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White House officials talk up states’ cannabis rights (Newsletter: August 23, 2019)

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Feds publish article highlighting marijuana prohibition harms; DOD reiterates CBD ban; Florida legalization initiative filed

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Two officials with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said in separate interviews that it is up to states to decide whether they should legalize marijuana—comments that run in contrast with the longstanding approach of the “drug czar’s” office to oppose ending cannabis prohibition whenever possible.

The federal government, through the National Institutes of Health, paid to publish a new report—hosted on a dot gov site—that exposes how federal prohibition puts marijuana consumers at risk due to lack of regulatory oversight.

  • “At the federal level in the United States, cannabis is still considered an illegal drug. As a result, neither the Food and Drug Administration nor the Environmental Protection Agency has provided any guidance on how to regulate contaminants or on which cannabis-related exposures can be considered safe. States have had to determine on their own how to protect millions of cannabis users, and they have come up with widely varying responses. The result is an uncertain and occasionally incoherent regulatory landscape.”

A Department of Defense official reiterated the military’s concern over the use of CBD products on a press call this week.

  • “The problem is there is no regulatory framework to ensure that the CBD products being sold meet the Farm Act.”

A new political committee chaired by a MedMen official filed a proposed marijuana legalization measure for Florida’s 2020 ballot. It would allow medical cannabis dispensaries to sell marijuana to adults over 21 and does not include provisions for home cultivation.

/ FEDERAL

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating dozens of cases of severe lung illness that appear to be potentially associated with tobacco and/or marijuana vaping devices.

Customs and Border Protection officials imposed a lifetime ban on visiting the U.S. on a Canadian woman caught with CBD oil at the border.

Surgeon General Jerome Adams tweeted, “Wow. @JAMA_current piece showed calls to MA poison control centers more than doubled for kids 0-19 exposed to marijuana before & after legalization for med use. We need to protect kids from overdose, particularly from edibles & concentrated prods.”

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), a presidential candidate, delivered a video keynote address for a cannabis conference.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), a presidential candidate, tweeted, “As president I’ll end the failed war on drugs, legalize marijuana, end cash bail, and ban private prisons and bring about real criminal justice reform. I’ll crack down on the overreaching intel agencies and big tech monopolies who threaten our civil liberties and free speech.”

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) said she believes marijuana banking legislation will pass the House this year.

/ STATES

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed off on emergency medical cannabis regulations.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) reinstituted a marijuana legalization advocate as a member of the state’s cannabis regulatory board who was removed by the previous governor.

Questions are being raised about Florida’s agriculture commissioner having both a medical cannabis card and a firearms concealed carry permit.

California’s top marijuana regulator called Weedmaps’s announcement that it would restrict its platform to only licensed businesses “a step forward for the legal California cannabis industry.” Separately, officials reported that marijuana excise taxes brought in $74.2 million in revenue during the second quarter of 2019, while the cultivation tax generated $22.6 million.

The new Tennessee House Republican Caucus chairman has sponsored medical cannabis legislation for several sessions.

New Mexico regulators said that medical cannabis producers might have to destroy some plants under new cultivation limits.

New Jersey regulators said they received at least 198 applications for 24 medical cannabis dispensary permits over two days.

Michigan regulators published a marijuana licensing report.


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/ INTERNATIONAL

Australian regulators don’t seem concerned that illegally grown medical cannabis from the company CannTrust may have been imported into the country from Canada.

/ ADVOCACY

The chairman of Republican organization GOPAC misspoke about people “having just shot up with marijuana” in a Fox News appearance.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study concluded that “recreational marijuana legalization and availability did not have direct impact on newborns’ risk of [low birth weight] or [small for gestational age].”

A study of people who took psilocybin at a mindfulness retreat found that “the extent of ego dissolution and brain connectivity predicted positive changes in psycho-social functioning of participants 4 months later.”

/ OPINION & ANALYSIS

The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board said that Weedmaps’s decision to list only licensed businesses “bodes well for the legal marijuana industry.”

/ BUSINESS

New Leaf Data Services LLC added a defamation claim to a pending trademark violation lawsuit against Humboldt Marijuana Exchange LLC after the latter company allegedly retaliated with “false and baseless” accusation of racism and sexism.

/ CULTURE

Musician Ziggy Marley said he has been smoking marijuana since age nine.

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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

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Tom Angell is the editor of Marijuana Moment. A 20-year veteran in the cannabis law reform movement, he covers the policy and politics of marijuana. Separately, he founded the nonprofit Marijuana Majority. Previously he reported for Marijuana.com and MassRoots, and handled media relations and campaigns for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

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