Virginia looks to be first off the mark in the race to legalize marijuana this year.
Some of the remaining non-medical marijuana states are moving to get on the bandwagon, the NLRB says medical marijuana workers in Pennsylvania can't unionize, and more.
Yet another Baltimore cop heads to prison in the Gun Trace Task Force scandal, a small-town Maine cop gets popped peddling pills to a female high school student, and more.
Kansas's governor wants medical marijuana approved to pay for Medicaid expansion, the Mississippi Supreme Court has set a date for oral arguments in a case challenging that state's voter-approved medical marijuana initiaive and more.
An Alabama bill would let police use wiretaps against suspected drug felons, another Alabama bill would legalize medical marijuana, a New Jersey court hears a key medical marijuana licensing case, and more.
Another massive settlement resulting from Purdue Pharma's aggressive marketing of OxyContin, a Maryland marijuana legalization bill gets filed with support from the leadership, South Dakota lawmakers begin working to implement the marijuana legalization initiative, and more.
Virginia is on the verge of legalizing marijuana, San Antonio's prosecutors will reject especially small-time marijuana and other drug possession charges, and more.
New Jersey reduces penalties for possession of psychedelic mushrooms, an Idaho medical marijuana bil lis filed, a Minnesota asset forfeiture reform bill advances, and more.
A major new marijuana reform coalition has formed, a Hawaii asset forfeiture reform bill advances, so does an Idaho medical marijuana bill, and more.
The Old Dominion is set to notch a pair of marijuana firsts after both chambers of the state legislature approved marijuana legalization bills last Friday. While the bills, HB 2312and SB 1406 have minor differences that still have to be worked out in conference committee and while Gov. Ralph Northam (D) has yet to sign the bills into law, Virginia is now poised to be the first state to legalize marijuana in 2021 and the first state in the Old South to do so.
Richmond State House (Creative Commons)
Lawmakers need to move fast, though: The legislature is scheduled to adjourn on Thursday.
The pair of bills would legalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana by persons 21 and over and would allow for the personal cultivation of up to four plants -- two mature and two immature. Possession of more than an ounce would merit only a $25 fine, unless it is more than five pounds, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
The legislation also provides for the automatic expungement of certain past marijuana-related offenses and sets up a regulatory framework for legal marijuana commerce. The bills also mandate that some marijuana tax revenues go to pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk youth and public health programs.
The passage of the bills was hailed by marijuana policy reform groups, who had worked with legislators to push them forward.
"Virginia appears poised to join 15 other states that have adopted sensible laws that legalize and regulate marijuana for adults," Steve Hawkins, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) said in a press release. "MPP is proud to have played an important role in all three states where the House and Senate have voted to legalize cannabis, in Vermont, Illinois, and now, Virginia."
"Virginians have been clear in their support for this issue and Governor Northam agrees, it is time to legalize the responsible use of cannabis by adults in the Commonwealth," National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) Development Director Jenn Michelle Pedini said in a statement last Friday. "And while today's historic votes seek to put this majority public opinion into practice, there still remains much work to be done by NORML and others to ensure that Virginia gets it right and implements legislation that is expeditious and just."
So far, 15 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana. Virginia is set to become the 16th state. And while marijuana legalization bills have been filed in a number of states, there are at least four more -- Connecticut, New Mexico, New York, and Rhode Island -- that are particularly well-positioned to get it done this year as well.
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Some of the remaining non-medical marijuana states are moving to get on the bandwagon, the NLRB says medical marijuana workers in Pennsylvania can't unionize, and more.
Alabama
Alabama Senate Committee Approves Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill. A bill to legalize medical marijuana, Senate Bill 46, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee last Wednesday. Sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson (R), the bill would set up a state medical marijuana commission, but would limit access to patients who have been diagnosed with one of about 20 qualifying conditions.
Idaho
Idaho Medical Marijuana Bill Wins Committee Vote. A bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the state won a vote in the House Health and Welfare Committee Monday. Although sponsored by the committee, the bill was actually written by Sgt. Jeremy Kitzhaber, a US Air Force veteran with terminal cancer, who testified before the vote Monday. "I'm here to talk with you about my desire for medical cannabis to be legalized here in Idaho, with specific limitations and controls," Kitzhaber said. "I've spent years writing and editing this legislation, to make it something that would allow medical cannabis to reach those who need it, but not necessarily reach those who just want it."
