This is a week of cannabis review from Texas Cannabis Collective. Don’t have the time to read it all? Check out the included audio player and listen to it on the go. Also you can check out the podcast for other Week of Cannabis Review articles.
Advocates in the marijuana and hemp space of Texas have brought up talking about the Hemp Advancement Act of 2022. The bill is of concern because it contains language stating that the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers thereof, whether growing or not, with a total tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 1 percent on a dry weight basis, that is not intended for sale to consumers to define the product of hemp.
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Concerns have been brought up that the language would take a big hit on the CBD and oil industry as the primary items keeping the hemp industry afloat until industrial purposes are more readily in place. With farmers also taking a hit on this, it could be a death knell for the hemp industries industrial side of the business as farmers exit the space for other crops again.
Learn how to become a medical cannabis patient in Texas
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has stated that he promises to have his marijuana legalization bill filed in the Senate before the August recess later this year. Schumer made the remarks at the National Cannabis Policy Summit held at the nation’s capital. Initially Schumer had stated the bill would be out by April of this year and then in the past weeks began walking back those comments. Senators Ron Wyden and Cory Booker have stated that the extended timeline are necessary to work on refining the bill’s with input from the public and lawmakers. This all being done to overcome a steep vote threshold for passage in the chamber when not all democrats are currently on board. About why he is filing the bill, Schumer states, “It’s the right thing to do. It’s about individual freedom and basic fairness.” Noting that the war on drugs has been “a war on people—and overwhelmingly people of color.”
A survey from the Data For Progress and the People’s Action Institute recently showed that 69% of all likely voters support decriminalization measures for small amounts of drugs. When referring to party lines, 82% of Democrats, 75% of independent voters, and 54% of Republican voters support the concept.
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The question used exactly states “Last year, the state of Oregon decriminalized the possession of small amounts of drugs. Instead of being prosecuted, a person possessing small amounts of drugs will receive a fine (like a parking ticket). A person can get the fine waived if they participate in screenings from services like treatment, housing, mental health care, and employment. Would you support or oppose a similar measure nationwide?” As the Texas Cannabis Collective has noted before at legislative hearing, addiction is best treated by addiction specialists in the medical field and not by making the prison system the number one medical provider in the state.
The New Jersey Attorney General office memo about off duty police usage of cannabis is facing pushback after legal sales started in the state. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin stated that he expects to see legislation filed to address the issue. Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who supported launch of adult-use sales on April 21st, signaled that he’s “open-minded” about a potential policy change regarding the off-duty cannabis use by law enforcement. Part of the discussion from top elected officials is that the federal law that generally bans consumers of marijuana from accessing firearms. Others have noted that there is an a exemption carved out when it comes to distribution of firearms to government agencies.
I am Jesse Williams and that will do it for this week of cannabis review at the Lonestar Collective and Texas Cannabis Collective. Catch it every week and visit TXCANNACO.com to subscribe to the articles as they appear.