Wednesday, July 20th: Washington, D.C. Symposium on Cannabis, Criminal Justice Reform and Clemency

July 20, 2022 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: On July 20th, 2022, The Academy for Justice at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law – in conjunction with the Justice Roundtable, the National Cannabis Roundtable and the Weldon Project’s MISSION [GREEN] – will host an in-person symposium on federal marijuana law, public safety and presidential clemency. Speakers at the event will include former H.H.S. Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, former Deputy Attorney General James Cole, U.S. Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer, Members of Congress from both parties, directly-impacted advocates and other experts on cannabis policy and criminal justice reform.

Please note that this event is closed to press.

What:

Washington, D.C. symposium on cannabis, criminal justice reform and clemency.

When:

Wednesday, July 20th, 2022

Symposium Participants Will Include:

Kathleen Sebelius, former U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services, and former Governor of Kansas
James M. Cole, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States, and Partner & Global Co-Lead of White Collar Practice with Sidley Austin
Elizabeth Oyer, U.S. Pardon Attorney and former Federal Public Defender
Weldon Angelos, President of The Weldon Project, Co-Founder of MISSION [GREEN], Music Producer, and Criminal Justice Reform Advocate Clemency Symposium
John Hudak, Deputy Director of the Center for Effective Management and Senior Fellow in Governance Studies, Brookings Institute
Clark Neily, Sr. Vice President of Legal Studies, Cato Institute
Nkechi Taifa, Convener Emeritus, The Justice Roundtable; Founder and Principal of the The Taifa Group, LLC
Amy Ralston Povah, Founder, CAN-DO Clemency
Kemba Smith, Co-Convener, The Justice Roundtable; Member, Virginia Parole Board and Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission
Erik Luna, Amelia D. Lewis Professor of Constitutional & Criminal Law and Faculty Director of the Academy for Justice, Arizona State University
Douglas A. Berman, Newton D. Baker-Baker & Hostetler Chair in Law and Professor of Law; Executive Director of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law; author of the casebook “Marijuana Law and Policy”
Robert A. Mikos, LaRoche Family Chair in Law and Professor of Law, Vanderbilt University Law School; author of the casebook “Marijuana Law, Policy, and Authority”
Cynthia W. Roseberry, Co-Convener, The Justice Roundtable; Deputy Director, ACLU Justice Division, American Civil Liberties Union
Ja’Ron Smith, Partner, Dentons Global Advisors, and former Deputy Assistant to President Trump and Deputy Director of the White House Office of American Innovation
Mark Osler, Robert & Marion Short Distinguished Chair in Law and Professor of Law, University of St. Thomas; Member, Justice Roundtable; former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Mark Holden, Board Chairman, Americans for Prosperity; Sr. Vice President, Stand Together; and former Sr. Vice President, Koch Industries

Majority Leader Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden And Senator Booker Release Discussion Draft Of Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act

July 19, 2022 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

Legislation To End The Federal Cannabis Prohibition And Unfair Targeting Of Communities Of Color

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today released a discussion draft of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, proposed legislation that would help put an end to the unfair targeting and treatment of communities of color by removing cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances and empowering states to implement their own cannabis laws.

Ending the federal prohibition on cannabis is becoming increasingly urgent as more and more states continue to legalize adult and medical use of cannabis. Despite the fact that cannabis is illegal under federal law, the majority of Americans live in a state where cannabis is legal in one form or another and more than 90 percent of Americans believe it should be legalized for either adult or medical use.

The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would ensure that Americans in all communities will not be arrested or barred from receiving essential services for using cannabis where it is legal. This proposal would also ensure state-compliant cannabis businesses will be able to access the essential financial services and will preserve the integrity of state cannabis laws while providing a path for federal regulation.

Importantly, this legislative proposal goes a step beyond legalizing cannabis by expunging federal non-violent marijuana crimes and allowing individuals currently serving time in federal prison for non-violent marijuana crimes to petition a court for resentencing. It will also establish a fund to reinvest in the communities that were hurt by the War on Drugs and provide restorative justice to communities of color.

Senators Booker, Wyden, and Schumer thank Senator Murray and her HELP Committee staff for their work in developing the Food and Drug Administration and public health components of the Discussion Draft.

“I am proud to introduce our discussion draft of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, a legislative proposal aimed at finally putting an end to the federal prohibition of cannabis and addressing the over-criminalization of cannabis in a comprehensive and meaningful way,” said Majority Leader Schumer. “The War on Drugs has too often been a war on people, and particularly people of color. Not only will this legislation remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances, but it will also help fix our criminal justice system, ensure restorative justice, protect public health, and implement responsible taxes and regulations.”

