Marijuana grown by the University of Mississippi for clinical research purposes is genetically divergent from strains of cannabis commercially available in retail markets, according to an analysis prepared by researchers at the University of Northern Colorado. Since 1968, the University of Mississippi farm, which is governed by the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, has held the only available federal license to legally cultivate cannabis for FDA-approved research. Authors reported that samples available via the U-Miss program shared genetics typically associated with industrial hemp, not commercially available cannabis. They concluded: “NIDA research grade marijuana was found to genetically group with hemp samples along with a small subset of commercial drug-type cannabis. A majority of commercially available drug-type cannabis was genetically very distinct from NIDA samples. These results suggest that subjects consuming NIDA research grade marijuana may experience different effects than average consumers.” A separate study published in 2017 reported that U-Miss samples contain far lower levels of both THC and CBD than do commercially available cannabis. Clinicians wishing to conduct FDA-approved clinical trials on cannabis have long complained that federally-provided samples are of inferior quality. According to the program’s current marijuana menu, no available samples contain more than seven percent THC and all samples contain less than one percent CBD. In 2016, the US Drug Enforcement Administration publicly announced that it would, for the first time, begin accepting applications from private entities wishing to grow research-grade cannabis. However, since that time, neither the agency nor the Justice Department have taken any action to move this application process forward. Full text of the study, “Research grade marijuana supplied by the National Institute on Drug Abuse is genetically divergent from commercially available Cannabis,” appears online here. Source: https://blog.norml.org/2019/04/15/study-marijuana-provided-for-fda-approved-clinical-research-genetically-similar-to-hemp/ The following post Study: Marijuana Provided For FDA-Approved Clinical Research Genetically Similar to Hemp is courtesy of GigglesNDimples.com from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/15/study-marijuana-provided-for-fda-approved-clinical-research-genetically-similar-to-hemp/
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Welcome to the latest edition of NORML’s Weekly Legislative Roundup! At the state level, a bill to allow licensed social consumption spaces in Oregon was defeated for this year. A bill to allow patients to use medical cannabis while on probation or parole died in Montana’s state Senate. At a more local level, the city council of New York City approved a pair of municipal bills this week limiting situations where those seeking employment or on probation may be drug tested for past cannabis use. Following are the bills that we’ve tracked this week and as always, check NORML’s Action Center for legislation pending in your state. Don’t forget to sign up for our email list, and we will keep you posted as these bills and more move through your home state legislature and U.S. Congress. Another great way to stay up to date is Marijuana Moment’s daily newsletter, which you can subscribe to HERE. Your Highness, Actions to Take Federal End Prohibition: The Marijuana Justice Act would (1) remove marijuana from the US Controlled Substances Act, thereby ending the federal criminalization of cannabis; (2) incentivize states to mitigate existing and ongoing racial disparities in state-level marijuana arrests; (3) expunge federal convictions specific to marijuana possession; (4) allow individuals currently serving time in federal prison for marijuana-related violations to petition the court for resentencing; (5) and create a community reinvestment fund to invest in communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs. Send a message to your federal lawmakers in support of this important legislation Colorado Legislation is pending, House Bill 19-1230, to allow the social consumption of cannabis by adults in licensed and regulated establishments. The measure would establish a license permit process for hospitality spaces to allow cannabis products to be legally purchased and consumed on site. Update: HB 19-1230 was approved by the House Committee on Finance on 4/8/19 with amendments, and now awaits action rom the Committee on Appropriations. CO resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of social consumption sites Legislation is pending, House Bill 19-1234, to allow licensed marijuana businesses to deliver both medical and adult use marijuana to private residences. The measure would establish a licensing system for such delivery services and also require training for delivery permit holders. Update: HB 19-1234 was approved by the House Committee on Finance on 4/8/19 with amendments, and now awaits action from the Committee on Appropriations. CO resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of cannabis delivery services Connecticut Senate Bill 1085 permits those age 21 and over to purchase and possess up to one and one half ounces of marijuana. The measure would also allow those with past marijuana possession convictions to petition the court to have their record expunged. Update: SB 1085 was heard and approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on 4/8/19. CT resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of legalization Delaware Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 24, to expand access to medical cannabis in the state. The measure would give doctors the discretion to recommend medical cannabis to any patient for whom they believe will benefit from its therapeutic use. This bill would also remove the requirement that only certain specialists may certify the use of medical cannabis for those under 18. Update: SB 24 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health & Social Services Committee on 4/17/19. DE resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion Senate Bill 37 would reform the expungement processes for individuals convicted of non-violent marijuana-related offenses. If enacted, the bill would expand the pool of those eligible to seek expungement to include those convicted of a single misdemeanor or felony charge related to marijuana. Update: SB 37 was approved by the Senate Judicial Committee on 4/9/19. DE resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of expungement Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 45, to amend certain marijuana penalties for