GOP Lawmakers Slam Marijuana Legalization Vote
GOP Lawmakers Slam Marijuana Legalization Vote Planned In Congress This Week
Published By Kyle Jaeger on December 1, 2020
Numerous Republican members of Congress are blasting House Democrats over a planned vote on a bill to federally legalize marijuana this week, dismissing the significance of the issue and arguing that it’s an inappropriate time to take it up.
Specifically, most critics of the vote are saying that the House shouldn’t take action on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act until additional coronavirus relief is passed.
The seemingly coordinated messaging from GOP members is familiar, as minority party members issued the same criticism when House leadership announced their intention to vote on the MORE Act in December.
There was an earlier push to take action on the bill in September, but that plan was postponed following pushback from certain centrist Democrats who worried about the optics of advancing cannabis reform before passing another COVID-19 relief bill. It should also be noted that several of those same lawmakers ended up losing their seats on the same Election Day as voters in conservative states approved marijuana legalization ballot measures, calling into question their strategic thinking on the politics of cannabis.
In any case, House Democrats did pass coronavirus legislation—on two occasions—that included provisions to protect banks that service state-legal marijuana businesses from being penalized by federal regulators. Republicans also sharply criticized that, asserting that it was not germane.
Advocates expressed frustration over the decision to delay the initially planned vote on the MORE Act, but leadership promised that it would be brought up before the year’s end. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced last month that the chamber would consider the bill in December, and it was included in the schedule for this week.
The House Rules Committee will take up the MORE Act on Wednesday to prepare it for floor action. The panel will decide which submitted amendments can be made in order for floor action, which could then come as soon as Thursday. The most notable proposed change in an amendment filed by leadership concerns the tax structure of the bill.
But despite this movement—and the fact that a majority of Americans support marijuana legalization—more than two dozen Republican lawmakers and incoming members have attempted to shame Democrats for pursuing the reform at this time.
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Jay-Z: Marijuana Mogul? He Joins New Cannabis Venture as Chief Visionary Officer
11/24/2020 by Chris Eggertsen
Subversive Capital Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) with a growing footprint in the cannabis industry, has acquired two California-based cannabis brands and named Jay-Z as the resulting holding company’s chief visionary officer, it was announced Tuesday (Nov. 24). The transaction is expected to close in January.
Subversive Capital is acquiring the direct-to-consumer cannabis platform and brand Caliva as well as Left Coast Ventures, a cannabis and hemp producer. The brands will combine under a new vertically-integrated cannabis company to be named TPCO Holding Corp. The deal includes $36.5 million in equity commitments from new and existing shareholders, including Fireman Capital Partners, Tuatara Capital, Subversive Capital and Roc Nation artists including Rihanna, Yo Gotti, and Meek Mill.
READ MOREJay-Z Launches 'Monogram' Cannabis Line With Caliva
The stated goal of the new venture is “to redefine the industry with a mission to both consolidate the California cannabis market and create an impactful global company.” Subversive Capital anticipates combined revenues of the two brands to reach $185 million this year and $334 million in 2021.
The news comes just one month after Jay-Z unveiled MONOGRAM, a new cannabis brand he launched with Caliva, where he has served as chief brand strategist since July 2019.
In his role as chief visionary officer at TPCO, Jay-Z will guide both brand strategy and Social Equity Ventures, described as a corporate venture fund that will invest in Black and minority-owned cannabis businesses and contribute to progressive criminal justice initiatives. These initiatives are to include bail reform, industry vocational training, job placement, expungement clinics and application support for California’s Social Equity program, which offers support to individuals who have been negatively impacted by the state’s prior criminalization of cannabis. TPCO will fund Social Equity Ventures with an initial target of $10 million and an annual contribution of at least 2% of its net income.
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“Although we know we can’t fully redeem the injustices created by the ‘war on drugs’, we can help shape a brighter and inclusive future,” said Jay-Z in a statement. “The brands we build will pave a new path forward for a legacy rooted in equity, access, and justice. We’re creating something people can trust and we’re investing in our future, our people, and our communities.”
Also part of the deal is Jay-Z’s label and management company Roc Nation, which will leverage Roc Nation artists to help build and promote the newly-formed cannabis giant.
