Chronicle AM: Federal Pot Banking Bill Filed, More Workers Test Positive for Drugs, More... (5/18/17)

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Marijuana policy continues to motivate members of Congress, a leading drug testing firm reports that positive worker drug tests are on the rise, Maryland's first medical marijuana cultivator gets final approval to grow, and more. 

[image:1 align:left caption:true]Marijuana Policy

Bipartisan Senate Bill to End Federal Pot Banking Ban Filed. Eight US senators running the gamut from Rand Paul (R-KY) on the right to Cory Booker (D-NJ) on the left filed a bill to block federal regulators from punishing financial institutions for doing business with state-legal marijuana-related businesses. The bill is not yet available on the congressional website.

Lawmakers Push Federal Pot Legalization Bill. US Rep. Thomas Garrett (R-VA) and allies held a Capitol Hill press conference on Wednesday to try to gain some momentum for Garrett's Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act (Senate Bill 1227), which was introduced in February but has gone nowhere so far. Garrett said that he had enthusiastically prosecuted marijuana offenders, but grew tired of "creating criminals out of people who otherwise follow the law." Joining Garrett was another of the bill's 11 cosponsors, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), who said "the question before us is not whether you think marijuana use is good or bad, or how you feel about this issue, but whether we should be turning people into criminals."

Medical Marijuana

Maryland Regulators Grant First Medical Marijuana Grow License. More than four years after the state approved medical marijuana, the state Medical Cannabis Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to grant final approval to the first firm licensed to grow medical marijuana, ForwardGro in Anne Arundel County. "A new industry in Maryland has been launched," said Patrick Jameson, executive director of the commission. "They can start to grow immediately." Fifteen companies were granted preliminary licenses last year, but none of the others have been granted final approval yet.

Drug Testing

Drug Testing Firm Reports Workers' Positive Tests at 12-Year High. Drug testing firm Quest Diagnostics reported Wednesday that 4.2% of drug tests among the US workforce came back positive, the highest rate since 2004, when it hit 4.5%. The firm reported increases in positive results for marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, but heroin remained unchanged. "This year's findings are remarkable because they show increased rates of drug positivity for the most common illicit drugs across virtually all drug test specimen types and in all testing populations," said Barry Sample, senior director of science and technology for Quest Diagnostic Employer Solutions.

International

DPA's Dr. Carl Hart Gets Death Threats, Insults for Speaking Out Against Duterte's Drug War.Neuroscientist and Drug Policy Alliance board member Dr. Carl Hart cut short a visit to the Philippines last week after his remarks challenging Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs and assertion that methamphetamine use "shrinks the brains" and his openness about his own drug use resulted in hostile ridicule from the president, racist cartoons in the press, and death threats on social media. 

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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

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California sheriff's deputies are having a hard time resisting temptation, a guard at Louisiana's Angola prison gets caught with a smorgasbord of drugs, and more. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:left]In New York City, a city jail guard was arrested last Wednesday along with 13 others for dealing drugs at a Brooklyn housing project. Guard Cammi Ortiz, 26, was found with two bags of crack and marijuana, along with two scales for weighing the drugs. The precise charges she faces are unclear.

In St. Francisville, Louisiana, an Angola state prison guard was arrested last Saturday after a "routine shakedown" turned up drugs in her car while parked at the prison. Guard April Matthews, 23, got caught with 24 ecstasy tablets, 2.6 ounces of marijuana, 9 ounces of synthetic marijuana, 8 Xanax pills, 5 grams of methamphetamine, 16 cell phones, phone chargers, tobacco, rolling papers, and more than $500 in cash. She is charged with introduction of contraband into a penal institution, malfeasance in office, one count of possession of schedule IV narcotics, and two counts of possession of schedule I narcotics.

In York, Pennsylvania, a former Yuba County, California, sheriff's deputy was found guilty last Wednesday of trafficking hundreds of pounds of marijuana to Pennsylvania. Christopher Heath, 38, went down after he and two others were caught with 250 pounds of pot. His codefendants all pleaded guilty, and now Heath, too, has been found guilty. He was convicted of  possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, conspiracy to manufacture and distribute 100 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to launder drug proceed.

