Federal Deputy Paulo Teixeira told Marijuana Business Daily, a Brazilian bill that would legalize the production of medical marijuana and industrial hemp will soon have its first debate before its anticipated approval in the chamber before the end of this year on the floor of the lower house of Congress. The bill, PL 399-2015, would have far-reaching implications for Latin America’s largest medical cannabis market, which is currently dependent on imported products. According to Teixeira, who heads a special medicinal cannabis commission in the lower house, in recent months the bill struggled to pass through the legislative process largely because of the country’s local elections, “paralyzed parliamentary work.” The representative told MJBizDaily, “With these elections behind us, I expect the lower house to quickly start debating and approve the bill before the end of the year.”

Marijuana Business Daily, 12/03/2020 13:02:00

Open article: https://mjbizdaily.com/brazil-official-sees-cannabis-cultivation-bill-making-progress-in-december/

While the cannabis industry begins take root state by state, Congress will discuss whether to withdraw marijuana from the Federal Controlled Substances Act once and for all. On Friday, the House will vote on the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE Act, which would decriminalize cannabis and clear the way to erase nonviolent federal marijuana convictions. The MORE Act will also establish pathways for ownership opportunities in the developing industry, allow veterans to receive Veteran Affairs doctors’ medical cannabis recommendations and set up sources of funding to reinvest in communities disproportionately affected by the drug war.

Mmp News Author, Medical Marijuana Program Connection, 12/04/2020 06:02:00

Open article: https://mmpconnect.com/congress-takes-up-historic-bill-to-decriminalize-cannabis/

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is facing yet another lawsuit over its marijuana policy. A scientist is now urging a federal court to compel the agency to grant his application to produce cannabis for research purposes. In a filing submitted on Wednesday to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, a longtime marijuana researcher backed by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) called on DEA to either approve his application to be a federally registered marijuana cultivator or at least take action on the request. It’s been four years since Lyle Craker of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst submitted the application without hearing back from DEA. In general, the agency has yet to decide on more than 30 proposals to grow cannabis for research purposes in the timeframe.

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 12/03/2020 08:20:11

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/another-scientist-sues-dea-to-cultivate-marijuana-for-research-purposes

Private citizens and public officials, sometimes joined by governors, increasingly are filing lawsuits to kill statewide marijuana legalization ballot initiatives, including some that voters approved in November. The legal challenges appear to be long shots to thwart legalization efforts in Mississippi, Montana and South Dakota. Even if the lawsuits are unsuccessful, it’s unclear whether they could delay the implementation of new marijuana markets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The lawsuits come at a particularly litigious time in this country, as evidenced by President Trump’s legal campaign to try to overturn the presidential election results. In the case of marijuana ballot initiatives, opponents are taking special aim at politically conservative states.

Marijuana Business Daily, 12/03/2020 06:30:30

Open article: https://mjbizdaily.com/marijuana-legalization-opponents-turn-to-courts-to-shoot-down-state-ballot-initiatives/