Author: News Room

A coalition of state marijuana associations is imploring Senate leaders to pass a bipartisan cannabis banking bill “without further delay.” The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH)—along with trade groups representing marijuana businesses in 16 states plus Washington, D.C.—sent a letter about the need for the reform to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-SC) on Friday. But while the organizations are pressing the committee to urgently act on the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, the letter comes one day after a cannabis lobbyist reported that Brown told him there…

A new law legalizing the possession and personal cultivation of marijuana for adults in Luxembourg officially took effect on Friday. Earlier in the week, the Ministry of Justice had published a statement about the policy change in the Official Journal—a procedural step that meant the legislation would come into force in four days. This comes about a month after Luxembourg’s Parliament passed a legalization bill, making it the second country in the European Union to end cannabis prohibition following Malta’s vote to legalize in 2021. The law in Luxembourg, which was first proposed by the ministers of justice and homeland security…

When the top Wisconsin Democratic senator met with key Biden administration officials at the White House on Thursday, she took the opportunity to discuss marijuana reform issues such as the ongoing review of its federal scheduling status and efforts to repair the harms of cannabis criminalization. Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard (D) and other members of the chamber’s Democratic caucus convened in Washington, D.C. to talk about their legislative priorities and hear from the officials about ways the Biden administration’s policy are supporting the state. Agard, an outspoken advocate for ending marijuana prohibition in Wisconsin who is preparing to again…

Awareness of hemp is strong in some categories, but takeup of hemp products lags significantly, a study of Vermont consumers reveals. CBD remains the most recognized downstream output made from industrial hemp, and awareness of certain other relevant consumer categories is also high, but the numbers of respondents who indicated they plan to use hemp products generally are low, according to the study, by a team of researchers from the University of Vermont. “(Consumers) are most aware of and most frequently adopt hemp CBD, which reflects industry focus since hemp’s legalization and industry estimates,” the report shows. “However, consumers are…

A congressional committee has scheduled a hearing for next week focused on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) refusal to enact regulations to allow for the marketing of hemp-derived CBD products. And bipartisan and bicameral lawmakers have separately reintroduced a bill to fill the regulatory gap. The House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services scheduled the hearing—titled “Hemp in the Modern World: The Years long Wait for FDA Action”—for July 27. Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) said in a press release on Thursday that “FDA has failed for too long to do its job to ensure the…

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) tacitly endorsed rapper Wiz Khalifa’s plan to get “stoned af” on marijuana before throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a Pittsburgh Pirates game this week. But the artist’s plans apparently involved cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms. Khalifa first said that he planned to get high before the game on Monday, and Fetterman quoted the tweet with a photo of him holding up his flag that says “It’s 420 Somewhere.” The senator has been known to use flags to promote his policy positions on cannabis and other issues. https://t.co/W9FVcMSTLL pic.twitter.com/SrugTRa8KA — John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) July 17, 2023 The…

A Florida campaign that’s working to put marijuana legalization on the state’s 2024 ballot has filed a new brief to the state Supreme Court, contesting arguments from the state attorney general who is seeking to block voters from having a chance to decide on the measure. Smart & Safe Florida—as well as supporters from the Cato Institute and Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida—entered new briefs on a court-imposed deadline on Wednesday. This comes about a month after Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) and other opponents filed initial briefs challenging the initiative. What happens in the Supreme Court will decide…

A key Senate chairman says that a bipartisan marijuana banking bill will “not” get a committee markup next week, according to an advocate who spoke with him. And that means it will not be addressed during the summer session as leadership had hoped. Lobbyist Don Murphy of the Marijuana Leadership Campaign said on Thursday that he spoke to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who told him that his panel will not be voting on the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act before the start of recess beginning on July 31. Time to make early vacation plans Twitter…

A key House committee is calling on federal officials to take steps to develop hemp-based plastic alternatives, create a device to detect marijuana-impaired driving and combat illegal cannabis grows on public lands. The provisions are contained in reports attached to annual spending legislation that advanced through the House Appropriations Committee this week. The report for the Fiscal Year 2024 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill discusses the “potential need for dependable bio-based and U.S.-grown plastic alternatives.” It directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to “provide a briefing on efforts to explore alternatives, such as United States-based hemp, and how…

If approved, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians would sell recreational cannabis to any adult over 21, regardless of tribal membership. By Victor Skinner, The Center Square Recreational marijuana could become available for North Carolina residents through a ballot referendum by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians set for September. The tribal council last week approved a ballot question for the tribe’s September 7 election to allow members to vote on legalizing marijuana possession and sales from the Qualla Boundary about 45 miles west of Asheville. If approved, sales would eventually open to anyone over the age of 21, building…