In a desperate move reminiscent of our (soon-to-be former) “Crybaby-in-Chief,” who’s throwing the ultimate tantrum during his final days in office, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) just made an obnoxious announcement reminding everyone that federal employees are still subject to drug tests for weed — and will be penalized if they test positive.
A top U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) official says that the department expects to release an interim final rule on hemp regulations within “the next couple of weeks.”
During a hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) told USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky that there’s been a “big rise in interest” in hemp among farmers in her state since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which federally legalized the crop and its derivatives.
Just as thousands of tourists flock to the Jersey Shore for the Fourth of July, the New Jersey medical marijuana program is on the verge of opening its doors to out-of-state patients for the first time.
Under the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act, visitors with medical marijuana cards from their home states would be able to carry and use medical marijuana here, up to the proposed 3-ounce legal limit.
But there's one big problem: They wouldn't be allowed to buy medical marijuana here unless they have approval from a New Jersey doctor.
Matt Borgersen, the 25-year-old executive chef at Westwood’s Caffe Anello, has fond memories of a creamy brie he enjoyed at a dining event in Colorado. Instead of honey, it was served with an agave nectar infused with THC — the psychoactive compound of marijuana.
"I can't wait until I can start making similar dishes in New Jersey, if and when recreational marijuana is legalized," said Borgersen.
Several factors may be at play. Federal marijuana cases have dropped almost 50 percent since 2013—the same year that former U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Cole issued a memorandum, colloquially known as the “Cole memo,” to federal prosecutors on marijuana enforcement priorities. The document has generally been interpreted as a message to U.S. attorneys not to prosecute people complying with state cannabis laws.
A low unemployment rate and the spreading legalization of marijuana have led many businesses to rethink their drug testing policies for the first time in decades. A small but increasing number are simply no longer testing for pot.
“Former Speaker Boehner is still held in high regard by a large percentage of the GOP membership and voter base,” Erik Altieri, executive director of NORML, a marijuana advocacy group, said in a statement. “We look forward to his voice joining the growing chorus calling for an end to cannabis criminalization.”