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 reconsider policies that fire employees for using cannabis in compliance with state law, criticize restrictive hemp regulations, encourage CBD to be allowed in foods, and urge expanded research on marijuana and other substances. While not every included provision is pro-reform—and some measures that activists wanted to see added were blocked— advocates are generally pleased with the wide range of issues addressed in the “minibus” legislation that covers annual funding for the Departments of Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. And they are looking forward to votes on even more far-reaching marijuana amendments that are up for consideration on separate spending bills—such as those covering the Department of Justice—that is expected to be considered soon.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 07/29/2021 15:01:00