Go to nebraskalegislature.gov to find your lawmaker and ask them to support LB 474.

Last night, I was on a Facebook Live event with Nebraskan Families for Medical Cannabis, a coalition of patients and parents of children with epilepsy who are fighting to pass a medical cannabis law in Nebraska. Hearing their stories drives home why it’s so important for every Nebraskan to contact their state senator about medical cannabis. Click below to watch the video:

These moms and patient advocates were leaders in the effort to put medical cannabis on the ballot last year, but sadly, the state Supreme Court issued a flawed ruling that prevented Nebraskans from voting on the issue. Now these families are asking you and all Nebraskans to join them in their effort to pass LB 474 — a bill that would establish a responsible system of safe, legal access to medical cannabis in Nebraska — through the state legislature.

With the vote coming up soon, lawmakers want to hear how their constituents feel about the issue. It takes less than five minutes to contact your elected representative and leave a message in support of LB 474. Go to nebraskalegislature.gov, type in your address, and look up your state senator’s contact information. Let them know who you are, where you live, and share a quick personal story explaining why you think patients shouldn’t be criminalized for using medical cannabis.

The medical cannabis bill recently advanced out of a legislative committee, and the entire state legislature will debate the bill soon. It’s crucial that you contact your senator now before they vote. 

Make your voice heard! Please take action now and support these patients and families who deserve a compassionate medical cannabis program. 

Thank you.

Ask your lawmakers to support changing the penalty for cannabis possession from possible jail time to a civil fine!

Several bills have been introduced to reform Texas’ outdated cannabis laws. Among the proposals are bills to expand the state’s current low-THC medical cannabis program; to decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of cannabis; and to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older.

House committees have approved bills to decriminalize possession of up to one ounce of cannabis (HB 441) and a bill that would expand Texas’ current low-THC medical cannabis program by allowing more qualifying conditions and increasing the THC cap for medical cannabis products from 0.03 percent to 5 percent (HB 1535).

The legislative session is set to end on May 31. Ask your lawmakers to decriminalize cannabis and establish an effective medical cannabis program!

Texas is now one of only 14 states with no effective medical cannabis law, and one of only 19 that still imposes jail time for simple possession of cannabis. Make sure your lawmakers know this issue matters to voters; ask them to support decriminalization and an effective medical cannabis law this year!

Ask your representative to vote “yes” on the Compassion Act.

Great news! For the first time ever, a medical cannabis bill is headed to the Alabama House floor.

Please send your state representative an email right NOW to ask them to vote “yes” on the Compassion Act.

This morning, the House Health Committee advanced the Compassion Act — SB 46 — to the full House of Representatives in a voice vote. The Senate has already passed SB 46 in 21-8 vote. (However, because the bill was amended in the House, it would have to go back to the Senate again.)

You can find a summary of the bill, which was amended in committee, here. While it’s more restrictive than is ideal, it is a dramatic improvement from the status quo. We’ve also seen states improve restrictive laws once they’re on the books. This is an essential step forward that will improve the lives of thousands of seriously ill Alabamians. So please don’t forget to contact your legislators today. Then, spread the word.

Alabama is one of only 14 states in the country that continues to criminalize the medical use of marijuana. Let’s make this the year that patients finally get the relief they deserve.

Call (208) 334-2100 and ask the governor to protect the ballot initiative process.

The Idaho Legislature recently sent SB 1110 to Gov. Little’s desk. By creating extremely burdensome requirements for the signature gathering process, the bill is designed to effectively strip Idahoans of their right to initiate laws through the ballot process.

If SB 1110 is enacted into law, it will be extremely difficult to reform Idaho’s cannabis laws through a future ballot initiative.

Call Gov. Little’s office right now and deliver this simple message: “I urge Gov. Little to veto SB 1110.” Here’s the number to dial:

(208) 334-2100

Once you make the call, please forward this message to as many of your friends and family as possible and ask them to call, too. 

Thank you.

Urge your lawmakers to end cannabis prohibition in 2022!

The Maryland General Assembly wrapped up its 2021 legislative session on Monday. A comprehensive bill—HB 32— was introduced and championed by Delegate Jazz Lewis, but unfortunately the bill was not taken up this session.

With the legislature unwilling to take up legalization this year, the focus now shifts to passing legalization in 2022.

It’s important your lawmakers hear from you in the time leading up to the 2022 session. Email your lawmakers and ask them to make legalization a priority next year!

