“I have seen this type of behavior from this country before. It doesn’t make it right, but it doesn’t make me depressed. It makes me want to fight more.”

— Shirley Jefferson, associate dean for student affairs and diversity at Vermont Law School

⭐ New Feature in the Roll Up: Look for the star on our top news items ⭐

 Welcome To The Weekly Roll Up
A Compendium of The Week’s Cannabis News

Vermont

⭐ What Act 164’s Municipal Opt-In Clause Means for Vermonters – And How To Get It On Your Town Meeting Day Ballot

⭐ Valley News: ‘It tells me that I am less’: History, racism hang over Capitol riots

⭐ WCAX: FBI warns of armed protests at statehouses, including Vermont

⭐St. Albans Messenger: VT legislature approves resolution condemning capital riots, Trump

Other news out of Vermont during this unforgettable past week:

• Pot in your past? Vermont’s new expungement law clears your record
• Can I buy cannabis in BTV? At Town Meeting 2021, residents may be able to decide.
• Burlington city councilors, cannabis industry experts meet in work session
• Burlington City Council fails attempt to override veto of new police oversight board
• Waterbury may opt in for retail marijuana market
• Vermont hits new record of hospitalizations
• Suspended Vermont trooper who praised Washington mob resigns
• VPR: How Police Handled Pro-Trump Mob Compared With Protesters For Black Racial Justice
• Viral photo taken during Capitol riots shows Vermont Abolitionist
• After Riots at the Capitol, Busload of Vermont Trump Supporters Returns From D.C.
• Grand Old Parting? Riot at U.S. Capitol Exposes Rifts in the VTGOP

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Regional

Maine

• Maine Office of Marijuana Policy Update via Maine Cannabis Chronicle
• Maine Marijuana Shops Report Brisk Business Despite Pandemic
• Maine’s cannabis industry booming during the pandemic
• Portland cannabis testing lab ProVerde shut down for operating without a license

Massachusetts

• Ava Callender Concepcion appointed to Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, filling public safety seat
• Cannabis Control Commission names Dorchester attorney as final member
• Holyoke CC adds cannabis job training program to spring schedule
• Boston Public Radio: Andrea Cabral, CEO of cannabis company AscendMass, discusses the capitol riots
• Cannabis MSO Curaleaf seeks to raise CA$275 million through share offering

New Hampshire

• NH court sides with ‘North Woods Law’ in couple’s case

New York

• New York Legislators Expect Recreational Marijuana Deal In 2021
• 3rd Time’s the Charm? Cuomo Includes Legalization in New York Budget
• Cuomo to push for legal marijuana
• New York Gov. Calls for Legalization & New Cannabis Management Office

National

⭐The Year in Weed: 2020 Edition

⭐ Great year for weed: Top 10 NORML cannabis news events of 2020

Advocacy

• ACLU: 50 Years Into the War on Drugs, Biden-Harris can Fix the Harm It Created[a]
• The Last Drug Warrior: Sheldon Adelson Was The Final Billionaire To Fight Marijuana Legalization. And He Lost.[b]
• Norml: Governors Speak Out in Favor of Marijuana Legalization Nationwide

Animals

• Michigan Veterinarians Can Now Talk About CBD

Arts/Entertainment

• Wilfred Creator Jason Gann On Pivoting Into The Cannabis Market
• Emerald Mag: These Celebrities Celebrated the Holiday With the Gift of Weed
• Ivan Moody and 8 Other Celebrities with Marijuana/CBD Brands

Banking

• US Economy Needs Cannabis Banking Bill More Than Ever

Business

⭐  Why the Future of Cannabis Branding Could Be Determined on the East Coast[c]

• Cannabis Job Outlook in 2021 is ‘Strong’ Despite Suffering Layoffs Throughout 2020
• It’s Reefer Madness as Cannabis Stocks Jump on Election News
• Why The Psychedelics Market Is NOT Cannabis 2.0
• Canopy Growth CEO Says It Will Directly Enter U.S. Market Within a Year
• Cannabis firm Canopy Growth sues GW Pharma, claiming patent infringement
• Some pot growers still counting cost of wildfires, but most say industry dodged a bullet
• How to arrive at an appropriate royalty fee when white-labeling cannabis products
• WATCH: Emerald speaks with Marie Montmarquet and Allen Hackett of MD Farms

CBD & Hemp

⭐ Abaca Announces Merchant Services for Hemp and CBD Businesses

⭐ Hemp group expects reintroduction of CBD supplements bill

• USDA Approves Hemp Regulatory Plans From Rhode Island And Another Indian Tribe
• With Growing Demand, the CBD Market Could be Worth $16 Billion by 2025
• Would marijuana legalization save hemp CBD from regulatory overreach?
• Native Leaf Co Launches Market’s First Whole-Leaf Hemp Wraps
• Study suggests West Coast hemp growers escaped smoke damage from wildfires

Coronavirus/COVID-19

• Activists Give Out Free Marijuana in DC To Encourage COVID Vaccination With ‘Joints For Jabs’ Campaign
• Why Is Europe Paying a Lot Less Than the U.S. for COVID Vaccines?
• Edibles outperform cannabis industry growth in 2020 on COVID-spurred sales surge

Culture

⭐  Cannabis Culture’s Changing. Marketers Need to Adapt.

