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CA Psychedelic Legalization Bill Advances, First Federal MJ Super PAC Formed, More... (6/28/23)

A bill in play in Guam would end the ban on SNAP benefits for drug felons, Ukraine's president calls for the legalization of medical marijuana, and more.

Psilocybin mushrooms would be legalized under a California bill that is advancing. (Creative Commons)
Marijuana Policy

Legalize America Becomes First Federal Marijuana Super PAC. Legalize America became the nation's first Super PAC devoted to reforming cannabis laws across the United States with its June 28 launch. The independent expenditure organization, created with support from leading US regulated cannabis companies, will work to raise the profile of cannabis as a national issue in the 2024 election and beyond.

"Legalize America is committed to ending cannabis prohibition and advancing expungement efforts and responsible use" said Legalize America Chair Matt Harrell of Curaleaf. "We will use all available tools -- including scorecards, endorsements and targeted independent expenditure campaigns -- to advance cannabis reform, with the goal of creating a prosperous and equitable cannabis industry."

Legalize America will partner with high-profile public figures and brands to raise funds to advance its reform agenda. The group will also explore working with industry partners to enable customers at regulated cannabis dispensaries to directly support the campaign through "round up" donations.

Drug Policy

Guam Bill Would End Ban on SNAP Benefits for Drug Offenders. Every state and national territory except for Guam and South Carolina have opted out of a punitive 1990s drug law that banned drug felons from food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), and now, Guam could be the next to opt-out. Sen. Will Parkinson has filed a bill to do just that.

"More often than not, people coming out of our prison system need some form of assistance to adjust back into society. SNAP and TAMP provide basic food assistance to those who could not otherwise afford it," the first-time policymaker said. "We have also seen how natural disasters like Typhoon Mawar have made it increasingly difficult for our people to buy necessities like food with the Disaster SNAP program currently ongoing. Thousands of people every day are lining up for assistance and those with former drug felonies should be allowed to line up with them."

The bill was approved Tuesday for a third and final reading -- yet to be scheduled -- but only after it was amended to require that drug felons receiving the benefits be subject to regular drug testing.

Portland, Oregon, Mayor Backtracks on Plan to Criminalize Public Drug use. Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) has reversed course on his plan to criminalize public drug use, acknowledging that it would have run afoul of a state law that says "a political subdivision in this state shall not adopt or enforce any local law or regulation" that makes "using cannabis or controlled substances in public" a crime.

Wheeler's plan to criminalize public drug use also contradicted the voter-approved Measure 110 drug decriminalization law, which treats possession of small amounts of drugs as a civil violation -- not a criminal offense. He said he had hoped he had found "a loophole" in Measure 110 by going after drug use instead of possession.

"Use of illicit drugs in public spaces -- especially dangerous and highly deadly substances like fentanyl -- create significant public safety and public health issues in Portland," Wheeler said Tuesday. "While Measure 110 has challenged the way cities across the state address drug use, I believe the City of Portland has an obligation to do what we can to protect our community now."

Now, Wheeler is counting on Gov. Tina Kotek (D) to sign into law a bill that would make possession of more than a gram or more than five pills of any substance containing fentanyl a Class A misdemeanor. That legislation, House Bill 2645, has already passed the legislature.

Psychedelics

California Psychedelic Legalization Bill Advances in Assembly. A bill to legalize the use and possession of small amounts of certain psychedelics, Senate Bill 58, has already passed the Senate and on Tuesday, it was approved by the Assembly Public Safety Committee on a 5-2 vote. It now goes to the Assembly Health Committee before heading for an Assembly floor vote.

The bill was amended by the committee to delay implementation of the legalization of facilitated use of psychedelics until a regulated framework for that activity is developed, and Wiener said he will work with the Health Committee to "flesh out requirements" in that regard.

The bill would legalize the "possession, preparation, obtaining, transfer, as specified, or transportation of" specific amounts of psilocybin, psilocyn, DMT, ibogaine and mescaline for personal or facilitated use. Non-plant-based psychedelics, such as LSD and MDMA, are not covered by the bill.

International

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for medical marijuana to be legalized. "In particular, we must finally fairly legalize cannabis-based medicine for everyone who needs it. Relevant scientific research and controlled Ukrainian production," he said.

The Ministry of Health reported last summer that the Cabinet of Ministers supported a draft medical marijuana law. With the president and the cabinet behind it, the legislature should act on it relatively quickly.

