South Dakota Bill Would Require Pot Shops To Warn Guns And Weed Don't Mix, Rep. Blumenauer's 2024 Cannabis Plans And More

Rep. Blumenauer Expects Historic Year For Cannabis Reforms In 2024

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a founding co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus expects another successful year of federal marijuana reform as lawmakers seize the opportunity to capitalize on massive bipartisan support generated over the last year while urging the Biden administration to advance the cause even further as election season approaches, Marijuana Moment's Kyle Jaeger writes.

"Cannabis is a winning issue. With election season nearly upon us and the Biden-Harris Administration completing its formal review of the scheduling of marijuana, President Biden should keep in mind that no one has been penalized by voters for their embrace of cannabis reform," Blumenauer said in the latest yearly cannabis memo. "President Biden himself owes his victory in Arizona to the young voters who turned out for their marijuana legalization measure."

The veteran lawmaker who has said he’s retiring at the end of the 118th US Congress is confident that significant cannabis reforms will be accomplished in 2024.

"In my final year in Congress, and then in the talented hands of the 119th Congress Cannabis Caucus Co-Chairs, we will take bold action to end the failed war on drugs once and for all," Blumenauer said.

NY Cannabis Regulators Dismiss Urgent Request For Adult-Use Market Entry

The New York State Cannabis Control Board held an emergency session last Friday to review and consider two resolutions.

The first was to grant approvals to two registered organizations, allowing them to smoothly transition into the adult-use cannabis market, which failed, reported News 12 Westchester.

“We’re being asked to consider things we could easily consider in our January board meeting in two weeks," said one of the board members.

The second vote to approve permits for two cannabis testing labs passed. Falkor Laboratories LLC and Aardwolf Labs NY LLC, which is doing business as New Bloom Labs got the green light from the state regulatory body.

Bill Requiring Marijuana Shops To Display Federal Gun Restriction Signs

Under a newly filed GOP-backed bill in South Dakota, the state-licensed medical marijuana (MMJ) dispensaries would need to display a sign regarding the federal law that restricts owning firearms for individuals who consume cannabis, reported Marijuana Moment.

HB 1036, proposed by Rep. Kevin Jensen (R), Sen. Jim Stalzer (R) and 10 other legislators, would require all MMJ shops to display the sign at every entrance and register/point of sale.

Shops neglecting to display the notice would face a daily civil penalty of $250. The collected fees would be contributed to the state general fund.

Separate legislation, HB 1024, which the lawmakers also filed, mandates the inclusion of a notice regarding federal limitations on gun ownership for individuals using medical cannabis on state application forms for medical cannabis cards.

Washington State Lawmakers Join Struggle Against Cannabis Shop Robberies

Plans are being drafted by state lawmakers to support small cannabis businesses that fall prey to robbers using stolen vehicles for store break-ins, reported KOMO.

According to the Cannabis Alliance, there has been a noticeable increase in these incidents over the last three years, and they suspect even more go unreported.

"We're working right now on a survey to try and capture some of the underreported data, so hopefully in concert with the Department of Commerce, looking at some more meaningful legislation in the 2025 session to help with more comprehensive ways to help people recover after they've been hit, as well as some grants to provide opportunities for people to put in things like breezeways, bollards, and armed guards," said Caitlein Ryan, Cannabis Alliance executive director.

Cannabis Legalization On Wisconsin Senate Leader’s Agenda For 2024

Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein said one of the legislative goals for the 2024 election year is cannabis legalization.

"[We'll] continue to push our legislative priorities of Medicaid expansion, cannabis legalization, fully funding K-12 schools, funding our higher education as well; those are things we’re always going to be pushing for," Hesselbein told Spectrum News 1 political reporter Anthony DaBruzzi in an interview. "I’m not sure when we’re going to be done this year, though. I’ve heard rumors that we might be done in February, which I think is a shame."

For years, a push to legalize marijuana in Wisconsin was led by State Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard (D-Madison) and now it's gaining momentum.

Hesselbein praised Agard's efforts.

"I’ve certainly been impressed with Senator Agard's leadership over the past year and watching that, and it was an opportunity when she decided to run for county executive," Hesselbein said. "I thought, ‘How can I serve my community or the caucus more?’ And I thought, ‘I could do this.’"

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