Colorado House votes to bar cops from helping with federal marijuana crackdown

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

DENVER — Colorado may prohibit law enforcement officers from assisting in a potential federal marijuana crackdown.

The state House voted 56-7 Wednesday to bar public employees from assisting federal agents in “arresting a Colorado citizen for committing an act that is a Colorado constitutional right.”

The Colorado bill doesn’t specifically mention marijuana. But sponsors say it is inspired by threats that federal authorities may try cracking down on the marijuana industry. Federal…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

West Virginia Governor Signs Limited Medical Marijuana Measure Into Law

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice (D) signs Senate Bill 386, the Medical Cannabis Act, on April 19, 2017. The Governor was joined for the bill signing by two of the initiative’s primary supporters, Senator Richard Ojeda (D-Logan) and Delegate Mike Pushkin (D-Kanawha), as well as Senator Mike Woelfel (D-Cabell) and Dr. Rahul Gupta the State Health Officer and Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Resources’ Bureau for Public Health. (image/Office of the Governor)

NORML | April 26,…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article…

Colorado Lawmakers Pass Bill to Allow Medical Marijuana for PTSD

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Approximately 8 million adults suffer from PTSD, including many military veterans. (WikiMedia Commons/USMC)

TJ Baker | April 25, 2017

DENVER, CO — Lawmakers in the Colorado legislature have passed a measure to add post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, to the list of conditions that qualify for medical marijuana in the state.

The measure, Senate Bill 17, will now be sent to the desk of Gov. John Hickenlooper for final approval.  It was approved

Previous attempts to add PTSD to the conditions that qualify a…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Washington Lawmakers Send Marijuana Reform Bill to Governor

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

TJ Baker | April 25, 2017

OLYMPIA, WA — Lawmakers in Washington state have sent a comprehensive marijuana reform bill to the desk of Governor Jay Inslee (D), making several changes to the state’s cannabis regulation policies.

The bi-partisan Senate Bill 5131 was sponsored by Sens. Anna Rivers [R] Steven Conway [D], and received overwhelming support in both chambers of the legislature.

Among the notable changes made by SB 5131 is a provision that makes it legal for adults 21 or older to share up marijuana…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Vermont Moves Closer to Legalizing Recreational Marijuana for Adults

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Marijuana Policy Project | April 21, 2017

MONTPELIER, VT — The Vermont Senate approved a bill on Friday that would regulate the production and sale of marijuana and eliminate penalties for personal possession and cultivation by adults 21 and older.

The Senate amended H. 167, an unrelated House-approved bill, to replace it with a revised version of a marijuana regulation bill that passed last year in the Senate and failed in the House.

The Senate also amended H. 167 to include the same home cultivation…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Colorado PTSD marijuana bill advances to House vote, gains amendments focused on children

/in , , , , , , , , /by

Colorado doctors should be allowed to recommend medical marijuana in treating PTSD symptoms of adults, but there should be additional guardrails when it comes to children, state lawmakers decided Thursday.

An amended Senate Bill 17, which would add post-traumatic stress disorder to Colorado’s list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana, passed a second reading Thursday in the state House.

“On this auspicious day, we’ve got a serious bill,” bill co-sponsor Sen. Jonathan Singer,…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Colorado House rejects late attempt to bar pot use in churches

/in , , , , , , , , /by

The Colorado House on Thursday rejected a last minute attempt to ban pot use in churches, an amendment that was introduced on the same day the controversial International Church of Cannabis opened in Denver.

Proposed by state Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, the amendment to a broader bill on pot use would have barred pot use in churches, while still allowing exceptions for religious purposes. Pabon argued it was needed to protect Colorado’s reputation, after the International Church of…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Homeland Security Chief: Marijuana Possession is Grounds for Deportation

/in , , , , , , , /by

United States Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly Speaks at George Washington University on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. (DHS handout)

Drug Policy Alliance | April 20, 2017

In a speech Tuesday, United States Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly announced that the Trump Administration would use marijuana possession as a reason for deporting immigrants.

