Rep. Blumenauer Is on a Mission to Make Marijuana Law 'More Realistic'
*By Amanda Weston*
Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon is pushing forward for marijuana reform, introducing the aptly named [House Resolution 420](https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-blumenauer-introduces-hr-420-regulate-marijuana) to regulate marijuana much like alcohol was regulated post-Prohibition.
"Ultimately we're going to be moving in that direction, allowing the states to be able to set up a regulatory system that meets their needs ーhave their own approach in terms of taxation and distribution, just like alcohol," Blumenauer told Cheddar Tuesday. "After we repealed Prohibition, individual states worked out things that made sense for them. And I think ultimately that's what we should do with the cannabis market. And this legislation would get the federal government out of the way so states could exercise what they want to do with legalization within their boundaries."
Blumenauer has been working on this cause for decades, ever since Oregon became the first state to decriminalize marijuana.
"Over the years, I have been profoundly impressed with the case to be made that prohibition has failed," Blumenauer said. "It's unfair. It's inequitable. And we're losing some substantial benefits that are available. So for me, it ties together so many elements in a way that will actually bring people together, improve the quality of life. It will actually save money rather than costing it."
Oregon is unique in its problem of having too much weed for its existing market. However, the state is currently prohibited from shipping its products across state lines.
But in his quest for new rules that are "more realistic," Blumenauer is looking beyond just the U.S.
"We are moving toward, not just a national cannabis market, but an international cannabis market with the legalization in Canada last October," Blumenauer said. "They're looking at it in Mexico. These are things we can do that will really provide more value."
Blumenaeur said that having an interstate compact to shift supply to parts of the country that don't have a "robust market for production" could even eliminate the black market.
"It affects health. It affects criminal justice. It affects the economy," Blumenauer said. "These are opportunities that we have to change a failed policy of prohibition, which has devastated maybe a million young African-American men because of the unequal way that's it's been applied. There are health applications. That really makes a difference for people. And it is an emerging part of the economy. $10 to $15 billion here that is economic activity that can make a real difference."
While Blumenauer introduced H.R. 420 in early January, the government shutdown has stunted its progress.
"I must say it's a little frustrating because we lost the first six weeks of this session with this craziness around the shutdown," Blumenauer said. "Tempers were ー let's just say ー they were high."
However, the stalemate has not stopped the congressman from pushing for the resolution's passage.
"It doesn't have to be the number one priority of the Democratic caucus or the speaker or the leadership," Blumenauer said. "But what it should be is a priority where we're able to bring these things forward to make a difference."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/oregon-rep-pushes-for-marijuana-to-be-regulated-like-alcohol).
A rare magnum of Dom Pérignon Vintage 1961 champagne that was specially produced for the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana has failed to sell during an auction. Danish auction house Bruun Rasmussen handled the bidding Thursday. The auction's house website lists the bottle as not sold. It was expected to fetch up to around $93,000. It is one of 12 bottles made to celebrate the royal wedding. Little was revealed about the seller. The auction house says the bids did not receive the desired minimum price.
The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again. The news outlet said Wednesday it won't be deterred by Trump's “false and inflammatory language” from writing about the 79-year-old president's health. The Times has done a handful of stories on that topic recently, including an opinion column that said Trump is “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.” In a Truth Social post, Trump said it might be treasonous for outlets like the Times to do “FAKE” reports about his health and "we should do something about it.” The Republican president already has a pending lawsuit against the newspaper for its past reports on his finances.
OpenAI has appointed Slack CEO Denise Dresser as its first chief of revenue. Dresser will oversee global revenue strategy and help businesses integrate AI into daily operations. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently emphasized improving ChatGPT, which now has over 800 million weekly users. Despite its success, OpenAI faces competition from companies like Google and concerns about profitability. The company earns money from premium ChatGPT subscriptions but hasn't ventured into advertising. Altman had recently announced delays in developing new products like AI agents and a personal assistant.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
U.S. sports betting is booming as NFL and college football fuel massive activity. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt breaks down trends, growth, and what’s next.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
Disney's changes to a program for disabled visitors are facing challenges in federal court and through a shareholder proposal. The Disability Access Service program, which allows disabled visitors to skip long lines, was overhauled last year. Disney now mostly limits the program to those with developmental disabilities like autism who have difficulty waiting in lines. The changes have sparked criticism from some disability advocates. A shareholder proposal submitted by disability advocates calls for an independent review of Disney's disability policies. Disney plans to block this proposal, claiming it's misleading. It's the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while stopping past abuses by some theme park guests.
