Possible Gaetz & Trulieve contract; Mike Tyson & celebs push Trump on marijuana; New Chicago police cannabis policy; Cannabis seeds in space

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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was photographed reviewing a document that appeared to be a draft contract to provide services to a firm affiliated with the marijuana company Trulieve—including a lucrative bonus if a certain “matter resolves,” with an “additional ‘Super Success Fee’” for other “exclusive policy remedies.”

Gaetz, President Donald Trump’s first pick to serve as attorney general in the current administration, separately suggested that embracing marijuana reform could be “a way for the Republican party to secure more votes from young voters.”

Celebrities including Mike Tyson, Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson, Wyclef Jean and other athletes and entertainers sent a letter urging President Donald Trump to reschedule marijuana, release cannabis prisoners and support banking access for the industry.

• Tyson also suggested in an interview that marijuana rescheduling is “more possible” under Trump “than during the last administration.”

The Chicago Police Department is enacting a policy change meant to discourage searches based on the smell of raw, unburnt marijuana, according to documents filed in an ongoing lawsuit seeking reform.

A science experiment intended to study how cannabis seeds fare in space—in hopes of one day planting the crop on the moon or even Mars—failed when a capsule carrying the payload launched by SpaceX crashed into the Pacific Ocean.

A new government-funded study found that “naturalistic use of psychedelics is associated with longitudinal improvements in anxiety and depression during global crisis times” such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer’s (D) office won’t say if he plans to sign a bill that lawmakers sent to his desk to limit the kinds of marijuana business zoning restrictions that counties can enact.

The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission approved emergency rules that will allow regulators to begin accepting business license applications but prohibit patients from being able to access marijuana flower, infused food or drinks and any products administered by smoking or vaping.

A Nebraska judge dismissed a former senator’s lawsuit seeking to overturn the medical cannabis ballot measures approved by voters last year.

An Iowa Republican representative who supports legalizing psilocybin for medical use cheered Gov. Kim Reynolds’s (R) veto of a bill that would have allowed only a synthetic version of the psychedelic.

A new poll of Texas voters shows that 53 percent oppose outlawing hemp products, in line with Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) veto of a bill that would have banned hemp consumables with any amount of THC.

/ FEDERAL

President Donald Trump withdrew his initial nomination of Sara Carter—who called medical cannabis a “fantastic” treatment option for seriously ill patients—to serve as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy so that she could be renominated under her legal name of Sara Bailey.

The Drug Enforcement Administration promoted a video where members of the comedy group Smosh were “transformed to look like hardcore drug users.”

Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) tweeted about a meeting of the Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Caucus, saying, “To date, the psychedelic therapies promise to revolutionize how we treat mental challenges not only for Vets, but others in our society.  We’ll continue to fight for our vets.”

/ STATES

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed budget legislation containing provisions to increase marijuana taxes.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) would sign a bill to halt a planned marijuana tax increase if one is sent to him, a spokesperson said. Separately, regulators announced recalls of cannabis products due to the presence of aspergillus.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said in an op-ed that he will “dedicate the rest of my life” to advocating for access to the psychedelic ibogaine.

Ohio lawmakers sent Gov. Mike DeWine (R) budget legislation that allows localities to keep marijuana revenue despite an earlier push to steer all the funding to the state.

New York regulators expanded a recall of marijuana products found to be produced with material from an unlicensed source. They also approved the appointment of a new chief equity officer and approved new cannabis business licenses.

Michigan’s top marijuana regulator urged the cannabis industry to lobby lawmakers for policy changes they wish to see enacted.

A member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents who owns a cannabis business authored an op-ed accusing colleagues of “trying to silence me after I raised concerns about a racist marketing campaign” about the alleged harms of marijuana use that she said was “rooted in centuries-old racist tropes linking Black Americans to criminality and drug use.”

Washington State regulators sent a reminder about official sources of communication for the Cannabis Social Equity Program.

Vermont regulators do not have a timeline for licensing for new cannabis retailers, a spokesperson said.

