By Anthony Deininger, Law Student The cannabis industry has spent years waiting for Congress to solve what is, at least in substantial part, an administrative problem. The Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act (SAFER Banking Act) has been treated as necessary for access to institutional banking, exchange listings, and the financial infrastructure that other …
Category: Opinion
Opinion and commentary on cannabis policy, legalization, industry trends, reform efforts and major developments shaping the future of marijuana laws.
The Congressional Cannabis Caucus Has Stalled Out. It’s Time to Start Over.
The Congressional Cannabis Caucus was supposed to be a driving force for reform on Capitol Hill. Instead, it has become a symbol of stagnation. That may sound harsh, but at some point honesty is more useful than politeness. If a caucus exists to keep marijuana reform front and center in Congress, then it needs to …
President Trump’s Marijuana Record Is More Pro-Legalization Than the Media Admits
By Ashley Mitchell, Law Student and Dispensary Manager For years, and especially in recent weeks, much of the media has treated Donald Trump as if he is instinctively hostile to marijuana legalization. That framing is lazy, incomplete, and increasingly hard to defend.
Why Attempts to Undo Cannabis Legalization in States Like Massachusetts and Arizona Could Backfire on Opponents
Efforts now underway in states like Massachusetts and Arizona to roll back voter-approved marijuana legalization might look, at first glance, like a step backward for the movement. Petitions have been filed that would ask voters to reconsider decisions they made years ago to allow regulated adult-use marijuana markets. For supporters of legalization, the instinct may …
Why a Trump Executive Order on Marijuana Rescheduling Would Withstand Legal Scrutiny
By Ashley Mitchell, Law Student and Dispensary Manager President Trump is expected to issue an executive order directing the Department of Justice to finalize the federal rescheduling of marijuana, a move that has prompted questions about whether such an approach is legally sound. From a legal perspective, however, this pathway is not only defensible but …
Chinese Gangs Exploit Hemp Loophole to Push Illicit Marijuana in America
By: The Dank Informer In 2018, US Politicians gifted Chinese state-backed drug networks a massive windfall when they passed the Farm Bill. In one stroke, lawmakers turned a technicality into a shield for these criminal networks and their U.S. partners, unleashing a nationwide digital drug ring disguised as “hemp.” What should have been a narrow …
State Cannabis Social Equity Programs Are Headed for Constitutional Showdowns, Likely to Be Ruled Illegal
By Ashley Mitchell, 3rd Year Law Student and Dispensary Manager Social equity programs are well-intentioned and good-natured, but they’re also likely illegal. Across the country, state legislatures and regulators have designed social equity programs intended to right the wrongs of the drug war. These programs, particularly those that reserve the first wave of marijuana licenses …
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