"While we’d hoped the bill would be past the finish line during the regular session, voting a few days later will in no way delay legalization. Legal possession will start on July 1 whether the bill passes today or a little later. We’re glad legislatures are recognizing that this long overdue reform is worth working overtime to get done and get done right," said DeVaughn Ward, MPP's senior legislative counsel.
“Some of the legislators who are opposed to medical marijuana are opposed based on concerns that it somehow will lead to legalization,” said Karen O’Keefe, director of state policy at the Marijuana Policy Project. “[Utah is] a good example of a state that has a medical program that's limited, where there's not any eye to adult-use legalization, and where there was actually active involvement from the medical society in working out the details of the program.”
"A lot of folks have criticized the delay, but the benefit that Connecticut has had is that we’ve been able to look at some of the lessons learned, some of the best practices from other states. And the bill that passed the Senate is one of the most comprehensive and well-thought-out bills in the country. It is truly a state of the deal piece of legislation," said DeVaughn Ward, MPP's senior legislative counsel.
"The bill not only removes policies that have been weaponized against communities of color, but also generates thousands of jobs, and directs millions of dollars in revenue to Connecticut communities. Legislative leaders, Gov. Lamont, advocates and the Connecticut cannabis community should be applauded for their role in shaping this historic measure. We strongly urge the Connecticut House to pass the bill before the June 9th session deadline," said DeVaughn Ward, MPP's senior legislative counsel.
"A strong majority of Delawareans support legalization, and we hope that the House of Representatives will listen to their constituents and approve HB 150 later this week," said Olivia Naugle, MPP's legislative analyst.
"Before legalization, money from cannabis sales flowed through an underground market that endangered public safety and disrupted communities. But now, we see all across the country that revenue from the legal cannabis industry is supporting schools, health care and a range of other beneficial public programs," said Jared Moffat, MPP's campaigns manager.
"We’re excited by the recently revised legalization bill that was released yesterday. Although we believe some of the social equity licensing could be better tailored, this bill is a vast improvement over where we started in January and heads and tails better than the status quo. With the addition of home grow for adults by 2023, the dedication of 50 percent of the licenses, and upwards of 60 percent of the excise tax revenue being put towards equity efforts, the bill looks poised to gain passage in both chambers," said DeVaughn Ward, MPP's senior legislative counsel.
"The protections against discrimination and further decriminalization of cannabis-related activities is really crucial. We have every reason to think that, if these policies are not addressed, people of color will once again be disproportionately impacted, just as they are under the current regime," said Jared Moffat, MPP's campaigns manager.
"We’ve got a situation where the governor and her cronies have filed a lawsuit against Amendment A. Now, we’re just waiting for the decision, and it all depends on what happens," said Jared Moffat, MPP's campaigns manager.
"Disqualifying potential employees for cannabis use is both outdated and bad for business. Adults should not be punished for responsibly using cannabis outside of the workplace. It simply does not make sense for law-abiding citizens to be denied employment or risk losing their jobs over a substance that is safer than alcohol," said Matthew Schweich, MPP's deputy director.