Chronicle AM: ND MJ Initiative Can Seek Signatures, Sen. Hatch Decries MedMJ Obstacles, More... (12/18/17)

A Republican grandee complains about obstacles to medical marijuana research, a Florida judge will take up the state's ban on smoking medical marijuana, a North Dakota marijuana legalization initiative is approved for signature gathering, and more.

North Dakota Legalization Initiative Approved for Signature Gathering. Secretary of State Al Jaeger said last Friday that a marijuana legalization initiative has been approved for signature gathering. Now, activists will have until July 9 to gather a minimum of 13,452 qualified voter signatures. If that happens, the measure will appear on the November 2018.

Medical Marijuana

Orrin Hatch Decries Obstacles to Medical Marijuana Research. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) told the Deseret News last Friday he supports research into medical marijuana and condemns the federal "regulatory acrobatics" required of researchers who want to study the plant. "Under current law, those who want to complete research on the benefits of medical marijuana must engage in a complex application process and interact with several federal agencies… The longer researchers have to wait, the longer patients have to suffer," Hatch said through his spokesman. Hatch is the sponsor of the Marijuana Effective Drug Study (MEDS) Act of 2017 (Senate Bill 1803), which aims to reduce research barriers.

Florida Judge Will Hear Marijuana Smoking Case. State Circuit Court Judge Karen Gievers announced last Friday that she will hear arguments over a lawsuit that challenges a new rule barring the smoking of medical marijuana. The hearing is set for January 25. As the USA Herald drily noted, "The conservative legislature is often caught between what is, clearly, the will of their constituents and the presumed traditionalism of their constituents."

Guam Medical Marijuana Program Rules Get Hearing. Guamanian lawmakers will hold a public hearing on the updated rules and regulations for the US territory's medical marijuana program Monday. The hearing will cover markups to Bill 210, which is set to adopt rules written by the Department of Public Health and Social Services.