OK marijuana ballot measures finalized; NY cannabis board fully seated; USDA’s anti-weed hemp effort; PA medical cannabis DUI hearing
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
SAFE Banking Act sponsor Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) spoke to Marijuana Moment about the prospects for finally getting his now five-times House-passed cannabis reform through the Senate and onto the president’s desk.
- “I think the fifth time is the charm.”
Oklahoma activists finalized the language for separate initiatives to legalize marijuana and revise the existing medical cannabis program that they want to place on the 2022 ballot.
With two final appointments, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) completed the makeup of the Cannabis Control Board—setting up the state to finally begin implementing a legal recreational marijuana market.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is funding research to help hemp farmers manage weed issues.
The Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee held a hearing on a bill to protect medical cannabis patients from being charged with DUI unless they are actually impaired behind the wheel.
/ FEDERAL
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tweeted, “It’s long past time to end the federal prohibition on marijuana, enact criminal justice reforms, and invest in communities hurt by the War on Drugs. That’s why @SenBooker, @RonWyden, and I are working to pass our Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act.”
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said he opposes adding marijuana banking to the National Defense Authorization Act. Separately, he announced that efforts to negotiate a deal on police reform legislation have ended after Republicans failed to accept Democrats’ final offer of compromise.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) reacted to the House including marijuana banking in the National Defense Authorization Act, saying, “It’s not a great vehicle for it, but if it’s a vehicle that can carry it, I think it’d be fine… Any vehicle’s good that gets it to pass it.”
Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) tweeted, “Proudly cosponsored @RepPerlmutter’s #SAFEBanking amendment. By denying state-legal cannabis business access to financial services the federal govt is – endangering public safety – crippling the economic recovery of #smallbiz – refusing states’ rights to implement their own laws
Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) tweeted, “I support the Safe Banking Act. Let’s begin to decriminalize cannabis federally. All legal cannabis businesses across our country pay their employees, bills, and FEDERAL taxes with cash! Cannabis businesses and customers deserve access to a banking system!”
Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA) tweeted, “As part of the #FY22NDAA, I’m proud to support these 3 #SmallBiz Amendments:… ✅The SAFE Banking Act (for #cannabis businesses, approved last night!)…”
Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Dave Joyce (R-OH) filed a bill aimed at protecting Customs and Border Protection officers from accidental exposure to fentanyl and other drugs they may encounter on the job, but advocates say the bill is seeking to solve a problem that doesn’t actually exist and is “created from hysteria, not science.”
The House bill to deschedule marijuana and fund programs to repair drug war harms got five new cosponsors for a total of 64.
/ STATES
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said he expects recreational marijuana sales to begin through existing medical cannabis dispensaries in the first or second quarter of 2022.
Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Cranley, currently Cincinnati’s mayor, tweeted, “My Ohio comeback plan is pretty simple. We’re going to legalize and tax marijuana and we’re going to give Ohioans a dividend of our energy profits. This will create 120,000 jobs that pay $60,000 a year, reduce unemployment, and cut poverty in half.”
North Carolina’s Senate president pro tem indicated that a medical cannabis bill might not get a floor vote until next year. Meanwhile, the legislation’s sponsor is working on some changes requested by the state attorney general.
A Pennsylvania senator is hosting a cannabis opportunities conference on Friday.
Arkansas activists say they’ve collected more than 20,000 signatures so far for their proposed marijuana legalization ballot measure.
Oregon regulators issued a mandatory recall for a hemp product with undisclosed levels of THC.
California regulators are modifying the text of warnings about exposure to marijuana smoke and THC.
An Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics official told lawmakers at a hearing that the number of fraudulently licensed medical cannabis cultivation operations may soon decrease.
West Virginia’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Board will meet on Thursday.
Nevada’s Cannabis Advisory Subcommittee on Social Equity, Diversity & Inclusion will meet on Monday.
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Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,200 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.
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/ LOCAL
New York City filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against a man who launched an apparel brand called “NYC New York Cannabis” that uses logos similar to the city’s official ones.
A Wake County, North Carolina district attorney candidate said he won’t prosecute low-level marijuana cases if elected.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Kenya’s attorney general has until October 18 to respond to a lawsuit seeking to legalize marijuana that was filed by Rastafarians.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that medical cannabis “had a favorable effect on pain level and quality of sleep among all spectrums of problems at the rheumatology clinic.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
Marijuana Moment Senior Editor Kyle Jaeger spoke about cannabis banking legislation on C-SPAN’s Washington Today.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials released a position statement on the use of hemp and hemp byproducts in animal food.
The American Bankers Association tweeted, “ABA strongly supports the #SAFEBanking Act which would help achieve important public safety goals and expand access to credit for cannabis-related businesses in states where it is legal, making the industry more equitable while growing jobs and the economy.”
Concerned Women for America tweeted, “More #FY22NDAA Insanity: Last night House voted to unleash the predatory marijuana industry through the U.S. banking system while drugs are pouring across our borders. Dems want America on pot and our daughters in war. @HouseGOP must say NO.”
The Massachusetts Package Stores Association said a senator’s bill to ban billboard advertising for alcohol or marijuana products is unconstitutional.
/ BUSINESS
Aurora Cannabis Inc. is closing down its Edmonton, Alberta, Canada facility.
A lawsuit that Legacy Hemp LLC filed against Terramax Holdings Corp. for allegedly breaching a hemp seed distribution contract was revived by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit after it was previously dismissed.
/ CULTURE
UFC fighter Chris Barnett was suspended and fined over a positive marijuana test.
Melissa Etheridge spoke about her cannabis brand Etheridge Botanicals.
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