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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Mar 20 2024

Michigan Marijuana Sales Jump to $260 Million for February

Legal marijuana sales in Michigan saw a significant uptick from January to February, despite the month being two days shorter.

According to the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency, there was $261,036,389 worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in February. This is an over $18 million increase from the $242,812,694 sold in January, and an increase of $45 million compared to total sales for February, 2023.

Of the $261 million in sales, just $2,178,744 was sold to medical marijuana patients, with the remaining $258,857,645 sold to recreational consumers.
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Mar 20 2024

Missouri: $113 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in February

There was over $113 million in marijuana sold legally in February in Missouri.

In total there was $113.4 in legal marijuana sold in February, an increase of $3.6 million from the total sales for January, despite the month being two days shorter. This is according to data compiled and released by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The $113.4 million represents a roughly $10 million increase from marijuana sales for the previous February. Of the $113.4 million sold, $98.3 million was sold to recreational consumers, with $15.1 million sold to medical marijuana patients.
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Mar 19 2024

Hawaii: Third House Committee Passes Senate-Approved Bill to Legalize Marijuana

A third committee in the Hawaii House of Representatives has passed a bill to legalize marijuana which has already been approved by the full Senate.

The House Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee voted today to pass Senate Bill 3335, which would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older. If the measure is passed by the full House of Representatives, it will be sent to Governor Josh Green for consideration.

If enacted into law, the measure would legalize the possession, personal cultivation and license distribution of marijuana. The legal marijuana industry would be overseen by the Hawaii Cannabis Authority and Cannabis Control Board, established within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. The Authority would handle licensing, regulatory oversight and so forth.
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Mar 19 2024

The 5 States Most Likely to Legalize Medical Marijuana By December

Only 12 states have not enacted laws legalizing medical marijuana, with that number likely to shrink by the end of the year.

medical marijuana states

Since California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, 37 others states have followed suit, although with varying approaches. Nine other states have passed laws allowing the medical use of low-THC / high-CBD products.

Among the 12 states that have not legalized medical marijuana, a handful have serious efforts underway to change that.
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Mar 19 2024

Vermont Committee Approves Bill to Remove Criminal Penalties for Possessing or Selling Psilocybin

A comprehensive psilocybin bill has been passed through a key committee in the Vermont Senate.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare voted today to pass Senate Bill 114, filed by Senator Martine Gulick along with eight cosponsors. Its official title calls it “An act relating to removal of criminal penalties for possessing, dispensing, or selling psilocybin and establishment of the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group.”

According to its official legislative summary, this bill “proposes to make findings regarding the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin, to remove criminal penalties for possession of psilocybin; and to establish the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group to examine the use of psychedelics to improve physical and mental health and to make recommendations regarding the establishment of a State program similar to Connecticut, Colorado, or Oregon to permit health care providers to administer psychedelics in a therapeutic setting.”
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