A much-anticipated congressional spending bill does not currently include provisions to protect all state, territory and tribal marijuana programs from Justice Department interference, despite pleas from dozens of bipartisan lawmakers. There were high hopes that such language could be attached to the base bill for the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and […]| Marijuana Moment
A coalition of nine U.S. senators on Monday sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging him to direct federal prosecutors to not interfere with marijuana legalization policies enacted by Native American tribes. The letter, led by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), requests that the Justice Department “respect the inherent sovereignty of Tribal governments and […]| Marijuana Moment
A Senate committee held a listening session on Friday to address marijuana issues for Indian tribes, discussing relevant legislation and the importance of Tribal sovereignty with respect to cannabis. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), first announced the meeting, titled “Cannabis in Indian Country,” last week. Schatz’s communications director recently […]| Marijuana Moment
Congressional leaders are seeking protections for Indian tribes against being federally prosecuted simply because they’ve legalized marijuana within their territory. However, there are some nuances to the proposed protections included a spending bill released by a House Appropriations subcommittee on Monday. The Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations legislation for the Department of the Interior is somewhat […]| Marijuana Moment
The House of Representatives on Thursday voted in favor of an amendment to protect all state, territory and tribal marijuana programs from federal interference. The measure, which would prevent the Department of Justice from using its funds to impede the implementation of cannabis legalization laws, passed in a 254-163 vote on the floor. Earlier in […]| Marijuana Moment
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a package of spending legislation that contains measures to provide protections for banks that work with state-legal cannabis businesses and allow the legalization of marijuana sales in Washington, D.C., among many other drug policy provisions. The appropriations legislation and attached reports also direct federal government agencies to […]| Marijuana Moment
A federal commission tasked with developing recommendations to improve mental health treatment for military veterans has reached a surprising conclusion: Congress and the executive branch need to promote research into the therapeutic potential of marijuana and psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms and MDMA. Following months of meetings, the Creating Options for Veterans Expedited Recovery (COVER) […]| Marijuana Moment
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday issued warnings to consumers about the potential risks of the cannabinoid delta-8 THC, a psychoactive compound that has grown in popularity but exists in an especially grey regulatory space. While lawmakers have specified that hemp is only federally legal […]| Marijuana Moment
Congressional lawmakers are urging House leaders to include broad protections for states, territories and tribes that choose to legalize marijuana as part of a key spending bill that’s expected to be introduced next week. Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Barbara Lee (D-CA), along with 44 of their colleagues, […]| Marijuana Moment
Congressional leaders are proposing a number of marijuana policy changes in newly released spending legislation, including protections for immigrants who use cannabis, freeing up marijuana-related advertising and providing the industry with access to the banking system. There are also provisions concerning hemp. The Fiscal Year 2023 spending bills for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), […]| Marijuana Moment
