Author Archives: ushempmuseum
Hawaii: Lawmakers Take No Action On Marijuana Decriminalization Measures
Lawmakers have failed to act on legislation to decriminalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults. Senate Bill 596 SD 1 sought to reclassify possession of less than one ounce of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $ 1,000 fine to a civil violation, … Continue reading
Arizona: Measures To Regulate Marijuana Retail Sales Tabled
House lawmakers failed to act on legislation to permit the personal cultivation and retail sale of marijuana by adults. House Bill 2006 and HB 2406 both sought to regulate the commercial cultivation and retail sale of marijuana to adults over the age of 21. The measures would have also permitted individuals to cultivate marijuana for their own personal … Continue reading
Maryland: Legislation To Recriminalize Marijuana Offenses Tabled
House bill 777, legislation that sought to prohibit a person from smoking or consuming marijuana in a public place, in or on a public conveyance, or in any specified area otherwise accessible to the public; and establish a criminal penalty of a fine not to exceed $ 500 has been tabled for the 2016 legislative … Continue reading
NORML’s Legislative Round Up September 30, 2016
NORML released our updated and revised 2016 Congressional Scorecard this week in conjunction with National Voter Registration Day. The Scorecard is an all-encompassing database that assigns a letter grade ‘A’ through ‘F’ to members of Congress based on their marijuana-related comments and voting records. With the 2016 presidential election drawing closer and statewide marijuana initiatives qualified … Continue reading
South Dakota: Industrial Hemp Measure Tabled
House legislation, HB 1054, to redefine industrial hemp as an agricultural crop and establish licensing regulations for the plant’s cultivation has been tabled for the legislative session. The legislation was approved by the full House in an 57-11 vote on Thursday, February 4th but unfortunately members of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources committee voted against it in a … Continue reading
Pharma Company Admits Opposing Marijuana Legalization to Protect Its Corporate Profits
Those of us involved in the marijuana legalization movement have long assumed that those companies that produce and sell competing products — especially alcohol and tobacco — were working behind the scenes to try to maintain marijuana prohibition and to protect their duopoly for legal recreational drugs. These industries have lobbyists who regularly work with … Continue reading
FBI: Marijuana Arrests Decline Significantly In 2015
Marijuana-related arrests in the United States have fallen to their lowest levels since the mid-1990s, according to data released today by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, police made 643,122 arrests for marijuana-related offenses in 2015. Of those arrested, 574,641 (89 percent of all marijuana-related arrests) were charged with marijuana … Continue reading
NORML Releases Updated and Revised 2016 Congressional Scorecard
Today is National Voter Registration Day and we are pleased to present this valuable voter education tool to the marijuana movement: NORML’s updated and revised 2016 Congressional Scorecard. The Scorecard is an all-encompassing database that assigns a letter grade of ‘A’ (the highest grade possible) to ‘F’ (the lowest grade possible) to members of Congress … Continue reading
Hawaii: Members of the House Fail to Act on Hemp Legislation
Legislation, Senate Bill 2787, to further encourage the state Department of Agriculture to license farmers to grow industrial hemp for “research and development purposes” failed to move forward in the House after members of the Senate approved the measure in a 24-0 vote. Additional legislation, Senate Bill 2757, to authorize the department of agriculture to … Continue reading
California: Governor Signs Emergency Legislation to Discourage Enactment of Local Medical Marijuana Bans
Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday, February 3, signed legislation that seeks to dissuade California cities and counties from enacting municipal restrictions on the cultivation and dispensing of medical marijuana. The measure takes immediate effect. Assembly Bill 21 amends a drafting error in the The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act by removing an apparent March 1, 2016 deadline … Continue reading