Newsletter
US mayors call on feds to reform cannabis laws (Newsletter: June 12, 2018)
Sessions meets with CO cops; MD gov candidate talks to Marijuana Moment; CA enforcement funds axed
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted resolutions calling on the federal government to deschedule marijuana and urging local jurisdictions to expunge cannabis convictions. In a related development, a collection of mayors from major cities is forming a new advocacy organization focused on campaigning for federal cannabis reform and effective local legalization implementation.
Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous spoke to Marijuana Moment about his plans for marijuana legalization and how comedian Dave Chappelle was the first person who tried to convince him of the merits of ending cannabis prohibition.
/ FEDERAL
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions discussed marijuana legalization with Colorado law enforcement.
The top U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official in New York said that the agency will keep enforcing federal marijuana laws until they are changed.
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) spoke about their support for new marijuana legislation. Sullivan also tweeted, “This a state-based solution to areas where state and federal marijuana laws are in conflict.”
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) tweeted her support for legalizing hemp.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) tweeted, “Red & blue states alike have taken their own thoughtful approaches to marijuana. Now, 12 governors – led by @MassGovernor Baker – have endorsed my bipartisan bill to end the confusion between states & the federal gov’t, & fix our broken marijuana policy.”
Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) wants President Trump to give clemency to far more drug war prisoners.
Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) tweeted, “Encouraged to hear support from @POTUS about @SenCoryGardner’s #STATESact, which I helped draft w @RepDaveJoyce. Legal #cannabis businesses deserve an opportunity to operate like any other #SmallBiz. Supporting them ensures safer, regulated #marijuana usage in states like Florida.”
Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) claimed that marijuana-related traffic deaths are rising in Colorado.
Former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) spoke about his support for marijuana law reform.
/ STATES
California lawmakers omitted a proposed $14 million for enforcement against unlicensed marijuana cultivation in a budget agreement. And here’s a look at problems with the state’s hemp program.
Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidates discussed marijuana policy during a forum.
A New Mexico judge reduced a punishment against a medical cannabis company that displayed a marijuana plant at the State Fair.
Here’s a look at how Vermont’s new marijuana legalization law interacts and sometimes conflicts with the state’s existing medical cannabis program.
Alaska regulators released a report on inconsistencies in marijuana testing results.
Louisiana regulators met to discuss expansions to the state’s medical cannabis program.
Michigan regulators sent a bulletin saying that “provisioning center” is the preferred terminology for medical cannabis dispensaries.
/ LOCAL
A number of local police departments in California have reportedly seized legal marijuana, along with cash, without filing charges.
Denver, Colorado’s mayor, who campaigned against marijuana legalization, said he’s “converted” on the issue and that “the sky hasn’t fallen like I thought it would.”
Las Vegas, Nevada regulators will hold a meeting on marijuana social use areas on June 27.
/ INTERNATIONAL
UK customs officials seized medical cannabis oil from a mother who was bringing it back from Canada for her epileptic son. The government then rejected a request to return the medicine.
Swiss lawmakers voted to reject a proposal to allow marijuana use in scientific studies.
The head of Canada’s marijuana legalization task force is urging companies to closely follow regulators’ rules.
Here’s a look at how Uruguay’s marijuana legalization implementation is going.
Human rights groups are asking the International Criminal Court to investigate drug war killings by Mexico’s military.
Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe claimed he met a woman whose life was destroyed by marijuana.
/ ADVOCACY
The American Bankers Association said it “welcomes” legislation to allow banks to work with marijuana businesses.
Smart Approaches to Marijuana’s Kevin Sabet and a AAA representative teamed up on an op-ed tying legalization to car crashes.
The Democratic Party of New Mexico tweeted, “Medical marijuana is helping thousands of New Mexicans battling chronic illnesses — we cannot allow Republicans to drag us backwards on this issue!”
The New York City Bar Association is endorsing marijuana legalization legislation.
The New York Cannabis Bar Association filed a Freedom of Information Law request for documents about the state’s marijuana legalization study.
Transform Drug Policy Foundation is leading a lobby day at the UK Parliament to push for ending the war on drugs on June 26.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study of marijuana use in Washington State found “a small and not statistically significant increase of 1.2 percentage points in past-year use prevalence” and suggested that “changes in the social acceptability and legal status of marijuana after legalization may have increased reporting of pre-legalization use compared with concurrent assessments.”
A study of cohabiting marijuana-using couples found that cannabis use “did not alter the likelihood of physical aggression” but that it did “contribute to the occurrence of relationship conflict and verbal aggression.”
A study of patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease found that “extracts from cannabis sativa showed anti-atherogenic properties, decreasing the amount as well as the rate of LDL-lipid oxidation and also the production of foam cells.”
The journal Addition published a series of letters on cannabis as a substitute for opioids.
/ OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that French adults support legalizing marijuana, 51%-40%.
/ BUSINESS
Marijuana media company Prøhbtd raised $8 million in Series A funding.
Hightimes Holdings’s revenue continues to decline, a new filing shows.
The Associated Press is hosting a Twitter chat on Wednesday about covering marijuana.
Cannabis publisher Lift & Co. and MADD Canada are teaming up on an initiative to train marijuana retail employees.
Colorado retailers sold $124.31 million worth of marijuana products in April.
Marijuana Business Daily is hiring an associate publisher.
/ CULTURE
Former NBA player Dennis Rodman traveled to the Singapore summit between President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un with sponsorship from marijuana cryptocurrency PotCoin.
Actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Lake Bell spoke about the health benefits of marijuana at a conference.
Comedian Sarah Silverman tweeted about CBD cream.
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