Library of Congress highlights racist origins of cannabis prohibition (Newsletter: June 17, 2020)

NV gov pushes mass marijuana pardons; Fed Reserve analyzes legalization; CO gov declares Hemp Week; Study: Concentrates don’t get people higher

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) sent a letter urging fellow House Democrats to consider marijuana legalization as a racial justice measure while policing reform legislation moves through Congress.

• “It is time that we as Democrats take a stand against this pernicious hold-over from Richard Nixon’s blatant attempt at criminalizing the behavior of African Americans… It’s not all about chokeholds and the police, it’s about blatant, discriminatory, irrational drug laws that have destroyed so many lives.”

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) filed a measure to pardon tens of thousands of people with past marijuana convictions. The state Board of Pardons Commissioners will consider it on Wednesday.

• “If approved, this resolution will clear the slate for thousands of people who bear the stigma of a conviction for actions that have now been decriminalized.”

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis published an analysis of the economic potential and health impacts of legalizing cannabis.

• “Consumers are likely to spend a greater share of their income on marijuana and less on other taxable goods, such as alcohol.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) issued a proclamation declaring that it is officially “Hemp Week” in the state.

• “Hemp is a necessary agricultural commodity to promote conservation.”

A new study found that while highly potent marijuana concentrates put more THC into the blood than regular cannabis flower does, they don’t necessarily make people get higher. Researchers tested subjects in a mobile “cannavan.”

• “Despite differences in THC exposure, flower and concentrate users showed similar neurobehavioral patterns after acute cannabis use.”

/ FEDERAL

Former Vice President Joe Biden (D), the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said, “We should change the way we deal with all drug abuse. Nobody should be going to jail for the use of drugs. They should be going to mandatory rehabilitation. We should be building rehab centers. Not more prisons.”

A former Calexico, California City Council member and another former official pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of accepting bribes from an undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation official they believed represented investors seeking to open a marijuana dispensary.

A former Drug Enforcement Administration public affairs officer pleaded guilty to defrauding at least a dozen companies of over $4.4 million by falsely posing as a covert Central Intelligence Agency officer.

Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) spoke about racial disparities in drug enforcement in a Senate floor speech.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) touted U.S. Department of Agriculture funding for a Dakota College hemp training program.

/ STATES

A California court ruled that marijuana possession remains illegal in prisons.

North Carolina regulators added hemp to a registry of crops protected from improper herbicide or pesticide contact.

Michigan regulators rescinded a proposed rule that would have required marijuana businesses to enter into labor peace agreements with unions.

Missouri regulators gave approval for the state’s first medical cannabis cultivation business to begin operations.

Oregon regulators released an updated list of pesticides approved for use on marijana plants.

Florida’s Hemp Advisory Committee met.

Massachusetts regulators will hold a regulatory policy discussion on Friday.

Washington State regulators will hold a forum on marijuana producer licenses on June 23.

A Colorado Retail Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Monday is being postponed until next month.

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/ LOCAL

Seattle, Washington’s mayor said the city’s ongoing efforts for racial justice will build off existing work to “institute criminal justice reforms, including vacating convictions for marijuana use.”

A Woodlynne, New Jersey police officer is facing assault charges after using pepper spray on young men during an incident in which he said he was responding to a call about people smoking marijuana.

Portland, Oregon hired a new cannabis program supervisor.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Colombia’s minister of justice and law spoke about how the cannabis industry can help the country recover from the economic damage of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Portuguese government is giving four agencies regulatory authority over hemp.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review concluded that findings of previous studies “clearly point out the cannabinoid CB1 as a potential effective target for the treatment of obesity.”

A study of marijuana consumers found that “61.4% of participants endorsed exclusively recreational use, while 38.6% reported some level of medical use,” that “of all medical users, only 23.4% reported authorization from a health professional” and that “recreational cannabis users typically reported infrequent use (less than weekly), whereas medical users modally reported daily use.”

/ BUSINESS

HEXO Corp. reported $30.9 million in quarterly revenue and a net loss of $19.5 million.

Standing Akimbo LLC’s request for a rehearing of its case centering on a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service about tax deductions was rejected by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Tilray, Inc. executives and board members are facing a shareholder lawsuit alleging that they engaged in insider stock sales.

Parallel is ending its line of “Endless Summer” marijuana products amid renewed attention to the racist themes of the film of that name.

Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. completed its acquisition of Abacus Health Products, Inc.

Columbia Care Inc. opened its first medical cannabis dispensary in New Jersey.

Illinois retailers sold $44.3 million worth of recreational marijuana products in May, a new record.

Colorado retailers sold $148.5 million worth of marijuana products in April, a 7.8% drop from March.

/ CULTURE

Rapper Method Man is launching a cannabis company called TICAL that will sell products to black-owned dispensaries.

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