Tag: decriminalization
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West Virginia Activists Attempt ‘Underused’ Petition Process To Decriminalize Weed
A West Virginia grassroots organization is trying an unusual political maneuver to decriminalize cannabis in two of the Mountain State’s largest cities. The progressive-leaning West Virginia Can’t Wait, headed up by former gubernatorial candidate Stephen Smith, wants to decriminalize weed possession in Charleston and Fairmont through a somewhat obscure ballot campaign that field director Sarah…
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D.C. Mayoral Debate Glosses Over Cannabis, Zeroes In On Opioid Epidemic
The top three candidates for D.C. mayor duked it out on Wednesday evening during a debate on WAMU’s The Politics Hour moderated by local radio legend Kojo Nnamdi and news veteran Tom Sherwood. Over the course of 90 minutes, incumbent Mayor Muriel Bowser, At-Large Councilmember Robert White and Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White argued their…
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After Spate Of Deadly Fentanyl Overdoses In D.C., ‘Harm Reduction’ Advocates Say It’s Time To Decriminalize All Drugs
Advocates say tragic incidents like last week’s deadly spate of overdoses in Southwest D.C. could be avoided by decriminalizing drugs and implementing policies that seek to protect, rather than punish, people suffering from addiction. Three people died near Nationals Park on Friday after a potent batch of fentanyl led to at least 10 overdoses, according…
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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 House Committee Shelves Bill To ‘Defelonize’ Drug Possession
Lawmakers in Virginia’s House of Delegates unceremoniously shelved a bill on Friday that would have reduced criminal penalties for the possession of drugs. In a 6-2 vote, the House’s Courts of Justice Subcommittee #1 approved a motion for HB 612 to be “laid on the table” – meaning the measure is now unlikely to be…