Kansas
Kansas Governor Pushes for Medical Marijuana to Pay for Medicaid Expansion. Governor Laura Kelly (D) called February 1 for lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana as a means of paying for the expansion of Medicaid in the state. The move comes after Republican legislators blocked Medicaid expansion last year. You have heard many of the comments coming from the opposition have been we can't afford it," Kelly said. "We have just designed a bill that pays for itself and more. There's never been any good argument against expansion other than we can't afford it."
Mississippi
Mississippi Supreme Court Set to Hear Oral Arguments in Medical Cannabis Case. The state Supreme Court has set a date of April 14 to hear oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the medical marijuana initiative approved by voters in November. Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler filed the lawsuit, which seeks to invalidate the will of the voters because the state's initiative law is outdated. Under the state constitution, initiative petitioners must collect an equal number of signatures from five congressional districts, but the state now has only four congressional districts, which, Butler argues, makes the initiative vote invalid.
Mississippi Medical Marijuana Bill Moves. The Senate Finance Committee has approved Senate Bill 2765, which would make medical marijuana available to people with specified debilitating and chronic diseases. Last November, voters approved a broader medical marijuana initiative, but it is being challenged in court. The bill sponsor says if the court strikes down the initiative, there will be a bill ready to replace it.
New Jersey
New Jersey Court Hears Oral Arguments in Medical Marijuana Expansion Case. A panel of three appellate court judges heard oral arguments February 2 in a case where rejected medical marijuana applicants sued the state over its licensing procedures. The rejected business applicants argue that the state incorrectly rejected their applications. The case has stalled the expansion of the state's medical marijuana program.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Marijuana Workers Can't Unionize, NLRB Rules. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has squashed an attempt to unionize workers at a medical marijuana facility near Philadelphia. Workers at the AgriKind growing operation cannot be unionized because they are agricultural workers, the NLRB held. Agricultural and farm workers are usually considered to be exempt from federal labor law. The NLRB has ruled in favor of unionizing marijuana workers if their work includes packaging or delivering marijuana.
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Yet another Baltimore cop heads to prison in the Gun Trace Task Force scandal, a small-town Maine cop gets popped peddling pills to a female high school student, and more. Let's get to it:
In Jeffersonville, Georgia,
a former Twiggs County sheriff's deputy was arrested February 2 for stealing more than $1,500 in cash being held as evidence in a drug case. William "Chip" Samuel Stokes, 51, a major in the sheriff's office until he was fired February 1, allegedly made off with money seized in a December traffic stop after it went missing from the evidence room. He is charged with theft and violating his oath of office.
In Harrington, Maine, a former Calais police officer was arrested last Friday for allegedly giving drugs to a teenage girl near a local high school. Jeffrey Bishop, 53, went down after a basketball coach found hydrocodone pills and three bags of fentanyl powder on a 17-year-old female student. Bishop was arrested days later and is charged with five separate drug-related offenses. He resigned two days before he was arrested and at last report was being held at the Aroostook County jail with bail set at $30,000 cash.
In Lincoln, Nebraska, a Lincoln Correctional Center guard was arrested last Friday after getting caught delivering marijuana to an inmate. Officer Xavier Palomares, 24, allegedly conveyed the weed into the prison on the promise of being paid $1,000. He's charged with one felony count: unlawful conveyance of an article to an inmate.
In Baltimore, a former Baltimore police officer was sentenced Monday to 14 months in federal prison for lying to federal agents about his role in a broad-ranging scandal where numerous officers have been arrested and convicted for selling cocaine seized by the police department. Former detective Ivo Louvado, 47, participated in a drug bust where 44 kilos of cocaine were seized, but only 41 turned into evidence. The rest was sold by police informants on the black market. He pleaded guilty to intentionally misleading a federal agent.