FDA Issues First Guidance on Psychedelics, Fed Ban on DC Pot Sales Advances Again, More... (6/26/23)

A pair of senators file a bill to allow Mexican troops to be trained by the US military to fight drug cartels, the FDA issues its first draft guidance on psychedelics, and more.

GOP presidential contender Ron DeSantis does not want to free the weed. (florida.gov)
Marijuana Policy

Federal Ban on DC Weed Sales Advancing Again in This Congress. A Fiscal Year 2024 spending bill that includes a ban on legal marijuana sales within the District of Columbia advanced in Congress last week. The spending bill was approved last Thursday by the House Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee. The ban on DC weed sales was included as a rider to the spending bill, a move Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) denounced as "outrageous."

DC voters approved marijuana legalization in 2014, but Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) has used riders ever since to block the District from allowing sales by barring the use of any federal funds to do so. The riders survived even when Democrats controlled the House and now, under Republican control of the House, is included in the base spending bill.

Ron DeSantis Says He Would Not Decriminalize Marijuana if Elected President. President Ron DeSantis would not decriminalize marijuana, Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said at a campaign event last Thursday. DeSantis was responding to a question from a person representing wounded veterans who asked him to "please" decriminalize the plant.

"I don't think we would do that," DeSantis responded, then pointed to Florida'' medical marijuana program, saying it "actually allowed access" for veterans to use marijuana, but that it was "controversial because obviously there's some people that abuse it and are using it recreationally."

He also made familiar claims about marijuana potency and repeated unfounded assertions that marijuana is being adulterated by other drugs such as fentanyl.

Psychedelics

FDA Issues First Draft Guidance on Clinical Trials with Psychedelic Drugs. The US Food and Drug Administration last Friday published a new draft guidance to highlight fundamental considerations to researchers investigating the use of psychedelic drugs for potential treatment of medical conditions, including psychiatric or substance use disorders. This is the first FDA draft guidance that presents considerations to industry for designing clinical trials for psychedelic drugs.

There has been growing interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs in recent years. They are being evaluated for use in the potential treatment of conditions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders and other conditions. However, designing clinical studies to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of these compounds presents a number of unique challenges that require careful consideration.

The purpose of the draft guidance is to advise researchers on study design and other considerations as they develop medications that contain psychedelics. Within the draft guidance, the term psychedelics refers to "classic psychedelics," typically understood to be drugs such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) that act on the brain's serotonin system, as well as "entactogens" or "empathogens" such as methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).

Foreign Policy

Cornyn, King Introduce Bill to Increase US-Mexico Military Cooperation to Combat Cartels. US Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced the Partnership for Advancing Regional Training and Narcotics Enforcement Response Strategies (PARTNERS) Act, which would allow the Department of Defense (DoD) to train Mexican military forces in the United States to combat cartels in Mexico.

The PARTNERS Act would create a military-to-military pilot program through the DoD to bring Mexican military forces to the US to receive tactical training that they can employ in Mexico to counter transnational criminal organizations (TCO), including cartels, weapons dealers, drug traffickers, and human smugglers.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's 501(c)(4) lobbying nonprofit, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this website. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)

Aaron Rodgers Calls for Psychedelic Legalization, PA MedMJ Bill Package Advances, More... (6/22/23)

A House committee has approved a defense spending bill with a pair of drug provisions, the Maine Senate kills a safe injection site bill but offers a study substitute, and more.

Pennsylvania is moving to liberalize its medical marijuana program. (Creative Commons)
Medical Marijuana

House Committee Approves Medical Marijuana, Psychedelic Study Amendments to Military Appropriations Bill. The House Armed Services Committee approved the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday after first accepting amendments to create a medical marijuana pilot program and mandate a study into the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics for active-duty military members.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) offered the medical marijuana amendment, which would create a pilot program studying the health impacts of marijuana use by veterans and service members who are Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients. The program would be limited to VA patients suffering from PTSD, depression or anxiety, or who have been prescribed pain management.

Rep Morgan Luttrell (R-TX offered the therapeutic psychedelic amendment.

Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Expansion Bill Package Advances. The Senate Law and Justice Committee has approved a package of bills that would broaden the state's medical marijuana program, including permitting the sale of edibles and removing the need to have a specified qualifying condition. The package won on a near-unanimous vote. The package now heads for a Senate floor vote.

Psychedelics

At Psychedelic Science Conference, NFL Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Calls for Psychedelic Legalization. NFL quarterback and ayahuasca aficionado Aaron Rodgers advocated for psychedelic legalization as he addressed the Psychedelic Science conference in Denver Wednesday.

