NJ gov backs cannabis decrim as step toward legalization (Newsletter: November 27, 2019)

Sanders asked about psilocybin for all; Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. on Biden’s marijuana remark; Study: cannabis reduces illicit opioid use

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a close ally of President Trump, clapped back at White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway’s anti-marijuana comments by saying, “OK boomer.”

• “This is not an issue that young people are fighting about. This is largely generational.”

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) spoke to Marijuana Moment about growing momentum for cannabis legalization in his state, his online feuds with prohibitionist activists and his disagreement with former Vice President Joe Biden (D) about cannabis’ potential as a gateway drug

• “That seems like an odd hill to die on as a presidential Democratic candidate vying for nomination, but needless to say, I strenuously disagree with the vice president—both from a practical standpoint, but also politically, I don’t think it’s a very smart move either. It’s very 1997 in its view.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a presidential candidate, was asked about including psilocybin mushrooms in his Medicare For All plan during an interview with a Bernie Sanders impersonator.

A study of chronic pain patients found that “people who used cannabis every day had about 50% lower odds of using illicit opioids every day compared to cannabis non-users.”

/ FEDERAL

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is requiring states to certify that federal grant funding will not be used “directly or indirectly, to purchase, prescribe, or provide marijuana or treatment using marijuana” and that it “cannot be provided to any individual who or organization that provides or permits marijuana use for the purposes of treating substance use or mental disorders.”

The Food and Drug Administration issued a breakthrough therapy designation for the Usona Institute’s psilocybin treatment for major depressive disorder.

A federal judge ruled that a trucker fired for a positive drug test after using a CBD product can pursue a RICO case against its manufacturer.

The House Natural Resources Committee approved a bill that includes provisions “to facilitate the recovery of lands and waters that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed by illegal marijuana cultivation.”

Former House and Urban Development Sec. Julian Castro, a presidential candidate, spoke about his support for legalizing marijuana.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), a presidential candidate, spoke about her support for legalizing marijuana but did not directly answer Stephen Colbert’s question about why she changed her mind on the issue.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a presidential candidate, tweeted, “Let’s be clear: Our government criminalizes too many things and sends too many people to jail. In a Warren administration, we will:  ☑️ Repeal the 1994 Crime Bill ☑️ Legalize marijuana ☑️ Undo the legacy of the War on Drugs ☑️ End cash bail and private prisons”

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) said it is up to the public to pressure the Senate to take up marijuana legislation.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said she believes “alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) tweeted, “It’s past time to decriminalize cannabis, empower states to make their own policies—and undo the devastating impact ‘the war on drugs’ had on our communities, particularly for young people of color. The MORE Act — dank & desperately needed.” She also tweeted, “We must do more than simply end the criminalization of marijuana — we must reinvest in communities targeted and harmed by the drug war.”

The Senate bill to federally legalize medical cannabis for military veterans got one new cosponsor for a total of three.

The House bill to deschedule marijuana and fund programs to repair the harms of the drug war got seven new cosponsors for a total of 64.

/ STATES

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) appointed to the state Board of Pharmacy a man who previously sued the body over a lost bid to win a medical cannabis pharmacy license.

Minnesota’s House majority leader spoke about how he is taking steps to “dive in deep” to marijuana issues as he crafts a legalization bill.

The Florida Supreme Court declined to take up a case concerning medical cannabis patients’ ability to grow their own medicine.

Michigan regulators temporarily halted marijuana vape sales and banned the use of vitamin E acetate as an additive. Meanwhile, the top regulator said recreational cannabis sales could be delayed a day from the anticipated start date of December 1 because that is a Sunday.

California regulators are considering listing marijuana smoke and THC as reproductive toxins.

Massachusetts public health officials are refusing to release data on where people purchased vaping products that appear to be tied to severe lung injuries.

Maryland regulators are allowing the sales of medical cannabis vaping supplies to resume after tests found no vitamin E acetate in products from dispensaries.

An error in Colorado’s marijuana track and trace system caused incorrect testing information to be displayed on products, leading to recalls over concerns about yeast and mold.

New Mexico regulators are giving the public more time to weigh in on proposed medical cannabis testing rules.

Maine regulators are planning to implement marijuana testing in phases.

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/ LOCAL

The vast majority of warnings issued under Cincinnati, Ohio’s marijuana decriminalization ordinance are being targeted to African Americans.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte stripped the vice president of her duties overseeing the nation’s bloody “war on drugs.”

Brazil’s education minister is accusing universities of illegally growing marijuana.

The Maltese government signed a cannabis research agreement with McGill University.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that “CBD partially normalised abnormal memory related functional activation, functional connectivity, and the associations between hippocampal glutamate and memory related functional activation, in the psychosis patients” and “resulted in trend-level reductions in symptoms, and in anandamide and palmitoylethanolamine (components of the eCB system), within the psychosis patients.”

A study found “no effect of CBD on gray matter volume and cortical thickness.”

A study found that “voting to legalize both medical and recreational marijuana was greater in counties with larger college-educated populations, a partisan preference for Democratic presidential candidates, and smaller percentages of Catholic, Protestant, and Evangelical adherents” and that “the higher turnout during presidential elections seemingly facilitated voting in favor of recreational marijuana while lower turnouts during non-presidential elections aided voting for medical marijuana.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

Marijuana Moment and NORML will be co-hosting a webinar on marijuana legislation with BillTrack50 on December 3.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee tweeted, “An overwhelming majority of Virginians do not want marijuana criminalized–a practice that disproportionately targets Black communities and is very expensive for the state.”

The Marijuana Policy Project’s director of federal policies did a C-SPAN interview.

The Coalition for Medical Cannabis announced it is teaming up with a new group called Floridians Against Recreational Marijuana to campaign against legalization proposals.

/ BUSINESS

Canopy Growth Corporation is facing a class action lawsuit on behalf of investors for allegedly making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose key information.

Harborside Inc. reported $14.1 million in quarterly revenue.

/ CULTURE

Saturday Night Live made fun of Sen. Cory Booker’s (D-NJ) debate marijuana attack on former Vice President Joe Biden (D).

The New York Times looks at marijuana churches.

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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.