Top Colorado Springs Official Touts Psychedelics Medical Benefits At Decriminalization Hearing10/15/2020 Advocates pushing to decriminalize psychedelics in Colorado Springs got a strong signal that the reform move could have support from a key ally after a top local lawmaker shared a personal anecdote about a relative of his who benefited from using psilocybin mushrooms. During a City Council meeting on Tuesday, members of Decriminalize Nature Colorado Springs (DNCS) gave a presentation on their proposal, which would make enforcement of laws against entheogenic substances among the city’s lowest priorities. The Council’s president, Richard Skorman, chimed in to say that he recognizes the therapeutic potential of certain psychedelics, sharing that his sister-in-law was treated with psilocybin as part of a study following a cancer diagnosis. “She was predicted to not live and went through a lot of trauma and was able to survive,” he said. “She became part of a study at Columbia University on psilocybin mushrooms and it was something that was nationally recognized, but it was, again, it was something that has helped her tremendously. So it has affected my family as well.” Watch the council discuss the psychedelics reform proposal, around 1:05:00 into the video below: Anthony Caballero, who founded DNCS, told Marijuana Moment that the meeting “went exactly as it should have,” and the fact that the president proactively spoke about how he has personally seen the medical benefits of psychedelics was “out of this world in terms of a response we hoped for.” When describing his proposal to the Council, Caballero said the resolution would be uniquely beneficial to the city because of its strong military community, adding that the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the veteran population should give added impetus to decriminalize plants and fungi that could help them. “We could decriminalize the substances and become the trailblazers in combating PTSD and anxiety,” he said. Zachary Short, a military veteran who served as a combat medic, said his PTSD symptoms have dramatically declined since he started self-administering psilocybin. “It’s no secret that the military is the backbone of our beautiful Colorado Springs community,’ he said. “But we are doing this community a massive disservice if we threaten to imprison our veteran service men and women for consuming a plant—yes, a natural plant—that could very well save their lives. Don’t we owe them the best care and treatment available and all options?” It remains to be seen whether a decriminalization measure will be formally introduced by a sponsor on the Council, but advocates are optimistic, especially given the president’s statement. This hearing comes one month after the Ann Arbor, Michigan City Council unanimously approved decriminalizing entheogenic substances, making it the third city in the U.S. to do so. Oakland was first to enact the policy change, followed by Santa Cruz. The national psychedelics reform movement has quickly spread across the country since Denver became the first city in the U.S. to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms through a voter initiative in 2019. Activists in Washington, D.C. successfully qualified a psychedelics decriminalization measure for the November ballot, and recent polling indicates that there’s strong support for the policy change. In Oregon, an initiative to legalize psilocybin for therapeutic purposes will appear on the state’s ballot. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) has formally endorsed the proposal and is raising money for the campaign. Also this November, Oregon voters will also decide on a separate measure to decriminalize possession of all currently illicit drugs and put tax dollars toward expanding substance misuse treatment. Oakland activists in July released a proposed measure to allow residents to use a variety of entheogenic substances in plant medicine healing ceremonies. And in August, they unveiled guidelines for safely and effectively participating in those ceremonies. Photo elements courtesy of carlosemmaskype and Apollo. The post Top Colorado Springs Official Touts Psychedelics’ Medical Benefits At Decriminalization Hearing appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/top-colorado-springs-official-touts-psychedelics-medical-benefits-at-decriminalization-hearing/
