Newsletter
Senators demand DEA answer cannabis questions (Newsletter: January 31, 2024)
KS medical marijuana concerns; Irish cannabis vote; MO psilocybin; New THC testing method; NH legalization
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) led a group of 12 senators who sent a letter telling the Drug Enforcement Administration to fully legalize marijuana under federal law and demanding the agency answer questions about its ongoing cannabis scheduling review.
Kansas’s Republican Senate president says he’s concerned that legalizing medical cannabis could fuel “gang activity” and that he’s open to considering limited reform but that it must “protect our children.”
A New Hampshire House subcommittee held a hearing on a marijuana legalization bill, with the sponsor unveiling an amendment that departs from Gov. Chris Sununu’s (R) demand for legislation that would put the state in charge of running retail stores.
Ireland’s government is moving to delay a vote on advancing a marijuana legalization bill by nine months so the proposal can be reviewed by a special committee.
The Missouri House Veterans Committee held a hearing on a bill to legalize the medical use of psilocybin and mandate clinical trials exploring the therapeutic potential of the psychedelic.
Scientists say they have developed a new method to test for recent marijuana use with 96 percent accuracy. Instead of looking at THC alone in blood like standard tests, it focuses on the ratio of THC to THC-COOH.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin (R) rejected the language of a proposed ballot initiative to allow medical cannabis homegrow, remove the specific list of qualifying conditions and trigger recreational marijuana legalization after federal reform.
Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D) is sponsoring a bill to provide aid to marijuana social equity businesses and remove restrictions on cannabis license ownership by people with past drug convictions.
/ FEDERAL
Maine’s congressional delegation sent a letter pressing Attorney General Merrick Garland to crack down on illegal Chinese-owned marijuana operations in the state.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) tweeted, “It’s past time we deschedule—not reschedule—marijuana at the federal level.”
The House bill to protect people from being evicted from public housing for marijuana got one new cosponsor for a total of one.
The House bill to loosen restrictions on hemp farmers got one new cosponsor for a total of 11.
/ STATES
A West Virginia senator spoke about his bill to legalize marijuana.
North Carolina senators discussed the prospects of medical cannabis legislation.
New York regulators are facing additional litigation challenging their marijuana business licensing process.
Maryland regulators are facing a lawsuit challenging their marijuana social equity business licensing process.
The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board is considering reducing the ban on prior marijuana use by law enforcement recruits to six months from the current two years.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control sent a letter warning about unapproved foods and beverages containing hemp derivatives.
Colorado regulators filed rules concerning the use of pesticides on cannabis.
Ohio regulators published updated medical cannabis patient and caregiver numbers.
The Oregon Cannabis Commission met.
The Alaska Marijuana Control Board will meet on Wednesday and Thursday.
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/ LOCAL
Oakland, California’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission will meet on Thursday.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Germany’s Social Democratic Party added a sentence to its European Union election manifesto that reads, “We are committed to the responsible, rapid and European law-compliant legalization of cannabis and want to create the legal prerequisites for this.”
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A case study suggested that cannabinoid therapy “may be a viable alternative or complementary therapy for [discoid lupus erythematosus] in dogs, particularly for those experiencing adverse effects from conventional treatments.”
A study of mice found that “oral psilocybin and eugenol post-treatment significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators in the brain.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is hosting a two-day workshop on harm reduction services for people who use drugs.
The Wall Street Journal editorial board is cheering Oregon lawmakers’ moves to recriminalize drug possession.
The Cannabis Conference is a new coalition of advocacy groups focused on improving New York’s marijuana program.
/ BUSINESS
Jones Soda Co. is launching hemp derived delta-9 THC-infused craft sodas.
/ CULTURE
Basketball player Rajon Rondo was arrested on marijuana and gun charges.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