Importantly, TPCO also plans to leverage Caliva’s e-commerce platform, Caliva.com, in order to “rapidly scale” the company’s direct-to-consumer reach across California, with an expectation of reaching 75% of cannabis consumers in the state by the end of 2021 and nearly 90% by the end of 2022. Caliva and Left Coast Ventures currently reach about half of California cannabis consumers.
READ MOREB-Real, Santana & Snoop Dogg’s Covid-Proof Side Hustle? Selling Marijuana
Joining Jay-Z on the TPCO executive leadership team are Steve Allan as CEO, Brett Cummings as CFO and president of Left Coast Ventures and Dennis O’Malley as COO and president of Caliva. The board of directors will include Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, former Yahoo and Autodesk CEO Carol Bartz, Tuatara Capital partner Al Foreman, La Jolla Group CEO Daniel Neukomm, NetApp and Barracuda director Jeffry Allen, Subversive Capital CEO Leland Hensch and Subversive Capital founder and chairman Michael Auerbach.
Jay-Z may be the biggest music player in the California cannabis industry but he’s certainly not the first. Carlos Santana, Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead , B-Real of Cypress Hill and the Bob Marley estate are among those who have attempted to capitalize on the state’s growing market. According to research by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, cannabis sales in California reached nearly $3 billion in 2019, a year-over-year increase of 18%.
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Your Brain on Pot: How Marijuana Affects Emotions, Senses, and Pain BRI COSSAVELLA | MAY 13, 2019 |
High on marijuana doesn’t mean light-headed. Cannabis consumers describe the feeling in myriad ways. Sights become more interesting, if not vaguely twisted. Sounds take on a new dimension. An overall feeling of wellness may arise. Pain fades away. Fact is, the endocannabinoid system, when stimulated, can produce both cerebral and sensory changes.
Why does marijuana make people feel this way? Read on. Knowing the science behind why your senses are altered after a big puff adds a new layer of understanding to pot-smoking.
Naturally, the first part in the process is when vapors travel through the bronchial tubes and into the pulmonary tree in your respiratory system, explained Dr. Sue Sisley, president of the Scottsdale Research Institute.
The haze carries molecules including the well-known tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), but also approximately 130-plus other cannabinoids in lesser quantities. These compounds go through the alveoli, the lungs’ passageway into the bloodstream, Sisley said. Then, the now-cannabinoid-rich blood travels toward the brain, passing through a filter called the blood-brain barrier, and floods the central nervous system. That’s where the benefits start.
The central nervous system is loaded with CB1 receptors, which the cannabinoids bind with. Sisley described these receptors as a satellite system, endlessly sending messages throughout your body. The effect induces feelings of relaxation and a sense of wellness, she said. (Although, it can sometimes produce anxiety and paranoia, depending on the dosage and strain.) The cannabinoids also bind with opioid receptors in the spine, which can dampen pain.
Sisley referred Phoenix New Times to Eugene Monroe of Maryland, a former NFL player for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens, for anecdotal evidence of what all this can mean for some consumers.
Monroe said he incorporated marijuana into his training and recovery programs in 2015. After a compound of injuries, surgeries, and firm resistance to painkillers, he was drawn to the healing effects of marijuana and its ability to numb the pain.
“I can’t remember the last time I didn’t use marijuana before I worked out,” Monroe said. “It’s been phenomenal at not completely eliminating the pain and inflammation I have, but certainly taking the edge off enough to where I can power through a workout and not be miserable from my back issues, knee issues — you name it.”
But you don’t need an intense training regime or chronic pain issues to get the benefit of a cannabis-fueled workout. Take a yoga class at your local studio. Or grab a bike, a buddy, and a blunt and ride through the Scottsdale Greenbelt or Arizona Canal system.
Parallel to your (hopefully positive) emotional shift, all of your senses become heightened, said Jordan Tishler, M.D., president of Association of Cannabis Specialists and CEO of InhaleMD. This combination sets you up for blissful interactions with the world around you.