“Cannabis prohibition, a key pillar of the failed War on Drugs, has caused substantial harm to our communities and small businesses, and especially for communities of color,” said Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden. “It’s as simple as this: Senators Booker, Schumer and I want to bring common sense to the federal government, end prohibition and restore the lives of those hurt most and set them up for opportunity.”

“For decades, our federal government has waged a War on Drugs that has unfairly impacted low-income communities and communities of color,” said Senator Booker. “While red and blue states across the country continue to legalize marijuana, the federal government continues to lag woefully behind. It is time for Congress to end the federal marijuana prohibition and reinvest in communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs. I am proud to introduce this landmark piece of legislation with Senator Wyden and Majority Leader Schumer that will finally turn the page on this dark chapter in American history and begin righting these wrongs.”

The text of the discussion draft of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act can be found HERE, a one pager can be found HERE and a detailed summary can be found HERE.

Summary of the discussion draft of the Cannabis Administration And Opportunity Act:

The War on Drugs has been a war on people—particularly people of color. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act aims to end the decades of harm inflicted on communities of color by removing cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances and empowering states to implement their own cannabis laws.

Federal cannabis reforms are especially urgent as more and more states legalize the adult and medical use of cannabis. To date, the adult use of cannabis is legal in 18 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam; and 37 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have advanced laws to allow medical cannabis, with nearly all Americans living in a state where some form of cannabis is legal. These changes represent a dynamic shift in public opinion and support across the political spectrum. Today, more than 90 percent of Americans believe cannabis should be legal either for adult or medical use. Despite legalization under state law and broad public support for cannabis legalization, cannabis remains illegal under federal law.

By ending the failed federal prohibition of cannabis, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act will ensure that Americans – especially Black and Brown Americans – no longer have to fear arrest or be barred from public housing or federal financial aid for higher education for using cannabis in states where it’s legal. State-compliant cannabis businesses will finally be treated like other businesses and allowed access to essential financial services, like bank accounts and loans. Medical research will no longer be stifled.

But this alone is not enough. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act includes restorative measures to lift up people and communities who were unfairly targeted in the War on Drugs. The bill automatically expunges federal non-violent marijuana crimes and allows an individual currently serving time in federal prison for non-violent marijuana crimes to petition a court for resentencing.

The legislation also creates an “Opportunity Trust Fund” funded by federal cannabis tax revenue to reinvest in the communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs, as well as helping to level the playing field for entrepreneurs of color who continue to face barriers of access to the industry. Importantly, the legislation also ends discrimination in federal public benefits for medical marijuana patients and adult use consumers. The legislation preserves the integrity of state cannabis laws and provides a path for responsible federal regulation of the cannabis industry. Like with federal regulations on alcohol, states can determine their own cannabis laws, but federal prohibition will no longer be an obstacle. Regulatory responsibility will be moved from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to protect public health. Additionally, revenue generated by federal taxes will support restorative justice and public health and safety research.

U.S. Senators Cory Booker, D-N.J., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., (collectively referred to in this document as the “Sponsoring Offices”) are committed to turning the page on this sad chapter in American history and undoing the devastating consequences of current discriminatory cannabis policies. As such, they are seeking feedback from the public as they finalize their proposal. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act discussion draft is a detailed legislative proposal meant to spur a robust discussion among stakeholders in order to inform the Sponsoring Offices as they work to craft a final legislative proposal. The Sponsoring Offices request comments from stakeholders and members of the public, including social and criminal justice advocates, industry stakeholders, members of the public health and law enforcement communities, members of Congress, federal officials, state and local officials, and others for review and comment.

Hickenlooper, Bennet Push for SAFE Banking Act to be Included in Bipartisan Innovation and Competition Bill

May 19, 2022 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

Bipartisan group of Senators call for cannabis businesses to be able to access safe and secure banking services

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet today joined their colleagues in a bipartisan letter urging congressional leadership to include the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2021 in the final version of the Bipartisan Innovation and Competition legislation currently being negotiated between the House and the Senate.

The SAFE Banking Act would allow state-legal cannabis businesses to access banking services. Currently most legal cannabis businesses have to operate in all-cash, which has led to ongoing threats of robbery and assault for business owners and employees. In Denver, cannabis businesses make up less than 1 percent of all local businesses, but accounted for 10 percent of reported business burglaries from 2012 to 2016.

