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A State of the Union first.
Thursday night, President Joe Biden became the first president to tout cannabis reform as part of his State of the Union speech.
His accomplishments, he said, include “directing my cabinet to review the federal classification of marijuana, and expunging thousands of convictions for the mere possession, because no one should be jailed for simply using, or have it on their record.”
Here, he was referencing the ongoing review of how cannabis is scheduled, which recently led to a recommendation from HHS to DEA to move cannabis to Schedule III. And, though he said “expunging,” he was referring to his pardons for federal possession convictions.
A possible delay in Germany.
The adult use bill that passed out of Germany’s parliament in late February is now before the Federal Council.
As Cannabis Wire reported last month, this legislative body that represents Germany’s 16 states could slow the enactment of the bill passed out of parliament by proposing changes and sending it to a mediation committee. Without delay, the bill would take effect next month.
However, a delay is looking increasingly likely, according to German news organization LTO.
Ahead of a Federal Council meeting on March 22, committees are already crafting proposed amendments, including one that would delay the bill from taking effect until October.
Cannabis exposures among kids rose in Massachusetts after legalization.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital conducted a study focused on pediatric cannabis exposures before and after the state legalized. They analyzed data between 2016 and 2021 from the Centre for Healthcare and Analysis and Injury Surveillance Programme at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and specifically included cannabis-related exposure incidents that involved ED visits and hospitalizations among kids and teens between 0 and 19 years-old.
Results showed a rise in these types of ED visits among all age brackets.
“Cannabis-related ED visits and hospitalizations among children and teenagers increased after recreational cannabis became legal in Massachusetts, US,” researchers concluded.
“Further efforts are warranted to prevent the unintentional impact of [recreational cannabis laws], especially considering substantial increases in cannabis exposure cases among young children.”
This research was published in the journal Injury Prevention.
