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Schumer puts cannabis banking on summer agenda (Newsletter: July 11, 2023)
A decade of SAFE Banking advocacy; Bipartisan support for marijuana security clearance reform; Berkeley psychedelics vote; CT marijuana sales
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said marijuana banking legislation is on the body’s summer agenda—though he stressed that Republican support will be needed and he didn’t mention his previously expressed plan to attach cannabis expungements to the SAFE Banking Act.
Monday marked the 10-year anniversary of marijuana banking legislation first being filed in Congress. The bill has since evolved, and support has grown, as lawmakers now mount what they hope is one last push to finally get it signed into law this year.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) says he’s hopeful there will be bipartisan support for his National Defense Authorization Act amendment to protect people from being denied security clearances over marijuana that’s being considered in Congress this week.
Massachusetts political strategists filed initial paperwork for a potential campaign to place an initiative to legalize psychedelic medicine therapy on the 2024 ballot.
The Berkeley, California City Council is set to vote on a measure to “de-emphasize” enforcement against psychedelics on Tuesday.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection reported that retailers sold nearly $24 million worth of legal marijuana products in June—a new monthly record that caps the state’s first 6 months of legal recreational cannabis sales.
/ FEDERAL
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is being asked by former leaders of the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe in Washington State to investigate current leadership, in part because they allegedly “misappropriated federal grants for personal gain, including opening a marijuana store.”
The U.S. Department of Energy hosted a presentation on” scaling up the industrial hemp supply chain as a carbon negative feedstock for fuel and fiber.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) tweeted, “This is why folks hate DC. TLDR: Republicans tanked a bill that would research cannabis for our vets in order to hurt Jon Tester’s chances. Truly despicable stuff.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) wrote about his support for marijuana banking legislation in a constituent letter.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) posted about support in Congress for marijuana and psychedelics reform.
/ STATES
A North Carolina senator said “by no means” is a medical cannabis bill “dead” for the session.
A Minnesota representative tweeted that he opposes a local proposal in Rochester to enact a moratorium on marijuana business licenses, saying, “It’s time to de-stigmatize Cannabis use.”
An Alabama judge held a status conference on litigation challenging regulators’ medical cannabis business license award process.
California regulators issued a notice informing cannabis businesses that Professional Technical Union, Local 33 is not a bona fide labor organization they can enter into a labor peace agreement with for the purposes of satisfying state law.
Virginia regulators sent an update on changes to medical cannabis rules.
Illinois regulators finalized a list of participants in a marijuana business social equity criteria lottery being held on Thursday.
Maine regulators are launching a “Cannabis Conversations” panel series and are separately conducting a statewide listening tour about marijuana issues.
New York regulators uploaded a series of videos on marijuana packaging and labeling rules.
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/ LOCAL
Portland, Oregon’s mayor tweeted that he opposes a Multnomah County plan to distribute harm reduction supplies to fentanyl consumers, saying it would “encourage using a drug that is the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 and responsible for 190 fatal overdoses a day in the US.”
An anti-drug group is raising concerns about Denver, Colorado’s mayor-elect appointing so many cannabis industry operatives to his transition team.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine’s Health Ministry is supporting President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for lawmakers to pass medical cannabis legislation.
Himachal Pradesh, India’s government is set to provide cannabis cultivation training.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “CBDA methyl ester showed a neutralizing effect on all the SARS-CoV-2 variants tested.”
A review concluded that research shows “the efficacy of psilocybin in the treatment of anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as improvement in [health-related quality of life], and no serious side effects.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that Pennsylva adults support legalizing marijuana, 50 percent to 31 percent.
The Baltimore Sun editorial board said the state’s experience with marijuana legalization so far shows that prohibitionist fears have not come to fruition.
/ BUSINESS
TerrAscend Corp. closed its acquisition of Herbiculture Inc.
New Mexico retailers sold more than $33 million worth of legal recreational marijuana products in June.
/ CULTURE
Actor Rainn Wilson told Bill Maher about a bad experience he had on marijuana that convinced him never to use it again.
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