Poll: marijuana a priority for Congress; Cannabis banking clears PA Senate; WI 4/20 Senate hearing; SD legalization ballot alert; European support
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Two Delaware House committees approved a pair of complementary marijuana bills—one to simply legalize possession and another to regulate cannabis commerce. The two-track effort comes after a bill with both elements narrowly failed on the floor last month—and has tentative support from the House speaker, who otherwise opposes legalization in general.
A new poll found that a majority of Democratic voters say it is a “top” or “important” priority for the Democratic-controlled Senate and House to legalize marijuana. Across all voters, 41 percent say the same—a notable showing for an issue long dismissed as frivolous.
The Pennsylvania Senate approved a marijuana banking bill. The state-level move could add pressure on Congress to enact the federal protections that cannabis businesses are pushing for.
South Dakota activists issued a “yellow alert” for the signature drive to place a marijuana legalization initiative on the November ballot as next month’s deadline approaches. They want people to sign up to help collect enough valid petitions to qualify.
The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate Insurance, Licensing and Forestry Committee scheduled a hearing on a limited medical cannabis bill for 4/20—and Democrats are not amused, calling it a “cynical political ploy that gives people false hope” after the session has already effectively ended for the year.
A New York senator filed a bill to encourage banks to work with marijuana businesses by allowing regulators to share and confirm cannabis licensee information for financial institutions.
A new poll found that Europeans across eight countries support legalizing marijuana, with an average of 55 percent backing the reform. The survey also asked about which cannabis regulatory models people favor.
/ FEDERAL
The Congressional Research Service published an overview of how lawmakers could address hemp issues in the next Farm Bill.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said, “If Republicans believed in states’ rights…they’d respect the right of states to legalize marijuana.”
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) said he thinks state-legal marijuana businesses “should have access to the banking system, but I’ll have to look at the details” of a broader legalization bill.
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) tweeted, “When it comes to cannabis reform, the question is also what can get passed this year? The answer? #SAFEBanking”
Former Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA) tweeted, “I grew hemp. I own a distillery. My wife makes whiskey. I love freedom. If I ran for VA Gov, I would push to legalize marijuana. Virginia’s Ag prowess & tobacco infrastructure make this a no-brainer. Rural areas lag behind other areas of the Commonwealth economically. Look ahead.”
Arizona Democratic congressional candidate Delina DiSanto tweeted, “I have been saying for years to #DecriminalizeMarijuana on the federal level. Let Veterans be able to get marijuana. It’s imperative for their health for many of them. Let legal marijuana growers/dispensaries be able to use banks for sales/income. It’s safer and secure for them.”
/ STATES
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) executive order consolidating marijuana and hemp regulation under a newly renamed Cannabis Regulatory Agency took effect.
The Illinois Senate approved a bill to consolidate the application processes to work in the medical cannabis and adult-use marijuana industries.
Virginia’s Senate president pro tempore tweeted, “The Governor can uphold a veto with Republican votes only as it takes 2/3 to override. On amendments he needs a majority to agree with him. He needs Senate Democrats to help him. One of his amendments is to recriminalize marijuana. Our answer to that: [no, no, no, no gif]”
New Jersey’s Senate president tweeted, “I have fought for a legal marijuana market for the last 17 years, and I will not stop until NJ’s is up and running.”
The Pennsylvania Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved a bill to restrict workplace protections for medical cannabis patients in safety-sensitive positions.
The Maryland House Judiciary Committee chairman spoke about the marijuana legalization legislation he sponsored that was enacted.
A Missouri representative said he doesn’t think his psychedelics bill is “super likely to be signed into law this year as it’s a very new issue.”
Alaska’s top marijuana regulator is stepping down.
Washington State regulators proposed cannabis social equity rules.
Oklahoma medical cannabis regulators are directing $2 million in revenue to the Office of Juvenile Affairs to fund substance misuse interventions.
Nevada regulators hosted the U.S. Virgin Islands’s new top cannabis regulator.
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/ LOCAL
Cleveland, Ohio’s mayor touted a move to expunge marijuana convictions in his State of the City address.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Belize’s minister of home affairs pushed back against concerns that pending cannabis reform legislation could put the country’s banking system at risk.
Members of the Amsterdam, Netherlands City Council are opposing the mayor’s plan to ban tourists from purchasing marijuana at coffeeshops.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that CBD oil “significantly reduced agitation over placebo in patients suffering from behavioral disorders related to dementia, with minimal side-effects.”
A study found that the “antidepressant response to psilocybin was rapid, sustained and correlated with decreases in fMRI brain network modularity, implying that psilocybin’s antidepressant action may depend on a global increase in brain network integration.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that 57 percent of North Carolina voters support legalizing marijuana and 72 percent back medical cannabis.
/ BUSINESS
A federal judge ruled that Amazon did not violate New York City law by withdrawing job offers from warehouse position applicants who tested positive for marijuana.
The CEO and chairman of Jushi Holdings, Inc. transferred nearly 2.7 million shares as part of a marital settlement agreement.
Leafly commissioned marijuana-focused murals in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Toronto and Portland.
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