Author: News Room

“The fight for cannabis freedom will continue and, given the divided nature of Congress, it will be long.” By: Justin Strekal, BOWL PAC Founder This Fourth of July, cannabis advocates and industry interests alike will likely make wisecracks about celebrating freedom and watching the sky light up with fireworks while it remains federally illegal to light up a joint.  But the rest of July offers the reform movement its first real opportunity for a Senate committee markup on a bill that addresses marijuana policy reform.  Readers of Marijuana Moment are likely already well-versed in the state of things, but to…

On July 4, 1776—247 years ago—the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain. Many of them not only grew hemp but insisted how important the plant is to the foundation of American agriculture. Sorting through rumors about the Founding Fathers and hemp is another story, with invented quotes and misinformation. The Declaration’s blanket assertion, “all Men are created equal,” should be taken with a grain of salt given that many Founding Fathers owned slaves, and Thomas Jefferson’s and Henry Clay’s slaves also grew hemp. It would take a lot longer for…

The ATF released clarification on May 30 to firearm owners after the passage of cannabis legalization in Minnesota, reminding them that until federal law changes, they no longer have a right to own or possess guns or ammunition, that is if they partake in smoking, eating, or vaping the newly legalized, devil’s lettuce. Please see: ATF Provides Clarification Related to New Minnesota Marijuana Law. If you were to ask a convicted felon if they have a legal right to possess a firearm, they would say no. They know this because they were informed by the court that because they were…

“Equity is not really mentioned in the microbusiness program, as far as the constitution is concerned, but I think that’s where we go back to the spirit of things.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent Missouri’s cannabis industry is the new “gold rush,” said St. Louis couple Tiffany and Anwar Lee, and they’re considering buying a ticket for the lottery to get in. Their ticket is a $1,500 application fee for a spot in a lottery making them eligible for a limited number of cannabis microbusiness licenses, and it’s refundable if they don’t get picked. The program is meant to boost opportunities…

A Republican North Carolina senator is making it clear that he intends to see his medical marijuana legalization bill pass this session despite some obstinance among GOP leadership in the House—and he’s even gone so far as to include medical cannabis regulatory appointments for the yet-to-be-enacted program in a new measure that passed the Senate last week. But Sen. Bill Rabon’s (R) recent acts of defiance—including attaching an amendment to an unrelated House bill that makes its effective date contingent on his medical marijuana legislation becoming law—has ruffled some feathers in the opposite chamber. “Any tactics that are perceived as…

Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are looking to use a must-pass defense bill as a vehicle to advance a number of drug policy reform proposals, including provisions to expand access to medical marijuana for military veterans, facilitate the rescheduling of certain psychedelics and protect people from being denied security clearances over marijuana. More than 1,400 amendments have been filed so far for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). And, as has become tradition, members are hoping that the legislation will be used to enact the drug policy reforms when Congress reconvenes after the July 4th recess. Some amendments are familiar—like one that…

Key senators say they’re aiming to hold a committee vote on a marijuana banking bill when they return from the July 4th recess—though at least one section of the measure remains in dispute amid negotiations. And when it comes to progressives’ push to expand the scope by attaching justice-focused reforms to the financial services measure, the Republican sponsor’s office told Marijuana Moment that he’s “open” to including expungement provisions. Several lawmakers weighed in on the status of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act in recent interviews with Punchbowl News, with Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) saying…

“Perhaps this is the final stretch towards ending the failed war on drugs. If the NCAA is issuing a call for a reasonable, rational drug policy, can Congress be far behind?” By Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports is recommending the removal of cannabis from its list of prohibited substances. Likewise, it says that drug testing for college athletes should be limited to performance-enhancing drugs, and that cannabis does not enhance performance. This is one more signal that we are finally nearing the end of the failed “War on Drugs.” With…

A juicy new story highlights the drug diet of some of Silicon Valley’s most powerful individuals, including Elon Musk. The story, published last week by the Wall Street Journal, claimed that Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of Twitter, takes ketamine and that Google co-founder Sergey Brin likes to dabble with psychedelic mushrooms. “Routine drug use has moved from an after-hours activity squarely into corporate culture, leaving boards and business leaders to wrestle with their responsibilities for a workforce that frequently uses. At the vanguard are tech executives and employees who see psychedelics and similar substances, among them psilocybin,…

A British Isles CBD producer said authorities have blocked it from exporting its products to the UK because they contain THC, illustrating lingering regulatory inconsistencies for the popular compound in a key European market. Jersey Hemp, based in Warwick Farms, said in a press release that it has shut down its growing and marketing operations after the Home Office declared its products illegal controlled substances that cannot be imported into the United Kingdom. Jersey’s Chief Pharmacist and Health Minister jointly endorsed the Home Office’s classification of CBD products made by Jersey Hemp as drugs, according to the company. Under FSA…