Author: Brandon Soderberg
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In New York and Baltimore, Elected Officials Embroiled in Scandals Get Behind Drug Reform
New York has legalized cannabis for recreational use. It is a move that makes New York the fifteenth state to legalize and will contribute to undoing decades of racial disparities in cannabis arrests. The legalization law, passed by the Senate and signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Mar. 30, creates a regulated, commercial…
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Maryland Must Wait At Least Another Year For Legalization
Last week, on Mar. 18, cannabis legalization advocates showed up in Annapolis with a giant inflatable joint and a plain and simple message: Don’t allow the cannabis legalization bills proposed by the House and Senate to fail. The expiration date for both legalization bills—Senate Bill 708 and House Bill 32—was Mar. 22 and neither passed…
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Episodio Especial del Outlaw Report: Mexico Prepares to Legalize Cannabis
On this special episode of The Outlaw Report, host Scott Cecil is joined by Elias Lisbona Jassan, an attorney and drug policy reform advocate in Mexico City, to talk about efforts to legalize cannabis in Mexico by ending prohibition at the national level. We’ll be back April 6th with headlines and an all-new episode!
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Advocates Push For Cannabis Legalization in Annapolis With a 51-Foot Joint
A 51-foot long inflatable joint with the words “Maryland Pass The Joint!” and the logo of Maryland Marijuana Justice (MDMJ) stamped on the side of it appeared near Annapolis’ State House earlier today, Mar. 18, as part of a protest pushing the cannabis reform-averse legislators in Maryland towards passing a legalization bill. “Some legislators won’t…
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The Outlaw Report Podcast: Queen’s Gambit
The Outlaw Report podcast host Scott Cecil is joined by Queen Adesuyi, the Policy Manager for the Drug Policy Alliance, the leading drug policy reform advocacy organization in the United States. Queen updates Scott on what’s happening in Congress and when we can expect movement on The MORE Act. Then they turn to D.C. policy…
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Amid Dueling Adult-Use Bills, Medicinal Cannabis Expands in D.C.
Last year, when the Alcohol Beverage Registration Administration (ABRA) took over Washington D.C.’s medicinal cannabis program, it was framed as a step that would make commercial, regulated cannabis easier to enact once lawmakers were ready to enact it. But a recent announcement suggests ABRA has a concerted effort in expanding the medical cannabis program as…
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The Outlaw Report Podcast: Virginia Punts & DC Hunts (for Equity)
The Outlaw Report podcast host Scott Cecil is joined by D.C. entrepreneur and advocate, Caroline Phillips, the creator of the National Cannabis Festival and board member of Supernova Women, a non-profit whose mission is to bring racial equity to the cannabis industry. Scott and Caroline discuss the top stories of the week, including VA lawmakers’…
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Quick Hit: Final Rule For Domestic Hemp Production Published
Back in January, the United State Department Of Agriculture (USDA) published its final rule on establishing its Domestic Hemp Production Program, as enabled in the 2018 Farm Bill. The rule allows both individual states and Indigenous tribes to begin domestically producing hemp and explains the requirements for record-keeping regarding hemp production, testing, plant disposal, hemp…
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The Outlaw Report Podcast: Grassroots Goldman and the Garden State
After covering the top stories from the website this week, The Outlaw Report podcast host Scott Cecil is joined by Dan Grassroots Goldman to talk about the new legalization law in New Jersey, why it took so long, and what that might mean for DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Scott and Dan also predict what is…
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D.C. Council Chairman Mendelson Releases Comprehensive Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Act of 2021
There are now dueling bills to establish a regulated cannabis market in Washington D.C. On Friday, Feb. 26, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released The Safe Cannabis Sales Act of 2021 and on Monday, Mar. 1, DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and councilmembers Charles Allen, Mary Cheh, Christina Henderson, Kenyan McDuffie, Brianne Nadeau, and Brooke Pinto…
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A First Look At Washington D.C.’s Safe Cannabis Sales Act of 2021
On Friday Feb. 26, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser sent the Safe Cannabis Sales Act of 2021 to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and the rest of the council. The Safe Cannabis Sales Act of 2021 would allow commercial, regulated cannabis sales in D.C.—something that has eluded D.C. since 2014 when voters legalized cannabis. Back…
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Quick Hit: ‘Crestone,’ a Documentary About Soundcloud Rappers and Weed Growers in Colorado
Last week, Baltimore filmmaker Marnie Ellen Hertzler’s documentary Crestone was made available for streaming. The quasi-documentary made the virtual festival rounds last year and gathered a great deal of deserving buzz and quite a few understandable, “holy shit” responses as well. It tells the story of a group of twentysomethings with a whole lot of…