Federal Policy

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced an amendment this week to the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act that would require the Department of Defense to study the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for veterans.

The House Appropriations Committee approved an appropriations bill that includes language blocking the FCC from sanctioning broadcasters who air cannabis advertisements in legalized states.

The House Committee on Appropriations approved a measure to keep the DOJ from using its resources to interfere with state-approved cannabis industries.

The SAFE Banking Act was removed from the COMPETES Act, a China competition bill, at the behest of Republican lawmakers who argued the cannabis banking reforms didn’t belong in the legislation.

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to hear cases regarding employers’ refusal to pay for medical cannabis as a part of worker’s compensation claims.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) signed a bill legalizing pharmaceuticals containing THC so long as they have been approved by the FDA.

USDA Emergency Relief Program funds are not available for cannabis cultivators due to the plant’s federal status as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. Hemp farmers are not subject to the same provisions.

Despite President Biden’s campaign promise to reform federal cannabis laws, applicants interested in White House internships must disclose prior cannabis use, which could affect their eligibility even if the consumption took place in a legalized state.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors endorsed a resolution calling on federal lawmakers to pass the SAFE Banking Act and to legalize both medical and adult-use cannabis.

Bernie Sanders called the U.S. criminal justice system “racist” and “unjust,” and called out the Justice Department for focusing on cannabis instead of white-collar crimes and business offenses.

A recent Department of Justice report shows a continuous downward trend for federal cannabis arrests since 2010.

A Florida hemp business owned by an ex-Marine was denied its service-disabled veteran-owned small business designation by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs over concerns that its recognition might amount to a federal agency endorsing a federally illegal drug.

A YouGov poll found that 45% of Americans think cannabis should be federally legalized with 21% believing the decision should be left to the states, and 20% opposed.

The Biden Administration’s Department of Justice has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to not take up a question relating to company compensations for their workers’ doctor-prescribed medical cannabis.

Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D) blames the supply chain crisis on the federal zero-tolerance policy for cannabis consumption by commercial drivers, which disqualifies huge sections of the workforce.

A defendant accused of illegally cultivating cannabis was denied access to medically prescribed cannabis while out on bail.

Senators from both sides of the aisle are in support of adding the SAFE Banking Act to a separate bill, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, aimed at easing manufacturing and supply chain issues.

Major consumer goods companies like Kellogg Company and PepsiCo, Inc. appealed to Congress to stop the proliferation of cannabis products mimicking their brand.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland reiterated his thoughts that enforcing federal cannabis possession laws is “not an efficient use” of government resources.

While a recent DEA letter appeared to suggest that cannabis material containing less than 0.3% THC is federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, legal experts still caution against sending seeds, clones, and other byproducts by mail.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) filed a lawsuit to remove a question about medical cannabis and gun ownership from a federal form required to purchase a gun.

Ben & Jerry’s is partnering with the ACLU to urge fans to take action for cannabis reform this April 20.

Senate Democrats are set to introduce a federal legalization bill in August; the proposal would remove cannabis from the federal controlled substances list and includes an emphasis on criminal justice reforms and public health.

The cannabis “amnesty boxes” in Chicago airports are hardly used.