The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is giving advice to businesses on how to develop marijuana policies that respect state legalization laws but mitigate the risk of impaired driving. In a post published last week by CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the agency said that there are inherent risks to driving while under the influence of THC, but the issue is nuanced due to distinct state policies and the fact that there’s currently no tool in widespread use to detect active impairment from cannabis. To that end, it laid out “best practices” for employers that recognize that “marijuana’s specific contribution to crash risk is unclear because it can be detected in body fluids for days or even weeks after use.” Employers should create cannabis policies that account “for current laws in each state where your company operates,” CDC said, adding that a “zero-tolerance policy for marijuana may not be possible, depending on your state’s laws.” For example, New York’s Department of Labor recently updated its drug testing policies to widely block employers from screening for THC since marijuana was legalized in the state. It does carve out certain exceptions, however, including for workers contracted by the federal Department of Transportation. CDC did argue that an ideal policy should at minimum prohibit workers from using cannabis on the job or showing up to work impaired. It also recommended partnering with an attorney who can “review your policy and provide feedback.”

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 11/29/2021 11:07:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/cdc-gives-workplace-marijuana-policy-advice-to-businesses-that-employ-drivers/

A Florida lawmaker introduced a bill last week to decriminalize all currently illicit drugs, provide avenues for relief for those with existing drug-related convictions and promote harm reduction services. Rep. Dotie Joseph (D) filed the legislation, titled the “Collateral Consequences of Convictions and Decriminalization of Cannabis and All Drugs Act” on Tuesday. For marijuana specifically, it would make possession of up to one ounce a noncriminal violation punishable by a $50 fine, rather than a misdemeanor offense. It would apply the same non-criminal penalty to the delivery of up to an ounce of marijuana. People with past convictions for those cannabis-related offenses would be eligible for automatic expungements if more than a year has elapsed since the date of the arrest. The bill goes on to say that the legislature “intends the prioritization of rehabilitative health intervention in lieu of criminalization for personal usage of controlled substances, including but is not limited to stimulants including cocaine, methamphetamine, opioids, heroin, fentanyl, depressants or benzodiazepines, and other addictive controlled substance.” To that end, crimes “associated with the personal usage and possession of controlled substances that do not involve production, distribution or sale shall be decriminalized in favor or civil fines and referral for drug rehabilitation.”

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 11/29/2021 08:58:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/florida-lawmaker-files-bill-to-decriminalize-all-currently-illicit-drugs/

Lawmakers across the U.S. proved again in 2021 that marijuana reform will continue to advance on the state level despite the recalcitrance of Congress to end federal prohibition. As more eyes turn to 2022 legislative sessions, a report from NORML that was released on Monday details advocates’ progress on the cannabis front this year in more than 25 states, where over 50 pieces of marijuana reform legislation were enacted. Most notably, legislatures and governors in five states enacted recreational legalization—a notable trend given that the reform has historically been decided by voters as ballot initiatives. But 2021 has also seen more modest policy changes related to medical cannabis, decriminalization, and social equity. “State lawmakers took unprecedented steps this year to repeal marijuana prohibition laws and to provide relief to those millions of Americans who have suffered as a result of them,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said in a press release. Of course, one of the primary objectives of reform advocates is to comprehensively end prohibition.

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 11/29/2021 15:44:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/marijuana-had-unprecedented-success-in-state-legislatures-in-2021-norml-report-shows/

Major associations representing U.S. credit unions are calling on Congress to pass marijuana banking reform through must-pass defense legislation. It’s the latest in a series of requests from lawmakers, stakeholders and advocates to advance legislation to protect financial institutions that work with state-legal cannabis businesses from being penalized by federal regulators. Specifically, they want to see the Senate follow the House’s lead in attaching language from the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). “We take no position on legalizing or decriminalizing medicinal or recreational cannabis at either the state or federal level,” the associations said in a letter to key committee leadership. “However, credit unions operating in states where it is legal have members and member businesses involved in the cannabis market who need access to traditional depository and lending services, the absence of which creates a significant public safety issue.” The Credit Union National Association, Defense Credit Union Council and National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions signed the letter, which also touches on non-cannabis issues.

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 11/30/2021 08:50:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/credit-unions-urge-congress-to-pass-marijuana-banking-reform-through-defense-bill/