Washington, D.C. — On Thursday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation to decriminalize cannabis into law, making Virginia the 27th state in the nation to decriminalize simple cannabis possession. 

Late last month, Virginia lawmakers met for a one-day session where they considered Gov. Ralph Northam’s formal amendments to the bill. The legislature ultimately sent the bill back to the governor’s desk after rejecting two of the amendments. With the governor’s signature, the law will take effect on July 1, 2020. 

SB 2/HB 972 reclassifies possession of one ounce of cannabis or less to a civil penalty punishable by a fine of up to $25, the lowest fine of any decriminalization law in the country. Currently, cannabis possession in Virginia is classified as a criminal offense punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or up to a $500 fine. 

Virginia now joins the majority of states — including Maryland and North Carolina — that have implemented a decriminalization or legalization law to stop jailing their residents for possession of small amounts of cannabis. 

In 2018, nearly 29,000 arrests were made in Virginia for cannabis offenses, a number that has tripled since 1999. Cannabis arrests accounted for 59% of the total drug arrests in the state. 

Statement from Steve Hawkins (he/him), executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project:
“The move to decriminalize cannabis possession in Virginia is long overdue. We applaud the legislature and the governor for implementing a policy that will allow law enforcement to focus resources on more serious crimes and prevent Virginians from having their lives derailed for possessing cannabis, a substance that is safer than alcohol.”

Statement from Olivia Naugle (she/her), legislative analyst at the Marijuana Policy Project: 
“The just and fair decision made by Virginia’s elected officials to decriminalize cannabis is commendable. This legislation is supported by a majority of Virginians and will reduce needless cannabis possession arrests across the state, saving thousands of Virginia residents from life-altering criminal records for simple possession.”

Statement from Jenn Michelle Pedini (they/them), executive director at Virginia NORML:
“Today’s victory is a result of years of dedicated effort by Virginia NORML and marijuana law reform supporters across the Commonwealth. We’re thrilled to see that public opinion is one step closer to becoming public policy.”

Read more

Lawmakers voted 208-199 (23 not voting) in favor of coronavirus "HEROES" relief package

Washington, D.C. — On Friday evening, lawmakers in the United States House of Representatives passed additional coronavirus relief legislation to provide continued economic and government support to the country. The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act includes the language of the SAFE Banking Act, which would prevent federal financial regulators from punishing financial institutions that provide services to state-legal cannabis businesses.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, cannabis businesses across the country have been deemed essential and continue to operate. However, many of these businesses still lack access to the same financial services that are granted to every other industry in the United States. Because it is possible that coronavirus can be transmitted on currency — placing private industry and government workers at risk when handling large amounts of cash — allowing the cannabis industry to access banking services is now more crucial than ever. This policy change would also ensure that small and minority-owned businesses can access the financial assistance designed for them in many state programs. 

The HEROES Act, which includes provisions to allow banks and financial institutions to provide services to the cannabis industry without fear of criminal prosecution, will now head to the Senate for consideration. In September 2019, the House of Representatives voted in favor of the SAFE Banking Act, but the legislation has since stalled in the Senate. 

Statement from Steve Hawkins, executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project:
“I'm encouraged that the House recognizes the urgency of this issue and has taken this strong and necessary position. We thank Chairwoman Maxine Waters and Rep. Ed Perlmutter for their leadership on the issue. 

“Continuing to exclude the cannabis industry from accessing basic and essential financial services during this time will result in more harm than good. Not only will it make the country’s economic recovery that much harder, but the provisions intended to help minority-owned businesses would continue to be absent within the industry.”

Statement from Don Murphy, director of federal policies at the Marijuana Policy Project:
“In light of the public health and public safety benefits of this specific change in policy, the Senate has good reason to pass this language into law. This is a change in policy that the banks are asking for even more than the cannabis companies. We urge the Senate Banking Committee to adopt the SAFE Banking provisions to ensure financial institutions can provide basic banking services to businesses that are compliant with state law.”

