Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana.
Beginning our coverage in Texas, the city of Dallas will no longer be prosecuting low-level first time cannabis offenders. And any pending cases will be dismissed.
Moving on to Georgia, we have an update on our earlier coverage. The Governor has signed a bill lifting the ban on medical marijuana cultivation.
The news for proponents of medical cannabis in Tennessee was not so rosy. Three bills were defeated in the legislature there.
But supporters of medical marijuana can take heart at news from Montana, where the House passed a bill that would ease restrictions on patients. The bill now moves to the Senate.
And here’s the latest in our series, “Politicians Now Supporting Marijuana.” Although former Vermont governor, Howard Dean, had previously opposed legalizing cannabis, he’s now a fan. Joining the board of a cannabis company can have that effect.
Turning our attention to the federal government, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin recently showed support for a fix to the issue of cannabis (lack of) banking. Regular readers will doubtless recall that Attorney General Barr expressed a similar view last week. One more cabinet member, and it’s a thing!
As if to prove the need for banking reform, a Florida bank has cut ties with a medical marijuana business association. The association’s executive director predicts the bank will solicit their business in future, should the laws change.
Rep. Greg Steube (R. Fla.) introduced a bill that would allow veterans to use marijuana in states where it is legal without fear of losing their benefits. The “Veterans Cannabis Use for Safe Healing Act” has bipartisan support.
And finally, we have two articles on the “lighter” side of the marijuana news. First, Carl’s Jr. will be offering a CBD burger on 4/20. I’m hoping they’ll call it a “Devil’s Lettuce” burger. And in news about our neighbor to the north, has legalization of cannabis in Canada made it, well, boring?
That’s it for this week; see you next Friday!