Medical Marijuana Update

Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Grassley file a CBD research bill, Detroit has been moving against unpermitted dispensaries, and more.

Last Thursday, a pair of prohibitoinist senators filed a CBD research bill. Two of the Senate's most ardent prohibitionists, International Narcotics Control caucus leaders Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) filed a bill to expand research into the medical benefits of cannabidiol and marijuana. The bill has not yet been assigned a number, nor is the text available on the congressional website, but the text can be viewed here. Feinstein authored a similar bill last session that went nowhere.

Arkansas

On Tuesday, state regulators delayed voting on final rules for another week. The state Medical Marijuana Commission needs another week to finalize some rules, commission Chairwoman Dr. Ronda Henry-Tillman said. If it indeed finalizes rules next week, applications for medical marijuana businesses will open up on June 30.

Michigan

As of Monday, Detroit has closed 167 unpermitted dispensaries, with more to come. The city's crackdown on illegally operating dispensaries has seen 167 of them shuttered since the campaign began last year, and another 51 are in line to be closed in coming weeks, according to Detroit corporation counsel Melvin Butch Hollowell. The city had identified 283 illegally operating dispensaries and has a goal of reducing the number of dispensaries in the city to 50.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, 'visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]