Toi Hutchinson, Former Illinois Senior Advisor for Cannabis and Former Illinois State Senator, Will Take the Helm in January

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Marijuana Policy Project announced that Toi Hutchinson will join the organization as its new president and CEO. Hutchinson, a former Illinois state senator, most recently served as senior advisor to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on cannabis legalization implementation. 

For the past year, MPP Executive Director Steven Hawkins has led both MPP and the United States Cannabis Council (USCC). Hawkins will now exclusively focus his efforts on federal cannabis reform at USCC. MPP will remain a member of USCC and continue to share staff, board members, and resources. 

“Toi’s unique resume is perfectly suited to lead MPP as we finish our reform work state-by-state across the country,” said MPP Board Chairman Sal Pace. “Toi worked alongside MPP as one of the initial authors of the Illinois adult-use cannabis legislation to ensure that the law contained a strong social justice framework that included decriminalization in addition to legalization. MPP has always been focused not only on legalization but also on doing it right and ending the war on drugs.”

“I am proud of what we have accomplished at MPP and look forward to working alongside Toi in the fight to end cannabis prohibition,” said Steven Hawkins, president and CEO of USCC. “MPP played a pivotal role in incubating USCC, and we are now taking that work to the next level. Toi is an incredible leader, and I know that our organizations will work tirelessly to advance our shared goals.”

“The MPP Board is thrilled with the work Steve accomplished during his four-year tenure. These past four years have been the most productive years yet for marijuana reform. MPP will continue to work with Steve as a member organization of USCC, including continuing to share some staff between the two organizations,” said Sal Pace, MPP Board Chair.

“I’m pleased to be joining the team at MPP, where I will continue my years-long effort to develop and support cannabis legalization legislation that centers on equity and repairing the harms of the past,” said Toi Hutchinson. “We are incredibly proud of the hard work and lessons learned in Illinois, standing up programs to invest in equity entrepreneurs, reinvesting in communities, and clearing hundreds of thousands of arrests and criminal records. 

“Steve Hawkins’ work at MPP was stellar, and I look forward to working with him in his new capacity along with legislators and partners across the country to advance the goals and mission of MPP by harnessing our collective power to advocate for changes to federal cannabis policies.”

In addition to her position as senior advisor for cannabis to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Toi also served as an Illinois state senator. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences (English) from the University of Illinois and a Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law. 

Toi is a member of the Chicago Federation of Women, the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership, Links, International, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.     

Since MPP was founded in 1995, it has spearheaded most of the major state-level reforms that have occurred over the past two decades. 

MPP played a leading role in 10 of the 18 adult-use legalization laws, starting with the historic 2012 Amendment 64 initiative in Colorado, which was the first state to legalize cannabis for adults. MPP also led the coalitions that passed initiatives to legalize and regulate cannabis in Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Michigan, and Montana between 2014 and 2021. 

In addition to managing ballot initiative campaigns, MPP has also enacted numerous policies by passing laws through state legislatures. MPP spearheaded the advocacy campaigns that made Vermont and Illinois the first two states to legalize cannabis for adults through the legislative process and played a critical role in enacting the most recent legalization law to pass via state legislature—in Connecticut earlier this year.

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Washington, D.C. — On Tuesday, it was announced that language that would allow banks to legally work with state-licensed cannabis businesses was eliminated from a must-pass piece of legislation currently under consideration — the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). 

In response to this news, Matthew Schweich, deputy director at the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation’s leading cannabis policy reform organization, released the following statement:

“We are disappointed in the elimination of the SAFE Banking provisions from the NDAA. It is unacceptable that so many state-licensed cannabis businesses are operating entirely in cash simply because the Biden administration and Congress, in spite of overwhelming public support, refuse to support even modest reforms to our country’s failed federal cannabis laws.

“While the SAFE Banking provisions would not have addressed criminal justice reform, this was a valuable opportunity for incremental progress, a principle that has served the cannabis reform movement well for many years.

“Furthermore, Congress has missed an opportunity to assist hundreds of small and minority-owned businesses in medical and adult-use cannabis states across the country.

“Without SAFE Banking, employees of cannabis businesses will continue to face public safety risks. Cannabis businesses are experiencing burglaries, armed robberies, and thefts at disturbing rates. It is abundantly clear that leaving cannabis businesses unbanked is dangerous for both workers and the surrounding community.”

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Kevin Caldwell Joins MPP as Efforts to End Cannabis Prohibition in the Deep South Ramp Up

Baton Rouge, LA — The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the nation’s leading cannabis policy reform organization, announced Monday that it has hired Kevin Caldwell to serve as the organization’s Southeast Legislative Manager.

