Author Archives: ushempmuseum
Iowa: Legislation Pending to Establish Medical Cannabis Program
Legislation is pending, HF 199, to establish a statewide medical marijuana program. Under these proposals, qualified patients with intractable pain and other conditions would be able to obtain cannabis from state-licensed facilities. A more narrow version of this program is proposed by separate legislation, HF 198. While the program proposed by the measures is a … Continue reading
We Must Demand Lawmakers Respect the Will of the Voters
Voters in eight states decided on Election Day to radically amend their longstanding marijuana policies. But many lawmakers in these states still aren’t getting the message. Despite these voter mandates, many lawmakers remain reluctant to move forward with the legal reforms that the public has demanded. In some cases, legislators and regulators are outright defying … Continue reading
Senate Judiciary Advances the Nomination of Marijuana Prohibitionist Jeff Sessions to be the Attorney General
Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the confirmation of Jeff Sessions to be the next US Attorney General on a party line vote of 11 to 9. There a numerous groups in the criminal justice advocacy space, ranging from the NAACP to the ACLU who are opposed Senator Sessions becoming the nation’s … Continue reading
Wyoming: Bill To Reduce Marijuana Possession Penalties Advances
Legislation, HB 197, to amend marijuana possession penalties has passed out of Committee and now faces action on the House floor. Passage of the measure would reduce existing marijuana possession penalties from up to one year in jail and a $ 1,000 fine to no more than 20 days in jail and a $ 200 fine for first-time … Continue reading
Tennessee: Legislation Seeks to Nullify Citywide Decriminalization Ordinances
Legislation is pending in the Tennessee House, HB 173, to nullify the enactment of citywide marijuana decriminalization ordinances and to prevent additional municipalities from enacting similar marijuana reform measures. The intent of the bill is to override the passage of recent citywide measures in Nashville and Memphis — both of which passed local ordinances last year making … Continue reading
South Dakota: Legislation Pending to Eliminate Internal Possession Offenses
More than a dozen lawmakers are backing legislation, Senate Bill 129, to eradicate the state’s marijuana possession by ingestion law. Under the law, one can be charged with a felony drug offense if their past use of a marijuana shows up on a blood or urine test. In the case of cannabis, byproducts of THC … Continue reading
Kansas: Support Comprehensive Medical Marijuana Reform
Legislation is pending before lawmakers, The Kansas Safe Access Act, to establish regulations governing a comprehensive medical marijuana program. The measure would permit qualified patients to grow their own medical marijuana or to obtain it from a licensed dispensary, while also educating physicians who seek to recommend cannabis therapy. Kansas is one of fewer than … Continue reading
Maine Becomes Eighth State to Eliminate Marijuana Possession Penalties
Maine has become the eighth state to eliminate criminal penalties specific to the adult possession and personal use of cannabis. Language in Question 1: the Marijuana Legalization Act, specific to the private possession and cultivation of marijuana by adults took effect today. It permits adults who are not participating in the state’s existing medical cannabis … Continue reading
North Dakota: Marijuana Decriminalization Measure Introduced
Legislation is pending in the House to decriminalize the possession of marijuana and marijuana-related paraphernalia. House Bill 1340 amends existing law so that activities involving the possession of marijuana, marijuana-related paraphernalia, or the internal possession of marijuana are reduced from criminal misdemeanors to non-criminal infractions — punishable by a fine only, no arrest, no jail, … Continue reading