Newsletter
Mexico begins cannabis legalization public consultation (Newsletter: August 7, 2019)
Big funder gets behind Florida legal marijuana effort; GOP congressman’s cannabis backpack photo; Colorado marijuana sales data
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The Mexican Senate announced it will hold a series of public hearings this month to help inform plans to legalize marijuana.
Florida attorney John Morgan, who bankrolled the state’s 2016 medical cannabis ballot measure, has announced he’ll help put a full marijuana legalization initiative before voters in 2020.
Rep. Steve King (R-IA)—known for a long history of racist and offensive comments, including one about marijuana traffickers with “calves the size of cantaloupes”—had a photo op with a backpack allegedly used to bring cannabis across the border.
New government data from Colorado shows that recreational marijuana sales doubled medical cannabis purchases in 2018 and that the recreational-medical gap in the state’s marijuana market increased 73 percent in one year.
/ FEDERAL
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), a presidential candidate, posted a campaign video about her support for legalizing marijuana.
Rep. David Scott (D-GA) tweeted about discussing marijuana banking issues with the Community Bankers Association of Georgia.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) tweeted, “Cannabis may prove to be a viable alternative to opioids & should be available to scientists for research. I encourage the DEA to honor its pledge to allow researchers to study marijuana. I trust we will gain a greater understanding of its medicinal value.”
Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL) tweeted, “Thanks @JohnMorganESQ for your leadership on #raisethewage and now adult use #marijuana amendments. Let’s keep Florida moving forward!”
/ STATES
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) issued an update on the state’s hemp program.
South Dakota’s attorney general published an explanation of a proposed medical cannabis ballot measure.
The Utah Supreme Court unanimously rejected a case challenging the medical cannabis law legislators passed to replace the voter-approved ballot measure on the issue.
The California Department of Justice released new medical cannabis guidelines.
Georgia’s medical cannabis expansion is stalled because state leaders haven’t appointed members to the body that is charged with crafting regulations.
Louisiana medical cannabis sales began.
Oklahoma regulators said they welcome clarity that can come from a pending lawsuit challenging a decision to share medical cannabis patient data with law enforcement.
Minnesota’s Agriculture Department tweeted that its staff is bringing a plot of hemp crops to the state’s Farmfest this week.
Washington State regulators are considering rules creating a voluntary compliance program for marijuana licensees. They also sent guidance on new requirements for lab test results.
The Ohio representative who blamed recent shootings in part on marijuana legalization said she will not resign.
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/ LOCAL
Three Michigan municipalities voted against allowing marijuana businesses.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Zimbabwe’s information minister said the country is repealing laws banning cannabis cultivation.
Mexico’s Supreme Court is scheduled to discuss medical cannabis regulations on Wednesday.
A Kenyan governor said that an upcoming trip to Jamaica by his country’s president will pave the way for marijuana importation.
/ ADVOCACY
Capitol Advocacy and Spiker Consulting Group are teaming up on a new marijuana-focused state and local lobbying effort in California.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review found “adequate evidence that medical cannabis is an effective treatment for chronic neuropathic pain management and can be substituted for opioids” and that “although there are some negative adverse effects, they do not measure up to the harsh consequences of opioids and the amount of overdose deaths.”
A study concluded that “cannabis abuse may be associated with an elevated risk of [myocardial infarction] independent of other cardiovascular risk factors, with higher relative risk in women and younger age groups.”
/ BUSINESS
Arizona Beverage Co. entered into a licensing deal with Dixie Brands Inc. to make cannabis-infused drinks and gummies.
4Front Ventures Corp. began trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange.
Credit Union 1 is ending a pilot program aimed at providing accounts for marijuana businesses because it could not secure insurance coverage.
GW Pharmaceuticals reported $68.4 million in sales of its CBD drug Epidiolex during the second quarter of 2019.
/ CULTURE
A recent Doonesbury comic strip features Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) discussing her amendments to expand psychedelics research and strip funding from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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