Marijuana Moment: Biden announces cannabis rescheduling (Newsletter: May 17, 2024)

[Tokeativity]

DEA signals skepticism on Schedule III; NH legalization vote; Prohibitionists on marijuana regulation; CA psychedelics defeat

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

President Joe Biden officially announced that the Department of Justice is moving to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III.

The marijuana rescheduling proposed rule signed by Attorney General Merrick Garland and an attached Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel memo both signal that the Drug Enforcement Administration is not necessarily on board with the move.

• “DEA has not yet made a determination as to its views of the appropriate schedule for marijuana.”

The New Hampshire Senate amended and approved a House-passed bill to legalize marijuana—the furthest a cannabis legalization measure has ever advanced in the “Live Free or Die” state.

President Joe Biden’s announcement that his administration is moving to reschedule marijuana is generating reactions from lawmakers, governors, advocates and industry stakeholders.

The Congressional Research Service published two new marijuana reports updating lawmakers on the “legal consequences” of the persisting federal-state policy gap under rescheduling and outlining a spending rider that protects state medical cannabis programs.

The California Senate Appropriations Committee killed a bill that would have legalized psychedelic service centers where people could access psilocybin, MDMA, mescaline and DMT in a supervised environment with trained facilitators.

Officials with Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America seemed to indicate during a webinar that marijuana legalization is inevitable, discussing how best to steer cannabis tax revenue and saying that federal prohibition “makes it even more difficult” to implement unified health and safety policies across state markets.

The Louisiana House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice approved a Senate-passed bill to reverse the state’s accidental legalization of intoxicating hemp products by banning them again.

/ FEDERAL

Former White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Acting Director Regina LaBelle wrote in a letter to the editor that Congress appears to be “ignoring the very real public health and social justice issues inherent in cannabis policy.”

A former Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer pleaded guilty to federal charges of stealing more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana from evidence.

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) tweeted, “The year after OK passed a medical marijuana law, OK had more land sales to foreign entities than any other state. Selling farmland to foreign nationals with ties to criminal organizations puts our national security at risk.”

The House marijuana banking bill got one new cosponsor for a total of 118.

The House bill to remove past marijuana use as a barrier to federal employment or security clearances got one new cosponsor for a total of nine.

/ STATES

A Pennsylvania Republican senator authored an op-ed calling on Congress to pass a marijuana banking bill.

A former Florida GOP senator criticized the state Republican Party for opposing the marijuana legalization initiative on the November ballot.

The Tribal Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, located within North Carolina, held a hearing on plans to launch recreational marijuana sales.

Michigan regulators filed a complaint against a marijuana business over alleged violations.

Maine regulators are accepting applications to serve on the Cannabis Hospitality Task Force.

Washington State regulators posted summaries of marijuana legislation that was enacted this session.

Oregon regulators will consider draft marijuana business tax compliance rules on Tuesday.

—
Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—

/ LOCAL

New York City’s mayor praised Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for doing “a real cleanup” of the state’s marijuana regulatory body.

Fairfield, Ohio’s mayor opposes allowing marijuana dispensaries to operate in the city unless they will be economically impactful.

/ INTERNATIONAL

The Czech Chamber of Deputies approved legislation to regulate synthetic cannabinoids.

The Philippine House Committee on Human Rights is launching an investigation of the nation’s bloody “war on drugs.”

Ontario, Canada’s minister of health is warning Toronto to drop its request for federal permission to decriminalize drugs.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study suggested that “cannabinoids are suitable drugs that could be used as effective inhibitors for target proteins involved in cancer pathways.”

A study of mice found that CBD “alleviates carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis.”

/ BUSINESS

Schwazze reported quarterly revenue of $41.6 million and a net loss of $16.1 million.

TILT Holdings Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $37.5 million and a net loss of $9.7 million.

Nature’s Miracle Holding Inc. and Agrify Corporation are merging.

Aurora Cannabis Inc. has a new board of directors member.

Arkansas dispensaries have sold $1.10 billion worth of medical cannabis products in the first five years of the program.

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