VA secretary on psychedelics; TX gov’s new hemp stance; Marijuana & guns court ruling; DEA’s drug emoji guide; Cannabis industry org leader steps down

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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 KNOWThe Drug Enforcement Administration judge overseeing the marijuana rescheduling process is retiring, saying that “all matters filed in this case will be forwarded to the DEA Administrator, for whatever action, if any, he deems appropriate” because there is no judge to hear the issue.Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said he wants to “see people healed” with psychedelics and to “see them in productive lives with their families”—but that the substances are “still tied up with regulation in the federal government.”The Drug Enforcement Administration is again promoting its guide to “decode” symbols it says are associated with illegal drug use and sales—including the idea that the shocked face represents marijuana. 😮Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) spoke about his evolving stance on hemp as a bill to broadly ban products with any amount of THC is quickly advancing in a special legislative session.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated a conviction over a cannabis consumer’s gun ownership, saying a lower court failed to ask if “marijuana use placed him in a category of people ‘present[ing] a special danger of misuse’ sufficient to justify disarmament.”National Cannabis Industry Association CEO Aaron Smith is stepping down, 15 years after founding the group. He spoke to Marijuana Moment about the role of businesses in shaping policy reform.

• “If you’re part of a cannabis industry, you’re part of a social movement—and the movement is not done yet.”

A new study shows that “acute migraine treatment with 6% THC+11% CBD was superior to placebo at 2 hours post-vaporization with sustained benefits at 24 and 48 hours”—what the researcher calls the “first real…compelling evidence for the anti-migraine effects of cannabis in humans.”Oklahoma marijuana activists are preparing to launch a signature drive next month to put a legalization initiative on the ballot despite new state petitioning restrictions that recently took effect./ FEDERALThe Drug Enforcement Administration published an annual cocaine report.Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) tweeted, “For years, the federal government has failed to keep up with the changing pace of our economy, and the cannabis industry has suffered the consequences. My bill would help protect our local farmers, producers, and small businesses up and down the North Coast.”The House bill to respect state marijuana laws got one new cosponsor for a total of four./ STATESTexas’s lieutenant governor celebrated the advancement of legislation to ban consumable hemp products with any amount of THC, tweeting, “THC is NOT harmless. Hard science shows growing risks to our kids, heart health & our minds. We must protect Texas families. My priority remains keeping THC out of our communities.”A Pennsylvania representative said that the fact that bipartisan marijuana legalization bills have been introduced in the House and Senate is “a really good indication that we will get it done.”A Virginia senator said she is “committed to work hard to finally move Virginia forward toward a smart, equitable and sustainable cannabis retail market.”California regulators adopted changes to rules for the cannabis appellations program.Rhode Island regulators adopted emergency hemp product rules.Colorado regulators may soon consider rules to allow ibogaine at psychedelic healing centers.Montana regulators are planning to consolidate marijuana and alcohol oversight into a single division.Rhode Island regulators selected a vendor to develop a cannabis social equity license applicant certification process.
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/ LOCALNew York City’s mayor complained about public marijuana smoking, saying it “should be relegated to certain areas.”The Chicago, Illinois Police Board ruled that an officer who faced dismissal after testing positive for marijuana can remain on the job./ INTERNATIONALCanada has seen an expected decline in criminal incidents related to marijuana since legalization, with the exception of an increase in incidents related to exportation of cannabis./ SCIENCE & HEALTHA study found that “full-spectrum medicinal cannabis plant extract 0.08% THC improves symptoms of Rett syndrome.”A study found that CBD “formulations demonstrated improved aerosolization properties, stability, and promising anti-inflammatory effects, potentially making them a viable therapeutic option for inflammatory lung diseases.”/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSISThe president of Operation Juliet included a social media comment from a military veteran who said she is “treated like a drug addict because I use cannabis to cope with my mental health and the VA refuses to prescribe my life changing stimulant medications” in testimony for a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing./ BUSINESSA Boston Beer Company official said cannabis beverages are a “source of growth for our organization.”

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