"Is it not ironic that the things that actually expand your mind are illegal and the things that keep you in the lower chakras and dumb you down have been legal for centuries?" said Rodgers.

He also discussed his use of ayahuasca, calling it "radically life-changing" and said many pro athletes had reached out to him after he spoke out earlier about his experiences. "The response from other people in the sports industry has been incredible. To see basketball players and baseball players and surfers, entertainers and my own teammates and colleagues across the league reach out and either share their story about their own medicine journey or ask to be a part of an upcoming one was pretty special."

Harm Reduction

Maine Senate Kills Safe Injection Site Bill. The Senate on Wednesday killed a bill that would have allowed for safe injection sites, but advanced a different version of the bill that would require Gov. Janet Mills (D) to create a study group the issue before deciding on whether to allow them. Gov. Mills has opposed safe injection sites.

Psychedelic Science Conference Is On in Denver, Colombia Senate Rejects Weed Legalization, More... (6/21/23)

A marijuana legalization bill is rolled out in three Australian states, Donald Trump reiterates his call for the death penalty for drug dealers, and more.

Donald Trump was talking death penalty for drug dealers again, but apparently had not thought it through. (CC/Gage Skidmore)
Psychedelics

Largest Psychedelic Conference Ever Is On In Denver This Week. This year's Psychedelic Science conference is happening this week in downtown Denver. Sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies and soap maker Dr. Bronner's, it is being billed as the "largest psychedelic conference in history." Some 10,000 people are expected to attend, as well as 300 exhibitors. guests include New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, musical artist Melissa Etheridge, co-founder of Whole Foods John Mackey, and National Institute of Mental Health director Joshua Gordon.

The five-day event includes dozens of panels pondering everything from the possibilities of psychedelics on mental health to new business opportunities, greater community impacts and how these substances fit into religion. Some researchers will announce results from their clinical trials.

MAPS founder and president Rick Doblin said Denver was a natural fit for the event. "Denver has been a pioneer in this whole area," he said, alluding to the city's status as the first major city to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms in 2019 and Colorado's status as the second state (behind Oregon) to decriminalize them. "We felt mainly that the political environment and facilities were ideal."

Drug Policy

Trump Again Calls for Death Penalty for Drug Dealers, Is Reminded it Would Have Applied to Woman He Pardoned. Former president and current criminal defendant and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reiterated his call for the death penalty for drug dealers in an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier. Baier noted that the policy would have applied to Alice Johnson, who Trump granted clemency as she served a long sentence on cocaine distribution charges.

"But she'd be killed under your plan," Baier noted.

"Huh?" Trump responded.

"As a drug dealer," Baier replied.

"No, no, no. Oh, under that? It would depend on the severity," Trump added.

Trump also suggested that Johnson would not have committed her crime if the death penalty had been hanging over her.

"She wouldn't have done it, if it was death penalty," Trump said. "In other words, if it was death penalty, she wouldn't have been on that phone call."

International

Australia Sees Marijuana Legalization Bills Pushed Simultaneously in Three States. A marijuana legalization bill, the Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis Bill 2023, was introduced simultaneously in the state parliaments of New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia on Tuesday. It was a nationally coordinated move by the Legalize Cannabis Party.

The bill is modeled on the law in the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra), which decriminalized pot possession and allowed adults to grow up to two plants in 2020, but are a bit more expansive.

"The Bill… will allow households to grow up to six plants, for that cannabis to be (gifted and) shared, and for the trade in seeds," said Legalize Cannabis NSW MP Jeremy Buckingham. It also allows for the possession of up to 50 grams of marijuana.

The bills will not pass in any of the states without major party support, which has so far been lacking.

Colombia Senate Rejects Marijuana Legalization in Final Vote. The Senate on Tuesday defeated a marijuana legalization bill on its final vote just as the legislative session came to an end. The bill won a majority of votes cast -- 47 to 43 -- but fell short of the 54 votes needed for final passage.

Bill backers vowed to bring it back: "I don't consider this a defeat; we have taken a giant step, four years of putting such a controversial issue at the top of the public agenda, of the public debate," Liberal Party Senator Juan Carlos Losada, who presented the bill, said, adding that it would be introduced again in the next legislative session. "Continuing to leave a substance that is legal in the hands of the drug traffickers and drug dealers is detrimental to the children of Colombia and detrimental to the country's democracy," Losada said.

