Feds focus on cannabis industry worker safety (Newsletter: October 31, 2024)

CA report pushes state-run marijuana market; PA gov signs 280E fix; NV athletic board ends cannabis penalties; NH gov candidate tours grow site

Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day.

Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible…

Before you dig into today’s cannabis news, I wanted you to know you can keep this resource free and published daily by subscribing to Marijuana Moment on Patreon. We’re a small independent publication diving deep into the cannabis world and rely on readers like you to keep going.

Join us at https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment

/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Federal officials from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration hosted a webinar about a new program aimed at identifying and addressing workplace hazards in Colorado’s legal marijuana industry—part of an effort to reduce the risk of occupational injury, illness and death at cannabis businesses.

A new report commissioned by the California Department of Public Health recommends that the state cap marijuana products’ THC potency and consider “testing, promoting or facilitating” a government-run monopoly on cannabis sales.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) signed a bill to fix an oversight in a previously passed marijuana industry tax relief law that excluded dispensaries from a partial workaround to the federal 280E penalty on cannabis businesses.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted to stop punishing boxers and MMA fighters for marijuana used outside of competition, adopting new rules that say “possession, use or consumption of cannabis or cannabis products will not be deemed an anti-doping violation.”

New Hampshire Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joyce Craig toured a medical cannabis production facility, saying that it’s time for the state to legalize recreational marijuana to boost the economy.

The Florida marijuana legalization campaign released a new ad highlighting support for cannabis reform from Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

A Nebraska trial on challenges to signatures for two medical cannabis initiatives on the November ballot began.

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management’s interim director reiterated that regulators plan to hold a marijuana business license lottery before the end of the year, but said she is “reluctant to set arbitrary dates based on projections.”

The director of Missouri’s Division of Cannabis Regulation said officials are concerned about “predatory practices” in the state’s marijuana social equity business licensing process.

/ FEDERAL

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) again spoke about being shown fentanyl-laced candies by police.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health tweeted, “Research on the potential of psychedelic drugs to treat some mental health conditions and addiction has been growing.”

/ STATES

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) held another press conference with law enforcement to campaign against the marijuana legalization initiative on the November ballot. The first lady also separately continued her advocacy against the measure. And the education commissioner suggested that legalization of cannabis would increase youth use.

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) signed legislation revising medical cannabis business rules.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission hired an outside investigator to examine staff complaints against its acting executive director.

Virginia regulators selected Metrc to run the state’s cannabis seed-to-sale tracking program.

California State Parks officials removed more than 25,000 illegal cannabis plants this season.

The Nevada Cannabis Advisory Commission’s Market Participation Subcommittee will meet on Monday.

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission will meet on Tuesday.

The Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board canceled a November 8 meeting.

—
Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 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.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—

/ LOCAL

The San Francisco, California Board of Supervisors approved a plan to pay welfare recipients $100 for every week they test negative for illegal drugs.

A Miami Beach, Florida Police Department spokesperson defended the city’s ongoing focus on marijuana arrests.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Victoria, Australia officials are considering a proposal to protect the driving rights of medical cannabis patients.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review concluded that “a substantial body of evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies has demonstrated that cannabinoids and inhibitors of endocannabinoid degradation possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour and antifibrotic properties with beneficial effects.”

A study of rats found that “cannabidiol partially rescues behavioral, neuroinflammatory and endocannabinoid dysfunctions stemming from maternal obesity in the adult offspring.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Chicago Urban League published a reparations report recommending “guaranteed income programs” “for all African Americans residing in historically underserved communities in Chicago,” saying that “special attention should be directed towards formerly incarcerated individuals re-entering society, particularly those victimized by the War on Drugs.”

/ BUSINESS

Flora Growth Corp. announced it has a new supply agreement with Curaleaf Holdings, Inc., but Curaleaf said “there is no agreement in place.”

4Front Ventures Corp. has a new interim chief financial officer.

/ CULTURE

Reba McEntire spoke about getting too high on a cannabis gummy.

Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox.

Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.