Simply working in Canada’s marijuana industry does not automatically render a person ineligible for admission to the U.S., a recently disclosed document from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says. That directly contradicts what top officials with the agency told the media following Canada’s national legalization of cannabis in 2018. Previous statements from CBP made it seem like it was a codified policy within the agency that people who work directly with marijuana or in ancillary markets would be permanently barred from visiting or immigrating to the U.S. regardless of Canada’s move to legalize it. But recently unredacted guidance says otherwise. The law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP obtained the document through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that they’ve been pursuing over the past several years and which involved a court battle. CBP previously released a heavily redacted version of the guidance that omitted much of the policy on people who lawfully work in foreign cannabis industries, but in March the agency agreed to disclose additional text that paints a clearer picture.

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 05/10/2022 09:02:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/working-in-canadas-marijuana-industry-does-not-make-people-inadmissible-to-u-s-border-patrol-document-confirms/

One in four Montana counties will vote on some form of a marijuana-related ballot measure in next month’s primary election as the industry continues to take root across the state. Most of those 14 counties are looking to cash in on the new industry. Twelve counties, in western Montana, southeast Montana, and along the Hi-Line, will each vote on adding a local 3% tax on medical and recreational cannabis sales to capture local revenues on the growing industry. On Wednesday, the Montana Department of Revenue announced total cannabis sales reached $98.2 million from the start of the year through the end of April, resulting in $13.5 million in tax revenue for the state. Two counties, on the other hand, will vote to potentially reject recreational cannabis sales from their communities, both of which saw a majority of voters approve legalization in 2020. One of those is Yellowstone County. As the state’s most populous county, it’s seen the highest sales figures for recreational cannabis in the state since the market opened in January. Still, county commissioners there voted unanimously in December to send the question of allowing recreational cannabis sales within the county to the June ballot.

Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news, 05/09/2022 08:10:00

Open article: https://www.cannabisbusinessexecutive.com/2022/05/marijuana-measures-on-the-ballot-across-montana/

Voters in Austin, Texas approved a measure on May 7 that outlaws the enforcement of low-level cannabis possession crimes, as well as no-knock warrants, according to a local KVUE report. The ballot initiative, put forth by Ground Game Texas, read: “Shall an initiative ordinance be approved to (1) eliminate enforcement of low-level marijuana offenses and (2) ban the use of ‘no knock’ warrants by Austin police?” The measure passed with 85% of the vote, KVUE reported. While the initiative does not legalize adult-use cannabis in Austin, it bars law enforcement from issuing tickets and making arrests for low-level cannabis offenses, including the possession of small amounts of cannabis, unless the offense is tied to a more severe crime, according to the news outlet. Police officers in Austin will no longer be authorized to issue citations for most Class A or Class B misdemeanor cannabis possession offenses under the measure. Texas law states that the possession of between 2 ounces and 4 ounces of cannabis is a Class A misdemeanor, and the possession of 2 ounces or less is a Class B misdemeanor, KVUE reported.

Cannabis Business Times, 05/09/2022 15:10:00

Open article: http://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/austin-texas-votes-to-decriminalize-cannabis

Georgia regulators took steps last week to expedite hearings on medical cannabis licensing protests after legislation to revive the state’s stalled medical cannabis program died at the end of this year’s legislative session. The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted unanimously on May 5 to turn over the responsibility for hearing the protests to the Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH), according to a Capitol Beat report. Putting that task in the OSAH’s hands was a key provision in the legislation that the Georgia Legislature considered this year to address licensing snafus that have held up the launch of the state’s medical cannabis program. Georgia’s registered patients have been able to legally possess cannabis oil containing a maximum of 5% THC since 2015, but they have no way to legally purchase the oil, which has yet to be produced and sold in the state. Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation in 2019 to set up a regulatory framework for the production, processing, and sale of medical cannabis oil in Georgia, and the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission licensed six companies in July 2021 to serve the market. Sixteen unsuccessful applicants then challenged the licensing process, which has since stalled the rollout of the program.

Cannabis Business Times, 05/09/2022 15:44:00

Open article: http://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/georgia-regulators-move-to-expedite-hearings-medical-cannabis-licensing-protests

Missourians in all likelihood will hold the key to adult-use cannabis legalization in the November 2022 election after activists submitted more than double the required signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office. While Legal Missouri 2022, a registered political action committee (PAC), needs roughly 171,500 valid signatures in order to put its issue before state voters, the group submitted more than doubled that benchmark with the 385,000-plus signed petitions it turned in on May 8. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office must validate roughly 45% of the submitted signatures—making sure signees wrote their information clearly, are registered to vote, etc.—for the group to receive final approval for the ballot. “As we submit more than 385,000 petition signatures to the state today, the message from voters is clear: It’s past time to end the senseless and costly prohibition of marijuana,” John Payne, Legal Missouri 2022’s campaign manager, said in a public statement. “This widespread and enthusiastic show of support from the people of Missouri exceeds our expectations,” he added, noting how the signature total slightly exceeded the amount collected during the 2018 campaign that led to voter approval of medical cannabis.

Cannabis Business Times, 05/09/2022 14:15:00

Open article: http://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/legal-missouri-2022-signatures-adult-use-cannabis-ballot-petition

Tony Evers, the first-term Democrat, has been a vocal supporter of bringing cannabis legalization to Wisconsin. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced dozens of new pardons, including nine for individuals previously convicted for cannabis-related offenses. “There is power in redemption and forgiveness, especially for folks who’ve been working to move beyond their past mistakes to be productive, positive members of their communities,” Evers said in a statement. “I’m grateful for being able to give a second chance to these individuals who’ve worked hard to do just that.” Evers, the first-term Democrat, has now “granted more pardons during his first three years in office than any other governor in contemporary history,” according to a release from his office, which said that he has granted a total of 498 pardons since taking office in 2019. The nine individuals previously busted for pot-related offenses who received a pardon on Friday include Danielle Arrigo, who “was 22 when she twice sold marijuana to a confidential informant,” and “now resides in Burlington with her daughter and has earned her associate degree.”

420 Intel – Marijuana Industry News, 05/09/2022 20:00:00

Open article: https://420intel.com/articles/2022/05/10/wisconsin-governor-pardons-several-cannabis-convictions