When it comes to visual alterations, this can be attributed to tetrahydrocannabivarin (THC-V), Tishler said. It’s a fellow cannabinoid that offers a subtle psychedelic effect. If you’ve ever watched a movie high, your empathy for the characters skyrockets and the film seems to become three-dimensional. That’s the THC-V bending the way your mind lets you see things, according to Tishler.
And what about sound? Taking a few hits during a concert may elevate appreciation of the melodies, an effect music-loving cannabis consumers know well.
Sound waves hit your eardrum, convert into mechanical energy, and travel through your inner ear, which houses more cannabinoid receptors, Tishler said. The receptors send messages to your nerves that eventually flow through the central nervous system, adding up to auditory stimulation.
If you want all your senses to come out and play, spend a day in nature. Mountains, trees, rivers, and wildlife become exceptionally vibrant because of the aforementioned effects — but also due to the sense of smell. It’s the most primitive sense, Tishler said, and one that connects with the limbic system, which is the emotional center of the brain. So stop and smell the flowers, literally. While high, they’re going to be extra aroma-therapeutic.
The sense of touch is changed by cannabinoids, too, since there are CB receptors on the skin. The feeling of sunlight is like wrapping up in the plushest blanket. (Okay, unless you’re in Phoenix’s legendary scorching heat, in which case, a dark, AC-cooled room with a television may be best.)
On nice days, though, the outdoors and marijuana go together. Amp up the synergy with an outdoor adventure, whether kayaking at the lake or hiking a trail.
Just be sure to pack a tasty lunch for when the munchies kick in, since cannabis also targets the hypothalamus, the appetite center of the brain.
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House Passes Marijuana Decriminalization Bill
BY GRACE SEGERS DECEMBER 5, 2020 / 7:20 AM / CBS NEWS
The House on Friday passed a bill decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level, a sweeping measure that aims to reduce racial inequities in drug arrests. The measure, which would remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances and expunge federal convictions for non-violent marijuana offenses, now goes to the Senate, where it is unlikely to pass.
The House passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act by a vote of 228 to 164, with six Democrats voting against it and five Republicans voting for it. Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida was the only Republican to co-sponsor the bill, which had over 100 Democratic sponsors.
"This long-overdue legislation would reverse the failed policy of criminalizing marijuana on the federal level and would take steps to address the heavy toll this policy has taken across the country, particularly on communities of color," House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, who introduced the bill, said in a statement after the MORE Act was passed.According to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union passed this year, Black Americans are 3.6 times more likely than White Americans to be arrested for marijuana, despite similar usage rates. However, ACLU data also found that racial disparities remain in arrests in some states which have legalized or decriminalized marijuana.
In a speech on the House floor ahead of the vote, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries said that he hoped this measure would help decrease America's large incarcerated population.
"The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world. We have ruined lives, families and communities. It's a stain on our democracy," Jeffries said. "Marijuana use is either socially acceptable behavior or it's criminal conduct. But it can't be socially accepted behavior in some neighborhoods and criminal conduct in other neighborhoods when the dividing line is race." However, while Democrats see decriminalization as an important criminal justice issue, most Senate Republicans seem unwilling to consider it. In a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell questioned why House Democrats were voting on a bill on decriminalizing marijuana rather than focusing on coronavirus relief.
"The House of Representatives is spending this week on pressing issues like marijuana. Marijuana. You know, serious and important legislation, befitting the national crisis," McConnell said sarcastically.
But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged McConnell to bring the legislation to a vote in the Senate, saying in a statement Friday that "the House has taken a historic step towards finally ending the federal prohibition on marijuana."
"Today's bipartisan vote shows just how far that movement has come. I am encourage by the action the House has taken and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support these efforts as well," Schumer said.
First published on December 4, 2020 / 2:11 PM
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Grace Segers
Grace Segers is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.
‘Steve Urkel’ Actor Jaleel White Launches Purple Urkle Canna
‘Steve Urkel’ Actor Jaleel White Launches Purple Urkle Cannabis Brand With 710 Labs
Lindsey BartlettContributor
Yes, he did that.
