The Weekly Roll May 30th 2025

Happy Friday!

Welcome back to The Weekly Roll. I hope everyone had a lovely week! Here is what’s happening this week in cannabis and art:

London Mayor Backs Decriminalization : A report backed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan calls for decriminalizing cannabis possession, arguing current laws are disproportionate and contribute to racial disparities in policing through stop-and-search tactics. The London Drugs Commission recommends removing natural cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act while keeping it regulated, but Deputy PM Angela Rayner has rejected the proposals, saying they don't align with government policy. Article

Texas to Expand Medical : Texas is expanding its medical cannabis program by adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition and increasing licenses from 3 to 12, according to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick who reached an agreement with state lawmakers. The expansion comes alongside a controversial statewide ban on hemp products containing THC that the Legislature also approved, with hemp advocates now petitioning Governor Abbott to veto the ban. Article

Interesting Number :  52. The number of new retail cannabis licenses Washington state will issue through its Social Equity Program, specifically targeting people and communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. Only 4% of cannabis businesses were Black-owned as of 2021.  This marks the largest expansion of Washington's legal cannabis market since 2014, aiming to address the underrepresentation of these communities in the industry. Article

$7M in the Attic : A 17th-century painting by Dutch Old Master Frans Post that was discovered blackened and dirty in a barn attic sold for over $7 million at Sotheby's, setting a new auction record for the artist. The painting, "View of Olinda, Brazil, with Ruins of the Jesuit Church" from 1666, required extensive restoration to reveal the pastoral Brazilian landscape beneath centuries of grime. Post was one of the first European artists to paint New World landscapes, making his Brazilian scenes highly sought after both in his lifetime and today. Article

Have a great weekend! 

Aidan