Newsletter
Schumer hosts cannabis meeting with other lawmakers (Newsletter: February 2, 2023)
NH legalization amendment; WA marijuana employment protections bill; FL ag commish bows out of medical cannabis & guns suit; Psychedelics reform
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- Anonymous supporter: “A close friend of mine just started a federal prison sentence for trafficking and because of aggravating factors, he’s not eligible for any lesser of a sentence and it’s a mandatory minimum. Shit’s just heartbreaking. Hoping that legalization and decriminalizing will get prior charges/felonies reduced or dropped and then he’ll no longer be stuck with a mandatory sentence. It’s a long shot but gotta try and stay optimistic.”
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and several other Democratic senators met to discuss strategies for advancing marijuana legislation this Congress.
The chairman of the New Hampshire House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee floated a proposal to merge a marijuana legalization bill filed by bipartisan leaders with another measure—saying he expects the panel to vote on the legislation next week.
The Washington State Senate Labor & Commerce Committee approved bills on employment protections for marijuana consumers and social equity in the cannabis industry.
Florida’s new agriculture commissioner is not participating in a federal lawsuit on medical cannabis patients’ gun rights filed by his predecessor—but the case is continuing with a new appeal from the remaining non-governmental plaintiffs.
Lawmakers in more states are continuing to file psychedelics legislation—with new bills in Hawaii, New York, Utah and West Virginia that cover psilocybin, DMT and other substances.
Vicente Sederberg LLP’s Andrea Golan explains in a Marijuana Moment op-ed what a new federal cosmetics regulation law means for makers of products containing cannabis- and hemp-derived ingredients like CBD.
/ FEDERAL
The Food and Drug Administration plans to include marijuana questions in a tobacco use survey.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) said he wants to see the Senate Banking Committee hold a markup on cannabis banking legislation.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) cited marijuana and drug reform as an area of bipartisan cooperation.
Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) pressed a White House Office of National Drug Control Policy official on declaring fentanyl analogues as “weapons of mass destruction.”
Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) tweeted about a new paper “addressing the inaccuracies in #cannabis testing in the workplace.”
/ STATES
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) budget proposal includes increased funding for enforcement against unlicensed cannabis operations. Separately, regulators’ motion to lift an injunction on issuing marijuana dispensary licenses in certain regions of the state was rejected by a federal judge.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) again called on lawmakers to pass a medical cannabis bill.
Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee (D) said he opposes “the legalization of hard drugs.”
Oklahoma activists are working to register voters ahead of the February 10 deadline to participate in next month’s marijuana legalization initiative vote.
The Mississippi House of Representatives defeated a proposal to allow outdoor medical cannabis cultivation.
The North Dakota House of Representatives again voted down legislation to legalize medical cannabis edibles.
The Virginia Senate Finance Public Safety Subcommittee approved a bill to create a Cannabis Business Incubator Project.
A California assemblymember spoke about problems associated with illegal cannabis grows.
Illinois regulators mistakenly posted an outdated application form for the social equity marijuana dispensary lottery process.
A top Rhode Island regulator spoke about the status of the state’s new recreational marijuana market.
A growing number of Michigan state employees are failing drug tests for marijuana.
South Dakota regulators gave lawmakers a presentation on the medical cannabis program.
Georgia regulators will consider rescinding recently adopted medical cannabis rules on Thursday.
Connecticut regulators will consider adding Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus as a medical cannabis qualifying condition on Thursday.
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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.
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/ LOCAL
El Paso, Texas activists are pressing the City Council to review marijuana laws.
Oakland, California’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission will meet on Thursday.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Costa Rica’s government is planning to file a revised marijuana legalization bill.
Colombian lawmakers are holding public hearings to receive citizen input on cannabis legalization and other issues.
An Edmonton, Alberta, Canada City Council member said he wants to make the city the “Cannabis Industry Capital of the World.”
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
Yale University is launching a new Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
A study found that “substance use substantially decreased across nearly all substance categories in 2018 to 2019 vs 2020 among youths and young adults, whereas consistent changes were not seen in older persons.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll of Hawaii residents found that 45 percent support legalizing recreational marijuana, 41 percent allowing medical cannabis only and 9 percent want it to remain completely illegal.
The Kentucky Democratic Party tweeted, “@AndyBeshearKY’s action on medical cannabis is a life-changer for Kentuckians living with debilitating health issues, including veterans and seniors. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers in Frankfort still refuse to do the right thing and pass a legalization bill.”
The Canadian Drug Policy Coalition has a new executive director.
Doctors for Cannabis Regulation led a coalition of other groups in sending a letter asking New York regulators to adopt the International Intoxicating Cannabinoid Product Symbol for cannabis product packages.
/ BUSINESS
Curaleaf is reportedly under investigation by Massachusetts regulators for alleged use of a radiation machine prior to approval.
LeafLink secured a $100 million Series D financing round and announced changes to its leadership team.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company reported that quarterly sales from its cannabis-focused Hawthorne unit decreased 31 percent from a year ago to $131.5 million.
SNDL improperly interfered with union organizing, the Alberta Labour Relations Board ruled.
HEXO Corp. elected new directors.
/ CULTURE
Shaquille O’Neal settled a lawsuit with a cannabis company over alleged mismanagement of funds.
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