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As promised, New York lawmakers have introduced a cannabis legalization bill.
On Monday, Cannabis Wire published a deep-dive into how the push to legalize cannabis for adult use might unfold this year. For that piece, we spoke to three key lawmakers: Senator Liz Krueger, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, and Senator Diane Savino.
Krueger told Cannabis Wire last month that she and Peoples-Stokes would “definitely” reintroduce legislation to legalize cannabis for adult use, and, on Tuesday, that legislation was unveiled. Senate Bill S854 is identical to the bill lawmakers fought to pass in 2020, and if you missed what went down the last two times adult use was nearly legalized in New York, you can catch up on Cannabis Wire.
New Jersey lawmakers move to amend bill to launch adult use, following governor’s objections.
This week, Assembly members Benjie Wimberly and Annette Quijano introduced A 5211, which “updates and clarifies recent legislation passed by both Houses of the Legislature addressing cannabis legalization, and marijuana and hashish decriminalization.”
The backstory: in November, New Jersey voters passed a ballot measure in favor of adult use legalization. After winding negotiations, lawmakers agreed last month on a bill to establish and regulate adult use. Later in the month, Governor Phil Murphy sent the legislation back to lawmakers because he felt it didn’t include sufficient penalties for underage consumers caught with cannabis.
The bill introduced this week aims to fix that by adding fines for those aged 18-20, as the legal age for cannabis in the state will be 21. (Read more about New Jersey’s path to this moment on Cannabis Wire.)
Here are the cannabis bills introduced so far in New Hampshire.
HB 89 will expand the approved conditions list for medical cannabis to include “moderate to severe insomnia.”
HB 90 will allow medical cannabis shops in the state, known as “alternative treatment centers,” to “acquire and use in manufacturing hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) isolate.”
HB 163 will require medical cannabis shops to “prepare information regarding the risk of cannabis use during pregnancy,” and it will require state health officials to “prepare a brochure relative to the risk of cannabis use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.”
UFCW settles unionization battle with Harvest and High Times (Have-a-Heart).
Nearly one year after UFCW 5 went to the National Labor Relations Board, it has settled its dispute with Harvest Health and Recreation, High Times, and Have-a-Heart. (Harvest sold its Have-a-Heart cannabis shops in Oakland and Santa Cruz to High Times.)
As a result of the settlement, union contracts will be recognized at these shops, and “workers who originally missed out on union raises that were due in January 2020,” according to UFCW 5, will receive a total of $75,000 a “back pay settlement.”
“This was a hard-fought settlement. Even though there were less than fifty workers involved, it was important to show the cannabis industry, even if you sell your company, if there is a union contract you must recognize it,” said Jim Araby, Director of Strategic Campaigns for UFCW 5.
You can read more about the case here.
INCB reminds Uruguay it disagrees with its decision to legalize cannabis, and warns others.
INCB reminds Uruguay it disagrees with its decision to legalize cannabis, and warns others.
The International Narcotics Control Board announced this week that it “held virtual consultations with senior officials of the Government of Uruguay” to discuss the country’s decision to legalize cannabis for adult use in 2013. Uruguay was the first country in the world to do this, followed by Canada in 2018.
“In past years, INCB has repeatedly expressed its concerns over this legislation and now takes this opportunity to remind countries that article 4(c) of the 1961 Convention, as amended, requires state parties to take such legislative and administrative measures as may be necessary to limit the use of narcotic drugs exclusively to medical and scientific purposes,” the Board said.
