CCMA Political greenBrief
Thursday, February 21, 2019
www.cannabismanufacturers.org
According To BDS Analytics, Legal Retailers In California Still Face Cost Disadvantages Compared To The Illicit Market.
“In light of the aforementioned state enforcement actions and the resulting confusion, we are calling on FDA to swiftly provide guidance on lawful pathways for food products with CBD. Furthermore, numerous states are pursuing legislative efforts that would allow for the intrastate commerce of food products with CBD, potentially leading to a patchwork of state regulations.”A Letter From A Bipartisan Group Of Members Of Congress To FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb
“It started in the liberal states. There was a big political shift there that has since shifted to more conservative, battleground states — specifically when it comes to medical marijuana. Even the majority of Republicans now support some form of legalization. That’s a rapid political shift among individuals that’s now being captured in state policy and brought to the national level.”Daniel Mallinson, Assistant Professor Of Public Policy & Administration At Penn State, On The Attitude Shift In Congress On Legalization
EVENT: Cannabis Drinks Expo on July 25th (San Francisco – Cannabis Events)
On Thursday, July 25th, join CCMA and the Beverage Trade Network for the first Cannabis Drinks Expo in San Francisco. This will be the first time that drink producers, manufacturers, brand owners, distilleries, and brewers can look at the benefits of legal cannabis. The Cannabis Drinks Expo will help you grow your business, network with professionals and learn about new trends and market forecasts.
https://cannabisdrinksexpo.com/
S.F. Approves Its First Equity Program Dispensary (CA – Equity Programs)
SF Weekly (February 20, 2019) When San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors established the program in November 2017 as part of a larger set of rules created to guide the local legalized market, it’s likely they were hoping for a faster turnaround. Unfortunately, endless tweaks and updates to the law on both a city and state level have continually bogged down the process. As of last fall, more than 100 equity applicants were still waiting for approval.
http://www.sfweekly.com/news/s-f-approves-its-first-equity-program-dispensary/
El Monte Approves 2nd Marijuana Project, But Opposition Is Ready To Fight (CA – Cannabusiness)
San Gabriel Valley Tribune (February 19, 2019) The El Monte City Council on Tuesday approved another medical marijuana business in the face of increasing opposition. The ordinance that governs medical marijuana business applications and operations was approved by the council in 2017. Recreational cannabis businesses are prohibited and retailers of any kind are banned.
Lawmakers Push FDA To Allow CBD-Infused Food Products (USA – CBD Market)
Marijuana Moment (February 19, 2019) A bipartisan group of members of Congress is pushing the Trump administration to provide a legal pathway for food products infused with the marijuana compound cannabidiol, better known as CBD. In a letter sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday, the lawmakers wrote that a series of recent actions by state and local officials in New York City, Maine and Ohio to crack down on the sale of CBD foods and beverages have “spurred a tremendous amount of confusion among product manufacturers, hemp farmers, and consumers of these products.”
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/lawmakers-push-fda-to-allow-cbd-infused-food-products/
Where The 2020 Presidential Candidates Stand On Marijuana Legalization (USA – Presidential Candidates)
Mashable (February 20, 2019) Will recreational marijuana legalization help candidates in the general election? The current 2020 presidential candidates have a range of views, not all of them exactly alike. Here’s where each Democratic presidential candidate stands on legalized marijuana, and where they appeared to have once stood — as much as they might try to deny it.
https://mashable.com/article/marijuana-legalization-election-2020/#Az0Q89bs9sqw
Bernie Is Running Again. Here’s Where He Stands On Cannabis (USA – Presidential Candidates)
Civilized (February 19, 2019) On Tuesday, 77-year-old Vermont senator and self-described “democratic socialist” Bernie Sanders officially announced his candidacy in the 2020 presidential election. Those who followed Bernie throughout his previous campaign know that the Vermont senator is extremely progressive on the issue of cannabis. In 2015, Bernie introduced the first-ever bill to reschedule cannabis in the Senate. The bill went nowhere, but it did establish the senator’s position as a pro-cannabis politician.
https://www.civilized.life/articles/bernie-is-running-again-heres-where-he-stands-on-cannabis/
Growing Marijuana Industry Struggles To Attract Employees Of Color (USA – Cannabis Jobs)
NPR (February 21, 2019) As marijuana becomes legal around the country, blacks and Latinos are often left out of new business opportunities. Advocates say people of color are often reluctant to join the growing legal marijuana economy because they were targeted far more often than whites during the war on drugs. Studies show members of such communities were arrested and jailed for illegal marijuana use far more often than whites.
Legalization Supporters Slam Kamala Harris Endorsement From Marijuana Reform Champion Barbara Lee (USA – Cannabis Politics)
Marijuana Moment (February 18, 2019) Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) is facing backlash from marijuana legalization advocates over her early endorsement of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) in the 2020 presidential race. The congresswoman, who last month became the first woman and first person of color to co-chair the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and who has long been one of Capitol Hill’s most dedicated marijuana reform supporters, said in a statement that Harris has exhibited a “deep passion for justice and opportunity” throughout her career as a prosecutor.
Two More Governors Call For Marijuana Legalization During Budget Speeches (USA – Legalization)
Marijuana Moment (February 20, 2019) The governors of Connecticut and Illinois both said on Wednesday that legalizing marijuana should be a part of plans to generate revenue for their cash-strapped states. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D), who campaigned last year on a pro-legalization platform, said that the state needed to “embrace some near term reasonable—and realistic—new revenue” in a speech detailing his budget proposal.
Liberal Democrats Overwhelmingly Support Marijuana Legalization, Survey Data Reveals (USA – Cannabis Politics)
Marijuana Moment (February 20, 2019) Democratic voters have become more liberal over the past 18 years, according to survey data released by Gallup on Tuesday. But one issue that continues to divide the conservative and liberal wings of the party is marijuana legalization. Polling from 2013 to 2018 shows that 81 percent of individuals who identify as liberal Democrats favor cannabis legalization, whereas 62 percent of moderate Democrats and 44 percent of conservative Democrats feel the same.