Colombia decriminalized the possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana and the cultivation of up to 20 plants in 1986 and legalized the use of medical marijuana more recently, but former President Alvaro Uribe put marijuana prohibition in the Constitution, which is why it needed eight debates over two years instead of the normal four. It got through seven of them this time.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's 501(c)(4) lobbying nonprofit, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this website. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)

NCAA Panel Recommends Ending Weed Testing, UK Policing Minister Okay with Heroin for Addicts, More... (6/20/23)

The Wisconsin Supreme Court uses an outdated precedent to rule that the odor of marijuana is enough for a police search, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler wants to clean up the streets by criminalizing public drug use, and more.

Portland. The mayor wants to make public drug use a crime. (Creative Commons)
Marijuana Policy

NCAA Panel Recommends Dropping Marijuana from Banned Drugs List. The NCAA's Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport proposed Friday that marijuana should be removed from the group's list of banned drugs and that drug testing should be limited to performance enhancing drugs.

The NCAA has conducted drug tests at championship events since 1986, but the committee recommended halting marijuana testing at such events until a final decision is made, probably in the fall.

After the committee's recommendation, all three of the NCAA's divisions will have to approve the move. Divisions II and III had sought a committee decision on the issue.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Reverses Lower Court, Holds that Odor of Marijuana is Sufficient to Justify Police Searches. Even though the state has legalized CBD products with an odor indistinguishable from that of marijuana, the state's conservative Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the odor of marijuana in a vehicle is probable cause for police to search a person in that vehicle.

In so doing, the Supreme Court cited a 1999 court decision that held police were justified in searching a driver because of the smell of marijuana, but dissenting justices in the 4-3 decision, saying the 1999 decision was outdated because it did not account for the legalization of substances that smelled like marijuana. "Officers who believe they smell marijuana coming from a vehicle may just as likely be smelling raw or smoked hemp, which is not criminal activity," Justice Rebecca Frank Dallet wrote in the dissent.

Drug Policy

Portland, Oregon, Mayor Has Plans to Criminalize Public Drug Use. Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) is drafting a municipal ordinance to make the public consumption of hard drugs a crime. After voters decriminalized drug possession statewide in 2020, public drug use on the city's streets has exploded, angering downtown businesses and property owners.

Under decriminalization, the biggest penalty for drug possession is a $100 fine. Portland police initially tended not to act against people with drugs, but have begun handing out more of those fines to drug users downtown. How Wheeler can criminalize drug use under decriminalization is unclear. A spokesman for Wheeler said more details would be released "mid-next week."

International

British Policing Minister Calls for Free Daily Heroin Injections for Addicts. Tory Policing Commissioner Chris Philip is backing calls to provide heroin to addicts, saying the move would be "cost effective" and cut drug-related crime. He is supporting injectable opioid treatment (IOT), under which treatment-resistant addicts are given twice daily injections of heroin. In a pilot program in Middlesbrough, a 98 percent reduction in street drug use was observed, albeit at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"The cost-effectiveness of IOT programs, despite high up-front costs, has been demonstrated," Philip said.

But the Home Office does not appear to be listening to the policing minister, responding to his remarks by saying, "We published a ten-year drugs strategy last month which will support recovery, as well as a tougher response to criminal supply chains."

AR Judge Voids Laws Altering MedMJ Law, EU Releases Annual Drug Report, More... (6/16/23)

There are signals that a federal marijuana rescheduling decision will be reached this year, a Senate bill to crack down on drug cartel use of social media wins a committee vote, and more.

Europe is being flooded with cocaine. Spanish authorities caught this batch in 2014. (minisdef.es)
Marijuana Policy

Top Biden Official Says Marijuana Rescheduling Decision Will Go to President This Year. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra said Thursday that the department is working to present a marijuana rescheduling decision to President Biden "this year." Agencies are working "as quickly as we can" to complete the administrative review, Becerra added.

"What I can tell you is that the president instructed us at HHS -- FDA in particular -- to take a look at how we treat marijuana to see if we can update our review of marijuana as a drug and how we can make sure how we treat it going forward on the federal level," Becerra told Marijuana Moment. "Places like California have already changed the laws, the federal government has not, and so we've been instructed and we're underway with that review as we speak."

The administration is under pressure from lawmakers as well as activists and the industry to get the job done even as Congress works on incremental marijuana law reforms, such as giving marijuana businesses access to the banking history.

