Following important cannabis news articles every day can be a real burn-out, we know. That’s why the Emerald rolls up a chronicle of the headiest news hits, and passes them to you at the end of each week. We Bring You: The Dime.
Amazon is Lobby’s Lawmakers to Change Policies Surrounding Cannabis
This week, Amazon announced in a blog post that they are supporting federal pro-cannabis policies, reports Gizmodo. More specifically, the e-commerce giant is throwing its support behind the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act) and the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA). In a letter to legislators, Amazon said: “we support removing cannabis from the Controlled Substance Act. Doing so will open significant new economic opportunities for millions of capable individuals while beginning to restore some of the damage done to highly affected communities.” The company is inspired to do so in response to increasing state legalization efforts; disproportionate effects of drug testing on people of color; and to increase their employment applicant pool. This comes after Amazon announced the discontinuation of pre-employment drug testing. The moves are in an effort to become “earth’s best employer,” says vice president of human resources, Beth Galetti in the blog post.
Hochul Picks Final Members for New York’s Cannabis Regulatory Boards
On September 22nd, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her final picks for the state’s two cannabis regulatory boards. This subsequently puts the state closer to introducing retail recreational sales. That’s because members of the boards will oversee things like licensing, and day-to-day operations. This comes just one month after Hochul took office, and nearly six months after state officials approved adult-use cannabis. Hochul’s latest picks include Reuben R. McDaniel, III, and also, Jessica García, reports SFGate.
House of Representatives Supports SAFE Banking Act
On September 21st, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of including the SAFE Banking Act in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. The proposed bill would allow banks to work with cannabis companies without fear of penalties, reports Bloomberg. It would also mean that canna-companies wouldn’t have to work entirely with cash, which puts them at risk. Meanwhile, the act now heads to the Senate. According to MJ Biz Daily, “The [House] passed cannabis banking reform by a strong bipartisan vote of 321-101 in April, but the Senate hasn’t taken up the issue.”
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