Actor Jaleel White, famous for his cultural touchstone role as Steve Urkel in Family Matters, is entering the cannabis industry. Through a partnership with 710 Labs, White’s new cannabis line called ItsPurpl features variants of the popular cannabis strain Purple Urkle. It is set to launch on April 20, 2021. The brand will be on dispensary shelves in California, to start, potentially growing to more marketplaces in the future.
“The thing that always stood out to me was there no clear brand leader for fire purple weed,” says Jaleel White. “It made no sense to me, that no company of significance had claimed this lane, so why not me?”
How did this celebrity collaboration come about? Through friendship. 710 Labs founder Brad Melshenker met White on a flight, and the duo connected over their passion for cannabis. “710 has never been a brand that pursued celebrity deals or endorsements as our agenda has always been quality above all else,” Melshenker says. “We tend to let the product speak for itself. But over the years Jaleel and I became friends and organically our conversations developed into a project. He was on a journey to find the real Purple Urkel from back in the early 2000’s. Not only that, he wanted to find the most flavorful purple cultivars and had been collecting seeds with his friend Sean over the years just for this purpose.”
“To smoke the end result from such a quality pod has been surreal,” says White. “I feel a little bit like Willy Wonka, the flavor came out so similar to grape candy.” The ItsPurple branding shows an ombre-purple Steve Urkel character on sleek black packaging. A limited-edition series of merchandise that includes a waffle maker, will also be available. People can sign up for product alerts through the ItsPurple website.
“Jaleel is a big fan of the Noodle Doinks and the Live Resin Pods,” says Melshenker. “The Noodle Doinks will come in 3 pheno’s of Purple Urkle and of Stefan, and the Live Resin Pods will come in Mendo Purps x Zkittlez to start, which by the way, is probably my favorite pod flavor to date. It’s a straight candy flavor with a grape Big League Chew vibe on the exhale.”
“We only do collaborations that come from the heart, so this one made sense and we were determined to help Jaleel make it happen,” says Melshenker. “It took a year for us to find winners like Stefan (The White x Purple Urkle) and one pheno of the Purple Urkel that was up to our ‘keeper’ standards. Hunting for certain traits and genetics is time-consuming and challenging but it was worth it when it all came together in the end and the vision was realized.”
I spoke with White to learn more about how it felt seeing his legendary character immortalized as a cannabis strain, how long he’s wanted to enter the industry, and what cannabis does to inspire his creativity.
How long have you wanted to enter the cannabis space?
Jaleel White: It’s been years really. More than five at least. Friends and family always thought it was funny to send me bootlegged pics of myself featured on cannabis products in dispensaries across the country. A childhood friend from the second grade is the person I credit with making sure I went about things the right way. Every few months since at least 2016, a new businessman would come along with ideas that felt very exploitative of the Urkel character legacy and money-minded. My pal Sean would shut them down like a protective big brother. Only one other thing has taught me more patience than this process of getting to market, and that’s parenting my daughter, Samaya.
Has it been surreal over the years, especially in the last decade, to see Purple Urkle cannabis strains flooding into weed marketplaces across the country?
At first it was flattering but then it became frustrating seeing and hearing about Purple Urkle in the cannabis marketplace. The thing that always stood out to me was there no clear brand leader for fire purple weed. It made no sense to me no company of significance had claimed this lane, so why not me?
How long has this idea been in the works?
It’s tough to say really just how long I’ve been kicking around the idea of itsPurpl, years really. I’m just glad I didn’t jump at any of the earlier opportunities because this process with 710 Labs has felt fun and organic from the moment we really got started last Spring, 2020. And this entire undertaking really helped me feel productive during pandemic.
Tell me about this strain, the growing process: Have you been in the grow?
I’ve got a strain called Stefan which is Purple Urkle x The White. Then there’s the classic Purple Urkle. Purple Urkle is actually not an easy plant to grow nor is it a big yielder. I visited the Oakland facility throughout the pheno hunt process and learned to use my nose in the same way a winemaker relies on his/her sense of taste.
Cannabis testing: how many joints/bowls did you smoke for product testing in R&D?
