Cannabis and politics go hand in hand

CANNABIS POLITICS
Republicans join the chorus for legalization and descheduling, but DC Republicans 🤫

Driving the news: At a time when Republicans in Washington are under a bit of fire for sharing highly sensitive information with a reporter, some Republicans outside of Washington chose this week to talk about cannabis reform. 

From Pennsylvania: We’ve written about Pennsylvania’s push for legalization for over a year now. We know Governor Josh Shapiro’s view on the issue is crystal clear, because we follow him on Twitter/X. But this week, we also got to read a Republican State Representative’s view on the issue. Writing for the Tribune-Review, Representative Abby Major wrote: Adult-use cannabis should be a Republican issue.

What she said: In making her case for legalization, Representative Major wrote, “The economic advantages present a compelling case for lawmakers, businesses and citizens. From job creation to tax revenue, the ripple effects of legalization could significantly enhance Pennsylvania’s financial landscape. I feel strongly that Republicans have the opportunity to snatch a historically Democratic issue and use it to our political and electoral advantage.” We checked her Twitter/X, but cannabis reform hasn’t made it to Major’s feed just yet. 

From Florida: In case you’ve been missing former Representative and President Trump’s initial nominee for Attorney General Matt Gaetz, we found him. He wrote about rescheduling cannabis in an OpEd in the Tampa Bay Times: A conservative argues to downgrade marijuana to a Schedule III drug. Gaetz was certainly a rare, pro-cannabis reform member of the House of Representatives before he stepped down, but he wants his voice to still be heard on the issue. 

What he said: Gaetz spent much of the OpEd promoting President Trump’s pro-reform credentials on cannabis and his pro-business bona fides, including: “Trump has long been a champion of cutting through bureaucratic red tape, and his support for rescheduling cannabis is another example of his commitment to commonsense reform. By backing this move, he stands up for patients, small businesses and especially our veterans. It is crucial that our federal agencies follow through on this effort and finally align federal cannabis policy with the will of the American people.”

Why it matters: While we have seen an increasing number of Republicans speaking up and speaking out on cannabis reform, it is rarely from Republican leaders in the House or Senate in Washington. And when it comes to states governed by Republican Governors, we’ve seen strong pushback on reform measures, including this week from Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. 

-JR

Speaking on a bill to revise oversight of physicians in Pennsylvania who authorize medical cannabis, State Rep. Arvind Venkat, who is also a physician, said: “I think that there are real concerns with this program, and that there’s a real need for better oversight from the Department of Health…”

The bill to increase oversight of authorizing physicians in Pennsylvania comes after a series of reports on alleged abuse in the medical cannabis system conducted by Spotlight PA. 

More from Spotlight PA.

Florida biennial licensing fee to remain intact 💰

Vertical cannabis operators in Florida’s market were dealt a blow by the 1st District Court of Appeals that dismissed arguments trying to get the $1.3 million biennial license renewal fee adjusted/waived.

New Hampshire keeps legalization conversation alive ⛰️

Yet another legalization bill in New Hampshire has passed the State House of Representatives. It now goes to the Senate. This one doesn’t set up a legal market, more like a decriminalization bill, but either way, the Republican Governor ran on an anti-cannabis platform, so expect a veto if this passes both chambers. More from Ganjapraneur

Reforming Hawaii medical cannabis program on the table ☀️

While adult-use legalization may be off the table for now in Hawaii, it seems the medical cannabis program is ripe for reform – which seems like it might be happening. From increasing the number of conditions – making it easier for patients to access cannabis to cracking down on illicit CBD shops, the conversation seems to be front-burner, according to Hawaii News Now.