The constant flow of cannabis news can be daunting and keeping current can be a hassle. For this reason, Respect My Region keeps an eye out on your behalf, providing a weekly roundup of significant events in the world of cannabis.
This week, we cover a groundbreaking announcement by the NFL, positive developments in the field of cannabis industry banking, and a strange case involving cannabis and a 12-hour erection. As always, we will also bring you up to date coverage of state-level legalization developments from the past week.
Director Of Strategic Communications For Trump Campaign Says Cannabis Should Be ‘Kept Illegal’
Trump’s take on cannabis has tended to be somewhat back and forth. Earlier this month, he stuck his nose into the cannabis industry with a 2021 budget that proposed ending state-level protections from federal cannabis laws. In January, a secret video showed Trump to be more open-minded, asking his colleagues about the reality of the cannabis industry. Even earlier last year, he entertained the notion of lifting the federal ban altogether.
With the 2020 campaign ramping up, however, his stance on cannabis has taken a turn for the worse. Marc Lotter, director of strategic communications for Trump’s campaign, recently shed some light on this matter. In a recent interview, Lotter explained that Trump is approaching the issue as a “parent of a young person.” Apparently, this means his current stance is that cannabis “need[s] to be kept illegal.”
American Bar Association Urges Congress To Adopt Legislation Giving Cannabis Companies Fair Access To Banking
On Feb 23, the American Bar Association passed two resolutions regarding cannabis during a midyear meeting. The ABA’s House of Delegates endorsed two proposals, both aimed at granting cannabis companies fair access to banking.
Cannabis companies have struggled to efficiently handle their funds, as numerous banks refuse to provide them service. For banks, the fear is that accepting business from such companies will render them in violation of federal money-laundering laws.
The resolutions urge congress to draft laws protecting banks that work with companies in compliance with their local laws.
The NFL Agrees To No Longer Suspend Players Over Cannabis Use
NFL owners agreed to terms of a collective bargaining agreement that would end player suspensions stemming from cannabis use. Now, the agreement will circulate among NFL players, who will respond to the new terms in the coming weeks.
If the agreement becomes official, it will drastically impact the reality of drug policies concerning NFL athletes. Apart from reducing penalties for testing positive for THC, the agreement will also impact the nature of these tests. Fewer players will be subject to testing, and the window within which the tests occur will shorten significantly. Also, the acceptable THC limits during such tests will rise almost fivefold.
Cannabis May Have Contributed To A Bizarre Medical Case Involving A 12-Hour Erection
Thanks to commercials featuring a certain little blue pill, the phrase “consult a doctor if you have an erection lasting longer than four hours” has become immediately recognizable. For one man, an erection stretched into the half-day range, and Viagra had little to do with it.
In a recent case study, clinicians outlined details of a case in which a patient suffered frequent (and painful) erections. The ailment, known as priapism, can be caused by any number of factors. In this case, however, clinicians believe they have documented the first instance in which cannabis is the culprit.
The clinicians examined the patient during multiple bouts of priapism, and they reached an unprecedented consensus. According to them, “the abstinence and subsequent use of cannabis were the only appreciable factors in this patient’s battle with recurrent unwanted erections.”
Continued Coverage Of State-Level Cannabis Decriminalization and Legalization Developments
In past months, the spread of cannabis decriminalization and legalization progress throughout the United States has been at a fever pitch. New developments seem to surface on a daily basis, and several states are likely to implement recreational legalization in 2020.
Minnesota
According to Minnesota’s House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, a new cannabis legalization bill will soon be up for consideration. Earlier this month, Winkler said that his impending bill would establish the best cannabis system “in the country to date.”
According to Winkler, the voter consensus in Minnesota is that prohibition has done more harm than good. Despite this, a legalization bill in Minnesota will likely face an uphill battle. Republicans control the Senate in the Gopher State, and a progressive legalization system will be an inevitably tough sell.
Alabama
A senate committee in Alabama approved a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the Yellowhammer State. Although the bill would legalize medical cannabis for qualifying patients, it would create a limited system. Namely, patients would not legally be able to smoke or vape cannabis. With the bill’s approval in the committee, it will now receive a vote on the Senate floor
New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, a cannabis legalization bill passed through the house of representatives and is heading to the senate. The bill would allow for the recreational consumption, cultivation, and gifting of cannabis. However, the bill would not legalize the sale of cannabis and cannabis products. The measure largely resembles that of New Hampshire’s neighbor, Vermont, who legalized recreational cannabis in 2018.
Kentucky
A bill that would legalize medical cannabis has passed through Kentucky’s house of representatives in a 65-30 vote. The bill would allow qualified patients to purchase cannabis from licensed retailers. Part of the bill will establish a regulatory body that would determine which medical conditions qualify patients to participate. Much like Alabama’s pending medical bill, Kentucky’s will not allow patients to smoke cannabis.
