Newsletter
CA cannabis cafes bill passes (Newsletter: September 11, 2023)
NH legalization commission; MI psychedelics resolution; New MD & NJ marijuana licenses; Cannabis viroid concerns
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The California Senate approved an Assembly-passed bill to legalize cannabis cafes—allowing marijuana retailers to sell foods and beverages along with having on-site consumption. It now heads back to the Senate for concurrence on recent amendments before potentially heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
A New Hampshire commission charged with drafting legislation to legalize marijuana sales through a system of state-run stores held its first meeting, with members electing leaders of the panel and offering a sense of specific policy issues they’ll be exploring.
Michigan lawmakers passed a resolution calling on the U.S. Congress, Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to prioritize “non-technology treatment options”—including psychedelics—to help veterans and servicemembers “find a new normal while dealing with the invisible wounds of war.”
The Maryland Cannabis Administration announced it will begin accepting applications for the first new marijuana dispensary, grower and processor licenses in the state on November 13—reserved exclusively for social equity businesses.
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission announced it will begin accepting applications for marijuana delivery service, wholesaler and distributor business licenses on September 27.
Margo Wilkinson Smith and Amy Rubenstein of Dentons argue in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that inaction by federal and state officials is allowing a hop latent viroid to spread rapidly across cannabis plants, “posing a serious and ongoing threat” to farmers.
Virginia officials are being sued in federal court over the state’s law that restricts hemp products to 0.3 percent total THC content, which companies say is illegally more restrictive than the federal limit of 0.3 percent delta-9 THC specifically.
The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Advisory Board rejected a proposed recommendation to allow patients to access edible medical cannabis products.
/ FEDERAL
Health and Humans Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Rahul Gupta held a demonstration on how to use naloxone to prevent overdose deaths.
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) expressed concerns about Chinese-run illegal marijuana growing operations in Oklahoma in a Senate floor speech.
Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) tweeted concerns about marijuana to build support for his Stop Pot Act.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) discussed the benefits of legalizing marijuana.
/ STATES
California’s attorney general filed a lawsuit against nine companies for allegedly selling illegal inhalable hemp products.
Oklahoma’s attorney general wrote about his efforts to crack down on illegal marijuana grow operations.
Massachusetts lawmakers and legislative staff heard a presentation from psychedelics reform activists.
A federal judge blocked Arkansas regulators from enforcing a ban on delta-8 THC products.
U.S. Virgin Islands regulators released draft marijuana rules.
Michigan regulators posted new bulletins on marijuana business intellectual property, insurance requirements and other issues.
Rhode Island regulators are moving to revoke a marijuana grower’s license over allegations of failure to disclose an owner and having significant amounts of unregistered cannabis.
Members of Minnesota’s Psychedelic Medicine Task Force spoke about the benefits of psychedelic therapy.
The New York Cannabis Control Board will meet on Tuesday.
Oregon’s Marijuana Legislative & Technical and Retailer Tax Compliance Rules Advisory Committees will meet on Tuesday.
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/ LOCAL
The New York City Administration for Children’s Services agreed to pay $75,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a mother who had her newborn son removed for legally smoking marijuana hours before giving birth. Separately, the city’s public advocate raised concerns about delays in cannabis business licensing.
The Portland, Oregon City Council voted to ban public drug use.
The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania City Council is expected to vote on a measure to ban safe consumption sites for illegal drugs on Thursday.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the U.S. has a “very misguided” drug strategy, citing the National Basketball Association’s recent decision to remove marijuana from its banned substances list.
A German lawmaker tweeted that the government marijuana legalization bill’s “cannabis ban on consumption in public spaces would also apply to #Medizinalcannabis. This means a worsening of the situation of patients dependent on medicinal cannabis – over-regulation & discrimination. That must not be!”
Mayors in British Columbia, Canada are calling on federal officials to restrict drug possession in public parks.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study of animals found that “the anti-inflammatory effects in vivo after inflammation induction, represented by decreased times of paw licking, degree of paw edema, and decreased writhing response, showed that 1% of tropical CBD use had significantly comparable or better anti-inflammatory effects when compared with tropical diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory agent.”
A study found that “no significant difference in attitudes of nurses in states in which cannabis use was legal and states in which it was illegal,” as well as “no significant differences were found in attitudes across six areas of practice,” concluding that “nursing attitudes were largely positive toward patient cannabis use.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
More than 300 New York activists sent a letter calling on regulators to delay the entry of large medical cannabis companies into the state’s recreational marijuana market.
The Alabama Cannabis Coalition is calling on Gov. Kay Ivey (R) to convene a special legislative session to address medical marijuana licensing issues.
The Orlando Sentinel editorial board is calling for federal marijuana rescheduling.
The New York Post editorial board again criticized officials for the roll-out of the state’s marijuana legalization law.
/ BUSINESS
POSaBIT Systems Corporation is launching a new version of its point-of-sale system.
/ CULTURE
A new Jimmy Buffett and Paul McCartney marijuana-themed song called “My Gummie Just Kicked In” is being released.
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