Newsletter
Schumer won’t let big alcohol & tobacco take over cannabis (Newsletter: March 19, 2021)
Marijuana banking bill refiled; NM legalization advances toward final step; Federal cannabis insurance legislation; DE legal marijuana bill
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) led more than 100 bipartisan members of Congress in reintroducing a bill to increase marijuana businesses’ access to banks. An earlier version of the measure cleared the House three times last Congress but stalled in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the federal marijuana legalization bill he’s drafting with Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) will ensure big tobacco and alcohol companies don’t take over the cannabis industry.
- “It’s an issue of justice, justice, justice—as well as freedom.”
Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) filed a bill to ensure that marijuana businesses have access to insurance coverage.
The New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee amended and approved a House-passed marijuana legalization bill after a contentious hearing, sending it to the floor for an expected vote on Friday. The session ends on Saturday, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) wants the cannabis bill on her desk by then.
Delaware lawmakers filed a new bill to legalize marijuana. But Gov. John Carney (D) is one of a rare breed of Democratic governors in the country who’s still opposed to legal cannabis—which could complicate its path to passage.
/ FEDERAL
Interior Sec. Deb Haaland said she still doesn’t know where President Joe Biden stands on marijuana.
The National Credit Union Administration issued a cease and desist order directing Live Life Federal Credit Union to stop opening marijuana business bank accounts and to file missing suspicious activity reports.
Reps Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) participated in a chat about legislation to eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine.
/ STATES
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte’s (R) plan to implement marijuana legalization would ban home cultivation and make a number of other changes to the voter-approved ballot measure.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) spoke about his marijuana legalization plan, describing how the state can learn from neighboring Massachusetts and how he wants an “an entrepreneurial strategy” for the market.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed medical cannabis reform legislation.
Tennessee’s lieutenant governor said he supports a proposed constitutional amendment to block the legalization of marijuana or other drugs.
Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor tweeted about new marijuana arrest data for 2020, saying, “🚨 In 2020, 20,000+ PA residents caught a new criminal charge for a plant 100% legal in NJ. We can instantly transform ‘20,000’ from charges 🔄 new jobs by saying yes to a plant 🪴. It’s really that simple. We must stop this madness in Pennsylvania. Legal Weed for ✅ PA.” He also tweeted, “Have an old marijuana arrest on your record? Start clearing that up today with our expedited program.”
The Arizona Senate passed a bill on marijuana social equity licensing, product tracking and safety warnings.
The Georgia Senate approved a bill to change hemp regulations.
The Florida House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee advanced a bill to place THC potency caps on medical cannabis. Separately, the state’s agriculture commissioner tweeted supportively about the reintroduction of a federal marijuana banking bill.
The Wyoming House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to study the potential future implementation of a medical cannabis program.
A Puerto Rico House committee approved a bill on employment protections for medical cannabis patients.
The Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee held a hearing on legislation to seal some marijuana convictions.
An Illinois representative held a press conference with advocates to tout forthcoming marijuana social equity licensing legislation.
Here’s a look at marijuana reform bills that New Jersey lawmakers are considering.
South Dakota officials say they are not tracking the amount of time or public resources being used to support attorneys working on a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization measure.
California regulators carried out enforcement actions against unlicensed marijuana businesses.
Missouri’s top medical cannabis regulator said there are no plans for when the state might reissue business licenses that were deactivated.
West Virginia’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Board met.
Nevada regulators will consider marijuana licensing issues on Tuesday.
The Washington State Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force Disproportionately Impacted Communities Workgroup will meet on Wednesday.
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Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 900 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
Denver, Colorado’s Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review panel met and decided on recommendations it will make to the City Council.
The Grandview, Illinois police chief is proposing handling marijuana cases at the local level instead of in county courts.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Thailand’s Government Public Relations Department will hold a press conference to “promote the practical uses of cannabis for medical treatment and medical product development” on Wednesday.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study of rats found that “treatment with doses of CBD ≥12.5 mg/kg markedly reduced lever responding for alcohol and amount of self-administered alcohol.”
A study suggested that “classic psychedelics may be beneficial to physical health.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The South Dakota Democratic Party tweeted, “Taxpayers are funding both sides of a lawsuit over legalized recreational marijuana in South Dakota. How much money have the South Dakota governor and attorney general spent on pot litigation? They’re not sure. “
The Kansas Democratic Party tweeted, “We need to pass Medical Marijuana in Kansas now!”
The Roanoke Times editorial board wants Virginia to only allow outdoor marijuana cultivation to reduce carbon emissions.
The Lincoln Journal Star editorial board criticized Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts’s (R) recent anti-marijuana comments.
New York Times columnist Ezra Klein wrote about his beneficial use of psychedelics.
/ BUSINESS
HEXO Corp. reported quarterly net revenue of $32.8 million and a net loss of $20.8 million.
Canopy Growth Corporation entered into a credit agreement to raise a $750 million senior secured term loan, with the ability to obtain up to an additional $500 million of incremental senior secured debt.
MedMen Enterprises Inc. sold C$20 million worth of units to fund its growth in Florida and other markets.
Cresco Labs is acquiring the Massachusetts operations Cultivate Licensing LLC and BL Real Estate LLC.
/ CULTURE
Willie Nelson spoke about growing momentum for marijuana reform.
The Avett Brothers, Jason Mraz and Michael Franti will headline a benefit concert held in the honor of the late CBD pioneer Charlotte Figi on April 7.
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