There’s never a dull moment on the D.C. cannabis scene. Buzz(ed) Around Town is your weekly brief on bud, bringing you a quick and dirty update on the latest regulatory developments, policy proposals, police raids, events, and more. Brought to you by The Outlaw Report, your go-to source for credible cannabis news in the DMV.
Vol. 1 – Week of 12/13/21
- D.C. police on Tuesday, Dec. 14 raided Smoke Jumpers, a cannabis “gifting” shop located on 14th St in the Logan Circle neighborhood. Around 2 p.m., half-a-dozen officers descended on the storefront, arresting two people at the scene and confiscating $1,461 in cash and 5.7 pounds of a “green leafy substance.” At least one employee was charged with a felony for possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
- D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA), which runs the District’s medical weed program, held an information session on Dec. 7, for businesses applying for its latest round of cannabis licensing. The agency is accepting applications for two cultivation permits, two testing permits and one dispensary permit until noon on March 28, 2022. Winners of this licensing round will be announced next fall on Sep. 28, 2022. A slide presentation of the meeting is available on ABRA’s website.
- Virginia activists last week launched a statewide campaign to decriminalize a broad range of entheogenic plants, including psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics. The campaign, which is spearheaded by Decriminalize Nature Virginia, has received the backing of state lawmakers Sen. Ghazala Hashmi and Del. Dawn Adams.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants to give states money to start clearing cannabis records. Earlier this month, the Bronx Democrat joined forces with a Republican colleague to introduce the HOPE Act, a bill that would offer states financial incentives to expunge weed-related offenses.
- Be there: Maryland Marijuana Justice will hold a rally in Annapolis next month to pressure state lawmakers to legalize home cultivation as part of wider cannabis reforms. Leaders in the state’s General Assembly say they want to put weed legalization up for a vote by ballot referendum in 2022.