CAOA INTRODUCED
Schumer’s cannabis bill unlikely to pass, but will ‘shape the conversation’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s federal cannabis bill, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), was finally introduced yesterday morning, reports Politico. Schumer, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) shared a discussion draft more than 12 months ago.
The bill attempts to reconcile Republican and Democrat values by:
- Decriminalizing cannabis at the federal level and allowing states to decide whether or not to legalize, how to regulate it
- Expunging federal cannabis convictions
- Funding law enforcement to eliminate illicit cultivation
- Creating grants for small cannabis businesses owned by entrepreneurs who have been impacted by prohibition
- Instructing the Dept. of Transportation to research cannabis-impaired driving
- Preventing marketing and sales of cannabis to young people
The takeaway
But like so many other federal cannabis bills introduced before it, the CAOA is not likely to pass. “But But the legislation will shape the conversation around cannabis legalization going forward and portions of it are likely to find their way into other bills that could pass before the end of the year,” writes Politico.
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BILL FOR BIDEN
A cannabis research bill could make it to Biden’s desk soon
A revised version of a bipartisan cannabis research bill may make its way to President Joe Biden’s desk soon, reports Marijuana Moment.
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act is almost identical to the Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act, only it doesn’t allow researchers to access cannabis from retailers in legal states.
The Senate has passed the bill, and it’s expected to be voted on by the House early next week. Biden, who is against federally legalizing cannabis but supportive of medical cannabis research, is expected to sign off on the bill.
LEGAL ADVERTS
US House approves bill to allow cannabis ads on TV and radio
A bill which would prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from disciplining broadcasters from running cannabis ads in legal states was passed by the US House on Wednesday, per Benzinga.
But to pass through the Senate, it needs support from at least 10 Republicans—which will be difficult to secure.
“For too long, local broadcasters have been stuck in a regulatory purgatory because of conflicting federal and state cannabis laws,” said Alex Siciliano of the National Association of Broadcasters. “Today’s passage marks an important step towards allowing broadcasters to receive equal treatment for cannabis advertising that many other forms of media have enjoyed for years.”
SOCIAL STONERS
Leafwire is the LinkedIn of cannabis
Colorado-based Leafwire aims to create a cannabis-friendly social networking community for cannabis professionals, per BusinessCann.
Since launching in 2018, Leafwire:
- Is the largest cannabis business network in the world, with 50,000 registered accounts from more than 100 countries
- Publishes details of more than 100 cannabis business events in its global events calendar
- Offers Leafwire members discounts of up to 50% for some events
“When we first launched Leafwire to a primarily domestic, U.S. audience in 2018, marijuana still had a stigma around it despite emerging statewide legalization to one degree or another. said founder and CEO Peter Vogel. “Four years later, significant progress has been made in state cannabis legalization, but that stigma still very much remains.”