To go the extra mile, reach out to your lawmakers and schedule a meeting with them during the off-session. You can find tips for meeting with legislators here and effective arguments for legalizing and regulating cannabis here.

The Maryland Cannabis Policy Coalition will continue to lay the groundwork for legalization in 2022. Make sure you’re plugged in to receive future updates. If you are a member of an organization that would like to join our coalition, we would love to hear from you.

Let’s send a strong message that equitable cannabis legalization must be a priority next year!

This post is a remembrance of longtime cannabis policy activist Steve Fox from his colleagues at VS Strategies and Vicente Sederberg LLP.

Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues,

We are truly heartbroken to share news of the passing of our partner and dear friend Steve Fox. Steve served as managing partner of VS Strategies since co-founding it in 2013, and he was a leader at Vicente Sederberg LLP since its formation in 2010.

We welcome the celebration of Steve’s life through the sharing of thoughts and memories, and we ask for respect and privacy for his family, friends, and coworkers who are still reeling from this loss. We have also started a GoFundMe page to support Steve’s wife and daughters as they navigate their way through this extremely difficult time—https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-family-of-steve-fox.

With wisdom beyond his years and a pioneering spirit, Steve was an “old soul” with a knack for seeing things in a new light. He was strongly principled, deeply empathic, and fiercely kind. And despite his usually soft-spoken and lighthearted demeanor, his opinions rarely went unheard and always carried significant weight.

His passion for politics and policy were exceeded only by his passion for people—his family, friends, and colleagues, as well as the multitude of strangers that he knew were being affected every day by politics and policy. He had a burning desire and uncanny ability to envision and effect positive change, both societally and in those closest to him. He was not just a remarkable human being, but a truly transformational leader.

Steve was always the first to volunteer and the last to seek credit. He was beyond generous with his time and patience, and perpetually understanding. He relished opportunities to provide counsel and guidance, and the feeling was mutual for those who received it. He was warmly regarded as a mentor by no fewer than a dozen current and former members of our firm, including all seven of us.

Steve was one of the first political professionals to enter the marijuana advocacy space. At a time when cannabis policy was just a blip on the political radar and most savvy up-and-comers were unwilling to dip a toe into the space, Steve dove in headfirst. While many viewed it as a losing cause that wasn’t worth the fight, he saw it as a cause worth fighting until it was won. And in working to legalize and regulate cannabis for medical and adult use, he found a way to fight simultaneously for several of his core values: To promote justice and compassion, to advance freedom and liberty, and to nurture and inspire the human spirit. Humbly righteous, judiciously aggressive, and relentlessly ethical, he was committed to doing the right thing, doing it the right way, and doing whatever it takes to get it done.

When he joined the Marijuana Policy Project in 2002, Steve was the only full-time cannabis lobbyist on Capitol Hill. He would remain at the forefront of the cannabis policy reform movement for nearly two decades, playing pivotal roles in several major victories at the federal and state levels.

Steve was a lead drafter of Colorado’s historic Amendment 64, which legalized cannabis for adult use, and he managed all aspects of the successful campaign behind its passage and implementation. He also conceptualized and co-founded Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), which laid a lot of groundwork for the legalization effort and contributed to a seismic shift in the U.S. cannabis policy debate. In 2009, he co-authored the book “Marijuana Is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?,” which is based on the SAFER strategy.

Steve was always thinking step ahead of the rest. Long before cannabis was legalized, he envisioned a legal, organized, and responsible cannabis industry. He played leading roles in conceptualizing and establishing several of the nation’s largest and most influential cannabis trade organizations, including the National Cannabis Industry Association, the Cannabis Trade Federation, and the U.S. Cannabis Council. He regularly led working group meetings and calls, and he was a frequent speaker at cannabis conferences.

Steve’s role in cannabis community cannot be overstated. He was a trailblazer in the movement to end prohibition, and he was an architect and caretaker of the legal industry that is quickly replacing it. He beat the path, built the shelter, and worked tirelessly to make it as welcoming, accessible and beneficial as possible. He always put the mission—the wellbeing of others and the betterment of society—ahead of himself.

No one was more reluctant to sing their own praises while being so deserving of a louder refrain.

In 2013, Steve received a highly esteemed award from the Drug Policy Alliance in recognition of his long-term spearheading of the Colorado legalization effort. With an audience of hundreds and the spotlight squarely on him, he used the better part of his brief acceptance speech to give recognition to the people and organizations who had supported and worked alongside him. He reserved only the final thought for his own personal message and dedication. It was to his parents, for raising him to believe in the Jewish philosophy “Tikkun olam”—to “repair or heal the world” through beneficial and constructive acts. That is what drove Steve to take on the cause of cannabis policy reform. And it was what drove Steve to be the person he was.