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Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) raised the issue of racial disparities in marijuana enforcement and the broader war on drugs during his questioning of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Wednesday. The senator, an outspoken advocate for cannabis reform, was making the point that those racial inequities are part of a systemic problem in the U.S. judicial system that has marginalized and often disenfranchised communities of color. “The war on marijuana—in 2017, there were more possession of marijuana arrests in America than all the violent crime arrests combined, overwhelmingly and disproportionately African American people,” he said. “My point is, you see that if a black person is not more likely to use marijuana—but they’re more likely to be convicted of a felony for it at some three-to-four times the rate [of white people]—I hope you can see that that means that they’re going to be more likely to lose other liberties, other rights, that so deeply affect their lives.” “Their voting life, their ability to raise their children when a parent has been put in a position where now, because of that felony conviction for doing things that two of the last three presidents admitted to doing, they now can’t vote, they now can’t get jobs, they now can’t get business licenses,” the former Democratic presidential candidate said. “This is such a deeply affecting system that is disproportionately harming one class of citizens based upon race.” While he didn’t ask Barrett any specific questions on cannabis policy issues, the senator did ask whether she’s read any books or articles that delve into racial disparities in the criminal justice system. He cited “The New Jim Crow” by civil rights advocate Michelle Alexander as an example. The would-be justice replied that she couldn’t recall having done any such specific reading but, throughout her academic career, did have regular discussions about the topic. Booker recommended the same book to now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing in 2018. Earlier at Wednesday’s hearing, the senator more broadly discussed the racial inequities of the war on drugs. “One of the greatest drivers of disparities [in the justice system]—I’ve worked with partners of mine on both sides of the aisle—has been the so-called war on drugs, which really is a war on black and brown people because of the outrageous disparities,” he said. “There’s no difference between blacks and whites for using drugs, or even dealing drugs, in America but blacks are multiple times more likely to be arrested.” He said that significant sentencing disparities for crack versus powder cocaine is “one of the most tragic examples” of how this problem has played out. Under that system, he said, “someone caught with the amount of crack cocaine the size of a candy bar would get roughly the same sentence as someone caught with a briefcase full of powder cocaine,” and it just so happened to be the case that black people were more often arrested with the latter substance. Photo courtesy of Senate Democrats. The post Cory Booker Presses Supreme Court Nominee On Marijuana Criminalization And War On Drugs appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/cory-booker-presses-supreme-court-nominee-on-marijuana-criminalization-and-war-on-drugs/ IL rakes in $100M in marijuana revenue; DC bill would let formerly incarcerated enter cannabis biz; NJ legalization ads & funding data Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… By starting a $10 per month pledge on Patreon—or about 45 cents per issue of this newsletter—you can help us rely less on ads to cover our expenses, hire more journalists and bring you even more marijuana news.
Washington, D.C. Council members filed a new bill to encourage participation and ownership in the legal medical marijuana industry by formerly incarcerated people.
A new poll shows that Montana voters are poised to approve marijuana legalization ballot measures next month—but 10% of voters are undecided, and turnout by young people could make all the difference. / LOCAL Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images. The post MT poll shows legal cannabis leading (Newsletter: October 15, 2020) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/mt-poll-shows-legal-cannabis-leading-newsletter-october-15-2020/ New Jersey activists working to pass a marijuana legalization referendum are vastly out-raising opponents, campaign finance records published on Wednesday show. And four new pro-reform video advertisements are an example of how supporters are spending that money. There are two main committees backing the legal cannabis proposal: NJ CAN 2020 and the Building Stronger Communities Action Fund. According to a report from the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), they’ve collectively raised about $1.3 million.
