The sponsors of a Senate bill to protect banks that service state-legal marijuana businesses from being penalized by federal regulators are publicly urging a key chairman told to put the legislation to a vote. In a letter sent to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) on Thursday, Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Steve Daines (R-MT) urged a markup of their Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, arguing that it would help address an urgent public safety issue. “This is not simply a matter of banking. The inability of these state-legal entities to bank their significant cash reserves is an issue of public safety,” they wrote, citing cases of robberies and armed burglaries at dispensaries in both of their home states. “We owe this to our constituents to hold a markup on this bill and further the legislative process,” the letter, which was also addressed to the panel’s ranking member, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), continues. “To foster success rather than gridlock, we believe this markup on S. 910 is necessary and should focus on policies with robust bipartisan support.” What’s notable about the letter, which comes three months after the bill’s reintroduction, is that the sponsors feel it’s necessary to communicate their request in such a public manner—perhaps signaling that Brown has been unresponsive to conventional behind-the-scenes requests among colleagues.

Tom Angell, Marijuana Moment, 06/21/2021 06:15:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/senators-publicly-pressure-key-chairman-for-vote-on-marijuana-banking-bill/

The Phnom Penh Post reports and it looks like the discussions may go on for some time and we’d suggest a need for the Cambodians to legislate if it is a path they decide to go down The notion was explored at an informal meeting between Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon and Yamato Green CEO Katsuhito Nabeshima on June 14 at the ministry. Yamato Green highlighted the untapped potential of medical marijuana seeds, pointing out that many other companies are also interested in cultivating Cannabis sativa, importing seeds from the US, and bringing finished products to the US and Japan, according to the minister. “We will take things into consideration first. We’ve requested the company to work with the relevant ministries – especially the agriculture ministry – to test the plant on a proper designated area in a station or agricultural research centre, as scientific evidence, before submitting a proposal to the Royal Government for approval,” Sakhon said.

Sean Hocking, Cannabis Law Report, 06/18/2021 21:07:00

Open article: https://cannabislaw.report/japanese-company-in-discussion-with-cambodian-government-to-grow-cannabis/

Last month, a bill that would make certain that CBD products derived from hemp fell under the domain of the FDA in the same way as other legalized products added to beverages, foods and dietary supplements, was introduced in the Senate. The legislation, dubbed the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, was tabled by Oregon senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. Wyden stated that CBD products were legally being produced and used across the country. However, because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hadn’t updated its regulations, producers and consumers remained in a gray zone. Wyden added that it had been more than two years since he’d collaborated with his colleagues to call for Congress to legalize products obtained from hemp as well as hemp itself. He noted that the time had come for the federal regulator to update its regulations, for the good of farmers and consumers in America.

CannabisNewsWire, 06/21/2021 04:20:00

Open article: https://www.cannabisnewswire.com/420-with-cnw-legislation-introduced-in-senate-to-authorize-cbd-interstate-trade/