Author: Gaspard Le Dem
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D.C. Council Passes Sweeping Bill To Reform Medical Cannabis Program
The D.C. Council on Tuesday gave its unanimous and final approval to a bill that makes sweeping changes to the District’s medical cannabis program, capping a long and obstacle-ridden journey for the legislation, which was introduced nearly two years ago. It now heads to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s desk for a signature, and then to Congress…
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Bill Would Offer D.C.’s Weed ‘Gifters’ Path To Legality With Transitional Licenses
D.C.’s unlicensed cannabis storefronts — familiarly known as gifting or “I-71” shops — have dodged multiple attempts over the last year by local leaders to crack down on their business. Earlier this year, they repeatedly locked horns with D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, who tried passing emergency legislation to shut them down and blasted them…
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Virginia Regulators Are Planning A Crackdown on Hemp Extracts Like Delta-8
Virginia regulators plan to step up efforts to rein in the sale and production of THC products that are synthetically derived from the hemp plant, like Delta-8. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and Office of the Attorney General (OAG) announced last week that business owners who don’t fall in line with…
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D.C. Council Unanimously Approves ‘Self-Certification’ For Cannabis Patients
The D.C. Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an emergency bill allowing adults to register for the District’s medical cannabis program simply by “self-certifying” they use pot for medical purposes. The measure, introduced by Councilmembers Mary Cheh (Ward 3) and Kenyan McDuffie (Ward 5), does away with the need for a doctor’s note to purchase weed…
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Maryland Cannabis Commission Touts Faster Patient Registrations And Shorter Call Waits
At a virtual meeting of the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) on Thursday, regulators said they’ve significantly reduced turnaround times to register new patients for the state’s medical weed program. In his report to the commission, Executive Director Will Tilburg said that since early May, the average processing time for new patient applications has been…
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FDA Orders Juul E-Cigarettes Off U.S. Shelves
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday announced it would pull Juul e-cigarette products from American shelves in an effort to curb youth vaping. Regulators said the popular vaping company must remove its Juul e-cigarette device and four types of flavored nicotine pods from the market or face enforcement. The decision doesn’t make…
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D.C. Council Approves Bill To Protect Workers From Weed Discrimination
The D.C. Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill that bars most employers from punishing workers who use cannabis or test positive on a weed screening. The legislation, introduced last year by Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White, makes it an “unlawful discriminatory practice” for employers to require a cannabis test as a condition of employment.…
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Erin Palmer Wants To Bring D.C.’s Weed Gifting Shops ‘In The Daylight’
Erin Palmer is well aware she’s got a huge task ahead of her. The 40-year-old ethics lawyer and mother-of-three is hoping to unseat D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, a three-term incumbent who she readily admits is “an institution” of District politics. But Palmer isn’t interested in engaging in the vitriolic discourse that often animates important…
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Virginia Lawmakers Approve ‘Opaque’ Budget Deal Creating New Cannabis Crimes
Virginia lawmakers on Wednesday approved a budget package for the state’s upcoming fiscal year that includes last-minute amendments to create new crimes for cannabis possession and impose tougher restrictions on hemp products like CBD. The amendments would make possessing more than four ounces of weed in the commonwealth a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine…
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Delaware Governor Vetoes Weed Legalization Bill In Rebuke Of His Own Party
In a controversial move, Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) on Tuesday vetoed a historic bill to legalize cannabis possession that comfortably cleared the state legislature earlier this month. The measure, which passed the General Assembly after years of failed attempts at legalization, eliminates penalties for adults 21 and older who possess up to one ounce…
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Preliminary D.C. Budget Creates Cannabis Social Equity Fund To Boost Minority Entrepreneurs
D.C.’s preliminary budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes a provision that would redirect tax dollars from medical cannabis sales towards a new “social equity fund” to help minority entrepreneurs get weed businesses off the ground. The “Medical Cannabis Social Equity Fund” would be jointly administered by D.C.’s Department of Small and Local Business Development…
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The Sesh: Martin Mitchell On The Rise Of Weed To The Political Mainstream
In American political life, cannabis has recently gone from a somewhat taboo topic to a key issue at the center of many politicians’ platforms. In Congress, weed legalization is now regularly debated on both sides of the aisle, with Republicans and Democrats vying to become the party that finally reforms federal cannabis laws. But the…