A main source of funding for the advocates is the multinational Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, which sells a popular fertilizer brand and also owns a marijuana-focused subsidiary unit. NJ CAN 2020 has received most of its financing from the ACLU of New Jersey so far. Meanwhile, an opposing committee called Don’t Let NJ Go to Pot has raised just under $10,000. That’s roughly a 130:1 campaign finance difference. “Whether or not this year’s ballot question election turns out to be a true blockbuster in terms of funds spent, early reports show it already is among the top ten ballot questions in the state’s history,” ELEC Executive Director Jeff Brindle said in a press release. “The vote also is historic since it is the first marijuana-related public question to appear before New Jersey voters.” Meanwhile, NJ CAN 2020, a coalition of civil rights and drug policy reform groups, has put some of its resources toward digital advertising, including this latest quartet of ads that emphasize the long-term consequences of facing a cannabis conviction. The group put together separate 30-second and 15-second cuts, as well as English and Spanish versions of each. “Right now, unjust marijuana laws in New Jersey put so many people one decision away from a life where it’s hard to get a job, hard to find a place to live, hard to get ahead,” the longer ad states. “Because simple marijuana possession can mean jail time and a criminal record for life,” it says. “It’s time to vote ‘yes’ on Public Question 1. Legalize marijuana in New Jersey and remove the unfair consequences that can ruin lives.” Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who has been strongly campaigning for the legalization proposal and stressed that the state “can’t fail” at enacting reform this round, also urged a “yes” vote in a separate ad released by NJ CAN 2020 last week. Advocates are seeing positive signs that the referendum question will be approved, including a poll released last week that shows 61 percent of likely voters said they’re in favor of the cannabis policy change, while just 29 percent said they’re opposed. That’s largely consistent with several other recent surveys showing majority support in recent weeks. The governor has said that the ongoing criminalization of cannabis in New Jersey wastes taxpayer dollars, and he’s emphasized that prohibition is enforced in a racially disproportionate manner. Murphy similarly said in a recent interview that the marijuana reform proposal prioritizes social justice. “I wish we could have gotten it done through a legislative process,” he said at the time, referencing lawmakers’ inability to advance a legalization bill last session. “We just couldn’t find the last few votes, so it’s on the referendum. I’m strongly supporting it—first and foremost for social justice reasons.” Last month, Murphy also called on voters to support the proposal in an email blast that was circulated by the New Jersey Democratic State Committee. “Legalization would right those wrongs while also spurring massive economic development opportunities, job creation, and new tax revenue,” the governor wrote. “Now, we have the opportunity to get this done and finally legalize adult-use marijuana here in the Garden State, and I need your help to make it happen.” He said in July that legalizing cannabis is “an incredibly smart thing to do” both from an economic and social justice perspective. The governor isn’t alone in his attempts to get out the vote for cannabis reform. Filmmaker Kevin Smith urged his Twitter followers earlier this month to “VOTE YES when you see State Public Question Number 1: Constitutional Amendment to Legalize Marijuana.” Legislators attempted to enact the policy change during the last session, but when negotiations stalled, they opted to put the question to voters in the form of a referendum. If the measure is approved on Election Day, the legislature will then have to pass implementing legislation containing details for how the legal cannabis market will work. NJ CAN 2020 launched their first video ad promoting the legalization referendum last month as well. In June, the state Assembly passed a cannabis decriminalization bill that would make possession of up to two ounces a civil penalty without the threat of jail time, though it hasn’t advance in the Senate. Meanwhile, a key state senator said that legislative leaders are close to finalizing a bill to implement the details of a legal cannabis framework. He said it could be passed in the first week of November if voters approve the ballot referendum. Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post New Jersey Legal Marijuana Advocates Release New Ads As Campaign Data Shows Opponents Vastly Outspent appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-jersey-legal-marijuana-advocates-release-new-ads-as-campaign-data-shows-opponents-vastly-outspent/ Montana voters seem poised to approve a pair of marijuana legalization initiatives next month, according to a new poll. Asked about legal cannabis measures that will appear on their ballots, 49 percent of likely voters said they will vote for the reform while 39 percent said they would oppose it. What remains to be seen is where the remaining 10 percent of undecided voters will land on the question. (An additional two percent of respondents said they will skip the cannabis measures when voting.) The survey asked a simplified version of what voters will see on Election Day. Rather than ask about both measures—one statutory proposal to legalize and a separate constitutional amendment to codify that only those 21 and older can access