“ICE will continue to use marijuana possession, distribution and convictions as essential elements as they build their deportation removal apprehension…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Oregon Governor Signs Legislation Protecting Cannabis Consumers’ Privacy

/in , , , , , , , , /by

Oregon Governor Kate Brown

NORML | April 19, 2017

SALEM, OR — Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed legislation into law this week limiting the ability of government officials to obtain data identifying customers who purchase marijuana at state-licensed retail facilities.

Voters legalized the commercial production and retail sales of cannabis in November 2014. Retail sales of cannabis to those age 21 or older began in October 2015.

The new law, which took effect immediately upon signing, states “A…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Governor Signs Bill Making West Virginia the 29th Medical Marijuana State

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice (D) signs Senate Bill 386, the Medical Cannabis Act, on April 19, 2017. The Governor was joined for the bill signing by two of the initiative’s primary supporters, Senator Richard Ojeda (D-Logan) and Delegate Mike Pushkin (D-Kanawha), as well as Senator Mike Woelfel (D-Cabell) and Dr. Rahul Gupta the State Health Officer and Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Resources’ Bureau for Public Health. (image/Office of the Governor)

Marijuana Policy Project | April 19,…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

North Dakota Governor Signs Bill Amending Voter-Approved Medical Marijuana Initiative

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (North Dakota Office of the Governor)

NORML | April 19, 2017

BISMARK, ND — North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (R) signed legislation on Tuesday amending provisions of the North Dakota Compassionate Care Act – a voter-initiated measure approved by 65 percent of voters last November.

Senate Bill 2344 makes several significant changes to the law. Specifically, it removes provisions permitting patients the option to home cultivate their own cannabis if they do not…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article…

Tennessee Governor Signs Law Repealing Citywide Decriminalization Statutes

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

NORML | April 19, 2017

NASHVILLE, TN — Governor Bill Haslam signed legislation last week repealing municipal statutes in Memphis and Nashville that reduced local penalties for marijuana possession offenders.

House Bill 173 nullifies both cities’ decriminalization ordinances and preempts any other city from enacting similar reforms.

City council members in Nashville and Memphis both passed ordinances last fall providing local law enforcement the discretion to cite and fine minor marijuana…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Wisconsin Governor Signs Measure Expanding CBD-Exemption Law

/in , , , , /by

NORML | April 19, 2017

MADISON, WI — Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed legislation, Senate Bill 10, this week amending the state’s 2014 cannabidiol (CBD) exemption law.

Under the new law, patients may possess non psychoactive CBD products for any medical condition as long as the use of such products is recommended by a physician.

Under the previous law, the use of such products were only permitted for those diagnosed with seizure disorders.

The law neither provides for an in-state supply…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

“Marijuana is not a factor” in war on drugs, Homeland Security Secretary says

/in , , , , , , /by

Two high ranking Trump administration officials; two vastly different positions on marijuana.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to revive the war on drugs, and a crackdown on weed appears to be a major part of that. He is expected to pursue harsher punishments for using and distributing marijuana, which were relaxed under President Trump’s predecessor, as The Washington Post’s Sari Horowitz has reported. “Good people don’t smoke marijuana,” Sessions opined last year.

It’s a far cry from…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Colorado lawmakers pass measure allowing counties to levy, collect marijuana taxes

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

State lawmakers approved a bill Monday that would allow counties to levy and collect sales tax on recreational marijuana, a move inspired by a standoff between Adams County and three of its cities that could wind up in the state Supreme Court.

The measure, if signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper, would allow counties to impose a pot tax in unincorporated areas without challenge but would have to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with cities and towns to tax weed there.

Adams…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Comprehensive Medical Marijuana Bill Introduced in Iowa

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

Maggie Ellinger-Locke | April 17, 2017

The Iowa Senate Appropriations Committee has introduced a bill to establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program in the state. The bill already received unanimous support by a subcommittee at a hearing last week, and may receive a full Senate vote as early as this week.

The bill would allow patients suffering from cancer, PTSD, intractable pain, and a host of other aliments access to this life-saving treatment option if their doctors certify them for the program.

The…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Dispute over marijuana taxing authority in Colorado may continue — despite state bill designed to defuse it

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

A bill designed to resolve a high-stakes standoff over taxing authority between Colorado counties and cities when it comes to recreational marijuana sales is expected to pass out of the legislature Monday.