“The SAFE Banking Act, as included in the House-passed America COMPETES Act, would allow banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions to offer banking services to legally-operating cannabis businesses without fear of punishment by federal regulators,” wrote Hickenlooper, Bennet, and the lawmakers. “Allowing cannabis businesses operating legally and in compliance with state law to access financial services without federal reprisal would address public safety and compliance challenges, helping communities reduce cash-motivated crimes.”

The SAFE Banking Act has passed the House six times–most recently as an amendment to its version of the bipartisan competition bill. This letter, sent to Senate Leaders Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Leader Kevin McCarthy in the House, urges leadership to ensure the text of that amendment remains in the final conference version of the Bipartisan Innovation and Competition Bill to be considered by both the House and the Senate.

Hickenlooper is a member of the Conference Committee that will finalize the Bipartisan Innovation and Competition Bill. In the first public hearing today, Hickenlooper spoke about his priorities for the legislation, including the need to modernize our banking laws so that the cannabis industry isn’t operating with the challenges of the current all-cash system.

Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below:

May 12, 2022

Dear Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy,

We write to request that the final conferenced American competitiveness, jobs, and innovation package retain the text of the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act (SAFE Banking Act) of 2021 included in the House of Representatives’ American COMPETES Act of 2022. The House has now passed the SAFE Banking Act six times, including most recently as an amendment to its version of the bipartisan competition bill, and we ask you to ensure that the text of that amendment remains in the final conferenced version of the bill to be considered by both the House and the Senate.

The SAFE Banking Act, as included in the House-passed America COMPETES Act, would allow banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions to offer banking services to legally-operating cannabis businesses without fear of punishment by federal regulators. Currently, thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use, and eighteen states and the District of Columbia allow adult recreational use. As a result, the cannabis industry has become a powerful job creator and a significant generator of tax revenue. However, financial institutions are often reluctant to transact with cannabis-related businesses, even in states that have some form of legalized cannabis, due to legal and regulatory risks arising from inconsistent federal and state laws. Allowing cannabis businesses operating legally and in compliance with state law to access financial services without federal reprisal would address public safety and compliance challenges, helping communities reduce cash-motivated crimes. Law enforcement organizations have publicly testified before Congress about these cash-related safety risks, including theft, robbery, and serious violence perpetrated against employees responsible for conducting what should be routine business operations.2 The same law enforcement organizations also have testified about the importance of moving these large amounts of cash in the cannabis industry into the banking system, where accounts are monitored in accordance with existing federal anti-money laundering laws and the Bank Secrecy Act. Enacting the SAFE Banking Act via the jobs and competitiveness legislation before us would support a rapidly growing industry that creates jobs, fosters innovation, supports small businesses, and raises revenue in states that have chosen to legalize cannabis, while reducing safety risks to industry employees and the public alike.

The House of Representatives already added the SAFE Banking Act as an amendment to the America COMPETES Act by a bipartisan a vote of 262-168, and on February 4, 2022, passed the amended America COMPETES Act by a bipartisan vote of 222 to 210. The standalone legislation on which the amendment is based previously passed the House of Representatives 321-101, garnering the support of more than three-quarters of the chamber and a majority of the members of each party. The bill’s list of co-sponsors is also bipartisan in both the House and the Senate. Given the demonstrated broad support for this measure, we ask you to ensure that the text of the SAFE Banking Act remain in the forthcoming final conferenced version of the jobs and competitiveness bill when it comes to the House and Senate for final votes. This will help cannabis-related businesses, support innovation, create jobs, and strengthen public safety in our communities. We look forward to working with you on this important issue.

Sincerely,

DC Mayor Signs Bill Creating Medical Cannabis Sales Tax Holiday

February 16, 2022 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

Six percent sales tax on all medical cannabis products waived from April 15-24, 2022

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Mayor Muriel Bowser signed into law the Medical Marijuana Patient Access Extension Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 creating DC’s first medical cannabis sales tax holiday, on Friday, February 11, 2022. The holiday will start on Friday, April 15, 2022, and end on Sunday, April 24, 2022.

During the 10-day sales tax holiday, medical cannabis products purchased at any of DC’s seven (7) licensed dispensaries will be exempt from the six percent sales tax.

The Emergency Act, which is in full effect, also permits the issuance of patient and caregiver registrations valid for two (2) years—doubling the standard issuance period of one (1) year— through Friday, September 30, 2022.

