Newsletter
Senate bill would regulate cannabis like tobacco (Newsletter: August 3, 2020)
Pelosi: Marijuana therapy “proven successful”; Study: Marijuana improves sex & orgasms for women; LA medical marijuana expansion takes effect
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said marijuana is a “therapy that has proven successful” in response to a question about whether cannabis banking provisions are germane to coronavirus relief legislation.
Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) filed a bill to federally legalize marijuana and regulate it like tobacco. U.S. Customs and Border Protection would be tasked with developing rules for cannabis imports and exports, and there would be a federal purchasing age limit of 21.
A new Louisiana law allowing doctors to recommend medical cannabis for any debilitating condition they see fit took effect. Other new laws that came into force protect banks from being punished by state regulators for working with marijuana businesses, set hemp and CBD rules and provide legal immunity for physicians and hospitals caring for medical cannabis patients.
A new study found that marijuana use is associated with “improved sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, and overall satisfaction” for women.
- “For each additional step of cannabis use intensity (ie, times per week), the odds of reporting female sexual dysfunction declined by 21%.”
/ FEDERAL
The House of Representatives passed a funding bill that includes provisions to protect state marijuana laws from Justice Department interference, shield banks from being punished by the Treasury Department for serving cannabis businesses, prevent universities from losing funds for studying marijuana and allow Washington, D.C. to legalize recreational sales.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) wrote a constituent letter explaining his opposition to legalizing marijuana.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he thinks decisions about marijuana should be made at the state level.
Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) sent a press release touting his work to secure language in sending legislation urging federal agencies to reconsider policies on firing workers for marijuana use.
Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) celebrated provisions he helped insert into a funding bill report that encourage marijuana research.
Rep. Justin Amash (L-MI) tweeted, “Congress goes another week without policing and justice reforms the people were promised and expected. End qualified immunity. End civil asset forfeiture. End the drug war. End no-knock warrants. End militarization of police. Let’s take items one by one—debate, amend, and vote!”
The House bill to deschedule marijuana and fund programs to repair the harms of the war on drugs got one new cosponsor for a total of 79.
The House bill to legalize medical cannabis for military veterans got one new cosponsor for a total of eight.
The House bill to protect military veterans from losing their benefits for marijuana use got one new cosponsor for a total of 19.
Florida Democratic congressional candidate Richard Thripp tweeted, “The DNC’s refusal to support universal healthcare and cannabis legalization is dividing the party. These policies both have widespread, bipartisan support, for good reason. We don’t want to hand Trump another 4 years of destroying our country.”
Florida Democratic congressional candidate Tom Wells tweeted, “This shouldn’t even be a debate. We cannot ignore the fact that the current marijuana criminalization policy has in too many cases been used to target people of color.”
/ STATES
Rhode Island Gina Raimondo (D) said she is going to continue pushing marijuana legalization.
U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. (D) vetoed a bill to change the composition of the territory’s medical cannabis regulatory body because he wants lawmakers to pass broader legislation to legalize marijuana.
The chances of qualifying an Idaho medical cannabis ballot measure seem diminished after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against a campaign pushing a separate education funding measure that had previously been granted the right to electronically collect signatures by a federal judge.
Ohio activists plan to try to qualify a marijuana legalization measure for the 2021 ballot.
A California court ruled that marijuana is not decriminalized in prisons.
The Virginia Marijuana Legalization Work Group held its first meeting on Friday, and the state’s Medical Cannabis Work Group will hold its first meeting on Monday.
Nevada tax officials approved a settlement in a case challenging the state’s marijuana business licensing process, contingent on approval from cannabis regulators.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands regulators will begin accepting marijuana business license applications on Tuesday.
Guam regulators are considering adding fines to marijuana rules.
Michigan regulators issued a bulletin about updated coronavirus-related policies for marijuana businesses.
Colorado regulators are holding a rulemaking work group on marijuana sustainability and science issues.
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/ LOCAL
A Des Moines, Iowa task force studying marijuana decriminalization held its first meeting.
The West Hollywood, California City Council is considering an anti-smoking proposal that would ban tobacco and cannabis smoking and vaping in enclosed common areas and new units in multi-family dwellings.
/ INTERNATIONAL
A South African judge ruled that a law criminalizing children for possessing or using marijuana is unconstitutional.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that there was “a 64–75% reduction in opioid dosage when used in combination with” medical cannabis, and that “opioid substitution was reported by 32–59.3% of patients with non-cancer chronic pain.”
Several midwestern universities are partnering to create a public hemp variety performance database.
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints updated its handbook to clarify that medical cannabis use is permissible but it “does not approve of the use of marijuana in smoking or vaping forms.”
/ BUSINESS
GW Pharmaceuticals’s CBD medication Epidiolex was approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex.
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen is starting a cannabis brand.
/ CULTURE
Former basketball player Magic Johnson spoke about his new partnership with Uncle Bud’s Hemp.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
