Category: Politics
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Last Year, Ocean City Councilman Called For An ‘Attack on Pot.’ This Year, Cops Brutalized Vaping Teens
Video from earlier this month of violent encounters with Ocean City, MD police officers illustrated that there is no incident too minor for police to escalate. In both viral videos, the tasings and/or beatings by Ocean City cops began when the Black police brutality victims were vaping in areas where vaping is restricted. In one…
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Montgomery County Residents Describe Cannabis-Related Racial Profiling by Police
Montgomery County is heralded as one of Maryland’s more diverse counties in the state—it is also one of the top twenty richest counties by median income in the United States—but when the Montgomery County Police Advisory Commission held a public forum at their meeting on June 14, residents of color found themselves telling different versions…
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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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D.C. Council Votes To Block Blanket Cannabis Testing For Volunteers At Public Schools
The D.C. Council on Tuesday voted to block D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) from requiring blanket drug tests––including cannabis screenings––for prospective volunteers and contractors. In a drawn-out legislative meeting that started three hours behind schedule, the emergency bill passed 10-2, with Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie voting no, and At-Large…
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D.C.’s Proposed Budget Offers Financial Boost To Cannabis Entrepreneurs Harmed By War On Drugs
D.C.’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes funding to help veterans and people formerly incarcerated on drug charges launch their own medical cannabis businesses in the District. As outlined in Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposal, D.C. plans to set aside $300,000 for the Department of Small and Local Business Development to “provide financial and…
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D.C. Public Schools Starts Screening Staff And Volunteers For Cannabis
As part of new hiring protocols, D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) will now test all current and prospective employees for cannabis, including program partners, contractors, and even volunteers. The new policy, first reported by Washington City Paper, adds to an already substantive security clearance process required to work for DCPS that involves a background check, fingerprinting,…
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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: The Future of Legacy Growers in D.C.
The Outlaw Report Podcast host Scott Cecil is joined by Sebi Medina-Tayac, a local D.C. activist, legacy cannabis grower, and indigenous rights advocate. Sebi and Scott have an in-depth discussion around legacy growers in DC and how to integrate the I-71 market into any future adult-use legalization regime from the DC Mayor and Council. They…
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As D.C. Reopens, Medical Cannabis Industry Emerges ‘Stronger Than Ever’
It has been a brutal year for D.C. businesses. Amid strict coronavirus restrictions, storefronts across the District faced a new socially distanced reality, leaving them to quickly adapt their business models or perish. Some found ways to cope, but many were forced to permanently shutter their doors. At least 375 businesses have closed in D.C.…
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D.C. Temporarily Reverses Ban On Former Felons In Cannabis Industry
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed emergency legislation last week that allows people with non-violent felony records to own—or work at—a licensed medical cannabis dispensary, cultivation center, or testing lab. The new law, enacted on May 3, nixes a previous statute that prohibited anyone with a felony record from participating in D.C.’s medical cannabis industry. However,…
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D.C. Councilmember Withdraws Bill Prioritizing Formerly Incarcerated Entrepreneurs In Cannabis Industry
During a marathon legislative session of the D.C. Council on Tuesday, May 4, Councilmember-At-Large Robert White withdrew a bill that gave people formerly incarcerated for drug offenses a leg-up to participate in the District’s growing medical cannabis industry. The emergency legislation required the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration(ABRA), which regulates D.C.’s medical cannabis program, to reserve…
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D.C. Dispensaries Welcome Looser Restrictions On Cannabis Classes
D.C. cannabis card holders looking to master the art of baking the perfect pot brownie or using a high-tech vaporizer could soon get to learn from licensed professionals at their local dispensary. Last week, D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) proposed new rules that would allow medical cannabis dispensaries to host educational events and demonstrations.…