Trump’s new AG opposed medical cannabis legalization (Newsletter: November 25, 2024)

Schumer pushes SAFE Banking; DEA judge rules in marijuana rescheduling hearing; NJ gov’t workers get medical cannabis in health plan; GA psychedelics

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who President-elect Donald Trump has picked to serve as U.S. attorney general, opposed legalizing medical marijuana in the state and worked to prevent patients from accessing smokable forms of cannabis.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) “remains committed to passing” cannabis banking legislation this year despite “facing Republican opposition,” a staffer told Marijuana Moment.

A Drug Enforcement Administration judge rejected a request from MedPharm, a DEA-registered research firm, to participate in the agency’s upcoming marijuana rescheduling hearing.

New Jersey government employees of the city of Trenton, as well as workers for the boards of education in Orange and Teaneck, will receive medical cannabis coverage as a new healthcare benefit.

The Georgia Senate Study Committee on Veterans’ Mental Health and Housing is recommending that the state spend up to $5 million to support research on how psychedelic substances such as MDMA and psilocybin might be used to treat PTSD in military veterans.

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is being sued for allegedly unlawfully denying two women from participating in a lottery for social equity marijuana business licenses that’s scheduled for Tuesday.

A Nebraska judge accepted a motion to quash all charges against a notary public who had been accused of “official misconduct” related to medical cannabis legalization ballot initiative petitions.

The Tennessee legislature’s Joint Government Operations Rule Review Committee is allowing a rule to take effect that will ban the sale of certain hemp products, with one lawmaker complaining it will result in “killing a $200 million industry.”

/ FEDERAL

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco issued a memo directing the Drug Enforcement Administration to end random searches of travelers at airports “unless they are either connected to an ongoing, predicated investigation involving one or more identified targets or criminal networks or approved by the DEA Administrator based on exigent circumstances.”

Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) dodged questions about marijuana rescheduling and cannabis clemency.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) discussed the prospects for marijuana reform.

/ STATES

An Ohio GOP representative indicated he will push back against the new House speaker’s expected efforts to restrict THC in marijuana products.

California regulators announced recalls of marijuana products due to potential pesticide contamination.

New Massachusetts rules on marijuana delivery, testing, microbusinesses, craft cooperatives and medical cannabis patient access took effect.

Oregon regulators approved a temporary extension for rules exempting CBN from requirements for artificially derived cannabinoids.

Michigan is closing its hemp program, leaving farmers to be regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Minnesota regulators will hold a marijuana business license preapproval selection lottery on Tuesday.

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/ LOCAL

The Wilmington, Delaware City Council is considering proposals to ban the public use and retail sale of marijuana.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that among patients “with symptomatic pericarditis recurrence, oral administration of P-cannabidiol led to a clinically relevant reduction in pericarditis chest pain.”

A study found that a “novel transdermal medical cannabis formulation (THC:CBD:CBN) demonstrated significant therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating painful [diabetic peripheral neuropathy] symptoms while maintaining a favorable safety profile.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

ClearanceJobs published a new report on drug use and government security clearances.

/ BUSINESS

Trulieve Cannabis Corp. announced that several members of its executive management team and board of directors have recently made purchases of the company’s shares.

WM Technologies Inc. is facing a shareholder lawsuit accusing some board members and executives of breaching fiduciary duties to the company and stockholders.

Canadian retailers sold C$443.9 million worth of legal marijuana products in September.

/ CULTURE

Formula 1 drivers complained this week about the smell of marijuana ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

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