Tikkun olam. Mission accomplished, dear friend.

Shawn Hauser
Josh Kappel
Andrew Livingston
Christian Sederberg
Mason Tvert
Brian Vicente
Jordan Wellington

And the entire VSS and VS family

It’s been an incredible couple of weeks for cannabis policy reform, Kate!

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham just signed two bills that will end cannabis prohibition in the state! The first, HB 2, legalizes cannabis for adults, while companion legislation, SB 2, allows for automatic expungement of past cannabis convictions and pardons for those currently incarcerated for low-level marijuana offenses.

The state legislature passed the two measures during a special session called by the governor, who has been a vocal champion of cannabis policy reform. With Gov. Grisham’s signature, New Mexico is now the 18th state to legalize adult-use cannabis and the fifth to do so through the legislative process rather than by voter initiative.

The Cannabis Regulation Act (HB 2) legalizes, regulates, and taxes cannabis for adults 21 and older, allowing for personal possession of at least two ounces and home cultivation of six plants. You can read a summary of the new law here.

Congratulations to all of the lawmakers and advocates who made this victory possible!

New Mexico’s success comes on the heels of a win in Virginia, where just last Wednesday, the legislature gave final approval to Gov. Ralph Northam's requested amendments — to speed up legal possession and home cultivation to July 2021 (versus 2024) — to a legislatively passed legalization bill. On March 31, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also signed cannabis legalization into law. And, MPP’s work continues on legalization efforts that are still alive and well in the Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island state legislatures.

We’re up to 18 legalization states — and a record high of 68% of Americans support legal cannabis — so momentum is undeniably on our side. But there’s still work ahead, and each victory is hard-won. Make sure you sign up for our state-specific alerts and follow us on Facebook and Twitter so we can keep you informed about how you can help.

Onward!

With the legislature's approval of Gov. Northam’s amendments, Virginia becomes the 17th state to legalize adult-use cannabis.
 

Today, the Virginia Legislature gave final approval to Gov. Ralph Northam's amendments to the adult-use legalization bill, making Virginia the17th state—and the first in the South—to legalize cannabis! It is also the fourth state to pass legalization through its state legislature, as opposed to via voter referendum.

Per Gov. Northam's amendments, personal possession and cultivation of cannabis will now become legal for adults on July 1, 2021, and the state will begin laying the groundwork for the regulated market beginning this summer. You can read our summary of the legislation here.

As a 15-year Virginia resident, a 10-year MPP veteran, and a mother of three, I’m proud of the steps our state is taking to end the failed policy of prohibition and replace it with an equitable law allowing responsible adults to use cannabis. Legalization will bring about economic benefits for our state by creating new jobs and generating tax revenues; it will mean better public health and safety outcomes for our communities by limiting youth access and protecting adult consumers by giving them access to regulated products; and, perhaps most importantly, it will have a valuable impact on racial justice by ending the unequal enforcement of marijuana laws, allowing for automatic shielding of convictions, and addressing the disproportionate harm caused to Black and brown communities by decades of prohibition.

Several other states legislatures are seriously considering legalization this year. Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island’s legislatures all have ongoing, viable legalization efforts. Meanwhile, we anticipate New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to sign a legislatively approved legalization bill into law any moment now. 

If you like what you see here, please consider making a donation to MPP today so we can continue fighting for new legalization laws and working to tweak existing ones.

Congratulations, Virginia!

SB 646 would legalize cannabis for adults and create a medical cannabis program — write your elected officials and urge them to support the bill!

Now that the Virginia General Assembly has voted to legalize cannabis for adults, legislators in other southern states are taking notice and seeking to emulate Virginia’s success. Yesterday, North Carolina Sen. Jay Chaudhuri introduced SB 646, titled the Marijuana Justice and Reinvestment Act. The bill would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis for adults 21 and older. It would also create a medical cannabis program and provide for automatic expungement of past cannabis offenses.

Please write your elected officials today and urge them to support this excellent bill!

You can read the full text of SB 646 here.

This bill would bring North Carolina’s cannabis policy out of the dark ages and into the 21st century. A poll conducted by Elon University in late January 2021 found that 54% of North Carolina residents support legalizing cannabis for use by adults, and 73% support making cannabis legal for medical use.

After you write your state legislators, please share this important news with your family and friends!