In Bakersfield, California, two former Kern County sheriff's deputies pleaded guilty Monday to stealing seized marijuana from the department's storage unit and selling it. Derrick Penney, 34, and Logan August, 30, admitted conspiring with a former Bakersfield police detective and others to steal the weed and turn it over to a former snitch to sell it. The deputies got $1,200 each for their efforts. August also admitted separately stealing about 25 pounds of pot and letting the same snitch sell it, for which he received $15,000. Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic marijuana. 

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Medical Marijuana Update

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Iowa sees an expansion of its CBD cannabis oil law, a Delaware medical marijuana expansion bill stalls, Florida remains without medical marijuana regulations after the legislature couldn't get its act together, and more.

[image:1 align:right]Delaware

On Tuesday, the medical marijuana expansion bill stalled for lack of support. A bill that would have expanded the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana stalled in the Senate Tuesday as lawmakers complained that a promised amendment to address concerns of the medical profession was never added. But sponsor Sen. Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington) said Senate Bill 24 would be reintroduced at a later date. The bill would have added debilitating anxiety to the list of qualifying conditions and removed a requirement that a psychiatrist sign recommendations for people seeking medical marijuana for PTSD.

Florida

Last Thursday, calls grew for a special session to deal with medical marijuana. House Speaker Richard Corcoran has joined a growing number of people calling for a special legislative session to come up with rules for the state's voter-approved medical marijuana amendment. Senate President Joe Negron has also said the legislature should be responsible for crafting the rules. The session ended earlier last week without the legislature reaching agreement on how to regulate medical marijuana. If the legislature doesn't come back into session to deal with the issue, it will be left up to the state Health Department.

Iowa

Last Friday, the governor signed a CBD cannabis oil expansion bill. Gov. Terry Branstad (R) signed into law House File 524, which expands an existing law that allows people with certain conditions to use CBD cannabis oil, but did not allow for production or sale of the oil. The new law lets the state authorize up to two facilities to grow marijuana and produce cannabis oil to be sold in five state-approved dispensaries. It also expands the list of qualifying illnesses to include 15 chronic conditions.

Michigan

Last Thursday,a bill was filed to allow patients to transport their medicine. Rep. Peter Lucido (D-Macomb County) filed House Bill 4606, which would repeal a 2012 law making it illegal to transport marijuana unless it's in a container in the trunk of a vehicle. It's "ridiculous" that medical marijuana patients can't carry pot like any other prescription medication," Lucido said."It makes no sense to give out medical marijuana cards and force patients to put it in the trunk," he continued. "My God, it's not a gun -- being a lawyer, my law firm has taken on at least a dozen of these cases."

New Jersey

 

Last Friday, a review panel recommended adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition. The state Medical Marijuana Program Review Panel recommended that the Health Commissioner approve chronic pain related to a number of ailments as a qualifying condition for the use of medical marijuana. There will now be a 60-day comment period and a public hearing before the recommendations is finalized and sent to the commissioner.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]

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Chronicle AM: RI House Punts on Pot Legalization, Leading Mexican Journo Gunned Down, More... (5/17/17)

Chronicle AM: Rand Paul Slams Sessions on Drug War, Guatemala Poppy Conflict Grows Violent, More... (5/16/17)

Chronicle AM: NJ Pot Legalization Bill Filed, Seattle Safe Injection Sites Face NIMBY Foes, More... (5/15/17)

Chronicle AM: AG Sessions Orders Tougher Sentencing, NH Gov Will Sign Decrim, More... (5/12/17)

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Attorney General Sessions has rolled out plans to return to the harsh war on drugs of old, New Hampshire is set to become the next decriminalization state (even as polls show it's ready for legalization), Denver takes a step toward social pot consumption permits, and more.

