OK marijuana challenges dismissed; AR voters back legalization; Congressman: Drug testing hurts economy; DOD CBD warning; Peyote lobbying in Congress
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed 10 marijuana bills into law—including ones on interstate commerce, employment protections, record sealing, medical cannabis for animals and more.
Oklahoma’s Supreme Court rejected two challenges to a marijuana legalization ballot measure, but two more are still pending. The justices appear to be setting themselves up to decide whether the measure can appear on the November ballot this week.
A new poll shows that 59 percent of Arkansas likely voters plan to support the marijuana legalization initiative on the November ballot—despite a well-funded opposition campaign that’s being backed by the governor and the state’s two U.S. senators.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) spoke about how ending employment-related marijuana testing policies can help address labor shortages and supply chain issues.
The Department of Defense is warning service members that using any cannabis products—including hemp granola or CBD-infused hand sanitizer—can compromise “military readiness” and is therefore banned and punishable.
Leaders of the Native American Church of North America held meetings on Capitol Hill last week to advocate for a plan to use $5 million in federal funding to support peyote cultivation and preservation.
A new poll finds that two out of three Pennsylvania voters support legalizing marijuana. The results come as cannabis and drug policy issues are playing a key role in the state’s high-profile races for U.S. Senate and governor.
/ FEDERAL
President Joe Biden met with the wife of American basketball player Brittney Griner, who is incarcerated in Russia after pleading guilty to possessing cannabis vapes.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a notice on federally mandated drug tests.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held a hearing in a lawsuit challenging Illinois’s residency rules for marijuana dispensary owners.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded $21 million in grants to two hemp research and development projects through its Climate-Smart Commodity Program.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) tweeted, “Cannabis businesses should have access to safe banking. I’m going to keep fighting to get this done. Let them bank!”
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) tweeted, “Spoke to female veterans at the [Wounded Warrior Project] this week. Somehow we got on medical cannabis – and once the #StatesReformAct came up — these women loved discussing the protections for veterans in our bill. We discussed ways cannabis can help our vets — amazing group of women!”
Missouri Senate candidates discussed marijuana legalization at a debate.
Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman, currently the lieutenant governor, sent a fundraising email about a meeting of Republican politicians with the subject line, “Nightmare blunt rotation.”
/ STATES
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) sent a reminder about the September 30 deadline to apply for relief under the Marijuana Pardon Project.
New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin, currently a congressman, criticized state regulators’ move to give priority access to marijuana dispensary licenses for people with prior convictions.
Colorado Republican gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl tweeted, “We need to do more studies on the impacts of marijuana, but the people of Colorado shouldn’t have to suffer from previously poor legislation.”
Washington, D.C.’s deputy mayor for operations and infrastructure touted the District’s moves to expand medical cannabis access.
Texas’s agriculture commissioner and his Democratic opponent discussed their views on marijuana policy.
Florida Democratic chief financial officer candidate Adam Hattersley tweeted, “As Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, I will have a seat on the clemency board. While Ron Desantis and the Florida GOP have failed to meaningfully do their job to grant clemency to nonviolent marijuana offenders, I look forward to serving in this critical role.”
Wisconsin senators participated in a chat about whether the state will legalize marijuana.
California’s system of local approvals for marijuana businesses has “spawned a wave of corruption, threats and secret financial deals for politicians,” according to a Los Angeles Times analysis.
Missouri regulators transferred another $13 million in medical cannabis revenue to the Veterans Commission.
An Idaho law banning the sale of pet products containing hemp and CBD goes into effect on November 1.
North Dakota regulators published an annual report on the medical cannabis program.
Michigan regulators posted resources on verifying marijuana business licenses and making compliance order payments.
New Jersey regulators are looking to hire a cannabis business development representative.
Alaska regulators will consider marijuana business issues on Wednesday and Thursday.
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/ LOCAL
Wichita, Kansas’s mayor addressed confusion surrounding the City Council’s vote to decriminalize marijuana and fentanyl testing strips.
A Shreveport, Louisiana mayoral candidate said he wants to legalize marijuana.
The Washoe County, Nevada Commission will consider whether to allow marijuana consumption lounges in unincorporated areas on Tuesday.
The Virginia Beach, Virginia City Council is considering forming a cannabis task force to prepare for any future state legislation to allow marijuana sales.
Hennepin County, Minnesota prosecutor candidates agreed during a debate that they would not charge people for marijuana possession.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Germany’s finance minister said the country will legalize marijuana by next year.
Disagreements over a Thai cannabis and hemp regulation bill are causing divides in the governing coalition. Separately, the Department of Health signed a memorandum with a testing laboratory to monitor THC and CBD content in food products.
The Canadian Supreme Court heard a challenge to Quebec’s ban on home cultivation of cannabis.
A former Ugandan minister of agriculture, animal industry and fisheries is pushing lawmakers to examine the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “cannabinoid preparations may be effective in the treatment of some chronic pain disorders, particularly in neuropathic pain, and should be considered as a possible therapeutic choice in the absence of a satisfactory analgesic effect with standard medications.”
A review concluded that “psychedelics and related compounds have shown promise in the treatment of a variety of conditions that are prevalent in older adults, including mood disorders, the distress associated with a serious illness, PTSD, substance use disorders, and dementia.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Oklahoma Democratic Party’s chairwoman accused Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) of wanting to keep a marijuana legalization initiative off the November ballot to suppress turnout.
The American Bankers Association tweeted that a deadly robbery at a marijuana dispensary ” is another example of why passing the bipartisan, commonsense #SAFEBanking Act in the Senate is urgently needed to address the public safety issues caused by keeping legal cannabis businesses out of the banking system.”
The Washington Post editorial board is calling on Congress to eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine.
/ BUSINESS
Schwazze is acquiring certain assets of Lightshade Labs LLC.
The people behind the cannabis Instagram page The Blacklist are involved in a legal battle over its ownership.
/ CULTURE
DJ Khaled spoke about Jay-Z’s drug war verse on his new song.
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