• Plenty of weed, women and wine in new memoir “Unplanned Parenthood”

Education

• Holyoke CC adds cannabis job training program to spring schedule
• Mount Sinai launches psychedelics research center
• New online Purdue course takes a comprehensive look at hemp as a crop and a product

Federal

• FDA Unveils Plan To Fill CBD Research Gaps With ‘Real-World Data’ In 2021
• Biden’s Commerce Secretary Pick Wants Marijuana Sold In Government-Run Stores

Food & Beverage

• Marijuana-infused drinks appear to be on the way in Michigan
• Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency offers guidelines for cannabis-infused beverages
• Darren Criss On Replacing Booze With Cannabis Drinks: ‘Take The Edge Off Without The Poison Alcohol Can Be’

Growing and Making

• 8 Cannabis Cultivars Trending Up in 2021
• Taking on pests and diseases in cannabis: The propagation stages
• Seed, Clone or Tissue Culture? How to Decide
• Cooking with Cannabis: Time for New Year cheer
• Check Out This CBD Dark ‘N’ Stormy Beverage Recipe By Tribe CBD

Health and Wellness

• 8 Cannabis Strains that Help Arthritis and Inflammation

Hypocrisy, Prevarication, and Outright Lies

• Trump Police Commission Slams Pot Legalization, Drug Decrim in New Report

Insurance

• Is cannabis the next insurance opportunity?

Law Enforcement

• 4 Things Garland Could Do For Marijuana Reform As AG
• Biden to tap Merrick Garland for attorney general, offering stark contrast to anti-cannabis AGs under Trump
• Just Say “No” to Kennedy for Drug Czar

Legalization

⭐ Federal marijuana reform outlook brightens as Democrats win control of US Senate

• New Democratic Majority In Senate Bodes Well For Cannabis Policy Reform
• Why Does Congress Need Two Years To Federally Legalize Marijuana?

Military/Vets

• Inside Southbridge’s would-be veteran-minded marijuana company

Podcasts

• Learn About The Dankest Autoflower & Photoperiod Strains Of 2021 With James Bean From Seeds Here Now
• Grow Talk 1139: Dank Autoflowers, Trying Organics, & The Perfect VPD In Flower
• Curious About Cannabis Podcast: BTS #42 Mary Clifton MD on Cannabis in Hospice, Medical Marijuana, Anxiety, CBG
• Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast: Discovering the “why” in how plants grow with Don Marshall

Politics

⭐ DC Capitol Rioter Has Ties to Cannabis Industry

• Trump Police Commission Slams Marijuana Legalization And Drug Decrim in New Report
• Appropriations Act Signals Congress’ Hemp Industry Support
• Democratic-led Senate could clear a path to marijuana legalization
• Democrats Win The Senate: The Impact On Marijuana Policy
• What Does a Democrat-Controlled Senate Mean for Federal Cannabis Policy Reform?

Psychedelics

⭐ How This Black-Led Psychedelic Collective Is Combining Anti-Racism With ‘Sacred Plant Medicine’

• WaPo: Will psychedelic mushroom vacations come to the U. S.?
• Neuroscientists believe deep neural networks could help illustrate how psychedelics alter consciousness
• From USciences to Argentina and beyond, the son of filmmaker Errol Morris explores psychedelics for VICE TV
• Psychedelics Legalization Efforts Quickly Gaining Momentum
• Psychedelics Could Help Nearly 700 Million People Struggling with Mental Health Issues
• Psychedelics And Judaism: A History Of Jewish Mysticism
• Psychedelic Mushrooms Grew in a Man’s Veins After He Injected Them

Social Justice

⭐ There aren’t many Black-owned cannabis businesses. These 3 entrepreneurs say that can change.

