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Audio transcript (~2 min read)
This is the New Realm Compliance Brief, Volume One, Edition Fifty Eight, for Saturday, October Tenth.
Our top story: the Justice Department and the parties challenging the administration's move of state licensed medical marijuana to Schedule Three have filed a joint proposed briefing schedule in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The challengers, including Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a drug testing industry association, and the attorneys general of Indiana and Nebraska, would file their opening brief November twenty fourth, the government would respond January thirteenth, and final briefs would be due February nineteenth, a pace the filing says would allow oral argument before the court's summer recess. The court has already declined to pause rescheduling while the case proceeds, so Schedule Three based programs, including the D E A's new supply chain registrations, continue on their current footing for now.
Also in Washington: Representative Brian Mast of Florida, a co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said the rescheduling effort should expand into an across the board review of federal drug scheduling. A recent Government Accountability Office report found the D E A and F D A lack formal policies for evaluating substances for scheduling recommendations.
Around the states: In Colorado, Sierra Nevada is terminating Coors Distributing Company and moving its Denver area distribution to Reyes. In Maryland, Diageo filed notice that the closure of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery will mean one hundred seventy four permanent layoffs effective November first. And Colorado cannabis regulators issued guidance on inactive ingredients added to vape devices.
On the radar: November twelfth, Missouri's intoxicating hemp law takes effect, moving hemp T H C products into the licensed cannabis system, while hemp beverages may remain at general retail until December eleventh, the date the federal hemp restrictions take effect nationwide after a one month delay.
Full details and source links are in today's email. This update is for general information only — it is not legal advice.