FEDERAL
The EPA Won’t Regulate Harmful Pesticides in Marijuana Crops
The Environmental Protection Agency is in charge of regulating pesticides and other chemicals used on agricultural products. But it turns out there’s one crop that they don’t care if it’s poisoned: Marijuana.
Since it is illegal at the federal level, the EPA does not regulate the use of pesticides and other chemicals on marijuana plants. In June, a prominent pesticide manufacturer even tried to get some of their products approved by the agency, but they were rejected. Not only is the legality of marijuana a problem, but the EPA’s also lost much of its power and authority under President Trump as deregulation has become a major theme for the administration. Therefore it is left up to the states themselves to test and regulate those chemicals.
DEA seeks to reduce federal marijuana quotas for research
https://mjbizdaily.com/dea-seeks-reduce-federal-marijuana-quotas-research/
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration wants to reduce the amount of marijuana and other drugs it plans to produce for research purposes.
The DEA’s goal is to decrease the amount of marijuana from 472,000 grams – about 1,040 pounds – it allotted in 2017 to 443,680 grams – about 978 pounds – for next year, according to the Denver Post.
The new quotas were released as part of the DEA’s newly proposed 2018 aggregate production quotas for substances listed on Schedules 1 and 2 of the Controlled Substances Act, which are the two most tightly controlled drug classifications. Cannabis remains a Schedule 1 substance.
NATIONAL
National Conference of State Legislatures Call for Cannabis’ Removal from CSA
Also reported at
http://internationalcbc.com/state-legislatures-want-end-federal-cannabis-prohibition/
CALIFORNIA
Ongoing ‘harassment’ of Los Angeles marijuana businesses creates climate of fear
https://mjbizdaily.com/ongoing-persecution-los-angeles-marijuana-businesses-creates-climate-fear/
As a result, many marijuana operators have become reluctant to take part in negotiations over a new ordinance that will govern the city’s cannabis industry for fear they’ll be targeted by law enforcement, and others are considering relocating to more cannabis-friendly municipalities.
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts Gov. Makes Cannabis Advisory Board Appointments