The legislative session is beginning, and we need to make sure cannabis regulation is a top priority — write your representatives and urge them to support S. 54!

The Vermont Legislature convenes tomorrow — Thursday, January 9 — and we will be at the State House to remind legislators that cannabis regulation should be a top priority in 2020. All members of the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana are encouraged to join us in Montpelier as we encourage legislators to pass S. 54.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Cannabis Advocacy Day

WHERE: Vermont State House, 115 State Street, Montpelier

WHEN: 8-10 a.m., State House Cafeteria, 2nd Floor — Informal meet-and-greet breakfast with legislators. Complimentary coffee, bagels, and pastries will be served.
11 a.m., Cedar Creek Room, 2nd Floor — Press conference with legislators and advocates.

WHO: Supporters of S. 54 — Please RSVP here.

If you’re coming to Montpelier, it may be a good idea to reach out to your representatives in advance to ask if they’re available to meet with you while you’re in Montpelier. You can find your representatives’ contact info here.

You can read a summary of the bill, as approved by the House Government Operations Committee, here.

If you haven’t already done so, please email your representatives now and ask for their support. Then, share this message with your family and friends!

Ask your lawmakers to support legislation to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older.

The General Assembly kicks off its 90-day 2020 legislative session today!

To recap, the marijuana legalization workgroup met during the off-session and came to the consensus that they would not recommend legislation to legalize marijuana for adult use this session. However, the legislature could now be on track to seriously consider legalization in 2021.

Keep up the pressure by emailing your legislators and asking them to legalize cannabis for adult use.

Although legalization is unlikely in 2020, we expect the legislature to take up other cannabis policy reform efforts this session to improve the state’s decriminalization law and medical cannabis program. We need all hands on deck to keep improving Maryland’s cannabis laws.

Mark your calendars and join us in solidarity at our 2020 cannabis policy lobby day!

When: Tuesday, February 4 (8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

Where: Anne Arundel Delegation Room, House Office Building – 6 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401

Registration: Please complete the registration form here to join us.

It is important lawmakers hear from as many constituents as possible. Join us at lobby day to send a strong message to the General Assembly to pass cannabis policy reform legislation this session and increase support for adult-use legalization.

After you email your lawmakers, please also help us spread the word by forwarding this message to your networks in Maryland and sharing our lobby day Facebook event.

P.S. If you have been personally impacted by cannabis prohibition, please contact the coalition to find out how you can be of special help to our effort.

Urge your state legislators to work with new Governor Andy Beshear and pass a medical cannabis law in 2020!

After years of frustration for patients and advocates in Kentucky, it’s possible that lawmakers in Frankfort will finally pass a medical cannabis law during the 2020 legislative session, which begins today. Last year, the House Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly approved a medical cannabis bill, but time ran out, and it did not receive a floor vote.

Please write your legislators today and urge them to legalize medical cannabis in 2020!

Rep. Jason Nemes has already pre-filed a bill on this subject, and newly elected Governor Andy Beshear has indicated that he strongly supports medical cannabis. However, some legislative leaders — including Senate President Robert Stivers — remain opposed, so the challenge for advocates will be getting a bill through the legislature and to the governor’s desk.

It’s critical that legislators hear from their constituents who support medical cannabis. After you write your legislators, please share this message with your friends and family.

Join us for an advocacy day at the State House on Thursday, January 9 — but first, write your representatives and urge them to support S. 54!

The Vermont Legislature will convene on Thursday, January 9, so what better day to remind legislators that cannabis regulation needs to be a top priority in 2020? All members of the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana are encouraged to visit the State House that day and join us as we encourage legislators to pass S. 54.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Cannabis Advocacy Day

WHERE: Vermont State House, 115 State Street, Montpelier, VT

WHEN: 8-10 a.m., State House Cafeteria, 2nd Floor — Informal meet-and-greet breakfast with legislators. Complimentary coffee, bagels, and pastries will be served.
11 a.m., Cedar Creek Room, 2nd Floor — Press conference with legislators and advocates.

WHO: Supporters of S. 54 — Please RSVP here.

You can read a summary of the bill, as approved by the House Government Operations Committee, here.

Please contact your representatives now and ask for their support. Then, share this message with your family and friends!

New law sets the stage for automatic expungement

On Monday, in addition to referring legalization to voters, the New Jersey Legislature passed a reworked bill to expunge or seal thousands of past convictions, including marijuana charges. Just two days later, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill into law.

This new law removes a scarlet letter that has derailed countless lives. Marijuana convictions can make it difficult to get housing, jobs, professional licensing, and to further one’s education. With 62% of New Jersey voters supporting legalization, it is particularly nonsensical to haunt individuals for life for using cannabis.

