Newsletter
Sessions hosts drug policy event at conservative org (Newsletter: Dec. 6, 2017)
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LA & SF approve cannabis regulations; Congressman on states, guns & marijuana; OH controversy
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TOP THINGS TO KNOW
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will host a roundtable discussion about drug policy at the conservative Heritage Foundation on Friday.
https://twitter.com/dominicholden/status/938550088632283136
FEDERAL
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will hear a hemp industry challenge to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s position on CBD medical cannabis products on February 15.
https://mjbizdaily.com/cbd-drug-dea-hemp-battle-gets-february-court-date/
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) posted a video saying that if Republicans wants to pass legislation forcing states to respect each other’s concealed carry gun permits, Californians should be able to use medical marijuana anywhere too.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/let-marijuana-travel-states-guns-can-dem-congressman-says/
STATES
Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor (R), a gubernatorial candidate, is calling for a moratorium on issuing medical cannabis business licenses following the revelation that the state hired someone with a past felony drug conviction to score applications. Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley (D), also a gubernatorial candidate, expressed concern but didn’t call for a halt to licensing. Auditor of State Dave Yost (R), an attorney general candidate, supports a moratorium.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/state–regional-govt–politics/state-auditor-drug-dealer-scored-applications-for-ohio-pot-sites/Y0Oy5L0gFMVDrTzNhA8B8J/
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https://twitter.com/JMBorchardt/status/938442435574878209
But regulators said they will move ahead with processing licenses anyway.
http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/12/ohio_medical_marijuana_program_2.html
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) announced he wants to expand the state’s industrial hemp crop acreage by as much as 100 times.
https://www.governor.pa.gov/pennsylvania-expands-industrial-hemp-research-opportunities/
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is moving forward with a plan to drug test some food stamp recipients.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/04/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-moving-forward-drug-testing-some-food-stamp-recipients/919635001/
Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed said schools and roads could benefit from legal marijuana tax money.
https://twitter.com/AbdulElSayed/status/938504377228320771
Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alec Ross said that after marijuana legalization officials should be “reaching out to everyone who was arrested or convicted in Maryland and support them through the process” of having past convictions expunged.
https://twitter.com/AlecJRoss/status/938548708412678146
Connecticut Republican gubernatorial candidates discussed marijuana legalization at a debate.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/37012366/gop-candidates-for-governor-participate-in-first-debate
Massachusetts fiscal officials said recreational marijuana taxes could generate between $44 million and $82 million in revenue in the next fiscal year.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/12/06/marijuana-taxes-could-net-massachusetts-million-million-revenue-officials-say/NJiNfZ1Jwv0yfowFwGVnrM/story.html
Here are the presentations that regulators received this week from advisory subcommittees.
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/12/05/120517-Commission-Meeting.pdf
The chair of the Delaware Police Chiefs Council told the state’s marijuana legalization study commission that cannabis consumers should have a notification on their driver’s licenses to help law enforcement carry out gun restrictions. http://www.wboc.com/story/37008570/del-law-enforcement-officials-eye-gun-ban-for-marijuana-users
A New Jersey senator filed a marijuana decriminalization bill.
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp?BillNumber=S3588
New Hampshire representatives prefiled a bill to defelonize some drug offenses.
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/bill_status.aspx?lsr=2202&sy=2018&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2018&txtbillnumber=HB1792
Maryland’s Medical Cannabis Commission hired a new executive director.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-cannabis-commission-executive-director-20171206-story.html
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http://mmcc.maryland.gov/Pages/MMCC-press-release12012017.aspx
Indiana law enforcement officials and prohibitionist groups held a press conference to oppose marijuana law reform.
http://fox59.com/2017/12/06/indiana-prosecutors-to-discuss-stance-against-legalizing-marijuana/
LOCAL
The Los Angeles, California City Council voted 12-0 to approve legal marijuana regulations.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-marijuana-rules-20171205-story.html
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https://www.apnews.com/79644c77d2764af7ad4992cf3fe2e0bf/LA-will-become-largest-US-city-with-recreational-pot
San Francisco, California Mayor Ed Lee (D) signed marijuana legalization regulations into law.
https://twitter.com/mayoredlee/status/938533337416712192
A St. Louis, Missouri Board of Alderman committee will hold a hearing on a proposed marijuana legalization ordinance on Thursday.
https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/events/eventdetails.cfm?Event_ID=16505
A Northport, New York woman was busted smoking marijuana while parked in the local police chief’s spot outside a courthouse.
https://apnews.com/84a1731f28ea42a8aad034b8bd16aaf6
INTERNATIONAL
First Nation leaders in Canada say they want the right to set regulations for legal marijuana businesses in their communities.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/first-nations-want-to-set-own-rules-for-cannabis-sales/article37231232/
SCIENCE & HEALTH
Several National Institutes of Health components announced a funding opportunity to support “elucidate the therapeutic potential of the cannabinoids and endocannabinoid system in the development of mechanism-based therapies for pain.”
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-18-465.html
A Colorado State University study will examine marijuana dabbing’s impact on driving ability.
http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2017/12/06/first-its-kind-study-examine-dabbing-marijuana-and-driving/928726001/
The journal Addiction updated its conflict of interest policy to require disclosure of ties to the marijuana industry or legalization movement.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.14098/full
Here’s a look at increasing research on medical cannabis for pets.
https://apnews.com/b452a4566dba4cf5b0dca6f7c254c89d/Scientists-call-on-US-to-allow-research-on-pot-meds-for-pets
BUSINESS
An Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics report projects that retail cannabis sales will grow 33% from 2016 to nearly $10 billion this year.
https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/12/06/1234230/0/en/NEW-REPORT-Legal-Marijuana-Sales-to-Grow-33-to-10-Billion-in-2017.html
A Pew analysis suggests that more marijuana businesses are successfully opening bank accounts.
http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/12/06/why-its-getting-easier-for-marijuana-companies-to-open-bank-accounts
The Economist looks at the cannabis industry’s ongoing financial services issues.
https://www.economist.com/news/finance-economics/21732080-cash-they-must-work-vulnerable-crooks-cops-and-even-combustion
Reuters examines the trend of technology and finance entrepreneurs giving up high-paid corporate jobs to launch marijuana start-ups.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cannabis-investment-insight/high-tech-high-finance-and-high-times-for-u-s-pot-industry-idUSKBN1E01U1
The CEO of Oregon marijuana testing business OG Analytical is stepping down following allegations that she participates in neo-Nazi activities.
http://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/index.ssf/2017/12/eugene_cannabis_lab_owner_plan.html
Alaska regulators ordered marijuana edibles maker Frozen Budz to cease operations while they investigate suspicions it may have neglecting to have products properly tested.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/fairbanks-company-accused-of-skimping-on-marijuana-testing/article_899861fc-d994-11e7-9899-17caa7256b18.html
Lyft said marijuana dispensary The Reef is its 2017 Las Vegas “Trending Destination.”
https://take.lyft.com/thelyftieawards/
CULTURE
Scientist Bill Nye discusses marijuana and visits a dispensary during the new season of his Netflix show, debuting on December 29.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYZLxj1cyf0
The Onion has fun with psychedelic research:
- “FDA Confirms Psilocybin Reduces Risk Of Mindlessly Following Society’s Rules Like Fucking Lemming”
https://www.theonion.com/fda-confirms-psilocybin-reduces-risk-of-mindlessly-foll-1821046978
