[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, the news centered on President Biden’s federal pardon and review of marijuana scheduling. Assuming you’re all up to speed on that topic, let’s have a look at what *else* is going on. The District of Columbia decided not to inspect unlicensed cannabis dealers. New York dispensaries will open this year. Major League Baseball now has an official CBD supplier. And finally, The Onion had something to say about the pardon/scheduling news.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Alone among jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis, DC does not allow the purchase or sale of marijuana. Possession is legal; exchanging money is not. But the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in our nation’s capital. Businesses have sprung up that offer goods and services to the public, featuring a “gift with purchase” of cannabis. Is this legal? Good question. The local government scheduled inspections of these unlicensed dispensaries for last month, but called them off just as they were supposed to begin. The suspicion is that closing down shops and putting people out of business right before an election would not be a good look for Mayor Muriel Bowser (D). Council member Phil Mendelson (D) warned that not dealing with this market will only allow it to grow.
NEW YORK
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) says adult-use cannabis dispensaries will open in 2022. After the state received more than 900 applications, as we reported last week, there was some concern as to how long it would take for the state to approve applicants. The Governor says 20 dispensaries will open this year, and 20 more each month after that.
CHARLOTTE’S WEB
We reported in July that Major League Baseball (MLB) allowed teams to have CBD companies as sponsors. Now, Charlotte’s Web has been named the official CBD of MLB.
AND FINALLY…
The Onion weighed in on the pardon news.
“Sounds like Biden’s dealer got picked up.”
Stay safe and be well everyone – we’ll see you next week!
