California might be doubling down on its pro-marijuana stance.
Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín told Cheddar that the state could soon follow in his city’s cannabis law footsteps.
“California is actually looking at potentially becoming a sanctuary state for cannabis, just like we’re a sanctuary state for enforcement of federal immigration laws,” he told Cheddar on Tuesday.
Berkeley’s City Council announced last month that municipal agencies would no longer collaborate with the Drug Enforcement Administration to enforce federal policies on recreational, adult-use marijuana. It became the first “sanctuary” city for marijuana in the U.S.
The move was a direct jab at Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who earlier this year scrapped Obama-era rules that said the federal government would not interfere with states’ cannabis laws. Arreguín encourages states and cities looking to offer citizens an extra layer of protection to take the plunge and stand for states’ rights.
“Cannabis is still a drug under federal law, but many states … have actually decided that now is the time for decriminalization,” he said, “to remove the black market, to address the social impact that the war on drugs has had on communities of color, and to try to level the playing field.”
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/berkeley-mayor-california-could-become-marijuana-sanctuary-state).
Austin city officials have canceled the South by Southwest arts and technology festival. Mayor Steve Adler announced a local disaster as a precaution because of the threat of the novel coronavirus, effectively cancelling the annual event.
Heather Hardy, pro boxer, has a petition urging the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Council to remove the word 'female' from boxing championship belts.
MindMed became the first publicly listed psychedelics company in the world after kicking off trading on the Canadian stock exchange NEO this week.
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Bond yields fell to more record lows as investors continue to demand safety and unload stocks. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note sank as low as 0.66% as investors worried that economic damage from the spreading virus outbreak will be worse than previously thought.
Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University said taking steps like sanitizing the subway system "may play a small role in mitigating the transmission of this virus, but it signals to people that we ought to be functioning as we can and doing the things we can do."
Stocks are falling sharply again in midday trading on Wall Street, and bond yields are sinking to more record lows on worries about the economic damage coming from the spreading coronavirus outbreak.
Oakland-based e.l.f. Beauty has acquired cosmetics pioneer W3LL People in a $27 million deal that reflects a jump in consumer demand for cosmetics that don't use harmful chemicals.
Vape, equipment, and specialty packaging manufacturers that do business in China have been hit by demand-based price hikes on raw materials and delays due to factory closures, worker shortages, and transportation restrictions.
Stocks and bond yields fell sharply Thursday as fears about fallout from the virus outbreak sent more shudders through markets.