Read more

Washington, D.C. — The Marijuana Policy Project and other organizations are urging law enforcement officials to dramatically curtail arrests for non-violent crimes, including ceasing arrests for cannabis offenses. In addition to curtailing arrests, the organizations are calling for officials to release or grant clemency to those incarcerated for cannabis offenses along with dramatically reducing the number of incarcerated non-violent prisoners, whether sentenced or un-sentenced.

The Marijuana Policy Project, Last Prisoner Project, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Clergy for a New Drug Policy, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, National Cannabis Industry Association, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) have sent a letter calling for these actions to the National District Attorneys Association, National Governors Association, National Sheriffs’ Association, National Association of Chiefs of Police, National Correctional Industries Association, American Correctional Association, and AFSCME.

Public health experts have warned that the coronavirus poses an extreme threat not only to inmates, but also to the staff that serve them, as well as to their families and communities. The conditions in prisons and jails, such as sharing small cells, going into crowded day rooms, and sleeping just feet away from toilets, are known to cause disease and infection to run rampant. Jails are already seeing a spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases. It has been reported that in New York City, the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, 52 inmates have tested positive for coronavirus as well as 30 staffers. Inmates have also tested positive in California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, South Dakota, and Texas. Prison employees have tested positive in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Washington.  

Several localities — including Baltimore; Suffolk County, Massachusetts; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; New Jersey; Los Angeles; and New York City — and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have already begun to release inmates incarcerated for non-violent, drug-related offenses. 

Another cause of concern is that asymptomatic individuals can spread the virus. As a consequence, each law enforcement-civilian interaction includes a risk of transmitting the novel coronavirus to either party. According to New York’s Police Commissioner, more than 200 NYPD members have been infected with the coronavirus and nearly 3,000 officers are out sick.

In addition to New York, law enforcement officers have tested positive for the virus in at least 14 other states, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and several law enforcement agencies, including in Pennsylvania and Ohio, are already taking action to curtail arrests for non-violent offenses until the country is better able to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

Statement from Steve Hawkins, executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project:
“There is no justification for arresting and jailiing individuals for marijuana offenses during this crisis. It is in the best interest of law enforcement and the greater population to cease marijuana arrests and reduce arrests for non-violent crimes. It is also vital for individuals who are incarcerated for cannabis offenses to be released or granted clemency in order to prevent a potentially disastrous and deathly situation.” 

Statement from Police Major Neill Franklin (Ret.), executive director at the Law Enforcement Action Partnership:
“COVID-19 is forcing us to seriously consider what constitutes a genuine public safety threat. Criminalizing people for marijuana has always been a waste of time and resources; now it's also unnecessarily endangering lives by exposing more people to the crowded and unsanitary conditions of our jails and prisons.”

Statement from Sarah Gersten, executive director and general counsel at the Last Prisoner Project:
“Our constituents, many of whom are over the age of 60 and have underlying health conditions, are imprisoned because of a plant that has now been deemed an ‘essential’ service by jurisdictions across the country during this time of crisis. Releasing cannabis prisoners now is not only the right thing to do from a justice perspective, but also from a public health perspective.” 

Read more

Governors and legislative leaders urged to preserve and ensure cannabis access amid social distancing

Washington, D.C. — In response to escalating efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 by social distancing, the Marijuana Policy Project and other organizations have released an open letter urging governors and legislative leaders to take necessary actions to ensure continued safe access to cannabis in a way that is consistent with public health. 

In states with legal medical cannabis, the letter recommends state leaders declare medical cannabis businesses “essential,” allow medical cannabis delivery, online ordering, and curbside delivery, ensure individuals are allowed to consult with physicians by telemedicine, and extend the expiration date of medical cannabis cards until after the crisis has abated, among other recommended actions. The letter sent to leaders of states with medical cannabis or cannabidiol laws can be found here.

