Anti-marijuana amendment withdrawn; VA legal sales votes; Poll: Texans back legalization; MN study: Medical cannabis treats pain; NM psilocybin
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) included a marijuana legalization proposal in his budget request to lawmakers, saying the state is “losing out on revenue” that’s going to neighbors like Ohio and Maryland that have already legalized cannabis.
The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate have both approved legislation to legalize recreational marijuana sales despite a looming veto threat from Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R).
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) withdrew an amendment he had filed to undermine the marijuana rescheduling process by mandating that the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and not the attorney general, sign scheduling rulemaking and requiring that an older test of “accepted medical value” be used.
The Senate Banking Committee will hear testimony on Wednesday from a Brookings Institution fellow who says Congress should pass a marijuana banking bill—but not before making key amendments because the impact of the legislation as written would “likely underwhelm what its proponents have argued.”
A new poll shows that 62 percent of Texans support legalizing marijuana—including majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents.
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management published a study of nearly 10,000 patients who use medical marijuana, showing that it is effective in treating pain and helps reduce use of opioids and other drugs.
Bipartisan New Mexico lawmakers filed a bill to create a therapeutic psilocybin program, legalizing the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms for use in a supervised medical setting.
A Tennessee judge extended a temporary injunction pausing rules to ban intoxicating hemp products until at least June.
/ FEDERAL
Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Derek Maltz posted a video urging influencers, role models, celebrities and professional athletes to “step up, speak out and fight back” to educate young people about drugs.
The Department of Justice is asking a federal court to dismiss a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking Drug Enforcement Administration communications with opponents of marijuana rescheduling.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fines to cannabis businesses.
/ STATES
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) is proposing to increase marijuana taxes.
Colorado senators are pushing for an audit of allegedly lax enforcement of the marijuana laws. Separately, the Retail Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday.
Minnesota regulators announced they will begin accepting cannabis business license applications on February 18.
Alaska regulators sent a reminder about restrictions on hemp products intended for human or animal consumption.
Kentucky regulators published guidance on transporting requirements for licensed medical cannabis businesses.
Illinois regulators signed a contract for cannabis tracking services with Metrc.
Massachusetts regulators are partnering with the publisher of the journal Clinical Therapeutics on a special issue titled, “Cannabis Research and Policy: A Joint Exploration of Past and Future Therapeutic Agency.”
Montana regulators sent a newsletter with updates on various marijuana issues.
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/ LOCAL
Detroit, Michigan cannabis officials distributed sleeping bags and coats to unhoused people.
/ INTERNATIONAL
Victoria, Australia lawmakers said they will smoke marijuana at Parliament House if reform legislation is approved.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A study suggested that “existing per se laws may not fully address the complexity of cannabis impairment, underscoring the need for further research and refinement of cannabis-impaired driving laws.”
A review concluded that “psychedelics demonstrate promising outcomes as treatments for headache disorders.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The R Street Institute included marijuana descheduling in its 2025 public safety agenda for Congress.
/ BUSINESS
Grown Rogue International Inc. has a new chief strategy officer.
SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a Safe Harbor Financial entered into an agreement with Partner Colorado Credit Union to temporarily pause receipt of principal payments related to its senior secured promissory note.
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