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More than 180 groups push the United Nations for transparency on cannabis.
One year ago, as Cannabis Wire reported at the time, the United Nations acknowledged the therapeutic potential for cannabis, in an historic move.
Now, to mark the anniversary, 181 NGOs from 56 countries are calling for “transparency and accountability” as the UN’s International Narcotics Control Board creates guidelines for countries.
“As organizations that routinely engage with domestic and international regulations relating to cannabis for medical purposes we hope you can look into our requests for transparency and inclusive participation in the Guidelines development process and we are ready and willing to work constructively with the United Nations Secretariat, including INCB Secretariat, to meet this aim and ensure that no one is left behind,” reads one of the letters.
USDA works to “improve” crop insurance for hemp producers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that “in response to feedback received from the producers” it “is improving crop insurance for hemp.”
Today, hemp crop insurance is available in 25 states, and this year, more than 12,189 acres were insured.
“Hemp is an emerging crop, and we are working with hemp producers to provide insurance options that make sense for producers and for insurance providers,” USDA Risk Management Agency administrator Marcia Bunger said. “RMA has worked to expand and refine our offerings to be responsive and dynamic.”
United States Pharmacopeia takes on delta-8 THC.
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and ASTM International, two organizations focused on the development of standards, have released a commentary and a technical paper, respectively, on delta-8 THC.
Both outputs focus on health and public safety risks inherent in these products, and other cannabinoid-containing products that are not subject to quality control measures, and call for research and regulation.
“The fact of the matter is that little is known about the products labeled as containing delta-8, so much so that the FDA and CDC have both released advisories about the products. Depending on how the products are produced, unknown impurities may be introduced, including minor and synthetic cannabinoid compounds that are not naturally occurring in cannabis,” said Ikhlas Khan, the chair of USP’s expert panel on cannabis.
In case you missed it, read Cannabis Wire’s coverage of the CDC and FDA warnings about delta-8.
AOC and Rep. Joyce introduce cannabis expungement bill.
US Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Dave Joyce have introduced The Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act, a bill that would allocate $20 million to the US Attorney General to facilitate state and local expungement of cannabis convictions.
“Reforming cannabis law is not a partisan issue,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “As we continue to advocate for the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana, this bill will provide needed resources to expunge drug charges that continue to hold back Americans – disproportionately people of color – from employment, housing and other opportunity.”
“By helping states establish & improve expungement programs for cannabis offenses,” Joyce tweeted, the Act “will pave the way for expanded economic opportunities to thrive alongside effective investments to redress the consequences of the War on Drugs.”
Yet another CBD regulation bill in Congress.
US Representatives Kathleen Rice, Morgan Griffith, Angie Craig, and Dan Crenshaw have introduced the CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act, which aims to see the US Food and Drug Administration regulate CBD like a “food ingredient.”
“CBD products are exploding in popularity, but the lack of federal regulation surrounding them has put consumers at risk and left businesses looking for clarity,” said Rice.
It has the support of the Consumer Brands Association, which also supports the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden this year.
The Association’s DVP of regulatory and technical affairs, Betsy Booren, called the new Act “a welcome step toward giving consumers consistency and promoting safety that goes across state lines.”
In case you missed it, read Cannabis Wire’s Q&A with CBA, which counts Kellogg’s, Coca-Cola Company, and PepsiCo, Inc. among its members.
