Author: Shabnam Danesh
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The Year in Cannabis: Washington D.C.
The year in cannabis in Washington D.C. was one of incremental change with a number of policies and initiatives put forth that will likely lead to major reforms later on. It was appropriate for 2020, a year in which due to COVID-19 and widespread mismanagement of the pandemic, the District was in emergency mode much…
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Third Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary Opens in Virginia
Virginia’s third medicinal cannabis dispensary, Beyond/Hello, opened its doors on December 1 in Manassas. The 93,000 square foot warehouse is located off Highway 66 and about half a mile from the George Mason University science campus. Beyond/Hello was one of five dispensaries, or “pharmaceutical processors”, selected out of 51 applicants by the Virginia Board of…
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The MORE Act Passes The House
The House of Representatives finally voted to end federal prohibition of cannabis on Friday, December 4. After multiple delays, the highly anticipated and historic vote for the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act fell mainly along party lines, 228-164. Five Republicans crossed party lines to vote for the MORE Act, including the lone Republican…
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D.C. Mayor Won’t Approve Psychedelics Decriminalization Even If Voters Support It
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she is not in favor of moving forward with the initiative that would decriminalize psychoactive drugs such as psilocybin, ayahuasca and other “natural plant medicines” even if voters approve of it on Election Day. “It seems like the issue is not an organically D.C-created initiative,” Bowser said at a…
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D.C. Cannabis Dispensary Employees Join Union
The first Black-owned dispensary in D.C. is also the first to unionize. As excited employees looked on, Norbert Pickett, CEO and owner of DC Holistic Wellness signed the 5-year bargaining contract with United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 on October 21. “Here at DC Holistic Wellness, we want our workers to have a…
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D.C. Cannabis Industry Optimistic About ABRA’s New Role In Regulation Oversight
Stakeholders in the D.C. cannabis industry are optimistic about the recent change of regulatory oversight from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA). ABRA assumed the responsibility of cannabis industry from DOH on October 1. Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn, owner of Takoma Wellness, the first dispensary that opened in the District,…
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Cannabis Activists Point to Outdoor Farming To Combat Climate Change
The enormous amount of electricity used to power cannabis warehouses is contributing to climate change, and activists say holistic farming methods are the solution. Adam Eidinger of D.C. Marijuana Justice (DCMJ), who helped spearhead Initiative 71 which legalized cannabis in D.C. in 2014, said the warehouses used to grow cannabis are ineffective and damaging the…
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House Vote on MORE Act Postponed Until After the Election
The House of Representatives decided to delay a planned vote on landmark cannabis legislation The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE) until after the election, citing the need to pass a Covid-19 relief package beforehand and concern that voting on a cannabis bill could be a political liability before the November election. Under the…
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D.C. Board of Elections Hears Arguments Surrounding New Cannabis Initiative’s Ballot Eligibility
Supporters of a new cannabis initiative made their case to the D.C. Board of Elections on Wednesday at a meeting to determine if the initiative met certain requirements to be put on the ballot in November. The New Modern-Day Criminal Justice Cannabis Reform Act of 2020 seeks to legalize commercial cannabis sales and fix the…