Tagged With: marijuana
Tennessee: Measures To Reclassify Minor Marijuana Offenses Defeated
Legislation that sought to reduce marijuana possession penalties was unfortunately defeated this legislative session. House Bill 873 was previously passed by members of the Criminal Justice Committee on April 1st but members of the Finance Ways & Means Subcommittee and Committee failed to ever consider it. The companion Senate bill, Senate Bill 1211, was never considered by members … Continue reading
Iowa: Medical Marijuana Expansion Measure Killed
Senate legislation to expand the physician-authorized use and dispensing of marijuana-related products for therapeutic purposes was killed by members of the House of Representatives in a 31-63 failed vote. Under a 2014 law, adolescents with intractable epilepsy, but no other qualifying condition, may possesses limited quantities of cannabidiol-extracted oils. The law provides no legal supply … Continue reading
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
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
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
Arizona: Lawmakers Fail To Act On Measure To Defelonize Minor Marijuana Offenses
House lawmakers failed to consider, House Bill 2007, legislation to defelonize minor marijuana possession offenses. Arizona’s penalties pertaining to the possession and/or sale of cannabis are among the toughest in the nation. Under present law, marijuana possession is classified as a felony, punishable by up to two years in jail. Annually, an estimated 20,000 Arizonans … Continue reading
New Jersey: Marijuana Decriminalization Measure Pending
Assembly Bill 2050, legislation to decriminalize minor marijuana possession offenses in New Jersey, is pending in the General Assembly. If approved, the legislation would remove criminal penalties for those who possess 15 grams of marijuana or less. Offenders would face civil fines of (1) $ 150 for a first violation; (2) $ 200 for a … Continue reading