Biden commutes drug sentences; Cannabis Caucus leader’s 2025 plan; IN & KY govs talk marijuana; VA legal sales bill advances; Yellen on psychedelics
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 people serving time in federal prison for nonviolent drug offenses, including several who have been incarcerated due to marijuana-specific convictions.
A Drug Enforcement Administration judge sent a letter informing the head of the agency that the marijuana rescheduling process is back under her purview following his cancelation of hearings that were set to start on Tuesday, and urging her to involve all witnesses in the steps ahead.
New Congressional Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) told Marijuana Moment that her plan to advance cannabis reform in 2025 is to “be a little bit louder” than the group’s prior leaders and to appeal to Republicans’ “libertarian senses.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) said he’s “amenable” to legalizing medical cannabis, but suggested GOP legislative leaders may not even give the idea a hearing this session—also claiming that states that legalized recreational marijuana have “not been happy with the results of it.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said it’s time for the federal government to change its marijuana policy, arguing that veterans who use medical cannabis to treat PTSD “shouldn’t have to forfeit any part of Second Amendment rights or any other rights.”
The Virginia Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee approved a bill to legalize recreational marijuana sales—despite vocal opposition from Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who vetoed similar legislation last session.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her experience smoking marijuana for the first time was “OK,” and that the psychedelic mushrooms she inadvertently ate in China amid “high-stakes meetings” were “delicious.”
Hillsborough County, Florida officials are asking a state appeals court to overturn a judge’s ruling that sided with an EMT who said he was improperly fired for medical cannabis use that is legal under state law.
The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association is pushing back against state Division of Cannabis Regulation rules aimed at protecting marijuana microbusiness owners from “predatory” practices, saying they may lead licensees “straight into insolvency.”
The University of Western Australia’s Philippa Martyr wrote a look at how marijuana, cocaine and heroin went from legal to banned to being used in medicines—saying that drugs’ role is “shaped by factors such as politics, racism and social norms of the day.”
/ FEDERAL
The White House touted President Joe Biden’s mass marijuana pardons in a report on crime.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Museum posted a video about how heroin used to be marketed as a painkiller and cough suppressant.
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) spoke about the need for the “federal government to catch up” to the states on marijuana.
/ STATES
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) is proposing through his budget request to make the Cannabis Control Commission an independent entity.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) touted her mass marijuana pardons in her State of the Commonwealth address, saying it “made history” and “was the right thing to do.”
A Florida appeals court is being asked to reconsider a judge’s ruling blocking Green Thumb Industries from moving forward with a plan to open medical cannabis dispensaries next to Circle K locations.
California regulators announced a recall of marijuana products that exceed the per-package concentration limit for THC.
Washington State regulators filed proposed rules on the presence of minors at cannabis business premises and the sale of marijuana waste.
North Carolina officials awarded a grant to fund hemp grain and seed production.
New Jersey regulators posted an FAQ about cannabis consumption areas.
The Colorado Cannabis Sustainability Work Group’s Policy Committee will host a listening session about packaging waste on January 27.
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/ LOCAL
Louisville, Kentucky firefighters are suing for the right to use medical cannabis.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The Belize Ministry of Human Development, Families & Indigenous People’s Affairs announced that people can get first-time cannabis possession and other offenses expunged.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study suggested that medical cannabis legalization “may be associated with reductions in opioid use among people using cannabis.”
A study found that “group psilocybin-assisted therapy plus [mindfulness based stress reduction] was associated with clinically significant improvement in depressive symptoms without serious adverse events and with greater reduction in symptoms than MBSR alone.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Cannabis Policy Institute published a report on Nevada’s marijuana policy landscape.
/ BUSINESS
LPL Financial LLC is facing Securities and Exchange Commission charges over “multiple failures related to its anti-money laundering (AML) program,” including allegedly failing “to close or restrict thousands of high-risk accounts, such as cannabis-related and foreign accounts, that were prohibited under LPL’s AML policies.”
SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a/ Safe Harbor Financial announced that it has surpassed $25 billion in processed cannabis-related funds through its network of partner banks.
Massachusetts retailers sold a record $1.64 billion worth of legal marijuana products in 2024.
Missouri retailers sold nearly $1.5 billion worth of legal marijuana products in 2024.
Washington, D.C. dispensaries sold $2.9 million worth of medical cannabis products in November.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
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