Category: Washington, D.C.
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The Outlaw Report Podcast: Prosecutorial Power in Prince George’s County
This week’s headlines: Washington D.C.’s mayor pushed for social equity, Virginia has stark choices for governor, and and Maryland still requires masks in dispensaries. Then, The Outlaw Report Podcast host Scott Cecil is joined by Prince George’s County public defender Stanford Fraser, who recently announced he was running for for State’s Attorney. Scott and Fraser…
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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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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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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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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: 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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Despite D.C. Legalization Push, Police Raids Persist For Unlicensed Cannabis Shops
While D.C. lawmakers forge ahead with efforts to legalize recreational cannabis sales, police in the nation’s capital continue to crack down on businesses that use a “gifting” loophole to sell cannabis in the District. Last week, more than a dozen police officers descended on a storefront called House of Herbs in D.C.’s Park View neighborhood,…
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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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Will the U.S. Botanic Garden Display Hemp?
From the notoriously pungent corpse flower to the bright-red torch lily, the U.S. Botanic Garden has long dazzled visitors with an expansive display of exotic flora and rare plants. But the hemp plant—a more common species—has always been conspicuously absent from the garden, which sits just steps away from the Capitol Building in Washington. Now,…
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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…