But the measure, if signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper next month, may not stop a protracted legal battle between Adams County and three of its cities from winding up at the state’s high court.

House Bill 1203, sponsored by Rep. Steve Lebsock, D-Thornton, authorizes counties to…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Tom Marino, Trump’s Reported Drug Czar Pick, is Drug War Extremist; Linked to Scandal

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

Republican Congressman Tom Marino, Pennsylvania 10th (Wikimedia Commons)

Drug Policy Alliance | April 14, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump is expected to soon nominate Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA/10th) to be Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (colloquially referred to as the “drug czar”). Marino, a former prosecutor with no background in health or treatment, supports a punitive, 1980’s style approach to drugs, including mass incarceration and coerced treatment, even for medical and…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Trump Should Abolish the Drug Czar’s Office

/in , , , , , , , /by

Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally in February 2016. (Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore)

Erik Altieri | April 14, 2017

The Trump Administration is widely expected to pick Representative Tom Marino for Drug Czar.

Representative Marino is a longtime, rabid drug warrior who has a consistent record of voting against marijuana law reform legislation — a position that runs counter to that of the majority of voters and his own constituents.

His appointment to this office highlights the fact that this…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

West Virginia Lawmakers Approve Amended Medical Marijuana Measure

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

“Welcome to West Virginia” sign along westbound U.S. Route 48 and West Virginia Route 55 east of Wardensville in Hardy County, West Virginia (Wikimedia/Famartin)

NORML | April 13, 2017

CHARLESTON, WV — Lawmakers in both chambers of the West Virginia legislature have approved a significantly amended version of Senate Bill 386, which seeks to establish a state-regulated medical cannabis program.

The measure now awaits action from Democrat Gov. Jim Justice, who has previously expressed support for…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article…

Colorado ends plans for pot clubs over Trump uncertainty

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

By KRISTEN WYATT

DENVER (AP) — Colorado lawmakers on Thursday backed off plans to become the first U.S. state to regulate marijuana clubs, saying approval of Amsterdam-style pot clubs could invite a federal crackdown.

It was perhaps the starkest display yet of legal pot states’ uncertainty on how to regulate the drug under President Donald Trump. Alaska marijuana regulators recently delayed planned rules for on-site pot consumption at dispensaries.

Colorado’s measure, which would have…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Trump Drug Czar Nominee: Tough on Colombian Peasants and US Marijuana Users

/in , , , , , , , /by

Republican Congressman Tom Marino, Pennsylvania 10th (Wikimedia Commons)

Phillip Smith | April 13, 2017

President Trump will name Pennsylvania Congressman Tom Marino (R) to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP — the drug czar’s office), CBS News reported Tuesday.

The White House gave no official comment, but sources told CBS that an official announcement would come soon.

Marino’s legacy of legislative achievements around drug policy offers little comfort to reformers looking for signs that…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

This is how Colorado could help pot shops under a federal marijuana crackdown

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

Concerned about a potential crackdown from President Donald Trump’s administration, Colorado lawmakers are advancing a bill that would allow recreational pot to be reclassified as medical marijuana so that it could not be seized by federal authorities.

The legislation would allow a one-time transfer prompted by a change in law or a shift in federal enforcement policy and drew no debate as it won final approval in the state Senate on a 28-7 vote Wednesday.

The effort comes after the White…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Illinois Marijuana Legalization Hearings Coming to Chicago Next Week

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

(Flickr/Kristen Wall)

Marijuana Policy Project | April 12, 2017

CHICAGO, IL — Sponsors of a proposal to regulate and tax marijuana for adult use in Illinois announced Wednesday that lawmakers will hold the first hearing on the bill next week in Chicago.

The Senate and House Appropriations committees will hold a joint hearing on SB 316 and HB 2353 on Wednesday, April 19, in the Michael A. Bilandic Building, according to Senate Committee Chairwoman Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and Rep. Kelly Cassidy…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Senators’ False Claims Pave Way for Dangerous Drug Bill

/in , , , , , /by

Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control Hearing on Dangerous Synthetic Drugs

Phillip Smith | April 12, 2017

The two octogenarian senior members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are up to one of their favorite pastimes again this year. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have reintroduced a perennial bill that would increase penalties for drug dealers who sell products designed to entice children.

