Schumer And Republican Senators Come Together To Discuss Marijuana!
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Top Things to Know
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York recently met with three Republican senators to discuss the possibility of marijuana legalization in the upcoming legislative session. The topic of SAFE Banking was discussed at length. The benefits of medical cannabis on veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain have been proposed as a topic for research by Representatives Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Lou Correa (D-CA).
A committee vote on identical Senate legislation is anticipated this week. A senator from Rhode Island has dropped a controversial bill that would have made it illegal to use or possess cannabis at any gathering of three or more individuals, as reported by Marijuana Moment. He indicated it was being rewritten, but he wouldn’t say what changes were being made.
Psilocybin mushrooms may be useful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study that was unanimously approved by the Arizona House Military Affairs & Public Safety Committee.
Committees in the Virginia House of Delegates defeated legislation that would have legalized recreational marijuana use, rescheduled psilocybin for research purposes, and established an advisory board on the topic. At a hearing on Thursday, the chair of the Hawaii Senate Judiciary Committee indicated that a vote on a bill to legalize marijuana would be placed on Thursday.
On Wednesday, lawmakers will also consider a different proposal to legalize cannabis. According to a recent survey, majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents in North Carolina are in favor of legalizing medical cannabis.
When it comes to New Jersey’s pretrial intervention program for repeat offenders, the state’s highest court recently released an opinion that sheds light on the impact of the state’s marijuana expungement law.
Federal
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services warned its followers on Twitter to watch out for marijuana-infused “edibles” disguised as snacks and candies for Valentine’s Day. These fake edibles may contain lethal doses of active marijuana and should be avoided. Contract services involving information about products produced from cannabis were awarded by the Food and Drug Administration.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) tweeted, “There are also many young Americans who spend the day dazed from consuming marijuana all day and unfortunately confused. Some people use pot to alleviate symptoms of chronic pain or post-traumatic stress disorder; others claim they can function at a high level while high on the drug.
While some people may thrive under the influence of cannabis, for others it only serves to exacerbate existing mental health issues and makes it impossible to perform even basic tasks. Obviously, not everyone is the same as everyone else. Marijuana has the same intoxicating effect as alcohol.
States
Oregon’s Democratic Governor Tina Kotek has endorsed an interim leader for the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Separately, authorities have broadened a recall of vaporized cannabis that contains illegal ingredients. Democrat Jared Polis, governor of Colorado, will be a guest speaker at Wednesday’s National Cannabis Industry Association conference.
The attorney general of Massachusetts has stated that her agency is “looking into several inquiries” into the cannabis industry. A law enabling hemp products under production to contain up to 5 percent THC was passed by the South Dakota House of Representatives. Officials have also issued a recall for medical marijuana goods.
In a video released to YouTube, the speaker of the House in Maryland expressed support for a bill that would establish guidelines for the selling of marijuana. If the Kansas House Democrats were in control of the state government, they tweeted, cannabis legalization would be a top priority. The minority leader in the Utah Senate discussed her psilocybin for medical use bill.
A provision of the measure that would have authorized cannabis regulators to hire compliance officers with police powers was stripped out by the New Mexico House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee. At the same time, the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee voted to reduce the current three-year renewal period for medicinal cannabis patient cards to two years.
There will be new legislation introduced in Pennsylvania to allow small farms and farms with less than five acres to obtain a special license to cultivate medical cannabis. One senator added that senators are “working hard to draft the most comprehensive adult usage laws.”
Trulieve has donated an additional $5.5 million to the campaign for a Florida ballot measure to legalize marijuana. Officials in the Garden State have issued recommendations for responsible cannabis consumption. On Thursday, Vermont officials will host a social equity networking event focused on product registration for the state’s cannabis industry.
Local
On Wednesday, the city council in Las Vegas, Nevada could vote on a set of regulations for pot cafes. This Thursday is the next scheduled meeting of the Cannabis Board in Boston, Massachusetts.
International
There will be a citizens’ assembly in Ireland this spring to discuss drug use, as announced by the government. An essay describing “the European regulatory backdrop for prospective therapeutic uses of psychedelics in mental diseases” was written by experts from the European Medicines Agency and Germany’s Federal Institute of Drugs and Medical Devices.
The ministry of science, technology, and innovation in Argentina tweeted about efforts to regulate medical cannabis and hemp. A politician in Western Australia asked the minister for women’s interests on Valentine’s Day if women who “frequently engage in cannabis experience a healthier and more fulfilling sex life.”
Natural Knowledge & Physical Fitness
“Phytocannabinoids can be promising topical antibacterial agents when seeking innovative treatment candidates for diverse skin disorders,” the authors of one study wrote. “With its sustainability as a plant and its specific beneficial attribute of the seed protein, hemp offers promising usefulness in the development of new foods,” the review found.
Business
Roughly 85 people at SNDL Inc. will be losing their jobs. In San Bernardino, California, the staff at Captain Jack’s Dispensary chose to join the Teamsters union. In January, stores in Michigan that sold legal marijuana made $207.3 million in sales.
