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Will cannabis be in Congress’s omnibus spending bill? (Newsletter: December 12, 2022)

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NY marijuana delivery rules; CT legal sales start date; AMA study: Psychedelics legal in most states by 2037; Vets groups want cannabis bill passed

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Congressional leaders plan to soon file an omnibus spending bill, and advocates will be watching to see if the SAFE Plus package of marijuana banking and expungements—as well as cannabis provisions from past appropriations bills—will be included.

New York’s Office of Cannabis Management published guidance on how licensed marijuana dispensaries can begin sales via direct-to-consumer deliveries while their storefronts are being built out.

The Food and Drug Administration posted a notice about efforts to fill “data gaps” on cannabis and CBD products while at the same time touting its work to help Minnesota regulators crack down on delta-8 THC sales.

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection announced that legal recreational marijuana sales will begin in the state on January 10.

The Kansas legislature’s Special Committee on Medical Marijuana held a hearing to discuss plans to finalize a legalization bill that lawmakers can consider in the 2023 session. Members will tour a cannabis cultivation facility in neighboring Missouri this week.

A new scientific analysis published by the American Medical Association predicts that most U.S. states will legalize psychedelics by 2037, finding that the movement to allow use of psilocybin and other entheogens “is becoming a bipartisan issue.”

Disabled American Veterans, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, AMVETS and other groups sent a letter urging congressional leaders to pass legislation directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to study the medical benefits of cannabis.

/ FEDERAL

The office of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) touted press coverage of his successful effort to keep marijuana banking provisions out of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) is calling on President Joe Biden to do more to free another American citizen who is detained in Russia for medical cannabis.

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) tweeted, “PA resident Marc Fogel is jailed in Russia for reasons almost identical to Brittney Griner. With my PA colleagues, I have urged the State Department to prioritize his release. The Biden Admin brought home a celebrity—it must work just as hard to bring home everyday Americans too.”

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) tweeted, “BIPOC cannabis entrepreneurs face unequal access to financial services. As we work to decriminalize marijuana across the country, we must ensure equitable industry growth so as not to further harm communities already impacted by the failed War on Drugs.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted about voting against the National Defense Authorization Act, saying it “includes egregious funding to extend the failed War on Drugs mentality in Colombia that has led to some of the worst human rights abuses in the world.”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) tweeted, “The only place cannabis is controversial is in the Capitol… 🙃”

The House bill to facilitate state-level marijuana expungements got one new cosponsor for a total of seven.

/ STATES

Oregon lawmakers are considering legislation to increase penalties for illegal marijuana cultivation.

A former Florida senator authored an op-ed calling on U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) to support federal marijuana banking legislation.

New York regulators appealed the injunction a judge placed on awarding recreational marijuana dispensary licenses in parts of the state.

Missouri regulators posted a timeline on next steps for launching the state’s recreational marijuana market.

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Testing Advisory Council issued recommendations.

New Jersey regulators posted guidance on the Social Equity Excise Fee that is imposed on cannabis sales.

The California State Fair announced it will host a state-sanctioned cannabis competition again in 2023.

Vireo Health dropped its lawsuit against Minnesota regulators that sought the right to sell THC edibles to all adults and not just medical cannabis patients.

Vermont regulators announced a partnership with NCS analytics to build a cannabis analytics platform for inventory tracking.

Alaska’s Advisory Task Force on Recreational Marijuana will meet on Monday.

Nevada regulators will consider changes to marijuana rules and other cannabis business issues on Monday and Tuesday.


Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

/ LOCAL

Portland, Oregon police raided an unlicensed storefront that was selling psilocybin.

The Hays County, Texas district attorney is asking the state attorney general to issue an opinion on the local voter-approved marijuana decriminalization initiative.

Los Angeles, California regulators held a marijuana social equity retail license lottery.

An Eau Claire County, Wisconsin supervisor spoke about the need to legalize marijuana.

/ INTERNATIONAL

The European Parliament hosted an event on psychedelic-assisted therapy.

The Canadian government finalized amendments on marijuana research, testing and infused beverages.

A German lawmaker is urging the health minister to “quickly” submit a marijuana legalization bill.

A UK member of Parliament authored an op-ed calling for a move away from prohibitionist drug policies.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review concluded that “some lower quality studies have reported ‘next day’ effects of THC on cognitive function and safety-sensitive tasks” but that “most studies, including some of higher quality, have found no such effect,” such that “overall, it appears that there is limited scientific evidence to support the assertion that cannabis use impairs ‘next day’ performance.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

A poll of Michigan likely voters found that 41 percent want to keep the current medical cannabis system intact, 25 percent support expanding patients’ rights and 21 percent want to restrict their rights.

The NAACP’s vice chair authored an op-ed calling on the Senate to pass marijuana banking legislation.

The Heritage Foundation published a report on what it says are the harms of high-potency cannabis.

The New York Post editorial board said a study showing an increase in calls to poison control centers about youth marijuana intoxication should slow the move toward legalization.

/ BUSINESS

Trulieve, Inc. is facing a potential class-action lawsuit over allegations it failed to give adequate notice before laying off employees.

Canopy Growth Corporation executives will ring the Nasdaq opening bell on Monday.

TerrAscend Corp. and Canopy USA, LLC announced an agreement to convert C$125.5 million in aggregate loans plus accrued interest in exchange for shares.

COMPASS Pathways plc presented positive results from its trials of psilocybin therapy in type II bipolar disorder and treatment-resistant depression.

Colombia Care Inc. released its first Corporate Social Responsibility report.

/ CULTURE

Neil deGrasse Tyson spoke about his reluctance to try psychedelics.

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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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