#Michigan Marijuana Licensing Board

[upnorthprogressive]

Rick Johnson and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Michigan Marijuana Licensing Board

Former State House Rep and one of Osceola County’s finest Rick Johnson (R – Lobbyists giving me money to get a spot on the next MMLB’s agenda isn’t a bribe, it’s a place-holder) has found himself in a spot of bother over his tenure as president of the disbanded Michigan Marijuana Licensing Board. In 2008 the people of Michigan voted to legalize marijuana for medical use. Dispensaries popped up…

[cannabisbusinessexecutive]

Corrupt marijuana businessman John Dawood Dalaly deserves break in scandal, feds say

An Oakland County businessman facing up to 10 years in federal prison for bribing Rick Johnson, the former chairman of Michigan’s medical marijuana licensing board, deserves a break for implicating the powerful bureaucrat, federal prosecutors said Thursday. Prosecutors credited West Bloomfield businessman John Dawood Dalaly for providing substantial assistance and implicating others in the…

[klbmsw]

A political earthquake in Tennessee

April 7, 2023

Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu and Shelby Rose

Protestors yell and wave signs in the gallery after Tennessee’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives expelled Rep. Justin Jones on Thursday. (WTVF)

Republicans in the Tennessee state House of Representatives have made a choice: They decided Thursday that protecting decorum in their chamber was more important than limiting access to high powered weapons like the ones that killed three nine-year-olds and three staff at a private school in Nashville last week.

The state's GOP super majority has voted to expel two young Black male Democratic lawmakers, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, for leading a protest on the House floor last week calling for gun control. A third Democrat, Gloria Johnson, a White woman, survived by one vote and was not expelled -- a discrepancy that raises obvious and ugly questions.

“We called for you all to ban assault weapons, and you respond with an assault on democracy,” Jones told Republican legislators as he spoke before the House in his own defense.

The expelled lawmakers had committed no crimes; they were accused simply of behaving inappropriately in the House. They admit that they broke the rules by entering the well of the chamber without permission and interrupting debate. But lawmakers break the rules all the time and are not expelled. The House in Tennessee has has only expelled members on the rarest of occasions — for bribery and for sexual offenses, for example.

The expulsions -- which effectively cancelled out the ballots of tens of thousands of Tennesseans who had elected Jones and Pearson -- came across as a disproportionate abuse of power that crushed freedom of expression for the two members and their constituents.

One Republican, Rep. Gino Bulso, said that Jones, who accused the House of acting dishonorably during his dramatic and eloquent defense, had made the case for his own exclusion. “He and two other representatives effectively conducted a mutiny on March the 30th of 2023 in this very chamber,” Bulso said. Absurdly, the Republican House speaker last week said the protest by the lawmakers was equivalent or worse than the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the US Capitol.

Given Tennessee’s overwhelming conservative tint, there was never any chance that the Nashville shooting would lead to local gun reforms. But the legislature’s power play came across as an attempt to silence a debate the GOP doesn’t want to have, at a time when the state was still reeling with grief.

But now the eyes of America and the world are on Tennessee.

China’s banks and insurers have become the latest focus of a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown.

Israel launched strikes in Gaza after a barrage of rockets was fired from Lebanon.

And protesters stormed the Paris offices of money manager BlackRock.

Meanwhile in America, JPMorgan boss Jamie Dimon says the banking crisis has increased odds of recession.

The Supreme Court denied West Virginia’s request to enforce a ban on transgender women and girls playing on public school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

And the former Michigan House speaker said he took bribes as head of state’s medical marijuana licensing board.

'We are losing our democracy'

One of the expelled Democrats spoke to CNN's Ryan Young and warned that American democracy is under threat from Republicans seeking to hold back a young, rising tide of diversity.

“Six people died in Nashville at the Covenant School. Three were nine-years-old but instead of focusing on that, Representative Jones, Representative Johnson and myself are being expelled from the state house because we said we cannot do business as usual,” Pearson said. “No one should be wanting to operate as though this is not happening, as though we are not living in a gun violent epidemic in the state of Tennessee.”