juvenile offenders. Under state law, adults face civil penalties for minor marijuana possession offenses. Senate Bill 45 would make this policy consistent for juvenile offenders. Update: SB 45 was approved by the Senate Health & Social Services Committee on 4/10/19. DE resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of juvenile decriminalization Florida Legislation has been approved by members of the House Health and Human Services Committee to arbitrarily cap the potency of cannabis flowers at ten percent THC. Update: HB 7117 was approved by the House Appropriations Committee on 4/9/19. FL resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in opposition to capping THC levels Hawaii Legislation is pending, House Bill 673 / Senate Bill 1430, to expand medical cannabis access. The measure would protect registered medical cannabis patients from employment discrimination by prohibiting employers from arbitrarily discriminating against employees who legally consume medical cannabis off-the-job in accordance with state law. Update: HB 673 was unanimously approved by the Senate on 4/9/19, and now goes back to the House for concurrence on Senate amendments. HI resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion Legislation is pending, House Bill 1383, that would decriminalize certain marijuana possession offenses. The bill would impose a civil penalty for the possession of up to three grams of marijuana, punishable by a $30 fine. The measure would also establish a system to expunge certain past cannabis convictions. Update: HB 1383 was approved by the Senate on 4/9/19, and will now be transmitted back to the House for concurrence on Senate amendments. HI resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of decriminalization Idaho House Bill 300 would allow Idaho to regulate industrial hemp production in addition to allowing for the transportation of hemp throughout the state. Update: HB 300 was heard by the House Transportation & Defense Committee on 4/11/19. ID resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Indiana Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 516, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: SB 516 was approved by the House on 4/9/19, with an amendment to allow the smoking of hemp flower. The House disagreed with the Senate’s amendments, so the bill will now go to a conference committee for reconciliation. IN resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Iowa Legislation is pending, HF 754 and SF 599, to establish an industrial hemp program to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: HF 754 was approved by the House Appropriations Committee on 4/10/19. IA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Louisiana Legislation is pending, House Bill 509, to regulate adult use marijuana. The measure would permit the use, possession, and retail sale of cannabis for adults 21 and over. LA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of legalization Legislation is pending, House Bill 59, to reduce marijuana possession penalties for first time offenders. The measure removes the threat of jail time for first-time offenders who possess no more than 14 grams of marijuana (about half an ounce). LA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of penalty reductions Missouri Legislation is pending, House Bill 1095, reduce marijuana offense penalties in Missouri. This measure would reduce the penalty for the possession of up to 100 grams of marijuana or marijuana concentrate from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction. Update: HB 1095 was heard and approved by the Special Committee on Criminal Justice on 4/11/19. MO resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of decriminalization Nevada Legislation is pending, SB 430, that would expand the pool of individuals eligible for medical cannabis. The measure would permit physicians to recommend cannabis therapy to those diagnosed with anxiety, autism, opioid addiction or dependence, anorexia nervosa, among others. Update: SB 430 was heard in the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on 4/8/19, and again on 4/10. NV resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion Legislation is pending, AB 346, to remove the prohibition on those convicted of certain marijuana related offenses from participating in childcare or healthcare related activities and employment positions. The measure also establishes a process to allow individuals to have their records set aside when determining eligibility to serve in such capacities Update: AB 346 was approved by the Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services on 4/12/19. NV resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of removing employment restrictions New Hampshire Legislation is pending, HB 350, to expand medical cannabis access. The measure expands the pool of medical professionals who are eligible to recommend medical cannabis by permitting physician assistants to issue recommendations to their patients. Update: HB 350 was approved by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on 4/11/19. NH resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion North Carolina Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 168, to expand the state’s medical CBD exemption law. The measure expands the pool of individuals eligible for a medical CBD exemption to include those diagnosed with autism, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and Mitochondrial disease. Update: S. 168 was heard by the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate on 4/9/19, and was then approved by the full Senate on 4/10. The bill now heads to the House. NC resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical CBD expansion Oklahoma Legislation is pending, House Bill 2614, to amend the possession penalties for individuals who use cannabis for a qualifying condition, but are not in possession of a medical marijuana identification card. The measure would reduce the penalty for this offense from a criminal misdemeanor to a citation, punishable by a maximum fine of $400. Update: HB 2614 was approved by the Senate Committee On Health And Human Services on 4/8/19. OK resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of reduced penalties Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 305, to protect registered medical cannabis patients from employment discrimination. The measure would prohibit employers from arbitrarily discriminating against employees who legally consume medical cannabis off-the-job in accordance with state law. Update: SB 305 was heard in the House Rules Committee on 4/11/19. OK resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of