The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a marijuana bill—but not the federal legalization measure that advocates have been eagerly awaiting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to bring to the floor. Rather, it’s a modest bipartisan piece of legislation that’s simply meant to promote research into marijuana. The bill—sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)—is titled Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act. It cleared the full chamber unanimously, without debate. It would streamline the application process for researchers who want to study the plant and encourage the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop cannabis-derived medicines. It would also clarify that physicians are allowed to discuss the risks and benefits of marijuana with patients and require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a report on those potential health benefits, as well one on barriers to cannabis research and how to overcome those obstacles. Current rules and regulations make it hard for researchers to study how marijuana and marijuana-derived medications can best be used to treat various conditions,” Feinstein said in a press release. “This important legislation will cut the red-tape around the research process, helping get FDA-approved, marijuana-derived medications safely to patients.”

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 03/24/2022 15:56:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/u-s-senate-unanimously-approves-marijuana-reform-bill-on-same-day-that-house-schedules-legalization-vote/

A Colorado House committee on Thursday defeated a bill that was originally meant to provide protection for workers who use marijuana off the job and allow medical cannabis patients to use their medicine at work—even after significantly scaling the legislation back to remove those protections altogether. At the hearing before the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee, the legislation sponsored by Rep. Edie Hooton (D) was significantly watered down with an amendment adopted by the panel that replaced all of its language with provisions to merely form a task force to explore marijuana employment challenges. The committee ultimately rejected the amended bill in a 1-12 vote. Under the revised legislation, a 15-member task force would have been created under the state Division of Labor and Employment that would convene in 2023 to study marijuana employment policies, with a report due by the year’s end. The revised measure “brings together stakeholders impacted by current workplace practices favoring medical marijuana patients to find solutions and make recommendations for potential legislation in the absence of reliable testing,” Hooton said in her opening remarks.

Marijuana Moment, Marijuana Moment, 03/25/2022 10:14:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/missouri-bill-would-let-voters-mandate-more-oversight-on-medical-marijuana-revenue-distribution-to-veterans/

A Colorado House committee on Thursday defeated a bill that was originally meant to provide protection for workers who use marijuana off the job and allow medical cannabis patients to use their medicine at work—even after significantly scaling the legislation back to remove those protections altogether. At the hearing before the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee, the legislation sponsored by Rep. Edie Hooton (D) was significantly watered down with an amendment adopted by the panel that replaced all of its language with provisions to merely form a task force to explore marijuana employment challenges. The committee ultimately rejected the amended bill in a 1-12 vote. Under the revised legislation, a 15-member task force would have been created under the state Division of Labor and Employment that would convene in 2023 to study marijuana employment policies, with a report due by the year’s end. The revised measure “brings together stakeholders impacted by current workplace practices favoring medical marijuana patients to find solutions and make recommendations for potential legislation in the absence of reliable testing,” Hooton said in her opening remarks.

Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 03/25/2022 08:30:00

Open article: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/colorado-lawmakers-reject-marijuana-consumer-employment-protection-bill-even-after-gutting-its-main-provisions/

A string of tragic events has left a citizen-led campaign to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska in search of donations. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana lost two individuals who were expected to make a major contribution to the current legalization campaign. One of those donors, who contributed to the group’s 2020 campaign that nearly made it onto the ballot, died in a plane crash, according to state Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, a co-sponsor of the campaign. A second person, who was expected to make a contribution, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The campaign, in an email to supporters Wednesday, described the loss as a “huge setback.” Despite the tragedies, Wishart was still confident the group could meet its $500,000 fundraising goal by May 1. She declined to say how much the campaign has raised so far, but as of Feb. 28, the campaign had a cash balance that was less than $30,000. “We have done extraordinary things before,” Wishart said. In 2020, the campaign raised about $2.5 million overall, securing more than 182,000 signatures — well above the 87,000 signatures needed to put the issue on the ballot.

420 Intel – Marijuana Industry News, 03/24/2022 20:00:00

Open article: https://420intel.com/articles/2022/03/25/tragedy-strikes-campaign-legalize-medical-marijuana-nebraska