May 09 2024

US Congress: Lawmakers From 30 States Now Sponsoring Federal Legislation to Deschedule Marijuana

Last week, a coalition of US Senators introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), which aims to deschedule marijuana. A similar bill is also currently active in the House of Representatives. Below is a complete list of sponsors for these measures, and the states they represent.

The CAOA would mandate that the US Attorney General finalize rules to remove marijuana as a controlled substance within 180 days, and establish a 5% federal excise tax on marijuana producers, which would increase to 12.5% by the fifth year. Similarly, the MORE Act in the House proposes to deschedule marijuana and impose a federal tax on state-legal sales.

Additionally, the CAOA aims to set federal safety standards for legal marijuana products. This includes the creation of a Center for Cannabis Products within the FDA, tasked with regulating the production, labeling, distribution, sales, and other manufacturing and retail aspects of the cannabis industry.
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May 09 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris to Advocate for Marijuana Legalization Following Rescheduling

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to strongly advocate for the legalization of recreational marijuana once the rescheduling process is complete, according to a campaign official.

On April 29, it was reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will be rescheduling marijuana, following an over eight-month review prompted by a Department of Health and Human Services recommendation. This development was confirmed by an official with the Department of Justice the following day.

Now, a campaign official tells us that once the move to Schedule III is complete, Vice President Harris plans to put her full support behind efforts to deschedule and legalize marijuana. This includes publicly endorsing and advocating for the recently-introduced Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) in the Senate, and the MORE Act in the House of Representatives.
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May 08 2024

US Congress: The 5 Federal Marijuana Bills With the Most Support

The DEA is moving marijuana to Schedule III, but that’s not stopping some lawmakers from fighting for further marijuana reform. Here’s an overview of the five most popular marijuana-related bills currently active in the US Congress.

Recently the Department of Justice confirmed that the process to move marijuana to Schedule III is underway. Although this will legalize marijuana for prescription use, numerous lawmakers —including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Vice President Kamala Harris— have said that this does not go far enough, and they continue to fight for further reform.

With that in mind, below are the five most popular bills currently being promoted in the US Congress:
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May 08 2024

New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee Approves House-Backed Bill to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

New Hampshire’s Senate Judiciary Committee has given approval to a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, which has already been passed through the full House of Representatives.

The Judiciary Committee’s passage of House Bill 1633 —by a vote of 3 to 2— marks the first time a Senate committee in New Hampshire has ever given approval to a marijuana legalization bill. HB 1633 was passed by the House of Representatives last month with overwhelming support, with the vote being 239 to 136.

Filed by State Representative Erica Layon (R), the proposed law would allow those 21 and older to possess and use marijuana for recreational use. The measure would establish a system of licensed, taxed and regulated marijuana retail outlets, with marijuana taxed at 10%. The Senate Judiciary Committee amended the bill to alter the specifics of the legal marijuana industry, meaning it will need to go back to the House for another vote if it passes the full Senate.
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May 08 2024

Vermont House Unanimously Approves Bill to Establish Psychedelic Working Group

Legislation that would establish the “Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group” has been passed through Vermont’s full House of Representatives.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Senate Bill 114 was given approval today by the state’s House in a unanimous voice vote. The measure has already been passed through the Senate, but will need to go back for another vote before it can be sent to Governor Phil Scott for consideration, given it was amended in the Senate.

The proposed law would establish the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group “to examine the use of psychedelics to improve physical and mental health and to make findings and recommendations regarding the advisability of the establishment of a State program similar to other jurisdictions to permit health care providers to administer psychedelics in a therapeutic setting and the impact on public health of allowing individuals to legally access psychedelics under State law.”
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May 08 2024

Legislation to Facilitate Marijuana Expungements Filed in U.S. Senate

Legislation offering grants to states and localities to ease the expungement of nonviolent marijuana offenses has been filed in the United States Senate.

Senate Bill 4161 —the HOPE Act of 2024— was filed recently by Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV). The proposal is a companion bill to House Bill 2677, also referred to as the HOPE Act.

In the Senate, the measure was filed with no cosponsors. The House version of the bill is sponsored by a bipartisan coalition of five lawmakers.
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May 08 2024

Report: Legal Marijuana States Garnered $4 Billion in Tax Revenue in 2023, Over $20 Billion Since 2014

On Wednesday, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) released a new report on tax revenue generated from state-legal, adult-use marijuana sales.

The report found that through the first quarter of 2024, states have reported a combined total of more than $20 billion in tax revenue from legal, adult-use cannabis sales. In 2023 alone, legalization states generated more than $4 billion in cannabis tax revenue from adult-use sales, which is the most revenue generated by cannabis sales in a single year.

“State-legal cannabis sales continue to provide significant economic benefits. With over $20 billion generated in adult-use cannabis tax revenue since the first sales began, the legal cannabis industry is providing much-needed funding for crucial services and programs in states across the country. Additionally, the implementation of adult-use cannabis markets has spurred significant job growth, creating hundreds of thousands of new employment opportunities, along with thousands of new small businesses,” said Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project.
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May 07 2024

Study Finds Marijuana Enhances Orgasm Frequency and Satisfaction in Women with Female Orgasmic Disorder

A recent study published in the journal Sexual Medicine reveals promising results for women who struggle with achieving orgasms.

The study, titled “Assessment of the effect of cannabis use before partnered sex on women with and without orgasm difficulty,” found that cannabis significantly improves the sexual experiences of women facing orgasmic disorders. The study was published in the April issue of the journal, with the full text published online yesterday.

Conducted as an observational study, it gathered data from 1,037 female participants, focusing on those who reported difficulties with orgasms during partnered sex. The research highlighted that a substantial 52% of the respondents experienced challenges in achieving orgasm. 75% of the women were white, 52% identified as LGBTQI+, and 82% were in a relationship.
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May 07 2024

Federal Marijuana Banking Bill Secures 118th Sponsor

The SAFE Banking Act, aimed at enabling marijuana banking throughout the United States, has secured an additional sponsor, bringing the total to 118.

Congressmember John Garamendi (D-CA) added his support yesterday, bolstering the legislation’s backing within the House of Representatives.

Initially introduced in September by a collective of 10 lawmakers, the SAFE Banking Act continues to gain momentum. The bill allows accredited banks and credit unions to provide a suite of banking services, including debit card processing and loans, to marijuana businesses adhering to state regulations. Despite state licensing, these businesses are currently unable to access banking services due to federal restrictions, compelling many to operate solely with cash and heightening their risk of theft.
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May 07 2024

DEA Administrator Questioned About Marijuana Rescheduling at Congressional Hearing

During a committee hearing today in the US House of Representatives, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram was questioned about the agency’s decision to reschedule marijuana, saying repeatedly that it’d be “inappropriate” to answer such questions.

“Because the formal rulemaking process is ongoing and my role in that process is to determine the scheduling of drugs, it would be inappropriate for me to respond to questions on this rescheduling matter”, Milgram said during her opening statement. Despite these remarks, she was questioned about the DEA’s decision to move marijuana to Schedule III by several lawmakers.

When Congressmember Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) questioned her about the DEA’s decision, Milgram responded “There’s a formal rulemaking process for scheduling or rescheduling controlled substances. That process is ongoing. The next step in that process will be a notice of proposed rulemaking and then an opportunity for public comment.”
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