Newsletter
Progressives plan cannabis votes under Democratic majority (Newsletter: April 23, 2024)
Poll: Marijuana safer than alcohol & tobacco; SC medical cannabis hearing; CO legalization support grows; Senator treaty pushback; VT safe consumption
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The Congressional Progressive Caucus included marijuana legalization and expungements in a new agenda it says Democrats “can pass with congressional majorities” if they keep the Senate and retake the House in the November elections.
A new poll finds that three in five Americans think marijuana is safer than alcohol or tobacco—and that a majority support legalizing cannabis.
Two new polls show that Colorado voters’ support for legalizing marijuana is significantly higher now than when they approved the reform on the ballot in 2012—with a majority saying it has a positive economic impact and generates important tax revenue.
Hawaii lawmakers sent Gov. Josh Green (D) legislation to facilitate expungements of past marijuana offenses, but the Senate rejected a bill that would have expanded the state’s limited cannabis decriminalization law.
A South Carolina House committee will hold a hearing on a Senate-passed medical cannabis legalization bill on Tuesday—earning praise from U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), though members will only take testimony from law enforcement and the medical community.
Cannabis businesses and advocacy groups like Acreage, Cresco, Green Thumb Industries, Trulieve and Marijuana Policy Project sent a letter calling out Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) “inaccurate claims” about marijuana rescheduling being blocked by international treaties.
Two Vermont Senate committees approved a House-passed bill to legalize and fund safe consumption sites for illegal drugs, with a new amendment to limit it to a pilot program involving one facility.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a bill to let people apply to have their marijuana conviction records sealed.
Montana lawmakers failed to override Gov. Greg Gianforte’s (R) veto of a bill to reallocate marijuana tax revenue.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) announced awards of more than $2.3 million in funding through the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund following a long delay in launching the program.
/ FEDERAL
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) discussed his support for legalizing marijuana.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) said marijuana expungements “should be more of a state issue.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted, “In the past 24 hours, @JoeBiden has tweeted about legalizing marijuana & his attacks on Donald Trump. NOT ONE WORD about the horrific #Antisemitism we’re seeing at #Columbia & #Yale & across the country. Why not??? Will any Dems call him out?”
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) tweeted, “Americans shouldn’t have to give the U.S. government their fingerprints just to grow hemp.”
/ STATES
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said that voters may have rejected a medical cannabis legalization initiative if they knew how the program would turn out.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) tweeted, “Our budget supports our hard-working dispensary owners by giving the state & localities tools to shut down illicit storefronts.” Separately, an assemblymember discussed her psychedelics legalization bill.
The Colorado Senate Health & Human Services Committee rejected a bill to legalize safe consumption sites for illegal drugs. Separately, a former Senate majority leader authored an op-ed urging Republicans in Congress to support a marijuana banking bill.
A North Carolina senator launched a campaign ad about his support for marijuana legalization.
Illinois regulators filed changes to cannabis rules.
Minnesota regulators published guidance for events with on-site marijuana consumption.
Missouri regulators published a newsletter about various marijuana issues.
Michigan regulators are asking cannabis businesses to fill out a survey on the track and trace system.
Vermont regulators will consider recommendations for marijuana business licensure on Wednesday.
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/ LOCAL
The Sonoma County, California Board of Supervisors approved changes to cannabis tax rates.
Honolulu, Hawaii’s prosecutor is raising concerns about a state bill to expand marijuana decriminalization.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Germany’s Federal Court of Justice is maintaining a prior limit to determine what a “significant amount” of cannabis is even in light of the nation’s new legalization law.
Slovenia’s National Assembly voted to put a medical cannabis referendum on the ballot.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study of rats found that “cannabidiol improves maternal obesity-induced behavioral, neuroinflammatory and neurochemical dysfunctions in the juvenile offspring.”
A review concluded that “psilocybin has also been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for people with [substance use disorders] and non-substance-related addictions.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee tweeted, “Just this month, members of the Pennsylvania House became the latest Dem-led chamber to introduce a bill to legalize cannabis.”
/ BUSINESS
Curaleaf Holdings., Inc. completed its acquisition of Northern Green Canada.
Eaze’s CEO said the company would “gladly increase our employee pay rates” if it saw a reduction in government fees.
A receiver has been appointed to oversee the sales of High Times’s assets to settle outstanding debts.
Dutchie experienced outages on 4/20.
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