Medical Marijuana

Arkansas Judge Throws Out Slew of Laws Modifying Voter-Approved Medical Marijuana Law. Pulaski County Judge Morgan "Chip" Welch on Wednesday threw out 27 laws adopted by the legislature to modify the Amendment 98 medical marijuana initiative approved by voters in 2016. Welch deemed the laws unconstitutional because they made changes to Amendment 98 without letting residents vote on them, which is required by state law.

The voided laws include one barring the use of telemedicine for patients to get a written certification, one prohibiting National Guard members from being caregivers, one that added criminal background checks and changed "excluded felony offenses," one that regulated advertising, one that allowed for the transfer of licenses among dispensaries and cultivation companies, and many, many more.

Drug Policy

Senate Homeland Security Committee Approves Bill to Crack Down on Cartel Recruitment and Smuggling on Social Media. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee today approved bipartisan legislation offered by the Border Management Subcommittee Ranking Member Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Chair Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ). The Combating Cartels on Social Media Act (S. 61) aims to crack down on cartels that recruit teenagers through social media to conduct smuggling and trafficking.

Lankford accused big social media companies of "pick[ing] and choos[ing] which illegal activities they like and which they do not like, and clearly, they like people illegally crossing the US border. Social media companies need to be held accountable for turning their heads to human trafficking at the cost of human lives."

Sinema accused the companies of effectively helping the cartels recruit teenagers on both sides of the border.

The bill would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to analyze cartels' illicit usage of social media and establishes a process for technology companies to voluntarily report cartel recruitment efforts in the US to DHS and state and local partners.

International

European Union Drug Report Finds Continent Exposed to More Drugs Than Ever. In its annual report released Friday, the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) finds that the availability of illicit drugs remains high and that people on the continent are being exposed "to a wider range of psychoactive substances."

The report noted massive increases in drug seizures between 2011 and 2021, led by cocaine (up 416 percent), marijuana (up 260 percent), meth (up 135 percent) and MDMA ( up 123 percent).

The report found that, though there is demand for these drugs within the EU, "it is likely that increases in quantities seized reflect, at least partially, the larger role played by Europe as a place of production, export and transit for these drugs."

"Almost everything with psychoactive properties can appear on the drug market, often mislabeled or in mixtures. This is why illicit drugs can affect everyone, whether directly through use, or indirectly, through their impact on families, communities, institutions and businesses," EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel said in a statement.

"While western and southern Europe remain the main markets for cocaine, there are signs of cocaine consumption becoming increasingly more common in cities in eastern Europe -- indicating that the cocaine retail market is also developing in other regions. In terms of high-risk opioid use, the countries with the highest number of users per 1,000 inhabitants are Italy, Austria, France, Greece, Spain and Germany," wrote Teodora Groshkova, principal scientific analyst at EMCDDA and Gregorio Planchuelo, database management development officer at EMCDDA.

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill Advances in House, RI House Passes Psilocybin Decriminalization, More... (6/15/23)

Oklahoma's governor vetoes a medical marijuana regulation bill, Texas's governor signs into law a bill allowing murder prosecutions for fentanyl overdose deaths, and more.

Texas will now allow prosecutors to seek murder charges in cases of fentanyl overdoses. (Creative Commons)
Medical Marijuana

Oklahoma Governor Vetoes Medical Marijuana Regulation Bill. Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has vetoed a bill that would have imposed more regulations on the state's medical marijuana industry, Senate Bill 437. Among other provisions, the bill would have required the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority to maintain a registry of physicians recommending medical marijuana and would have required dispensary workers to comply with continuing education requirements. Stitt did not issue a veto message or give any other indication of why he vetoed the bill.

Opiates and Opioids

Texas Governor Signs into Law Bill Allowing Murder Charges for Fentanyl-Related Overdose Deaths. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Wednesday signed into law House Bill 6, which increases penalties for selling and distributing fentanyl and allows prosecutors to seek murder charges for fentanyl makers or sellers if someone dies as a result of a fentanyl overdose.

"Fentanyl is an epidemic that very simply, is taking too many lives," Abbott said during the bill signing ceremony. "Because of the courageous partnership of grieving family members Texas legislators and our office, we are enshrining into law today new protections that will save lives in Texas."

The legislature's commitment to saving lives of fentanyl users only goes so far, though. A bill that would have legalized fentanyl test strips died in the Senate after passing the House.

Psychedelics

Rhode Island House Approves Psilocybin Decriminalization Bill. The House on Monday approved House Bill 5923, which would decriminalize the possession of personal use amounts of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms. The bill would also allow for the therapeutic use of psilocybin to treat chronic mental disorders if the Food & Drug Administration approves it.