employment protections Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 868 / House Bill 2628, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: SB 868 was approved by the House on 4/11/19, and will now be transmitted to the Governor. OK resident? Click here to email your governor in support of industrial hemp production Oregon Legislation is pending, House Bill 2655 / Senate Bill 379, to protect responsible adult cannabis consumers from employment discrimination. Update: The Senate Judiciary Committee approved SB 379 on 4/8/19. OR resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of employment protections Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 420, to expand upon Oregon’s expungement law. The measure would direct the Department of Justice to automatically conduct a review of past misdemeanor cannabis convictions, and to “set aside” offenses that are no longer a crime under state law. Update: The Senate Judiciary Committee held a work session SB 420 on 4/9/19. OR resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of expungement Texas Legislation is pending, HB 1365, to provide qualified patients in Texas with access to medical cannabis. Update: HB 1365 was heard in a Medical Cannabis Subcommittee on 4/11/19. TX resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical cannabis access Vermont S. 54 is pending to establish a regulatory framework for the regulation of a commercial, adult use marijuana market. Update: S. 54 was heard by theHouse Committees on General, Housing, and Military Affairs; Government Operations; and Judiciary this week. VT resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of regulation Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 58, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: S. 58 was heard in the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry on 4/10/19. VT resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Washington Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 5276, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: The House Committee on Appropriations held an executive session on SB 5276 on 4/8/19. WA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Source: https://blog.norml.org/2019/04/12/weekly-legislative-roundup-4-12-19/ Weekly Legislative Roundup 4/12/19 was originally seen on The Giggles N Dimples Blog from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/12/weekly-legislative-roundup-4-12-19/ The passage of statewide adult use marijuana laws is associated with an immediate uptick in housing prices, according to an assessment published by the online service Clever Real Estate. The study determined: “States that legalize recreational cannabis see an immediate bump in home values following legalization, even without retail dispensaries opening up. From 2017 to 2019, cities where recreational marijuana is legal saw home values increase $6,337 more than cities where marijuana is illegal” after controlling for potential confounders. Cities that regulated retail marijuana facilities experienced an even greater increase in overall home prices. By contrast, the study did not identify a similar significant increase in home prices in cities where only medical cannabis was legally regulated. Regarding crime rates following the passage of legalization, the study failed to identify any overall trends in legal states that significantly differed from the national average. “The crime rate increases in Washington and Colorado are consistent with nationwide violent crime trends since 2014. … Using Colorado and Washington as case studies, it’s clear that the market benefits from marijuana legalization outweigh the potential costs in terms of home values,” the study’s author concluded. The report’s findings are consistent with those of prior studies, such as those here and here. Full text of the study, “How Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Impacts Home Values,” appears online here. Source: https://blog.norml.org/2019/04/12/study-adult-use-legalization-associated-with-increased-home-values/ Report: Adult Use Legalization Associated With Increased Home Values was initially published to The Giggles N Dimples Blog from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/12/report-adult-use-legalization-associated-with-increased-home-values/ Many Texans spent a long day at the Capitol to offer thoughtful and powerful testimony on the seven bill addressing medical cannabis, including our priority legislation HB 1365 authored by Rep Eddie Lucio III. The Subcommittee heard from pain specialists, Rice’s Baker Institute, Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas, Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition, and more – all in support of medical freedom for Texas patients. Patients and caregivers passionately shared their personal experiences. Ask your Representative to coauthor HB 1365 today! Texas NORML Executive Director, Jax Finkel, submitted the testimony of over a hundred of our fellow Texans to the members of the Subcommittee. It was our honor to bring the voices of those that could not attend into the hearing room. Make a donation to support our work at the legislature! Right now, we have strong bipartisan support for reform in the Texas Legislature and a record setting number of bills have been introduced for consideration. There’s a very small window to make this happen before the session ends in May. It will take all of us doing this important work to get across the finish line! Now that the Medical Marijuana Subcommittee has heard HB 1365, what happens next?In the Texas Legislature, committees tend to leave bills pending after the hearing. They will typically vote on bills in batches. This means that it can take about 2 weeks for a bill to be voted on, though this can vary. This means that we can expect a vote on HB 1365 in the near future. Once the committee votes, they will issue a report on the bill that will be distributed to every member in the chamber. When HB 1365 progresses, it will be sent to Committee on Calendars to be place on the floor calendar. Learn more about the process. What can you do to help today? Representative Eddie Lucio III has expressed the need for Texans to reach out the their Representatives and ask them to support HB 1365. Ask your Representative to coauthor HB 1365 today! This will help continue to solidify the strong bipartisan support as the bill progresses. Next Steps…
Please consider making a donation to our legislative crowd funding campaign. View pictures from the hearing. Marijuana policy should be evidence based. Help dispel the myths with NORML’s Fact Sheets! For more information follow Texas NORML on Facebook, Twitter, and visit their website!
