By a vote of 13 to 0 the Council of the District of Columbia has given final approval to legislation that will significantly expand the district’s medical marijuana program.
The legislation (Bill 24-0113) was introduced by Council Chair Phil Mendelson on behalf of Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is expected to quickly sign it into law now that it has passed the full council.
The proposed law removes the cap on the number of plants that a cultivation center can grow and significantly increases the number of permitted dispensaries in the District. The law also creates new business categories within the industry including on-site consumption facilities and marijuana cooking classes, and it makes permanent the option for patients to self-certify that they’re qualified medical marijuana patients.
The Medical Cannabis Amendment Act of 2022 would also:
- Change tax law so that marijuana businesses can deduct taxes under local statute that they’re prohibited from making under the federal Internal Revenue Services (IRS) code known as 280E.
- Make changes to social equity language primarily through changing the laws surrounding I-71 operators.
- Allow delivery and curbside pickup services by dispensaries.
“The public and voters have decided that they want to see a different framework in the District of Colombia,” says Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie. “We’ve done that over the years, and this is just one additional step where we’re trying to fulfill those commitments to both the initiatives and laws that we pass in the District of Columbia around medical cannabis.”