"This is a step toward addressing mental health treatment in a modern way based on evidence and research," said bill sponsor Rep. Brandon Potter (D). "Psilocybin can be used safely, both recreationally and therapeutically, and for our veterans and neighbors who are struggling with chronic PTSD, depression and addiction, it can be a valuable treatment tool. Adults in our state deserve the freedom to decide for themselves and have access to every treatment possible, rather than have our state criminalize a natural, non-addictive, effective remedy."

The bill would allow people to possess up to one ounce of psychedelic mushrooms or grow mushrooms containing psilocybin at home for personal use. It would also require the Rhode Island Department of Health to create rules for the use of psychedelic mushrooms.

Companion legislation, Senate Bill 0806, awaits action in the Senate.

Asset Forfeiture

House Judiciary Committee Approves Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved HR 1525, the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration (FAIR) Act, clearing the way for a House floor vote on the measure.

Sponsored by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Tim Walberg (R-MI), the act would increase the burden of proof on law enforcement and prosecutors to show that the seized property is related to criminal activity. It would also shorten the time authorities have to return seized goods. And it eliminates administrative forfeiture, forcing law enforcement to seek a court order before seizing property.

"This can create a perverse incentive to seize and sell the private property of potentially innocent citizens to increase agency revenues, despite some states' efforts to protect property rights," Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) said. "The result is a system that unjustly infringes on the liberties of innocent American citizens."

MA Natural Psychedelic Bills Get Hearing, Big Rise in Psychedelic Use in Young Adults, More... (5/14/23)

Alabama issues its first medical marijuana licenses, the British Home Office is messing with festival drug checking, and more.

Magic mushrooms -- objects of medical, legislative, and recreational interest. (Creative Commons)
Medical Marijuana

Alabama Awards First Medical Marijuana Licenses. The state Medical Cannabis Commission on Monday awarded 16 licenses for the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana, leaving four out of five applicants out of luck. But there are more licenses to come.

The commission can grant up to 12 licenses for cultivation, four for processing, and four for retail sales. It can also grant up to five licenses for integrated facilities (combined cultivation, processing, and distribution operations), each of which can operate up to five dispensaries.

"To the recipients, let me say that we look forward to working with you in a partnership manner in which all you know what lies ahead," said John McMillan, the Commission's director.

The legislature approved medical marijuana in 2021, but a bill authorizing the program did not allow for licenses to be issued until September 2022. But the Medical Cannabis Commission only began accepting applications late last year.

Psychedelics

Massachusetts Psychedelic Reform Bills Get Hearing. The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing Tuesday on several psychedelic reform bills.

House Bill 3589, from Rep. Nicholas Boldyga (R), would legalize plant medicines for people 21 and over, while House Bill 1754 and Senate Bill 1009, from Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa (D) and Sen. Pat Jehlen (D), respectively, would expand the use of plant medicines to people 18 and over.

"Massachusetts has the opportunity to lead the way in the mental health revolution," Boldyga said. "It's been said an idea whose time has arrived cannot be stopped... I believe that time is now for these life-saving plant medicines as a new paradigm in how we view, and understand, and treat mental health is upon us."

No votes were taken.

Dramatic Rise in Hallucinogen Use Among Young Adults. Based on the results of the annual Monitoring the Future survey of young adults, researchers are reporting that the use of psychedelics other than LSD had nearly doubled between 2018 and 2021. Past-year use of psychedelics was 3.4 percent in 2018, jumping to 6.6 percent in 2021. During the same period, LSD use was fairly stable, rising from 3.7 percent in 2018 to 4.2 percent in 2021.

"While non-LSD hallucinogen use remains substantially less prevalent than use of substances such as alcohol and cannabis, a doubling of prevalence in just three years is a dramatic increase and raises possible public health concerns," coauthor Megan Patrick, PhD, with the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor, said in a news release.

International

British Home Office Blocked Festival Drug Checking Last Weekend. British festival organizers are raising cries of alarm after the Home Office blocked drug checking at the Parklife festival in Manchester last weekend because it said festival organizers needed to apply for a special license to provide drug checking services, a proven harm reduction intervention.

It was the first time drug checking did not take place at the festival since 2014 and it happened because the Home Office suddenly introduced the separate licensing requirement.

"Events at this year's Parklife are extremely worrying for everyone in the industry, and even more importantly festivalgoers," said Melvin Benn, the managing director of Festival Republic, which runs Leeds and Reading festivals. "If festival organizers fear their safeguarding measures will be pulled at the 11th hour, then how can we guarantee the wellbeing of our guests?"

