1st PA legalization hearing; DEA psychedelics ban pushback; OK gov: voters misunderstood medical marijuana measure; Weedmaps ad on cannabis censorship
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) slammed Democrats for including marijuana banking provisions in a House-passed China competitiveness bill.
- “Needless to say, this is not a winning strategy for global competition between great powers.”
The Pennsylvania Senate Law and Justice Committee held the Republican-controlled legislature’s first-ever hearing on marijuana legalization. The panel’s GOP chairman plans to hold two more hearings and then file a legal cannabis bill.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said in his State of the State address that voters misunderstood the medical marijuana ballot measure they approved, arguing that licenses are too cheap and have led to too many cannabis businesses being formed.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is receiving negative feedback about a proposal to newly classify five psychedelics in the restrictive Schedule I category, which advocates say will hinder research.
Tests conducted as part of a media investigation indicated that a cannabis shop co-owned by Virginia’s Senate president pro tempore is selling mislabeled products containing amounts of delta-9 THC that are illegal in the state.
A new Weedmaps ad jokes about the plight of the broccoli emoji, which is often used as a stand-in for marijuana while social media companies continue to censor cannabis content.
- “It’s taking over my life.”
/ FEDERAL
The Drug Enforcement Administration launched a new effort to combat “drug-related violent crime and overdose deaths.”
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) called on marijuana businesses to help fight for restorative justice for people harmed by the war on drugs.
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) tweeted, “As a founding member of the House Cannabis Caucus, I worked hard to include provisions in the #AmericaCOMPETESAct to protect banks serving lawful cannabis establishments. Tell the Senate to agree. Nevada needs this!”
Wisconsin Democratic Senate candidate Tom Nelson tweeted, “Happy #NationalHempDay! Wisconsin farmers grow over 5,000 acres of hemp. Today, you can support WI hemp farmers by researching hemp-derived products. We need a Senator who will fight for our hemp farmers and grow the industry!”
The House bill to remove barriers to marijuana research got one new cosponsor for a total of eight.
The House bill to deschedule marijuana got one new cosponsor for a total of seven.
/ STATES
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) said it would be premature to comment on a medical cannabis bill until he sees its final amended form.
The South Dakota Senate passed a bill to limit medical cannabis home cultivation to three mature and three immature plants.
The Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee approved a marijuana record sealing and expungements bill.
Maryland House Democrats tweeted, “Right now, recreational cannabis is legal in 18 states and DC. HB1 will make Maryland the 19th state to end the war on marijuana & HB837 creates an equitable path should Marylanders vote to legalize cannabis in the 2022 General Election.” They also tweeted, “Legal cannabis means lasting equity. House Bill 837 addresses pressing criminal justice & public health issues facing legalization while building the necessary foundation to create social equity in the recreational cannabis industry.”
Kansas House Democrats tweeted, “Mississippi passed medicinal marijuana. Kansas hasn’t. House Dems want to bypass #ksleg-islative obstruction and put marijuana use on the ballot for voter approval.”
A Missouri representative who is sponsoring marijuana legalization referendum resolution criticized an activist-led initiative over its licensing provisions.
The director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention testified against a bill to allow therapeutic use of psilocybin.
Alaska regulators are proposing changes to rules for enforcement action processes for violations of marijuana laws.
Rhode Island regulators issued guidance about testing requirements for medical cannabis.
West Virginia regulators sent guidance on hemp grower reporting requirements.
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture tweeted, “Happy #NationalHempDay! The New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s hemp licensing program has led to a revitalized greenhouse industry in the state. NMDA licensed over 10 million square feet of greenhouse space for hemp during the 2021 growing season.”
Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services posted a thread about National Hemp Day, tweeting, “The @USDA approved Florida’s state hemp program in April of 2020. Since then, the state’s program has led the way in creating jobs and innovative products! Now in year two, the program continues to expand across our state!”
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services tweeted, “It’s National Hemp Day! Hemp is a crop being researched and grown by many farmers across our state. In fact, according to the NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, there are approximately 1,500 licensed hemp growers in our state today!”
Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture tweeted, “Hemp = Opportunity! These plants pack a mighty punch! After harvest, their stalks can be used for biofuel, fire-proof building material, and even bullet-proof vests.”
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife released annual cannabis enforcement data.
Vermont regulators are hosting a marijuana social equity and economic empowerment networking event on Thursday.
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/ INTERNATIONAL
Mexico’s Senate majority leader said lawmakers will prioritize marijuana legalization legislation this session.
Germany’s new drug commissioner spoke about the challenges of implementing marijuana legalization.
Pakistan’s minister of science and technology helped inaugurate a pilot project for cannabis processing.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that recreational marijuana laws “have no effect on tobacco use and in the medium-run, we find some evidence of a lagged reduction in tobacco use on the order of approximately 0.5 to 2 percentage points” and that “fears of adult tobacco-related public health costs from RMLs are, at least in the short- and medium-run, unfounded; instead, there may be important public health benefits from reductions in adult tobacco use.”
A review of psychedelics’ effects concluded that “medical risks are often minimal, and that many – albeit not all – of the persistent negative perceptions of psychological risks are unsupported by the currently available scientific evidence, with the majority of reported adverse effects not being observed in a regulated and/or medical context.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
A poll found that 46 percent of young French people support legalizing marijuana.
The South Dakota Democratic Party tweeted, “Today @RepJamieSmith’s HB 1157, decriminalizing the consumption of Marijuana and other controlled substances from a felony to misdemeanor, was shot down by the legislature. How much longer must we destroy lives with felony charges and harsh penalties?”
The Indiana Democratic Party tweeted, “More than 37 states, both Republican and Democrat, have legalized cannabis in some form. The @indgop’s opposition to cannabis is rooted partisanship. It’s past time Indiana legalizes marijuana. @INDems are ready to deliver this for Hoosiers.”
The New York Post editorial board is calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for more transparency about her office’s relationships with marijuana industry campaign donors.
/ BUSINESS
Leafly Holdings Inc. began trading on NASDAQ.
Papa John’s launched a Hemp Sticks product in the UK.
Optimi Health Corp. was granted a dealer’s license by Canadian officials allowing for regulated possession, production, assembling, sale and delivery of psilocybin.
The Parent Company’s COO will step down in March.
Illinois retailers sold more than $117 million worth of recreational marijuana products in January.
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