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MS House approves medical cannabis bill (Newsletter: January 20, 2022)

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NY legalization revenue; SC medical marijuana bill to floor; PA cannabis banking legislation; UT psychedelics therapy proposal; TX hemp bribery case

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

The Mississippi House of Representatives approved a medical cannabis legalization bill. It now heads back to the Senate, which passed it last week, for a final vote on new amendments.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) new budget plan projects that the state will generate more than $1.25 billion in legal marijuana tax revenue over the next six years.

The South Carolina Republican senator who is sponsoring a medical cannabis bill said it will be on the Senate floor next week for debate on special order, meaning that the body must vote on it before any other legislation is taken up.

The Republican chairman and top Democratic member of the Pennsylvania Senate Banking & Insurance Committee announced they’ll be filing a state-level marijuana banking bill to serve as a companion to the federal SAFE Banking Act.

A Utah Republican representative filed a bill to create a task force to study and make recommendations on the therapeutic uses of psychedelics such as psilocybin for treating mental health disorders.

A political consultant to Texas’s agriculture commissioner was indicted in an alleged hemp license bribery scheme.

/ FEDERAL

The Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing to place five tryptamine hallucinogens in Schedule I.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said licensed hemp businesses are eligible for its Rural Energy Pilot Grants Program.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case about the terms of crack offense resentencing under federal criminal justice reform legislation.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) tweeted, “41 states across America (including OR) have voted to give terminally-ill patients the freedom to choose experimental treatments. But the federal government is blocking doctors from being able to facilitate psilocybin-related therapies. I’m leading the charge to change that.”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) tweeted about discussing her marijuana legalization bill with a Harvard class.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Marianna]e Williamson tweeted, “Legalizing cannabis is taking on added urgency now, not only because of people unjustly incarcerated but also for medicinal and environmental reasons. Time to scrap what should never have been a prohibition in the first place.”

Louisiana Democratic Senate candidate Gary Chambers spoke about his support for equitable marijuana legalization and his decision to smoke cannabis in a campaign ad.

California Democratic congressional candidate Lourin Hubbard tweeted, “The time has come to end the federal prohibition on Marijuana in this country. 91% of US want this done. Black and brown people are 4x more likely to be arrested for marijuana laws than white people with states spending $3.7 billion enforcing marijuana laws every year.”

The House bill to deschedule marijuana and fund programs to repair drug war harms got one new cosponsor for a total of 103.

/ STATES

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said in his second inaugural address that “businesses in the new cannabis industry that we are setting up in the name of social justice” are part of efforts to “continue growing the innovation economy that will power our future and make us a model for the nation and the world.”

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) criticized a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate’s ad that shows him smoking marijuana.

A spokesperson for Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) said his opposition to marijuana legalization “hasn’t changed” but that he will review any bills lawmakers send him.

Hawaii’s Progressive Legislative Caucus is backing a marijuana legalization bill.

The South Dakota Senate Health and Human Service Committee voted to limit medical cannabis patients to three homegrown plants and approved other marijuana legislation.

The chairman of the Missouri House Veterans Committee said he would prefer lawmakers to pass marijuana legalization rather than have voters do it via a ballot initiative.

Kentucky lawmakers held a press conference to support marijuana legalization legislation. Separately, the representative sponsoring a medical cannabis bill said he thinks the votes are there to pass it but he must first convince Senate leadership to bring it up.

New Mexico lawmakers are only considering a handful of marijuana bills this session.

A New York assemblyman tweeted, “Since 2001, more than 30,000 veterans have died by suicide. When it comes to suicide prevention, we should have every treatment option on the table, which is why we need to pass medical Psilocybin now!”

Utah regulators launched an effort to expand medical cannabis access.

Ohio regulators suspended the medical cannabis employee license of Ancient Roots’s CEO for allegedly giving out product samples.

Montana regulators are accepting topic submissions for an upcoming roundtable discussion about marijuana.

The Washington State Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force will meet on Monday.

Nevada regulators will consider marijuana business issues on Tuesday.


Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,000 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

San Bernardino County, California’s sheriff and federal agencies are being sued by Empyreal Logistics for allegedly unlawfully searching transportation vehicles and seizing money from cannabis clients.

/ INTERNATIONAL

The Canadian Embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg tweeted about discussing cannabis issues with a Belgian lawmaker.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review concluded that “several preclinical and clinical studies have proposed that CBD may be a reliable agent to inhibit the reinforcing and rewarding impact of drugs” and that it “shows a good safety profile, mild side effects in animal preclinical and clinical research.”

A review examined the “endocannabinoid system as a promising therapeutic target in inflammatory bowel disease.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce, National Cannabis Industry Association, Minority Cannabis Business Association, United States Cannabis Council and National Cannabis Roundtable sent a letter urging Virginia lawmakers to include sentencing relief for people previously convicted of marijuana offenses in any legalization reenactment legislation considered this year.

The Weldon Project is teaming up with the Black Comics Collective and Burn1 on an NFT of a Snoop Dogg song and artwork to raise money for cannabis reform advocacy.

/ BUSINESS

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. completed its acquisition of Bloom Dispensaries.

Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. filed a Form 40-F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in preparation to list on the Nasdaq.

Crecco Labs terminated its acquisition of Blair Wellness, LLC.

Leafly Holdings Inc. and Merida Merger Corp. I adjourned a special meeting to approve their merger to February 1.

HEXO Corp. detailed a cost-cutting plan.

Awakn Life Sciences Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies to explore a partnership utilizing MDMA-assisted therapy to treat alcohol use disorder in Europe.

/ CULTURE

Martha Stewart’s CBD brand launched a line of topicals.

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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.

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