In a terse response to criticism, the Home Office said: "Anyone interested in undertaking lawful activities involving the possession, supply or production of controlled drugs, including those who wish to provide drug testing services, need to apply for a Home Office license. Festival organizers in consultation with local partners are responsible for decisions relating to drug testing at festivals. We will continue an open dialogue with prospective licensees throughout the festival season."

But festival organizers say it can take more than three months and more than $3,000 to get a Home Office license.

NV Lawmakers Approve Legal Pot Reform Bill, Peru Blows Up Cocaine Air Strips, More... (6/13/23)

Missouri NORML is threatening recalcitrant rural counties with court orders over their failure to get expungements done, a pair of senators file a bill to fight Mexican cartels by increasing southbound inspections near the border, and more.

Futile pursuits. Peruvian troops blow up a clandestine air strip used in the cocaine trade. (Peru Interior Ministry)
Missouri NORML Threatens Court Order Against Counties for Failing to Meet Expungement Deadline. Last Thursday was the deadline for counties to expunge all misdemeanor marijuana cases, but several rural counties failed to meet that deadline, and now Missouri NORML is threatening to seek a court order to force them do so.

The expungement provision was part of last November's Amendment 3 marijuana legalization initiative, but some of those counties have made little or no effort to comply, said Missouri NORML spokesman Dan Viets. "Many rural counties did not have a majority in favor of Article 14. In some cases, I think we are seeing a reflection of that fact in the reluctance of county officials to follow the constitution. Once the deadline has passed, there certainly is a basis for seeking a court order that the lower courts comply with the constitution. This is not a discretionary matter. It's not a matter of choice. It's a matter of mandate."

Nevada Legislature Approves Omnibus Marijuana Reform Bill. Lawmakers last week gave final approval to an omnibus marijuana law reform bill, Senate Bill 277, and sent it to the desk of Gov. Joe Lombardo (R). The bill revises upward the amount of weed a person can buy or possess from one ounce to 2.5 ounces and doubles the amount of allowable concentrates from one-eighth ounce to one-quarter ounce. The bill also gives medical marijuana dispensaries new flexibility to serve adult use customers.

Drug Policy

Senators Hassan, Lankford Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Drug Cartels by Increasing Southbound Border Inspections US Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and James Lankford (R-OK), both members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to increase inspections of traffic going from the US to Mexico, which would help combat the flow of illicit firearms and money that fuel drug cartels.

"Shutting down drug cartels requires disrupting the supply chains that bring illicit guns and cartel profits from the US to Mexico," Senator Hassan said. "By significantly increasing inspections of southbound traffic at the Southern border, this bipartisan legislation will crack down on fentanyl and other drug trafficking and help save lives. I will continue working to address the opioid crisis that is devastating New Hampshire and urge my colleagues to join this important legislation."

Specifically, the bipartisan Enhancing Southbound Inspections to Combat Cartels Act would:

1. Require that at least 20 percent of southbound vehicles are inspected, to the extent practicable.

2. Authorize at least 500 additional Customs and Border Protection officers to assist with southbound inspections.

3. Authorize at least 100 additional Homeland Security Investigations agents.

4. Authorize 50 additional x-ray inspection systems for southbound inspections.

International

Peru Blows Up Clandestine Air Strips Used in Cocaine Trade. The government of embattled President Dina Boluarte continues to wage the war on drugs, proudly reporting that authorities have destroyed 18 clandestine air strips used to move coca leaf and cocaine from the Peruvian jungle into neighboring countries and Europe. The Peruvian National Police say their goal is destroy 30 air strips by year's end.

"The majority of these airstrips are located in very remote places and are guarded by heavily armed men. They generally extent more than 1 kilometer," said Pedro Yaranga, a Peruvian narcotrafficking and terrorism expert. "Most of the narco planes come from Bolivia. They also send drugs to Paraguay and some border areas of Brazil, with Europe as the final destination."

The strips were destroyed in the departments of Pasco, Huánuco, and Ucayali, where authorities also deployed monitoring and intelligence operations.

Call for Clemency for Crack Cocaine Prisoners, US Citizen Arrested on Drug Charges in Moscow, More... (6/12/23)

Florida's attorney general has a couple more weeks to try to take down a marijuana legalization initiative, Jammu & Kashmir cracks down on opium cultivation, and more.