“We are losing our democracy to White supremacy, we are losing our democracy to patriarchy, we are losing our democracy to people who want to keep a status quo that is damning to the rest of us and damning to our children and unborn people."

[beardedmrbean]

The former head of a Michigan medical marijuana licensing board has agreed to plead guilty to accepting $110,000 in bribes when he led the panel over a two-year period, authorities said Thursday.

Rick Johnson acknowledged in a signed court filing that he acted "corruptly" when he accepted cash and other benefits to help businesses get licenses.

Charges against Johnson and three other men were announced by U.S. Attorney Mark Totten at a press conference near the Capitol in Lansing.

Johnson, 70, was chairman of the marijuana board for two years until spring 2019. The Republican years earlier also was a powerful lawmaker, serving as House speaker from 2001 through 2004.

“Public corruption is a poison to any democracy. ... That poison is especially toxic here," Totten said. “The marijuana industry has been likened to a modern-day gold rush, a new frontier where participants can stake their claim and just maybe return big rewards.”

The marijuana board reviewed and approved applications to grow and sell marijuana for medical purposes.

A message seeking comment from Johnson’s attorney wasn’t immediately returned.

Agreements with Johnson and others to plead guilty were filed simultaneously with charges in federal court in Grand Rapids.

Johnson accepted $110,200 in cash and benefits from at least two companies while voting in favor of granting them marijuana licenses, according to the bribery charge.

Johnson “provided valuable non-public information about the anticipated rules and operation of the board and assistance with license application matters,” the court filing states.

John Dalaly, who got a marijuana business license, has agreed to plead guilty to providing at least $68,200 in cash and other benefits to Johnson, including two private flights to Canada, according to court documents.

Two lobbyists, Brian Pierce and Vincent Brown, have agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to pass bribes to Johnson, filings show.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer abolished the medical marijuana board in 2019, a few months after taking office, and put oversight of the industry inside a state agency.

Michigan voters legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 2008. A decade later, voters approved the recreational use of marijuana.

[the-emerald-standard]

Two Lobbyists Sentenced to Prison for Bribery and Fraud in Michigan Medical Marijuana Corruption Scheme

Two Lobbyists Sentenced to Prison for Michigan Medical Marijuana Corruption Scheme

Two lobbyists have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in a Michigan medical marijuana corruption scheme. Brian Piller and Marjanuane Brians, both of whom worked for the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board, were found guilty of bribery and fraud.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Piller and Brians were accused of taking bribes from medical marijuana applicants in exchange for favorable treatment. The bribes were allegedly given in the form of cash, gifts, and other favors. Piller was sentenced to three years in prison, while Brians was sentenced to two years.

The corruption scheme was uncovered by the Michigan Attorney General's office in 2019. The investigation revealed that Piller and Brians had accepted bribes from medical marijuana applicants in exchange for granting them licenses. The applicants were also promised preferential treatment in the form of lower fees and faster processing times.

The investigation also revealed that Piller and Brians had used their positions to enrich themselves. Piller was found to have used his position to obtain free meals, hotel stays, and other gifts. Brians was found to have used her position to obtain free tickets to sporting events and other entertainment.

The two lobbyists have been ordered to pay restitution to the state of Michigan for the bribes they accepted. They have also been ordered to serve their sentences in federal prison.

The Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board has since implemented new measures to prevent such corruption in the future. The board has also taken steps to strengthen its oversight of the medical marijuana industry.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability in the medical marijuana industry. Hiring an industry-trusted testing and compliance partner, such as ACS Lab, can help ensure that businesses are compliant with state and federal regulations.

