NM gov gets legal cannabis recommendations from working group (Newsletter: October 17, 2019)

Four governors hold legal marijuana summit; Sanders congratulates Canada on legalization anniversary; Studies: Cannabis is opioid alternative

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Marijuana Moment spoke to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) about what changes he has in mind for House-passed cannabis banking legislation that he plans to advance through his panel this year.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D), New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D), along with officials from three other states, held a regional summit to coordinate marijuana legalization efforts and adopted a set of “core principles” that will shape the cannabis plans they pursue in 2020.

• “There is a desire to do this. I believe the people of this state and our surrounding states have a desire to do it. But the old expression is the devil is in the details, how you do this makes all the difference.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a presidential candidate, congratulated Canada on the one-year anniversary of its marijuana legalization law.

• “Vermont shares a border with Canada, and as far as I can tell, the sky has not fallen and the cities have not plunged into anarchy on the other side.”

Two new studies examined marijuana as an opioid alternative, finding that medical cannabis laws “are associated with a lower likelihood of opioid pain reliever use” and that “a substantial number of U.S. adults reported that they substituted marijuana for opioids.”

/ FEDERAL

A federal judge rejected a motion from Utah’s attorney general to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the legislation lawmakers passed to replace a voter-approved medical cannabis ballot measure, and granted advocates’ request to move the case back to state court.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted that presidential candidate and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s (D-TX) advocacy for marijuana legalization makes him “the new national spokesman for Cheetos.”

Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) spoke about how three-strikes laws give people life sentences for selling marijuana.

/ STATES

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) tweeted, “Legalizing recreational cannabis has the potential to create more than 11,000 new jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue in the first year of sales alone. I look forward to working with the Legislature to get a bill to my desk next year. We’re going to protect medical cannabis patients, address public safety and workplace concerns, and accelerate New Mexico’s economic diversification and growth.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) tweeted about how people can get their past marijuana convictions pardoned.

The Oregon Court of Appeals issued a temporary stay against regulators ban on flavored nicotine vaping products but left in place its application to marijunaa vaping products.

Rhode Island’s House speaker is attempting to distance himself from a controversy related to the license suspension of a hemp business for which personnel have close ties to his office.

Nevada regulators have been performing surprise inspections on marijuana testing labs and are putting an indefinite freeze on processing applications for sale or transfer of cannabis business licenses.

Maryland regulators sent an advisory warning consumers not to use vaping products containing THC.

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’s Cannabis Commission is close to hiring a managing director.

Illinois regulators released an updated list of medical cannabis businesses that have been approved to conduct adult-use marijuana sales.

Florida’s Financial Impact Estimating Conference is holding workshops on a proposed marijuana legalization ballot measure this month.

Michigan regulators are asking people to participate in a hemp survey.

Ohio regulators released updated medical cannabis patient and caregiver numbers.

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/ LOCAL

The Leon County, Florida Commission didn’t have enough votes to pass a proposed marijuana decriminalization ordinance.

The Tallahassee, Florida City Commission discussed but did not vote on a marijuana decriminalization proposal.

A Denver, Colorado effort to help people clear past marijuana records is off to a slow start.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Canadian regulations allowing marijuana edibles took effect. Separately, here’s a look at activists’ efforts to legalize psilocybin.

Jamaica’s minister of industry, commerce, agriculture and fisheries said he wants President Trump’s help in fixing marijuana industry banking issues.

A French comedian resigned from the Presidential Council of Cities, telling President Emmanuel Macron that it is necessary to “legalize Muslims in this country before legalizing marijuana.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

A poll of U.S. voters found that 65% want Congress to direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to quickly set safety standards for CBD products and 70% believe FDA should already have done so.

A poll found that Maryland residents support legalizing marijuana, 66%-31%.

The Marijuana Policy Project appointed Revolution Global CEO Mark de Souza to its board of directors. It also put Akerna on its Policy Council.

/ BUSINESS

Nova Farms had its licenses restored by Massachusetts regulators following an initial suspension after they determined threats to public health, safety and welfare had been mitigated.

/ CULTURE

Actress Susan Sarandon tweeted, “Despite widespread legalization, countless individuals remain incarcerated in the US & worldwide for cannabis offenses. @lastprisonerprj is a non-profit dedicated to restorative justice through clemency, expungement & reentry work. Support & learn more: http://lastprisonerproject.org?

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