Cannabis News: December 2019

The year is coming to an end, and it’s wrapping up with some great news for the cannabis world.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLB players union are making an effort to modernize the league’s drug policy by removing marijuana from the list of banned substances. According to Weedmaps, the consumption of marijuana by players will be treated like alcohol consumption, with the change being implemented at the start of 2020 Spring Training.

In addition, the MLB will begin testing for opioids and cocaine, and players who do not go through their treatment plans will be disciplined.

This marks a big win for cannabis in professional sports as no other sports leagues have made any positive moves in this area. The NFL has not made any changes to its cannabis policy since 2014, while the PGA does not allow golfers to use CBD regardless of the legalization of hemp.

In other news, just a few weeks ago the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would federally decriminalize marijuana. According to CBS News, “The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019, or MORE Act, passed 24-10 after more than two hours of debate.”

The bill still has some hurdles to overcome as it heads to the House. Among some of the changes the bill would require are: removing marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances, allowing states to set their own policy and expunging convictions for marijuana offenses.

Stay tuned to The Grove’s blog for more cannabis news. We hope to bring you more amazing cannabis stories in 2020!