Category: Social Equity
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Legalization Must Accommodate the Illicit Cannabis Market, Advocates Say
The Maryland General Assembly is inevitably going to legalize cannabis possession and sales for adult-use, whether it be this year or next, and lawmakers will begin developing regulations for Maryland’s portion of a young, complicated and fragmented industry with an especially resilient illicit market. The pros to legalization—additional tax revenue, reducing the incarcerated population, preserving…
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Virginia Bill Would Let Communities Opt Out of Cannabis Legalization
As Virginia’s 2021 cannabis legislation evolves and advances, one delegate sponsors a bill that would allow localities to opt out of legalization, potentially establishing a regulatory patchwork across the Commonwealth. HB 2315’s sole sponsor is Del. Daniel Marshall, a Republican from Virginia’s 14th District. Some advocates say allowing individual localities to opt out of legalization…
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Maryland General Assembly Will Consider Multiple Cannabis Bills in 2021
The General Assembly will consider passing a number of cannabis-related bills in 2021, that would further reduce the prosecution of individuals for cannabis use in the workplace or the justice system, including outright legalization. Despite the majority of Marylanders being in support of legal cannabis, it may be difficult for the legislature to establish an…
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Virginia Cannabis Debates: Summer Legalization and Equity Loopholes
As Virginia’s cannabis legislation moves through the 2021 General Assembly, lawmakers debate a legalization timeframe, and advocates call for stronger equity provisions. A delay of legalization until 2024 has been proposed in order to provide time to create a regulatory body and marketplace. On Jan. 26, Jenn Michelle Pedini, Virginia NORML executive director and NORML…
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The Virginia Cannabis Bills in Play in 2021
A cannabis legalization bill introduced by Governor Northam and top state Democrats is moving through the statehouse, along with a handful of other proposed cannabis bills in the 2021 Virginia General Assembly Session. The legislation deals with a wide range of topics including cannabis oil processing, taxing the new market, and record expungement. Northam’s recent…
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Legalize It Right: Advocates Critique Governor Northam’s Cannabis Plan
On Jan. 13, Governor Northam released a 400-page bill outlining a process to legalize recreational adult cannabis use in Virginia by 2023. The following evening, ACLU Virginia and Marijuana Justice hosted a discussion called, “Legalize Marijuana Right,” which featured local and national speakers from the cannabis space. While the online forum was planned before Northam’s…
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Maryland Recreational Cannabis Bill Pre-filed by P.G. County Delegate for 2021 Legislative Session
Legislation that legalizes cannabis for recreational use and outlines provisions for recreational cannabis sales in Maryland was pre-filed by Delegate Jazz Lewis before the General Assembly convenes on January 13, indicating the growing likelihood that the legislature will vote on recreational cannabis in 2021. As first reported by Marijuana Moment, Lewis released a draft of…
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The Year in Cannabis: Virginia
The police killing of George Floyd was not mentioned in The Outlaw Report’s year in cannabis round-ups for Maryland and Washington D.C. That’s because the state, which has decriminalized cannabis since 2014, and the District, which has had legal cannabis since 2014, did very little to address the obvious intersection between racial justice and cannabis…
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Virginia Governor Budgets for Cannabis Legalization as Richmond Mayor Calls for Equity
Cannabis legalization in Virginia is advancing rapidly—two of the latest strategic moves are the Governor’s budget proposal and a letter from the Richmond Mayor. On Dec. 16, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam included funding for legalization in proposed amendments to the 2020–2022 budget, following through on his official statement of support for adult-use legalization. Earlier in…
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The Year in Cannabis: Maryland
Even before COVID-19 slowed Maryland politics down and ultimately shortened the 2020 legislative session, it did not appear to be a year where major cannabis reform was going to happen. Maryland’s Marijuana Legalization Workgroup had already announced it would not be recommending cannabis legalization, citing among many reasons, concerns about racial equity which have dogged…
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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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The MORE Act Passes The House
The House of Representatives finally voted to end federal prohibition of cannabis on Friday, December 4. After multiple delays, the highly anticipated and historic vote for the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act fell mainly along party lines, 228-164. Five Republicans crossed party lines to vote for the MORE Act, including the lone Republican…