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Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what's happening in the world of legalized marijuana. This week, lawmakers considered blocking the administration's move to reschedule cannabis. Virginia began the move to a retail market. Supporters of a petition to rescind legalization in Maine were given the green light to lie when collecting signatures. And finally, welcome to High January.
RESCHEDULING
Two Senators offered an amendment blocking the administration's move to reschedule cannabis to a Justice Department appropriations bill. James Lankford (R-OK) and (ironically) Ted Budd (R-NC) offered this language to the measure:
"None of the funds made available by this division may be used to transfer marijuana, as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802), from schedule I of section 202(c) of that Act (21 U.S.C. 812(c)) to another schedule of that section."
The Senate voted 82-15 to pass the funding measure without amendments, so rescheduling remains alive.
VIRGINIA
Could this be the year that Virginia institutes a retail market for adult-use cannabis? Yes it could. With a new governor comes a new attitude towards legal sales, and the grass is not growing under legislators' feet. Del. Paul Krizek (D-Fairfax) has introduced a bill that would allow for legal sales beginning November 1 of this year.
MAINE
Petitions to rescind cannabis legalization seem to be all the rage this year, and some signature collectors have been hazy with the details when asking for voters to sign on the line. In Maine, where proponents of a rescission initiative have been telling potential signers that the proposal would merely regulate the market (when in fact, it would eliminate it entirely), Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said her hands are tied. "You have a right to lie under the First Amendment. So, I do not have authority to take any enforcement action over the truth of what is being said." The bottom line is: don't sign anything for anyone until you read it.
AND FINALLY
Many people decide to give alcohol a pass the first month of the year. When a trend has a catchy name, in this case, Dry January, you know it's caught on. Now, those who'd like to pass on the booze, but still take the edge off, are embracing High January with THC beverages replacing alcohol at home and at events.
Be well everyone – we'll see you next week.
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