Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana.
The big story this week was Vermont’s legalization of recreational marijuana. See our take on this issue here. This makes nine states (and the District of Columbia) to have legalized; what’s notable is that Vermont is the first state to do so via legislation.
- Vermont Legalizes Marijuana: 5 Quick Facts You Should Know
(FindLaw: Top Stories, 24 January 2018)
It’s official! Vermont became the ninth state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana on Monday.
This week also brought out some dissent among lawmakers about the new DOJ stance on federal marijuana law enforcement.
- Congress members urge Trump to ease off legalized pot states
(Albany Democrat Herald: National, 25 January 2018)
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Colorado Rep. Jared Polis are leading a bipartisan push urging President Donald Trump to reinstate an Obama-era policy discouraging federal prosecutors from targeting individuals involved in the marijuana trade in states that have legalized the drug.
- Veterans Administration considers softer stance on medical marijuana
(The Mercury: News, 24 January 2018)
“Don’t ask, don’t tell” is how many veterans have approached health-care conversations about marijuana use with the doctors they see from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Massachusetts federal prosecutor: opioids, not pot, are priority
(Reuters: Health, 24 January 2018)
Massachusetts’ new federal prosecutor said on Wednesday he will not rule out prosecuting marijuana businesses in a state that has legalized the drug, but stressed that his focus is on the opioid epidemic.
And on the business side of marijuana, a recently announced merger will create the world’s biggest pot producer. Canada is certainly staking out a place in this industry as legalization approaches.
- This Merger Will Create The World’s Most Valuable Pot Producer
(Investor’s Business Daily: Business, 24 January 2018)
Canadian medical marijuana company Aurora Cannabis has agreed to purchase rival CanniMed Therapeutics for nearly $1 billion.
- Cannabis growers Aurora, CanniMed agree to a $1 billion merger
(The Cannabist: The Cannabist, 24 January 2018)
The sweetened C$1.23 billion ($1 billion) cash-and-stock deal would be the largest yet in the country’s red-hot cannabis industry.