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Kansas's governor wants medical marijuana approved to pay for Medicaid expansion, the Mississippi Supreme Court has set a date for oral arguments in a case challenging that state's voter-approved medical marijuana initiative, and more.
buprenorphine (Pixabay)
New Mexico Marijuana Legalization Bills Filed. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have filed marijuana legalization bills this week. Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto (D) has filed SB 13, which would have private enterprise control the sale of marijuana and would tax it at 21%. Meanwhile, Senator Cliff Pirtle (R) has filed SB 288, which would also provide for the regulated, taxed sale and manufacturing of retail cannabis. The retail tax would be shared among municipalities, counties, and state governments for law enforcement and behavioral health and substance abuse programs. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) is calling for marijuana legalization to pass this year.
Medical Marijuana
Kansas Governor Pushes for Medical Marijuana to Pay for Medicaid Expansion. Governor Laura Kelly (D) called Monday for lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana as a means of paying for the expansion of Medicaid in the state. The move comes after Republican legislators blocked Medicaid expansion last year. You have heard many of the comments coming from the opposition have been we can't afford it," Kelly said. "We have just designed a bill that pays for itself and more. There's never been any good argument against expansion other than we can't afford it."
Mississippi Supreme Court Set to Hear Oral Arguments in Medical Cannabis Case. The state Supreme Court has set a date of April 14 to hear oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the medical marijuana initiative approved by voters in November. Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler filed the lawsuit, which seeks to invalidate the will of the voters because the state's initiative law is outdated. Under the state constitution, initiative petitioners must collect an equal number of signatures from five congressional districts, but the state now has only four congressional districts, which, Butler argues, makes the initiative vote invalid.
Harm Reduction
Pennsylvania Bill Would Restrict Buprenorphine Access. State Sen. Michele Brooks (R-Crawford County) has refiled Senate Bill 675, which would impose new requirements on buprenorphine prescribers and create new barriers for buprenorphine patients. Buprenorphine is used to maintain opioid-dependent patients. Brooks' bill would require doctors prescribing buprenorphine to pay a fee of up to $500 to get a license from the state. It would also bar opioid use disorder (OUD) patients from being prescribed the drug unless they are enrolled in drug treatment programs licensed by the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. Brooks introduced the same bill in 2019, where it passed the Republican-controlled Senate only to die in the House.
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An Alabama bill would let police use wiretaps against suspected drug felons, another Alabama bill would legalize medical marijuana, a New Jersey court hears a key medical marijuana licensing case, and more.
FAMM and the Prison Fellowship call on Congress to end the federal cocaine sentencing disparity. (Pixabay)
Virginia Poll Has More Than Two-Thirds Support for Marijuana Legalization. A new poll from the Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University has support for marijuana legalization at 68% among registered voters. The poll comes as legalization bills are moving rapidly through the legislature and just days ahead of a Friday deadline for getting bills through at least one house of the legislature.
Medical Marijuana
Alabama Senate Committee Approves Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill. A bill to legalize medical marijuana, Senate Bill 46, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson (R), the bill would set up a state medical marijuana commission, but would limit access to patients who have been diagnosed with one of about 20 qualifying conditions.
New Jersey Court Hears Oral Arguments in Medical Marijuana Expansion Case. A panel of three appellate court judges heard oral arguments Tuesday in a case where rejected medical marijuana applicants sued the state over its licensing procedures. The rejected business applicants argue that the state incorrectly rejected their applications. The case has stalled the expansion of the state's medical marijuana program.
Law Enforcement
Alabama Bill Would Let Police Secretly Wiretap Suspected Drug Felons. Lawmakers in Montgomery are taking up House Bill 17, which would allow state and local police to place wiretaps on phone lines and monitor the online communications of drug suspects without involving federal law enforcement. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville), the former Huntsville police chief. "This is for drug traffickers," he said. "There are people that are bringing illicit drugs into our counties, drugs that are killing our youth." But critics say the bill uses a low standard of proof, requiring only probable cause, and that it could be used even for some marijuana possession offenses.
Sentencing Policy
Prison Fellowship, FAMM Urge Congress to End Crack/Powder Cocaine Sentencing Disparity. Prison Fellowship, the nation's largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, is partnering with FAMM to launch the #EndTheDisparity campaign and to urge Congress to eliminate the disparity between how crack and powder cocaine-related offenses are punished. Both organizations are circulating petitions and are planning a series of activities to build public support for reform. "We have been fighting to repeal unjust sentencing laws for 30 years, and we've seen no greater injustice than the crack-powder disparity," FAMM President Kevin Ring said. "We were glad Congress reduced the disparity in 2010, but it's time to finish the job. We must remove this racially discriminatory scheme from the criminal code."