As founder of the cannabis reform organization CommonSenseNOLA, Caldwell spent nearly the last decade advocating for both municipal and state-level cannabis reforms. He played a leading role in local decriminalization measures in New Orleans, and East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and he helped set the stage for statewide decriminalization, which passed earlier this year.  

"It is an honor to join the team at the Marijuana Policy Project, an organization that has provided so much support to reform efforts in Louisiana over the past 10 years that I have been involved in advocacy,” said Kevin Caldwell, Southeast legislative manager at the Marijuana Policy Project. “I look forward to working with allies across the South to move reform efforts forward. The South will be the next region of the country where we will see a monumental shift in the way states deal with archaic cannabis laws. I am excited to join a team that will be at the forefront of those changes."

Caldwell joins MPP at a pivotal moment, with Southern states being ripe for reform. His extensive background in lobbying, grassroots organizing, and previous cannabis advocacy will help bolster MPP’s ongoing efforts as we increase our involvement in the South. He is prepared to work closely with state legislators and allies to pass decriminalization and medical cannabis laws in states that don’t yet have them and to pass adult-use legalization in Louisiana.

"Not long ago, cannabis possession sentences in Louisiana routinely shocked the conscience. Kevin played a leading role in local decriminalization efforts in Louisiana, paving the way for statewide reform," said Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project. “We are delighted to have him join the team at MPP to continue the progress in Louisiana and to work alongside allies to craft humane, sensible cannabis policies throughout the South."
 
Cannabis policy reform in the South has seen unprecedented progress in recent years. Earlier this year, Virginia became the first state in the South to legalize cannabis for adults. Meanwhile, a legalization bill in Louisiana was voted out of committee, the legislature enacted a decriminalization law, and an interim group was established to consider the impact of legalizing the possession and use of cannabis. Since 2015, medical cannabis laws have passed in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Virginia. Additionally, voters in Mississippi overwhelmingly approved a medical cannabis measure in 2020, which the legislature is expected to replace due to a Supreme Court decision overturning it. 

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Washington, D.C. — The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the nation’s leading cannabis policy reform organization, announced that it has hired Denise Tolliver to serve as the organization’s director of communications. 

“We are thrilled to announce the onboarding of Denise Tolliver, who joins MPP at a pivotal moment,” said Steve Hawkins, executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project. “Cannabis policy reform is gaining momentum across the country and at the federal level at an increasingly rapid rate. Denise’s extensive background as a highly experienced media professional will bolster MPP’s efforts as we continue working towards ending cannabis prohibition across the nation.”

Before joining MPP, Tolliver worked as a reporter and anchor for television and radio and served as Communications Director and Chief of Staff on Capitol Hill and for the D.C. City Council. While employed on the Hill, she was sought after by Judy Smith of “Scandal” fame to assist with the Mayoral crisis in Detroit. Upon finishing the crisis position with the Mayor, she then stayed in Detroit to perform crisis assistance with the new Detroit City Council President. After her last crisis assignment was completed, she returned to the Hill where she worked for Rep. John Lewis and Rep. Marcia Fudge, who now serves as the Housing and Urban Development Secretary. 

“It is an honor to become a part of an organization dedicated not only to the legalization of cannabis but the decriminalization of it as well,” said Denise Tolliver, communications director at the Marijuana Policy Project. “Joining MPP provides me with an exciting opportunity to assist in implementing positive change in revising cannabis laws across the country. Additionally, I am grateful for the chance to work with a team of professionals who have made this work their life’s mission.”

Since the organization was founded in 1995, MPP has been a leading advocate for federal cannabis policy reform on Capitol Hill while also spearheading most the cannabis reform laws that have been passed at the state level.

MPP played a leading role in 11 of the 19 adult-use legalization laws, starting with the historic 2012 Amendment 64 initiative in Colorado — which was the the first state to legalize cannabis for adults and regulate it like alcohol. MPP also led the coalitions that passed initiatives to legalize and regulate cannabis in Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Michigan, Montana, and South Dakota between 2014 and 2021. 

In addition to managing ballot initiative campaigns, MPP has also enacted numerous policies by passing laws through state legislatures. MPP spearheaded the advocacy campaigns that made Vermont and Illinois the first two states to legalize cannabis for adults through the legislative process. MPP played a critical role in enacting the most recent legalization law to pass a state legislature, in Connecticut earlier this year. MPP and the campaign committees it supported also played a leading role in successful efforts to pass 14 recent state medical cannabis laws (in Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont) and seven decriminalization laws (in Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont).

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Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee voted to advance the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, a bill that would federally legalize cannabis.

Sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the MORE Act is a comprehensive federal cannabis reform bill that contains strong social equity provisions with an emphasis on restorative justice for communities most impacted by cannabis prohibition.

Statement from Matthew Schweich, deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project:

“We’re encouraged to see that the MORE Act is once again advancing in the U.S. House of Representatives. We cannot achieve meaningful and lasting criminal justice reform in our country without ending the war on cannabis. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have the opportunity and responsibility to come together and pass legislation to finally put an end to the decades-long failure that is federal cannabis prohibition. 

“States across the country have taken the lead on cannabis legalization, and now it is time for Congress to pass federal reform, a policy that is supported by a strong majority of Americans.” 

About the MORE Act:

If enacted into law, the MORE Act would: remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act; require federal courts to expunge prior cannabis-related convictions and provide for resentencing; provide grants and funding to communities most harmed by the war on cannabis; lift barriers to licensing and employment in the cannabis industry; protect immigrants from being denied citizenship over cannabis; and allow VA physicians to recommend medical cannabis to veterans. In 2020, the MORE Act was passed by the House, but it did not advance in the Senate. 

Earlier this year, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Ron Wyden (R-OR), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a draft version of an alternative cannabis legalization bill, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act. The final text of the bill has yet to be formally introduced.

According to the latest Gallup poll, 68% of Americans support marijuana legalization. To date, 19 states have legalized marijuana for adults 21 and over, and 36 states have legalized medical marijuana. 

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Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, the Marijuana Policy Project submitted comments to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) regarding a preliminary draft of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, a new bill that would end federal cannabis prohibition.

Statement below from Karen O’Keefe, state policies director at the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation’s leading cannabis policy reform organization:

“We are grateful for the leadership of Sens. Booker, Schumer, and Wyden to end an eight-decades long policy failure and appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback as the sponsoring offices refine the bill. Federal prohibition urgently needs to end. It has wasted billions of dollars while upending tens of thousands of lives — disproportionately those of Black and Brown Americans — over a plant that is safer than alcohol.
 
“We are enthusiastic about the goals of the CAO Act Discussion Draft. We applaud the draft for legalizing cannabis under federal law; directing a substantial percent of the federal tax proceeds to benefit individuals and communities that have been adversely impacted by the war on drugs; providing that cannabis use and cannabis convictions do not adversely affect immigration, federal public benefits, and eligibility for a security clearance; making legalization retroactive, including expungement and re-sentencing and incentivizing state expungement; authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs and Indian Health Service providers to recommend medical cannabis in accordance with state programs; and promoting social equity in licensing and collecting demographic data on cannabis business owners and employees.
 
“While the CAO Act Discussion Draft includes numerous praiseworthy provisions, we believe the regulatory aspects need significant clarification and revision to avoid unintended consequences that would derail the hard work states have done for decades. Our two major areas of concern are: the possible upending of state licensing and regulatory systems — driving sales underground — and the impact on medical cannabis access, including for those under the age of 21. 

“Additionally, the CAO Act includes several provisions that reduce the harms the federal government inflicts on cannabis consumers. But it retains others, which disproportionately harm people of color. We strongly urge the sponsoring offices to more comprehensively do away with the harm inflicted on cannabis consumers, and individuals with past convictions, including by expanding expungement and re-sentencing provisions, ensuring parole and probation are not revoked for cannabis, and ending federal drug testing for cannabis.

“The vast majority of Americans support legalizing cannabis for adults. Congress must work to swiftly end federal cannabis prohibition through an approach that starts with a framework of deference to states and includes a slow transition, avoids burdens that will drive the market for cannabis products back underground, and stops destroying lives — disproportionately those of Black and Brown Americans — over a plant that is safer than alcohol.

“We look forward to continuing our work with the sponsoring offices on the complex issue of federal legalization and equitable regulation.” 

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Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Sen. Booker, and Sen. Wyden Release Preliminary Draft of New Cannabis Legalization Bill

Statement below from the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation’s leading cannabis reform organization 

Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) held a press conference to introduce a preliminary draft of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, a new bill that would end federal cannabis prohibition.

As currently drafted, the bill would make the following changes to federal cannabis policies:

• Deschedule cannabis by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act;
• Allow states to craft their own cannabis policies, just as states do with alcohol;
• Expunge federal records of arrests and convictions for non-violent cannabis offenses and allow for resentencing;
• Create a regulatory framework and federal excise tax for cannabis; and
• Establish a grants program to fund nonprofits to help those impacted by the war on cannabis, as well as programs to help equity applicants and states get access to funds for equity programs.

