Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what's happening in the world of legalized marijuana.
Let's start with the eagerly awaited hemp rules. There will have to be a bit more awaiting, it seems. Administration officials, who had said regulations might be available in August, are now predicting their appearance this fall.
In other federal news, the DEA has, yet again, not approved new suppliers of marijuana for research. A lawsuit is pending, so perhaps next year, things will be different.
Or perhaps Senator Dick Durbin's (D-IL) legislation will pass. It would remove restrictions on federal research into cannabis and expand studies on the potential benefits and harms from cannabis use.
Meanwhile, the state of Arizona is experimenting with a new procedure to get around the lack of banking services for marijuana companies. The state's attorney general has approved a pilot program allowing digital payments to medical cannabis dispensaries.
In other state news, Alaska has approved social-use regulations; companies are challenging Utah's medical marijuana grower licenses, and lawmakers in the state are seeking to change the distribution system; and several Oklahoma dispensaries are suing Facebook for allegedly disabling their business pages.
Across the pond, a group of UK lawmakers, inspired by a trip to Canada, are hoping to legalize cannabis within 10 years. And the new prime minister, Boris Johnson, has appointed a cannabis advocate as a policy adviser.
And finally, the alcohol industry has decided to join in the marijuana edible business. So be on the lookout for weed beer.
See you next week!
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