Veterans medical marijuana provisions deleted; VA senator “optimistic” on legalizing cannabis sales; TX hemp rules checklist; MO microbusinesses
Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day.
Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible…
Hold on, just one second before you read today’s news. Have you thought about giving some financial support to Marijuana Moment? If so, today would be a great day to contribute. We’re planning our reporting for the coming months and it would really help to know what kind of support we can count on.
Check us out on Patreon and sign up to give $25/month today:
https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment
/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) explained his decision to be one of only two Republicans to support an amendment to keep hemp THC products federally legal in an historic first Senate standalone roll call floor vote on the issue of cannabis, saying that “regulation of hemp and marijuana products should rest with each individual state.”
- Democrats, meanwhile, were nearly evenly divided on the vote.
On Veterans Day, congressional leaders have abandoned an effort to allow Department of Veterans Affairs doctors to issue medical cannabis recommendations to their patients—even though the reform was approved by both the House and Senate earlier this year.
A Virginia senator who has sponsored legislation to legalize recreational marijuana sales says he’s “very optimistic” the reform can be enacted now that voters elected a supportive new Democratic governor to replace the Republican one who vetoed his bills.
The Texas Department of State Health Services published a new hemp law checklist list to help businesses comply with recently enacted state cannabis rules—including age-gating to prevent the sale of intoxicating cannabinoid products to youth.
Missouri marijuana microbusinesses run by social equity applicants are beginning to harvest their first crops, but many are struggling to succeed as they navigate restrictive rules and an inability to get bank loans.
/ FEDERAL
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said he doesn’t think Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) should have gotten a vote on his amendment to remove hemp product ban provisions from a spending bill.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said he “detest[s] the tactics that are being used to try to get this [hemp product] ban enacted into law.”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) tweeted, “Should we really be regulating [hemp] from the federal level? We’ve had the debate already in Texas. I’m sure we will continue to have it. Passing [Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY)] amendment would allow states to keep having that debate.”
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) said he would oppose a spending bill if hemp product ban language was removed.
/ STATES
Texas’s lieutenant governor and agriculture commissioner cheered the advancement of hemp product ban legislation in Congress.
New Mexico’s attorney general sent a letter warning retailers about potentially illegal cannabis products that purport to be legal hemp.
Minnesota lawmakers expressed concerns about advancing federal legislation to recriminalize hemp products.
Washington, D.C. regulators adopted changes to medical cannabis rules.
Maine regulators published guidance about a cannabis tax increase.
Nevada regulators will consider changes to marijuana rules on November 20.
Changes to Colorado medical cannabis rules will take effect on December 15.
Vermont regulators will host cannabis business development workshops in December.
—
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.
Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—
/ LOCAL
Springfield, Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure to allow marijuana businesses to operate, while voters in Craig approved a question to allow local officials to increase cannabis taxes.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Canadian officials published a report on an effort to prevent youth marijuana use and to reduce the size of the illegal market.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study suggested that a long-acting injectable formulation of CBD “may overcome key limitations of oral CBD and support its further development as a long-acting therapeutic option for epilepsy.”
A study suggested that “a broad scope of benefits can be achieved by using flexible dosing schemes of cannabis extracts in managing diverse [chronic pain syndrome] conditions in female patients.”
A review concluded that “cannabidiol is generally well tolerated and has been shown to effectively reduce seizure frequency in children with [developmental and epileptic encephalopathies] whose seizures are refractory to concomitant antiepileptic medications.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Cato Institute published a blog post arguing that in advancing legislation to recriminalize hemp products, “Congress has once again mistaken prohibition for prudence.”
/ BUSINESS
The Cannabist Company Holdings Inc. reported quarterly revenue of $79.9 million and a loss of $14.7 million.
Rubicon Organics Inc. secured $4 million in financing.
Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox.
Marijuana Moment is made possible with support from readers. If you rely on our cannabis advocacy journalism to stay informed, please consider a monthly Patreon pledge.