In a separate letter, the Marijuana Policy Project and other organizations recommend that similar measures should be implemented in states that also have adult-use cannabis laws. The letter notes the importance of declaring all cannabis businesses “essential,” as most adult-use consumers are using cannabis for therapeutic purposes.This includes many veterans due to a Veterans Affairs policy against VA physicians providing medical cannabis certifications. The letter sent to leaders of states with both medical cannabis and adult-use laws can be found here.

In addition to the Marijuana Policy Project, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Veterans for Natural Rights, and Veterans Cannabis Project signed onto both letters. The Epilepsy Foundation signed onto the medical letter. 

States and jurisdictions have already taken some of these important actions. Coupled with  orders for all non-essential businesses to close, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco affirmed medical cannabis dispensaries are “essential” businesses and can remain open, while also practicing self-distancing. Other states, such as Illinois, Louisiana, and Michigan, have implemented measures that allow for curbside pick-up and/or expanded delivery options. The Marijuana Policy Project is tracking state measures to preserve access in light of COVID-19 here.

Statement from Steve Hawkins, Executive Director at the Marijuana Policy Project:
“Throughout the course of this pandemic, it remains vital for state leaders to ensure patients can safely access medical cannabis. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have adopted cannabis into their treatment regimens. Many of those same people have compromised immune systems or a serious medical condition. During this crisis, patients should not have to fear the prospect of losing access to a treatment option that is essential to their wellbeing.”

Statement from Laura Weidner, Esq., Vice President of Government Relations & Advocacy at the Epilepsy Foundation:
“For individuals living with epilepsy, timely and continued access to all treatment options, including medical cannabis, that work to control or reduce their seizures is critical. To change, limit, or deny access to a treatment option that works for an individual can be dangerous and lead to breakthrough seizures and related complications including accidents, injuries, and avoidable hospitalizations that further burden the health care system in this critical time.
 
“In some cases, a sudden loss of access to a successful treatment option could lead to an untimely death. While not everyone with epilepsy would or should consider medical cannabis as a treatment option, those who successfully do so in consultation with their healthcare providers must not lose access.”

Statement from Doug Distaso, Executive Director at the Veterans Cannabis Project:
“It’s critical that the men and women who bravely served their country can continue to count on receiving the life-saving medical treatments used for PTSD, chronic pain, and the other wounds of war. Like any patient who relies on widely available medical treatment options, veteran patients need assurance their access to cannabis is not unnecessarily and unfairly limited during this crisis.”

Read more

Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee approved bipartisan bills that would increase access to state-legal medical cannabis for military veterans and expand research into the potential medical benefits of cannabis for conditions commonly diagnosed in veterans. 

The committee approved the Veterans Equal Access Act in a 15-11 vote and approved the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act in a voice vote with no opposition. 

The Veterans Equal Access Act (H.R. 1647), sponsored by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), would allow physicians and other healthcare workers employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to recommend medical cannabis in compliance with state laws and fill out any forms necessary to certify patients for a state medical cannabis program. 

The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act (H.R. 712), sponsored by Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct clinical trials researching the health outcomes of using medical cannabis to treat chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

A 2017 study by the American Legion found that veterans overwhelmingly support federally legalizing medical cannabis (83%) and support research into medical cannabis (92%). To date, 33 states and Washington, D.C. have effective medical marijuana programs. 

Statement from Don Murphy, director of federal policies at the Marijuana Policy Project:

“Today’s committee vote is an encouraging step forward for federal cannabis reform. Now that a majority of states have legalized cannabis for medical use, it is indefensible to restrict veterans’ ability to access medical cannabis through their VA providers while members of Congress can use their federally subsidized health insurance to obtain medical cannabis recommendations from their doctors. Federal law should not criminalize veterans for trying to find relief.

“Passing these bills should be the first order of business for a Congress that prides itself on supporting our veterans. Like every American, veterans should be granted the freedom to access cannabis to treat their medical conditions as an alternative to potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals.”

