Disability Funding Committee raised nearly $50,000 by auctioning marijuana-themed license plates.
South Dakota regulators issued a request for proposals to run the state’s medical cannabis patient registry, verification and licensing system.
Missouri regulators rolled out the final phase of the online system for electronic physician certification of medical cannabis patients.
Nevada regulators are extending the expiration of all active marijuana temporary delivery vehicle identification cards until June 30.
Michigan regulators posted information about hemp sample testing.
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/ LOCAL
A New Orleans, Louisiana City Council member is planning to introduce legislation to reduce marijuana possession fines to $1.
Rochester, New York’s mayor will host a forum on businesses opportunities in the legal marijuana industry on Thursday.
Orlando, Florida officials posted information about participating in a diversionary program for marijuana possession.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Colombia’s justice minister participated in a briefing on medical cannabis legislation.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “cannabis’ effects are not specific to [multiple sclerosis], arthritis, or cancer as much as they impact processes common among these distinct conditions” and identified “evidence that cannabis may be a viable alternative to opioids for those with these conditions and experiencing pain.”
Researchers developed a method that “is suitable for the quality control of cosmetic products containing CBD, being able to quickly and easily determine this compound, ensuring that its concentration in the finished product is the desired one.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Alabama Democratic Party called out a Republican senator who said he will never support legalizing marijuana.
The U.S. Cannabis Council appointed a director of social equity and inclusion.
/ BUSINESS
Amazon is seeking to dismiss a breach of contract claim filed by a temporary employee who says he was not hired for a full-time position after failing a drug test due to medical cannabis use.
Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. reported quarterly revenue of $43.2 million and a net loss of $11.4 million.
TIME listed Tilray as one of the 100 most influential companies.
Steep Hill announced its expansion into Mississippi.
Pennsylvania dispensaries sold $909.4 million worth of medical cannabis in the past 12 months, according to an analysis.
Maryland medical cannabis sales have now exceeded $1 billion since the program’s launch.
Missouri dispensaries sold more than $3.3 million worth of medical cannabis last week.
/ CULTURE
Bill Nye hosted a podcast about the science of marijuana.
Miss America Camille Schrier appeared in a public service announcement urging people not to use drugs.
Former basketball player Paul Pierce posted a video of himself visiting a marijuana grow operation.
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