Trump backs hemp THC recriminalization; FL bill to ban public marijuana smoking; Study: No reason to raise legal cannabis age to 25
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The U.S. Senate defeated an amendment from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to remove provisions to recriminalize hemp products from a spending bill to end the ongoing federal shutdown, voting to table it on a motion made by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
President Donald Trump supports federally recriminalizing hemp THC products even though he signed the legislation that legalized them in 2018, according to a White House official who spoke to NBC News.
- The American Distilled Spirits Alliance, Beer Institute, Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., Wine America and Wine Institute sent a letter urging senators to keep the hemp ban language in a spending bill.
Lawyers representing members of the Hemp Beverage Alliance sent a letter urging Congress to reject an “overbroad” and “disastrous” proposal to ban hemp-derived THC products that’s advancing and recently got support from a coalition of state attorneys general.
A Florida representative filed a bill to clarify that marijuana is included in the state’s ban on public smoking, alongside tobacco.
A new scientific paper from Doctors for Drug Policy Reform leaders pushes back against the idea of raising the minimum legal age for marijuana use to 25, concluding “there is no clear neurobiological or patient-centered evidence to support an MLA above 21 years.”
Max Jackson of Cannabis Wise Guys argues in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that the federal dispute about hemp legislation could be resolved with a new definition that allows up to 1 percent THC in plants and up to 10 mg THC in consumer products.
- “By regulating only the raw plant (1.0 percent) and the final consumer good (10mg), we bypass the bad-faith argument that 99 percent THC distillate is just “hemp extract.” If the final product is intoxicating, it’s illegal.”
/ FEDERAL
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) said in a Senate floor speech that “the so-called ‘war on drugs’ has been waged for decades. It has cost billions of dollars and countless lives, and it has not solved the problem.”
Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) tweeted, “The strategic objective of militarizing a ‘War on Drugs’ is unclear at best and, while not currently desired or contemplated, these operations could conceivably lead to direct military conflict with Venezuela or even operations inside the United States.”
/ STATES
A Maryland delegate who sponsored a bill to create a psychedelics task force said she doesn’t think its recommendations to enact legalization will be implemented for “several years.”
A Wisconsin court ruled that a licensed hemp processor can be prosecuted for allegedly manufacturing products containing illegally high THC levels without a referral by the agency that oversees the industry.
Colorado regulators issued an advisory about marijuana products that exceed acceptable limits for yeast, mold, arsenic, cadmium and lead.
Massachusetts’s top marijuana regulator discussed social use businesses and other issues.
Arkansas regulators filed proposed changes to medical cannabis rules.
Minnesota regulators are accepting curriculum submissions for a medical cannabis consultant training program.
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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
Minneapolis, Minnesota officials are launching cannabis-specific business technical assistance on November 19.
/ INTERNATIONAL
The UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Cannabis under Prescription published a report with recommendations for the government.
Saudi Arabia has executed at least 320 people for drug offenses this year.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “CBD may serve as a safe adjunct in managing oral pain and inflammation.”
A study found that “acute cannabis intoxication may selectively reduce subjective and objective impulsivity in people with [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder], while impairing several other aspects of cognition.”
A review of MDMA research concluded that “early randomized, placebo-controlled studies also suggest benefits in autism spectrum disorder, eating disorders with comorbid PTSD, and anxiety related to life-threatening illness” and that “large epidemiological and naturalistic studies associate MDMA use with lower rates of depression, reduced suicidal ideation, and improved posttrauma coping, though causal inference is limited.”
/ BUSINESS
Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. reported quarterly net revenue of $124.7 million and a net loss of $25.8 million.
Village Farms International, Inc. reported quarterly net sales of $66.7 million.
SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a Safe Harbor Financial regained compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements.
Atai Beckley N.V. announced positive topline results from an open-label extension study of a Phase 2b clinical trial of its 5-MeO-DMT nasal spray in patients with treatment-resistant depression.
Arkansas dispensaries sold $25.1 million worth of medical cannabis products in October.
/ CULTURE
Woody Harrelson told a story about the time he realized “marijuana does not go well with acting” when shooting a scene for Cheers.
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Photo courtesy of Max Jackson.
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