VA marijuana sales bill; OR medical cannabis in hospices; FL medical marijuana for vets; Psychedelic legalization poll; Op-ed calling out NYT’s stance
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The House Agriculture Committee is set to consider an amendment to delay the federal recriminalization of hemp THC products by one year during a markup of the Farm Bill next week.
The Virginia House General Laws Committee amended a Senate-passed bill to legalize recreational marijuana sales to be closer to the version approved in their chamber, with additional changes—setting the stage for bicameral negotiations.
Virginia Republican lawmakers discussed their decisions to vote for legislation to legalize recreational marijuana sales in contrast with most other members of their party.
The Oregon House of Representatives passed a bill to allow patients to use medical cannabis in hospices and other healthcare facilities.
The Florida House Health & Human Services Committee approved a bill to slash medical cannabis registration fees for military veterans—with the sponsor saying that marijuana helps with “reducing the dependency on opioids.”
A new poll shows that about a quarter of Americans support legalizing psilocybin, which is “similar to what it was for cannabis in the mid-1990s—just before state medical cannabis laws started to be implemented.”
Jill Simonian and Codi Peterson of the Pharmacists’ Cannabis Coalition of California argue in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that The New York Times editorial board is wrong to claim the U.S. has a “marijuana problem” when the real issue is actually a “regulatory deficit layered on top of decades of stigma.”
- “We have normalized widespread use without building the clinical and institutional structures needed to manage it responsibly, and then express surprise when problems emerge. This is not a failure of legalization. It is a failure of integration.”
The South Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill to eliminate the Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee, with the sponsor saying the body has become an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
/ FEDERAL
The Drug Enforcement Administration is promoting a podcast episode about drug use in LGBTQ+ youth communities.
The House bill to provide a pathway for patients to access Schedule I drugs got one new cosponsor for a total of 16.
/ STATES
Ohio’s Senate president defended the legislature’s decision to enact restrictions on hemp products.
The Nebraska legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee approved a bill to provide protections for doctors who recommend medical cannabis.
The West Virginia House Finance Committee held a hearing on a bill to reallocate medical cannabis revenue.
A Minnesota senator discussed her bill to require testing of recreational marijuana products.
Florida’s health care administration secretary said the state reimbursed the federal government for Medicaid settlement funds that were spent to oppose a marijuana legalization ballot initiative.
Rhode Island regulators are asking a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the state’s marijuana social equity business licensing system.
Colorado regulators published guidance about the marijuana business license application process.
The California State Fair is again hosting a cannabis awards competition this year—with a new home grow category.
Washington, D.C. regulators suspended a medical cannabis business’s license over alleged violations.
The Oregon Psilocybin Product Potency Workgroup will meet on March 3 and 17.
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Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.
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/ LOCAL
New York City’s mayor said officials worked to keep drug overdose prevention centers open overnight during recent cold weather to save lives.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The Philippine House Committee on Dangerous Drugs and House Committee on Health approved a medical cannabis legalization bill, drawing concerns from the Department of Health.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study found that packaging films based on polysaccharides with cannabis flower extract “reduced the degradation of bioactive compounds during the storage of packaged fruit.”
A study found that “chronic use of ayahuasca or cannabis is not associated with detectable lasting neuropsychological impairments in the executive and working memory tasks assessed in this study, and that personality characteristics—rather than cognition or psychopathology—most clearly distinguish chronic users from non-users.”
/ BUSINESS
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. reported quarterly revenue of $66.7 million.
Village Farms International, Inc. amended and extended its Canadian credit facility by upsizing loan commitments with existing lenders.
Glass House Brands Inc.’s board of directors established a special committee to explore new products and business expansion.
Green Flower launched a cannabis employer network.
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