Previously adopted emergency rulemaking waives registration fees ($100 for standard registrations, $25 for reduced rate registrations) through Sunday, April 24, 2022, and allows DC patients whose registrations expired on or after March 1, 2020 to continue to purchase medical cannabis at DC’s seven (7) licensed dispensaries until September 30, 2022.

Lastly, the Act permits DC residents 65 years of age and older to self-certify that they will use cannabis for medical purposes in lieu of including a recommendation from their healthcare practitioner with their registration application as is required for all other applicants.

To further assist qualifying seniors to obtain their patient registration, ABRA will host “Senior Week” from Tuesday, February 22 through Friday, February 25, 2022 between 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. daily. Walk-in applicants with completed applications will receive a digital and physical registration during their visit. Assistance completing applications will also be provided as needed.

“Senior Week will provide qualifying patients 65 years of age and older with the option to obtain a two-year registration card at no cost prior to the start of the medical cannabis sales tax holiday on April 15. We appreciate the steps taken by the DC Council to ease the burdens for qualifying patients to access medical cannabis a result of this emergency legislation,” said ABRA Director Fred Moosally.

DC residents interested in securing their patient and/or caregiver registration, may do so online, by mail, or in-person at ABRA’s office every Thursday through Thursday, April 28, 2022 between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ABRA’s office is located at 2000 14^th Street NW, Suite 400 South, Washington, DC 20009.

Ahead of Tomorrow’s D.C. Council Hearing on Recreational Marijuana Commercialization, Congresswoman Norton Says She is Closer Than Ever to Getting Rider Removed from D.C. Appropriations Bill

November 18, 2021 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Ahead of the Council of the District of Columbia’s hearing tomorrow on legislation to commercialize recreational marijuana, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she is closer than ever to removing the rider from the D.C. Appropriations bill that prohibits the District from spending local funds on commercialization of recreational marijuana. Norton was successful in getting the rider removed from the pending House and Senate versions of the fiscal year (FY) 2022 D.C. Appropriations bill, though President Biden’s FY 22 budget proposed maintaining it.

“Eighteen states have legalized recreational marijuana, and all have or will commercialize it,” Norton said. “D.C. should be able to collect tax revenue from all available sources, like every other jurisdiction, including from recreational marijuana, which is believed to be widely used in the District and throughout the country. The D.C. Council hearing on marijuana commercialization legislation tomorrow is timely, because my effort to remove the appropriations rider from the fiscal year 2022 D.C. Appropriations bill would allow D.C.’s local legislation legalizing commercialization to pass and take effect.

“I will always fight to remove each and every rider because D.C. should have full control over how it chooses to spend local funds. Anything less is unacceptable.”

In 2014, District voters approved an initiative legalizing the possession by adults of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. Republicans immediately imposed a rider on the D.C. Appropriations bill to try to block the initiative from taking effect, but Norton successfully argued that the rider was flawed and only blocked D.C. from spending its local funds to commercialize recreational marijuana. As a result, D.C. residents have been able to possess up to two ounces of marijuana for recreational use, but not purchase it.

Representative Nancy Mace Introduces The States Reform Act

November 15, 2021 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

Mace’s bill keeps Americans and their children safe while providing the framework for each state’s unique cannabis laws

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) released the following statement on The States Reform Act, filed today in the U.S. House: “Today, only 3 states lack some form of legal cannabis. My home state of South Carolina permits CBD, Florida allows medical marijuana, California and others have full recreational use, for example.

Every state is different. Cannabis reform at the federal level must take all of this into account. And it’s past time federal law codifies this reality,” said Rep. Mace. “This is why I’m introducing the States Reform Act, a bill which seeks to remove cannabis from Schedule I in a manner consistent with the rights of states to determine what level of cannabis reform each state already has, or not.

“This bill supports veterans, law enforcement, farmers, businesses, those with serious illnesses, and it is good for criminal justice reform.

Furthermore, a super-majority of Americans support an end to cannabis prohibition, which is why only 3 states in the country have no cannabis reform at all. “The States Reform Act takes special care to keep Americans and their children safe while ending federal interference with state cannabis laws. Washington needs to provide a framework which allows states to make their own decisions on cannabis moving forward. This bill does that.”

Cannabis Freedom Alliance Releases New Paper on Cannabis Social Equity

September 21, 2021 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

Source: Cannabis Freedom Alliance

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Last Friday, the Cannabis Freedom Alliance (CFA), a coalition of prominent national advocacy and business organizations seeking to end the prohibition and criminalization of cannabis in the United States, released a social equity paper that provides an overview and general recommendations to help guide the effort toward federal legalization of cannabis in a safe and equitable manner.

