Jun 28 2023

California Senate Passes Bill to Legalize Marijuana Cafes, Allow Live Performances at Marijuana Stores

The California Senate has given approval to an Assembly-passed bill that would legalize marijuana cafes where marijuana and marijuana products, as well as other food and drink products, can be purchased and consumed.

The Senate voted yesterday to pass Assembly Bill 374 through its second reading, a day after the Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development voted 11 to 1 in favor of the measure. The Senate will need to pass the bill through a third and final reading before it can be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom (the Assembly has already passed it 64 to 9). A final vote in the Senate could come as soon as tomorrow.

According to its legislative digest, this bill, as amended, would authorize a local jurisdiction “to allow for the preparation or sale of noncannabis food or beverage products, as specified, by a licensed retailer or microbusiness in the area where the consumption of cannabis is allowed, to allow for the sale of prepackaged, noncannabis-infused, nonalcoholic food and beverages by a licensed retailer, and to allow, and to sell tickets for, live musical or other performances on the premises. of a licensed retailer or microbusiness in the area where the consumption of cannabis is allowed.”
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Jun 28 2023

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce Predicts Up to 80% of NFL Players Use Marijuana

Travis Kelce, starting tight end for the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs, predicts that a majority of NFL players use marijuana on a regular basis.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce in a game against the Pittsburgh Stealers.

Kelce told Vanity Fair this week that although he was “so embarrassed” when he failed a drug test for marijuana while playing in Cincinnati, he says nowadays trends are changing and many players are taking advantage of the NFL’s recently loosened marijuana policies.

Prior to 2021 NFL players were subject to numerous drug tests throughout each year. Under current NFL rules players are required to undergo just one annual marijuana test at the start of training camp, and punishments for testing positive for marijuana are more lenient.
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Jun 28 2023

First National Cannabis Super PAC Launches in the US

LegalizeAmerica has launched as the nation’s first Super PAC devoted to reforming cannabis laws across the United States.

Officially launching June 28, the independent expenditure organization, created with support from leading U.S. regulated cannabis companies, will work to raise the profile of cannabis as a national issue in the 2024 election and beyond.

“Legalize America is committed to ending cannabis prohibition and advancing expungement efforts and responsible use” said Legalize America Chair Matt Harrell of Curaleaf. “We will use all available tools—including scorecards, endorsements and targeted independent expenditure campaigns—to advance cannabis reform, with the goal of creating a prosperous and equitable cannabis industry.”
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Jun 28 2023

Ukraine President Calls for Nation to “Finally Legalize Cannabis-Based Medicine”

In the midst of a devastating war, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling on the nation to legalize medical cannabis.

During a recent address to the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament), President Zelenskyy stated:

“In particular, we must finally honestly legalize cannabis-based medicine for everyone who needs it, [with] the relevant scientific research and controlled Ukrainian manufacturing.”
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Jun 28 2023

Poll: 61% of Americans Support Legalizing Psychedelic Therapy

New polling from the University of California shows that a substantial majority of adults in the United States support legalizing psychedelic therapy.

The poll was published online last week and was presented at the  Psychedelic Science 2023 Conference in Denver, Colorado.

“More than six out of 10 (61%) American registered voters support legalizing regulated therapeutic access to psychedelics, including 35% who report ‘strong’ support,” states a press release. “In addition, more than three-quarters of voters (78%) support making it easier for researchers to study psychedelic substances. Almost half (49%) support removing criminal penalties for personal use and possession.”
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Jun 27 2023

California Assembly Committee Passes Senate-Approved Bill to Legalize Psilocybin, DMT and Ibogaine

California legislation to legalize the personal possession of several psychedelic substances has been given approval by a key Assembly committee.

Magic mushrooms containing psilocybin.

The Assembly Public Safety Committee voted 5 to 2 to pass Senate Bill 58. The measure has already been passed by the full Senate, 21 to 16. The measure would legalize the possession of up to two grams of DMT, 15 grams of ibogaine, two grams of psilocybin (or up to four ounces of “a plant or fungi containing psilocybin”) and two grams of psilocyn (or up to four ounces of “a plant or fungi containing psilocybin”).

“These substances have significant healing potential and there’s growing research showing that potential”, said Senator Scott Wiener. “Had the war on drugs not started in the 60s and 70s, we would probably be in a dramatically more advanced state around psychedelics, but the war on drugs shut everything down and we lost 40 or 50 years as a result.” Weiner says that he’s “trying to reverse some of that damage.”
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Jun 27 2023

Florida Bill Establishing Hemp Extract as Food and Setting New Regulations Sent to Governor

After being unanimously approved by the Florida Legislature a hemp regulation bill has been sent to Governor Ron DeSantis for consideration.

Senate Bill 1676 was passed by the Senate in April by a vote of 39 to 0, and it was approved by the House of Representatives the following month 119 to 0. Yesterday the measure was signed by chamber officers and officially presented to Governor DeSantis. Although DeSantis has the option of vetoing the bill, it was clearly passed with well more than the 2/3rds support required to override a veto.

The legislation explicitly clarifies by law that hemp extract is considered a food product subject to certain requirements and regulations. For example, hemp extract containers would be required to include a batch number, a barcode, a certificate of analysis from an independent laboratory, an Internet address with more information about the product and an expiration date.
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Jun 27 2023

Legal Recreational Marijuana Sales Start Saturday, July 1 in Maryland

Those 21 and older in Maryland are just a few days away from being able to legally purchase and grow marijuana for recreational purposes.

Starting July 1, it will be legal for those 21+ to possess up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana, and grow up to four plants. Criminal penalties for possessing up to 2.5 ounces will also be removed.

Also starting July 1, at least 100 medical marijuana dispensaries are expected to become dual outlets that sell both medical and recreational marijuana. Standalone recreational marijuana stores are expected to start opening next year.
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Jun 26 2023

Canada Senate Committee Report Urges Government to Allow First Nations to Regulate Their Own Marijuana Production and Sales

A Canadian Senate committee report has declared support for First Nations being given the authority to regulate their own programs in regards to producing and selling marijuana.

The Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples have released a report that found evidence of First Nations being blocked from participating in the nation’s legal marijuana industry. It urges the Minister of Health to introduce legislation “to amend the Cannabis Act to allow First Nations to regulate the possession, sale and distribution of cannabis on their lands.”

“First Nations missed out on significant economic opportunities, which are no longer available now that the cannabis market is largely saturated”, states the report. “[T]his exclusion continues today in fisheries, forestry and the cannabis market”. The committee also found that First Nations were not included in Canada’s excise tax-sharing framework, and thus “an excise tax-sharing framework for First Nations should be developed to share revenues more broadly”.
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Jun 26 2023

Florida Governor Signs Marijuana Telehealth Bill Into Law

Legislation that will allow physicians to renew patients medical marijuana cards via telehealth has been signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

“Today is historic,” said state Representative Spencer Roach, the prime sponsor of House Bill 387. “Gov. DeSantis continues to demonstrate his commitment to expanding patient access to medicine, in alignment with the overwhelming majority of Florida voters.”

HB 387, which goes into effect on July 1, allows licensed physicians to use telehealth options such as Zoom when renewing a patient’s medical marijuana authorization card during annual renewals. The law does not, however, allow physicians to use telehealth when first authorizing a patient to use medical marijuana.
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