Newsletter
Senate bill would let DC legalize cannabis sales (Newsletter: Nov. 21, 2017)
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How does Sessions memo affect marijuana?; MI signatures turned in; Canadian announcement
TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Analysis: How does a new memo issued by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions impact federal marijuana enforcement policy?
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-sessions-memo-impact-marijuana/
A new bill from powerful Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) would let Washington, D.C. spend its own money to legalize and regulate marijuana sales.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/top-gop-senators-bill-lets-dc-legalize-marijuana-sales/
Michigan activists turned in more than 360,000 signatures to qualify a marijuana legalization measure for the state’s 2018 ballot.
https://apnews.com/cc05cecb27764dd0b8f31b7db99232eb
FEDERAL
The New York Times Magazine looks at the U.S. Coast Guard’s stepped-up drug enforcement in international waters.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/magazine/the-coast-guards-floating-guantanamos.html
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted that “it’s time to end the misguided & counterintuitive War on Drugs.”
https://twitter.com/RepRoKhanna/status/932663022824411136
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D) said that descheduling marijuana would increase medical cannabis access.
https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/932760496377298946
STATES
New Jersey Gov.-elect Phil Murphy (D) spoke about his plans to legalize marijuana as a social justice move, calling it a “2018 priority.”
http://newjersey.news12.com/clip/13921864/video-full-interview-with-gov-elect-phil-murphy
The chairman of the state’s Legislative Black Caucus says he wants to hold hearings to explore marijuana legalization’s potential impact on communities of color before a bill is voted on.
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/11/not_so_fast_on_legalizing_pot_says_nj_senator.html
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) is being pressured by activists to move an already-qualified medical cannabis ballot measure from the November ballot to the June primary election.
http://okforhealth.org/call-to-action
Ohio regulators released a list of medical cannabis dispensary business license applicants.
https://medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/News?articleID=100
Middletown, Connecticut Mayor Dan Drew (D), a gubernatorial candidate, spoke about his support for marijuana legalization.
http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/CT-Politics-Gov-candidate-wants-to-legalize-12372587.php
Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Gronik supports marijuana legalization and wants to put a referendum on the ballot for voters to weigh in on.
https://twitter.com/andygronik/status/932662165693255681
California regulators awarded $1.3 million in grants to clean up coastal watersheds impacted by unregulated cannabis grows.
https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2017/11/20/cdfw-awards-1-3-million-for-restoration-in-watersheds-impacted-by-cannabis-cultivation/
Florida regulators are moving forward with a contract on producing medical cannabis patient ID cards despite a legal dispute about its awarding.
http://sunshinestatenews.com/story/state-moves-forward-disputed-medical-marijuana-id-contract
Pew looks at state efforts to let people expunge old marijuana convictions.
http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/11/20/in-these-states-past-marijuana-crimes-can-go-away
LOCAL
San Francisco, California Mayor Ed Lee (D) is calling for a ban on marijuana advertisements on public transit.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/mayor-lee-calls-muni-ban-cannabis-ads/
INTERNATIONAL
Canadian government ministers are set to make an ” announcement about the regulation of cannabis” on Tuesday.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2017/11/cannabis_regulatoryconsultation.html
And the government’s legalization bill is on the House of Commons schedule.
http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/house/projected-business
India’s Parliament will consider a bill to legalize marijuana and opium.
https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/a-private-member-s-bill-to-legalise-marijuana-to-be-tabled-in-parliament-during-winter-session-334110.html
Malta’s government is pushing to allow more doctors to provide medical cannabis products and to allow in-country production.
https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/proposal-for-all-doctors-to-be-allowed-to-prescribe-medicines-with-cannabis-substance/
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https://twitter.com/JosephMuscat_JM/status/932604213158465536
SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study of prospective memory found that “cannabis users do not differ from non-using controls.”
http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1574532/
OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that Arizona likely voters oppose legalizing marijuana, 48% – 38%.
https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2017/11/20/find-out-where-voters-stand-on-a-soda-tax-for.html
The Virginian-Pilot editorial board is supportive of decriminalizing marijuana but critical of a provision of a proposed Virginia bill that would revoke driver’s licenses from people caught with cannabis.
https://pilotonline.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-reducing-pot-possession-penalties-is-a-step-forward-in/article_bb6c953d-7de2-5764-b649-dec01aea8a9f.html
BUSINESS
MassRoots is suing founder and former CEO Isaac Dietrich. (Disclosure: I am a former employee and minority shareholder in the company.)
https://mjbizdaily.com/massroots-sues-former-ceo-alleges-theft-250k-drug-use-serious-misconduct/
Dietrich launched a proxy battle intended to oust the current board members who recently fired him.
http://www.thecannabist.co/2017/11/20/massroots-isaac-dietrich-proxy-battle/92548/
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https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1589149/000118518517002451/massroots-pre14a111617.htm
Nevada retailers sold $27.7 million worth of recreational marijuana products in September, generating $4.5 million in taxes.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/pot-news/nevadas-recreational-marijuana-sales-top-september-forecast/
Cannabis commerce platform LeafLink raised $10 million in a financing round including Snoop Dogg’s Casa Verde investment firm.
http://www.businessinsider.com/leaflink-raised-17-million-in-series-a-to-expand-cannabis-tech-2017-11
Here’s a look at the growth of the Marijuana Business Conference & Expo over the years.
https://mjbizdaily.com/chart-mjbizcon-produces-eye-popping-numbers/
CULTURE
Green Bay Packers player Aaron Jones was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of marijuana.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000880287/article/packers-aaron-jones-admits-to-smoking-marijuana-after-incident
