With young adults' marijuana use at an all-time high as states continue to pass legislation legalizing marijuana for medical and/or recreational use, the federal government is, at long last, taking a closer look. As we discussed in a prior blog post, cannabis reform initiatives recently made five … Read more about Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act
House Approves Decriminalizing Cannabis with MORE Act
On Friday, December 4, the U.S. House of Representatives approved yet another landmark piece of cannabis legislation, H.R.3884, or the MORE Act of 2019 (“MORE Act”), which aims to decriminalize cannabis at the federal level. Passed in a 228-164 predominately party-line vote, the MORE Act would … Read more about House Approves Decriminalizing Cannabis with MORE Act
Is the DEA Coming for the Hemp Industry After All?
On August 20, 2020, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) issued an interim final rule (“IFR”) pertaining to the classifications of marijuana and hemp under the federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) in light of the 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act (“AIA”). Because the DEA … Read more about Is the DEA Coming for the Hemp Industry After All?
DEA Removes CBD from Controlled Substances Act
On Monday, April 6, GW Pharmaceuticals revealed that the company had received notice from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) stating that its drug Epidiolex was no longer subject to the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). In a company release announcing the agency … Read more about DEA Removes CBD from Controlled Substances Act
DEA Announces Increased Access to Marijuana Research
On August 26, 2019, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) issued a press release stating that DEA will be undertaking steps to increase access to DEA registrations required under federal law to cultivate and/or manufacture marijuana for research purposes. In making this … Read more about DEA Announces Increased Access to Marijuana Research
Revisiting the War on Drugs & Its Impact
July 14 marked the 50th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s message to Congress asking for the establishment of a federal plan to tackle substance abuse, citing a dramatic increase in juvenile arrests for drug offenses. Nixon’s letter was the start of a new era of American drug policy as, the … Read more about Revisiting the War on Drugs & Its Impact
Denver and Oakland Become the First Cities to Effectively Decriminalize Psilocybin Mushrooms
Voters in Denver, continued to lead the country in the arena of drug policy reform when they voted to make Denver the first city in the USA to effectively decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms. Ordinance 301, or the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Initiative was approved by a narrow margin of 50.5% in favor … Read more about Denver and Oakland Become the First Cities to Effectively Decriminalize Psilocybin Mushrooms
USDA Defends Interstate Transportation of Hemp
Earlier this week, the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) issued a bulletin regarding the agency’s current view on hemp’s legality after the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”). In a memorandum to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, USDA attorney Stephen … Read more about USDA Defends Interstate Transportation of Hemp