the market—the question reads: “The state ballot will ask about legalizing recreational marijuana in Montana. Will you vote to support or oppose legalization?” As is typical with cannabis polling, more Democrats (70 percent) are in favor of the policy change compared to Republicans (27 percent). Fifty-nine percent of independents said they favor legalization. The results also show that legalization is supported by most age groups, except those 60 and over, with voters aged 18 to 29 backing it by a near than three-to-one margin. “The fate of marijuana legalization comes down to three factors: how the ‘don’t know’ respondents split, independent voters, and the presence of younger voters at the polls,” analysts at Montana State University (MSU) said. “Right now, 49 percent of respondents overall indicate they will vote to legalize—a 10-point lead over those indicating they will not.” That said, the pro-legalization side has its work cut out to win over those voters who are still undecided by the time Election Day rolls around. “Typically, the status quo position is advantaged in referendums, which would be no legalization,” they said. “With a high voter turnout, Montana will likely legalize marijuana, assuming voters understand that both initiatives must pass and vote accordingly.” The analysis also noted that the legalization initiatives could attract younger voters to the polls, which could benefit Democratic candidates who also appear on the ballot. “I think it is important to think about a ballot as a complete organic entity,” David Parker, a political science professor at MSU, said. “Young voters strongly are in favor of the measure, and they tend to be Democratic leaning.” The poll—which involved responses from 1,787 Montanans from September 14 to October 2—is a good sign for New Approach Montana, the campaign behind the reform measures. But it also underscores the need to maintain their current support while convincing at least some of those outstanding undecided voters to get on board. The survey also asked about gubernatorial, Senate and House races in the state, as well as the presidential campaign, and MSU said that of all the ballot-related questions in the poll, the response to the cannabis question was the only one outside the +/-3.9 percentage point margin of error. For residents who value environmental conservationism, a recent endorsement of the legalization initiatives by a coalition of groups committed to that issue could be a motivating factor. The state—widely known for its public lands and parks that attract tourists from across the country—would see a significant influx of revenue for environmental conservation programs from cannabis taxes if the legalization measure passes in November. Half of the public revenue from marijuana sales would be earmarked for such purposes. If the statutory measure is approved by voters, possessing up to an ounce of cannabis would be allowed, and people could cultivate up to four plants and four seedlings at home. The Montana Department of Revenue would be in charge of regulating the legal industry and would issue business licenses by January 1, 2022. Existing medical cannabis businesses would be first in line to enter the adult-use market. There would be a 20 percent sales tax on recreational marijuana, while the tax on medical cannabis products would be reduced from two to one percent. Besides public lands funding, those tax dollars would also go toward veteran services, substance misuse treatment, health care, local governments that allow cannabis businesses and the state general fund. Montana voters approved a medical cannabis legalization initiative in 2004 and later passed a 2016 expansion measure. For the current cycle, New Approach Montana submitted their petitions for the cannabis initiatives in June. That came after they initially suspended signature gathering activities amidst the coronavirus pandemic, which they later relaunched with social distancing measures in place. In July, the group announced that data from county officials indicated they would make the ballot. And in August, state officials officially qualified the measures. The Montana Democratic Party adopted a platform plank endorsing marijuana legalization in June.
Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen. The post Montana Voters Poised To Legalize Marijuana, New Poll Shows appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/montana-voters-poised-to-legalize-marijuana-new-poll-shows/ D.C. Marijuana Bill Would Encourage Formerly Incarcerated People To Work In Legal Industry10/14/2020 A Washington, D.C. councilman introduced a bill this week that would expand opportunities for formerly incarcerated people to participate in the medical marijuana market. Councilman Robert White (D) said on Monday that there’s “no reason why those who’ve paid their debt to society should be locked out of this industry any longer.” In addition to ending the ban on industry participation by most people with felony convictions, his bill, which currently has four cosponsors, would establish two programs meant to encourage cannabis business ownership by so-called “returning citizens.” One would provide an “application fee waiver, technical assistance with the application, and assistance with applying for any required license” for those seeking a marijuana license for a businesses with at least 51 percent ownership by formerly incarcerated individuals. The other would offer “assistance in developing a business plan and a plan for raising capital for approved applicants” for businesses with at least 51 percent “returning citizen” ownership.
