USDA sec .worries about too much hemp cultivation (Newsletter: July 4, 2019)

NM marijuana decrim takes effect; Canadian lawmaker files bill to decriminalize drugs; ND legal cannabis measure filed

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a presidential candidate, slammed the drug war record of former Vice President Joe Biden (D), primary campaign rival.

• “Because of a lot of the legislation that Joe Biden endorsed, this war on drugs, which has been a war on people, we now have had a 500 percent increase in the prison population since 1980, overwhelmingly black and brown.”

New Mexico’s marijuana decriminalization law took effect. Possessing half an ounce of cannabis is now treated with a fine instead of jail time.

A Canadian member of Parliament filed a bill to decriminalize all drugs—a move that is in line with a recommendation from the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, which said the nation should take after Portugal’s decriminalization policy.

/ FEDERAL

Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Education Sec. Betsy DeVos met to discuss their “concerns about attitudes regarding marijuana safety in youth.”

The Food and Drug Administration’s principal deputy commissioner and acting CIO tweeted about the agency’s work on CBD regulations.

The office of Colorado’s U.S. attorney tweeted a link to an article about marijuana potency and teens.

Former Kansas U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom, who supports marijuana reform and has served as counsel for a cannabis company, is running for U.S. Senate.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a presidential candidate, wrote in a Facebook post, “Thank you Illinois for doing the right thing by expunging marijuana convictions. Tens of thousands of Americans every year get criminal records for possessing marijuana. Meanwhile ZERO major Wall Street executives went to jail for destroying our economy in 2008 as a result of their greed, recklessness and illegal behavior. When we are in the White House we are going to expunge criminal records for marijuana possession and decriminalize it nationwide.”

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), a presidential candidate, tweeted that she’s “thankful states like Illinois are stepping up to correct the mistakes of our past [by legalizing marijuana]. It’s time to do the same at the federal level.”

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a presidential candidate, said that his proudest political accomplishment was helping to pass “a historic criminal justice reform law that has the potential to liberate 2,000 currently incarcerated people who are serving time for non-violent drug crimes, 96 percent of whom are black and Latino.”

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) tweeted, “Two years ago today the first recreational marijuana sales began in Nevada. With the help of @GovSisolak, we are going to set an example for the rest of the nation to follow.”

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted, “Legalizing recreational marijuana across the United States would raise $7 billion in tax revenue per year. The Republicans who say that America is ‘broke’ when talking about healthcare, education, and confronting climate change should get behind the #MarijuanaJusticeAct.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted that “just because a statute is abolished doesn’t mean the unfairness is gone. Remaining are life & death implications of other statutes & *how* laws are enforced. That’s a key part of policy in a wide range of issues from schooling to marijuana + yes, immigration too.”

/ STATES

Delaware Gov. Jay Carney (D) signed a bill allowing for the expungement of certain convictions for marijuana and other offenses.

The office of Indiana’s attorney general is hosting a conference at which anti-marijuana author Alex Berenson is the keynote speaker.

The New York Assembly speaker touted the passage of a bill to expand the state’s marijuana decriminalization law as part of a “bold progressive agenda” enacted this session.

Iowa Democratic lawmakers are pushing to create a special committee to study medical cannabis and make recommendations before the start of the new session in January.

North Dakota activists filed a marijuana legalization initiative they hope to qualify for the state’s 2020 ballot.

The chief of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division spoke about his opposition to medical cannabis.

New Mexico regulators may be sued over a decision to block out-of-state residents from enrolling in the state’s medical cannabis program.

Oregon regulators are launching a statewide listening tour to gather input from marijuana industry participants this month.

New Jersey regulators posted a request for applications for new medical cannabis dispensary licenses.

Utah regulators are expected to select winners of medical cannabis cultivation licenses this month.

New Virginia laws allowing medical cannabis use in schools, more forms of products and registered agents to pick up medicine for patients went into effect on Monday.

The New York Times looks at the effects of marijuana legalization in Colorado.

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/ LOCAL

The Chicago, Illinois Board of Education removed expulsion as a possible punishment for public school students caught using marijuana or other drugs.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Jersey’s minister for economic development, tourism, sport and culture said medical cannabis cultivation will begin there next year.

/ ADVOCACY

The Idaho Republican Party defeated a resolution calling on lawmakers to “decriminalize all forms of cannabis.”

Faith & Freedom Coalition Chairman Ralph Reed praised former Drug Czar Bill Bennett’s efforts to push against drug use “especially against the backdrop of the systematic legalization of marijuana.”

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that a “cannabinoid is effective in increasing appetite in cancer patients” but that “it declines the quality of life, which may be due to the side effects of cannabinoid.”

A study on modes of marijuana consumption found that “white participants predominantly used pipes/vaporizer” and that “black participants predominantly used blunts.”

/ OPINION & ANALYSIS

A poll of UK adults found that they support legalizing marijuana, 47%-30%, and that economic factors were the strongest arguments in favor, while concerns about car accidents and mental health issues were the strongest opposition arguments.

/ BUSINESS

High Times got fooled into picking up an obvious satire story about musician Gene Simmons opening a marijuana dispensary.

Haleigh’s Hope, Inc. announced it obtained Good Manufacturing Practices certification from the Food and Drug Administration.

STAT examines Compass Pathways, which plans to develop and market psychedelic medicines.

Here’s a look at CBD companies’ efforts to game SEO.

/ CULTURE

Musician David Draiman spoke about his support for legalizing marijuana.

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Photo courtesy of Carlos Gracia.