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Another massive settlement resulting from Purdue Pharma's aggressive marketing of OxyContin, a Maryland marijuana legalization bill gets filed with support from the leadership, South Dakota lawmakers begin working to implement their marijuana legalization initiative, and more.
(Creative Commons)
Idaho Senate Passes Constitutional Amendment to Ban Marijuana Legalization.The state Senate on Wednesday approved a constitutional amendment that would make it impossible for voters or legislators to legalize marijuana -- or any other drug not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. The measure, Senate Joint Resolution 101, now heads to the House, where it must be approved by a two-thirds majority. If it passes the House, it would then have to be approved by a simple majority of voters in the November 2022 election.
Maryland Senate President Cosponsors Marijuana Legalization Bill. Senate Majority Leader Nancy King (D) is cosponsoring a marijuana bill, Senate Bill 708, that was introduced this week. Senate Finance Committee Vice-Chair Brian J. Feldman (D) is the lead sponsor, and he has several other powerful cosponsors, including Budget and Taxation Chair Guy J. Guzzone (D), Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair William C. Smith Jr (D), Vice-Chair Jeffrey D. Waldstreicher (D) and Senate President Bill Ferguson (D). The bill would tax and regulate marijuana sales, but also include several social equity provisions.
Oregon Marijuana Social Equity Bill Filed. A coalition of legislators has filed House Bill 3112, which is also backed by numerous marijuana companies, the NuLeaf Project, the Oregon Cannabis Association, the Oregon Retailers of Cannabis Association, the City of Portland, Urban League, and law students from Willamette University. The bill would use marijuana tax revenues to invest in communities adversely affected by decades of marijuana prohibition. The bill includes automatic expungement of past marijuana convictions, direct investment in marijuana businesses owned by minorities and people with marijuana convictions, and equity licenses with reduced fees and modified requirements for those communities.
South Dakota Lawmakers Take Up Bill to Implement Voter-Approved Marijuana Legalization. A bill designed to implement taxed and regulated marijuana commerce, House Bill 1225, was filed Wednesday. Titled "An Act to establish provisions concerning the sale of adult-use retail marijuana," the bill contains 72 separate sections addressing a wide range of rules and regulations related to recreational marijuana. Also, a bipartisan group of legislators has formed a Cannabis Caucus to study issues around managing legalization. Meanwhile, a legal challenge to the constitutionality of the voter-approved marijuana legalization initiative backed by Governor Kristi Noem (R) remains pending.
Medical Marijuana
Mississippi Medical Marijuana Bill Moves. The Senate Finance Committee has approved Senate Bill 2765, which would make medical marijuana available to people with specified debilitating and chronic diseases. Last November, voters approved a broader medical marijuana initiative, but it is being challenged in court. The bill sponsor says if the court strikes down the initiative, there will be a bill ready to replace it.
Heroin and Prescription Opioids
Big Pharma Consulting Company Agrees to Pay $573 Million for Role in "Turbocharging" Prescription Opioid Sales, McKinsey & Company, a high-end consulting firm for big corporations, including major pharmaceutical companies, has agreed to pay $573 million to settle lawsuits that charged it with "turbocharging" the sale of prescription opioids. Attorneys general in 47 states, five US territories, and the District of Columbia sued the firm, unearthing documents showing how McKinsey worked to drive up the sales of Purdue Pharma's OxyContin -- even after Purdue pleaded guilty to federal charges of misleading doctors and regulators about OxyContin's risks.
Psychedelics
Cambridge Becomes Second Massachusetts City to Move to Decriminalize Psychedelics. The Cambridge city council voted Wednesday to decriminalize a broad range of psychedelics, following in the footsteps of Somerville, which passed a similar measure last month. The Cambridge resolution called for making enforcement of laws against the use and possession the city's lowest law enforcement priority, and it calls on police to stop arresting people for possessing or using any illicit drugs.
