Author: Ethan McLeod
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Legalization Framework Bills Formally Introduced in Maryland House, Senate
Several weeks after Maryland’s legislative session began, three state lawmakers have introduced separate bills that would create a framework for adult-use legalization in the state. Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore) and Sen. Jill Carter (D-Baltimore) formally introduced their respective proposals late last week, and Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery County) introduced another measure on Monday, setting the…
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Virginia Senate Committee Kills Psilocybin Decriminalization Bill
A nascent effort to decriminalize psilocybin in Virginia fell short Monday after a state Senate committee voted to indefinitely table the legislation. After two January hearings on SB 262, which would have lowered possession of psilocybin and psilocin from a felony offense to a misdemeanor punishable with a $100 civil fine, the Virginia Senate Judiciary…
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Virginia: Push To Decriminalize Psychedelics Falters, But Still Alive
A bill seeking to decriminalize possession of plant-based psychedelics in Virginia hit a snag this week in the House of Delegates, though counterpart legislation in the Senate remains alive and is headed for a committee vote next week. SB 262, co-sponsored by state Sens. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) and Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon), and HB 898, from…
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Virginia: Bill To Decriminalize Psilocybin Draws Early Support From Lawmakers
Virginia lawmakers from both sides of the aisle on Wednesday expressed early support for a bill that would decriminalize possession of psychedelic mushrooms, so long as it’s specifically for medical uses. Senate Bill 262, co-sponsored by state Sens. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) and Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon), proposes to reduce the criminal penalty for possession of psilocybin…
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Maryland Legislature: Another Weed Legalization Bill In The Works For 2022 Session
Maryland lawmakers will have the burden of choice when it comes to legalizing recreational cannabis this year, with multiple proposals in the works that go beyond a simple referendum. Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery County), vice chair of the state Senate’s powerful Finance Committee, told The Outlaw Report an “informal workgroup” of senators plans to draft…
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Maryland Cannabis Commission Chair To Step Down As Dispensary Sales Poised To Surpass $600M
The chair of Maryland’s medical cannabis agency is resigning after more than four years helping to steer the direction of the state’s fast-growing industry. “I’ve decided it’s time to pass the torch,” said Brian Lopez, a real estate developer who was appointed to his chairman post by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in 2017. “It’s hard…
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Paraphernalia Decriminalization Bill Falls Short in Maryland After Hopes of Veto Override
A bill to lower criminal penalties for the possession of drug paraphernalia fell short in Maryland this week after the General Assembly opted to skip a vote to override a veto of the legislation. On Monday morning, lawmakers convened for a special legislative session in Annapolis to approve new Congressional district boundaries and consider overrides…
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Lawmakers Mull How Maryland Should Go About Taxing Recreational Cannabis
Taxing purchases of cannabis for adult use in Maryland could bring hundreds of millions of dollars into the state’s coffers in the coming years, though just how much will vary depending on whether lawmakers decide to tax purchases based on price, potency or quantity. That was one of the major questions considered by members of…
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Why The Republican Cannabis Legalization Bill Could Have Better Odds Than Democratic Proposals
After years of Democrats steering the cannabis conversation on Capitol Hill, federal legalization is officially no longer a one-party issue. On Monday, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace and Republican colleagues unveiled the States Reform Act, which would remove cannabis from the list of drugs scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act, impose a 3% federal tax…
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Maryland Lawmakers Discuss MSOs, Minority Ownership Challenges At House Legalization Hearing
As Maryland looks to at last join its neighbors in legalizing recreational cannabis and supercharge a medical industry that has generated more than half-a-billion dollars this year, concerns loom about how Black entrepreneurs can get in on the green rush before it’s too late. At the fourth meeting of the Maryland House Cannabis Legalization Workgroup…