Newsletter
More banks working with cannabis businesses, feds say (Newsletter: June 25, 2019)
USDA announces hemp regs target date; Analyzing Congress’s marijuana vote; POTUS candidate Joe Setak on cannabis; Hawaii decrim
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Marijuana Moment conducted a deep analysis of Congress’s recent vote to block the Department of Justice from interfering with state marijuana laws. Find out who flipped their votes from the amendment’s last consideration in 2015, how state legalization laws made a difference in the tally and which lawmakers from legal states voted to let the feds arrest their constituents.
New data from the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network shows a huge uptick in the number of banks willing to work with marijuana businesses as cannabis financial services legislation gains momentum in Congress.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture quietly noted in a larger regulatory update document that it is aiming to publish legal hemp rules by August.
Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) said he will allow a legislature-passed bill to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana to take effect.
Marijuana Moment’s latest presidential candidate overview takes a look at the cannabis record of former Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA).
/ FEDERAL
Leaked Trump transition team documents obtained by Axios mention the marijuana policy positions of former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt and former Homeland Security Secretary and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
Surgeon General Jerome Adams said “there’s no such thing as medical marijuana.” He also published a Twitter thread laying out his concerns about marijuana use by pregnant women. And he tweeted a photo of himself discussing marijuana with public health and law enforcement officials and posted another tweet saying, “The increased potency of #marijuana today does not only pose major dangers to our physicality, but it poses major dangers to our communities as well.”
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a presidential candidate, tweeted, “While more and more people are making money from the legalization of marijuana, in some states, thousands sit in prison for doing the same thing. It’s time for those people to come home.”
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said voting for the 1994 crime bill and its drug war provisions was “the worst vote I ever gave since being in Congress.”
Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) spoke in support of decriminalizing marijuana, vacating sentences and expunging records.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted, “If our economy can afford endless wars, a GOP tax scam and the war on drugs, we can afford to end the student debt crisis.”
Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (I-CNMI) wrote in his newsletter about voting for an amendment to protect state and territory marijuana laws from federal interference.
/ STATES
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) signed a bill to establish a process to expunge marijuana convictions.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed a budget bill including funding to implement marijuana legalization.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said that marijuana won’t be legalized while he is governor and that it has a “detrimental effect” on young people. Separately, the agriculture commissioner said her department is working on CBD regulations that may force currently marketed products out of stores.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) said he doesn’t think legalizing marijuana “will lead anyone to the promised land” and that he’s “asked the federal government to enforce the law as it is, and I’ve let them know that we’re a law-and-order state.”
The New York Assembly majority leader spoke about lawmakers’ passage of a bill to expand marijuana decriminalization and provide for record expungements.
Puerto Rico’s Senate approved a medical cannabis reform bill.
The Utah Senate unanimously voted to confirm members of the state’s Compassionate Use Board for medical cannabis.
The Washington, D.C. Council Health Committee marked up a bill to increase access to medical cannabis and allow safe-use facilities.
Massachusetts regulators announced that starting on July 1, medical cannabis patients will be able to enter dispensaries and access medicine while their formal registration cards are being processed.
Guam regulators are holding a labor clinic focused on marijuana businesses on July 9.
Washington State regulators included information about returning marijuana products, intellectual property contract reviews and other issues in a newsletter.
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Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,000 cannabis 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.
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/ LOCAL
Denver, Colorado police made zero psilocybin arrests in the month following decriminalization.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs held preliminary discussions on the World Health Organization’s recommendations to reschedule marijuana and its derivatives.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern about killings related to the bloody “war on drugs” in the Philippines.
Canadian regulators announced funding for community-based organizations to carry out marijuana public education projects.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “cannabidiol possesses surprisingly effective activity as an antibiotic, comparable to widely used antibiotics…but with retention of activity against bacteria that have become resistant to these drugs” and that “the combination of inherent antimicrobial activity and potential to reduce damage caused by the inflammatory response to infections is particularly attractive.”
A study on children with epilepsy found a “reduction in seizure frequency” and suggested “improved seizure control when a whole plant [cannabis herbal extract] is used.”
A study on using “an eye tracking sensor to detect cannabis-related impairment” will soon be seeking participants.
/ OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that U.S. adults support legalizing marijuana, 63%-27%, and that 32% believe CBD is similar to marijuana while 40% say it is different.
A poll funded by prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana found that when given options, 38% of U.S. registered voters want to legalize marijuana, 15% support decriminalization, 29% back medical cannabis and 14% want to outlaw marijuana altogether.
/ BUSINESS
High Times Holding Corp. fell far short of raising its $50 million funding target.
Aurora Cannabis is urging UK regulators to let general practitioners prescribe medical marijuana oil.
The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy launched a master of science in medical cannabis science and therapeutics program.
Weedmaps is opening a Museum of Weed in Hollywood in August.
/ CULTURE
Filmmaker Ken Burns spoke about his experiences with psychedelic drugs.
Comedian Patton Oswalt tweeted about receiving a package of cannabis products.
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