Category: Politics
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Virginia Considers Cannabis Legalization, Reckons With Racial Inequity
2020 was a banner year for cannabis reform in Virginia, with the Commonwealth finally launching its medicinal cannabis program, decriminalizing cannabis possession up to an ounce, making it so that police can no longer search Virginians’ vehicles based on cannabis smell alone, and Governor Ralph Northam announcing that he is—finally—taking legalization seriously. A major part…
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Decriminalizing Psychedelics in D.C., Explained
As many have noted, the real winner of this year’s election—which mostly thanks to a spineless Republican party, remains dogged by completely baseless accusations of voter fraud by President Trump—was drug decriminalization. A number of states voted to legalize cannabis, the state of Oregon voted to decriminalize all drugs, and in Washington D.C., plant-based psychedelics…
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D.C. City Councilperson Christina Henderson’s Vision for Cannabis
This article was originally published in The Outlaw Report in February. It is being republished this week following Christina Henderson’s election victory. After two terms as At-Large Councilmember, David Grosso is not running for reelection, but has instead chosen to endorse one of his former staff members: Christina Henderson. This Brooklyn-born candidate has a weighty…
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Quick Hit: Vetting Weed Smokers, Using Cannabis To Make Up For Budget Shortfalls
Two stories from the past week represent the strange dance politicians on either side of the aisle are doing when it comes to cannabis. First, as Marijuana Moment reported, the Trump administration, in an attempt to gather famous faces for a series of public service announcements surrounding its non-existent approach to reducing the devastation of…
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Psychedelics and Cannabis in Washington D.C.’s Election
In Washington D.C., the major drug reform news was the overwhelming vote in support of Initiative 81—the “Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act of 2020”—which would decriminalize a number of plant-based psychedelics (such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and iboga) within the District. Initiative 81 received 89,714 votes in favor and 27,429 in opposition. That is…
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D.C. Mayor Won’t Approve Psychedelics Decriminalization Even If Voters Support It
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she is not in favor of moving forward with the initiative that would decriminalize psychoactive drugs such as psilocybin, ayahuasca and other “natural plant medicines” even if voters approve of it on Election Day. “It seems like the issue is not an organically D.C-created initiative,” Bowser said at a…
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D.C. Cannabis Dispensary Employees Join Union
The first Black-owned dispensary in D.C. is also the first to unionize. As excited employees looked on, Norbert Pickett, CEO and owner of DC Holistic Wellness signed the 5-year bargaining contract with United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 on October 21. “Here at DC Holistic Wellness, we want our workers to have a…
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Ocean City, MD Councilperson Proposes Council ‘Attack Pot’
During a Ocean City Council meeting last week that was ostensibly about expanding the city’s police force by funding 10 additional full-time officers, the council took some time to figure out how they can curtail cannabis use on the boardwalk and beach. In Maryland, cannabis is decriminalized up to 10 grams which is punishable only…
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D.C. Bill Would Allow Formerly Incarcerated To Enter The Medicinal Cannabis Industry
Last week, The Returning Citizens Cannabis Equity Amendment Act of 2020 (B23-0974) was introduced by councilmembers David Grosso (At-Large), Vincent Gray (Ward 7), Brianne Nadeau (Ward 1), and Trayon White (Ward 8). The bill intends to allow those who were incarcerated and are now out of prison the ability to work in the medicinal cannabis…
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D.C. Loosens Medicinal Cannabis Delivery Restrictions As Covid-19 Concerns Continue
Back in April, Washington D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Health (DOH) announced that they would allow medicinal dispensaries in the District to deliver cannabis to patients for the first time. This was in response to Covid-19, in which it was imperative that in-person interaction was limited especially among the most vulnerable. Now,…
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Hemp Smell Complaints in Baltimore County Inspire More Legislation
Community complaints about the smell emanating from hemp farms and unfounded claims that the odor is causing health problems for some in Baltimore County has again inspired legislation threatening Maryland’s “right-to-farm” laws. Last week, County Councilperson Wade Kach, a Republican representing Cockeysville, Maryland introduced Bill 94-20, preventing hemp farms from being more than 2,000 feet…
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Quick Hit: Meet Mia Mason, the Pro-Cannabis Candidate Going Up Against Andy Harris
Readers of The Outlaw Report know all about Congressman Andy Harrs, anti-cannabis politician to his core. Harris infamously is to blame for Washington D.C. legalizing cannabis but not being able to have a proper commercial cannabis industry and he is also something of a Covid truther and all-around drug reform spoiler sport as his attempts…