Source: https://blog.norml.org/2019/04/12/recap-medical-cannabis-hearing-held-at-the-texas-state-capitol/ Recap: Medical Cannabis Hearing Held at the Texas State Capitol is republished from GigglesNDimples.com from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/12/recap-medical-cannabis-hearing-held-at-the-texas-state-capitol/ With passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the framework was put in place for states to pass laws legalizing the production and distribution of industrial hemp. But what does that mean for CBD and products containing CBD? A search for “CBD” on the website of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) brings up a list of warning letters that have been issued to companies. In 2015, the FDA issued 18 warning letters and conducted a study on label claims for CBD content. This study showed that only one product came close to the labeled CBD content, while a number contained no cannabinoids, and many contained THC despite not advising so on the label. Source: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/the_status_of_cbd_blog The Status of CBD was first seen on https://gigglesndimples.com from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/11/the-status-of-cbd/ New Mexico is now the 8th Medical Cannabis State to allow Safe Access to Medical Cannabis at Schools4/11/2019 By Jason Barker for Cannabis News Journal On Thursday, April 4th 2019, Governor Lujan Grisham made history for the state of New Mexico by signing into law Senate Bill 204, Medical Cannabis in Schools. Currently there are now eight states and one capital city with comprehensive medical cannabis programs allowing medical cannabis in schools: Oklahoma City and these states; NEW MEXICO, New Jersey, Maine, Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois. All have successfully set forth rules and regulations for allowing safe access to medical cannabis while attending public schools. No school or school district in the US has ever lost any federal funding for allowing safe access to medical cannabis at school, nor has there been any problems. California, New York, Virginia and Washington all have active 2019 Legislation for Allowing Safe Access to Medical Cannabis in School that is expected to pass into law. June 14th 2019 is the effective date of this new law now allowing safe access to medical cannabis at schools for New Mexico. Source: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/new_mexico_is_now_the_8th_medical_cannabis_state_to_allow_safe_access_to_medical_cannabis_at_schools The blog article New Mexico is now the 8th Medical Cannabis State to allow Safe Access to Medical Cannabis at Schools Find more on: The Giggles N Dimples Blog from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/11/new-mexico-is-now-the-8th-medical-cannabis-state-to-allow-safe-access-to-medical-cannabis-at-schools/ This headline in the April 7 New York Post – “New Yorkers Are Flocking to Massachusetts for Their Legal Weed Fix” – should have raised eyebrows in Albany, The New York State legislature is considering marijuana legalization. It has until June to reach an agreement on how taxing and regulating the popular plant will look. If there’s no agreement, then New Yorkers will continue flocking to Massachusetts, which started selling legal cannabis in stores last fall. Massachusetts borders New York State; it’s just a two-hour drive from New York City to the Bay State’s southwest border. Legalization advocates were disappointed when an effort to fast-track cannabis regulation in the state budget by the end of March fizzled. Now, it’s a matter of finding a suitable compromise between the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), which is sponsored by Senator Liz Krueger in the Senate and by Crystal Peoples-Stokes in the Assembly, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act (CRTA). Equity Issue of Primary Concern to Advocates and LegislatorsThe issue that is being most hotly debated is equity for New Yorker who’ve suffered the most due to policies like marijuana prohibition and the overall War on Drugs, which have led to mass incarceration in communities of color. // (function($){ function bsaProResize() { var sid = "12"; var object = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__img"); var animateThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProAnimateThumb"); var innerThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__thumb"); var parentWidth = "772"; var parentHeight = "105"; var objectWidth = object.width(); if ( objectWidth < parentWidth ) { var scale = objectWidth / parentWidth; if ( objectWidth > 0 && objectWidth != 100 && scale > 0 ) { animateThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); innerThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); object.height(parentHeight * scale); } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } $(document).ready(function(){ bsaProResize(); $(window).resize(function(){ bsaProResize(); }); }); })(jQuery); // // (function ($) { var bsaProContainer = $('.bsaProContainer-12'); var number_show_ads = "0"; var number_hide_ads = "0"; if ( number_show_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeIn(); }, number_show_ads * 1000); } if ( number_hide_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeOut(); }, number_hide_ads * 1000); } })(jQuery); // “We’re calling for not just marijuana legalization, but marijuana justice,” Melissa Moore, New York deputy state director of the Drug Policy Alliance, tells Freedom Leaf. “We need to respond to the legacy of harm that New York has experienced, particularly in the African American community.” The DPA is supporting the Start Smart, which addresses the collateral consequences those who’ve been arrested for marijuana face with housing, immigration, welfare, child care and other issues. “We need to establish an equitable and diverse industry, not just replicate the same structural inequalities in the medical program,” Moore says, referring to the state’s Medical Marijuana Program. “It’s about centering efforts on communities most impacted and creating equity licenses that make sure people have the means to participate in a meaningful way and own businesses.” The DPA supports business incubators, zero-interest rate loans and grants structured as either low-interest loans or a grants program as well as community reinvestment.
