Category: Politics
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Virginia Senate and House Democrats agree on adult-use market bill, set to standoff with Gov.
Despite being the first southern state to legalize adult-use cannabis, Virginia’s Republican led government dragged its feet the last three years to prevent a market launch. But Democrats are trying yet again to override Gov. Glen Youngkin who has promised to veto any market launch since his election. Democrats struck a deal last Friday, according…
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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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Q&A: Terrence White to Lead I-71 Committee, a Business Coalition in D.C.’s Cannabis Gray Market
The I-71 Committee has had a busy year of advocacy. Amid a push over the last year by D.C. government to more closely regulate and inspect recreational cannabis “gifting” businesses and bolster the city’s medical cannabis market, it’s been a time for gray market business operators to “come out of the shadows,” says Terrence White,…
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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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Maryland Lawmakers Discuss Nuts And Bolts Of Weed Regulation Ahead Of Referendum On Legalization
Two months after the conclusion of a legislative session that put cannabis legalization on the November ballot, a panel of Maryland lawmakers reconvened on Tuesday to discuss how to best regulate recreational pot, from setting tax rates to licensing rules and more. Only seven of the 11 lawmakers on the Maryland House Cannabis Referendum and…
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FALSE ALARM: Cannabis Co-Chair Says No Concrete Plan To Combine Expungement Bill With SAFE Banking Act
Recent headlines about a new catch-all marijuana package being crafted at the Capitol have been overstated. Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) says there’s no real effort to merge the SAFE Banking Act with his bill to expunge cannabis records. Rather, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had broad conversations with Republicans about weed, including a wide…
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West Virginia Activists Attempt ‘Underused’ Petition Process To Decriminalize Weed
A West Virginia grassroots organization is trying an unusual political maneuver to decriminalize cannabis in two of the Mountain State’s largest cities. The progressive-leaning West Virginia Can’t Wait, headed up by former gubernatorial candidate Stephen Smith, wants to decriminalize weed possession in Charleston and Fairmont through a somewhat obscure ballot campaign that field director Sarah…
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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.…