This week, we began airing a TV ad in Texas featuring Russell Jones, a retired narcotics detective and Texas Hill Country resident. Jones says that people under the influence of marijuana are much less problematic than people under the influence of alcohol, and that “law enforcement officials have more important things to do with their time.” Its primary purpose: to urge lawmakers to support HB 507, which would reduce criminal penalties for marijuana possession in the Lone Star State.

The TV ad — online here — is airing on CNN, ESPN, and Fox News Channel through Thursday at midnight, and received a lot of media attention, including from Huffington Post, International Business Times, San Antonio Current, and many others.

The ad cites annual arrest reports produced by the Texas Department of Public Safety that show that more than 360,000 arrests for marijuana possession were made in Texas from 2009-2013.

Tomorrow, the Louisiana House of Representatives will consider HB 149, a bill that would reduce the penalties for second and subsequent marijuana possession charges. Although penalties would still be staggering for possessing a substance that is safer than alcohol, HB 149 is an important step forward — it could shave years off of marijuana consumers’ sentences.

[caption id="attachment_8775" align="alignright" width="240"] HB 149 sponsor Rep. Austin Badon[/caption]

While first offense marijuana possession would remain a misdemeanor and subsequent possession charges would remain felonies, HB 149 would significantly reduce the amount of time a marijuana consumer could spend in prison for a second or subsequent marijuana possession conviction. For instance, HB 149 would reduce the maximum sentence for a second conviction from five years to two years. It would also reduce the possible fine.

Louisiana has some of the most draconian marijuana laws in the country, and HB 149 would be a positive step toward sensible reform.

[caption id="attachment_8771" align="alignright" width="300"] PA Senate Chambers[/caption]

For the second time in a year, the Pennsylvania Senate has overwhelmingly voted to allow seriously ill patients to use and safely access medical cannabis. Gov. Tom Wolf has said he’d sign medical marijuana legislation, so only one piece of the puzzle remains: the House of Representatives.

If you are a Pennsylvania resident, please call your state representative right now to ask him or her to support a compassionate, comprehensive medical marijuana bill.

It will take just a minute of your time to make a call, but it will make a huge impact. Legislators often mistakenly believe that supporting humane marijuana policies is politically risky. This couldn’t be further from the truth — voters overwhelmingly support medical marijuana protections.

SB 3 would allow registered patients to use medical cannabis and to safely access it from regulated dispensaries. To qualify, patients must have an approved medical condition, such as cancer, seizures, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, wasting syndrome, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, or chronic pain. The Senate approved adding vaporization to the bill, but only for cancer, seizures, and PTSD.

The bill is more limited than we would like in some areas, but it is a dramatic improvement over the status quo.

Earlier this week, Regulate Rhode Island unveiled a billboard aimed at encouraging legislators to pass a bill that would regulate and tax marijuana in the state.

The “Field of Dreams”-themed ad features stadium lights shining on two young professionals standing among a small field of marijuana plants, and it reads, “If we build it, they will come… It’s time to establish a regulated marijuana market in Rhode Island.”

Legislators are currently considering S 510/H 5777, the “Marijuana Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act,” which would end marijuana prohibition in Rhode Island and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. They are also considering using taxpayer funds to build a new stadium, also in the hopes of bringing jobs and other financial benefits to the area.

It has been a good week for marijuana policy reform in the Lone Star State.

On Monday, the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence approved HB 507, a bill that removes the threat of arrest, jail time, and a criminal record for possession of small amounts of marijuana — replacing them with a civil fine of up to $250. The measure will now advance to the Calendars Committee to be scheduled for a vote by the Texas House.

On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed SB 280 into law. This new law, which was sponsored by Sen. Becky Massey, will allow qualified patients to legally possess cannabis oils with no more than 0.9% THC if their doctors recommend it. While this is an improvement to current law, it leaves the vast majority of medical marijuana patients without legal protections for using and possessing the medicine their doctors think is best for them.

[caption id="attachment_8753" align="alignright" width="150"] Gov. Bill Haslam[/caption]

Unfortunately, SB 280 also fails to include any regulated means for patients to access cannabis oil in Tennessee. Seriously ill patients or their families would have to travel to another state to get access to medical cannabis preparations. Not only is it illegal to transport CBD between states, it may be illegal to possession cannabis oil in states along the way. This law places patients and loved ones at risk.

While the bill takes a step forward, the law is so incomplete that MPP will still not be counting it as a “medical marijuana state.” If you are a Tennessee resident, ask your legislators to make sure this is only a first step.

Yesterday, 66% of East Lansing, Michigan, voters approved a local charter amendment to decriminalize marijuana possession and transfer by adults 21 and older of up to one ounce of marijuana. Under Michigan state law, possession of a small amount of marijuana — even a single gram — is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. Unfortunately, East Lansing police could still choose to arrest under the harsh state law, despite the mandate from voters.

Please take a moment to ask your state legislators to bring East Lansing’s reform to all of Michigan!

This idea is hardly new. Nineteen states have already decriminalized or — in four cases — legalized marijuana. In neighboring Ohio, possession of up to 100 grams is punishable by a small fine, not by jail time. These laws save law enforcement resources that would otherwise be spent prosecuting and jailing non-violent marijuana users, allowing police and prosecutors to spend more time going after violent criminals.

The Hawaiian legislative conference committee working out the differences in medical marijuana dispensary programs proposed by the House and Senate has come to an agreement.

HB 321 will initially allow eight dispensaries (three on Oahu, two each on Big Island and Maui, and one on Kauai). Starting in 2017, the state health department will be allowed to issue more licenses as needed. Each dispensary license will allow the holder to have two cultivation sites with up to 3,000 plants each as well as two dispensing locations that must be separate from the cultivation locations.

But first things first — both chambers must agree to this final language. If you are a Hawaii resident, please email your lawmakers in Honolulu today in support of HB 321!

Tomorrow afternoon, a subcommittee of the South Carolina House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee will take testimony on the need for a compassionate medical marijuana program.

If you are a South Carolina resident, please email your representative today to ask him or her to support medical marijuana.

If you are a seriously ill patient with a qualifying medical condition (definition 21), the loved one of a patient, or a medical professional, please also consider testifying in person. Let us know if you’re interested.

The South Carolina Medical Marijuana Program Act, H 4037, would allow patients suffering from a listed condition to use and safely access medical marijuana if recommended by their doctors. This bill is more comprehensive than and addresses the many flaws of the legislation that was passed last year in an attempt to make certain medical marijuana products accessible to a limited class of patients.

Last week, by a vote of 210-213, an effort to allow physicians within the Department of Veterans Affairs to recommend medical marijuana was narrowly defeated in the U.S. House of Representatives. The same amendment failed by 26 votes last year, so the narrow loss represents a significant rise in support.

[caption id="attachment_8567" align="alignright" width="220"] Rep. Earl Blumenauer[/caption]

The vote was in regards to an amendment offered by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) to the House version of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The amendment, which sought to rescind a 2009 directive prohibiting VA doctors from recommending medical marijuana, was co-sponsored by Representatives Heck (R-NV), Rohrabacher (R-CA), Farr (D-CA), Reed (R-NY), Titus (D-NV), Gabbard (D-HI), Lee (D-CA), and Gallego (D-AZ).

The vote demonstrated an uptick in support over last year when the amendment failed 195-222. Unfortunately, it means that veterans who could find relief from medical marijuana will have to wait even longer to speak about it with their VA doctors.