[morosestferret]

CNN: Former Michigan House speaker admits he took bribes as head of state's medical marijuana licensing board

[occupyhades]

Read filings describing bribery scheme involving ex-Michigan House speaker - mlive.com

Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson, two lobbyists and the owner of a marijuana company signed guilty pleas in a bribery scheme that took place while Johnson chaired a state licensing board. Read the plea agreements here.

[sweetstonecandy]

Michigan governor eliminates medical marijuana licensing board

The action comes as the volunteer board has struggled to consider license applications in a timely manner, effectively stalling a fully viable medical marijuana market at a time when the much bigger recreational weed business is just around the corner.

[hello-marijuanapackaging-lo-blog]

Proposed Pot Laws Open Door To Craft Growers, Licensing Non

Given the period of time, cash and effort that went into turning the TPD and plain packaging into legislation, you'll think there can be extra curiosity in seeing what truly happened afterwards. They've environment-controlled hermetically sealed containers which might keep products brisker for longer. Ultimately she turns to the "Vermont Medical Marijuana Statute." She notes that this law says it "shall not be construed to require that protection or reimbursement" be supplied by health insurers, Medicaid, employers, or particularly "an employer outlined" for "purposes of staff' compensation." She notes that not all the states' medical marijuana statutes are so particular as to staff' compensation.

If you happen to're a dispensary, cultivator or different marijuana-associated enterprise, it is best to take a look at the most well-liked marijuana packaging companies. Marijuana poses the least health risks among all leisure drugs, new research concludes. Others require separate packaging for every dose.” Working with a corporation that understands the rules fully can save costly mistakes from going into production. That old baggie is a factor of the past and legal cannabis flowers or buds can solely be sold in childproof packaging that is labeled with weight, quantity, cannabis strain, potency and other product data.

Washington liquor board members said they tried to strike a stability between making marijuana accessible enough that authorized pot would undermine the black market, but not so accessible that it will threaten public health or security. And almost 60% of People now favor full legalization of hashish for both medical and leisure use. As a result of nearly all hashish-associated business should be carried out within state lines, manufacturers are being pushed to deal with high quality in isolated markets.

This can create major points for distributors and retailers who've products in their possession that abruptly don't conform to the brand new remaining rules. Craft cannabis firm Supplied by 1964 , whose title is a subtle nod to the 12 months Raphael Mechoulam remoted the molecule THC in marijuana, is treating their strain lineup as limited-edition art pieces. As we all know from experiences with alcohol and tobacco, and is evident with these newest stories about marijuana, elevated availability of a drug is dangerous to children.

For use at house, usually plastic containers, glass bottles and youngster resistant packaging merchandise are used. Thursday marks the primary day for the authorized leisure partaking of pot in Michigan following voters' sturdy endorsement within the Nov. Our telephones have been ringing off the hooks when California legalized recreational hashish use in November,” Ms. Diner said. March 20 (Reuters) - Louisiana has banned the sale and use of eight compounds marketed as artificial marijuana to stem an increase in using the medicine that have despatched scores of individuals to hospitals with dangerous reactions to toxins, officials said on Thursday.

As extra states legalize medical marijuana, says a brand new report, the hashish business throughout the globe has grown more than 310% prior to now four years. After California legalized the leisure use of cannabis, legislators and regulators developed  dispensary packaging  strict packaging tips. In early 2017, after exhaustive evaluate, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine discovered that there are vital well being dangers associated with using cannabis and cannabinoids Yet none of the 33 states which have legalized medical marijuana, or the ten states that have legalized leisure use, provides ample warnings of those risks.

That takeaway comes from new Experiences and Data analysis on the global Hashish Packaging Market that it expects to achieve $5.2 billion by 2026. The federal government also heard that Canadians fear that current monetary rules would make it straightforward for criminal organizations to craft complicated monetary structures to spend money on the legal cannabis trade. Researchers found that marijuana is way much less lethal, if in any respect, compared to illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

The recreational regulation will not permit producers and producers to market pot products as intricately or appealingly as many marijuana companies within the States do. This was a public security measure meant to make sure individuals may distinguish the merchandise from their non-cannabis meals. Begin your subscription to Healthcare Packaging magazine—the trade's main supply of information about packaging and logistics for prescription drugs, biologics, medical devices, and nutraceuticals.