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Virginia is on the verge of legalizing marijuana, San Antonio's prosecutors will reject especially small-time marijuana and other drug possession charges, and more.
magic mushrooms (CC)
Virginia House Votes to Legalize Marijuana. The Old Dominion took a giant step toward marijuana legalization Friday as the House of Delegates voted 55-52 to approve House Bill 2312, which would do just that. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure shortly. Governor Ralph Northam (D) supports the effort.
Psychedelics
New Jersey Governor Signs Bill Easing Penalties for Magic Mushrooms. Governor Phil Murphy (D) has signed into law Senate Bill 3256, which downgrades the possession of up to an ounce of psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) from a third degree crime to a disorderly persons offense. That means people caught with 'shrooms face only six months in jail and a $1,000 fine instead of three to five years in state prison. The new law goes into effect immediately.
Asset Forfeiture
Mississippi Civil Asset Forfeiture Bill Dies. After failing to move ahead of a legislative deadline this week, a mild civil asset forfeiture reform bill has died. Senate Bill 2326 would have required proceeds from civil asset forfeitures be used to supplement and not supplant the existing budget of the participating law enforcement agency. It was sponsored by state Senator Jeremy England (R-Vancleave).
Drug Policy
Washington State Drug Decriminalization Bill Filed. State Representatives Lauren Harris (D) and Kirsten Harris-Talley (D) filed a drug decriminalization bill, Senate Bill 1499, on Thursday. The bill would also expand treatment services for people with substance abuse disorders. "Substance disorder is among the only health conditions for which a person can be arrested for displaying symptoms," the bill says. "Treating substance disorder like a crime through arrests and incarceration further disrupts and destabilizes the lives of these individuals." The amounts of various drugs to be decriminalized is not set in the bill, but will be set by state officials later.
Law Enforcement
San Antonio DA to Reduce Drug Cases. Bexar County (San Antonio) District Attorney Joe Gonzales is enacting new policies aimed at reducing the number of drug prosecutions. Under the new policies, his office will reject any marijuana cases involving less than an ounce of marijuana as well as any other drug cases involving less than a quarter gram of the controlled substance -- unless the defendant is a danger to the community. Also, prosecutors will not accept any misdemeanor drug cases without a lab report.
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New Jersey reduces penalties for possession of psychedelic mushrooms, an Idaho medical marijuana bil lis filed, a Minnesota asset forfeiture reform bill advances, and more.
psilocybin molecule (Creative Commons)
New Jersey Deadline for Marijuana Legalization Legislation Extended. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D) last Friday bumped back a procedural deadline for gubernatorial action on two already-passed marijuana legalization implementation and decriminalization measures from Monday to February 18. Governor Phil Murphy (D) and legislative leaders are making progress on changes to those bills to address concerns raised by the governor.
South Dakota Bill to Ban Smoking Marijuana in a Motor Vehicle Gets Hearing. A bill that would ban smoking marijuana in a motor vehicle got a hearing Monday. The bill, House Bill 1061, is a response to the voter-approved marijuana legalization initiative that passed in November.
Wisconsin Governor Proposes Legalizing Marijuana. Governor Tony Evers (D) announced Sunday that he is proposing that the state legalize marijuana. Evers' plan would allow people 21 and over to possess up to two ounces and grow up to six plants, as well as set up a system of taxed and regulated marijuana commerce. Medical marijuana would be available for people 18 and over.
Medical Marijuana
Idaho Medical Marijuana Bill Filed. The House Health and Welfare Committee has filed a bill to allow for medical marijuana in the state. In a hearing Friday, witnesses including a prominent medical oncologist urged support for the legislation. No action was taken.
Pennsylvania Marijuana Workers Can't Unionize, NLRB Rules. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has squashed an attempt to unionize workers at a medical marijuana facility near Philadelphia. Workers at the AgriKind growing operation cannot be unionized because they are agricultural workers, the NLRB held. Agricultural and farm workers are usually considered to be exempt from federal labor law. The NLRB has ruled in favor of unionizing marijuana workers if their work includes packaging or delivering marijuana.