[image:1 align:right caption:true]Marijuana Policy

New Hampshire Poll Has Strong Support for Legalization.A new poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center has some of the strongest support anywhere for marijuana legalization. The poll found 68% supported legalization, with only 27% opposed. What makes the finding even more striking is that more than half (53%) of respondents in the same poll identified drug abuse as the most serious issue facing the state. As the pollster noted, "The public doesn't see marijuana legalization and the opioid crisis as the same issue."

New Hampshire Governor Says He Will Sign Decriminalization Bill. Maybe he's following the polls, but Gov. Chris Sununu (R) has confirmed that he will sign House Bill 460, which decriminalizes the possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce of pot. "I want to thank the Legislature for passing common sense marijuana reform," Sununu said in a statement. "I look forward to signing House Bill 640 into law."

Texas Decriminalization Bill Dies. The clock has run out on House Bill 81, which would have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The House failed to take up the bill before a midnight Thursday deadline, meaning it is now dead for the session.

Denver Releases Draft Rules for Social Marijuana Consumption Permits. The city released draft rules and regulations for businesses seeking to obtain permits to allow onsite marijuana consumption on Thursday. The draft rules do not allow businesses seeking such a permit to hold a liquor license, meaning dreams of being able to smoke and drink at the same place have gone out the window -- at least for now. The rules are still open for review, with a public hearing set for June 13. The rules also envision making customers sign a waiver form saying they won't drive impaired and won't sell pot at the business. Businesses would not be able to sell any marijuana; instead customers would have to BYOB -- up to an ounce.

Philadelphia Mayor Says Legalize It, Let State Liquor Stores Sell It. Mayor Jim Kenney (D) has called for pot to be legalized and sold at state liquor stores. The state has "the perfect system to set up the legal recreational use" of marijuana with its state-controlled liquor stores, Kenny said. Doing so would allow the state "to capture all the income that is going to the underground," he said, adding that revenues could go to public education.

Medical Marijuana

Michigan Bill Would Allow Patients to Transport Their Medicine. Rep. Peter Lucido (D-Macomb County) has filed House Bill 4606, which would repeal a 2012 law making it illegal to transport marijuana unless it's in a container in the trunk of a vehicle. It's "ridiculous" that medical marijuana patients can't carry pot like any other prescription medication," Lucido said."It makes no sense to give out medical marijuana cards and force patients to put it in the trunk," he continued. "My God, it's not a gun -- being a lawyer, my law firm has taken on at least a dozen of these cases."

New Jersey Panel Recommends Adding Chronic Pain as Qualifying Condition. The state Medical Marijuana Program Review Panel on Friday recommended that the Health Commissioner approve chronic pain related to a number of ailments as a qualifying condition for the use of medical marijuana. There will now be a 60-day comment period and a public hearing before the recommendations is finalized and sent to the commissioner.

Drug Policy

Attorney General Sessions Orders Tougher Drug Sentencing, Rolling Back Obama Reforms. In a memo released Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered federal prosecutors to pursue the toughest possible charges against crime suspects, rolling back Obama administration steps to ease penalties for some nonviolent drug offenders. The policy shift signals a return to "enforcing the laws that Congress has passed," Sessions said Friday.

ACLU Criticizes Sessions' Shift Back to Failed Drug Policies. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) responded to Attorney General Sessions' shift in drug policy by calling it "repeating a failed experiment" and a throwback to the 1980s. Udi Ofer, director of the ACLU's Campaign for Smart Justice said it sounds like a return to the dark days of the 1970s and 1980s, which "devastated the lives and rights of millions of Americans."

Eric Holder Criticizes Sessions Shift Back to Failed Drug Policies. Obama-era Attorney General Eric Holder, author of some of the sentencing reforms being rolled back by Sessions, called the move "dumb on crime" and said Sessions is ignoring bipartisan support for sentencing changes. Sessions' policy is "an ideologically motivated, cookie-cutter approach that has only been proven to generate unfairly long sentences," Holder added.

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