New York, she adds, should follow the lead of California, which created the California Cannabis Equity Act late last year. The program allocated $10 million to support people in impacted communities seeking cannabis licenses. “The most notable difference between Cuomo’s CRTA bill and the MRTA bill is the lack of community reinvestment,” Moore points out. “That’s what that bill sponsors need to see. The MRTA has strong equity provisions and an equity program for people that have been directly impacted.” While the CRTA addresses the expected revenue and fiscal side of cannabis, the MRTA includes amnesty for non-violent drug offenders and allocation of dispensary licenses to people in communities ravaged by the drug war. “We’re trying to improve the governor’s revenue bill and add more social equity and criminal justice reform,” Doug Greene, legislative director of Empire State NORML, tells Freedom Leaf. Home Grow Debate Out of the ClosetThe MRTA bill would also allow adults to grow six plants at home. The CRTA only grants that permission to medical patients. While agreement on many points seems to be close, Greene said the home grow issue faces a tougher road. “It will be politically difficult,” he concedes. “Law enforcement is mostly against it. There are also concerns about the loss of tax revenue.” Hillary Peckham, chief operating officer of Etain Health, one of the 10 New York registered organizations (ROs) that grow and distribute medical cannabis products, says her company supports home growing for medical use as proposed in the CRTA.
“I can’t speak for New York State and why they might not be allowing this,” she tells Freedom Leaf. “However, it’s my understanding and belief that the goal is to ensure quality and accountability of production and sales to encourage public health and safety. Moore says home grow has been a consistent priority voiced by state residents at listening sessions with public officials. “The ROs clearly have a financial interest in supporting a ban on home grown,” she notes. “We know from other states that safety concerns do not rise to the level to ban it from the entire state.” Of the 10 states that have legalized marijuana since 2012, only Washington doesn’t allow hom grow for recreational purposes. Should ROs Be First on Line for Recreational Licenses?Etain Health is interested in applying for an adult-use license if either of the measures or a compromise of the two ultimately passes. However, it’s unclear if existing ROs would be grandfathered in or if they’d have to apply along with everyone else. Another issue that remains unclear is how ROs would be affected by the state’s proposal to split the current vertical seed-to-sale operations into production, distribution and retail business licenses. These details may be left to an executive director of the yet-to-be established regulatory body that would oversee cannabis businesses. “It’s my understanding and belief that the executive director can allow some or all ROs to participate in the adult-use program,” Peckham explains. “He or she could also choose an auction. If he or she does neither, then it is also my understanding that we could then apply for dispensary permits or cultivation, processor and distribution licenses. In this instance, we would have to choose which portion of the business can participate in adult-use sales and apply for a permit. However, we will be able to maintain our vertical structure for the medical program.” The campaign to open up the New York industry to smaller players should work to Etain’s advantage. Unlike other larger ROs in New York – such as Med Men, Curaleaf, Citiva and Acreage Holdings – Etain is not a multi-state operator. Etain is also female owned and operated. That can only help when it comes time to award licenses if and when legalization is passed in the Empire State. Related ArticlesLine Up for Legal Weed in Massachusetts: CelebStoner Takes a Tour Cannabis Legalization in New Jersey Goes Back to the Drawing Board New York’s Medical Marijuana Program Continues to Evolve If you enjoyed this Freedom Leaf article, subscribe to the magazine here The post New York State of Cannabis: Dueling Legalization Measures on the Table appeared first on Freedom Leaf. Source: https://www.freedomleaf.com/new-york-marijuana-legalization-update/ New York State of Cannabis: Dueling Legalization Measures on the Table was first published to GigglesNDimples.com from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/11/new-york-state-of-cannabis-dueling-legalization-measures-on-the-table/ Members of the New York City Council approved a pair of municipal bills this week limiting situations where those seeking employment or on probation may be drug tested for the past use of cannabis. Council members overwhelmingly voted in favor of a municipal proposal (No.1445) barring employers from drug testing certain job applicants for the presence of marijuana. The proposal states, “[I]t shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer, labor organization, employment agency, or agent thereof to require a prospective employee to submit to testing for the presence of any tetrahydrocannabinols or marijuana in such prospective employee’s system as a condition of employment.” Council members passed the bill by a vote of 40 to 4. Under the plan, employees seeking certain safety sensitive positions – such as police officers or commercial drivers – or those positions regulated by federal drug testing guidelines, would be exempt from the municipal law. The measure now awaits final approval from City Mayor Bill DeBlasio. The new rules would take effect one-year after being signed into law. Studies have identified the presence of the inert carboxy-THC metabolite in the urine of former marijuana consumers for periods of several months following their last exposure. Council members also advanced separate legislation (No. 1427) to the Mayor’s office limiting situations in which persons on probation may be drug tested. Once signed, the new rules will take immediate effect. A resolution (Res. 641) calling on the New York City officials to expunge the records of all city misdemeanor marijuana convictions is pending. New York City police made over 78,000 marijuana possession arrests between the years 2014 and 2017. Source: https://blog.norml.org/2019/04/11/new-york-city-lawmakers-advance-bills-limiting-drug-testing-for-cannabis-as-a-condition-of-employment-probation/ The following post New York City: Lawmakers Advance Bills Limiting Drug Testing for Cannabis as a Condition of Employment, Probation was originally published to GigglesNDimples.com from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/11/new-york-city-lawmakers-advance-bills-limiting-drug-testing-for-cannabis-as-a-condition-of-employment-probation/ Governors in two western states have signed legislation into law to facilitate the process of permitting those past criminal