May 18 2023

Louisiana Committee Votes to Protect Unemployment Compensation Benefits for Medical Marijuana Patients

The Louisiana House Labor Committee voted on Thursday to pass a bill to protect employees who are medical marijuana patients from being denied unemployment compensation benefits.

House Bill 351, sponsored by Representative Mandie Landry, was passed by the committee today in a close 6 to 5 vote. According to its official summary the proposed law “provides that a qualifying medical marijuana patient who receives a recommendation from an authorized clinician to use marijuana for a therapeutic use shall not be disqualified for unemployment compensation benefits.”

“The Louisiana resident buys the product, then the consumer loses their job and no longer has the money to buy the product that the state says was legal”, says Representative Landry. “We have a very strange circle here with the government not being very good at selling marijuana”.
Continue reading

May 18 2023

North Carolina Senate-Approved Medical Marijuana Bill Referred to New House Committee

A North Carolina bill to legalize medical marijuana has been rereferred to a new committee in the House of Representatives.

Senate Bill 3 was approved by the Senate by a vote of 36 to 10 in March, advancing it to the House. The measure was quickly assigned to the House Rules, Calendar, and Operations Committee, where it has remained Since March 6. However, today the bill was reassigned to the House Health Committee. If it’s passed by the Health Committee, it will advance to the Finance Committee before it can be considered by the full House.

Under Senate Bill 3 –  titled the “Compassionate Care Act” – those with a “debilitating medical condition” such as cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and post-traumatic stress disorder would be allowed to possess and consume medical marijuana and marijuana products if they receive a recommendation from a licensed physician.
Continue reading

May 18 2023

Minnesota House Gives Final Approval to Marijuana Legalization Bill, Senate to Vote Soon

After a conference committee reached a deal on a specific framework for a bill to legalize marijuana, the House has officially voted in favor of the proposal, sending it to the Senate.

The House voted 73 to 57 today to pass HF 100, with the Senate expected to vote on the measure as soon as tomorrow. Passage in the Senate would send it to Governor Tim Walz, who plans to swiftly sign it into law.

The measure will legalize the possession of up to two ounces of marijuana, eight grams of marijuana concentrates and 800mg of marijuana edibles, for those 21 and older, while allowing them to cultivate up to eight marijuana plants. Those cultivating at home would be allowed to possess up to two pounds.
Continue reading

May 18 2023

Initiative to Legalize Medical Marijuana Filed in Nebraska

A pair of initiatives that would legalize medical marijuana and provide protections for physicians who recommend it was filed today with the Nebraska Secretary of State.

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM) filed the initiatives today, with the hopes of placing medical marijuana legalization on the November, 2024 ballot. This is the group’s third attempt to put a medical marijuana initiative before voters of the state. In 2020 the group collected enough signatures to put their initiative to a vote, but a technicality led to the state supreme court removing it from the ballot.

“We have no choice but to keep petitioning our government,” said Crista Eggers, co-chair of MMM. “The Legislature refuses to act despite the will of over 80 percent of Nebraskans (from all parties, regions, ages, etc) supporting this.”
Continue reading

May 18 2023

Maryland Governor Signs Bill Protecting Parents/Guardians Who Consume Marijuana

Maryland legislation to codify that the use of marijuana by a parent or legal guardian does not by itself constitute child neglect has been signed into law by Governor Wes Moore.

House Bill 232 was passed overwhelmingly by both the House of Representatives and Senate last month. It passed the House 134 to 1, and was approved by the full Senate 36 to 11. Now the measure has been signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, and will take effect on July 1.

Filed by Delegate Nicole Williams, House Bill 232 will alter state law to clarify that the legal definition of child neglect:
Continue reading

May 17 2023

Texas House-Approved Marijuana Decrim Bill Receives Committee Assignment in the Senate

Texas legislation to decriminalize the possession of marijuana and marijuana concentrates has advanced through its first reading and given an official committee assignment in the Senate, the first steps required for it to eventually reach the Senate floor.

The House of Representatives gave approval to House Bill 218 late last month. The vote was 87 to 59. This sent the measure to the Senate.

The Senate advanced the proposal through its first reading and gave it a committee assignment two weeks after the House vote, on May 11. House Bill 218 now sits in the State Affairs Committee.
Continue reading

May 17 2023

Maine Committee Approves Bill to Double Marijuana Cultivation Limit

Legislation that would double the current limit for growing marijuana has been passed by a joint legislative committee.

Maine House Bill 555 was filed by State Representative David Boyer along with a bipartisan coalition of nine other lawmakers. According to its official summary the measure simple “increases the number of mature cannabis plants allowed for home cultivation from 3 to 6.”

In Maine marijuana was legalized via a citizen initiative in 2016. The law allows those 21 and older to possess up to 2.5 ounces and grow up to three mature marijuana plants, 12 immature plants and an unlimited number of seedlings. House Bill 555 would retain the limit of 12 immature plants and unlimited seedlings, but would double the mature cultivation limit.
Continue reading

May 17 2023

Study: 87% of Parkinson’s Disease Patients Exhibited Symptom Improvements Following Marijuana Use

The use of medical marijuana “may improve motor and nonmotor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease and may allow for reduction of concomitant opioid medication use”, according to a newly published study.

Parkinson's Disease

The study, titled Medical Cannabis in the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, was published in the recent issue of the journal Clinical Neuropharmacology. It was conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and DENT Neurologic Institute.

“Medical cannabis (MC) has recently garnered interest as a potential treatment for neurologic diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD)”, states the study’s abstract. “A retrospective chart review was conducted to explore the impact of MC on the symptomatic treatment of patients with PD.”
Continue reading

May 17 2023

Washington Governor Signs Bill Making Drug Possession a Misdemeanor

During a special session called by Governor Jay Inslee the Washington Legislature on Tuesday passed a bill to make drug possession a gross misdemeanor while boosting substance-use treatment programs.

The bill was quickly signed into law by Governor Inslee, who said that it “is not designed to fill our jails, it’s designed to fill our treatment centers”. The measure passed the House 83 to 13, and passed the Senate 43 to 6.

According to Inslee the bill was needed given that a temporary measure making drug possession a misdemeanor expires next month. If the measure was to expire, as some drug reform advocates have called for, drug possession would have been entirely decriminalized due to a 2019 decision by the Washington Supreme Court. Prior to the 2019 decision the possession of most drugs was a felony, even if the individual had just a miniscule amount.
Continue reading

May 16 2023

Maine Senate Passes Bill to Exempt Medical Marijuana From Taxes

Maine’s Senate has given approval to a measure that would exempt medical marijuana sales from being taxed.

According to its official summary, House Bill 541 “includes medical cannabis in the sales tax exemption that applies to medicines sold on a doctor’s prescription.”

The bipartisan bill was filed by State Representative Ann Fredericks with cosponsors Representatives David Boyer and Craig Hickman. The proposal was voted on by the House on May 4 in a closer than expected 76 to 62 vote, with 13 members absent. Today it was passed by the full Senate.
Continue reading