New Jersey lawmakers sent a newsletter with updates on various cannabis issues.

—
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.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—

/ LOCAL

A St. Louis, Missouri alderman filed a proposal to allow sales of intoxicating hemp products only at licensed marijuana dispensaries.

/ INTERNATIONAL

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime published its annual World Drug Report.

New South Wales, Australia lawmakers discussed the prospects for decriminalizing marijuana.

/ SCIENCE & HEALTH

A study found that “medical grade CBD-enriched oil is effective and tolerable for at least 12 months of adjunctive treatment in pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy.”

A study found that “hair contamination could arise in vivo even after short single exposures to cannabis and “light cannabis”, underlining the need for a careful interpretation of results of hair analysis in forensic toxicology.”

/ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS

A poll of New York City voters from prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana found that 20 percent support unrestricted public marijuana use, 51 percent want to allow use in designated areas and 30 percent back a complete ban.

/ BUSINESS

4Front Ventures Corp. announced that a court appointed a receiver and that two board members resigned.

Curaleaf Inc. is asking a federal court to reject conditional class certification for a lawsuit over its practices surrounding budtender tips.

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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

Medical cannabis dispensary licenses in Alabama are expected to be issued soon, following years of litigation, Alabama Daily News reports. Justin Aday, general counsel for the state Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC), told the Daily News last week that dispensary licenses have been referred to an administrative law judge for investigative hearings and, once complete, the licenses would be issued. 

A court had already allowed the issuance of cultivation, processor, secure transporter, and testing licenses – which were uncontested – to move forward but the issuance of dispensary and integrated facility licenses remained in limbo. 

Sam Blackmore, pharmacist and member of the AMCC, told the Daily News that he has “guarded optimism about the dispensary category proceeding.” 

“…Our mantra amongst ourselves has been that if we can just get one of these dispensaries open, that will allow the physicians to finally get going so that they can at least make a recommendation that will allow for the patient registry to open up so patients can start registering.” — Blackmore to the Daily News 

Blackmore added that while only the dispensary licenses have been allowed to move forward in the process, he thinks “the same thing is going to play out with the integrated category as well.” 

In April, parents of would-be medical cannabis patients sued the commission over delays implementing the program by the date mandated by law. The lawsuit contends that the Darren Wesley “Ato” Hall Compassion Act, signed into law nearly five years ago, mandated the creation of a system to track qualified patients and caregivers, and used mandatory language requiring action by a specific deadline – giving the AMCC no discretion on timelines – but the state has not yet registered patients or caregivers. A hearing on that case is scheduled for June 26 in Montgomery County.   

In a letter to Mississippi state Rep. Lee Yancey (R), Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R) said intoxicating hemp-derived products are “prohibited” under the state’s Controlled Substances Law. However, Fitch declined to offer an “official opinion” on whether the products could be possessed in the state due to federal law, which allows hemp cultivation. 

“Except for products possessed in strict accordance with the provisions of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, the possession – with intent to sell, barter, transfer, manufacture, distribute or dispense – of a product derived from the hemp plant designed for human ingestion and/or consumption that is not approved by the United States FDA is prohibited under Mississippi’s Uniform Controlled Substances Law.” — Fitch in the letter 

Yancey had asked Fitch for clarification on state law as it relates to the sale of hemp-derived products “designed for human ingestion and/or consumption” outside of the Mississippi medical cannabis program.  

“Mississippi law does not specifically address the possession or sale of products derived from the hemp plant designed for human ingestion and/or consumption,” Fitch wrote. “However, as implied by your questions, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act … allows for the sale and possession of medical cannabis products, including edible cannabis products.” 

Mississippi allows hemp cultivation, although, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Commerce, “the necessary funding to implement the program was not appropriated by the Mississippi Legislature” and the federal Department of Agriculture is in charge of licensing hemp cultivators.

Yancey had sponsored a bill to ban intoxicating hemp products during this term’s session, but the legislation was never taken up by lawmakers and died when the legislature adjourned in April.