Connect with us

Newsletter

A look ahead to likely 2018 victories (Newsletter: Dec. 27. 2017)

Published

on

Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day.

VT gov still ready to sign legalization; VA hemp program growing; WI patient advocate passes away

Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible…

Thanks so much to Paul Kuhn for becoming the latest Marijuana Moment reader to step up with a monthly pledge to support our ongoing cannabis reporting. He said this about why he is chipping in for 2018:

  • “As a long-time (more than four decades) cannabis activist, I keep up-to-date with developments in the field with daily news from Marijuana Moment. Thank you, Tom.”

If you already pledge to Marijuana Moment or are considering doing so, please check out the new premium we are offering to supporters who give $25 per month or more…

Starting now, we are making available legislative tracking tools that make it easy for you to follow progress on key bills. We provide you with: full bill text, sponsor lists, amendments, vote tallies and more — on an automatically updated basis — for all 50 states and Congress.

If your organization’s or business’s success depends on not being surprised by potential changes to cannabis laws, using Marijuana Moment’s new legislative tracking tools is the easiest and most affordable way to make sure you stay updated on what you need to know in order to carry out your day-to-day work

/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

At Forbes I put together an overview of the states that are most likely to pass marijuana bills or ballot measures in 2018.

/ FEDERAL

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) tweeted: “Our outdated policies on marijuana are turning everyday Americans into criminals, tearing apart families, and wasting huge amounts of taxpayer dollars to arrest, prosecute, and incarcerate people for non-violent marijuana charges.”

/ STATES

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) reiterated that he’s ready to sign a bill to legalize marijuana possession and home cultivation but said he doesn’t think the state is ready for commercial sales.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) says he’s “not there YET” on medical marijuana.

Potential New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Joel Giambra, a former Erie County executive, supports legalizing marijuana.

West Virginia’s Senate majority leader is skeptical that legalizing marijuana can help solve the state’s budget deficit.

A new law taking effect in January removes the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission from the Governor’s Task Force on Marijuana Eradication.

The Associated Press looks at the growth of Virginia’s industrial hemp research program.

A New Mexico senator spoke about his plans to pass a constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana.

It turns out that an elderly couple arrested for allegedly transporting 60 pounds of marijuana across the country are the parents of a Vermont prosecutor.

Oregon regulators issued an alert to cannabis growers about aphid infestations.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Here’s a profile of the only Canadian Conservative member of Parliament to vote for the government’s marijuana legalization bill.

/ ADVOCACY

Wisconsin medical cannabis patient and advocate Jacki Rickert passed away.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that a growing number of pregnant women are using marijuana.

A West Virginia State Medical Association survey found that 65% of its members think there is scientific evidence to support marijuana use as a medical treatment but that only 31% are interested in becoming certified to recommend medical cannabis to patients.

A review concluded that “there is a wide variety of reports of stroke associated with cannabis use in patients with no other risk factors.”

/ OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Los Angeles Times editorial board is calling on the federal government to remove marijuana from Schedule I to reduce barriers to research.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial board wants Ohio regulators to do a “do-over” on marijuana licensing due to perceived procedural problems.

The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board says a drug policy focused on demand reduction would be better than going after the supply.

/ BUSINESS

Privateer Holdings acquired marijuana edibles maker The Goodship.

The Associated Press looks at California’s burgeoning marijuana edibles market.

NBC Nightly News profiles the University of Northern Michigan’s new marijuana classes.

The Financial Times looks at competition in California’s soon-to-be-legal marijuana market.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with support from readers. If you rely on our cannabis advocacy journalism to stay informed, please consider a monthly Patreon pledge.
Become a patron at Patreon!

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.

Advertisement

Marijuana News In Your Inbox

Get our daily newsletter.

Support Marijuana Moment

Marijuana News In Your Inbox

 

Get our daily newsletter.