Medical cannabis delivery and curbside pickup will be available to registered D.C. patients!

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, these measures went into effect today and will expire either August 12 or 45 days after D.C.’s public health emergency order is lifted.

Under the emergency rulemaking announced by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Health, D.C.’s seven licensed dispensaries, under a series of regulations, are permitted to:

• Deliver medical cannabis to registered qualifying patients and caregivers at a D.C. residential address between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Dispense medical cannabis through curbside pickup or at-the-door pickup to a registered patient or caregiver.

You can find a list of licensed dispensaries in D.C. here.

These actions are critically important to ensure patients can access their medicine while promoting social distancing. A number of states with medical cannabis programs have already implemented these measures in response to coronavirus.

Thank you to everyone who took action to encourage Mayor Bowser to implement these measures. Be sure to share this exciting news with your family and friends in the District!

On Saturday, Gov. Ralph Northam approved legislation, SB 2/HB 972, which would decriminalize cannabis possession — but requested several amendments.

Before the bill is enacted, the legislature must consider the governor’s proposed amendments, which include pushing back the due date for a legalization study by a year and deleting a provision that would end driver’s license suspensions for marijuana possession. The legislature is set to reconvene and consider the amendments on April 22.

If the bill is ultimately enacted, starting July 1, possession of up to an ounce of marijuana will be punishable by a civil fine of $25 instead of a criminal penalty and potential jail time. This is the lowest fine of any decriminalization law!

Here are a few details about the bill:

• Reduces the penalty for possession of marijuana to a modest civil fine of $25. The current penalty for a first offense is up to 30 days in jail and/or up to a $500 fine.
• Creates a rebuttable presumption that a person who possesses no more than one ounce of marijuana possesses it for personal use. (This will make it far less likely that a person will be convicted of possession with intent to distribute when the cannabis is actually for their personal use.)
• Reduces the use of stigmatizing records and prohibits employers from requiring applicants to disclose marijuana possession charges.
• Creates a workgroup to study legalization. (The original bill required the work to be completed by November 30, 2020, but Gov. Northam’s change would delay it until November 30, 2021.)

You can check out a full summary of the bill here.

This important victory will dramatically reduce needless cannabis arrests across the state, saving thousands of residents from life-altering criminal records for simple marijuana possession.

Be sure to share this exciting news with your family and friends in Virginia!

Take action and send a message to the governor now.

Thankfully, Gov. Mike DeWine and state regulators have taken responsible steps to protect access to medical cannabis during the COVID-19 pandemic, including deeming medical cannabis businesses “essential” and allowing telemedicine consultations between doctors and patients.

Several medical cannabis states are allowing home delivery for patients to minimize the health risks for an already vulnerable population. Gov. DeWine recently said he is considering allowing medical cannabis deliveries during the crisis.

Take action now and ask Gov. DeWine to permit home delivery.

You can also help by forwarding this call to action to others, contacting the governor's office at (614) 644-4357, and making an appeal on Twitter.

It’s crucial that Ohio maintains a system of safe access to medical cannabis while also promoting social distancing during the pandemic.

Thank you.

Send a message and urge your lawmaker to support HB 3227.

Many Oklahomans depend on medical cannabis to alleviate seizures, severe nausea, debilitating pain, and other serious health conditions. That’s why public health officials with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority have deemed medical cannabis businesses “essential” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just a few weeks ago, the Oklahoma House of Representatives approved HB 3227, which would authorize dispensaries to contract with licensed transporters to deliver medical cannabis to patients' residences. As other states have done, Oklahoma should enact home delivery to protect an already vulnerable population during this serious crisis.

Please contact your state senator and urge them to move this legislation forward so it can be enacted into law. You can also help by forwarding this call to action to others.

Thank you for speaking out in support of sensible policies that will help keep medical cannabis patients safe during this dangerous outbreak.

Ask Gov. Herbert to allow home delivery.

As coronavirus has dramatically changed life across the country, MPP and our allies have been working to ensure medical cannabis patients can safely access their medicine. Unfortunately, Utah is one of the few states that hasn’t stepped up to ensure safe access to medical cannabis.

Because Gov. Herbert hasn’t issued a stay-at-home order, Utah has not issued a list of “essential businesses.” If it does so, we’ll want to ensure medical cannabis businesses are included and allowed to remain open. Meanwhile, other states have gone further: Some have begun allowing home delivery and telemedicine recommendations to avoid unnecessary interpersonal contact. Others have extended certifications’ expiration dates and eased the process for staffing up as more workers have to stay home — due to children or their health.

Please take a few minutes to let Gov. Herbert know you want him to follow suit. Urge him to deem medical cannabis businesses “essential,” to allow home delivery during the crisis, and to otherwise make temporary modifications to the medical cannabis program to ensure patients have the medicines they depend on. You can go the extra mile by spreading the word to others, calling his office at 801-538-1000, or making an appeal on Twitter.

