Mar 23 2024

“Stop Pot Act” to Withhold Funds from Legal Marijuana States Has No New Sponsors in Almost 6 Months

The Stop Pot Act in the US House of Representatives has not garnered a single new sponsor since early October, despite being the most prominent piece of anti-marijuana legislation in Congress.

The Stop Pot Act was filed in September by North Carolina Congressmember Chuck Edwards. The measure would withhold federal funding from states and tribes that have legalized recreational marijuana. The measure was filed with just one cosponsor, which grew to five by the following month. However, the proposal has not gained a single new sponsor since Congressmember John Rose (R-TN) joined the list on October 2, almost six months ago.

By comparison, a measure to completely remove marijuana as a controlled substance has 87 sponsors. Legislation to allow marijuana banking has 107 sponsors.
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Mar 23 2024

South Dakota Governor Signs Legislation Banning Delta-8 THC

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has signed into law a measure banning the production, distribution and possession of delta-8 and delta-10 THC.

Gummies made with delta-8 THC.

Governor Kristi Noem has signed House Bill 1125 into law. The measure was approved recently through the full Senate, 31 to 1, and it passed the House unanimously, 69 to 0.

The legislation explicitly prohibits the production, distribution or possession of delta-8 and delta-10 THC, derived from legal hemp. The measure states that no person or entity may:
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Mar 22 2024

The 5 States Gearing Up to Legalize Marijuana in the Near Future

There are 24 legal marijuana states. Of the 26 without legal marijuana, five in particular are gearing up to make a change.

In 2023 and 2024 marijuana legalization legislation and/or ballot initiatives were filed in nearly all of the 26 states without legal marijuana. However, some of these efforts have far more of a chance of actually being enacted into law than others.

Based on our analysis of the current political landscape, here are the five states gearing up to legalize marijuana in the near future:
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Mar 22 2024

US Senate Majority Leader Circulates Petition in Support of Marijuana Banking Bill (SAFER Banking Act)

United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is circulating a petition requesting people “Sign On” to “Support the SAFER Banking Act!”

“Can you imagine running a business without being able to deposit your money anywhere?”, begins the petition. “That’s the reality for law-abiding marijuana businesses across the country. In states where marijuana is legal, these businesses have extremely limited access to basic banking services like deposits or lines of credit. They’re forced to keep massive amounts of cash on hand — a danger for everyone involved.”

The petition then says “That’s why Chuck is championing the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act. Sign your name in support.”
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Mar 22 2024

Montana Legal Marijuana Sales Top $25 Million in January

In January there was just over $25 million in marijuana sold legally throughout Montana.

According to data compiled and released by the Montana Cannabis Control Division, there was $25,110,065 in legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in January. This is a slight increase over the $24,946,537 sold last January.

$20,874,549 of the marijuana purchased in January was for recreational use, with the remaining $4,235,515 purchased by medical marijuana patients.
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Mar 21 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris Said “We’ve Changed Federal Marijuana Policy”, 40 Days Later Confusion Remains

 

In early February Vice President Kamala Harris said “We changed federal marijuana policy”. 41 days later, and no answers have been given as to what was meant by that statement.

(Photo credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images).

In the February 9 video posted on the social media platform X, VP Harris said “We changed federal marijuana policy, because nobody should have to go to jail just for smoking weed”. The video was meant to appeal to young voters, and included several other topics that the Biden / Harris Administration have focused on over the past several years.

Since the video was published, VP Harris has publicly stated that the rescheduling of marijuana should occur “as quickly as possible“, and she has said “we need to legalize marijuana“. However, she has not addressed what she meant in the video when she said “We changed federal marijuana policy”, which is a provable falsehood. The video remains live to this day, viewed over 437,000 times.
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Mar 21 2024

US Treasury Secretary Says It’s “Desirable” to Pass Federal Marijuana Banking Bill

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says that it would be “desirable” for the federal government to pass marijuana banking legislation, calling the current situation a “problem”.

(Photo credit: Eric Risberg / Associated Press).

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was questioned today during a House Appropriations Financial Services And General Government Subcommittee. During the meeting, Congressmember Dave Joyce (R-OH) questioned Yellen on the conflict between federal and state marijuana policies, in particular when it comes to banking regulations.

Joyce asked Yellen if she could tell him “what is presently this administration’s position on [the SAFER Banking Act]”?
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Mar 21 2024

Delaware Senate Committee Passes Bill to Allow Medical Marijuana for Any Condition, Allow Those 65+ to Self-Certify

A key Senate committee in Delaware has passed legislation that would enhance patient access to medical marijuana, including allowing physicians to recommend the medicine for any condition they deem appropriate.

House Bill 285 was given approval recently by the Senate Health & Social Services Committee, roughly two months after it was given approval by the full House of Representatives.

The proposed law would remove the state’s list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions, instead allowing physicians to recommend the medicine for any condition they deem appropriate. The measure would also allow those who are 65 years old and older to self-certify themselves as medical marijuana patients, meaning they would not need a signature or recommendation from a healthcare professional.
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Mar 20 2024

Washington Governor Signs Bill Providing Exemption From 37% Marijuana Excise Tax to Patients

Legislation providing patients with an exemption to the state’s marijuana excise tax has been signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee.

House Bill 1453 was signed into law by Governor Inslee following widespread support in the legislature; it passed the House of Representatives 82 to 14, and it passed the Senate 36 to 13. The measure will be officially enacted into law in June.

The measure “Provides a tax exemption from the 37 percent cannabis excise tax for qualifying patients and designated providers with a recognition card on purchases of cannabis products that are labeled as Department of Health (DOH)-compliant product and tested in accordance with the DOH’s rules.”
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Mar 20 2024

US House: Federal Marijuana Banking Act Gains Three New Sponsors, Now Has 107

The SAFE Banking Act, which already had more sponsors than any marijuana-related bill in the United States Congress, has garnered three new sponsors.

Yesterday Congressmembers Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Chrissy D Houslahan (D-PA) and Gwen D Moore (D-WI) signed on as cosponsors to the SAFE Banking Act. The measure now has 107 sponsors, representing 24.5% of the entire House. An updated Senate version of the bill, the SAFER Banking Act, has 36 sponsors.

Both the SAFE and SAFER Banking Acts would allow banks and other financial institutions (credit unions, for example) to provide banking services to state-legal marijuana businesses. This included debit and credit card services and access to business loans. The SAFE Banking Act was filed in April, while the SAFER Banking Act was filed in September.
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