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NJ legalization hearing scheduled (Newsletter: Feb. 9, 2018)
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Bernie Sanders marijuana petition; Another (brief) gov’t shutdown; MA gov wants slowdown on cannabis cafes
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The government briefly shut down overnight as appropriations legislation — and the medical marijuana rider — expired. But the House and Senate approved legislation early Friday morning temporarily extending federal funding levels — and policy riders like state medical cannabis protections — through March 23 while full Fiscal Year 2018 spending legislation is negotiated.
A New Jersey Assembly committee scheduled the first marijuana legalization hearing of the year for next month. In a related development, some lawmakers and local officials are currently on a cannabis fact-finding tour in Nevada.
/ FEDERAL
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration denied an Information Quality Act petition from Americans for Safe Access, but removed the targeted anti-marijuana documents from its website anyway.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) launched a petition on marijuana and ending the “war on drugs,” and sent a lengthy pro-legalization email to his supporters.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is seizing an increasing number of packages containing marijuana originating from Colorado.
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) claimed on the Senate floor that drug dealers are lacing marijuana with fentanyl.
The U.S. House bill to increase military veterans’ access to medical cannabis got one new cosponsor, for a total of 20.
/ STATES
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (D) said regulators should focus on getting marijuana retail sales implemented by July and wait until later to work on rules for cannabis social use areas and other plans.
Washington State regulators said that their marijuana track-and-trace system was hacked. They also finalized rules on cannabis advertising and proposed rules on packaging and labeling and retail license forfeiture.
Nebraska lawmakers held a hearing on a bill to refer a medical cannabis question to voters this November.
A new report examines Rhode Island police departments’ enforcement of marijuana laws following decriminalization.
The Colorado Department of Transportation is teaming up with the cannabis industry on an effort to reduce marijuana-impaired driving.
Here’s a look at where Illinois lawmakers and legislative candidates stand on legalizing marijuana.
The Lansing State Journal takes a look back to when a court ruling effectively made marijuana legal in Michigan for about three weeks in 1972.
/ LOCAL
Seattle, Washington Mayor Jenny Durkan (D), a former U.S. attorney, announced that the city is moving to vacate convictions and dismiss charges for misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Denver, Colorado activists are working to place a measure allowing psilocybin mushrooms on the city ballot.
The Columbia, Missouri City Council unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing statewide medical cannabis legalization.
/ ADVOCACY
The New York Times looks at potential conflicts of interest within anti-addiction groups that take money from the pharmaceutical industry.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “chronic cannabis users exhibited exaggerated, immediate attentional bias and exaggerated, extended attentional bias compared to non-users” and “the intensity of cannabis-use (grams per week) correlated with more errors at the extended attentional bias durations.”
/ BUSINESS
Canadian stock regulators published revised disclosure expectations for issuers with U.S. marijuana-related activities.
Alliance One International, a global contractor, processor and supplier of tobacco, is entering the U.S. hemp industry and taking controlling stakes in two Canadian cannabis companies.
Aspen, Colorado marijuana retailers outsold liquor stores for the first time in 2017.
Adweek looks at marijuana businesses’ continued social media blackout issues.
/ CULTURE
Fact-checking site Snopes shot down an Internet parody video claiming that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions sang pro-marijuana songs in a rock band in college.
Travel writer and TV host Rick Steves is lobbying Vermont lawmakers to tax and regulate marijuana sales.
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