The Mexican military is under scrutiny for the apparent execution of five men in Nuevo Laredo. (Creative Commons)
Marijuana Policy

Florida Supreme Court Grants Attorney General Two-Week Extension to Submit Brief Opposing Marijuana Legalization Initiative. The state Supreme Court last Friday granted Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) a two-week extension to submit her brief opposing the marijuana legalization constitutional amendment from Smart & Safe Florida. The initiative campaign has already gathered enough valid voter signatures to qualify for the November 2024 ballot, but Moody will argue that it violates the state's constitution's single-subject rule for ballot measures.

Clemency and Pardon

Faith and Justice Organizations Urge Biden to Grant Clemency for People Sentenced Under Crack Cocaine Guidelines. Thirteen faith and justice organizations have sent a letter to President Biden urging him to grant clemency to people convicted of federal crack cocaine offenses. The signers include the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) and Drug Policy Alliance, while faith organizations include the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Multifaith Initiative to End Mass Incarceration and the National Council of Churches.

"It is unacceptable that we know of glaring injustices in our criminal legal system, but see little action from those with the responsibility to change the law," the organizations wrote. "[Y]ou have the power of executive clemency to grant pardons and commutations to thousands of people impacted by unjustly punitive crack cocaine sentencing guidelines."

Under the 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act, enacted in a moral panic after the cocaine overdose death of basketball star Len Bias, a person found with five grams of crack faced the same sentence as one found with 500 grams of powder cocaine, a 100:1 sentencing disparity, even though there is no chemical difference between the two forms of the drug. The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 reduced the disparity to 18:1 and under President Biden's direction, and prosecutors were instructed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to not automatically charge crack and powder cocaine offenses differently.

Still, "[t]housands of people are serving out harsh, unjustifiable sentences because of the crack disparity, while thousands of others still face legal discrimination from governments, landlords, and employers because of a criminal record for a federal crack conviction."

Foreign Policy

US Musician Arrested on Drug Charges in Russia. Travis Michael Leake, a US citizen long resident in Moscow who has been involved in the music scene in the Russian capital, has been arrested on drug charges as the US and Russia face their deepest diplomatic crisis in a generation. He appeared in court Saturday on drug trafficking charges "involving young people" and will be held behind bars at least until August 6, when he faces his next court appearance.

The State Department said officials were aware of reports that a US citizen was detained in Moscow, adding that the department "has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad." The agency declined to provide further details, citing privacy considerations.

Leake becomes at least the third US national to be arrested in Russia since the Russian military invaded Ukraine in February 2022, after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and WNBA star Brittney Griner. Griner was released in a prisoner swap after serving nearly a year in a Russian prison, while Gershkovich remains behind bars awaiting trial.

International

Jammu and Kashmir in Crackdown on Opium Cultivation. Law enforcement authorities have destroyed 150 acres of opium poppy crops since April 2023 as part of the government's "act tough policy" against a rising "drug menace."

"On a vast scale, we have damaged the poppy crop. Eighteen FIRs [investigative files] have been recorded thus far this year. Majority of the poppy is grown in Kulgam and other districts of south Kashmir, where our teams are constantly monitoring the situation," said Excise Commissioner Pankaj Sharma. "We are taking action as well as destroying the poppy wherever it is being cultivated to send a deterrent to people indulging in this thing."

The law enforcement agencies continue to combat the problem of illegal marijuana and opium growing at a local level. "Under the NDPS Act [drug law], we are arresting people found indulging in drug trafficking as well as cultivation of poppy," a Police official said. "Drug traffickers will be dealt with harshly, and no one will be spared. According to the NDPS Act, we will begin attaching the property of drug traffickers."

Mexican Soldiers Caught on Video Executing Five Alleged Cartel Members Will Face Military Justice, Defense Department Says. Mexico's defense department announced Saturday that 16 soldiers will face military charges in the killing of five men in the border city of Nuevo Laredo last month. They are being held in a military prison in Mexico City and face charges of violating "military discipline" in the executions, which were caught on security camera video.

The military trial is independent of any charges that could be brought by civilian prosecutors. Under Mexican law, soldiers accused of abusing civilians must be tried in civilian courts, but can also be tried in military tribunals.

"Apparently this was an execution, and that cannot be permitted," President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Wednesday during his daily news briefing. "Those responsible are about to be turned over to the appropriate authorities. "This incident is the second mass killing of civilians by the military in Nuevo Laredo this year. On February 26, soldiers shot and killed five young men riding in a vehicle who were unarmed. Angry neighbors then attacked the soldiers, beating some of them. Federal prosecutors have filed homicide against four soldiers in that case."

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