Chuck Schumer’s Federal Cannabis Legalization Hype Talk Tour Makes Stop on the Senate Floor on 4/20

Cannabis News Update April 21, 2021 Today in cannabis news: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s federal cannabis legalization hype talk tour makes a stop on the Senate floor on 4/20; Idaho becomes the final state in the U.S. to permit commercial hemp production, two years after the 2018 Farm Bill; and Willie Nelson urges President Joe Biden to recognize 4/20 as an official “high holiday.” The Morning Buzz presented by TRICHOMES brings you late-breaking news that tells you what's happening within the cannabis industry. Check in with the cannabis community at TRICHOMES.com ** First up: The hype talk tour continues! Yesterday on 4/20 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reiterated again that a coalition of legislators have been collaborating on measures to lift the federal ban on cannabis and hopes to have a draft bill ready “in the near future.” On Tuesday, Schumer spoke from the Senate chamber about the measures they're working on with Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), which Schumer called a “very unofficial American holiday, 4/20.” They went on to say that the upcoming measure would repeal the federal ban while also ensuring “restorative justice,” upholding public safety, and enacting “responsible taxes and regulations.” Schumer, who described their own thinking as having “evolved,” cited shifts in state drug policies around the nation, such as in their home state of New York, which recently legalized recreational cannabis. “It’s time for change. I believe the time has come to end the federal prohibition on marijuana in this country,” Schumer said. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5... ** Next up: Idaho has officially become the final state in the U.S. to legalize commercial hemp, making the plant lawful to grow in any state in the nation, over two years since the 2018 Farm Bill made hemp a legal commodity. Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a bill that makes it legal to grow, distribute, and sell hemp statewide, paving the way for hemp cultivation to commence in 2022. The Idaho Department of Agriculture will now proceed with developing regulations and payments for the cultivation, selling, and shipping of commercial hemp, as well as submitting a hemp manufacturing strategy to the United States Department of Agriculture “as expeditiously as possible, but no later than September 1st.” Idaho's hemp strategy will be developed in collaboration with Gov. Little, Idaho's state police chief, and the agricultural sector. The crop's overall THC levels, including THC-A, must be 0.3% or less, and hemp distributors must adhere to police inspections and enable peace officers to verify THC compliance using “randomly select reasonably sized samples not to exceed 20 grams.” https://hempindustrydaily.com/hemp-no... ** Last up: President Joe Biden is being urged by country music legend Willie Nelson to declare the April 20th unofficial cannabis holiday an official national week of celebration. Nelson launched a petition that now has over 2,000 signatures asking President Biden to designate 4/20 as the beginning of an annual federal holiday that would last until April 29th to honor the birthday of the musician and longtime cannabis activist. “We believe that recognition of the ‘High Holidays’ opens the door to much needed dialogue supporting the many benefits of cannabis while helping to remove the unjustified stigmas currently surrounding this amazing plant,” the petition reads. The petition continues: “Please puff, puff, and pass this to your friends in Congress for consideration. When you do, reflect on the immortal words of Willie: ‘I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?’” While the petition is intended to be sort of humorous, it states that its true aim is to start a dialogue regarding changing the negative image of cannabis and cannabis culture rather than starting a national holiday for cannabis enthusiasts. https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...