[fatleafnews]

// Medicinal or Criminal: Medical marijuana cards in Ohio ... CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Local 12’s Investigative reporter Duane Pohlman continues his exclusive investigation of a case that will likely test whether using medical marijuana, which was legalized in Ohio in 2016, is still a crime. THE ARRESTS Cincinnati residents, Deron Elliot, Ian Overton, Stephanie Kidwell and Amanda Meyer had just picked up more than ten pounds of medical marijuana products from a dispensary in Ann Arbor, Michigan and were driving back to the Tri-State. They say they thought the law was on their side. After all, they had medical marijuana cards issued by an Ohio doctor. But, as dash cam video provided by the Ohio State Highway Patrol clearly shows, it didn’t take long for the trooper to act. “Everyone here put their hands up on the seats for me,” the trooper is heard on the recording, just before everyone is arrested on Interstate 475 near Toledo at 4:30 p.m. on February 24th. You can also hear Elliot stating inside the car, “I got AFib. I got heart disease,” as he was questioned. Meyer, who was arrested first for allegedly driving with a suspended license and for an outstanding warrant, informs another trooper, “I have the card.” A trooper responds, “But that’s not legal in Ohio.” When asked for a comment for our story, Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Robert Sellers wrote, “I cannot comment on a pending case.” In a search of the car, troopers found the clearly-marked marijuana-based products, including THC-infused rice crispy bars. THE CHARGES Now, all four face multiple felony counts of possession and trafficking in marijuana and hashish. In Lucas County, Elliot, Overton and Kidwell faced a judge during their arraignments. The doctor who issued the medical marijuana cards was there for the arraignments, too. Dr. Ryan Lakin, a Toledo physician who is one of the nearly 100 doctors now certified by the state of Ohio to recommend medical marijuana, says he’s perplexed why his patients are facing the charges. “We were operating under the assumption that the law was on our side,” Dr. Lakin said. In the shadow of the old courthouse, Elliot said he was stunned by the charges. The next thing you know, we get charges in the mail and we're facing 33 years in prison,” said Elliot after being assigned a public defender. When asked if he was scared, Overton answered, “I’m terrified.” THE CARDS AND THE LAW While Dr. Lakin issued medical marijuana cards to the patients, the official cards are not yet being issued by the State of Ohio. “We don’t understand why we’re here,” Dr. Lakin said, insisting he would not have issued the cards if he knew any of his patients would be facing felony charges. “We were operating under the assumption that the law was on our side.” Dr. Lakin said, adding, The medical board is certainly on our side.” But since Ohio passed the medical marijuana law in September of 2016, it has not been that clear. In a statement from in October of 2016, the Ohio Medical Board wrote, "If Ohio physicians wish to recommend medical marijuana before the rules are in place, we the Board strongly recommend that they contact a private attorney because the legislation is not crystal clear." The board also stated that the law relies on affirmative defense. That means people, like the four defendants from Cincinnati, should not face legal consequences if they are within the guidelines of the new law. And that, Dr. Lakin says, is what he relied on when he began issuing medical marijuana cards. “We started doing that in October of 2016 after we received clarification from the medical board that the affirmative defense provision of House Bill 523 went into effect, immediately,” Dr. Lakin said. But the validity of an affirmative defense is not decided on a highway where the arrests happened, but in courtroom, which is exactly where the facts of these cases will be heard.

