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Lawmakers push FDA to allow CBD food products (Newsletter: Feb. 20, 2019)

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Bernie Sanders’s marijuana record; Analysis: Liberal & conservative Dems divided on legalization; NY Senate president doubts legal cannabis in budget

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There are now 696 cannabis-related bills moving through state legislatures and Congress for 2019 sessions.

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

A bipartisan group of members of Congress is pushing the Food and Drug Administration to hurry up and allow CBD-infused food products in light of hemp legalization.

Marijuana Moment’s latest analysis takes a comprehensive look at the cannabis reform record of presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who in 2015 filed the Senate’s first-ever bill to end marijuana prohibition.

An analysis by Gallup shows that within the Democratic Party, self-described liberals and conservatives are sharply divided on marijuana legalization.

/ FEDERAL

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Moses-Ones spoke at an Albanian event about the “fight against cannabis production.”

Rep. Ben McAdams (D-UT) discussed the need to increase marijuana businesses’ access to banks.

Rep. Don Young (R-AK) tweeted photos of himself meeting with members of the Alaska Marijuana Industry Association.

/ STATES

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said he and lawmakers are still working to finalize details of a marijuana legalization deal but that’s he’s “optimistic” about getting it done.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) said he can “absolutely” win over Republicans on his plan for medical cannabis but that full marijuana legalization is “not going to happen right now.” He also described decriminalization as “a fairness issue.”

New York’s Senate president said she doesn’t think marijuana legalization will end up in the state’s budget this year.

Maryland’s Senate president and House speaker formed a working group to study marijuana legalization.

Ohio’s attorney general said he supports federally rescheduling marijuana. Meanwhile, senators filed a bill to legalize hemp-derived CBD.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court agreed to take a case on whether the odor of unburnt marijuana can be relied on to establish probable cause for a warrant to search a commercial building.

Florida regulators are appealing a court ruling that struck down a limit on the number of medical cannabis dispensaries that a given business can operate.

Guam’s House speaker is pushing regulators to implement the voter-approved medical cannabis law.

The Arizona Senate defeated bills that would have allowed surprise inspections at medical cannabis dispensaries and required that products be tested for carcinogens.

The New Mexico Senate Public Affairs Committee advanced a marijuana decriminalization bill.

The West Virginia House Health and Human Resources Committee passed a bill to raise the number of medical cannabis growers and processors that are allowed and to allow vertical integration.

The Utah Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously passed a bill to make technical changes to the state’s medical cannabis law.

An Iowa Senate subcommittee unanimously approved a bill to legalize hemp.

The Vermont Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously approved a bill setting fees for hemp cultivation.

Nevada Senate and Assembly committees discussed the long-term reliability of marijuana tax revenue as a school funding source.

Oklahoma regulators are urging businesses that manufacture or sell CBD-infused or medical cannabis food products to obtain food licenses.

California regulators reported that the state generated $345 million in tax revenue in 2018, far less than an originally projected $1 billion.

Maine regulators signed a three-year deal with Franwell Inc. to track marijuana products in the state.


Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 600 cannabis bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

We followed more than 900 pieces of cannabis legislation in 2018. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

/ LOCAL

The Denver, Colorado City Council voted to repeal the sunset date of the cannabis social consumption pilot program. Separately, officials compiled tips and best practices for transferring ownership of marijuana businesses.

Seattle, Washington’s mayor spoke about the city’s moves to vacate misdemeanor marijuana convictions during her State of the City address.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said his administration will explore the legal regulation of less-harmful drugs like marijuana.

/ ADVOCACY

The Rhode Island Republican Party’s chairman criticized moves to legalize marijuana, expand gambling and study allowing sex work.

The Democratic Party of New Mexico tweeted, “Our last governor tried to deprive our state of billions in potential economic benefits because she couldn’t tell the difference between hemp and marijuana  — the @NMHouseDems are fixing her mistake.”

The Drug Policy Alliance released a report looking at the costs and benefits of supervised consumption sites for illegal drugs.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study did not find a “statistically significant association between policy ‘liberalization’ and higher odds of adolescent cannabis use.”

A study concluded that marijuana dispensaries “are associated with statistically significant increases in rates of neighborhood crime and disorder” but that associations weakened significantly over time.

/ CULTURE

Comedian Paula Poundstone tweeted, “We have an unstable man in the Presidency. He does not tell the truth about anything. How can we allow this to go on? Our forefathers couldn’t have predicted this because the marijuana wasn’t as potent back then.”

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Tom Angell is the editor of Marijuana Moment. A 20-year veteran in the cannabis law reform movement, he covers the policy and politics of marijuana. Separately, he founded the nonprofit Marijuana Majority. Previously he reported for Marijuana.com and MassRoots, and handled media relations and campaigns for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

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