[author: Susan Ryan]

Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana.

This week, we see lots of action on the federal level. The SAFE Act is back. The CLAIM Act is SAFE’s insurance industry cousin. A bill that would have allowed cannabis research got voted down in the Senate. The states also made some news. Minnesota gets ever closer to legalizing. Maryland’s governor signs a bill implementing retail sales. And finally, people leave some mighty strange things behind when they take an Uber.

STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS BEFORE

Far be it from me to call the SAFE Banking Act a bad penny, but it does keep turning up. And I would like Congress to either pass this thing or give up on it entirely, because I’m running out of song titles and old-timey metaphors to describe it. This time, we have a House bill and a Senate bill, both assigned to committees and gathering cosponsors.

CLAIM ACT

If you’re thinking that banking isn’t the only industry that deals with cannabis and needs some federal protection, you’re not alone. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) re-introduced the CLAIM Act this week. The bill would allow insurance companies to provide services to the cannabis industry in states where it is legal, without fear of adverse action or liability.

VA RESEARCH ACT

The chances of the VA Marijuana Research bill passing after a recent Senate defeat seem to be somewhere between slim and none. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), the bill’s sponsor, does not see a path forward for the bill, which would have allowed the Veterans Administration to research the medical uses of cannabis for veterans.

MINNESOTA

The feds may not be making much progress, but the states certainly are. The Minnesota legislature appointed a bipartisan, bicameral committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate version of their legalization bills. The next step in the process is that the chambers will vote on the compromise bill language, and if the bill survives those votes, it’s on to the Governor’s office. The legislative session ends on May 22, so we’ll know one way or the other very soon.

MARYLAND

Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed a bill into law that sets up retail sales of cannabis in Maryland, ahead of the July 1 legalization date.

AND FINALLY

Sometimes, people are so excited to arrive at their destination that they forget things in their Uber. Apparently, this happens so much, the good people of Uber keep a tally of what things are left behind. The full list is full of interesting things, including (but most definitely NOT limited to, cannabis and cannabis-related items).

2023 Lost & Found trends:

• We(e)’d like you to remember your items: From bags of weed to pre-rolls and pens – medicinal and recreational – we’ve seen a “high” increase in forgotten ganja goods.

Uber’s 2023 Lost and Found Index

Stay safe and be well everyone – we’ll see you next week.