Read more

Lawmakers to Hold Public Hearing on Bill to End Marijuana Prohibition in Connecticut

Supporters of cannabis legalization hold a pre-hearing press conference

Hartford, CT — On Monday, the Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on legislation that would end prohibition and regulate marijuana for adult use in Connecticut. 

In early February, Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney (D) and House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D) introduced Governor’s Bill No. 16, which would allow adults 21 and older to possess and purchase up to one and a half ounces of cannabis from licensed retailers. A summary of the marijuana regulation bill can be found here.

Prior to the hearing, the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana joined together with prominent supporters for a press conference to rally support for legislation to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for adult use in Connecticut. 

Veterans, civil rights activists, clergy, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, minority business advocates, economists, social workers, state leaders, and legislators came together to voice their support for action on the Governor’s Bill and stayed to testify at the public hearing. 

Organizations represented included the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana; the Commission on Women, Children, and Seniors; the New England Veterans Alliance; the Minority Cannabis Business Association; Clergy United for Marijuana Reform; the State Department of Consumer Protection; Doctors for Cannabis Regulation; Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; ACLU CT; The Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis at the University of Connecticut, School of Business; the Connecticut Progressive Caucus; the Working Families Party; and municipal and state representatives of Bloomfield, Bridgeport, East Hartford, Hamden, Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford.  

Speakers included the Rev. Charlie L. Stallworth of East End Baptist Tabernacle Church (Bridgeport); Commissioner Michelle Seagull, Department of Consumer Protection; Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin; Steven Hernandez, Esq., executive director of the Commission on Women, Children, and Seniors; Steve Kennedy, Connecticut team leader, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; Jason Ortiz, board president, Minority Cannabis Business Association; Shaleen Title, Esq., commissioner, Cannabis Control Commission, Attorney DeVaughn Ward, co-director of the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana; the Rev. Tommie Jackson of Rehoboth Fellowship Church (Stamford); and Judiciary Committee Chairs, Sen. Gary Winfield (New Haven) and Rep. Steve Stafstrom (Bridgeport). 

Quotes from the event: 

“As mayor of Hartford, I have seen firsthand how prohibition is a failed policy. Ending the prohibition on marijuana will allow for regulation bringing public health and public safety standards. It will help address equity and bring social justice to those in impacted communities throughout our state such as the City of Hartford. It will grow jobs and the economy and bring much-needed new revenue into the state’s economy.” – Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin

“The time is now to legalize marijuana, expunge records for marijuana charges, and provide business opportunities for people in the hardest hit drug war communities. As a mental health professional for over 40 years, I believe it’s time to allocate any type of substance or behavioral abuse to the realm of public health, adequately funding community resources to support people regaining balance in their lives. I unequivocally support G.B. 16.” – Brian Ahern, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) 

“Connecticut can’t afford to wait any longer before addressing this urgent issue. It’s time to right the many wrongs associated with the prohibition of marijuana, and Connecticut can and should be a leader in this process. I urge our legislators to pass Governor’s Bill 16. The bill will regulate and tax cannabis for adults and end the harmful and failed policy of prohibition in our state.” – Bishop Robert L. Middleton, pastor of New Beginnings Ministry in Hamden

“Veterans who could benefit from cannabis — or simply want to use it to relax — should have that option. And they should have safe, regulated access. On the illicit market, cannabis can have dangerous heavy metals, additives, and pesticides. After fighting for this country, they should not have to creep around like criminals for using a substance that is safer than alcohol and many prescriptions.” – Steve Kennedy, Connecticut team leader, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America  

“Governor’s Bill #16 will create a dedicated equity commission to finally address the needs and stories of my community. Now we will not only have a seat at the table, we will have our own whole table to dig deep into what was done to our communities and build new economic opportunities as owners of a cutting-edge industry. This bill advances the cause of social justice and for that we applaud the governor and stand in support of the Governor’s Bill.” – Jason Ortiz, board president, Minority Cannabis Business Association 