If the bill were to become law, anyone who knew or “had reasonable cause to believe”…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Report: Congressman Tom Marino Will Be Named Next White House Drug Czar

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

Republican Congressman Tom Marino, Pennsylvania 10th (Wikimedia Commons)

Marijuana Policy Project | April 11, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Tom Marino (R-PA) will be named the next director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), also known as the “drug czar,” according to multiple media reports.

As a member of Congress, Marino has consistently voted against marijuana policy reform legislation.

Robert Capecchi, director of federal policies for the Marijuana…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Sessions’ right-hand man, Steven Cook, thinks Holder DOJ was “soft on crime”

/in , , , , , , , , , , /by

When the Obama administration launched a sweeping policy to reduce harsh prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, rave reviews came from across the political spectrum. Civil rights groups and the Koch brothers praised Obama for his efforts, saying he was making the criminal justice system more humane.

But there was one person who watched these developments with some horror. Steven Cook, a former street cop who became a federal prosecutor based in Knoxville, Tennessee, saw nothing…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Colorado bill making it a crime to grow recreational weed for others heads to gov’s desk

/in , , , , , , , , , , /by

DENVER — Colorado was set Monday to outlaw marijuana growing co-ops soon after the state Senate unanimously approved a bill (HB17-1221) making it a crime for people to cultivate recreational pot for other people.

The bill supported by the office Gov. John Hickenlooper passed 35-0 but it was unclear when he would sign it.

There are no state estimates on how many collective recreational marijuana growing operations exist in Colorado, though they are popular among users who share the cost of…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Arizona Appellate Court Strikes Down Law Banning Medical Marijuana on Campus

/in , , , , , , , , , , /by

Paul Armentano | April 10, 2017

PHOENIX, AZ — An Arizona appellate court has ruled that a 2012 state law prohibiting the use of medical cannabis on college campuses is unconstitutional.

Arizona voters in 2010 narrowly approved a statewide initiative, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA), permitting qualified patients to possess and use medicinal cannabis. The Court determined that the legislature’s decision to later amend the law in order to restrict medical marijuana use on college…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article…

Cannabis companies flock to Canada as US laws keep them off stock exchange

/in , , , , , , , , , , /by

When Hadley Ford created a company for investing in the fast-growing business of legal marijuana, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. investment banker left New York and headed north of the border.

While more than half of U.S. states allow marijuana for medical or recreational use, the drug is still outlawed by the federal government, starving pot entrepreneurs of institutional capital. Major stock exchanges won’t accept listings for businesses that Washington deems illegal, and banks and…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

New law: Courts can’t force medical marijuana abstinence for users awaiting trial

/in , , , , , , , /by

DENVER — Marijuana use won’t be banned while people await trial in Colorado. That’s according to a new law (SB17-178) signed Thursday.

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a measure forbidding a court from saying that criminal defendants who are marijuana patients must abstain from pot as a condition of bond.

 

Read the complete story at The Cannabist.

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

New federal bill would reschedule marijuana as Schedule III

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

The latest marijuana-centric bill before Congress would place cannabis as a Schedule III substance, a classification shared by Tylenol with codeine, ketamine and dronabinol.

Two Florida congressmen, Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz and Democratic Rep. Darren Soto, introduced legislation Thursday that would transfer marijuana to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act from its current standing as a Schedule I substance, the strictest of the classifications.

Read the complete story at The…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

New Mexico Governor Vetoes Medical Marijuana Changes

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Drug Policy Alliance | April 7, 2017

SANTA FE, NM — New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has vetoed House Bill 527, a measure that would have made improvements to the state’s medical cannabis program.

The most significant provision in the legislation would have allowed New Mexicans diagnosed with opioid use disorder by a licensed practitioner to be eligible for the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program. Nationally, in 2015, more people died from opioid overdoses than died from HIV/AIDS when that epidemic peaked…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article…

West Virginia to Become 29th Medical Marijuana State: Legislature Sends SB 386 to Governor

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

“Welcome to West Virginia” sign along westbound U.S. Route 48 and West Virginia Route 55 east of Wardensville in Hardy County, West Virginia (Wikimedia/Famartin)

Marijuana Policy Project | April 7, 2017

CHARLESTON, WV — A medical marijuana bill received final approval in the West Virginia Legislature on Thursday and is headed to the desk of Gov. Jim Justice. He has publicly expressed support for legal access to medical marijuana and is expected to sign the bill into law, making West Virginia the 29th state to…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article…

Kansas City Municipal Decriminalization Measure Passes

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Kansas City, MO (Flickr/Dean Hochman)

NORML | April 6, 2017

KANSAS CITY, MO — Kansas City voters approved a municipal ballot measure on Tuesday decriminalizing marijuana possession offenses within the city’s limits.