CFA Steering Committee Membership includes prominent national advocacy organizations Americans for Prosperity (AFP), Mission Green/The Weldon Project, the Reason Foundation, and the Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce (GACC), and Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP).

The CFA Social Equity Paper, available for download at cannabisfreedomalliance.org, provides analysis and makes recommendations on helping ensure a free, fair, open, and equitable cannabis marketplace for all Americans, and particularly those disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition.

Weldon Angelos, President of Mission Green and co-Coordinator of the CFA Steering Committee said, “This paper reflects a collective effort to understand the harms of cannabis prohibition and to help policymakers know the areas where redress is needed. Individuals like myself who had their lives ruined or were incarcerated through the criminal justice system over non-violent marijuana offenses deserve to have a second chance in society and in the newly-legal cannabis industry. It’s simply the right thing to do now that society has recognized widely that cannabis prohibition is as unjustifiable and unsuccessful, if not more, than alcohol prohibition in the 1920s.”

“Decades of ineffective drug policy has significantly harmed Americans and American trust in our institutions. The devastating effects of these policies are particularly evident in communities of color, which have long been over-policed as a result of these failed policies, leading to disproportionate rates of incarceration and the myriad of repercussions associated with drug convictions,” said Lt. Diane Goldstein (Ret.), executive director of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP). “The end of federal cannabis prohibition needs a people-centered approach, both acknowledging the harms caused by the War on Drugs within our communities and providing justice-impacted people opportunities to rectify those harms.”

For more information on the CFA or to join our efforts, please visit our website at cannabisfreedomalliance.org or email us at info@cannabisfreedomalliance.org.

DC Council Chairman Mendelson Introduces Equitable Recreational Cannabis Legislation

March 1, 2021 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson – along with Council members Kenyan McDuffie, Charles Allen, Brianne Nadeau, Brooke Pinto, Christina Henderson, and Mary Cheh – introduced the most comprehensive, progressive, and equitable legislation to regulate the sale of recreational Cannabis in the District of Columbia.

“This legislation is the culmination of over a year of work by my office and external stakeholders,” Mendelson said. “It creates a comprehensive regulatory framework for the cultivation, production, and sale of recreational cannabis and most significantly, this bill centers reinvestment and opportunity for people and communities hit hardest by the War on Drugs.”

The “Comprehensive Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Act of 2021” differs from previous iterations of recreational marijuana sales bills in that it establishes:

A Social Equity program that mandates at least half of all licenses to be set aside for Social Equity applicants (defined as residents who have been previously convicted of cannabis-related offenses or have lived ten of the last 20 years in areas with high rates of poverty, unemployment and arrests);
A Cannabis Equity and Opportunity Fund to provide financial assistance to Social Equity applicants. This is especially important given that traditional financing options are unavailable for cannabis and especially difficult for social equity applicants. Thirty percent of tax revenues from cannabis sales would be deposited into this fund;
A Community Reinvestment Program Fund that would provide grants to organizations addressing issues such as economic development, homeless prevention, youth development and civil legal aid in areas hardest hit by the drug wars. Fifty percent of tax revenues from cannabis sales would be deposited into this fund;
A robust public education campaign that will inform District residents of the law and focus on responsible use and harm reduction strategies for residents of legal age who consume cannabis;
Automatic expungement of cannabis-related arrests and convictions, and opportunities for resentencing for individuals currently serving sentences for cannabis-related convictions;
Protections for District residents who legally possess and consume cannabis pursuant to the Act so that they do not lose benefits, employment, or access to other critical resources; and
Authorization for banks in the District to conduct business with cannabis licensees, and allowances for local tax deductions for cannabis licensee business expenses.

Dr. Rand Paul Introduces HEMP Act To Relieve Unnecessary Constraints On Hemp Industry, Provide Transparency And Certainty

December 17, 2020 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) continued his efforts to address Kentucky hemp farmers’ concerns with federal overreach and bring clarity, transparency, and certainty to regulation by introducing the Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act of 2020.

In response to concerns raised by Kentucky hemp farmers and processors, Dr. Paul’s HEMP Act would change the legal definition of hemp to raise the THC limit from 0.3% to 1%. Currently, any hemp crops testing above 0.3% have to be destroyed.

The legislation would require testing of the final hemp-derived product instead of the hemp flower or plant itself, as the 15-day window for testing the hemp flower or plant does not take potential testing backlogs, lack of personnel to collect samples, harvesting time, or environmental factors that farmers cannot control into account.