“I want to thank Governor Lamont for his leadership on this bill and want to recognize everyone who has spent time to ensure that this legislation is put together thoughtfully. At Consumer Protection, we believe we have the experience and expertise to ensure that an adult-use cannabis program in Connecticut is regulated with public health and safety as a top priority. DCP’s Drug Control Division is looked to nationally for advice on a variety of topics, including our state’s medical marijuana program. I look forward to further discussion on this bill, and DCP remains ready, willing, and able to help in any way we can.” – Commissioner Michelle Seagull, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection 

“Legalization, by going beyond decriminalization, empowers regulators to implement commonsense measures to control the cannabis industry, educate the public and consumers about possible risks, and thus advance public health. Regulation is Connecticut’s best option to address the recent wave of vaping-related illnesses and fatalities around the country. We must reduce harm to cannabis consumers and prevent collateral harm to the public. The longer we wait, the more senseless damage will be done.” – Dr. Hugh Blumenfeld, MD, Ph.D. (Dr. Blumenfeld has worked as a family physician in Hartford since 2010. He is also a member of the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana and a spokesman for Doctors for Cannabis Regulation.)

"Responsible regulation, equitable access to opportunities in the industry, and erasure of past convictions are critical elements of this proposal. The onus is now on this legislature to take this bill to the finish line by ensuring that resources be directly reinvested in communities historically devastated by what we now know was a war waged on communities of color on two fronts, through laws that were disproportionately enforced on one side and soul crushing addiction on the other." – Steven Hernandez, Esq., executive director of the Commission on Women, Children, and Seniors
 

Read more

S. 54 returns to the Senate, which is expected to request a conference committee to work out differences with the House before sending the bill to Gov. Phil Scott

Montpelier, VT — On Thursday, the Vermont House of Representatives completed its work on a bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales for adults 21 and older. S. 54, which initially passed the House in a 90-54 vote yesterday, was approved in a voice vote on third reading. The bill now returns to the Senate, which has already passed it in a 23-5 vote. The Senate is expected to request a conference committee to work out differences with the House before sending a final version of the bill to Governor Phil Scott’s desk.

This is the first time the Vermont House has passed a bill to legalize cannabis sales. A summary of the bill is available here.

Vermont legalized possession and cultivation of cannabis for adults 21 and over in 2018, marking the first time any state legislature legalized cannabis for adults’ use through the legislative process rather than through a voter initiative. However, Vermont remains one of only two U.S. jurisdictions where cannabis is legal but not regulated for adult use. If enacted, Vermont would join the 10 states that have laws regulating and taxing cannabis for adult use. 

An overwhelming 76% of Vermont residents support allowing adults 21 and over to purchase cannabis from regulated, tax-paying small businesses according to a recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling and commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project. The complete results are available here.

The Marijuana Policy Project has been advocating for cannabis policy reforms in Vermont for more than 15 years. The state legislature passed a limited medical cannabis law in 2004, decriminalized possession in 2013, and has gradually improved its cannabis policies in the years since.
 
Statement from Matt Simon, New England political director at the Marijuana Policy Project:

“Vermonters have made it clear that they support the effort to regulate cannabis markets in their state, and the House has listened. The conference committee process will provide a great opportunity for Gov. Scott and legislative leaders to come together on a plan that will move the state forward. Policymakers should all understand that cannabis is already legal in Vermont, so it makes no sense that people should be expected to grow their own or buy from retail stores in Massachusetts. Vermont needs this bill in order to protect consumers, create jobs, and provide economic opportunities for small businesses.”

Statement from Karen O'Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project:

“We're encouraged that Vermont's legislature has heeded the will of three-quarters of voters and recognized that regulation, not prohibition, is the most sensible approach to cannabis. Keeping the cannabis market illicit is a half-measure that leaves workers, consumers, and communities at risk. Those who sell cannabis illegally are at risk of violence, arrest, and prosecution, and buyers are at risk of violence and untested, unsafe products. Only through a legal, regulated market can the state control where, when, and to whom cannabis is sold.”

