Newsletter
Trump talks cannabis on secret recording (Newsletter: January 27, 2020)
Andrew Yang pushes legal psilocybin for veterans; Tom Steyer backs decriminalizing opioids; Austin police to continue marijuana arrests
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
President Trump can be heard saying marijuana use makes people “lose IQ points” in a new secretly recorded video in which he also discusses cannabis businesses’ access to banks and marijuana’s role as a potential opioid alternative.
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang said at a town hall meeting that he wants to legalize psychedelic mushrooms for military veterans. He also spoke about ending federal cannabis prohibition, pardoning people incarcerated for weed on 4/20 and high-fiving them on their way out of jail.
Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer’s new criminal justice reform plan includes legalizing marijuana, decriminalizing opioids, banking for cannabis businesses and ending the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity, among other reforms.
- “Tom believes we must end the failed War on Drugs. Based on the flawed idea that incarceration is the answer to addiction, federal and state elected officials passed severe sentencing laws that encouraged incarceration for low-level drug offenses. Unfortunately, communities of color were and continue to be disproportionately affected and targeted by these laws, even when other ethnicities were committing the same drug crimes at the same rates.”
The Austin, Texas police chief said marijuana arrests will continue in the city despite a unanimous City Council vote aimed at ending such cannabis enforcement.
/ FEDERAL
A Department of Health and Humans Services clerical error meant that the Trump administration’s public health emergency on opioids lapsed for nine days.
The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia tweeted, “Concerned that people with serious health issues may defer real treatment to self-treat based on UNPROVEN health claims by CBD sellers. FOLLOW ADVICE OF REAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. Don’t rely on UNPROVEN claims that might be wrong or worse. Could be very dangerous or fatal.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D), a presidential candidate, spoke about clearing marijuana records.
Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD) cited the case of a child being separated from their mother over a prior marijuana possession charge in a letter to Acting Homeland Security Sec. Chad Wolf.
The House bill to deschedule marijuana and fund programs to repair the harms of the drug war got one new cosponsor for a total of 69.
/ STATES
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) said she will use diplomacy instead of hardball tactics to win over skeptical lawmakers on marijuana legalization.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) spoke about efforts to ensure equity in the marijuana industry for communities harmed by the drug war.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s (R) office is expected to propose an amendment to pending hemp legislation.
California’s insurance commissioner said his department will use its discretion on applications from people with past marijuana convictions who want to be licensed to become an insurance agents or brokers. Separately, here’s a look at how the state’s cannabis revenue is allocated.
Kentucky’s agriculture commissioner tweeted about meeting with the Kentucky Hemp Industries Association and the Kentucky Hemp Farmers Association.
The Louisiana Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Monday in a case challenging a life sentence over selling $30 worth of marijuana.
A Massachusetts judge granted a temporary injunction against Cambridge’s plan to give economic empowerment marijuana business license applicants a two-year head start over existing medical cannabis dispensaries. Separately, the legislature’s Joint Committee on Cannabis approved a bill to let regulators review agreements and payments between marijuana businesses and the communities that host them. And regulators moved the medical cannabis dispensary license application process to an online portal.
The Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee and House Judiciary Committee will hold Tuesday hearings on legislation to overhaul medical cannabis regulations.
Florida regulators filed hemp seed rules.
Questions are being raised about the propriety of a top Michigan marijuana regulator being married to the head of a lobbying firm that works on cannabis issues. Separately, regulators sent a bulletin about temporary marijuana events.
Montana regulators provided updated medical cannabis patient statistics.
Missouri regulators released the final scores for medical cannabis dispensary license applicants.
A Tennessee senator filed a marijuana legalization bill.
Washington State regulators discussed hemp regulations and other cannabis issues in a newsletter.
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/ LOCAL
Denver, Colorado police will host an event on marijuana retail outlet safety on Wednesday.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Uganda’s health minister will put a proposal on guidelines for growing cannabis before the Cabinet on Monday.
Several Irish lawmakers are acknowledging their past marijuana use.
A Philippine senator speculated that the cancellation of his U.S. visa may have been due to extrajudicial killings in the nation’s bloody “drug war” during his time as chief of the Philippine National Police.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study concluded that “in addition to the symptomatic therapy of cancer patients, the antitumor effects of cannabinoids (whether in monotherapy or in combination with other cancer therapies) have promising potential in the treatment of cancer patients.”
A study found that “smartphone-based marijuana testing is more accurate than urine-based tests but slightly less accurate than oral fluid based testing.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that 45% of U.S. adults are more likely to support criminal justice reform if it meant nationwide legalization of marijuana, while 22% would be less likely to support it.
/ BUSINESS
Aphria Inc. secured a $100 million strategic investment from an institutional investor.
Levi Strauss & Co. has developed an optimized method of making clothing out of hemp.
MediPharm Labs Corp. is suing an unnamed Canadian marijuana producer relating to outstanding payment of approximately $9.8 million.
Coda Signature’s marijuana products will be included in gift bags given to Academy Award nominees.
Someone stole cannabis from a marijuana amnesty box at Chicago Midway Airport.
/ CULTURE
Wrestler Fred Rosser said he has used CBD to deal with pain.
Rapper Snoop Dogg visited a Massachusetts marijuana dispensary.
Police said they found marijuana in the car of football player Kareem Hunt.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
