Don Murphy

As the Republican National Convention (RNC) ended with the longest acceptance speech in history delivered by Donald Trump, another Donald who attended the RNC offered a shorter but pertinent view of the politics and evolving landscape around cannabis legislation within the Republican Party. Don...

Tuesday's news that the DEA will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug after five decades of being in the same classification as heroin, meth and LSD has roiled some Republican opponents. One in particular, Tennessee’s Bill Hagerty, sees the move as opening the door to social...

This week the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reportedly called for cannabis to be reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule III of the US Controlled Substances Act. This was the first time in history the DEA announced such a move, and it came...

Days before dropping out of the race for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was asked about a recreational cannabis initiative making it onto the ballot in 2024. "I think the court is going to approve that, so it'll be on the ballot," the governor said in reply to...

The cannabis industry is scaling back its lobbying presence in Washington, facing financial woes due to marijuana's ongoing status of federal illegality. Major players like Curaleaf Holdings Inc (OTCQX: CURLF) have been compelled to slash their lobbying budgets by 40% in the first...

Schumer: We're Still Working On Cannabis Banking Bill Lawmakers are still trying to push for the passage of a bipartisan cannabis bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday.  Any action on the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act will postpone for another...

Marijuana Banking Bill Won't Get A Vote In Senate This Summer Marijuana banking reform seems to be off the table until senators get back from the August recess to get consideration, reported Marijuana Moment. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) told Don Murphy of...

In yet the latest blow to the prospects of expedited SAFE Banking Act passage, a lead cannabis lobbyist has indicated that a key markup vote will not transpire before the Congressional summer recess. In a tweet that served as a wet blanket to investors, a top cannabis lobbyist delivered...

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is gearing up for a renewed legislative push to achieve bipartisan cooperation on marijuana banking reform when the Senate reconvenes next month, reported Marijuana Moment. In a bid to secure broad support for the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE)...

Pushing for reform under the “Marijuana 1-to-3 Act,” Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) re-introduced a bill to move marijuana from Schedule I to the less restrictive Schedule III under federal law, reported Marijuana Moment. According to the bill, “the Attorney General of the...

On Wednesday, U.S. Congress held a landmark hearing regarding cannabis legalization and the need to reform. Despite a lot of effort to legalize cannabis, the hearing highlighted that progress is still moving slow, at least on a federal level. What Happened The hearing, titled "Marijuana Laws...