Dr. Paul’s HEMP Act would also protect legitimate hemp farmers, processors, and transporters by requiring hemp shipments to contain a copy of the seed certificate showing the hemp was grown from 1% THC seed, and it would address current uncertainty by defining a margin of error for testing THC levels. Neither current law nor the USDA’s interim final rule provide such a margin.

“For years, I’ve led the fight in Washington to restore one of Kentucky’s most historically vital crops by legalizing industrial hemp. We achieved a hard-won victory, but there is still work to do to prevent the federal government from weighing down our farmers with unnecessary bureaucratic micromanaging. My legislation will help this growing industry reach its full economic potential, and I am proud the bill has strong support all the way from local Kentucky farmers and activists to national groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation,” said Dr. Paul.

“The U.S. hemp industry has had its share of roadblocks, but we continue to push forward and make changes that will help hemp producers thrive. Senator Paul’s HEMP Act has the potential to improve upon the highest priority issues for hemp growers, processors, and labs, while making sure to keep our consumers safe as well. We are grateful for the continued support from our federal delegation and ask that folks at home call their Congressional representatives to ask for their support,” said Katie Moyer, Owner of Kentucky Hemp Works.

“We are so excited to hear about Senator Paul’s H.E.M.P. Act, which will help farmers, processors and retailers in our young hemp industry. We believe that loosening up some important interstate business requirements are a much-needed step toward more prosperous times in the hemp economy,” said Kentucky Hemp Association President Tate Hall and Vice President Jana Groda.

“We appreciate Sen. Paul’s leadership and support for hemp farmers in Kentucky and across the United States. The HEMP Act makes critical improvements that will better allow farmers to successfully grow and profit from hemp,” said Vote Hemp President Eric Steenstra.

Dr. Paul has been a leading voice for removing government restrictions on hemp, and his past efforts, including championing legislation, testifying before the Kentucky legislature, and advocating for Kentucky farmers in Washington, have helped ensure Kentucky can rebuild its hemp industry and push forward to a prosperous future. You can find a video detailing his efforts HERE.

You can read Dr. Paul’s HEMP Act of 2020 HERE, and you can find background and further details in a one-pager HERE.

House Approves Blumenauer’s Medical Marijuana Research Act

December 10, 2020 by MJ News Network Leave a Comment

Legislation removes barriers to much-needed research on health benefits of marijuana.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:Today (12/9/2020), the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Medical Marijuana Research Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Andy Harris (R-MD) to address burdensome impediments to legitimate medical research.

Although 99 percent of Americans now live in a state with some form of legalized marijuana, current federal law greatly limits researchers’ ability to study the health benefits of cannabis. Current barriers include the overly burdensome registration process, redundant protocol reviews, lack of adequate research material, and unnecessarily onerous security requirements.

“The cannabis laws in this country are broken, especially those that deal with research. It’s illegal everywhere in America to drive under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or any other substance. But we do not have a good test for impairment because we can’t study it … This is insane and we need to change it,” Blumenauer said today on the House floor. “At a time when there are four million registered medical cannabis patients, and many more likely self-medicate, when there are 91 percent of Americans supporting medical cannabis, it’s time to change the system. Our bill will do precisely that.”

While the United States leads the world in biomedical research, research on cannabis lags far behind. A 2017 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report found that “research on the health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids has been limited in the United States, leaving patients, health care professionals, and policy makers without the evidence they need to make sound decisions regarding the use of cannabis and cannabinoids.”

The Medical Marijuana Research Act will address these limitations by:

Providing a pathway for researchers to study the cannabis products consumers are using from state-legal programs.
Streamlining the burdensome and often duplicative license process for researchers seeking to conduct marijuana research, while still maintaining all necessary safeguards against misuse and abuse.
Addressing the woefully inadequate, both in quantity and quality, supply of medical-grade marijuana available for use in such research.
Requiring a report by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on the status and results of new research on marijuana benefits.

This was the second vote held by the U.S. House of Representatives in the past week on Blumenauer’s federal cannabis reform priorities, following the passage of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act on Friday, December 4.

The full text of the Medical Marijuana Research Act can be found here.

Legislation To End The Federal Cannabis Prohibition And Unfair Targeting Of Communities Of Color

Bipartisan group of Senators call for cannabis businesses to be able to access safe and secure banking services

Six percent sales tax on all medical cannabis products waived from April 15-24, 2022

Mace’s bill keeps Americans and their children safe while providing the framework for each state’s unique cannabis laws

Legislation removes barriers to much-needed research on health benefits of marijuana.

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