House To Vote On Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill Next Month, Leadership Announces

By Kyle Jaeger
Source: marijuanamoment.net

The House will be voting on a comprehensive marijuana legalization bill in September, congressional leadership confirmed on Friday.

While the floor vote has not yet been scheduled, Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) said in an email blast to members that the chamber is “expected” to take up the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act during the “September work period.”

Marijuana Moment first reported in July on imminent plans to hold a House vote on the cannabis descheduling bill. The legislation, introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) last year, cleared his panel and was referred to several other committees. It’s not clear whether those committees will waive jurisdiction or mark up the bill in order for it to get a full chamber vote

The MORE Act would federally deschedule cannabis, expunge the records of those with prior marijuana convictions and impose a federal five percent tax on sales, revenue from which would be reinvested in communities most impacted by the drug war.

It would also create a pathway for resentencing for those incarcerated for marijuana offenses, as well as protect immigrants from being denied citizenship over cannabis and prevent federal agencies from denying public benefits or security clearances due to its use.

Clyburn’s email asks lawmakers to report back by Monday to say whether they plan to support the bill on the floor.

“Less than two years ago, we put out our blueprint outlining a path to cannabis legalization in the 116th Congress,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a chief advocate for reform in Congress, told Marijuana Moment. “Now, after many months of hard work and collaboration, we finally have a chance to end the failed policy of prohibition that has resulted in a long and shameful period of selective enforcement against people of color, especially Black men.”

“As people across the country protest racial injustices, there’s even greater urgency for Congress to seize this historic opportunity and finally align our cannabis laws with what the majority of Americans support, while ensuring restorative justice,” he said.

In a letter to House leadership earlier this month, a coalition of major drug policy and civil rights organizations—including the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP, Human Rights Watch, Drug Policy Alliance (DPA)—called for a floor vote on the MORE Act by the end of September.

“We are ecstatic to see congressional leadership take the next steps to vote on the MORE Act next month,” Queen Adesuyi, policy manager for DPA, told Marijuana Moment. “Advancing this bill meets the principles of this political moment where millions of Americans are demanding changes to the status quo. House Democrats have the incredible opportunity to move a bill that enjoys bipartisan support while responding to the calls for justice reform and racial justice reverberating across the country.”

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), who, along with Blumenauer, is a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said it is “extremely encouraging to see our House leadership moving forward on this issue.”

“We are facing challenging times in our fight for racial equity and law enforcement reform, and passing the MORE Act is crucial to addressing our country’s history of injustice,” she said. “This is the next step in our goal of ending the harmful prohibition of cannabis in 2021.”

If the House approves the bill, there will still be an open question about whether the Republican-controlled Senate would follow suit. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is a strong advocate for hemp, but he’s maintained steadfast opposition to broader marijuana reform. That said, he did hold closed-door meetings with industry representatives last year.

It’s possible the House action could spur the Senate to take up a more dialed back piece of cannabis reform legislation such as the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act, however. That bill, which is sponsored by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), would simply allow states to set their own marijuana policies without fear of federal intervention.

Gardner could use that legislative win as he trails behind former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) in his reelection race. What’s more, President Trump has expressed support for the proposal.

The vote on the MORE Act will not be the first time the House has taken up cannabis reform on the floor this Congress.

The chamber approved a coronavirus relief package in May that includes provisions to protect banks that service state-legal marijuana businesses from being penalized by federal regulators. It also approved the standalone Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act last year.

Advocates were disappointed after lawmakers declined to include marijuana legalization as part of a recent policing reform bill the House passed. Several legislators made the case that it was an appropriate vehicle for the policy change, as ending cannabis criminalization would minimize police interactions.

“Passage of The MORE Act is essential in order to truly right the wrongs of federal marijuana criminalization, and to once and for all allow the majority of states that have legalized cannabis for either medical or adult-use to embrace these policies free from the threat of undue federal prosecution or interference,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said.

“A House floor vote will put our federal lawmakers on record,” he added. “We will know who stands with the majority of Americans in supporting an end to the failed federal policy of marijuana prohibition, and equally importantly, we will know in Congress wishes to continue to threaten the freedom and liberty of the millions of Americans who reside in states that have enacted common-sense alternatives to cannabis criminalization.”

A Democratic senator recently said that legalization would be a 2021 priority if Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) are elected.

That said, legalization is decidedly not a Biden priority, as the former vice president has maintained an opposition to the broad reform despite supermajority support among Democrats. He’s drawn the line at cannabis possession decriminalization, medical marijuana legalization, expungements and modest rescheduling.

Harris, meanwhile, is the lead Senate sponsor of the MORE Act.

