[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 start off with Virginia, where legalization is so close, but yet so far. Then we move on to Texas, where a smokeable hemp ban has been blocked. In Maryland, veterinarians are now free to prescribe cannabis to Fido and Fluffy. And finally, when Roger Stone is unhappy with the pace of rescheduling, you know times have changed.
VIRGINIA
Remember when Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the governorship of Virginia, and everyone (including us!) thought that meant a retail cannabis market was coming to the Old Dominion State? Well, that may still happen, but not just yet. In Virginia, the governor has several options when considering a bill, including sending it back to the legislature to make changes. This is the option Spanberger has chosen. Will the legislature agree to these changes? Probably. Will Spanberger then sign the bill? Presumably. But the image of Charlie Brown and that football, with Spanberger playing the part of Lucy, keeps popping up…
TEXAS
Moving on to the Lone Star State, we see that the ban on smokeable hemp products promulgated by state regulatory agencies has been blocked by a state district court judge. Hemp has been on a roller coaster ride in Texas. The legislature passed a bill to ban it, but Governor Greg Abbott (R) vetoed that. Then Abbott asked the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to come up with a regulatory scheme for hemp. The hemp industry viewed the resulting rules as tantamount to a death sentence and sued. Now, the regulations are on hold, at least until the next court hearing, set for April 23. So, smoke ’em if you got ’em Texans, because this is surely not the end of the story.
MARYLAND
Meanwhile, in Maryland, where both medical and adult-use cannabis is legal for humans, lawmakers have turned their attention to the herbal refreshment needs of our four-legged friends. Governor Wes Moore (D) recently signed legislation that provides legal protections to veterinarians who recommend medical marijuana for their patients. Currently, vets have felt unable to discuss cannabis with owners whose pets might benefit from the use of cannabis in dealing with cancer or other painful conditions. The law ensures that vets are able to answer questions and provide guidance for pet owners without fear of losing their license.
AND FINALLY
The 2020s have brought changes that no one could have predicted. Not least among them is that Roger Stone, a man so enamored of Richard Nixon (the President who brought you the War on Drugs) that he has a tattoo of Nixon’s face on his back, is now wondering who is responsible for the delay in federal cannabis rescheduling.
Be well everyone – we’ll see you next week.
