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Schumer’s cannabis bill finally introduced (Newsletter: July 21, 2022)
Bipartisan psychedelics & marijuana access bill; US eyes another Russian cannabis case; DEA sued for blocking records; Fed CBD drug test warning
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) finally filed a long-anticipated federal marijuana legalization bill that contains several significant changes from a draft version they circulated last year.
Bipartisan lawmakers—including Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rand Paul (R-KY), along with Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Nancy Mace (R-SC)—filed legislation to clarify that terminally ill patients can access marijuana and psychedelics such as psilocybin and MDMA under Right to Try laws despite Drug Enforcement Administration resistance.
A senior Biden administration official said the U.S. is actively looking into another case of an American citizen being held in Russia over a marijuana-related offense. Though he is also a medical cannabis patient, he hasn’t yet been classified as “wrongfully detained” like American basketball player Brittney Griner has been.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is being sued for allegedly adopting “an unlawful policy and pattern or practice” of unnecessarily delaying Freedom of Information Act requests for documents about marijuana and psychedelics policies.
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration is reminding federally regulated truck drivers and other workers that they can still be fired for marijuana despite state law—and that even legal CBD products can result in positive THC drug tests.
/ FEDERAL
U.S. Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer and several members of Congress spoke at a marijuana symposium, alongside former top Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services officials.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is establishing a new Office of the Associate Director for Science that will, among other things, be charged with coordinating “agency-wide and cross-agency cannabis-related surveillance, research activities, and communications activities” and providing “technical assistance for cannabis-related programmatic activities.”
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) cheered the House’s passage of a spending bill that does not contain a rider blocking Washington, D.C. from legalizing marijuana sales.
Rep. Barbra Lee (D-CA) spoke on the House floor about appropriations riders to protect state cannabis laws from federal interference.
Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) criticized President Joe Biden for not doing enough to free Americans who are incarcerated for marijuana while his administration works to aid American basketball player Brittney Griner, who is on trial in Russia for possessing cannabis vapes there.
/ STATES
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) deflected a question about whether he would support allowing medical cannabis patients to grow their own.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) tweeted, “From the success we saw at Hemp Acres in Waconia, it’s clear that it’s in our state’s best interest to keep pushing for progress in the hemp and cannabinoid industries and #LegalizeMN”
Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried, currently the agriculture commissioner, criticized congressional leaders’ decision to block a veterans-focused medical cannabis amendment from advancing.
Texas Democratic agriculture commissioner candidate Susan Hays criticized the incumbent for allegedly having “been so corrupt with the hemp program.”
A North Carolina senator spoke about efforts to work with the House of Representatives to pass his medical cannabis bill.
A Pennsylvania representative spoke about the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy for PTSD.
South Dakota’s first state-licensed medical cannabis dispensary is expected to open next week.
New York marijuana regulators’ chief counsel stepped down.
A Colorado Department of Transportation survey found that fewer Coloradans believe that they would receive a DUI for driving under the influence of cannabis (54 percent) than alcohol (70 percent).
Nevada regulators will hold a hearing on proposed changes to marijuana labeling rules on Tuesday.
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Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 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
The Denton, Texas City Council elected to place a marijuana decriminalization initiative on the November ballot instead of enacting the reform immediately.
The Deschutes County, Oregon Commission voted to place a measure on the November ballot to ban psilocybin services businesses.
The Racine, Wisconsin Common Council voted to place an advisory marijuana legalization referendum on the November ballot.
The Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Commission discussed a proposal to lower the fine for marijuana possession to $1, and are expected to vote on the reform on August 2.
The Sacramento, California City Council voted to put a measure on the November ballot that would direct the equivalent of 40 percent of cannabis business tax revenue annually from the general fund toward youth programs.
Denver, Colorado officials released an annual marijuana report.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court rejected a judicial review of the country’s narcotics law that could have opened the door to legalizing medical cannabis.
Ireland’s junior minister responsible for the country’s drug strategy met privately with an anti-cannabis group of doctors.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that “cannabidiol improves random-pattern skin flap survival in rats.”
A study indicated “interesting potential analgesic applications for psychedelics.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll of British Columbia, Canada adults found that 60 percent would not protest a marijuana store being located within three blocks of their home.
The Kentucky Democratic Party tweeted, “Republican legislators in Frankfort think they will face zero consequences in November for refusing to legalize medical cannabis. You can prove them wrong.”
/ BUSINESS
A Curaleaf dispensary in Arizona is seeking to overturn the results of a union election, in part because federal labor officials let workers vote by mail, instead of in person.
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