convictions to have their records expunged. In Utah, Republican Gov. Gary Herbert signed House Bill 431: The Clean Slate Act into law. The measure creates a process for the automatic expungement and deletion of certain criminal convictions, including misdemeanor convictions for the possession of a controlled substance. To be eligible for automatic expungement, one must have completed their sentence and possess no subsequent convictions for a period of five years. According to reporting by the Salt Lake City Tribune, Utah will become only the second state in the nation to enact such a broad automatic expungement policy. The new law takes effect on May 1, 2020. In New Mexico, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law House Bill 370, The Criminal Record Expungement Act. The Act permits those convicted of certain violations, misdemeanors, or felonies – following the completion of their sentence and payment of applicable fines – to petition the court for an order to expunge arrest records and public records related to that conviction. Those seeking to vacate misdemeanor convictions must wait two years following the completion of their sentence, and have no subsequent convictions, prior to seeking expungement. Those with felony convictions must wait six-years prior to petitioning the court. The new law takes effect on January 1, 2020. For information about additional pending legislation, visit NORML’s Action Center here. Source: https://blog.norml.org/2019/04/10/states-enact-legislation-facilitating-expungement-for-low-level-crimes/ The following post States Enact Legislation Facilitating Expungement For Low-Level Crimes is courtesy of The Giggles N Dimples Blog from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/10/states-enact-legislation-facilitating-expungement-for-low-level-crimes/ Welcome to the latest edition of NORML’s Weekly Legislative Roundup! U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), along with Representatives David Joyce (R-OH) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), have reintroduced The STATES Act of 2019. This Act amends the Controlled Substances Act to reduce the number of instances in which federal law enforcement agencies could carry out legal actions against state-licensed cannabis businesses or other related enterprises. Governor Gary Herbert (R) of Utah signed legislation into law to allow those with certain misdemeanor cannabis convictions to have their records automatically expunged. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) of New Mexico signed cannabis decriminalization legislation into law. She also signed bills to allow medical cannabis to be administered to patients while at school, and a broader medical expansion bill that adds several new qualifying conditions and patient protections. Governor Jared Polis (D) of Colorado signed legislation into law to add autism as a medical cannabis qualifying condition. Governor Leon Guerrero (D) of Guam signed cannabis legalization legislation into law. Governor Janet Mills (D) of Maine signed legislation into law to allow the production and retail sale of hemp-derived CBD products. Governors Doug Burgum (R) of North Dakota and Henry McMaster (R) of South Carolina signed industrial hemp production legislation into law. An Arkansas House committee defeated a decriminalization bill this week to send it to study. Six municipalities in Wisconsin voted on non-binding marijuana related ballot questions, with 5 out of 6 passing. Wood County approved a medical cannabis question, but rejected an adult use tax and regulate question. At a more local level, prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Joaquin Counties, California announced that they’ll begin a process to automatically expunge approximately 54,000 prior cannabis conviction records. Following are the bills that we’ve tracked this week and as always, check NORML’s Action Center for legislation pending in your state. Don’t forget to sign up for our email list, and we will keep you posted as these bills and more move through your home state legislature and U.S. Congress. Another great way to stay up to date is Marijuana Moment’s daily newsletter, which you can subscribe to HERE. Your Highness, Actions to Take Federal End Prohibition: The Marijuana Justice Act would (1) remove marijuana from the US Controlled Substances Act, thereby ending the federal criminalization of cannabis; (2) incentivize states to mitigate existing and ongoing racial disparities in state-level marijuana arrests; (3) expunge federal convictions specific to marijuana possession; (4) allow individuals currently serving time in federal prison for marijuana-related violations to petition the court for resentencing; (5) and create a community reinvestment fund to invest in communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs. Send a message to your federal lawmakers in support of this important legislation Arkansas Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 661, to amend marijuana possession penalties. The measure would remove the threat of jail time as a penalty for first time offenders for the possession of up to four ounces of marijuana and reduces the maximum fine from $2,500 to $1,000. Update: SB 661 was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on 4/5/19. AR resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of first-time penalty reductions California Legislation is pending, AB 286, to temporarily reduce tax rates imposed on the retail sale and commercial cultivation of cannabis. Update: AB 286 will be heard by the Assembly Business And Professions Committee on 4/9/19 at 9:30am in State Capitol Room 4202. CA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of reducing tax rates Legislation is pending, AB 1530, to give local governments the ability to restrict or ban cannabis deliveries made into their jurisdictional boundaries by state-licensed delivery services. Update: AB 1530 will be heard by the Assembly Business And Professions Committee on 4/9/19 at 9:30am in State Capitol Room 4202. CA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in opposition to restricting delivery services Legislation has been reintroduced from last year, Senate Bill 34, which would exempt compassionate care programs from paying state cannabis taxes when they are providing free medical cannabis to financially disadvantaged people living with serious health conditions. Update: SB 34 was approved by the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee on 4/3/19. CA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of compassionate care programs Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 305, to permit