The Democratic National Committee’s platform committee recently rejected an amendment that would’ve added legalization as a 2020 party plank. Some advocates suspect that’s because the party didn’t want to adopt a policy at odds with the agenda of their presidential nominee.

Lee voted against that DNC amendment but she recently said that Biden needs to evolve and support legalization.

Read Clyburn’s full email below:

The House will be voting soon on H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act); and H.R. 7856, the Fiscal Year 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act

H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act)

During the September work period, the House is expected to consider H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act). The MORE Act decriminalizes marijuana at the federal level by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. This would allow state law to determine the status of marijuana legality for each state.

The bill also requires federal courts to expunge prior marijuana-related convictions and arrests and authorizes the assessment of a 5% sales tax on marijuana and marijuana products to create an Opportunity Trust Fund. This fund would include grant programs administered by the Department of Justice and the Small Business Administration to support individuals who have been adversely affected by the War on Drugs, provide assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged small business owners, and minimize barriers to marijuana licensing and employment.

This Cannabis Study Shows Promising Results for Bone Regeneration

By Chane Leigh
Source: medicalcannabisbrief.com

Did you know that during childhood and your teen years, your body is busy adding on new bone much faster than it can remove the old bone? However, now that you’re an adult, you’re losing bone faster than you can make it. For some people, their bones can be riddled with problems, and since we need our bones for movement and support, taking care of them and getting effective treatment when necessary is imperative. Fortunately,  a recent study revealed that cannabinoids can be effective in the regeneration of bone. 

Bone Diseases 

Even if one makes sure to get enough calcium, vitamin D and exercise to maintain bone health, they can still suffer from bone disease. Many bone diseases leave the bones weak and easy to break. Individuals suffering from bone problems may encounter low bone density, osteoporosis (porous bone), osteogenesis imperfecta (formation of bone is imperfect), cancer, infections as well as problems with bone regrowth or rebuilding. 

The average human has 206 bones in their bodies, bones which are also living tissue and that living tissue continuously goes through cycles of renewal. The condition of our bones is often measured by screening for its density or mass, which can serve as an indicator of how strong, or weak, the bones are. 

10 Of the Most Common Bone Disorders:

• Osteoporosis is the most common and involves having bones of low density, meaning they are weak and brittle. 
• Paget’s Disease is a bone disorder where the bone renewal cycle happens too quickly, which then leads to deformities or/and enlarged bones. 
• Bone Infection is often referred to as osteomyelitis which is rare but serious. This disease is often contracted after major surgery and can spread through the whole body. 
• Osteonecrosis is when bone tissue dies off because it has restricted or disrupted blood flow to the area. 
• Bone Tumors happen when cells grow uncontrollably from the inside of the bone. These can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). 
• Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease which is characterized by the chronic degeneration of the joints. 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease where the body mistakenly attacks parts of the body such as the joints or bones in hands and feet. 
• Scoliosis is the condition of having a spine that curves abnormally to the right or left. 
• Low Bone Density, which is sometimes referred to as osteopenia, can lead to osteoporosis (number 1). This condition just means that the density is lower than it should be but that steps can be taken to improve it before a more serious condition occurs. 
• Gout is a disorder when the joints, particularly the big toe, are inflamed due to excess uric acid crystal build-up in the joints. 

All of these diseases leave the individual with pain, redness, swelling, and inflammation of the bone.

Irrespective of what bone disease an individual may be struggling with, cannabis can help to reduce the pain, inflammation, and even promote the regeneration of bone. Since most of the conditions leave the bones weaker, making use of medical benefits from cannabis can improve the condition, alleviate side effects, and promote the strengthening of bone by regeneration (or regrowth).   

The Bone Regeneration Study

The research called “Cannabinoids and Bone Regeneration” performed by Dragos Apostu and his associates, provides promising results for the use of cannabis in order to promote bone regeneration. Being able to promote the regeneration of bones, will essentially make them stronger. The team explains at a bone level, the cannabinoids act on the two receptors called the CB-1 and CB-2, while other receptors may be involved, the cannabinoid (CB) receptors are most significant in this study. The CB-2 receptors are found in higher levels of the bone in comparison to other receptors. The CB receptors are controlled by the Endocannabinoid System (the ECS) of our bodies, which is what cannabis (the plant) stimulates when it is consumed. 

Simply explained, the ECS can signal for osteoblast (creation of new bone) formation, bone formation as well as osteoclast (absorb and remodel bone) activity. When cannabis is consumed, the ECS is stimulated by cannabis, it effectively boosts osteoblast and osteoclast activity. 

