A solid majority of Florida voters — 55.9% — cast their ballots for cannabis legalization in November. While this wasn't enough to pass Amendment 3, it shows most Floridians support ending cannabis prohibition.

If you live in Florida, ask your state legislators to turn the people's will into law and legalize cannabis!

Much opposition to legalization focused on Amendment 3's supposed lack of guardrails on public consumption and the absence of home-grow. A Republican-sponsored legalization bill — H0555 — would address both concerns.

Florida remains one of the 19 states where a single joint can land you in jail. It's past time Florida ended its archaic approach to cannabis policy.

H0555, sponsored by Rep. Alex Andrade, would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of cannabis, while prohibiting marijuana use in any public place. Adults 21 and older could cultivate two plants at home and out of public view for personal use. It also expands the existing medical cannabis program by increasing the possession limit, waiving fees for honorably discharged veterans, and allowing any patient with a condition that requires an opioid prescription to be recommended medical marijuana for relief.

There are also two other legalization bills — H1501 and S1390 — which include similar frameworks for legalization without home cultivation.

The N.H. House of Representatives voted 208-125 to legalize simple possession of cannabis in the Live Free State. Sixty-two percent of representatives voted in favor of HB 198 to stop punishing adults 21 and older for relaxing with cannabis.

If you live in New Hampshire, let your senator know you want New Hampshire to live up to its "Live Free" motto. It takes just one minute to send a message through our software. You can go the extra mile and also make a phone call to your state senator.

Last year, the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Senate couldn't agree on how to legalize and regulate cannabis sales. Due to that standoff, legislation failed and the Granite State remains an island of prohibition, surrounded by states with more freedom.

HB 198 would take the issue of sales off the table for now and simply legalize possession of modest amounts of cannabis for adults 21 and older, while imposing penalties on smoking in public. It would prevent hundreds of arrests each year and would finally treat adults like grown-ups.

As you likely know, Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) opposes cannabis legalization. However, at least 16 senators (a veto-proof majority) have either voted "yes" on legalization before or expressed support for legalizing possession and home cultivation.

There will likely be strong pressure put on Republican senators to kill HB 198. That makes it all the more important that senators hear that their constituents expect them to take a principled stance for freedom.

For the second year in a row, Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed bills to legalize adult-use cannabis sales, along with other cannabis policy reforms.

Thankfully, this is Youngkin's last year in office. In November, Virginians will have an opportunity to elect a new governor — hopefully one who listens to voters on cannabis policy.

In 2021, the legislature and then-Gov. Ralph Northam (D) ended cannabis prohibition, legalizing adults' simple possession and home cultivation, but requiring reenactment for legal sales. Gov. Youngkin was elected in November 2021 and he has stood in the way of progress ever since.

Gov. Youngkin outrageously vetoed the following bills:

• SB 970 and HB 2485 — twin bills to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis sales
• HB 2613 — which would have prevented families from being torn apart due to a parent responsibly using cannabis
• HB 2555 — which would have provided for cannabis resentencing

He also demanded amendments to bills related to sealing past convictions (HB 2723 and SB 1466) and revisions to Virginia's medical cannabis program (HB 1989). For more background, check out this Marijuana Moment article.

Gov. Youngkin's term ends in January 2026, and he is not eligible for a consecutive term. If you live in Virginia and you're eligible, make sure you're registered to vote and that you don't miss the opportunity. The last gubernatorial election set back legal cannabis access by four years.

An important bill, SB 176, is being considered in the Oregon Legislature that would prohibit employment discrimination against medical cannabis patients.

If you live in Oregon, let your lawmakers know that you support medical cannabis patients' employment rights!

SB 176 would prohibit employers from making hiring or firing decisions solely based on an individual's status as a medical cannabis user or a positive test result for cannabis metabolites. Since these metabolites can linger in the body for days or weeks after use, drug tests are unreliable indicators of actual impairment. Additionally, the bill bars healthcare providers from denying treatment or restricting access to medical resources for patients who hold a medical cannabis card. At its core, SB 176 recognizes that no one should have to choose between their health and their livelihood.

