Jul 31 2024

GOP US Senator Endorses Federal Marijuana Legalization

U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently announced his support for a comprehensive regulatory framework for marijuana, similar to that of tobacco.

US Senator Tom Tillis (R-NC) (photo credit: Al Drago / Getty Images).

Senator Tillis emphasized the need for a federal approach to ensure safety and consistency in the burgeoning cannabis market in a recent interview with Green Market Report, saying “We have to understand that this is a market that is going to exist and it’s going to persist, so the federal government needs to figure out a safe way to allow this market to occur.”

In making his remarks, Tillis is now the first GOP member of the US Senate to endorse federal marijuana legalization, although there are a few that support their state’s marijuana law or other reforms such as the SAFER Banking Act to allow marijuana banking.
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Jul 30 2024

Philippine House Approves Bill to Legalize Medical Marijuana 177 to 9

The Philippines House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday that would legalize the medical use of marijuana, marking the third and final reading of the proposal.

House Bill 10439, known as the Access to Medical Cannabis Act and sponsored by Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, was approved overwhelmingly, 177 to 9.

The legislation would legalize the possession and use of marijuana and marijuana products for those with a qualifying condition who receive a recommendation from a licensed physician. Licensed medical marijuana dispensaries would be allowed to distribute the medicine to patients.
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Jul 30 2024

Donald Trump Claims Kamala Harris “Put Thousands and Thousands of Black People in Jail Over Marijuana”

In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, attacked Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris over her marijuana-related prosecutions.

In a Monday interview on Fox News’s “The Ingraham Angle,” former President Donald Trump criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for her prosecutorial record on marijuana. Trump asserted that Harris, during her tenure as a prosecutor, disproportionately targeted Black individuals for cannabis offenses.

“She was a bad prosecutor. She was a prosecutor of Black people,” Trump said. “She put thousands and thousands of Black people in jail over marijuana. But when it came to big crime—murders and everything else—she was weak.”
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Jul 30 2024

These Seven States Are on Track to Legalize Marijuana by Next Summer

Marijuana legalization efforts continue to advance in numerous states. Here’s a look at which efforts are on track for success by next summer.

With 24 states having legalized recreational marijuana, it won’t be long before the majority of states in the nation have done so. This November alone, voters in multiple states will consider initiatives to legalize marijuana. In other states, lawmakers are poised to act on legalization legislation when their session reconvenes next year.

That said, here are the seven states on track to legalize marijuana by the summer.
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Jul 30 2024

Oregon Issues Nation’s First-Ever License for Psilocybin Edible Manufacturing

Oregon officials have issued the first-ever license for a psilocybin edibles manufacturer, according to an announcement by Southeast Portland-based company, Spiritus Oregon.

Spiritus Oregon, known for its Horizon Edibles brand, revealed that earlier this month it received the “first Psilocybin Edibles license” in the United States, marking a milestone in the legal psilocybin industry.

According to a press release, Spiritus Oregon’s Horizon Edibles brand offers “dark chocolates infused with dried, homogenized mushrooms,” which boast a “chocolate-forward flavor with nutty and earthy notes”.
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Jul 30 2024

Poll: 64% of Florida Voters Plan to Vote Yes on Amendment 3 to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

According to newly released polling, a strong majority of voters in Florida support a constitutional amendment to make marijuana legal for everyone 21 and older.

The poll, conducted by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab, found that 64% of likely voters plan to vote “yes” on Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational marijuana. Just 31% of voters plan to vote “no”, with 5% undecided.

Democrats were by far the most supportive of Amendment 3, at 79% followed by independents at 63% and Republicans at 50%.
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Jul 29 2024

Two More Texas Cities Set to Vote on Marijuana Decriminalization This November, Joining Dallas

Voters in Lockhart and Bastrop, Texas, will join Dallas in deciding on marijuana decriminalization measures this November.

Activists in both cities have submitted well more than enough signatures to place their initiatives on the ballot. In Lochart, the signatures have already been certified, guaranteeing the measure’s place on the November ballot,

The Lockhart measure proposes to reduce penalties for possession marijuana, following similar efforts in several other Texas cities like Austin and San Marcos. The initiative aims to prevent law enforcement from arresting individuals found with up to four ounces of marijuana. Instead, they would receive a citation.
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Jul 29 2024

How Biden Became the Most Consequential President for Marijuana Reform in US History

President Biden, who was a staunch opponent of marijuana law reform in his younger years, has become the most consequential president in U.S. history regarding marijuana law reform.

In six months, regardless of what happens this November, Joe Biden will no longer be president. Despite having just one term, no previous president has done more to move forward the conversation of marijuana law reform, even if he didn’t go near as far as some advocates would have liked.

President Biden has never supported the legalization of marijuana. However, he is the first president since Jimmy Carter to support decriminalizing it. Although he did not fulfill this campaign promise, he initiated a review of marijuana’s scheduling status, leading to the DEA proposing it be moved to Schedule III. Once completed, this will be the most significant federal change regarding marijuana since the introduction of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970.
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Jul 29 2024

Nebraska Lawmakers Introduce Dual Bills to Legalize Marijuana

Nebraska lawmakers introduced two comprehensive bills today aimed at legalizing and regulating marijuana.

Senator Terrell McKinney introduced Legislature Bill 71, while Senator Justin Wayne introduced Legislature Bill 52. Both bills propose the establishment of a regulated marijuana market, allowing anyone 21 and older to participate, but each takes a unique approach to doing so.

Legislature Bill 71, known as the Nebraska Cannabis Legalization and Revenue Allocation Act, seeks to create a comprehensive framework for cannabis regulation, allowing anyone 21 and older to participate. The bill aims to remove cannabis as a controlled substance and establish the Nebraska Cannabis Control Commission to oversee its cultivation, processing, distribution, and sale. It includes provisions for social equity, mandating that a percentage of licenses be allocated to individuals from communities disproportionately affected by previous cannabis prohibition laws.
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Jul 29 2024

New Hampshire Governor Sununu Signs Law Expanding Who Can Recommend Medical Marijuana

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu has signed Senate Bill 357 into law, expanding the range of healthcare professionals authorized to certify patients for the state’s medical marijuana program.

The legislation broadens the definition of providers who can recommend therapeutic cannabis to patients. Previously, only physicians and advanced practice registered nurses from New Hampshire and neighboring states, and physician assistants with the consent of a supervising physician, were eligible to certify patients. With the new law, any New Hampshire provider licensed to prescribe drugs to humans, possessing an active registration from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to prescribe controlled substances, can now certify patients. This change aims to increase accessibility for patients needing therapeutic cannabis.

The bill, which amends RSA 126-X, will take effect 60 days after its passage. It also updates the requirements for minors’ registry identification cards, specifying that one of the two required certifications must come from a pediatric care provider.
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