Newsletter
Legal psilocybin therapy qualifies for Oregon ballot (Newsletter: July 9, 2020)
Fed marijuana PSA filmed like horror movie; Congressman wants to block DC psychedelics decrim; Study: Legal cannabis reduces crime
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The Oregon secretary of state announced that activists collected enough signatures to put a measure to legalize psilocybin therapy on the November ballot. This comes one week after a separate initiative to decriminalize all drug possession in the state and expand treatment services also qualified for the ballot.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), whose budget rider has prevented Washington, D.C. from legalizing marijuana sales, is now trying to block a psychedelics decriminalization measure that could be on the November ballot in the nation’s capital.
- “This is a bald-faced attempt to just make these very serious, very potent, very dangerous—both short-term and long-term—hallucinogenic drugs broadly available.”
A new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration PSA on impaired driving is styled like a horror film and urges people not to operate a car while high on marijuana even if they are being chased by an axe-wielding murderer.
A study found that “border counties in the Colorado region saw substantial decreases in overall property crime rate and larceny rate relative to nonborder counties following Colorado’s legalization” of marijuana.
- “This finding suggests that recreational marijuana legalization in a state (e.g., Colorado) may not bring about negative consequences on crime in neighboring states, which challenges the assertions made by public officials in these neighboring states arguing a crime-inducing effect of legalization.”
/ FEDERAL
The U.S. Department of Agriculture added hemp to a list of seed kinds for which it maintains standards for certification.
Tennessee Democratic congressional candidate Christopher Hale tweeted, “Why is that kids and veterans who smoke marijuana have criminal records, but Wall Street executives who committed massive fraud and wrecked our economy do not? I’ll be the most pro-weed Congressman God ever made. I’m asking for your support.”
/ STATES
Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor is touting marijuana legalization as a fiscal stimulus for the state.
Ohio regulators added cachexia as a medical cannabis qualifying condition, but rejected anxiety and autism spectrum disorder.
Oklahoma regulators agreed to temporarily not enforce rules that could force some medical cannabis businesses to close down while a judge considers a lawsuit challenging them.
Guam regulators plan to finalize a draft of legal marijuana rules for public comment by next month.
Nevada regulators are projecting $10 million less revenue from recreational marijuana sales for Fiscal Year 2021.
Massachusetts regulators will consider marijuana vaping issues and enforcement actions on Thursday.
Florida regulators will hold a workshop on hemp rules on Thursday.
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/ LOCAL
The Grand Rapids, Michigan City Commission approved a measure to advance social equity in the marijuana industry and to fast-track approval of businesses.
The Nevada County, California district attorney filed a motion to dismiss nearly 600 prior marijuana convictions and reduce more than 50 cannabis felonies to misdemeanors.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care is conducting an open consultation looking at “the ways in which drugs are fuelling serious violence and at treatment, recovery and prevention.”
The Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana plans to resume its review of cannabis issues soon.
The Colombian government gave approval for a company to grow, produce and export high-THC medicinal cannabis extracts.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “pre-clinical and clinical data suggest a potential for therapeutic benefit [of medical cannabis] amongst some persons with [autism spectrum disorder] and that it is overall well tolerated.”
A study concluded that “current school-based cannabis prevention efforts do not appear sufficiently effective.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
Marijuana activist and lobbyist Eapen Thampy pleaded guilty to federal charges of attempted cannabis distribution.
A Harm Reduction International analysis found that “around a fourth of countries implementing [coronavirus-related prison] decongestion schemes explicitly excluded people incarcerated for drug offences; effectively prioritising punitive approaches to drug control over the health of the prison population and the individual.”
The National Association of Cannabis Businesses said it will be drafting recommendations for marijuana social equity programs.
/ BUSINESS
Several ancillary marijuana businesses—including Akerna, Metrc and Arcview Group— received Paycheck Protection Program loans from the Small Business Administration.
The Justice Department is reportedly investigating whether Wirecard participated in an alleged $100 million bank fraud conspiracy connected to Eaze, which hasn’t been charged or named directly in documents in the case.
Ignite International, Ltd. is being sued by its former president who says he was fired for refusing to go along with founder Dan Bilzerian’s efforts to classify “extravagant personal expenses” as business-related.
Enlighten says it is the first cannabis company to have data listed on Amazon’s AWS Data Exchange.
KushCo Holdings, Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $22.3 million and a net loss of approximately $13.5 million.
Insurance costs for marijuana businesses are reportedly rising as more cannabis companies face shareholder lawsuits.
/ CULTURE
Ice Cube tweeted an editorial cartoon of an incarcerated person reading a newspaper with the headline, “Marijuana Is OK Now.”
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