We also have some good news to share: In March, the legislature passed, and the governor signed, HB 425. This new law allows patients to access medical cannabis with a simple letter from their physicians, rather than having to get an ID card. Recommendations will expire at the year’s end, at which time ID cards are required.

Thank you for your compassion! We wish you and your loved ones well during these difficult times.

Just a few weeks ago, before life changed dramatically, the Compassion Act (SB 165) was primed for action in the House. The Senate had already passed the bill in a 22-11 vote, and the House appeared to be poised to take up the issue. Then, unfortunately, the legislature was forced to leave important work unfinished in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

This setback is a tremendous disappointment for patients, who have been working for many years to convince the legislature to pass medical cannabis legislation.

Let your legislators know you want them to make this issue a top priority when they’re back in session — whether it’s a special session or 2021. Alabama patients who could benefit from medical cannabis have needlessly suffered for far too long.

Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to move the issue forward, including information relating to Alabama’s 2020 elections.

We wish you and your loved ones well during these difficult times.

Just a few weeks ago, before life changed dramatically, Kentucky’s medical cannabis bill (HB 136) was primed for action in the Senate. The House had already passed the bill in a 65-30 vote, and senators appeared to be taking the issue seriously, but unfortunately, the legislature was forced to leave important work unfinished in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jason Nemes (R-Louisville), expressed disappointment in the outcome but pledged to continue the fight in 2021. "We had the votes in the Senate, and I think it's going to pass, but it's something we're going to have to come back to next year," he said.

Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to move the issue forward, including information relating to Kentucky’s 2020 elections.

We wish you and your loved ones well during these difficult times.

Email the governor today and urge him to ensure patient access during COVID-19.

During times of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing, Gov. David Ige has issued a stay-at-home order and temporary closure of non-essential businesses through April 30.

Hawaii’s medical cannabis businesses have been declared essential businesses under the governor’s order and remain open to patients across the state.

Still, there are further actions that can be taken to ensure patients can safely access their medicine in a way that is consistent with public health guidelines on preventing the spread of coronavirus:

• Allowing and encouraging cannabis delivery, including allowing for it to be contactless (This is particularly important for patients who are homebound, immunocompromised, or otherwise particularly at-risk.)
• Allowing and encouraging online ordering and curbside pickup from dispensaries

A number of states with medical cannabis programs have already implemented these measures in response to coronavirus.

Click here to email Gov. Ige to thank him for declaring medical cannabis businesses essential and urge him to allow home delivery and curbside pickup.

After you write the governor, you can go the extra mile by sharing this message with others, calling the governor at (808) 586-0034, and signing our petition for safe access in times of coronavirus here.

Thank you for your compassion. We wish you and your loved ones well.

In response to COVID-19, Gov. Carney has issued a state of emergency and temporary closure of non-essential businesses.

Fortunately, medical cannabis businesses remain open, and the program has implemented measures to ensure patients can safely access their medicine in a way that is consistent with public health guidelines on preventing the spread of coronavirus.

For the first time, patients have the option of home delivery!

Columbia Care, which has locations in Wilmington, Smyrna, and Rehoboth Beach, is the first company to launch a delivery service. Additional dispensaries may offer delivery, but have not yet.

Compassion centers are also currently providing online ordering and curbside pickup for patients. If you are able utilize these services safely, please continue to do so to ensure patients who need delivery the most have access as the program begins.

You can find a list of compassion centers in Delaware here.

Regulators intend to allow delivery to continue even after the COVID-19 crisis has abated, so stay tuned for updates.

We wish you and your loved ones well.

Urge Gov. Reynolds to allow home delivery of cannabidiol.

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ administration has taken some steps to preserve safe access to medical cannabidiol during this time of social distancing: Iowa’s medical cannabidiol program is allowing curbside pickup during the pandemic and is encouraging telemedicine consultations. However, we are disappointed the governor has not taken other steps, including allowing home delivery.

Please take a moment to urge the governor to allow home delivery during the crisis.

Meanwhile, the medical cannabidiol program is facing a structural problem. Iowa only allows cannabis extracts with no more than 3% THC content. This leaves behind patients whose conditions benefit from greater concentrations of THC, and it has created a program so restrictive that businesses are not economically viable. Two of the state’s five dispensaries recently shuttered their doors as a result.

Last year, Gov. Reynolds vetoed a bill to replace the 3% THC cap with a per-person limit of 25 grams every 90 days. Then, before the legislature convened this year, the Medical Cannabidiol Board recommended the legislature remove the THC potency cap and replace it with a purchasing limit of 4.5 grams of THC over 90 days.

Although bills were introduced to upgrade the limited medical marijuana program, to decriminalize marijuana, and to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults, none have passed. The legislature was scheduled to adjourn on April 21, but it has suspended its session due to COVID-19 until April 30.

While there does not appear to be any real prospect of marijuana policy reform legislation passing this year, you can still make a difference. Please write Gov. Reynolds in support of home delivery. You can go the extra mile by spreading the word to others, calling her office at (515) 281-5211, or making an appeal on Twitter.

We wish you and your loved ones well during these difficult times.