[cannabisbusinessexecutive]

Former lawmaker who led Michigan marijuana board is sent to prison for bribery

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A man formerly known as a powerful Michigan lawmaker was sentenced Thursday to nearly five years in federal prison for accepting bribes as head of a marijuana licensing board. Rick Johnson admitted accepting at least $110,000 when he led the board from 2017 to 2019. “I am a corrupt politician,” Johnson told the judge, according to The Detroit News. Johnson was a…

[wuspoppin-b]

Understanding A Medical Marijuana License

In order to be allowed to lawfully prescribe and utilize marijuana for medicinal problems, a sensitive topic for others is obtaining a medical marijuana card. The usage of this plant continues for leaders and ordinary citizens alike on the hot seat. Have a look at ganjaexpress for more info on this.

There are actually 15 states that allow the usage of marijuana as a drug. Washington, Vermont, New Jersey, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico and Nevada are amongst these states. The most recent state to get on board is Arizona, passing a 2010 referendum authorizing its use for medical purposes. It is unlawful to cultivate the plant for personal use in the United States and the rules against it are upheld by the Federal Government.

Franklin Roosevelt, the President of the United States at the time, declared it unlawful for some excuse to consume hemp in 1937. The applications of this drug as a medicinal help for sick patients have been discontinued. It had been mentioned in the pharmacy guide books as a type of medicinal assistance for a number of diseases and issues until that time.

A wide variety of problems are protected by the medicinal effects of cannabis. It is intended, along with abdominal discomfort and cramping, as a remedy for nausea and excess vomiting. Cancer survivors have since been known to be handled and to reduce extreme suffering induced by painful illnesses or accidents. For glaucoma patients, the most common reference to this drug is used. While taking it as a drug, these people typically see a marked improvement in their mental wellbeing and state of mind.

It is often understood that it has cognitive benefits, reducing the patient's distress and stress level. What allows it to be linked to alcohol is the sensation of being big. The ban on this drug often puts the prohibition on alcohol to mind. The fact that alcohol does much more risk to the human body, psychologically and physically, than cannabis can be attested to by numerous physicians and scholars, along with ordinary people.

Regulation tends to search at avenues to monitor ordinary individuals' development and usage of this drug. While it has great possible health benefits and is claimed to be one of the best substances to use for its medicinal benefits by some health industry practitioners. Because everyone may quickly grow it, officials remain adamant in holding it illegal, irrespective of the numerous yes votes received if a state proposes an adjustment to a new law in an effort to legalize the medicinal aspects.

Sometimes pointed to as a stumbling stone to harder narcotics, such as cocaine and heroin, experiments are starting to show that the cannabis plant is a herb that has significant effects when burned, unlike these man-made drugs. Some citizens are anxious about the effects on the lungs and second-hand smoke as it is smoked, like a cigarette. Many trials and a lot of analysis are also being conducted to determine the positives and risks of medical aid using this substance.

What the government fails to have is the capacity to control the distribution of this drug. Government aims to come up with alternatives to the issue of the black market and other outlets that individuals find to possess and smoke it by distributing a medicinal marijuana card to citizens who have a medicinal need known to be minimized or helped by its use.

[hankythewanky]

Understanding Medical Marijuana License

A important problem for others is obtaining a medicinal marijuana card to possess and use marijuana lawfully for therapeutic purposes. For leaders, and common citizens alike, the usage of this product continues in the hot seat.There are officially 15 jurisdictions that allow the usage of marijuana as medical items. There are Washington, Vermont, New Jersey, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, and Nevada within these counties. Arizona is the latest state to get on board, having approved a 2010 referendum that permitted its use for medicinal purposes. Growing the plant for personal consumption in the entirety of the United States is unlawful and the Federal government enforces the prohibitions against it.You can learn more at cheapweed.to postal issues.