SB 176 also introduces many other improvements to Oregon's medical marijuana program, including implementing electronic ID cards and capping fees at $20 for those receiving Social Security Disability Benefits. It would also increase the annual transfer limit for medical grow sites from 20 to 45 pounds, adjust cultivation limits, and mandate that retailers offer medical-grade products with no more than 20% THC.

SB 176 is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee with a work session scheduled for Monday, March 31. 

Texas has an extremely limited, low-THC medical cannabis program, the Texas Compassionate Use Program (“TCUP”). It is so restrictive that MPP does not count Texas as a “medical cannabis state.” Sen. Charles Perry (R) sponsored SB1505, which would improve the program by: 

• Issuing up to three more licenses to produce low-THC products (for a total of six),
• Allowing those dispensing organizations to have satellite storage facilities around the state,
• Allowing for tinctures, suppositories, and non-smoked inhalation when it is medically needed as specified by a doctor, and
• Making the standard dosage 5 milligrams of THC (with a package maximum of 300 milligrams). 

If you live in Texas, ask your legislators to support the expansion of TCUP!
 
The Lt. Governor and his allies in the legislature are attempting to ban federally legal hemp-derived THC products. Whether they succeed or not, there is a moral imperative to expand the TCUP program. Too many Texans have had to rely on an under-regulated hemp program for relief from debilitating conditions. They deserve safe, regulated access through a comprehensive medical cannabis program. SB1505 is a relatively small step forward toward that goal, but it is progress.

A concerning bill in Connecticut, HB 07204, recently passed unanimously out of the Public Safety and Security Committee. This bill would reinstate cannabis odor as a legal justification for police stops and vehicle searches, eliminating previous protections.
 
HB 07204, sponsored by Rep. Hector Arzeno (D), covers multiple topics related to policing. Alarmingly, it would remove a crucial part of Connecticut’s cannabis legalization law — protections that prevent law enforcement from using the odor of cannabis or possession of a legalized amount of cannabis as probable cause for a stop or search. This bill would once again allow police officers to stop, detain, or search a vehicle solely based on the smell of raw or burnt cannabis. While many provisions of the bill are not cause for concern, this aspect of it threatens the rights of legal cannabis consumers and should be opposed. 
 
If you live in Connecticut, write your lawmakers today, and let them know you are against odor-based stops and searches!
 
The odor of cannabis is now the smell of a legal product, not the evidence of a crime. Individuals who work in the legal cannabis industry often smell like cannabis after work. And the smell of cannabis can linger in consumers’ clothes and hair long after impairment wears off. Reinstating odor-based stops and seizures is outdated, harmful, and in direct opposition to Connecticut’s commitment to criminal justice reform. 
 
Furthermore, studies show that Black and Brown drivers are disproportionately targeted by traffic searches on the basis of the real or feigned odor of cannabis. Allowing this practice perpetuates racial profiling and mistrust in our communities. 
 
This isn’t the only bill attempting to undo protections. Other proposed bills, including HB 05692, HB 05736, HB 06358, and HB 06375, also seek to restore odor-based stops and seizures in Connecticut. 

Two bills, S.98 and H.159, have been proposed in the Massachusetts Legislature to prohibit employment discrimination against legal cannabis consumers. These bills would ensure that workers are not penalized for off-duty cannabis use, while still allowing employers to maintain a safe and compliant workplace.

If you live in Massachusetts, let your lawmakers know that you support workers' rights and fair cannabis policy!

S.98, introduced by Sen. Jake Oliveira (D), and H. 159, introduced by Rep. Mike Kushmerek (D), would prevent employers from refusing to hire, firing, or discriminating against most employees solely due to the presence of THC or cannabis metabolites in their system. The protections apply unless there is reasonable suspicion of on-the-job impairment.

These measures recognize that cannabis and its metabolites can remain in the body for days or even weeks after use, making drug tests unreliable indicators of impairment. Employees should not lose their jobs for engaging in a legal activity during their personal time.

It's important to note that these protections do not apply to "safety-sensitive positions" or situations where compliance with federal law, regulations, contracts, or funding agreements is required. Employers would also take action if cannabis use prevents an employee from maintaining necessary licenses or credentials.

Additionally, H.2019 would provide for expungement and possible re-sentencing for past marijuana possession and cultivation offenses that are no longer illegal. No one should continue to face consequences for actions that have been legal since 2016.

