Category: Federal
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Maryland Speaker of the House Supports Cannabis Legalization Referendum in 2022. This Could Have Passed Years Ago.
Maryland’s House of Delegates Speaker Adrienne Jones (D) announced last week she supports a ballot referendum to legalize cannabis in 2022. If cannabis legalization was posed as a question on the 2022 ballot, it would be likely to pass considering the growing majority of Maryland residents that have favored legalization since 2015, according to an…
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The Outlaw Report Podcast: Federal Legalization and a Referendum for Maryland
After recapping the new federal legalization bill, The Outlaw Report Podcast’s host Scott Cecil is joined by friend of the show, Luke Jones, the Executive Director of Maryland NORML. Scott and Luke discuss the path forward in the wake of the failure of the legislature to pass adult use cannabis legalization in MD, plans for…
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‘High and Holy’: Baltimore City Baptist Church Holds Conversation About Cannabis Legalization
Last week, the marquee sign in front of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore displayed a message in support of the Olympic sprinter who was barred from competition after testing positive for THC: “Sha’carri Richardson you are still that girl #Legalize.” the sign read. In his blog, the church’s Reverend Dr. Heber Brown III said…
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The Outlaw Report Podcast: Equity, Sha’Carri, and Crop Eradication
This week, The Outlaw Report’s Scott Cecil talks to Jason Ortiz, the Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) to talk about cannabis equity, how that pertains the to new Connecticut Legalization Law, lessons learned from CT and Virginia, and the fallout of Sha’carri Richardson being banned from competing in the 2020 Tokyo…
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Schumer (Finally) Unveils Long-Awaited First Draft Of Landmark Legalization Bill
After months of anticipation, a trio of Democratic Senators have finally unveiled the first draft of a major bill aimed at legalizing cannabis at the federal level. The 163-page document, titled the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, has broad implications for the future of pot in America, tackling issues from regulation to reparations. Sen. Majority…
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Virginia Legalized Cannabis. For Public Housing Residents, It’s Still Banned.
Recreational cannabis may now be legal in Virginia, but not everyone is reaping the benefits. For Virginians who live in public housing or receive federal rental assistance, using cannabis at home remains prohibited, and could have serious consequences. That’s because cannabis is still a federally banned substance, and organizations that get money from the U.S.…
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House Budget Bill Scraps Biden’s Proposed Ban On Recreational Cannabis Sales In D.C.
House lawmakers greenlit a spending bill on Tuesday that leaves out a controversial provision banning D.C. from legalizing recreational cannabis sales. In a 33 to 24 vote, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Financial Services and General Government bill for fiscal year 2022. The legislation, which now heads to the House floor for a full…
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Maryland Cannabis Companies Face Exorbitant Fees To Access Banking Services
If you’ve ever used a debit card at a Maryland dispensary, it’s more than likely that the company has a bank account opened with one of the three banks in Maryland that services the cannabis industry: Severn Bank, Bulldog Federal Credit Union, or the newest addition—CFG Bank. Out of more than 80 different banks in…
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The Outlaw Podcast: The Biden Budget Rider
The Outlaw Report Podcast host Scott Cecil is joined by first-time guest, and writer for The Outlaw Report, Gaspard Le Dem to discuss President Joe Biden’s inclusion of the “Harris rider” in its FY2022 budget proposal. Which, if ultimately included in the budget, would continue to prevent DC from setting up a regulated adult-use cannabis…
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Amid Massive Hiring Spree, Amazon Scraps Cannabis Screenings For Job Seekers
Amazon says it will no longer test job applicants for cannabis, though it will continue to perform random drug screenings for employees who are on the job. The policy reversal was announced on Tuesday by Dave Clark, Amazon’s CEO of consumer business, in a blog post on the company’s website. “In the past, like many…
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D.C. ‘Shocked’ And ‘Disappointed’ By Biden Move To Uphold Ban On Recreational Cannabis Sales
D.C. elected officials and business owners are voicing their frustration following news that President Joe Biden’s proposed budget would continue to prevent the District from legalizing recreational cannabis sales. The White House released its $6 trillion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year on Friday May 28 that includes language blocking D.C. from using local…
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The Outlaw Report Podcast: Lessons from the Grand Canyon State
After covering the top stories, The Outlaw Report Podcast host Scott Cecil is joined by fellow Board member of the nonprofit Repair Now, and chairwoman of the Board of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Maya Tatum, to talk about work she’s on expungement and cannabis equity in Arizona. Maya shares some lessons learned from Arizona…