Author: News Room

Four legislators representing both political parties have reintroduced a bare-bones bill designed to get the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) moving on regulations for CBD. The Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act aims to update federal standards to ensure hemp-derived CBD products are regulated by the FDA as dietary supplements, foods, and beverages under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).   “Despite being legally grown in the United States for nearly five years, hemp and hemp-derived CBD are still in a regulatory gray zone that puts consumers at risk and holds producers back,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon…

Maryland hemp stakeholders have filed a lawsuit against state officials over market access for their CBD products, which are now highly restricted under a law that took effect this month. CBD-based products such as extracts, gummies and topicals are now illegal in Maryland if they contain more than 2.5 milligrams of THC per package, which CBD operators have said eliminates most products on the market. New rules also specifically prohibit delta-8 THC, a popular synthetic form of THC made from hemp-derived CBD. ‘New standard’ “Almost all of the products sold by the plaintiff retailers, while being derived from hemp and…

“The Cannabis Employee Job Retention Ordinance provides protections for workers in this industry that will help provide a stable workplace, stronger workforce, and contribute to a better overall economy for Seattle.” By Timothy Schuman, The Center Square Nearly a year after being proposed by Seattle Mayor Bruce Harnell, Seattle’s newest cannabis-related law went into effect last week. Brought into existence by Mayor Harrell and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (D), who sponsored the bill in Council, the new law was pitched to the public as part of a suite of “legislation to improve equity in the cannabis industry.” “The Cannabis Employee Job…

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved amendments to a large-scale spending bill that would allow U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to recommend medical cannabis to military veterans and promote research into substances like psilocybin and MDMA. Just one day after the House Rules Committee made the measures in order for floor consideration, they passed on the floor on Wednesday and are advancing as part of appropriations legislation covering Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies (MilCon/VA). The medical cannabis measure, which was filed by the co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus—Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR),…

A key House committee is allowing marijuana and psychedelics amendments to receive floor votes. The measures, which are being proposed to be attached to a large-scale spending bill, focus on allowing U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to recommend medical cannabis to military veterans and promoting research into substances like psilocybin and MDMA. Meanwhile, the House Rules Committee on Tuesday blocked additional amendments that would end the practice of drug testing job applicants for marijuana at certain federal agencies and separately address VA medical marijuana issues from advancing as part of Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations legislation that covers Military…

As Ohio activists work to collect a final batch of signatures needed to put a marijuana legalization initiative on the state’s November ballot, a new poll shows that a majority of voters back the reform. The USA TODAY Network/Suffolk University survey, published on Wednesday, found that about 59 percent of Ohioans support legalizing the possession and sale of cannabis for adults 21 and older. Just 35 percent are opposed. Democrats were the most supportive of the policy change, at 77 percent, followed by independents, 63 percent of whom are on board. Among Republicans, however, just 40 percent back legalizing cannabis.…

NBA All-Star Kevin Durant says he personally lobbied the league’s commissioner to get marijuana removed from the banned substances list for players—and during one meeting, he said the official caught a whiff of cannabis on him. At a CNBC and Boardroom “Game Plan” sports business conference on Tuesday, Durant was asked how he managed to “persuade” Commissioner Adam Silver to lift the cannabis ban. He started by noting that “he smelled it when I walked in.” “I didn’t really have to say much, you know what I’m saying? He kind of understood where this was going,” he said. “I just…

“That leaves a lot of room for other people to come in on the backside, people who are already in the industry, people who are not of color.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent When it comes to racial equity, state Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove of Kansas City and St. Louis City NAACP President Adolphus Pruitt typically land on the same side. But on Amendment 3—the constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in November—they couldn’t be further apart. On Monday morning, they both appeared on KCUR 89.3’s Up To Date to talk about the lack of racial equity among marijuana-business license holders…

A group of four Republican senators who do not support marijuana legalization has admitted that the policy change disrupts illegal sales by cartels. The acknowledgement comes in a letter urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reconsider plans to ban menthol cigarettes and set nicotine content limits, arguing that the prohibition and strict regulations could benefit illicit trafficking operations. Writing to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf on Monday, Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ted Budd (R-NC) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) unwittingly made the case for the legalization and regulation of controlled substances. The main point of the letter…

Two Black farmers in Florida have been awarded medical marijuana business licenses under a bill that Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed into law last month. The state’s legalization law that was implemented in 2017 stipulated that one medical cannabis business license needed to go to a Black farmer who is covered by the historic “Pigford” class action litigation against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) alleging discriminatory lending practices. But it was only last year that the Florida Department of Health opened applications for the special license. And while regulators announced their intent to issue one to farmer Terry Donnell…