Read more

S. 54 will receive a final House vote tomorrow before it proceeds to the Senate  

Montpelier, VT — On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted in favor (90-54) of a bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales for adults 21 and older. This is the first time the Vermont House has passed a bill to legalize cannabis sales.

S. 54 will now be scheduled for a final House vote, which is expected tomorrow. If it passes there, it will return to the Senate, which has already approved a different version of the bill in a 23-5 vote. The House and Senate will have to agree on a final version of the bill before it can proceed to Gov. Phil Scott’s desk. 

A summary of the bill can be found here.

Vermont legalized possession and cultivation of cannabis for adults 21 and over in 2018, marking the first time any state legislature legalized cannabis for adults’ use through the legislative process rather than through a voter initiative. If the bill is enacted, Vermont would join the 10 states that have laws regulating and taxing cannabis for adult use.

An overwhelming 76% of Vermont residents support allowing adults 21 and over to purchase cannabis from regulated, tax-paying small businesses according to a recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling and commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project. The complete results are available here.

Statement from Matt Simon, New England political director at the Marijuana Policy Project:

“Vermonters are overwhelmingly ready for regulated sales of cannabis to begin. The House should be applauded for advancing this important legislation, but the legislature’s work remains far from complete. The House and Senate will have to cooperate in the coming weeks to agree on a final bill to send to Gov. Phil Scott. This process presents a great opportunity for the governor and legislature to work together and move Vermont forward on cannabis policy.”

Read more

Montpelier, VT — On Monday, Vermont’s House Appropriations Committee voted in favor (6-5) of a bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales for adults 21 and older. S. 54 previously passed the House Government Operations Committee in a unanimous vote, the House Ways and Means Committee in an 8-3 vote, and the Senate in a 23-5 vote. 

The bill is now expected to proceed to the House floor for a vote later this week.

Laws regulating and taxing cannabis for adult use have been enacted in 10 states. Vermont and Washington, D.C. are the only two U.S. jurisdictions where cannabis is legal but not regulated for adult use.

A new poll conducted by Public Policy Polling and commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project found that an overwhelming 76% of Vermont residents support allowing adults 21 and over to purchase cannabis from regulated, tax-paying small businesses. The complete results are available here.

Statement from Matt Simon, New England political director at the Marijuana Policy Project:

“Vermonters should be proud of their elected officials for heeding the will of voters and advancing this important legislation. Cannabis regulation is necessary in order to protect consumers and address important public health and safety issues facing the state. It’s time for the House to join the Senate in recognizing that prohibition has failed, and that Vermonters are overwhelmingly ready for a more sensible approach to cannabis.”

Read more

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration

Frankfort, KY — On Thursday, Kentucky’s House of Representatives voted in favor (64-30) of a bill that would legalize medical cannabis for patients with debilitating medical conditions in the state.

HB 136, sponsored by Rep. Jason Nemes (R-Louisville), passed the House Judiciary Committee in a 17-1 vote last week. This marks the first time a bill to legalize medical cannabis has received a full House vote in Kentucky. The bill now proceeds to the Senate for consideration. 

Support for medical cannabis has been growing for several years. A 2019 Kentucky Health Issues Poll found that nine out of 10 Kentucky residents support legalizing cannabis for medical use. Gov. Andy Beshear has indicated that he strongly supports medical cannabis. 

If enacted into law, Kentucky will join the 33 states (and Washington, D.C.) that have passed workable medical cannabis laws. 

Statement from Matt Simon, legislative analyst at the Marijuana Policy Project:

“Patients in Kentucky shouldn’t have to continue waiting for safe, legal access to cannabis. This legislation is critical for Kentuckians who are desperate for alternatives to opioids and other potentially dangerous prescription drugs. The House should be applauded for passing this bill. Now it’s time for the Senate to do the right thing for patients and pass HB 136.”

Read more