Franklin Roosevelt, the then-President of the United States, declared it unlawful for some excuse to possess hemp in 1937. This placed an end to the applications of this drug as a medical assistance to sick persons. It had been identified as a type of medicinal assistance for a number of diseases and problems in the pharmaceutical reference books to date. Cannabis' medicinal effects include a broad variety of problems. It is used to combat diarrhea and severe vomiting, coupled with discomfort and cramping in the stomach. The diagnosis of cancer victims and the recovery of extreme pain induced by painful illnesses or accidents are already identified. The most established description of this drug is used in patients with glaucoma. Such people typically experience a noticeable improvement in their state of mind and mental wellbeing when taking it as a drug.It is also known to have cognitive effects which decrease the patient's anxiety and stress level. The sensation of being enhanced is what helps it comparable with alcohol. The restriction on this drug also makes reference to the prohibition of alcohol. Many physicians and experts, as well as ordinary people, would testify to the reality that alcohol does much greater emotional and physical harm to the human body than weed. The State aims to explore avenues for ordinary citizens to monitor the production and consumption of this drug. While it has many possible health benefits, and is believed to be one of the best drugs to be used for its medicinal purposes by some health industry practitioners. Because it can quickly be produced by anybody, officials stay adamant about making it illegal, regardless of the numerous yes votes received anytime a state places an amendment to a new bill and attempt and legalize the medicinal aspects.

Sometimes considered a stumbling stone to harder narcotics, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, tests are starting to show that the cannabis plant, unlike other man-made products, is a weed that has actual advantages when consumed. The idea that it is smoking, like a cigarette, has scared certain people about the impact on the lungs resulting of emissions from second hand. Several trials and more work are also being conducted to determine the benefits and drawbacks of utilizing this drug for therapeutic assistance. What the government is unable to get is the capacity to control the production of this drug. In issuing a medicinal marijuana card to individuals who have a safety condition known to be minimized or helped by its use, the government aims to pursue alternatives to the drug trafficking issue and any ways that criminals use to obtain and consume cannabis.

[the-emerald-standard]

Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson Accused of Taking Bribes of Sex for Marijuana Licenses!

Feds: Rick Johnson Received Sex as Bribes for Marijuana Licenses

According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson was accused of receiving sex as bribes in exchange for marijuana licenses. The report, which was released by the U.S. Attorney's Office, alleges that Johnson received sexual favors from a woman in exchange for helping her obtain a marijuana license. The woman, who is not named in the report, was reportedly promised a “substantial” amount of money in exchange for the sexual favors.

The report also alleges that Johnson used his influence to help the woman obtain a license for a marijuana business in Michigan. Johnson is accused of using his position to influence the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board to approve the woman’s application. The report also states that Johnson received a “substantial” amount of money from the woman in exchange for his assistance.

The report comes as the state of Michigan is in the process of implementing a new system for licensing marijuana businesses. The new system is intended to make the process more transparent and efficient. It is also intended to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and that licenses are awarded based on merit.

This news is a reminder of the importance of hiring an industry trusted testing and compliance partner for hemp and cannabis. ACS Lab is an industry leader in testing and compliance for hemp and cannabis, providing comprehensive testing and compliance services to ensure that all products meet the highest standards of safety and quality. ACS Lab is dedicated to providing the highest quality service and results to its clients, and is committed to helping them succeed in the cannabis industry.

For more information on this story, please visit Detroit Free Press.

For more information on the advantages of hiring ACS Lab, an industry trusted testing and compliance partner for hemp and cannabis, please visit ACS Lab.

[occupyhades]

Michigan Republican admits to taking bribes while overseeing state medical cannabis board - RawStory.com

A former Michigan House speaker was indicted along with two lobbyists and a medical marijuana business owner as part of a bribery scheme.Rick Johnson, the Republican former House speaker and chairman of the state medical marijuana licensing board from 2017 to 2019, was charged with...

[janepwilliams87]

Democrats defeat legal cannabis platform amendment (Newsletter: July 28, 2020)

Navy bans sailors’ hemp shampoo; DC psychedelics decrim has enough sigs in counting; OR officials: Drug decrim will lower disparities & cut costs

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By starting a $10 per month pledge on Patreon—or about 45 cents per issue of this newsletter—you can help us rely less on ads to cover our expenses, hire more journalists and bring you even more marijuana news. https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW The Democratic National Committee’s platform committee voted 106 to 50 to reject an amendment to endorse legalizing marijuana.

