The Week in Weed: October 22, 2021

Welcome again to The Week in Weed, your Friday take a look at what’s occurring on the planet of legalized marijuana.

May DC be allowed to open a authorized hashish market?  The feds take a look at marijuana analysis.  Now we have an replace on South Dakota and Mississippi.  And eventually, the DEA had some guests just lately.

district of columbia

DC’s authorized hashish journey has really been a protracted and winding street.  The District legalized marijuana again in 2014.  At the moment, solely Colorado and Washington had legalized; Alaska and Oregon joined the group the identical yr.  However despite the fact that hashish was authorized to own and devour, it was not authorized to purchase or promote.  For a full dialogue of why that’s, see this post.  Spoiler alert: Congress nonetheless partially guidelines the District, and there’s been a piece in each DC Appropriations invoice since legalization that prohibits the District from spending cash to arrange a authorized market.  However possibly, simply possibly, issues may change this yr.  The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a spending invoice that doesn’t embrace this funds rider.  In fact, we’re a good distance from authorized gross sales, however you must begin someplace.

hashish analysis

There are many opinions on the worth of hashish, from those that suppose it’s a cure-all to those that suppose it’s the satan’s lettuce.  What may assist to clear the air is analysis.  Like all issues involving marijuana and the federal authorities, nonetheless, spending time and money on analysis shouldn’t be easy.  The Veterans Administration continues to oppose analysis into medical marijuana’s doable use in treating PTSD and continual ache.  The Drug Enforcement Administration, alternatively, is about to increase manufacturing of hashish for analysis by 60 p.c.

after the vote

Common readers will likely recall that South Dakota and Mississippi each had legalization measures on their 2020 ballots (South Dakota each medical and adult-use; Mississippi medical solely).  These measures handed by vital margins, and that’s when issues obtained fascinating.  To stand up to hurry, see our most up-to-date South Dakota publish here; and our most up-to-date Mississippi publish here.  So what’s the most recent?

Lawmakers in South Dakota launched a invoice to legalize hashish for all functions for these 21 and older, whereas holding medical marijuana in place for these below 21.  The prospect that the governor will signal such a invoice is zero, so until the legislature can override a veto, it appears unlikely this can go anyplace.

As for Mississippi, supporters of medical marijuana demanded {that a} promised particular legislative session happen.  There seems to be some settlement on what a medical marijuana invoice ought to embrace, so probabilities appear higher in Jackson than they do in Pierre.

and eventually

Even with the rise in analysis, not everybody thinks the DEA has the precise angle in the direction of managed substances.  And a few of them are prepared to decorate up in gorilla costumes to get their level throughout.

Keep protected and be effectively everybody – we’ll see you subsequent week!