Author: News Room

Two key senators behind the push for a bipartisan marijuana banking bill seem to be at odds over what it’s going to take to get a committee vote to send the legislation to the floor. In interviews this week, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and lead GOP Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act sponsor Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) shared conflicting stories about the state of negotiations over the legislation. Brown told Politico that he’s entrusting Daines to shore up more Republican support and specifically get additional members of his caucus to sign onto the SAFE Banking Act…

Bipartisan lawmakers pushed for the adoption of marijuana and psychedelics amendments as part of a large-scale defense bill at a House committee meeting on Tuesday—but the proposals’ fate remains uncertain following complications over unrelated measures being pushed by conservative members. The House Rules Committee did clear 290 largely non-controversial amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for floor votes as the leadership negotiates with House Freedom Caucus members who are demanding adoption of contentious measures on issues like abortion, gender-affirming care for service members and pulling back support for Ukraine. So now the Rules Committee will need to revisit…

America’s millions of consumers of CBD and other hemp-derived drugs face a dizzying array of new products and rules this July across the US. Entrepreneurs work to cash in just as regulators have begun moving to protect public health. The Grateful Dead’s drummer has a new CBD line. The FDA is warning makers of delta-8 to knock it off with the copycat packaging.Will the feds regulate delta-8 THC? What do emerging studies say about CBD? What about Delta-10, THC-O, or other weirdness synthesized from CBD in hemp?The answer? Anything but simple or static. Novel cannabinoid news comes out daily, so…

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has a message for young people: Instead of doing drugs, you should focus on becoming an Instagram influencer. The federal agency is promoting tips on how to get a “natural high” as an alternative to drugs, sharing what it says are “7 Better Highs” such as becoming famous on Instagram, playing video games and going to a pet store to look at animals. Explore 7 activities to get a natural high that doesn’t involve drugs. From creative expression to outdoor adventures, these activities can give you a natural high that lasts. #TipTuesdayLearn more: https://t.co/7Un7WD0N0K pic.twitter.com/VoIimvaWfl…

A second California Assembly committee has approved a Senate-passed bill to legalize the possession and facilitated use of certain psychedelics, bringing it one step closer to the floor. The legislation from Sen. Scott Wiener (D) advanced through the Assembly Health Committee in a 9-2 vote on Tuesday. This comes about two weeks after it was approved by the Public Safety Committee and two months after it cleared the full Senate. The measure must now go to the Appropriations Committee before potentially moving to the floor. “Research shows that these substances can have significant benefits particularly for people experiencing mental health…

“To me, it just seems outrageous that Greenleaf, which has been fighting worker organizations at its dispensary tooth and nail, is insulting its workforce once again.” By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current Amid growing tensions with its workers over labor standards and unionization, a Portsmouth marijuana dispensary is taking aim at the state’s recreational cannabis law. Greenleaf Compassion Center filed a complaint in federal court on Monday, contending that the marijuana legalization law signed in May 2022 violates the U.S. Constitution and national labor standards. The lawsuit comes on the heels of a second settlement agreement between the company and its…

As Maryland officials oversee the rollout of recreational marijuana sales in the state, they’re also opening a second round of funding to help social equity cannabis businesses with operational costs to open their shops. The state Department of Commerce (DOC) announced on Monday that it will be opening applications for the $40 million in grant funding to social equity applicants with pre-approval starting on August 1. The money will come from the Cannabis Business Assistance Loan, which was established under a cannabis regulations bill that Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed in May. Previously, regulators have already been accepting applications to…

A Republican senator says that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) plan to tackle marijuana banking and other legislation during the summer session isn’t going to happen, as the timeline makes the top Democrat’s “wish list” virtually impossible to achieve. Speaking on the floor on Monday, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said he was “interested to see” the majority leader’s Dear Colleague letter on Sunday that listed various legislative priorities and issues he’d like to take up during the work period before the August recess. “Senator Schumer mentioned his desire to move forward on bills relating to drug pricing, fentanyl, permitting…

Massachusetts marijuana sales reached nearly $152 million in June—a record monthly high since the state’s adult-use market launched in November 2018—state data shows. The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) reported that recreational cannabis sales hit $132.8 last month, while medical marijuana purchases amounted to $19 million. The state has now seen $4.74 billion in adult-use sales since the market opened five years ago. Flower products remained the most popular choice for adult consumers, followed by vape products, pre-rolls, edibles and concentrates. The average price of flower cannabis also dropped to a record low of $5.82 per gram last month, according to…

A top North Carolina lawmaker says that he’s “very sure” that a Senate-passed medical marijuana legalization bill will not advance in the House this session—even amid strong-arm tactics launched by the other chamber to force the issue—though he said legislators would likely return to it during next year’s short session. House Majority Leader John Bell (R) said in an interview with Spectrum News on Monday that there’s “still discussions going on” about the cannabis measure, but Republican lawmakers “unfortunately did not have the votes to move forward in the House.” “I’m very sure you won’t see that bill move this…