Author Archives: ushempmuseum
House Rules Committee Blocks FY19 Marijuana Amendments
Late Monday night, the House Rules Committee led by prohibitionist Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX) blocked two amendments related to marijuana from receiving consideration by the full House, thus ending their consideration and silencing the ability for the lower chamber to offer protections from Attorney General Jeff Sessions when it comes to cannabis. The amendments included allowing … Continue reading
Kentucky NORML: Seniors and Cannabis
There are approximately 700,000 senior citizens in our state. The Kentucky State Data Center at the University of Louisville found people age 65 have grown 23 percent since the 2010 census, while the number of people younger than 65 has declined and they account for over 15 percent of our population and growing. In the … Continue reading
Rhode Island: Governor Signs Marijuana Expungement Legislation Into Law
Democrat Gov. Gina Raimondo has signed legislation permitting those with past marijuana convictions to have their records expunged. House Bill 8355/S. 2447 allows those with past convictions for crimes involving the possession of less than one ounce of cannabis to petition the court to seek an order of expungement. It states, “[W]here the court has … Continue reading
Weekly Legislative Roundup 7/13/18
Welcome to the latest edition of NORML’s Weekly Legislative Roundup! A lot has happened at the state level this week, starting with Maine lawmakers overriding Gov. Paul LePage’s (R) veto of medical cannabis expansion legislation, by a vote of 119 to 23 in the House and 25 to 8 in the Senate. The measure will now … Continue reading
New York: State-Commissioned Study Calls For Legalizing Adult Marijuana Use
A state-commissioned study released today by the New York Department of Health recommends replacing cannabis criminalization with a policy of adult use legalization. The 74-page study, entitled “Assessment of the Potential Impact of Regulated Marijuana in New York State,” acknowledges the following: “Regulating marijuana can reduce opioid use;” “Regulating marijuana may lead to a reduction … Continue reading
Study: Medical Cannabis Access Associated With Significant Reduction In Prescription Opioid Use
The enactment of medical cannabis access laws is associated with significant reductions in prescription opioid use among Medicaid enrollees, according to just-published data in the journal Addiction. Investigators with the University of California at San Diego assessed the relationship between medical cannabis legalization and opioid use among Medicaid enrollees over a period of 21 years … Continue reading
2018 Congressional Letter Writing Campaign
In advance of NORML’s 2018 Conference and Lobby day that’s taking place July 22nd – 24th in Washington, DC, NORML chapters from around the country will be contacting their representatives to urge their support for marijuana-related bills introduced since the 115th Congress convened on January 3, 2017. For more than four decades, NORML Affiliates and Chapters … Continue reading
Oklahoma Governor Signs Restrictive Amendments To State’s Voter-Initiated Marijuana Law
Republican Gov. Mary Fallin yesterday signed into law emergency regulations amending SQ 788 — the state’s voter-initiated medical marijuana access law. The changes, approved Tuesday in a 5 to 4 vote by directors at the Department of Health, seek to severely limit patients’ access to a wide range of cannabis products. Specifically, the new provisions: … Continue reading
NORML Questions Police Tactics That Led to Man’s Death Over Small Marijuana Grow
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) questions the excessive use of force used by Pennsylvania law enforcement, whose pursuit of a man suspected of growing a small amount of marijuana outdoors ultimately led to his death. The body of a suspect in the case, Pennsylvania resident Gregory A. Longenecker, was found earlier this … Continue reading
North Dakota: Advocates Turn In Signatures For 2018 Adult Use Initiative
Proponents of a statewide ballot initiative to legalize the adult use of marijuana in North Dakota turned in nearly 19,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office today in an effort to place the measure before voters this November. State officials must certify 13,452 signatures in order to qualify the measure for the 2018 electoral … Continue reading