When the Mendo Purps x Zkittlez sample pods were ready to be smoked, I took home like a whole box of forty or so filled pods. I got five pods in and I had to call my boy, Sean, I was fading. He smoked every single one in my garage that night and I took notes, which numbered plants were our faves. I can’t keep up with his tolerance. But needless to say that was one funny ass night in my garage.
Creativity and cannabis — have you consumed for creative endeavors, acting or writing, otherwise?
I actually prefer not smoke when I act. A lot of acting is about timing and you don’t want anything disrupting that. But when it comes to writing, that’s a whole different story. A good smoke sesh with some naturally funny cats can be just the creative spark you didn’t know you all needed. Beyond that, a good noodle doink before an amazing meal just makes everything taste that much better. Music for me is also greatly enhanced by cannabis consumption. Songs just slow all the way down and you hear every nuance.
It's for sale in California to start, correct? Do you foresee a future where Purple Urkle enters other marketplaces? Where do you have your eyes set on next: Colorado, New York somewhere down the line?
Yes, California first. New York has always shown me a lot of love so hopefully it won’t take too too long to get ItsPurpl products to the Big Apple. I want every state in the union, to keep it all the way real. I envision product releases in Canada and Europe one day in the future. “One day” has a funny way of happening a lot faster than we imagine.
What products can consumers expect in the Purple Urkle line? Vape pen pod, cannabis, noodle joints?
Eighth jars of the real deal Purple Urkle was a must, right out-the-gate. Noodle doinks are my personal fave. Everyone I share them with in my inner circle freaks out over the rotini pasta filter. It’s so unusual, they’ve seen such a hand rolled joint before, the noodle filter never fails to spark conversation. The Live Resin Pods are still so underrated. My boy Sean and I got our hands on some Mendo Purps x Zkittlez seeds almost a year ago. We treated those seeds like gold nuggets in Sean’s home freezer until 710 put ‘em in the ground. To smoke the end result from such a quality pod has been surreal. I feel a little bit like Willy Wonka, the flavor came out so grape candy. Edibles are definitely an aspiration. But we gotta crawl before we can walk.
An eighth of ItsPurpl cannabis, from actor Jaleel White as an homage to his Family Matters character
NBA’s Allen Iverson Joins Al Harrington’s Cannabis Company,
NBA’s Allen Iverson Joins Al Harrington’s Cannabis Company, Says They Are ‘About To Change The Game’
Javier Hasse Senior ContributorVices
NBA Hall of Fame Allen Iverson has joined Viola, a purpose-driven cannabis brand co-founded by basketball great Al Harrington.
As Viola’s talent partner, Iverson will continue to build on many of Harrington’s business initiatives, leading the drop of the first strain of Viola’s The Iverson Collection in October. Other cannabis and non-cannabis products will follow.
“I’ve had a lot of people approach me with business opportunities, but this one with Al was different. After seeing how devoted he is to this business, and him educating me on how beneficial the plant is, it just felt right. I’m excited to be a part of it; together, we’re about to change the game,” Iverson said, after visiting Viola's 18,000 sq ft. grow in Detroit last March.
Harrington added, “In the same way Allen impacted the culture, we’re going to continue to impact the cannabis industry. We’re going to keep pushing boundaries. I’m honored to have Allen on board. We want to continue to inspire others and encourage people of color to participate in the cannabis space.”
Although Iverson and Harrington were never teammates, over time they developed a beautiful friendship — they actually call it a brotherhood, taking inspiration from one another for years. 
During his time in the league, Iverson fought hard change the narrative around fashion and style. Similarly, Harrington has been working to educate and enlighten the NBA and other sports leagues and incumbents on the healing power of cannabis and the racist origins of its stigma and the War on Drugs. This connection made the partnership a no-brainer, the athletes explained.
Earlier this year, Viola became the first Black-owned multinational cannabis brand after cannabinoid-focused biopharmaceutical company Avicanna agreed to license the brand, using it to create specific formulations for sale across medical and consumer retail channels in Canada. Viola will receive a royalty fee for the use of its name, but Avicanna will ultimately develop the products being sold north of the border.
More recently, the company received Mezz Brands into its incubator program, launched last October with the objective of providing operational support to minority-owned cannabis businesses.
Allen Iverson Joins Viola Family