The researchers of the study stated that “an optimal correlation of dose, duration, moment of action, and affinity can lead to an increased bone regeneration capacity, with important benefits in many pathological situations which involve bone tissue”.

In the discussion of another study, about cannabidiol (CBD) enhancing fracture healing and stimulating osteoblasts, the researchers explained the following (broken down for easier understanding):

• Bone cells express cannabinoid receptors and secrete endocannabinoid metabolizing enzymes. 
• Cannabinoids have an important role in the regulation of bone remodeling and mass. 
• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is known to target the CB-1 and CB-2 receptors in the ECS, yet their results displayed that cannabidiol (CBD) enhanced the healing of fractures more. 
• However, the same study found that the CBD acts as a moderator of the effects of THC and thus, in the cause of osteoblasts and faster bone healing, supporting the study on bone regeneration. The combination of THC and CBD needs to be an optimal correlation of the aspects mentioned above. 

Dragos and his team go on to suggest that since the “adverse reactions of cannabinoids have not been described in patients under controlled medication, cannabinoids can represent future treatment for bone regeneration”. 

Remember that prevention is better than experiencing the problem. Take your vitamins, take your bones for a walk or some exercise, avoid drinking too much alcohol and smoking as well as remembering that cannabis is regarded as one of the safest and most beneficial substances on the planet and can be used for an array of conditions and reasons. Do not delay on benefiting from cannabis, especially when your condition could improve from it. 

EPA funding hemp-pulping research in California

Source: hempindustrydaily.com



A project to make the process of extracting cellulose fibers from hemp more sustainable is getting a fresh round of funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, are working on new methods of pulping hemp plants to delignify hemp stalks without leaving behind toxic chemicals known as “black liquor.”

Engineering professor Charles Cai has developed a method to pulp hemp stalks and hurd that leaves behind only mineral ash. His pulping method won a grant last year from the EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet Program.

The school announced this week that the EPA has awarded Cai an additional $74,822 to study commercial applications for the process.

Cai’s “one-pot” method separates hemp stalks into:

• Pulped fiber.
• Lignin.
• Extracts.
• Sugars.

The school now plans to work with hemp companies to commercialize the method, including creating large hempcrete blocks. Research partners include:

• InnovaCan.
• Hempire USA.
• Match Patch Pro.
• The Hurd Co.

The next phase of EPA funding runs through 2022.

Tasmanian Researchers Studying Hemp As Sheep Feed

By Terry Lassitenaz
Source: hempgazette.com

Image: Christels

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) researchers are investigating hemp’s potential as a dual-use crop – sheep fodder as well as seed.

The research, led by Dr Beth Penrose, will occur over two years and involve trial sites established at TIA’s Forthside research facility situated on Tasmania’s north-west coast  and a commercial property near Cressy, which is around 35 kilometres south-west of Launceston.

There’s a complication with this research though –  grazing of industrial hemp is not allowed in Tasmania currently (or anywhere else in Australia for that matter). Instead crops will be cut at different heights to simulate grazing activity. One of the reasons there is a ban on livestock chomping down on hemp are concerns over tetrahydrocannabinol tainting  meat and milk; even though THC levels in hemp are extremely low. However, not all sheep are grown for meat – so it’s a bit an odd ban in that respect and could be another case of legislation needing to catch up in this new post-hemp-demonising world.

Industrial hemp grown in Tasmania must have not more than 1% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels in the leaves and flowering heads. Any seed used for planting crops must be certified and typically produce hemp plants with a THC concentration of not more than 0.5%.

This new initiative builds on a recent TIA honours project that studied the nutritional value of industrial hemp as animal feed.

“We are building on this research by looking at five varieties of industrial hemp and assessing the effects of genotype, grazing time and environment on the nutritional value,” said  Dr Penrose. “We also want to find out the impact that grazing has on the yield of hemp seeds, and whether it could potentially increase the yield and the overall value of the crop.”

According to President of the Tasmanian Hemp Association (THA), Tasmania currently supplies more than 80 per cent of Australia’s hemp seed used in food applications. The THA is one of the funders of this project, along with Agrifutures; an Australian Government backed organisation with an objective of growing the long-term prosperity of Australian rural industries.

The Tasmanian effort isn’t the first significant research project in Australia to assess hemp’s suitability as sheep fodder. In February we mentioned the Western Australia government was backing hemp-as-fodder research; but we haven’t heard how that is progressing.

There’s certainly precedent for feeding hemp to livestock – farmers in The Netherlands have been feeding cattle industrial hemp fiber as a supplement for many years.

In Tasmania, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) is the agency responsible for administering the state’s Industrial Hemp Act 2015,​ which authorises the supply, cultivation, manufacture and research of industrial hemp in the state.