Newsletter
Trump has bill that would allow medical cannabis (and more) (Newsletter: May 23, 2018)
New Zealand weighs legalization vote timing; House passes prison reform; Matthew McConaughey & Snoop Dogg consumed cannabis together
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Seriously ill patients would be allowed to use medical cannabis — and potentially MDMA and psilocybin — under legislation sent to President Trump’s desk by the U.S. House of Representatives. The “Right to Try” bill would allow terminal patients to access drugs that have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration but which are undergoing clinical trials.
/ FEDERAL
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a prison reform bill by a vote of 360-59.
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) spoke about his support for legislation to encourage the Department of Veterans Affairs to study medical cannabis.
A bipartisan group of members of Congress is urging President Trump to keep the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program within the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
/ STATES
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) and legislative leaders have spoken about plans to solve medical cannabis businesses’ banking access issues.
Arizona’s Supreme Court is expected to rule Wednesday in a case concerning medical cannabis on college campuses.
Massachusetts regulators gave preliminary approval to 205 priority applicants for marijuana business licenses.
Questions are being raised about how Illinois Democratic gubernatorial candidate JB Pritzker’s plan to legalize marijuana could benefit relatives who are involved in the cannabis industry.
Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Flynn said he would legalize marijuana and would pardon and release from custody anyone with nonviolent cannabis possession convictions.
Ohio regulators rescheduled a planned Wednesday meeting to announce the winners of medical cannabis dispensary licenses for June.
A Pennsylvania judge halted the state’s medical cannabis research plans. Meanwhile, regulators are defending a move to shield from the public information about the scorers of medical marijuana business license applications.
New York lawmakers hosted a forum on hemp issues.
/ LOCAL
The Los Angeles County, California Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution supporting state legislation to expunge marijuana convictions.
The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania City Council’s Public Safety Committee gave unanimous initial approval to a proposed marijuana decriminalization ordinance.
A Kern County, California supervisor says she’ll abstain from future marijuana policy votes due to her husband’s work as a consultant to cannabis businesses.
Local district attorneys in upstate New York are not yet joining New York City counterparts in refusing to prosecute marijuana cases.
/ INTERNATIONAL
New Zealand’s government is trying to decide whether to hold a promised marijuana legalization voter referendum in 2019 or 2020.
A Russian restaurant chain was fined for violating the law by depicting cannabis leaves on its menu.
Mexican regulators said a delay in issuing rules governing medical cannabis is due to the fact that they are still reviewing public comments on the matter. Separately, former President Vicente Fox said legalizing marijuana works.
Ireland’s health commissioner gave an update on the implementation of a medical cannabis access program.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study of three patients with epidermolysis found that they “reported faster wound healing, less blistering, and amelioration of pain with cannabidiol use.”
A study found that since the legalization of medical cannabis in Hawaii, “THC-positivity among [motor vehicle crash] fatalities has tripled statewide, and THC-positivity among patients presenting to the highest level trauma center has doubled.”
A study suggested that “the legalization of medical marijuana has resulted in an insignificant change in medicinal marijuana use in” patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
/ OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that 63% of New Mexico adults support legalizing marijuana.
/ CULTURE
Actor Matthew McConaughey said Snoop Dogg got him high on a movie set.
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