The legislation would also repeal a section of current city code that says: “No director, officer, member, incorporator, agent, or employee of a dispensary, cultivation center, or testing laboratory who has access to the medical marijuana at the dispensary, cultivation center, or testing laboratory shall have a felony conviction; provided, that the Mayor shall not disqualify any of the forgoing individuals solely for a felony conviction of possession with intent to distribute marijuana that occurred before the July 17, 2014.” While it’s not clear how White’s fellow local lawmakers will approach the proposal, there have already been several attempts by the District Council and regulators to build on the city’s existing medical cannabis program. For example, lawmakers approved emergency legislation in May that temporarily extended a policy protecting local government employees against workplace discrimination due to their locally authorized use of marijuana. And amid the coronavirus pandemic, regulators announced last month that medical cannabis delivery services will be expanded and registration card expiration dates will be extended. Notably, as of October 1, the district’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) is now responsible for overseeing the medical marijuana program, taking over for the Department of Health. That’s consistent with a budget proposal the mayor put forth in May that some feel is a step toward preparing for the eventual launch of the legalization of recreational marijuana sales in the nation’s capital. These modest developments come as advocates and local legislators continue to push for a legal adult-use market in the district. D.C. voters legalized the low-level possession and cultivation of marijuana for adult use in 2014, but the jurisdiction has been barred from implementing retail sales due to a federal spending bill rider that’s been annually renewed by Congress. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has been a particularly vocal critic of the rider, and she said in April that the coronavirus pandemic demonstrated the need to free up retail sales so that the local government can offset economic losses caused by the health crisis. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) unveiled a cannabis legalization bill last year, and part of it calls for ABRA to regulate the legal industry and for the agency to be renamed the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration. Now that ABRA is in control of the medical cannabis program, that could presumably cut down on the amount of time it would take for recreational sales regulations to be implemented if and when broader legalization is able to be adopted. Meanwhile, D.C. voters next month will decide on a ballot measure to decriminalize plant- and fungi-based psychedelics.
Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer. The post D.C. Marijuana Bill Would Encourage Formerly Incarcerated People To Work In Legal Industry appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/d-c-marijuana-bill-would-encourage-formerly-incarcerated-people-to-work-in-legal-industry/ Illinois Hits New Marijuana Milestone With $100 Million In Tax Revenue Collected Since Sales Began10/14/2020 Illinois has hit a marijuana tax milestone, the state announced on Tuesday, collecting more than $100 million in revenue from cannabis sales since the recreational legalization program launched this year. In spite of the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois has seen record-breaking marijuana sales month-over-month, contributing to the significant tax revenue that’s being used to fund local governments and restorative justice programs. As of August, the last month for which tax data has been calculated for the adult-use market, the state has taken in about $106 million in revenue, the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) said.
“Thanks to those who have carefully overseen this brand-new industry’s successful launch in Illinois, revenue is flowing to local governments, to drug treatment programs and law enforcement, and being reinvested in our communities hit hardest by the failed policies of the past,” IDOR Director David Harris said in a press release. About 25 percent of the tax dollars collected are designated for restorative justice grants, while other funds will support substance misuse and mental health treatment. The state announced in May that it was making about $31 million in social equity grants available to communities identified as economically distressed. Based on the sales trajectory over the past eight months, it seems the state is well-situated to continue to make those investments. In September alone, Illinois residents and out-of-state visitors spent a collective $67.6 million on adult-use cannabis products. The department also noted that “at least $16.1 million [of the marijuana tax revenue] will be directed to county and local governments with more on the way.” Sales data over the course of the year seems to support the notion that the state’s cannabis market is “recession-proof” and “pandemic-proof,” as a top regulator said in August. Prior to the implementation of the state’s marijuana system, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) pardoned more than 11,000 people with prior cannabis convictions. And he said last week that he will be granting more acts of marijuana clemency in the future.