• Last Prisoner Project to expand operations into six additional U.S. states, receives boost from Greenlane Holdings
• While N.J. legal weed bill is stalled yet again, marijuana arrests continue
• Opinion: It Will Take More Than Expungement To Achieve Social Justice Cannabis Reform
• Roll Up Life Inc. Combines Cannabis With Social Equity

Sports

• Career-ending injury steers Olympian Michael Frater to medical marijuana business

Studies and Surveys

⭐ Study Investigates Cannabis Withdrawal Symptoms

• Researchers want to give AI ‘virtual psychedelics’ to study the effects
• Study suggests psychedelics may improve the mental health symptoms of individuals suffering from race-based trauma
• New Psychedelics Studies Could Shed Light on Treatment for Obesity Epidemic
• Study found that the “vast majority of caregivers found CBD to be effective in managing behavioral symptoms of [Alzheimer’s disease] and believed that healthcare professionals should offer CBD oil as a part of treatment.”
• CBD May Help During Cocaine Withdrawal
• A review concluded that “classic psychedelics dose-dependently impair memory task performance but may enhance autobiographical memory.”

Women

• The Arcview Group’s Women’s Inclusion Network Announces Partnership With WEiC
• Who’s Who in Cannabis: Venus Hemachandra, Herbiculture Inc.
• Study finds West Virginia among worst states for women-led businesses
• Supernova Women Takes The Lead On Jobs Program
• St. Louis-based BeLeaf Medical launches female-led manufacturing brand Phytos

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States

Arizona

• Arizona Prepares To Accept Marijuana Applications Next Week As New Draft Legalization Rules Are Issued
• Arizona’s medical cannabis program slows as state gears up for recreational sales

California

• California Marijuana Workers Should Be Prioritized For Vaccines, Company Says
• California marijuana regulatory merger on track for July
• Cannabis activist Steve DeAngelo leaves California cannabis company, Harborside Inc
• New CA cannabis health warning label requirement could trigger industry lawsuits
• CA Bill Proposes Ban On Smokable Hemp, But Open Doors For CBD Food + Beverages
• L.A. marijuana businesses seek hearings over expired city permits
• CA Gov’s office is cohosting virtual meetings on cannabis policy, equity and racial justice

Colorado

• Recreational cannabis delivery in Colorado hinges on equity program
• Colorado Gov. Asks for $5 Million to Boost Cannabis Social Equity
• Colorado authorities issue recall of contaminated cannabis
• Hemp extraction company Zelios Colorado is now Gemini Extraction & Refinement Solutions.

Connecticut

• Connecticut Governor Renews Pledge To Pursue Marijuana Legalization
• Connecticut Gov. Calls for Cannabis Legalization

Florida

• Florida: Enrollment in Medical Cannabis Access Program Associated With Reductions in Prescription Drug Use
• Florida Hemp Farming Grows As CBD Demand Rises
• Driver crashes through Trulieve Medical Marijuana building in Destin
• Lack of Dispensaries Across Florida Limits Access for MMJ

Georgia

• Georgia Highlights: Democrats Win the Senate as Ossoff Defeats Perdue
• Jon Ossoff: “There’s so much good that we can do”
• ‘Welcome To The New Georgia’: Raphael Warnock On His Win in Georgia Runoff

Illinois

• Illinois: Governor Announces That Hundreds of Thousands of Thousands of Cannabis Related Convictions Have Been Expunged
• Illinois lawmakers seek to add 75 new cannabis licenses in move to allow more minority ownership

Iowa

• Dozens Of Iowa Democratic Officials Push For Marijuana Legalization in 2021
• Linn County’s new marijuana diversion program becomes racial justice flashpoint

Kansas

• Kansas Lawmakers Push To Legalize Medical Marijuana In 2021
• Kansas Prepares For First “Commercial” Industrial Hemp Season
• Industrial hemp farm is ready to apply for new commercial status

Kentucky

• Kentucky Lawmakers File Bill To Legalize Medical Marijuana

Maryland

• Who’s Who in Cannabis: 10 Maryland policymakers and industry players you should know
• Meet the companies on our first annual List of Cannabis Dispensaries in Maryland
• SunMed Growers triples Cecil County cannabis growing facility with $18 million expansion
• Study: Geolocation of Maryland Medical Marijuana Dispensaries by Community Income and Racial Characteristics

Michigan

• Michigan Prosecutor Won’t Pursue Most Marijuana Or Psychedelics Cases, ‘Regardless Of The Amount’
• Michigan Cannabis Sales Increased 482% During 2020

Minnesota

• Top Minnesota House Lawmaker Wants Marijuana On Ballot If GOP Blocks Legalization Bill
• Minnesota Moves Closer to Cannabis Legalization

Mississippi

• Mississippi Now Has Timeline For Medical Marijuana Rollout

Missouri

• GOP Lawmaker Proposes Cannabis Legalization Bill in Missouri
• Wana launches in Missouri for medical marijuana patients

