Author: Brandon Soderberg
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The Complexities of Cannabis in the Consolidated Appropriations Act
It was down to the wire last week as the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which would among other things—and perhaps most importantly—give millions of Americans some much-needed (if modest) economic relief was finally signed by President Donald Trump. The massive spending bill was passed by both the House and the Senate on Dec. 21 and then…
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The Year in Cannabis: Maryland
Even before COVID-19 slowed Maryland politics down and ultimately shortened the 2020 legislative session, it did not appear to be a year where major cannabis reform was going to happen. Maryland’s Marijuana Legalization Workgroup had already announced it would not be recommending cannabis legalization, citing among many reasons, concerns about racial equity which have dogged…
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Quick Hit: A Billion Bucks Worth of Legal Weed in Illinois
The state of Illinois seems to be doing legal cannabis correctly. When Illinois legalized cannabis, the state introduced a number of racial equity provisions that would begin to undo some of the harm caused by the racist war on drugs—focusing on expungements and pardons for low-level cannabis offenses and providing those in the state with…
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Andy Harris Co-Sponsored Medical Marijuana Research Act Passes The House
Last week, the House of Representatives passed the Medical Marijuana Research Act, a bill that will make it much easier for researchers to study cannabis and receive medical-grade cannabis from state growers (along with federal growers which is currently accepted). Along with allowing researchers to study cannabis through state programs, the Medical Marijuana Research Act…
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Beyoncé Gives $10,000 to Black-owned MD Cannabis Company
Beyoncé’s foundation BeyGood and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) have given a Maryland-based cannabis company a grant for $10,000. The BeyGood/NAACP grants specifically support Black-owned businesses affected by COVID-19 and The Gift, a cannabis company operating out of Beltsville, Maryland were one of the grantees. In a press release, The…
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Virginia Considers Cannabis Legalization, Reckons With Racial Inequity
2020 was a banner year for cannabis reform in Virginia, with the Commonwealth finally launching its medicinal cannabis program, decriminalizing cannabis possession up to an ounce, making it so that police can no longer search Virginians’ vehicles based on cannabis smell alone, and Governor Ralph Northam announcing that he is—finally—taking legalization seriously. A major part…
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Quick Hit: There’s a New Cannabinoid—Sesqui CBG
Scientists have announced that they have “discovered” a new class of Cannabinoids—Sesqui-Cannabinoids. In a press release put out by Medican on Thursday, December 10, the pharmaceutical company announced there is a patent-pending on the process to biosynthesize this new class of Cannabinoid they’ve called Sesqui CBG. “This is a significant new discovery. We are the…
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Episode 12: The MORE Act Passes the House!
In this episode of The Outlaw Report podcast, Scott is joined by Mike Liszewski, friend of the show and inside expert on Capitol Hill on cannabis law and policy and drug policy reform more broadly. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill to deschedule cannabis and end federal cannabis prohibition as we know it.…
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Sinclair-Connected Curio Wellness Establishes Investment Fund To Increase Diversity
Curio Wellness, which has faced criticism over the past two years due to the cannabis company’s connections to right-wing Sinclair Broadcasting, and for filing a lawsuit challenging a state law encouraging diversity in the cannabis industry, has announced a funding program to support minority, medicinal cannabis business entrepreneurs. Curio Wellness announced on December 1 that…
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Quick Hit: House To Vote On Cannabis Research Bill This Week
Following the highly-publicized MORE Act vote, the House of Representatives will vote on another cannabis bill this week. This one, the Medical Marijuana Research Act, sponsored by Earl Blumenauer and noted cannabis reform enemy Andy Harris, will reduce the regulations that exist making it easier to get approved to research cannabis and increase the supply…
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Curaleaf Cannabis Industry Shake-Ups in Maryland
In early November, cannabis company Curaleaf, which is currently in 23 states, announced it had sold $31.5 million in proceeds in an attempt to expand its Maryland cannabis operations. Namely, Curaleaf sold its interest in Frederick, MD-based HMS Health, a cultivator and processor for $27.5 million, to TerrAscend Corp. which currently has vertically integrated operations…
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Quick Hit: Mexico Likely To Legalize Cannabis
It is likely that quite soon Mexico will have made cannabis legal. Earlier this month, the bill was approved by the Senate and is now in the hands of the Chamber of Deputies (essentially, Mexico’s Congress). Mexico’s proposal for legalization would allow adults to purchase, possess, and use cannabis (the threshold is 28 grams) and…