Hemp dispute in Congress; TX medical marijuana expansion; KY medical cannabis update; Study: More Americans use marijuana than cigarettes

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Your good deed for the day: donate to an independent publisher like Marijuana Moment and ensure that as many voters as possible have access to the most in-depth cannabis reporting out there.Support our work at https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment/ TOP THINGS TO KNOWMarijuana companies filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up their lawsuit that seeks to block the enforcement of federal prohibition against their state-legal activities.As Congress considers how to address hemp through pending appropriations legislation, state attorneys general are circulating a letter asking lawmakers to “ensure intoxicating THC products are taken off the market” and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is supporting language to study “best practices” on state regulation.Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) announced that the state now has 15,000 registered medical cannabis patients and that by next week regulators will have approved businesses in every category—completing the “full process cycle from cultivation to dispensary.”The Texas Department of Public Safety adopted changes to medical cannabis rules to expand patient access by licensing additional dispensaries and setting security requirements for satellite locations.A new study shows that more Americans now use marijuana than smoke cigarettes—”suggesting possible substitution driven by changing harm perceptions, evolving legislation and shifting norms.”

• “Cigarette-only use declined, while cannabis-only use increased across nearly all sociodemographic groups.”

The Michigan House Regulatory Reform Committee held a hearing on bills to change legal marijuana possession limits and alter rules for addressing cannabis industry violations.South Dakota cannabis reform advocates expressed alarm after a meeting of the legislature’s Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee gave prohibitionists a platform—stoking fears the panel is part of a coordinated effort to restrict or repeal patient access.The Oregon Health Authority is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that the state’s psilocybin program discriminates against homebound disabled patients who can’t travel to licensed psychedelic services centers.Former Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones (R) argues in a new op-ed that the Trump administration’s attacks on suspected drug boats are a “stupid tactic because it destroys the evidence and does not allow for interrogation of the suspects” while also putting military officers “in an untenable position.”/ FEDERALPresident Donald Trump hosted a roundtable meeting on his administration’s efforts to combat drug cartels, saying he will not seek congressional authorization for military strikes on suspected traffickers.Several Republican senators are raising questions about the Trump administration’s military attacks on suspected drug boats.The House bill to federally legalize marijuana got one new cosponsor for a total of 57./ STATESMontana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) discussed a program to use marijuana revenue to fund drug treatment that he supports, saying, “I felt if we are going to hand out a Schedule 1 drug, we might as well use revenues to pay for addiction recovery.”The Georgia House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Georgia’s Medical Marijuana and Hemp Policies held its final meeting.New York regulators’ request for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to reconsider a lower court’s ruling on residency privileges in marijuana licensing was rejected.Tennessee regulators entered into an agreed declaratory order clarifying the regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabinoid product businesses during the transition to new state regulations.Arizona regulators announced a recall of marijuana products due to possible contamination with aspergillus.Ohio regulators announced recalls of medical cannabis products that aren’t marked with a universal THC symbol on each serving and that failed pesticide testing.Oklahoma regulators announced a recall of medical cannabis products due to improper testing methods.Washington, D.C. regulators proposed changes to medical cannabis rules.Minnesota’s top marijuana regulator acknowledged frustration that dispensaries are expressing about product availability.Maryland regulators posted guidance about marijuana business inspections.
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Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

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/ LOCALThe 143rd Judicial District, Texas district attorney is facing a lawsuit seeking to remove her from office over accusations she has refused to enforce drug laws amid a viral video she posted of herself smoking marijuana./ INTERNATIONALThe International Criminal Court rejected former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s challenge to its jurisdiction in a prosecution related to killings in the nation’s bloody “war on drugs.”German officials increased the amount of allowable cannabis imports for medical and scientific purposes./ SCIENCE & HEALTHA review concluded that “cannabinoids provide modest, condition-specific analgesia and should be considered adjunctive rather than first-line options, reserved for patients unresponsive to conventional therapy.”A study found that “group psilocybin-assisted therapy plus [Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction] was associated with clinically significant improvement in depressive symptoms without serious [adverse events] and with greater reduction in symptoms than MBSR alone.”/ BUSINESSatai Life Sciences and Beckley Psytech Limited announced that the Food and Drug Administration granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to their 5-MeO-DMT benzoate nasal spray for adult patients with treatment-resistant depression.Canadian retailers sold C$498.7 million worth of legal marijuana products in August.
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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.