Nearly 75 percent of citywide voters decided ‘yes’ on Question 5, which reduces penalties for the possession of up to 35 grams of cannabis from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil violation punishable by a $25 fine. The ordinance also eliminates local penalties for the possession…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Sessions’ DOJ Reviewing Marijuana Enforcement, Governors Fight Back

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Jeff Sessions speaking at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC. (Flickr/Gage Skidmore)

Erik Altieri | April 6, 2017

This week, Attorney General Jeff “Marijuana Consumers Aren’t Good People” Sessions issued a memo outlining a requested task force inquiry into a number of public safety issues, one of which being the enforcement of federal marijuana laws.

The memo was sent to 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and Department of Justice component heads to provide “an update on the Department¹s Task Force on…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Proponents Victorious in Ballot Fight

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

NORML | April 6, 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — The state Supreme Court of Oklahoma has ruled in favor of the proponents of a forthcoming statewide ballot measure to regulate medical cannabis access.

In a 7 to 1 ruling, justices rejected the state attorney general’s rewording of the initiative’s ballot title and ordered that the measure’s initial language be restored.

Initiative proponents, Oklahomans for Health, had argued that the revised title was purposely misleading because it did not…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article…

Virginia: Marijuana Arrest No Longer Leads to Automatic Driver’s License Suspension

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

NORML | April 6, 2017

RICHMOND, VA — Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has signed legislation into law amending the state’s mandatory driver’s suspension law.

Under existing law, defendants convicted of a marijuana violation lose their driving privileges for six months, even in instances where the offense was not driving related.

Under the new legislation, SB 1091, the mandatory suspension will no longer apply to adults convicted of simple marijuana possession offenses.

The new law takes…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Federal Bill Would End Arbitrary License Suspensions for Minor Marijuana Possession

/in , , , , , , , , /by

NORML | April 5, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) with Representatives Amash (R-MI), Jeffries (D-NY), Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Nadler (D-NY), and Love (R-UT) have introduced The Better Drive Act, legislation removing the federal mandate that demands states to suspend the driver’s license of individuals with a marijuana possession conviction.

Under current law, any drug conviction, regardless of whether or not a motor vehicle was involved, results in an automatic suspension of the…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Bill to Repeal Federal Law Requiring States to Suspend Driver’s Licenses for Drug Offenses Introduced in Congress

/in , , , , , , /by

The United States Capitol in Washington, DC (Wikimedia/David Maiolo)

Drug Policy Alliance | April 5, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke (D-TX-16) has introduced bipartisan legislation with Representatives Justin Amash (R-MI-3), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8), Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI-5), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10), and Mia Love (R-UT-4) that would repeal a 26-year-old federal law that mandates states to automatically suspend driver’s licenses for anyone convicted of a drug offense or risk losing…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

California Gov. Moves to Align Medical and Recreational Marijuana Regulation

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

California Governor Jerry Brown

Drug Policy Alliance | April 5, 2017

SACRAMENTO, CA — Late Tuesday afternoon, Governor Jerry Brown released his proposal to align medical marijuana regulations passed by the Legislature in 2015 and the 2016 Adult Use of Marijuana Act, both of which call for commercial licensing and regulation to begin in January 2018.

The Adult Use of Marijuana Act, Proposition 64, was passed by California voters in 2016 with more than 57 percent of the vote, legalizing marijuana for adults 21…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article…

Voters in Kansas City, MO Decriminalize Marijuana in Blowout Victory

/in , , , , , , , , , , /by

Justin Strekal | April 5, 2017

KANSAS CITY, MO — In a blowout victory for sensible criminal justice policy, the voters of Kansas City, Missouri have decided to approve Question 5 and decriminalize marijuana to direct their law enforcement officers to no longer target citizens for possession of the plant and would replace current criminal penalties with just a civil fine.

