Newsletter
Senate holds cannabis banking hearing (Newsletter: July 24, 2019)
Booker slams Biden’s drug war record & marijuana plan; POTUS candidate Yang on veterans & cannabis; Study: CBD can help ease stimulant addiction
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee held a hearing on cannabis banking issues. After delivering testimony, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) told Marijuana Moment he talks with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about the issue “constantly”—as recently as Monday, though only one Republican panel member even attended the hearing.
A new marijuana and criminal justice reform plan released by former Vice President Joe Biden (D), a presidential candidate, is under fire from rival contender Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) for being inadequate.
- “Joe Biden had more than 40 years to get this right. The proud architect of a failed system is not the right person to fix it… It’s not enough to tell us what you’re going to do for our communities, show us what you’ve done for the last 40 years. You created this system. We’ll dismantle it.”
Presidential candidate Andrew Yang’s new military veterans plan would allow medical cannabis “waivers and prescriptions for veterans residing in states that currently don’t allow for personal use or medical exceptions for marijuana use.”
A scientific review concluded that “CBD may reduce problems related with crack-cocaine addiction, such as withdrawal symptoms, craving, impulsivity and paranoia” and is a “promising candidate” to treat methamphetamine, cocaine and other stimulant use disorders.
/ FEDERAL
Vice President Mike Pence abruptly canceled a trip to New Hampshire so that he wouldn’t have to shake hands with a man being investigated for large-scale fentanyl sales.
The Food and Drug Administration sent a letter warning Curaleaf, Inc. about its CBD products.
The House Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce is expected to consider legislation on studies and funding aimed at stopping driving under the influence of marijuana and other drugs.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) tweeted, “A $15 minimum wage is popular. Expanding Medicaid is popular. Women’s reproductive freedom is popular. Bold climate action is popular. Making prescription drugs more affordable is popular. Fighting racism is popular. Marijuana legalization is popular. Run on the popular stuff!”
Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA) appeared on a marijuana podcast.
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) tweeted about discussing hemp with the Illinois Department of Agriculture director.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) tweeted, simply, “Legalize marijuana.”
The House bill to respect state marijuana laws got one new cosponsor, for a total of 60.
The House bill to let Department of Veterans Affairs doctors recommend medical cannabis got one new cosponsor, for a total of 17.
/ STATES
Mississippi Republican gubernatorial candidates agreed on opposing medical cannabis during a debate.
Alaska’s lieutenant governor signed regulations changes on marijuana handler permits and license denials.
Arizona’s House speaker pro tem said lawmakers may have to pass a marijuana legalization bill to ward off a more far-reaching voter initiative. Separately, a senator shared an image meme claiming that cannabis causes malaria and leprosy.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands lawmakers are reviewing legislation to amend the territory’s legal marijuana law.
A Wisconsin representative published an op-ed on the benefits of legalizing marijuana.
Washington State regulators moved to eased traceability reporting requirements for marijuana products. Separately, they are hosting a forum on draft marijuana testing rules on August 22.
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/ LOCAL
The Juneau, Alaska Assembly approved an ordinance allowing on-site consumption at marijuana retail locations.
Activists in Marco Island, Florida are taking the proactive step of pushing a ballot measure to ban recreational marijuana businesses ahead of potential statewide legalization.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro removed independent members from a council that helps set drug policies.
/ ADVOCACY
The Family Research Council published a blog post criticizing the House Judiciary Committee for hosting a “pro-pot panel” that “made many fantastic and outlandish claims to support the legalization of recreational marijuana use.”
The Texas District and County Attorneys Association tweeted a photo of an ominous-looking piece of mail it received urging that its members “stop putting people in jail over a plant.”
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study demonstrated “CBDs’ defensive role against pest insects, which suggests its possible use as an insecticide.”
A study found that “CBD alone, but not THC alone, significantly attenuated fear-memory reconsolidation when administered immediately after recall” and that “CBD may provide a novel treatment strategy for targeting fear-memories.”
A preliminary study on the use of MDMA to treat alcohol use disorder found “no serious adverse events related to MDMA, no unexpected physiological responses to the MDMA sessions or changes to blood results or electrocardiograms” and concluded that “the treatment is well- tolerated,” with “longer-term outcomes of drinking behaviour” to be reported later.
/ BUSINESS
The chairman and CEO of CannTrust Holdings Inc. were reportedly informed the company was growing cannabis in unlicensed rooms several months before regulators discovered the violations.
Spuds Ventures LLC is using the Spuds MacKenzie brand to market CBD pet products following a lawsuit settlement with Anheuser-Busch InBev.
The Coca-Cola Company’s CEO said that the company is so far doing “nothing” regarding CBD-infused drinks.
The CEO of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company published an op-ed on the need for marijuana business banking access.
/ CULTURE
Tennis player John Isner signed an endorsement deal with CBD-infused beverage maker Defy.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
