Using cannabis legalization as a platform to popularity is all the rage for this latest round of Democratic presidential candidates. Nearly every candidate in the blue party has endorsed some form of cannabis-policy reform, ranging from full-scale legalization at the federal level to letting states decide on their own.
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A bill that passed the Colorado General Assembly that would’ve allowed marijuana dispensaries to open their own tasting rooms was vetoed by Governor John Hickenlooper today, June 4. HB 1258 received plenty of attention as it made its way through the state legislature and wasn’t without its detractors, but it had enough support to pass its third House and Senate readings — 39-24 and 22-12, respectively.
Back in April, Governor John Hickenlooper and the governors of three other states that have legalized recreational marijuana sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, urging them to respect the rights of states to pass such measures, and to consult with the states that have been operating under 2013’s Cole Memorandum before making any enforcement changes.
After the passage of Amendment 64 in November 2012, Governor John Hickenlooper, who had not endorsed the measure, reminded supporters of the proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in Colorado that “federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or [Goldfish] too quickly.”
Today, governors of the four states that were first to legalize recreational marijuana — Hickenlooper in Colorado, Jay Inslee in Washington, Kate Brown in Oregon and Bill Walker in Alaska— sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, urging them to respect the rights of the states to pass such measures, and to consult with the states that have been operating under 2013’s Cole Memorandum before making any enforcement changes. Here’s the letter:
Let the research begin.
Governor John Hickenlooper has signed a bill that will create a group to study the feasibility of using hemp products in animal feed, working under the commissioner of agriculture. The group will include a hemp producer, a hemp processor, a legal expert, a higher-education representative who’s studied hemp policy, a veterinarian, a livestock producer, and anyone else the commissioner decides could help expand a discussion of hemp.
After White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that we should expect “greater enforcement” of marijuana laws, particularly regarding recreational sales, Colorado politicians responded.
Governor John Hickenlooper appeared on MSNBC on February 24 and then on Meet the Press on February 26 when he was in Washington, D.C., for a governors’ conference. During both appearances, he noted that he did not approve of marijuana legalization when it passed in Colorado, adding that he continues to be wary despite the fact that legal marijuana raked in over $1.3 billion in sales last year in this state alone.
Colorado has been a pioneer in cannabis legalization, and now the country’s other pioneer is turning to Colorado officials for guidance in implementing a regulated system.
California was the first state to legalize medical cannabis in 1996 (Colorado followed in 2000), but voters in the Golden State didn’t vote to legalize recreational use until last November. And in following Colorado’s lead, it’s looking to Colorado for help.
Autism patients can use medical marijuana in Colorado now that Governor Jared Polis has signed a bill into law adding autism spectrum disorder to the state’s list of MMJ conditions. It was no coincidence that the signing took place on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day.
Autism spectrum disorder could be added to Colorado’s list of conditions treatable with medical marijuana if Governor John Hickenlooper approves a bill that passed the General Assembly on May 4. HB 1263, introduced by state Representative Edie Hooton, went through the legislature with relative ease after it was introduced in March, but not without changes.
Dispensaries may get to apply for cannabis tasting-room licenses as early as August if Governor John Hickenlooper signs a bill that just cleared the Colorado General Assembly. Approved by the the House on Thursday, May 3, HB 1258 would allow qualified pot shops to obtain accessory establishment licenses for product consumption.