qualified patients the ability to access medical cannabis preparations while in health care facilities. Update: SB 305 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee on Health on 4/10/19. CA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of expanded medical access Colorado Legislation is pending, House Bill 19-1230, to allow the social consumption of cannabis by adults in licensed and regulated establishments. Update: HB 19-1230 was approved by the House Committee on Business Affairs & Labor on 4/2/19. CO resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of social consumption Connecticut House Bill 7371 would establish a regulatory framework for the licensed retail sale of adult-use marijuana. Update: HB 7371 is scheduled for consideration by the Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis on 4/9/19 at 5pm. CT resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of legalization Delaware Senate Bill 24 would give doctors the discretion to recommend medical cannabis to any patient whom they believe will benefit from its therapeutic use. It would also remove the requirement that only certain specialists may certify the use of medical cannabis for those under 18. Update: SB 24 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health and Social Services Committee on 4/10/19. DE resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of letting doctors, not politicians, decide Senate Bill 59 would expand the pool of medical professionals who are eligible to recommend medical cannabis by permitting physician assistants and nurse practitioners to issue recommendations to their patients. Update: SB 59 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health and Social Services Committee on 4/10/19. Send a DE resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion Senate Bill 45 would amend certain marijuana penalties for juvenile offenders. Under state law, adults face civil penalties for minor marijuana possession offenses. Senate Bill 45 would make this policy consistent for juvenile offenders. Update: SB 59 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health and Social Services Committee on 4/10/19. DE resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of amending juvenile penalties Senate Bill 37 would reform the expungement processes for individuals convicted of non-violent marijuana-related offenses. If enacted, the bill would expand the pool of those eligible to seek expungement to include those convicted of a single misdemeanor or felony charge related to marijuana. DE resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of expungement Florida Legislation has been approved by members of the House Health and Human Services Committee to arbitrarily cap the potency of cannabis flowers at ten percent THC. FL resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in opposition to capping THC levels Legislation is pending, H. 333, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: H. 333 was unanimously approved by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee on 4/2. FL resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Hawaii Legislation is pending, House Bill 673 / Senate Bill 1430, to expand medical cannabis access. The measure would protect registered medical cannabis patients from employment discrimination by prohibiting employers from arbitrarily discriminating against employees who legally consume medical cannabis off-the-job in accordance with state law. Update: HB 673 was approved by the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means on 4/3/19 with amendments. HI resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion Idaho Legislation is pending, House Bill 122, to establish an industrial hemp program to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: H.122 was approved by the Senate on 4/1, and will now be transmitted back to the House for concurrence. ID resident? Click here to email your governor in support of industrial hemp production Illinois Senate Bill 7 is pending, a placeholder bill for the legalization and regulation of marijuana for adults. Update: SB 7 was approved by the Senate Executive Committee on 4/3/19. IL resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of legalization Iowa Senate File 378 reduces criminal penalties for first time offenders for the possession of 5 grams of marijuana or less from a serious misdemeanor, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000, to a simple misdemeanor, punishable by no more than 30 days in jail and/or a $625 fine. Update: SF 378 was approved by the Senate on 4/1/19, and will now be transmitted to the House. IA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of penalty reductions HF 732 would remove the cap on allowable THC, and allow physicians assistants and advanced registered nurses to recommend medical cannabis to patients. Update: HF 732 was approved by a Judiciary Subcommittee on 4/1/19, then approved by the full committee on 4/4. The bill was amended to remove the provision lifting the THC cap on medical CBD. Legislation is pending, HF 754 and SF 599, to establish an industrial hemp program to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: HF 754 was heard in the House Appropriations Committee on 4/4/19. IA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Indiana Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 516, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: SB 516 was heard by the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee on 4/2/19. IN resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Maine Legislation is pending, LD 1402 (HP 1017), which seeks to facilitate banks and other financial institutions to safely conduct transactions with licensed marijuana businesses. The measure would allow “state-chartered credit unions to procure private insurance in lieu of share insurance from the National Credit Union Administration to facilitate the provision of financial services to registered dispensaries or registered caregivers.” ME resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of banking access Montana Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 176, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Senate Bill 177 also modifies industrial hemp provisions, such as removing the requirement for a criminal background check prior to obtaining a license to grow the plant. Update: SB 176 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on 4/8/19 at 3pm in room 102. SB 177 was approved by the House and now heads to the governor’s desk. MT resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Nevada Legislation is pending, AB 409, to allow the social consumption