Senate leaders are asking fellow lawmakers to weigh in on the provisions of a bill to federally legalize marijuana that they plan to file in the coming weeks that “aims to right the wrongs of the past and ensure that the federal government is matching the advancements made in states across the country.”Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once famously said that the states are America’s laboratories of democracy,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) wrote in a letter to colleagues on Thursday. “When it comes to reforming the nation’s antiquated cannabis laws, he could not have been more right.” “This is an issue of individual freedom and basic fairness that clearly transcends party lines,” they said. “However, one major hurdle continues to stand in the way of states’ ability to make their own decisions about cannabis—the continued prohibition of marijuana at the federal level. As more and more states move to legalize cannabis for both adult and medical use, the federal government has an important role to play. Hundreds of millions of Americans live in states that have legalized cannabis in some form while it remains illegal at the federal level.”

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 02/10/2022 10:16:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/schumer-asks-senators-to-help-shape-marijuana-legalization-bill-he-plans-to-file-soon/

After Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed a bill to legalize medical marijuana in Mississippi, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a main supplier of electricity to the state’s northern region, announced that since it is a federally-owned utility company, it must adhere to federal drug laws. So, off with the lights. In a document obtained by the Daily Journal (and confirmed by the TVA), the federal agency states that “Given this important point, TVA will not direct any federal resources or funds to the cultivation and/or distribution of marijuana.” The statement is unclear if municipal companies that receive TVA power can serve electricity to legal cannabis facilities. Tupelo Water & Light, a municipal-owned utility company in Northeast Mississippi that receives power from the TVA, did not acknowledge any official communication from the TVA on medical marijuana. Meanwhile, “the utility said its employees will report to management if they find that a local power company is using TVA services to provide electricity to state-legal cannabis businesses,” reported Marijuana Moment.

Benzinga Staff Writer, The Fresh Toast, 02/09/2022 12:00:00

Open article: https://thefreshtoast.com/news/mississippis-main-power-supplier-refuses-to-provide-electricity-to-legal-weed-businesses/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mississippis-main-power-supplier-refuses-to-provide-electricity-to-legal-weed-businesses

The state of Washington proposed a bill that will effectively restrict any impairing cannabinoid under one umbrella, Bill 1668. The bill, companion in the Senate with SB 5547, calls for a label on any impairing product that clearly describes the serving size, potency, and ingredient disclosure standards. Intriguingly, cannabinoids derived from chemical synthesis or fermentation will need to be distinct from cannabis plant products. Finally, hemp compared to cannabis continues to require proper classification which the legislature attempts to define for Washington. Marijuana and hemp are different classes of cannabis each with far different laws and definitions. Hemp is not a controlled substance in Bill 1668 unlike impairing cannabinoids. The classic 0.3% rule would therefore remain in the state of Washington. That means any plant with more than 0.3% THC is considered marijuana and therefore a regulated drug. Impairing natural cannabinoids Standing out is the proposed regulation of all-natural cannabinoids that cause impairment, not just THC.

Travis Cesarone, Latest Cannabis News Today – Headlines, Videos & Stocks, 02/09/2022 13:00:00

Open article: https://cannabislifenetwork.com/washington-state-to-restrict-cannabinoids/

Targeted by repeated traffic stops and seizures over the last year by federal and state law enforcement officers in California and other states, an ancillary cannabis company says cops are committing “highway robbery” by seizing millions in cash from armored vehicles transporting funds between dispensaries and financial institutions. The logistics company, Empyreal, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to recoup losses and end the practice. Our Los Angeles marijuana business lawyers understand an initial request for a restraining order has been denied. This lawsuit is being closely watched by cannabis company legal advocates as it could have a direct impact on their bottom line and ability to engage in financial transactions. The plaintiff, with more than 25 years in banking, launched her logistics/armored vehicle business four years ago in Colorado. Since then, it’s expanded to operate in 28 states. Her goal, she told Colorado News Online, was to address some of the challenges that cannabis companies face with financial transactions. Although many states now allow medicinal and even recreational marijuana, THC products are still considered illegal under federal law. That makes federally-backed banks – bound to comply with the U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Act and Bank Secrecy Act – wary of doing business with cannabis companies. For the 700-or-so banks that will accept money from marijuana dispensaries, there is a large compliance list that involves things like background checks, verification of money origins and destinations, and other stringent guidelines. Plaintiff said she only works with banks that are meticulous about meeting all the strict requirements.

Cannabis Law Group’s Medical Marijuana Legal Blog, 02/09/2022 14:16:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanalawyerblog.com/ancillary-cannabis-company-calls-california-traffic-stops-highway-robbery-in-federal-lawsuit/