Pre-Roll Recall, Arizona Prop 207 and Democratic Senator Intros New Bill

LOS ANGELES - Aug. 17, 2020 - PRLog -- On the #domestic front, #democratic senator #Tina Smith, from #Minnesota, introduces a new #bill to #legalize marijuana #nationwide and regulate it in the same way as #tobacco. The Substance Regulation and #Safety Act would allow adults 21 and older to purchase cannabis and direct several federal agencies, such as the Department of #Health and Human #Services, to establish rules for the program. Smith touted the measure during a recent floor speech on racial justice, while also promoting the #MORE Act, another cannabis legalization bill she co-sponsored which passed the House last year.
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In #Arizona, an adult use cannabis legalization measure #qualifies for the #November 2020 #ballot, after gathering more than the minimum requirement of over 237,000 #signatures. The #initiative, backed by campaign group Smart and Safe Arizona, would allow for personal #possession of up to an #ounce of marijuana as well as six plants, permit record expungements for those with prior cannabis-related #convictions, and #tax #sales at 16 percent. The determination follows the rejection of an attempted #lawsuit by #opponents who claimed the official summary of the #proposal was misleading. The measure, dubbed #Prop 207, could have favorable chances if it survives an expected appeal of the decision, as 62 percent of Arizonans said they support marijuana legalization in a recent #survey.

Also in Canada, #vape #pens and #cartridges are becoming the most popular of the Cannabis #2.0 products, a category of marijuana goods including #edibles, #concentrates, and #topicals which were legalized in December of last year. According to new data from key Canadian markets #Ontario, #British Columbia, and #Alberta, vape products make up between 13 and 16 percent of #June cannabis sales in the three provinces. The country's first iteration of legalized cannabis products, namely flower, continue to dominate the vast majority of sales, however, holding around 80 percent of market share.

Overseas, #South Africa Cabinet officials approve a draft bill to legalize and regulate the #personal use, possession, and cultivation of cannabis by adults. This comes after the country's #2018 #Constitutional Court ruling against the prohibition of marijuana use in private #homes. The new measure would allow for the personal possession of up to four plants and 600 #grams of cannabis in a #residence, and #criminalize public use and providing marijuana to children. Though sales are still banned, some are speculating the 100 gram #gifting provision could serve as a #loophole, as similar policies do in places like #Washington D.C. The proposal is now subject to a #Parliamentary review and public #consultation process before becoming law.

Written by Jacqui Verdura and Micah Tatum
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