The post Illinois Hits New Marijuana Milestone With $100 Million In Tax Revenue Collected Since Sales Began appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/illinois-hits-new-marijuana-milestone-with-100-million-in-tax-revenue-collected-since-sales-began/ SCOTUS rejects marijuana case; Mexican Senate votes on legalization soon; PA gov steps up cannabis push; ME cop’s Facebook rant about legal sales Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible… Your good deed for the 2020 election: donate to an independent publisher like Marijuana Moment and ensure that as many voters as possible have access to the most in-depth cannabis reporting out there.
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Mexico’s Senate majority leader said the chamber will pass a marijuana legalization bill within the next two weeks. / LOCAL Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox. The post Another fed agency bashes USDA hemp rules (Newsletter: October 14, 2020) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/another-fed-agency-bashes-usda-hemp-rules-newsletter-october-14-2020/ Mexican Senate Will Vote On Marijuana Legalization Bill By End Of October Majority Leader Says10/13/2020 The Mexican Senate will likely vote on a bill to legalize marijuana within the next two weeks, the chamber’s majority leader recently said. Activists have been eagerly awaiting action on the reform legislation since the Supreme Court deemed personal possession and cultivation of cannabis unconstitutional in 2018—though some are pushing for a greater emphasis on social equity before lawmakers pass the pending bill in its current form. The high court in April granted a second deadline extension to give legislators additional time to enact the policy change amid the coronavirus pandemic, pushing it to December 15. That said, Ricardo Monreal, the ruling MORENA party’s leader in the Senate, said the chamber will advance the bill before the end of October. It’s not clear if the legislation will go through the committee process or straight to the floor given that tight timeline. Zara Snapp, a legalization activist with the Instituto RIA and the coalition #RegulacionPorLaPaz, told Marijuana Moment that advocates have similarly heard from senators that the plan is to quickly pass the proposal and they’re “hopeful” that’s the case. If the Senate passes the legal cannabis bill it will still have to go before the other house of the nation’s Congress, the Chamber of Deputies. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in August that marijuana reform legislation will advance in the new session. The bill was approved by several committees earlier this year, but the COVID-19 outbreak derailed negotiations. The civil rights group México Unido outlined its concerns about the current proposal in a Twitter thread on Tuesday, contending that as drafted it would allow select companies to monopolize the industry.
They said that amending the measure should be “a matter of distributing the benefits of the market among those who have been most affected” by cannabis criminalization, according to a translation.
The legalization bill that’s set to advance this coming session was revised during a joint meeting of the Justice, Health, Legislative Studies and Public Safety Committees in March. The proposal would allow adults 18 and older to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal use. Individuals could grow up to 20 registered plants as long as the total yield doesn’t exceed 480 grams per year. Medical patients could apply to cultivate more than 20 plants, however. Legal personal possession would be capped at 28 grams, but possession of up to 200 grams would be decriminalized. The Mexican Institute of Regulation and Control of Cannabis, a decentralized body established under the measure, would be established and responsible for regulating the market and issuing licenses for marijuana businesses. The bill proposes a 12 percent tax on cannabis sales, with some revenue going toward a substance misuse treatment fund. Public consumption would be permissible, except in spaces designated as 100 percent smoke-free. Hemp and CBD would be exempt from regulations that apply to THC products. An earlier version of the legislation was approved by Senate committees last year ahead of the court’s previous October 2019 deadline. Sen. Julio Ramón Menchaca Salazar, also of the MORENA party, said in April that while legislators must still resolve certain disagreements about the legislation, legalizing cannabis could fill treasury coffers at a time when the economy is recovering from the pandemic. As lawmakers work to advance the reform legislation, there’s been a more lighthearted push to focus attention on the issue by certain members and activists. That push has mostly involved planting and gifting marijuana. Last month, a top administration official was gifted a cannabis plant by senator on the Senate floor, and she said she’d be making it a part of her personal garden. A different lawmaker gave the same official, Interior Ministry Secretary Olga Sánchez Cordero, a marijuana joint on the floor of the Chamber of Deputies last year. Cannabis made another appearance in the legislature in August, when Sen. Jesusa Rodríguez of the MORENA party decorated her desk with a marijuana plant. Drug policy reform advocates have also been cultivating hundreds of marijuana plants in front of the Senate, putting pressure on legislators to make good on their pledge to advance legalization.
