Psychedelics movement in Congress (Newsletter: November 18, 2022)

Medical marijuana gun suit appealed; CRS explains Biden’s cannabis pardons shortcomings; Senator seeks research report update; Big tobacco pushback

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rand Paul (R-KY) filed a bipartisan bill that would require the Drug Enforcement Administration to reschedule psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA when they are deemed breakthrough therapies by the Food and Drug Administration. It would also ease research restrictions on Schedule I drugs.

Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI) formed a new bipartisan psychedelics caucus in Congress.

The Congressional Research Service published a new report that details six key limitations of President Joe Biden’s marijuana pardons. It also examines other recent cannabis policy developments at the federal and state levels.

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) sent a letter asking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for an update on a report it is required to complete on barriers to research on marijuana and impaired driving. The report, which will also include recommendations on letting researchers study cannabis from dispensaries, was mandated as part of an infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden a year ago.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) appealed a federal judge’s dismissal of her lawsuit on gun rights for medical cannabis patients.

The Parabola Center’s Shaleen Title argues in a new op-ed for Marijuana Moment that Big Tobacco and Big Alcohol’s quiet efforts to put themselves in charge of federal cannabis policy must be stopped.

Missouri marijuana regulators will soon hire a chief equity officer to oversee the new microlicense program that’s included in the state’s voter-approved legalization ballot initiative.

/ FEDERAL

Federal prosecutors are giving up an effort to retain cash that was seized from a van carrying the proceeds of legal marijuana sales.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services adopted rules adding a recommendation to providers to “assess patient’s usage of cannabis/cannabidiol/etc., as use of these drugs can affect the metabolization of other medications but is often not included in the medical record.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted about the difference between marijuana pardons and expungements.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) tweeted, “The legal cannabis industry is booming, but less than 2% is owned & operated by Black folks. We must ensure the communities most harmed by the War on Drugs aren’t excluded from the economic benefits of this growing business.”

The House resolution urging the U.S. government to push for international marijuana policy changes got one new cosponsor for a total of two.

/ STATES

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) spoke about his medical cannabis executive order. Separately, the Agriculture Department began accepting 2023 hemp license applications.

Maine’s attorney general said he won’t enforce restrictions on selling pre-rolled medical cannabis products.

Texas’s agriculture commissioner tweeted, “I was honored to speak at the Texas Hemp Summit last week. As your commissioner, I say it’s time for all of us to have an honest conversation about #cannabis and #hemp and the fantastic potential of both in Texas!”

Wisconsin’s new Senate minority leader said Democrats will continue to push for marijuana legalization.

The Ohio House Government Oversight Committee added an amendment to a medical cannabis bill concerning testing standards.

A South Dakota representative said he is getting a lot of “thank you” notes for his work to defeat a marijuana legalization ballot initiative.

A Maryland senator tweeted, “I’m also proud to partner with the President as we join together to protect the right to choose, crack down on gun violence, & implement his national pardon of those convicted of simple possession of cannabis. No malarkey–we are in the midst of a historic presidency!”

New York regulators will consider draft marijuana rules at a meeting on Monday.

Florida regulators filed proposed changes to hemp rules.

Vermont regulators published guidance on marijuana advertising.

Minnesota regulators’ emails obtained via a public records request reveal confusion about how to implement a law legalizing THC edibles.

Arkansas regulators are being accused of misleading a judge in a case challenging their medical cannabis licensing decisions.

New Hampshire regulators issued a request for proposals to create a medical cannabis registry system.

Michigan regulators published a monthly marijuana business disciplinary action report.

Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Board will meet on Tuesday.

—
Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 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

The New York City Sheriff’s Department conducted a raid on a store accused of illegally selling marijuana.

Kenton County, Kentucky’s commonwealth’s attorney said Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) medical cannabis executive order is “going to be hell on prosecutors and courts.”

Waterford, Connecticut’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted to ban recreational marijuana sales or production.

/ INTERNATIONAL

Paraguayan lawmakers filed a marijuana legalization bill.

Member countries on the United Nations Human Rights Council are pushing the Philippine government to address violations perpetrated in the nation’s bloody “war on drugs.”

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

The MAPS Public Benefit Corporation announced the completion of its second Phase 3 study of MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, a key step in preparing it to seek Food and Drug Administration approval.

A review concluded that “CBD may provide a potentially efficacious and safe management strategy in refractory status epilepticus, including patients with new-onset refractory status epilepticus and febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Kentucky Democratic Party tweeted, “Republicans like Daniel Cameron and Jason Nemes know it’s 100% constitutional for @GovAndyBeshear to use his pardon power to allow medical cannabis use. They’re focused on one thing only: tearing down a governor who is taking action instead of ignoring Kentuckians.” It also tweeted, “When the Republican supermajority ignored the nine out of 10 Kentuckians who support legal medical cannabis, Gov. @AndyBeshearKY listened. Now, it’s time for the GOP to do their jobs and pass a full legalization bill to allow sales and purchases.”

The chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party reportedly runs a medical cannabis cultivation business.

Decriminalize Nature admitted that it based its opposition to Colorado’s psychedelics legalization ballot initiative on a misunderstanding of its provisions and is now congratulating the sponsors for drafting a “pretty damn good bill.”

The American Society of Addiction Medicine cheered Congress’s passage of a marijuana research bill.

/ BUSINESS

Terrapin launched a cannabis digital vending kiosk.

/ CULTURE

American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was convicted of possessing cannabis vapes in Russia, has been transferred to a penal colony.

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The post Psychedelics movement in Congress (Newsletter: November 18, 2022) appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

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