Executive Director's Report

Hello,

This is one of those weeks where it's hard to know where to begin! The rush to recess on the Hill has left us with a lot of legislative leaps and limbo. I encourage you all to read our CFCR committee updates this week as well as the?Berlin Brieffor a more comprehensive round up of some of the key pieces of legislation, especially?H.R. 8454, the “The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act." I've been describing this bill as a "baby step to a possible touchdown" if it passes the Senate and does make it to the President's desk.

Our webinar this week with?Dr. Susan Weiss,?Director, Division of Extramural Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA),?Steph Sherer,?Founder and President of Americans for Safe Access and?Dr. Jordan Tishler,?President, Association of Cannabinoid Specialists, was a well-received success! And I say this because many of you took the time to write, text, and call me to say how much you enjoyed this event. So, thank you! If you missed the webinar and want to get caught up,?it will be on our YouTube site?early next week.?

On Tuesday night, I attended a planning session for?Americans for Safe Access' (ASA) National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference.?CFCR and ASA are partner organizations and I'm pleased to announce that CFCR has also joined the Host Committee in order to provide scholarship support for individuals who wish to attend the event.?I encourage all of our business members to consider joining us on the Host Committee!?

Also, if you're looking for another good event to attend ... the Cannabis Nurses Network is launching their 7th Annual Conference September 1-2. You can read more about them?HERE and also REGISTER.

CFCR Member Mara Gordon recently penned an article on data and technology gathering, which I encourage you all to?READ. One can certainly stand up and applaud her closing thought that, "Technology is an important step to better, more equitable healthcare."

CFCR's next YouTube Live + Podcast with Benzinga is coming up! Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 11th at 4pm ET. We'll be talking about criminal justice reform with?Natalie Papillion of?the Last Prisoner Project?and the transition from "legacy to legend" with our own?Christine De La Rosa. Christine chairs CFCR's DEI & Access to Capital Committee -- in addition to everything else she does! I am deeply excited to have the opportunity to?interview these two exceptional and brilliant women!

As a final bit of ICYMI news ... the FDA is proposing to include marijuana questions in a survey it wants to conduct on tobacco use. Here's a link to the posting in the?Federal Register?and the fine print:?"The study will include questions about marijuana use to allow the study team to differentiate between use of current and emerging tobacco products and marijuana, which can be used in tobacco products such as ENDS and little cigar/cigarillos."

With that ... I'll leave you all with the sage advice of Alan Alda. He once said to me, "Remember Sarah ... all things in moderation, including moderation."?

All my best,?

Sarah