Category: Outlaw Report
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This D.C. Delivery Service Brings Motivation (And Bud) To Your Doorstep
Ryan Ha wasn’t cut out for a nine to five life. He tried it in earnest for two years, working for a software company and saving paychecks, but the University of Michigan graduate spent his days dreaming about the distant prospect of retirement. Eventually, he hit a breaking point. So in 2014, drawing on his…
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Monday Rundown (12/13/21): Virginia Is For Shrooms
Dear readers, our newsletter is back! Starting today, we’ll send you a carefully curated rundown of the top cannabis news and events from the D.C. region and beyond. Every Monday morning. Straight to your inbox. Your Weekly Buzz Virginia activists on Thursday kicked off a statewide campaign to decriminalize a broad range of entheogenic plants,…
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Federal Cannabis Prosecutions Hit New Lows As Fentanyl Cases Skyrocket
Federal cannabis prosecutions continued to decline in 2021, hitting fresh lows as fentanyl and methamphetamine cases climbed to record highs, according to a preliminary report released this week by the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC). Over the last decade, prosecutions by the U.S. government for weed trafficking or possession have steeply and consistently declined. The USSC…
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Paraphernalia Decriminalization Bill Falls Short in Maryland After Hopes of Veto Override
A bill to lower criminal penalties for the possession of drug paraphernalia fell short in Maryland this week after the General Assembly opted to skip a vote to override a veto of the legislation. On Monday morning, lawmakers convened for a special legislative session in Annapolis to approve new Congressional district boundaries and consider overrides…
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Cannabis Banking Reforms Delayed Once Again After Being Stripped From Defense Bill
In a 363 to 70 vote, House lawmakers on Tuesday night passed a new version of a bicameral defense spending bill that doesn’t include cannabis banking reforms, sparking disappointment and frustration among advocates and stakeholders. Back in September, the House had approved an initial version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with provisions to…
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AOC Joins Forces With GOP Lawmaker On Bill To Help States Expunge Cannabis Records
The number of cannabis bills making their way through Congress keeps growing. A bi-partisan pair of House lawmakers, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Dave Joyce (R-OH), introduced federal legislation on Thursday that would offer states financial and administrative support to expunge pot-related offenses. The Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act would allow the U.S.…
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Lawmakers Mull How Maryland Should Go About Taxing Recreational Cannabis
Taxing purchases of cannabis for adult use in Maryland could bring hundreds of millions of dollars into the state’s coffers in the coming years, though just how much will vary depending on whether lawmakers decide to tax purchases based on price, potency or quantity. That was one of the major questions considered by members of…
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West Virginia Is Gearing Up For A Medical Cannabis Boom. But Will It Be Equitable?
After more than four years of delay, brick-and-mortar medicinal cannabis dispensaries are beginning to pop up in West Virginia. Earlier this month, Florida-headquartered Trulieve became the first company to launch a medical dispensary in the state since cannabis use was legalized for registered patients in April of 2017. More than 200 people lined up for…
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D.C. Council Holds First-Ever Hearing On Legalizing Cannabis Sales As Congressional Ban Lingers On
The D.C. Council on Friday held a much-anticipated hearing on a bill to legalize recreational cannabis sales, getting live input from more than 100 witnesses on a wide range of questions, from how to tax weed businesses, to where they should be located and how to create an equitable industry. The crux of the bill,…
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Why The Republican Cannabis Legalization Bill Could Have Better Odds Than Democratic Proposals
After years of Democrats steering the cannabis conversation on Capitol Hill, federal legalization is officially no longer a one-party issue. On Monday, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace and Republican colleagues unveiled the States Reform Act, which would remove cannabis from the list of drugs scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act, impose a 3% federal tax…
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Friday Is Weed’s Big Day At The D.C. Council. Here’s What To Expect.
Cannabis is about to have its big day in the D.C. spotlight. On Friday, the D.C. Council will hold its first-ever hearing on the Comprehensive Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Act, a bill to legalize recreational weed sales. Introduced last March by D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, the 72-page bill has been long in the making.…
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Republicans Unveil Competing Cannabis Reform Bill With Lower Taxes, Less Focus On Social Equity
House Republicans led by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) on Monday unveiled a cannabis bill that is poised to compete with similar legislation proposed by Democrats earlier this year. Dubbed the States Reform Act, the bill is being framed by Republicans as a compromise or middle-ground between the simple descheduling of cannabis and wide-ranging reforms sought…