Connect with us

Newsletter

MN legal cannabis bill approved in 1st committee (Newsletter: January 12, 2023)

Published

on

NJ gov touts marijuana market in SOTS; CT gov calls NY cannabis plan “crazy”; HI legalization push; Top WI lawmaker: Medical marijuana deal not close

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.

Get our daily newsletter.

Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible…

Free to read (but not free to produce)! We’re proud of our newsletter and the reporting we publish at Marijuana Moment, and we’re happy to provide it for free. But it takes a lot of work and resources to make this happen. 

  • Saphira Galoob of National Cannabis Roundtable: “As we continue to push for federal cannabis reform in the 118th Congress, bolstered by the progress made through bipartisan negotiations at the end of 2022, it is important to stay informed, and there is no better provider of cannabis news than Tom Angell and Marijuana Moment.”

If you value Marijuana Moment, invest in our success on Patreon so we can expand our coverage and more readers can benefit: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment

/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

The Minnesota House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee approved a marijuana legalization bill. This is the first stop for the legislation, which was filed last week—and it’ll likely go through another dozen panels or so before reaching the floor.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) touted the growth of the state’s marijuana industry during his State of the State address—pointing to the president of the minority-owned cannabis business he invited as a special guest.

There’s now a tri-state war of words over cannabis, with Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) touting his state’s rollout of marijuana sales and calling New York “crazy” for starting with just one dispensary. Last week, New Jersey and New York officials criticized each other’s plans.

Wisconsin’s Assembly speaker pushed back on the Senate majority leader’s suggestion that a deal on medical cannabis is “close”—again warning Gov. Tony Evers (D) that putting recreational marijuana legalization in his budget will “poison the well.”

Hawaii lawmakers and advocates announced a push to legalize marijuana in the 2023 session under new pro-reform Gov. Josh Green (D).

Kentucky’s Senate president said for the first time that he’s open to passing medical marijuana legislation—but argued that it would need to have tight restrictions “to prevent abuse.”

/ FEDERAL

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) posted a thread of 2022 accomplishments, noting that “for the first time in U.S. history, we enacted federal cannabis reform legislation – a new law that will help us research marijuana’s potential health benefits.”

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) cited the Cannabis Caucus that she co-chairs as an example of bipartisan collaboration.

/ STATES

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) proposed budget includes funds to step up enforcement against illegal cannabis operations.

Spokespeople for Virginia’s attorney general and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services discussed efforts to remove illegal cannabis products from stores.

The North Dakota Senate approved a bill to increase medical cannabis patients’ 30-day THC limit.

Maryland’s Senate president and House speaker discussed plans to craft a regulatory framework for marijuana sales this session.

Utah’s Senate majority leader filed a bill to amend medical marijuana rules and ban synthetic cannabis products.

A West Virginia delegate introduced a marijuana legalization bill.

A Maine senator tweeted that he “made plans with the Speaker of the House for legislation on the expungement of cannabis convictions.”

A South Dakota representative filed a bill to block women who are pregnant or breastfeeding from qualifying to become medical cannabis patients.

Oklahoma lawmakers filed bills on water use by medical cannabis cultivators.

A New York senator touted her work to make the state “a global leader in industrial hemp production.”

A Connecticut representative spoke about the launch of legal marijuana sales.

A Missouri representative tweeted, “How you gone police people’s use of the word ‘recreation’ while using the word ‘marijuana’ that has racist, pejorative roots? Go off though.”

Colorado lawmakers are expected to consider several cannabis issues this session.

Massachusetts’s top marijuana regulator will reportedly hold a closed-door meeting with industry participants next week.

Michigan regulators will host an education session on IT services for marijuana businesses on Thursday.


Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy 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.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

/ LOCAL

The Harker Heights, Texas City Council declined to accept a petition to reverse its repeal of a voter-approved local marijuana decriminalization law, meaning it will likely appear on the May ballot.

The Killeen, Texas City Council held a closed-door meeting to discuss pending litigation from Bell County over the city’s marijuana decriminalization law.

Queens, New York Borough Cabinet received a marijuana revenue briefing from state regulators.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell spoke about the ongoing work of the Commission on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation.

Germany’s Free Democratic Party is pushing the health minister to unveil a marijuana legalization bill “as soon as possible.”

Thailand’s Department for the Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine said that people will soon need to present an ID in order to purchase cannabis.

British Columbia, Canada’s government is considering whether to allow cannabis consumption spaces to operate.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that “CBD improves cardiac function and reduces renal injury in a mouse model of cytokine storm” and indicates that “CBD significantly reduces systemic and renal inflammation to contribute to the improvements observed in a cytokine storm-model of cardiac and renal injury.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Indiana Democratic Party tweeted, “It’s past time to legalize cannabis. Why? More than 80% of Hoosiers support cannabis legalization in some form. The @indgop should set aside its partisanship and legalize marijuana. It’s a win-win for the Hoosier State.”

The Asian Cannabis Roundtable launched as a formal organization.

The Cannabis Association of New York released its 2023 legislative agenda.

/ BUSINESS

urban-gro, Inc. has a new chief operating officer.

Jones Soda Co. is bringing its Mary Jones cannabis-infused beverage brand to the Washington market.

Springbig Holdings was warned by Nasdaq that its share price fell below its minimum bid price requirement.

Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox.

Get our daily newsletter.

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.