“I’m imploring all of you to approach this with an open mind and heart. Do something big here. Take one small but meaningful step toward changing the course of history. If my black life matters to you, you will consider this amendment.”

Navy Secretary Kenneth J. Braithwaite issued a memo banning sailors and marines from using hemp soaps, shampoos and lotions as part of a broader prohibition on legal hemp and CBD products.

“Substance misuse by members of the Armed Forces is incompatible with military standards of good order and discipline, performance, and operational readiness. It is the goal of the Department of the Navy (DON) to eliminate substance abuse.”

Washington, D.C. psychedelics activists observed officials count enough valid signatures to put their decriminalization initiative on the November ballot. The Board of Elections is expected to formally certify the measure at a meeting next week. Oregon state officials are estimating that a drug decriminalization and treatment expansion measure on the November ballot will reduce racial disparities in the criminal justice system and save the state money if voters approve it. / FEDERAL The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy published a report on efforts to reduce youth substance use. The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy posted about new draft cannabis research guidelines published by the Food and Drug Administration. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) endorsed a candidate for Oakland County, Michigan prosecutor, saying she will “take on a criminal justice system that criminalizes poverty, perpetuates institutionalized racism, and continues a failed war on drugs that has devastated communities of color.” Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) tweeted that his primary challenger, Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA), “has a lot of questions he needs to answer,” including, “Why did he oppose legalizing marijuana until running for Senate?” New York Democratic congressional candidate Dana Balter said she supports legalizing marijuana and expunging past convictions. / STATES A Mississippi Board of Health official, state representative and local sheriff urged voters to defeat a medical cannabis ballot measure. Massachusetts regulators will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to marijuana rules next week. Missouri regulators said that another 350 medical cannabis patients that their certifications are invalid because they were filled out by someone impersonating a physician. Illinois regulators awarded a no-bid contract to KPMG to grade marijuana business license applications. California regulators seized marijuana products from an unlicensed producer and distributor. Ohio regulators released updated medical cannabis patient and caregiver numbers. A former Hightimes Holding Corp. CEO is running for a seat in the Utah House of Representatives. — Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,500 cannabis 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. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. —

/ LOCAL The Colorado Springs, Colorado City Council didn’t find enough support to place a measure allowing recreational marijuana sales on the ballot. / INTERNATIONAL The European Commission suspended novel food applications for non-synthetic CBD products. Thai regulators approved 17 medical recipes blending marijuana with pharmaceutical formulas. / SCIENCE & HEALTH A review concluded that “along with cannabinoids, cannabis contains several other compounds that have also been shown to exert anti-tumorigenic actions.” A study of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds at a marijuana production facility found that “exposures to respiratory hazards were highest in task zones where cannabis plants and material were manipulated by workers, including the trim, preroll, and the grow task areas.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS The National Urban League is urging other states to “follow Illinois’ lead when crafting legislation to legalize marijuana by looking comprehensive at redress for past wrongs and creating economic opportunities for communities that bore, and continue to bear, the negative effects of the War on Drugs.” The Adam Smith Institute and several researchers issued a report urging the UK government to reduce restrictions on studying psilocybin. / BUSINESS Canopy Growth Corp. launched a U.S. e-commerce site for hemp and CBD products. Clever Leaves International Inc. and Schultze Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. plan to merge under a new company, Clever Leaves Holdings Inc., which is expected to trade on the NASDAQ. Puff Corporation sued KandyPens for alleged false advertising and deceptive trade practices. Ultra Health circulated a report suggesting that New Mexico may see a medical cannabis shortage. / CULTURE Actress Mia Farrow tweeted, “The  ‘war on drugs’ is a catastrophe serving only the cartels and for-profit prisons. The US has 5% of the world’s population. 25% of world’s prisoners. 2.3 million people are imprisoned in America – the highest incarceration rate in the world.”

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