Chronicle AM: Kamala Harris Endorses Legal Weed, Israel OKs MDMA Trials, More… (2/11/19)

Kamala Harris endorses marijuana legalization, House Democrats reveal a marijuana banking bill, Israel okays clinical studies of MDMA to treat PTSD, and more.

Marijuana Policy

Kamala Harris Endorses Marijuana Legalization Saying it Brings Joy. Saying marijuana “gives a lot of people joy,” Democratic presidential contender Sen. Kamala Harris endorsed marijuana legalization Monday. She also said she had tried marijuana in college.

Congressional Democrats Circulate Text of Marijuana Banking Bill. The House Financial Services Committee has released the text of a bill allowing marijuana businesses to do business with the banking and financial sector. The bill goes further than previous bills, with provisions specifying that ancillary businesses  should be allowed to bank and adding protections for marijuana-related “retirement plans or exchange-traded funds.” Another new provision clarifies that “proceeds from a transaction conducted by a cannabis-related legitimate business shall not be considered as proceeds from an unlawful activity solely because the transaction was conducted by a cannabis-related legitimate business.” A memo released by the committee says the bill “would harmonize federal and state law by prohibiting federal banking regulators from engaging in certain actions against financial institutions, such as discouraging, prohibiting, or penalizing depository institutions that serve cannabis-related legitimate businesses.”

New Mexico Marijuana Legalization Bill Wins House Vote. A bill to legalize marijuana, HB 356, passed out of the Health and Human Services Committee on a 5-2 vote along party lines, with Democrats in support. The vote came after more than three hours of testimony. To have a chance to become law, the bill will have to move quickly through a network of committees and win approval from both legislative chambers by mid-March.

Hemp

Idaho Hemp Bill Filed. The House Agricultural Affairs Committee will back legislation that would legalize the cultivation and sale of hemp throughout the state. The measure, HB 122, would change state law to conform with the 2018 federal Farm Bill that legalized hemp nationwide.

South Dakota Governor Says State Not Ready for Hemp. Republican Gov. Kristi Noem is encouraging lawmakers to “just say no” to measures that would legalize hemp this year. Noem said the state isn’t ready for hemp.

Collateral Sanctions

Mississippi Bill Would Make Those Convicted of Felony Drug Offenses Eligible for Public Assistance. A bill that would allow people convicted of felony drug offenses to be eligible for public assistance programs is on the move. Senate Bill 2791, also known as the Reentry and Employability Act, passed out of the Senate Judiciary A Committee last week, just ahead of the deadline for general bills to pass out of committee. The bill would waive the state’s participation in a federal law requiring that drug felons not be eligible for such programs. Most other states have already opted out.

International

Israeli Health Ministry Approves MDMA Clinical Trials. The Health Ministry has approved the “compassionate use” of MDMA in clinical trials of the drug’s utility in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. The decision came after extensive investigative work by the ministry, which included sending a representative to the US to work with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

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