Psychedelics
New Jersey Governor Signs Bill to Reduce Penalties for Psilocybin Possession. Governor Phil Murphy (D) has signed into law A 5084 / S 3256, which reduces the penalty for people caught with small amounts of psilocybin from up to five years in state prison to a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D), who first introduced the mushroom amendment, said Thursday the change mushrooms are still illegal in New Jersey, "but it's not going to ruin lives for a first offense."
Asset Forfeiture
Minnesota Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill Advances. A bill that would limit cash seizures to amounts greater $1,500 unless drug trafficking is alleged and bar the seizure of vehicles except for repeat drunk driving offenders or vehicles used for drug trafficking -- not possession -- passed the House last Friday. HF 75 passed the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee and will now be considered by the House State Government Finance and Elections Committee.
Sentencing
Virginia Drug Defelonization Bill Killed in Committee. A bill that would have eliminated felony drug possession charges and shift the focus toward drug treatment instead of punishment, House Bill 2303, was defeated in the Committee on Courts and Justice last Friday.
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A major new marijuana reform coalition has formed, a Hawaii asset forfeiture reform bill advances, so does an Idaho medical marijuana bill, and more.
buprenorphine (Pixabay)
Major Marijuana Coalition Forms to Coordinate Legalization Push, But Some Key Advocacy Players Are Not Involved. A bunch of industry and advocacy groups have formed a new coalition, the United States Cannabis Council, to press forward on marijuana legalization. But while the group is headed by Marijuana Policy Project executive director Steven Hawkins on an interim basis, it does not include major advocacy groups such as NORML and the Drug Policy Alliance. It does include marijuana enterprises such as Acreage Holdings, Canopy Growth, Columbia Care, Cronos Group, Curaleaf, Eaze, iAnthus Capital Holdings, LivWell Enlightened Health, MedMen, PAX Labs, Schwazze, Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and Vireo.
Medical Marijuana
Idaho Medical Marijuana Bill Wins Committee Vote. A bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the state won a vote in the House Health and Welfare Committee Monday. Although sponsored by the committee, the bill was actually written by Sgt. Jeremy Kitzhaber, a US Air Force veteran with terminal cancer, who testified before the vote Monday. "I'm here to talk with you about my desire for medical cannabis to be legalized here in Idaho, with specific limitations and controls," Kitzhaber said. "I've spent years writing and editing this legislation, to make it something that would allow medical cannabis to reach those who need it, but not necessarily reach those who just want it."
Asset Forfeiture
Hawaii Senate Advances Asset Forfeiture Reform Measure. The state Senate has approved Senate Bill 294, which would end civil asset forfeiture by requiring a conviction on a felony count before seized property could be sold or otherwise disposed of. The bill would also direct proceeds from the sale of seized property to the state's general fund instead of a fund controlled by law enforcement. Gov. David Ige (D) vetoed a similar bill in 2019, citing concerns it would hinder law enforcement.
Drug Testing
Illinois Bill Would Require Drug Screening to Receive Food Stamps. A downstate Republican, Rep. Blaine Wilhour, filed HB 658 last Friday. The bill would require recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to undergo a drug screening upon being approved for benefits. The bill would also require them to agree to random drug screening while they are receiving the benefits. The bill has not yet been referred to a committee.
Drug Treatment
Lawmakers Urge Biden to Back Buprenorphine Expansion. A group of lawmakers led by led by Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and joined by four members in the House is calling on President Biden to allow more doctors to prescribe buprenorphine, a drug used for the treatment of opioid addiction. The Trump administration had loosened rules for buprenorphine prescribing, but in an early move, the Biden administration reversed that move, saying it was premature. The lawmakers are now reintroducing legislation to eliminate restrictive rules and are calling on Biden to "deliver on your promise to expand access to medication-assisted treatment."
Foreign Policy
US Prosecutors Are Investigating the Honduran President on Drug Trafficking Charges. In new court filing last Friday in the case of an indicted Honduran drug trafficker, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York said that Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and other "high-ranking officials" were targets of a drug trafficking investigation. In another filing last month, prosecutors said that by 2013 Hernandez had "accepted millions of dollars in drug trafficking proceeds" and in return had "promised drug traffickers from prosecutors, law enforcement, and extradition to the United States." Hernandez has been a key US ally in the region.
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