The post Mexican Senate Will Vote On Marijuana Legalization Bill By End Of October, Majority Leader Says appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/mexican-senate-will-vote-on-marijuana-legalization-bill-by-end-of-october-majority-leader-says/ The governor of Pennsylvania is at it again, delivering yet another speech on Tuesday about the need to legalize marijuana in the state. For someone who just last year came out in favor of the policy change himself, Gov. Tom Wolf’s (D) repeated criticism of the Republican-controlled state legislature for failing to enact cannabis legalization in the months since is notable. In what has now become a monthly series of press appearances focused on legalization, the governor has stressed that marijuana reform could generate tax revenue to support the state’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and that ending criminalization is necessary for social justice.
“There’s much more that needs to be done to reverse the decades of injustice, and we need to start by decriminalizing cannabis and legalizing it for adult use,” he said at Tuesday’s event, which also featured remarks from Rep. Maureen Madden (D) and a local hemp farmer. “The majority of Pennsylvanians support legalizing cannabis for adult use, and it’s a needed step toward restorative justice.” “It would provide the economic benefits during a time of great economic strain. All these things are good, positive steps for Pennsylvania,” he added. “Legalizing cannabis will open up another untapped industry in Pennsylvania, one with the potential to bring in millions, actually billions, of dollars of revenue as we’ve seen in other states.”
This marks the third month in a row that Wolf has held events focused on making the case for legalization. Last month, he took a dig at the Republican-controlled legislature for failing to act on reform in the previous session. And in August, he suggested that the state itself could potentially control marijuana sales rather than just license private retailers as other legalized jurisdictions have done. “We need the economic growth, we need the revenue and we need the restorative justice that the legalization of adult-use cannabis will provide,” he said on Tuesday. “So once again, my third call to the General Assembly to send legislation to my desk to legalize cannabis for adult use. It’s what Pennsylvania wants. It’s what Pennsylvania needs.”
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D), a longstanding legalization advocate, has been similarly vocal about his position. In speeches and on social media, the official has expressed frustration that Pennsylvania has yet to enact the policy change, especially as neighboring like New Jersey are moving in that direction. He said last month that farmers in his state can grow better marijuana than people in New Jersey—and that’s one reason why Pennsylvania should expeditiously legalize cannabis before voters next door in the Garden State enact the policy change this November.
Fetterman also recently hosted a virtual forum where he got advice on how to effectively implement a cannabis system from the lieutenant governors of Illinois and Michigan, which have enacted legalization. While Wolf initially opposed adult-use legalization, he came out in support of the reform last year after Fetterman led a statewide listening tour last year to solicit public input on the issue. Shortly after the governor announced that he was embracing the policy change, a lawmaker filed a bill to legalize marijuana through a state-run model. A majority of Senate Democrats sent Wolf a letter in July arguing that legislators should pursue the policy change in order to generate revenue to make up for losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an outline of the governor’s legalization proposal, 50 percent of that tax revenue “would be earmarked for historically disadvantaged businesses.” And he said on Tuesday that additional revenue could be given directly to small businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic.
Photo courtesy of WeedPornDaily. The post Pennsylvania Governor Again Calls On Lawmakers To Legalize Marijuana appeared first on Marijuana Moment. from https://www.marijuanamoment.net/pennsylvania-governor-again-calls-on-lawmakers-to-legalize-marijuana/ |
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