“For justice reform, for equity, for individual liberty, and countless other reasons, it is time to respect the will of the American people and legalize cannabis. I am heartened by the Booker, Schumer, Wyden bill draft, which is a promising first step towards Senate passage, and hopeful that it will lead to negotiations and bipartisan support for an inclusive and equitable legal cannabis industry,” said Steven Hawkins, executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project. 

“As the nation’s leading organization fighting to legalize cannabis, MPP plans to add its insight, culled from years of advocacy, to the discussion to help shape a national framework that transforms the country’s criminal justice system, mitigates the harms wrought on communities most impacted by prohibition, and provides social and economic equity and opportunity for all.”

In May of this year, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) reintroduced the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. The bill passed the House of Representatives last year, but it did not advance in the Senate. 

The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, a bill that would prevent federal regulators from punishing financial institutions that provide services to state-legal cannabis businesses, passed the House earlier this year. A Senate version of this bill has been introduced and currently has 39 cosponsors. 

Since November 2020, eight states have either approved ballot initiatives or enacted legislation to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis for adults. This brings the total number of legalization states to 19 (in one state, South Dakota, the law has been suspended pending a court ruling). According to a 2020 Gallup poll, 68% of Americans support marijuana legalization, including nearly half of Republicans.

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Adult-use Cannabis Legalization Laws Take Effect Today in Connecticut and Virginia; Medical Cannabis Law Takes Effect in South Dakota

View the recording of the press conference here

Washington, D.C. — On Thursday, advocates with the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation's leading cannabis policy organization that has played a central role in passing over two dozen state-level medical cannabis and adult-use cannabis legalization laws across the country, held a virtual press conference to provide information about new policies taking effect today in Connecticut, South Dakota, and Virginia.

A recording of the press conference is available here.

Virginia and Connecticut are two of the four states to legalize cannabis legislatively this year, along with New York and New Mexico. The total number of adult-use legalization states has now reached 19 (this includes South Dakota, where the law has been temporarily invalidated pending a decision from the South Dakota Supreme Court).

“While we cheer the newfound freedoms that today brings, we are appalled that hundreds of thousands of Americans continue to be arrested each year for cannabis. Tonight, thousands of Americans will sleep behind bars, away from their families, over a plant that is safer than alcohol. As we applaud Virginia and Connecticut’s progress, we call on the states that have not yet acted to heed the cry of their voters. It’s past time every state and the federal government replace marijuana prohibition with equitable legalization and regulation,” said Steven Hawkins, MPP’s executive director.

“As states legalize at an unprecedented rate, MPP will continue to encourage restorative justice and economic opportunity for communities disproportionately impacted by prohibition. We'll use our platforms to promote policies that mitigate the harms of mass incarceration and collateral consequences arising from marijuana convictions. We must continue the momentum from recently legalized states — like Connecticut, Virginia, and New York — whose new laws include social equity provisions to ensure that the individuals, families, and communities upended by the criminalization of cannabis reap the health and economic benefits of the growing industry as we work toward federal legalization,” said Tahir Johnson, MPP’s director of social equity and inclusion.

Connecticut: Starting today, adults over the age of 21 will be allowed to possess up to one and a half ounces of cannabis on their person and up to five ounces in a locked trunk or secured at their home. Legal sales are anticipated to begin by May 2022. Adults will be allowed to securely cultivate cannabis at home starting July 1, 2023. A full summary of the law is available here.

“Today marks the end of a multi-year fight for equitable cannabis reform and the start of the work to dismantle the effects of the devastating war on cannabis in Connecticut. In addition to creating a safe, well-regulated marketplace where adults can make their own decisions about consumption, this law allows for those convicted of cannabis offenses to erase their records at no cost and live their lives with a clean slate,” said DeVaughn Ward, MPP’s senior legislative counsel.

South Dakota: Starting today, medical cannabis patients who comply with specific requirements will not be arrested for possession of up to three ounces of cannabis. The state has until November 18 of this year to begin issuing medical cannabis patient ID cards. The deadline for promulgating rules for businesses is October 29, 2021. The South Dakota Department of Health is responsible for implementing the policy.

“South Dakota went from having some of the harshest cannabis laws in the country to becoming the first state ever to adopt medical cannabis and adult-use legalization laws at the same time,” said Matthew Schweich, MPP deputy director and one of the leaders of the 2020 South Dakota campaign. “While the fate of the adult-use legalization law is unknown due to a lawsuit spearheaded by Governor Noem, medical cannabis patients in South Dakota will now be protected from unjust arrests and prosecutions.”

