Cannabis biz could get COVID funds under new bill (Newsletter: April 24, 2020)

Poll: Americans say legal marijuana is a success; California psilocybin measure fails to meet signature goal; Hemp farmers get coronavirus relief

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Ten senators, led by Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), sent a letter urging the body’s leadership to include relief for marijuana businesses in the next round of coronavirus legislation.

• “Workers at state-legal cannabis small businesses are no different from workers at any other small business—they show up to work every day, perform their duties, and most importantly, work to provide for their families. This lack of access to SBA assistance for cannabis small businesses will undoubtedly lead to unnecessary layoffs, reduced hours, pay cuts, and furloughs for the workers who need support the most.”

A poll found that a majority of American adults think state marijuana legalization laws have been a success, with only 6% of respondents saying legalizing cannabis has been a total failure.

Hemp farmers (and farmers in general) scored a victory in the latest coronavirus relief bill, which makes them eligible for SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program—a situation that wasn’t the case in prior legislation.

California activists have announced that they weren’t able to collect enough signatures to qualify a ballot measure to legalize psilocybin mushrooms by this week’s deadline due to the coronavirus pandemic that made petitioning virtually impossible.

/ FEDERAL

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) spoke about how racial disparities in drug law enforcement are leading to more people of color being susceptible to contracting coronavirus behind bars.

/ STATES

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) issued an executive order proclaiming April 7 Charlotte Figi Day, in honor of the young CBD pioneer who passed away that day.

A spokesperson for New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) said it is unlikely marijuana legalization will be part of a special legislative session later this year.

Washington State gubernatorial candidate Joshua Freed, in announcing a lawsuit challenging Gov. Jay Inslee’s (D) ban on religious gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, said, “If a Washington citizen can visit a marijuana shop or grocery store to buy goods in a responsible and socially distanced manner, how are they not allowed to practice faith-based activities and have spiritual fellowship using the same precautions?”

Florida’s attorney general is urging the state Supreme Court to prevent a proposed marijuana legalization measure from appearing on the ballot but, unlike the state Senate’s filing, her argument does not center on a new law concerning whether initiatives conflict with the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.

Iowa regulators issued the state’s first hemp licenses and seed permits.

California’s Department of Consumer Affairs published a blog post on the origins of 4/20.

A Kansas representative wants to legalize medical cannabis to help the state’s revenue shortfalls.

Florida regulators released a checklist for hemp license applications.

/ LOCAL

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s city managing director said officials are looking to Portugal’s decriminalization law for lessons on drug policy.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Scotland’s first medical cannabis farm has won planning approval.

Danish regulators are resuming on-site medical cannabis business inspections.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that “neurologists generally perceived medical cannabis as a viable treatment option for children with drug-resistant epilepsy.”

The National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Aging announced grant funding for research on “cannabis and potentially addictive, psychoactive prescription drug use (specifically opioids and benzodiazepine) in older adults,” including “health care provider attitudes towards cannabis substitution, stratified by state legalization status.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

The National Conference of State Legislatures released a compilation of information on state marijuana record clearing policies.

The Hemp Industries Association appointed new board members.

/ BUSINESS

The Canadian Securities Exchange temporarily halted trading of iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. shares.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted, “There are now 420 operational Starlink satellites 🛰 😉”

A union representing some WeedMD workers is fighting the company’s demand for names of employees who have signed union cards.

Organigram Holdings Inc. established a program for the company to issue up to C$49,000,000 worth of common shares to the public.

Aleafia Health Inc. launched a medical cannabis delivery service in Canada.

United Cannabis Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As a result, its patent case against Pure Hemp has been stayed.

Elemental Processing filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Revive Therapeutics Ltd. is partnering  with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study novel formulations and drug delivery technologies for psilocybin-based drugs.

/ CULTURE

Searches for “weed” surged on Emojipedia on 4/20.

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