After letting advocates down on cannabis legalization and decriminalization earlier this year, the Hawai'i Legislature has the opportunity to advance cannabis justice and liberty in the context of medical cannabis.

Two Senate committees approved a House-passed bill to allow medical cannabis certifications via telehealth (HB 302). The committees first amended the bill, including to allow doctors and advanced practice registered nurses to certify patients for medical cannabis for any condition they deem appropriate.

The bill has one more Senate committee to clear and two Senate floor votes. If it makes it past the Senate, it would then head back to the House of Representatives — where it began — for concurrence or a conference committee.

If you live in Hawai'i, ask your senator to support the medical cannabis improvement bill.

Healthcare providers can and do prescribe medications "off label" — for symptoms and conditions other than those they were FDA-approved to treat. Doctors, patients, and nurse practitioners should be given the same discretion for medical cannabis, which has a much better safety profile than many medications. Hawai'i currently has a limited list of qualifying conditions that omits conditions found in other states, such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's disease, anxiety, and autism.

Last year after legalization fell short, Gov. Josh Green spoke out for allowing medical cannabis for any condition. At least 10 other states have similar language.

Great news! Two cannabis bills are currently moving through Maryland's legislature.

The Maryland House of Delegates passed HB 413, which would allow the manufacturing of cannabis products for personal use. It also reduces sentences for some cannabis-related charges. Meanwhile, the Senate approved SB 1023, which was written to protect first responders from off-duty medical marijuana use.

HB 413 now heads to the Senate, while SB 1023 heads to the House.

Keep the momentum going! If you live in Maryland, write your state senator now and urge them to support HB 413, and write your state delegate(s) to urge their support of SB 1023!

HB 413, introduced by Delegate Moon (D), would:

• Allow adults 21 and older to create cannabis products for personal use at home as long as the process does not include volatile solvents. (Marylanders can already cultivate two plants, but state law does not allow them to make products such as brownies or extracts at home.)
• Modify the penalty for high-volume cannabis-related offenses from a mandatory five-year sentence to a misdemeanor with no mandatory minimum.
• Allow courts to reduce or modify sentences of defendants who were convicted of being high-volume cannabis dealers, from the original mandatory minimum five-year felony sentence to a misdemeanor. The courts would consider mitigating circumstances and evidence of rehabilitation.

Cannabis is legal in Maryland. It shouldn't be a crime to produce tinctures, edibles, and other products for personal use at home. This is not only cost-effective, but also cuts down on traveling to far away dispensaries for rural Marylanders. Meanwhile, a five-year mandatory sentence is grossly excessive for a cannabis offense.

We're also thrilled with the progress of Senator Carl Jackson's SB 1023. First responders put their lives on the line for us, and many develop chronic pain or PTSD from their public service. They should not lose their jobs for alleviating their symptoms and choosing a safer alternative to opiates or alcohol consumption. SB 1023's companion bill HB 1408 was referred to the House's Economic Matters Committee, which failed to act on it before the cross-over deadline. But Committee Chair C.T. Wilson has another chance to do the right thing for public servants by scheduling and passing SB 1023.

We are pleased Maryland legislators are advancing these positive cannabis bills to roll back the unfair and unjust treatment of cannabis users! 

Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill, HB 2585, that would protect lawful cannabis consumers and workers from unnecessary police stops and searches.

HB 2585, introduced by Rep. Curtis Tarver (D), explicitly prohibits law enforcement from stopping, detaining, or searching a vehicle solely due to the smell of raw or burnt cannabis. HB 2585 would also eliminate the requirement that cannabis be stored in an odor-proof container while in a vehicle.

If you live in Illinois, write your lawmakers today, and let them know you strongly support ending stops and searches based on the odor of cannabis!

The odor of cannabis is now the smell of a legal product, not the evidence of a crime. Individuals who work in the legal cannabis industry often smell like cannabis after work. And the smell of cannabis can linger in consumers' clothes and hair long after impairment wears off.

Studies show that Black and Brown drivers are disproportionately targeted by traffic searches on the basis of the real or feigned odor of cannabis. Allowing this practice perpetuates racial profiling and mistrust in our communities. By updating the Vehicle Code, HB 2585 aligns Illinois law with the reality of legal cannabis and helps reduce unlawful discrimination.