Virginia: Starting today, adults can legally possess up to one ounce of cannabis and cultivate up to four cannabis plants at their primary residence.Legal sales will begin no earlier than July 2024. A full summary of the law is available here.

“Today, Virginia became the first state in the South where adults can legally possess and grow marijuana. Once it is fully implemented, Virginia's legalization law will include crucial provisions that seek to repair some of the harms done by the war on cannabis — automatically sealing low-level past cannabis offenses, creating a social equity program to ensure those hardest hit by the war on cannabis can participate and thrive in the legal cannabis industry, and dedicating 30% of tax proceeds to a Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund,” said Karen O’Keefe, MPP’s director of state policies.

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With a 29-9 vote, an amended version of S 568, championed by Sen. Josh Miller and Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey, passes in the state Senate as the legislative session approaches final days 
 

PROVIDENCE — With little time remaining in the regular legislative session, the Rhode Island Senate has approved a bill to legalize the possession, purchase, and cultivation of cannabis for personal use for adults 21 and older. The original proposal was introduced in March and amended last week by the Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee.

In addition to legalizing cannabis for adults, the amended version of S 568 would establish a Cannabis Control Commission to regulate the legal cannabis market, tax adult-use cannabis sales at 20%, and establish a social equity program to support communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis criminalization.

“This is a significant milestone. After roughly a decade of public discussion and debate in Rhode Island, this is the first time a legislative chamber in the General Assembly has voted on a bill to legalize cannabis for adults,” said Jared Moffat, state campaigns manager for the Marijuana Policy Project. “Polls have long shown that a majority of Rhode Islanders support ending marijuana prohibition, and now we’re closer than ever to getting the job done. Senate leaders deserve tremendous credit for their work on this important issue. Now it is time for the House to act and ensure that a cannabis legalization bill is sent to Gov. McKee’s desk before the clock runs out in the regular legislative session.”

Two other legalization proposals have been introduced in Rhode Island this year. Gov. McKee included an article in his budget proposal to tax and regulate cannabis for adults, but it was removed in the House Finance Committee’s amendments last week. Rep. Scott Slater introduced a legalization bill at the end of May. That bill has not yet been taken up by the House Judiciary Committee. 

After spearheading a successful campaign to decriminalize marijuana possession in Rhode Island in 2012, the Marijuana Policy Project has played a leading role in efforts to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults’ use in the state.

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Gov. Ned Lamont signs S.B. 1201 into law, making Connecticut the 19th state to end cannabis prohibition

Hartford, CT — Today, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed S.B. 1201 — a bill to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and over — into law. The legislation, sponsored by Senate President Martin Looney and House Speaker Matt Ritter, received final approval from both chambers of Connecticut’s legislature in a special session last week.

With the governor’s signature, Connecticut is now the 19th state to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and over, the sixth state to legalize via its state legislature, and the fourth state to adopt a legalization policy this year alone, joining New Mexico, New York, and Virginia. 

The Marijuana Policy Project played a leading role in the fight to reform Connecticut’s cannabis laws. 

“We commend the Connecticut Legislature and governor for their commitment to getting this important, equity-centered legalization bill over the finish line,” said Steven Hawkins, executive director for the Marijuana Policy Project. “Connecticut has recognized that cannabis legalization is a civil rights issue and crafted a legalization law that aims to redress the unequal enforcement of cannabis laws and the harm caused by marijuana prohibition to Black and Brown communities, young people, and other marginalized groups.” 

S.B. 1201 legalizes possession of up to one and a half ounces of cannabis for adults 21 and over. The bill will go into effect on July 1, 2021, with legal sales anticipated by May 2022. Adults will be permitted to securely cultivate cannabis at home starting July 1, 2023. A full summary of the bill is available here, and a comparison between it and other state legalization laws is available here.

In addition to legalizing cannabis, S.B. 1201 includes expungement of lower-level cannabis records and dedicates the bulk of excise tax revenues into a Social Equity and Innovation Fund, which will be used to promote a diverse cannabis industry and reinvest in hard-hit communities. Half of new cannabis business licenses will be issued to social equity applicants, who can receive technical assistance, start-up funding, assistance from an accelerator program, and workforce training.

“MPP is proud to have played a key part in this multi-year effort to reform Connecticut’s cannabis laws,” said DeVaughn Ward, senior legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project. “We believe the legislation signed by Gov. Lamont is one of the most comprehensive cannabis bills on equity and criminal justice reform in the nation. This new policy will make a real difference in the lives of Connecticut’s citizens by mitigating decades of disproportionate impact, generating good-paying jobs and powering the state’s economic growth, and allowing adults to make their own decisions about cannabis consumption.”

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