[author: Susan Ryan}
Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana.
South Dakota may vote on marijuana again in 2022. Mississippi’s Supreme Court won’t reconsider its decision on the 2020 ballot initiative. The House Appropriations Committee passed a bill that does not prohibit DC from allowing cannabis sales. The intersection of marijuana and sports made the news this week. And finally, you can get cannabis seeds in Virginia.
SOUTH DAKOTA
When last we visited the Mount Rushmore State, adult-use cannabis was the subject of litigation. Supporters of the 2020 ballot initiative have decided to get started on a new initiative for 2022. South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws released four new measures to legalize, filing them with the state’s Legislative Research Council. Of course, they’re hoping none of them will be necessary, but clearly, they feel it’s better to be safe than sorry.
MISSISSIPPI
In Mississippi, it looks like a legislative special session is the only path forward for medical cannabis. The Supreme Court officially rejected a call to reconsider their decision disallowing the 2020 ballot initiative.
APPROPRIATIONS
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year 2022 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) praised the bill for what it did not include: a rider prohibiting DC from setting up an adult-use cannabis market. We’re still a long way from seeing dispensaries in our nation’s capital, but this is a step in that direction.
OLYMPICS
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention one of the biggest stories of the Tokyo Olympics – the barring of Sha’Carri Richardson from the US track and field team. See our take on this issue here.
AND FINALLY
Virginia Marijuana Justice celebrated the commonwealth’s legalization of adult-use cannabis by giving away marijuana plant seeds. Although fewer commuters were at the Rosslyn Metro station than in the pre-COVID days, there was still a line!
Stay safe and be well everyone – we’ll see you next week!