S.4151 includes several improvements Gov. Murphy requested when he conditionally vetoed a prior version, along with a few tweaks from the legislature.

Among other changes, the new law will:

• Require the courts to implement an automatic sealing process for most marijuana offenses;
• Set up a task force to make recommendations on the automatic sealing process;
• Allow individuals who have completed their sentences for lower-level marijuana offenses to apply for and be granted expungement while awaiting automatic sealing;
• Remove fees for expungement; and
• Allocate $15 million for implementation.

For more details, check out this article.

This is an important step forward to improving New Jersey’s marijuana policies. But, more action is needed to bring justice to the Garden State’s marijuana laws. New Jersey can save 30,000 individuals the trauma of arrests between now and Election Day by decriminalizing marijuana in the lame duck session. Let lawmakers know you want them to stop the arrests.

Thank you for raising your voice for sensible, humane marijuana policies!

Ask lawmakers not to lose sight of other needed reforms.

Today, a supermajority of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly voted to refer adult-use legalization to voters. The Senate vote was 24-16, while the Assembly approved the voter referral 49-24-1.

On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, New Jersey voters will decide whether to approve a short constitutional amendment that replaces marijuana prohibition with regulation.

While we are optimistic that voters will put an end to New Jersey’s eight-decade-long war on marijuana, this development is bittersweet. MPP favored the 147-page legalization bill that included strong provisions for decriminalization, expungement, and inclusion and would have taken effect sooner.

There will be a time when your help will be needed to rally support for the ballot measure. But for now, please write your state legislators to make sure they don’t lose sight of other important reforms.

Expungement legislation — which would wipe clear the scarlet letters of tens of thousands of marijuana convictions — passed the Senate today and is expected to be taken up in the Assembly tonight. We also want to ensure the legislature decriminalizes simple possession as soon as possible. Decriminalizing marijuana now would save tens of thousands of individuals from the trauma and disruption of an arrest between now and Election Day. Finally, please make sure the legislature knows voters want equitable, inclusive legalization. Those who have been most hurt by prohibition must be included in the benefits of legalization.

Thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to move New Jersey toward humane marijuana policies!

As the rest of the region moves forward, the Nutmeg State should not remain an island of prohibition — please contact your representatives and senators today!

Massachusetts recently concluded its first year of retail cannabis sales to adults, and the results are in: nearly $400 million in sales, an estimated $67 million in state tax revenue, and up to $11.8 million in tax revenue for municipalities. There are still only about 35 retail stores open in the state, up from the original two that opened last November, so it’s clear that this is only the beginning.

Connecticut urgently needs to follow the Bay State’s example. Gov. Lamont has said that he will ask the legislature to pass a bill legalizing and regulating cannabis when it convenes in February, but the governor won’t be able to make it happen by himself — his voice will need to be joined by a chorus of strong support from the public.

Please email your elected officials right now and urge them to support ending marijuana prohibition in 2020!

After you write your legislators, please “like” our coalition on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and share this message with your family and friends!

We can’t afford to let this opportunity slip away, so please also consider supporting the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana with a donation.

Last week, Legalize ND submitted petition language to put an initiative to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana before the voters next November. Once the measure is approved for circulation by the secretary of state, activists must gather 13,452 voter signatures before July 6, 2020 to qualify for the ballot.

In 2018, North Dakotans rejected a proposal to legalize marijuana for adults 59% to 41%. This time around, however, Legalize ND worked closely with the North Dakota Legislative Council and argues the proposal is better written and addresses previous concerns. The 2020 measure would create a system to license marijuana businesses, establish a 10% tax on marijuana sales, and prohibit home cultivation. The initiative would also allow individuals to remove low-level marijuana convictions from their criminal records.

2020 is shaping up to be another big year for marijuana policy reform. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Check out the campaign’s website to get involved and support the effort to end marijuana prohibition in North Dakota!

Thank you.

Next year, Arkansas could make history and become the first southern state to end marijuana prohibition and wipe the slate clean for people with criminal records for marijuana convictions. 

The Marijuana Policy Project has endorsed two constitutional ballot initiatives being spearheaded by Arkansans for Cannabis Reform. The first would establish a system to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults 21 and older. The second would create a pathway for individuals to remove previous marijuana offenses from their criminal records, making it easier for them to get jobs and access social benefits. 

Each petition requires just over 89,000 voter signatures, and the campaign has established signing locations all over the state. Now is a critical time, and they are looking for supporters to get involved and expand their effort.

A victory in Arkansas would send a shockwave through the country. A clear majority of voters stand with us in our mission to end marijuana prohibition. But it takes hard-working teams like Arkansans for Cannabis Reform to give voters an opportunity to enact the change they want.