Senator Jeremy Cooney (D-Rochester) announced Wednesday a package of two cannabis bills designed to lay the additional groundwork for the future of legalized cannabis in New York State. Senate Bill S.9217 would permit New Yorkers to cultivate cannabis in licensed personal cultivation facilities. Current regulations allow for personal cultivation eighteen months after the first adult-use sales commence. However, the plants must be grown at the individual’s personal residence. (Benzinga) These guidelines would exclude those without sufficient open space, especially renters/tenants. This bill would authorize the Cannabis Control Board to make regulations allowing for personal cultivation in specified licensed facilities open to adult use. This will ensure individuals who do not have a residence that is suitable for personal cultivation, such as most renters and individuals living in urban communities, still have the opportunity to utilize personal cultivation in a safe and controlled setting. This is about achieving equity in the home growth process. Senate Bill S.9218 would allow certified medical cannabis patients from other states to access NYS medical dispensaries provided they present sufficient documentation. States such as Nevada, Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri already allow for reciprocity with other states’ medical cannabis programs.

420 Intel – Marijuana Industry News, 05/18/2022 20:00:00

Open article: https://420intel.com/articles/2022/05/19/new-york-state-senator-just-presented-2-new-cannabis-bills-grow-your-own-and

As lawmakers work to advance marijuana banking reform, a coalition of cannabis regulators representing 40 U.S. states and territories are explaining to Congress just what the current lack of access to traditional financial services means—not just for the businesses and the programs they oversee, but for the regulators navigating this federal-state conflict themselves. The non-partisan Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA), which doesn’t take a stand on legalization itself, sent a letter to congressional leaders on Wednesday, outlining three key areas of concern for their states’ respective marijuana markets under the status quo of federal prohibition. The letter doesn’t specifically endorse the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act—which is a major component of a debate playing out in a bicameral conference committee where lawmakers are seeking to attach the legislation’s language to a large-scale manufacturing bill. But it does say that the “lack of safe banking and financial services for the cannabis industry and for those indirectly involved in cannabis marketplaces has become a dire public safety issue.”

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 05/18/2022 11:27:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/state-marijuana-regulators-say-banking-fix-will-make-their-jobs-easier-in-addition-to-helping-businesses/

King County Council has voted for a cannabis safety task force to aid in the prevention of crime targeting marijuana businesses. The legislation was sponsored by King County Councilmembers Reagan Dunn and Jeanne Kohl-Welles and passed by the King County Council on Tuesday. Approximately 70 robberies have been recorded at cannabis retailers across the state of Washington since the beginning of 2022, according to the Washington Cannabusiness Association (WACA). A dedicated cannabis safety taskforce will be able to focus on keeping our local communities safe from the pattern of armed robberies targeting cannabis stores and manufacturers across the region,” Dunn said in a statement. “This legislation sends a strong message that King County plans to hold those committing these crimes responsible for their actions.” The high rate of crime in cannabis stores has been widely attributed to federal banking regulations on cannabis sales, which has resulted in cannabis shops operating as cash-only businesses. This makes dispensaries and other cannabis businesses tempting targets for robberies.

Marijuana Moment, Marijuana Moment, 05/19/2022 09:44:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/local-washington-lawmakers-approve-cannabis-safety-taskforce-amid-wave-of-robberies/