Author: Kyle Jaeger

[ad_1] The Massachusetts House has unanimously approved a military veterans-focused bill that includes provisions to create a psychedelics working group to study and make recommendations about the potential therapeutic benefits of substances like psilocybin and MDMA. Lawmakers also approved an amendment to create a pilot program to examine medical cannabis as an opioid alternative for veterans. The chamber passed the legislation, an earlier version of which was introduced by Gov. Maura Healey (D) in November, in a 156-0 vote on Wednesday. The Honoring, Empowering and Recognizing Our Servicemembers and Veterans (HERO Act) is a wide-ranging proposal focused on veterans, but…

[ad_1] A strong majority of Americans agree that passing a marijuana banking bill would improve public safety, according to a new poll commissioned by Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). The survey, conducted by Morning Consult, found that 64 percent of Americans feel the provisions of the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act to allow cannabis businesses to access the banking system will “help improve public safety.” A second question in the poll noted that some cannabis-related businesses are owned and led by people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ community, asking respondents whether “opening the…

[ad_1] The top Democrat in the U.S. House says the Biden administration’s move to reschedule marijuana is a “step in the right direction,” but it should be followed up with congressional action such as passing a legalization bill that was reintroduced on the Senate side this week. A top GOP leader, on the other hand, is voicing opposition to even the modest proposal to reclassify cannabis. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said during a press briefing on Wednesday that he supports both the administrative reform that the Justice Department announced—moving to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug under…

[ad_1] New Jersey marijuana shops sold a record $201 million worth of product in the first quarter of 2024, regulators say. And the state also reached new “historical highs” in sales over the 4/20 weekend, including more than $5.2 million worth of purchases on the holiday alone. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) announced on Thursday that first quarter sales from January to March were up 38 percent compared to the same time period last year. They attribute that in part to the expansion of retailers in the state, which grew from 96 to 130 over the course of…

[ad_1] Senate Democrats are proposing key changes to federal hemp laws as part of a large-scale agriculture bill—including eliminating a ban on participation in the industry by people with felony drug convictions and reducing regulatory barriers for hemp farmers growing for grain or fiber. The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee released a section-by-section summary of the chamber’s version of the 2024 Farm Bill on Wednesday. It also calls for freeing up federal food assistance benefits for people with drug convictions on their records. The GOP-controlled House Agriculture Committee also posted a much shorter summary of its own separate version…

[ad_1] As expectations mount about updated federal guidance on marijuana enforcement priorities that could accompany a rescheduling move, the former U.S. deputy attorney general behind an earlier memo on prosecutorial discretion says “almost anything is possible” in terms of expanding its scope to provide more protections for state cannabis markets—including the possibility of sanctioning interstate commerce. A Democratic congressman agrees, telling Marijuana Moment on Tuesday that he expects the Justice Department with “reissue and expand” the Obama-era guidance that generally formalized a policy of non-intervention with respect to state marijuana laws. The so-called Cole memo was rescinded under the Trump…

[ad_1] Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has signaled he’s not giving up hope on attaching a marijuana banking bill to must-pass aviation legislation. But Republican leaders in both chambers represent roadblocks for the reform. Shortly after unveiling his reintroduced legislation to federally legalize cannabis on Wednesday, Schumer was asked about the prospect of attaching marijuana banking and cryptocurrency regulations measures to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bill that’s being negotiated. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has already made clear that he’s opposed to that option, and anti-cannabis House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said broadly that he’s against adding…

[ad_1] The White House says that President Joe Biden’s marijuana review directive that’s now resulted in a Justice Department rescheduling decision is part of fulfilling the pledge he made to voters in the 2020 election. At a press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about the status of DOJ’s proposed rule to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). She said that the “process continues,” but she couldn’t confirm that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has received the proposed rule yet. The Justice Department did confirm…

[ad_1] A congressional committee has approved a GOP-led psychedelics bill focused on military veterans’ access. About two weeks after the House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee advanced the legislation, members of the full committee on Wednesday advanced it to potential floor action in a voice vote as part of an en bloc package with other measures. The proposal from Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to notify Congress if any psychedelics are added to its formulary of covered prescription drugs. The bill states that VA must report to Congress on the addition of…

[ad_1] Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and a coalition of other Democratic senators are officially reintroducing a bill to federally legalize marijuana. One day after the Justice Department announced that it is moving to reschedule cannabis in a historic policy shift, the senators held a press conference on Wednesday to unveil the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA). The bill is largely identical to an earlier version the senators previously introduced in 2022, except that language around fair hiring in banking was removed because that issue has…

[ad_1] Top Ohio Republican lawmakers say plans are still in the works to amend the state’s marijuana legalization law, with the Senate president setting a June target as regulators work to develop rules and launch an adult-use market. It remains unclear what that future cannabis legislation will look like, but leadership has discussed addressing issues such as tax revenue distribution, scaling back home cultivation rules and restricting public smoking. “I am—I would not say optimistic—but I am reasonably hopeful, if you need words, that we can get something done by June,” Senate President Matt Huffman (R), whose chamber has already…

[ad_1] The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) decision to reschedule marijuana is being met with relief, elation, commendations—and criticism from advocates who have been quick to point out that the modest reform does not mean cannabis will be federally legalized or that President Joe Biden’s campaign pledge to at least decriminalize will be fulfilled. Lawmakers, advocates, stakeholders and opponents have seized upon reports that DEA agreed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommendation to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). By and large, the reactions are positive. After all,…