of cannabis by adults in licensed and regulated establishments. NV resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of social consumption Legislation is pending, SB 430, that would expand the pool of individuals eligible for medical cannabis. The measure would permit physicians to recommend cannabis therapy to those diagnosed with anxiety, autism, opioid addiction or dependence, anorexia nervosa, among others. NV resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion New Hampshire Legislation is pending, House Bill 481, to allow for the use, possession, and retail sale of marijuana by adults. Update: HB 481 was approved by the House Ways and Means Committee on 4/4/19, and now heads to the Senate. NH resident? Click here to email your senators in support of legalization New York S.4117 would prohibit the eviction of tenants for using medical marijuana for a certified medical use. Update: S.4117 was approved by the Senate on 4/1/19, and will now be transmitted to the Assembly. NY resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of housing protections North Carolina Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 168, to expand the state’s medical CBD exemption law. The measure expands the pool of individuals eligible for a medical CBD exemption to include those diagnosed with autism, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and Mitochondrial disease. Update: S168 was heard and approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on 4/3/19. NC resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of expanded CBD exemption North Dakota Senate legislators have revived marijuana decriminalization efforts by attaching an amendment to House Bill 1050. The amendment, which was approved in the Senate’s version of the bill, reduces the penalty for possessing up to a half-ounce of marijuana from a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of $1,500 to a noncriminal fine of $250. Update: HB 1050 was approved by the Senate on 4/4/19, and will now be transmitted back to the House for concurrence on the amendment. ND resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of decriminalization House Bill 1417 allows physicians to explicitly authorize patients diagnosed with cancer to legally possess greater quantities of cannabis than are generally allowed under the law. Separately, House Bill 1519 would permit providers to recommend medical cannabis to those diagnosed with 13 additional conditions, including anorexia nervosa, anxiety, opioid use disorder or withdrawal, and autism. A third measure, House Bill 1283, would allow physicians assistants to recommend medical cannabis to their patients. And a separate measure, House Bill 1364, would permit edible medical cannabis products, as long as they do not appeal to minors. Update: The House and Senate disagreed on amendments to HB 1417 and HB 1519, so the bills now go to a conference committee for reconciliation. HB 1364 failed to pass the Senate with the needed 2/3 majority, killing the bill. ND resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical expansion Oklahoma Legislation is pending, House Bill 2614, to amend the possession penalties for individuals who use cannabis for a qualifying condition, but are not in possession of a medical marijuana identification card. The measure would reduce the penalty for this offense from a criminal misdemeanor to a citation, punishable by a maximum fine of $400. Update: HB 2614 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee On Health And Human Services on 4/8/19. OK resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of reduced penalties Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 868 / House Bill 2628, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: SB 868 was approved by the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee on 4/1, and HB 2628 was approved by the Senate Committee On Agriculture & Wildlife on 4/1. OK resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of industrial hemp production Oregon Legislation is pending, House Bill 2655 / Senate Bill 379, to protect responsible adult cannabis consumers from employment discrimination. Update: SB 379 is scheduled for a work session in the Senate Judiciary Committee on 4/8/19 at 8am. OR resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of employment protections Pennsylvania Legislation is pending, Senate Bill 465, to establish the Cannabis Banking Commission to develop strategies to encourage and facilitate banks and other financial institutions to safely conduct transactions with licensed marijuana businesses. PA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of banking access South Carolina H. 3660 / S. 366: The South Carolina Compassionate Care Act, would regulate medical cannabis distribution and access, but it prohibits the inhalation or smoking of herbal medical cannabis. Update: S. 366 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee on Medical Affairs on 4/11/19. SC resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of medical cannabis access Tennessee Legislation is pending, SB 357 / HB 844, to amend the state’s existing industrial hemp law to be in compliance with the new federal hemp regulations. Update: SB 357 was approved by the House on 3/28, and will now be transmitted to the Governor. TN resident? Click here to email your governor in support of industrial hemp production Vermont S. 54 is pending to establish a regulatory framework for the regulation of a commercial, adult use marijuana market. Update: S. 54 was heard by the House Committee on Government Operations every day the committee met this week. VT resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of regulation Washington Legislation is pending, SB 5605 / HB 1500, to allow individuals with prior misdemeanor cannabis convictions to apply to the sentencing court to have their record vacated. Update: SB 5605 was heard in the House Committee on Appropriations on 4/5/19 at 1:30pm. WA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of vacating past records Legislation is pending, House Bill 1095 / Senate Bill 5442, to allow medical cannabis to be administered to patients at school. Update: HB 1095 was approved by the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education on 4/1. WA resident? Click here to email your lawmakers in support of allowing medical cannabis in schools Source: https://blog.norml.org/2019/04/05/weekly-legislative-roundup-4-5-19/ Weekly Legislative Roundup 4/5/19 is courtesy of https://gigglesndimples.com from https://gigglesndimples.com/2019/04/05/weekly-legislative-roundup-4-5-19/ |
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