The measure will amend local laws regarding the possession of up to 35 grams of marijuana for adults age 21 and older from a criminal…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

West Virginia House of Delegates Passes Medical Marijuana Bill

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

“Welcome to West Virginia” sign along westbound U.S. Route 48 and West Virginia Route 55 east of Wardensville in Hardy County, West Virginia (Wikimedia/Famartin)

Marijuana Policy Project | April 4, 2017

CHARLESTON, WV — A bill that would allow patients with certain debilitating conditions to access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it was approved by the West Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 386 passed 76-24 on third reading after being revised on second reading, and now returns to…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Denver council advances 10 p.m. closing time for marijuana stores

/in , , , , , , , , /by

A measure that would extend Denver’s marijuana shop sales to midnight was pared back to 10 p.m. before a committee on Monday sent it to the full City Council.

The momentum of the revised proposal gave hope to marijuana industry representatives who have pushed for a later closing time to compete with neighboring cities. But the council also has heard push-back in recent weeks from some dispensary neighbors and others concerned about the change.

Denver allows its 216 medical and…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Texas Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Advances to Floor Vote in House

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Marijuana Policy Project | April 3, 2017

AUSTIN, TX — A proposal to reduce penalties for marijuana possession in Texas received bipartisan approval from the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on Monday and will soon be scheduled for a full vote in the House.

The measure passed by a vote of 4-2, receiving support from two Democrats and two Republicans.

House Bill 81, authored by committee Chairman Joe Moody (D-El Paso) and Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) with 37 co-sponsors, would remove the threat of…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

DEA asks Colorado AG’s office for info on marijuana crimes, “for the new administration”

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Amid speculation about how the Trump administration will confront marijuana legalization in states such as Colorado, a Drug Enforcement Administration supervisor has sent an e-mail to a prosecutor in the state attorney general’s office seeking information, “for the new administration.”

The e-mail was sent early last month by a supervisor on the financial investigations team in the DEA’s Denver field office to Michael Melito, a senior assistant attorney general. The e-mail asks for…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Exclusive: Here’s how Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper really feels about marijuana

/in , , , , , , , /by

In 2012, when Colorado voters wanted their state to legalize weed for adult recreational use, Gov. John Hickenlooper was thrust into an interesting predicament.

The moderate Democrat had stood in opposition to Amendment 64, a measure he felt would send the wrong message to kids, create public health risks, detract from Colorado’s desirability, and, not to mention, stoke the ire of the feds.

But voters’ will spoke and Hickenlooper became an extremely reluctant figurehead and participant in…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Several Bills Filed in Congress to Create “Path to Marijuana Reform”

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

The United States Capitol in Washington, DC (Wikimedia/David Maiolo)

Phillip Smith | March 30, 2017

The Congressional Cannabis Caucus flexed its muscles Thursday as members of Congress filed a package of bills aimed at creating a “path to marijuana reform” at the federal level and protecting and preserving marijuana laws in states where it is legal.

Two Oregon politicians, Sen. Ron Wyden (D) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D) led the charge, announcing a bipartisan package of three bills, including a marijuana…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Bipartisan “Path to Marijuana Reform” bills introduced to decriminalize, protect, regulate cannabis industry

/in , , , , , , /by

U.S. lawmakers on Thursday introduced a package of marijuana reform bills aimed at protecting and preserving existing state-based programs while laying framework for the federal regulation of cannabis.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, announced the “Path to Marijuana Reform,” a bipartisan package of three marijuana-related bills that address issues such as taxation, banking, civil forfeiture, de-scheduling, decriminalization, research, individual protections—and…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Colorado Rep. Jared Polis introduces bill to decriminalize marijuana and regulate like alcohol

/in , , , , , , /by

Colorado Rep. Jared Polis’ has introduced a bill that would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and regulate it like alcohol.

U.S. Rep. Polis, D-Colorado, on Thursday reintroduced the Marijuana Revenue and Regulation Act, a bill that would allow for the federally legal existence of state-based marijuana legalization programs without opening the door for interstate commerce.

The bill — similar in format to Polis’ Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act introduced in 2015 — is part…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …