More federal cannabis pardons & expungements coming? (Newsletter: December 10, 2024)

WI gov: Legalize marijuana in 2025; OH House speaker: Restrict homegrow; Rescheduling could let DC legalize cannabis sales

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre touted President Joe Biden’s “groundbreaking categorical pardons” for marijuana and said there will be “more to come” on clemency before he leaves office.

Reps. Kelly Aermstrong (R-ND) and David Trone (D-MD) filed a bill named after former marijuana prisoner Weldon Angelos that would provide people who receive presidential pardons with a path to getting their records expunged.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) is including legalizing marijuana in a list of priority items he wants lawmakers to enact in 2025 after Democrats picked up legislative seats in last month’s elections.

Ohio’s incoming House speaker discussed changes he wants to make to the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law, including putting restrictions on home cultivation rights and strengthening THC potency caps.

The Bernalillo County, New Mexico Board of Commissioners is set to vote on a proposal to stop punishing most government workers for off-duty marijuana use on Tuesday after approving an initial part of the plan last month.

A new legal analysis published by NORML suggests that federal marijuana rescheduling could have an “outsized impact” on Washington, D.C. by letting the city finally legalize cannabis sales under the plain language of a rider that has prevented it from doing so for years.

The Global Commission on Drug Policy—which is led by former presidents, prime ministers and diplomats from around the world—issued a report urging countries to decriminalize drugs and explore regulated safer supply models for currently illicit substances.

The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and prosecutors are appealing the dismissal of charges against a medical cannabis initiative petition notary who was accused of “official misconduct.”

/ FEDERAL

The Drug Enforcement Administration is conducting what it calls a “30 Days of Drug Facts series” in December.

A federal judge ruled that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services wrongfully denied an H-1B visa to a software engineer for Treez Inc.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) claimed that the Biden administration moving to reschedule marijuana is an example of behaving “like unaccountable executives with a disregard for the Constitution”—and he also dodged a question about cannabis banking legislation.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) tweeted that a study appearing to link cannabis to epigenetic changes is “another reason legalizing marijuana is a bad idea without more research.”

Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) tweeted, “For years, @RepBergman and I have pushed the @DeptVetAffairs to research breakthrough therapies, like psychedelics, to treat our country’s veterans. The VA’s announcement represents a real, significant step towards honoring our commitment to our veterans.”

/ STATES

Rhode Island regulators published guidance on hemp products.

Kentucky’s top medical cannabis regulator discussed the launch of the program.

Thousands of Illinois convictions for driving under the influence of cannabis are at risk of being thrown out due to testing results that may have been inaccurate.

Michigan tax officials denied a deduction to a cannabis dispensary.

A leader of the New York state-funded Cannabis Workforce Initiative spoke about the effort.

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission will meet on Thursday.

Massachusetts regulators will host an open house event to assist medical cannabis patients and caregivers with registering or renewing their status on Thursday.

The Kentucky Medical Cannabis Workgroup’s Local Government and Law Enforcement Subcommittee will meet on Thursday.

—
Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

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/ LOCAL

Denver, Colorado officials will host a Natural Medicine Work Group meeting on Tuesday.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A review concluded that “CBD could be an effective and safe treatment in reducing pain due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.”

A study “supports the potential of cannabinoid-based nanotechnologies in [glioblastoma multiforme] therapeutic regimens as a strategy to enhance its efficacy and patient outcomes.”

/ BUSINESS

Canopy USA, LLC completed its acquisition of Acreage Holdings, Inc.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc unveiled new data on the efficacy of its CBD drug Epidiolex.

Colorado retailers sold $112.4 million worth of legal marijuana products in September.

/ CULTURE

Melissa Etheridge, Lil Yachty, Incubus’s Brandon Boyd and other musical artists are partnering with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies on a project that blends artist-curated playlists with psychedelic education.

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