Montana

• Montana Lawmakers Reject Funding To Implement Voter Approved Marijuana Legalization Program
• Don’t panic, Montana: Here’s why legislators aren’t likely to delay legalization

Nebraska

• Legalizing recreational marijuana use in Nebraska proposed in constitutional amendment
• Nebraska State Senator Introduces Recreational Marijuana Legalization Amendment

Nevada

• After strong start, hemp farming in Nevada trying to find footing
• Vireo closes $4 million purchase of Nevada cannabis production facilities
• Nevada City could expand cannabis businesses
• Nevada’s cannabis and vaping action plan looking at a public health approach during 3-day summit

New Jersey

• New Jersey Is ‘On The Verge’ Of Implementing Marijuana Legalization, Governor Says In State Of The State Speech
• New Jersey Cannabis Legalization Deal Implodes
• Despite the November vote, cannabis is still not legal in New Jersey
• ACLU-NJ: State of the State: 2021 Will Build on Civil Rights Expansions

New Mexico

• New Mexico Poised to Legalize Marijuana

North Dakota

• North Dakota Activists Submit 2022 Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative

Ohio

• State to consider additional ailments eligible for medical marijuana

Oregon

• How Oregon’s Radical Decriminalization of Drugs Was Inspired by Portugal
• Oregon marijuana sales reach record $1 billion-plus in 2020
• Oregonians bought more than $1 billion of weed in 2020; Multnomah County led the way
• Oregon’s maturing cannabis market attracts big business and unusual deals
• Oregon Cannabis Regulators Ban Harsh Additives First Seen in Vaping Crisis
• Oregon regulators recall contaminated cannabis extracts, flower

Pennsylvania

• Top Pennsylvania Official Who Champions Pot Legalization Weighs 2022 Senate Run

Puerto Rico

• Puerto Rico ag secretary says without private investment, hemp will stall

Rhode Island

• Top Rhode Island Senator Backs Private Marijuana Sales As Another Puts 95% Odds On Legalization
• Dispensary applications show broad investment partnerships growing
• Medical marijuana grower sues Smithfield, state over ‘unconstitutional’ raid, seizure of Putnam Pike property

South Dakota

• South Dakota Gov. Joins Effort to Block Voter-Approved Cannabis Legalization
• South Dakota attorneys warned against working with marijuana companies
• Gov. Noem says she ordered marijuana lawsuit in executive order

Tennessee

• Tennessee lawmakers wants some marijuana possession allowed with valid ID card
• Teachers, marijuana and COVID-19 on the agenda as lawmakers convene in Nashville

Texas

• Texas medical marijuana operators ‘push but not shove’ to expand state’s limited MMJ program
• Texas Lawmakers Push Marijuana Legalization During Tough Budget Times
• Advocates Hope Texas Will Ease Medical Marijuana Restrictions

Virginia

• Virginia Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Legalize Marijuana In 2021

Washington

• No winter hibernation for outdoor growers

Wyoming

• Wyoming Looks At Examples of Legal Cannabis In Neighboring States

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International

Asia

• Thailand Legislators look to fast-track legalisation of kratom
• Thailand Opens Licensing for Hemp Production, Import, Export and Distribution
• Will China Become Hooked On CBD Beauty Products?

Australia

• Australia: TGA Issues Final Ruling On Over-The-Counter CBD And Increases Daily Dosage Limit

Canada

• Pot CEOs, led by Aphria’s Irwin Simon, among Canada’s top-paid execs despite losses
• Aurora Cannabis breach exposes personal data of former, current workers
• Canopy boosting Ontario presence with nine new Tokyo Smoke stores
• We need to stop ballooning police budgets across Canada

Central America

• Cost Rica: Legislative Bill on Hemp and Medicinal Cannabis as a Proposal.
• Mexico moves to create world’s largest legal cannabis market
• Mexico publishes medicinal cannabis regulation, creating new market
• Mexico is moving to legalize cannabis in 2021. What does that mean for the U.S.?

Europe

• Amsterdam Mayor Officially Proposes Banning Foreigners from Cannabis Coffee Shops
• German entrepreneurs find revenue opportunities in private cannabis market
• Polish medical cannabis market growing rapidly but remains very small

Israel

• Israeli cannabis, tobacco use has risen sharply during COVID-19 – survey
• Economy and Industry Ministry approves cannabis production factory

New Zealand

• ‘Pump and dump’ cannabis business MediCann sees investor money drained in legal fight

South America

• This Cannabis Cultivator in Uruguay Is Exporting to Israel and Europe

UK

• UK Police Commissioner Suggests Giving Cannabis to Prisoners
• UK start up secures first permit this century for cannabis cultivation
• Brexit stops ‘life-saving’ medical cannabis drug supply for epileptic boy