House passes military & marijuana amendment; Congressional report: expand cannabis research; CA marijuana tax bill passes; TX hemp order
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…
Free to read (but not free to produce)! We’re proud of our newsletter and the reporting we publish at Marijuana Moment, and we’re happy to provide it for free. But it takes a lot of work and resources to make this happen.
If you value Marijuana Moment, invest in our success on Patreon so we can expand our coverage and more readers can benefit: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment
/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The Department of Justice is withdrawing dozens of proposed regulatory actions—including one to implement a law to ease marijuana research and another to waive requirements for hemp labs, the latter of which has used the same regulation identifier number as cannabis rescheduling hearings.
The House of Representatives passed an amendment to expand marijuana waivers for military recruits, directing the Department of Defense to “develop a program” for people “who were not permitted to enlist following a positive toxicology test for tetrahydrocannabinol so that such potential enlistees are permitted to reapply for enlistment.”
The House Appropriations Committee approved a report that says researchers should be studying a broader range of marijuana products that better represent “the variety, quality and potency of commonly available cannabis strains” that consumers are actually using.
The California Senate passed a bill to pause a recently enacted tax hike on marijuana products, sending it back to the Assembly for concurrence on recent amendments before potentially heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission filed proposed rules to allow doctors to recommend new medical marijuana qualifying conditions and to create standards for pulmonary inhalation devices for low-THC cannabis.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed a hemp executive order setting age limits and testing and labeling requirements for THC products after lawmakers failed to pass legislation on the issue during two special sessions.
/ FEDERAL
Attorney General Pam Bondi and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touted enforcement actions against alleged sales of illicit vapes containing THC and 7-OH.
Republican South Carolina U.S. Senate candidate Mark Lynch accused Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) campaign of doctoring a video to depict him endorsing the legalization of medicinal cocaine.
Tennessee Republican congressional candidates agreed on opposition to marijuana legalization during a debate.
/ STATES
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed a tribal cannabis compact with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
South Dakota’s attorney general touted the sentencing of a former state Department of Health employee who allegedly falsified her own medical cannabis card.
A Pennsylvania senator tweeted, “Ran into Rep Amen Brown leaving the Capitol, briefly discussed how cannabis gets done. I’ll reiterate, the house needs to pass his bill ( my bill) and send it over.”
A Texas senator tweeted that “the only effective step is to ban all synthetic cannabinoids, converted cannabinoids, and smokeables outright.”
A Missouri representative cited the passage of a marijuana legalization initiative as an example of why lawmakers should enact restrictions on the ballot measure process.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld Florida restrictions on nonresidents and noncitizens gathering signatures for ballot initiatives that were challenged by marijuana legalization and other campaigns.
The North Carolina Supreme Court heard oral arguments in cases on whether police can use the smell of cannabis as probable cause for searches.
Michigan regulators are asking lawmakers for more authority to address illicit cannabis activity, unreliable and fraudulent testing results and the rise of intoxicating hemp products.
New York regulators are pursuing actions against a cannabis testing lab over alleged violations.
New Jersey regulators approved additional marijuana business licenses.
The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission will meet on Friday.
—
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
The La Crosse County, Wisconsin Board of Supervisors Judiciary and Law Committee approved a proposal to lower the fine for marijuana possession to $1.
The St. Louis County, Missouri Council held a hearing on a bill to ban intoxicating hemp products.
/ INTERNATIONAL
A former Nigerian senator said lawmakers are working on marijuana legislation.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “harnessing the endocannabinoid system promises to expand the therapeutic arsenal for PTSD, offering hope for more effective and better-tolerated treatments.”
A study revealed “a novel mechanism through which CBD impedes [pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma] metastasis and underscore its promise as a complementary agent in chemotherapy regimens.”
/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Empire State Green Standard Alliance is a new organization focused on representing the interests of New York cannabis consumers.
The Cannabis Media Council published updated marijuana advertising guidelines.
/ BUSINESS
Mayflower Medicinal workers in Fall River, Massachusetts voted to accept their first union contract with UFCW 328.
/ CULTURE
Seth Rogen discussed his relationship with marijuana and his cannabis brand.
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.
