Submit your comments here — the deadline is this Sunday.

The Arizona Department of Health Services recently released a draft of rules that will guide implementation of the social equity licensing program for cannabis businesses, which was included as part of the voter-approved Prop 207 that legalized cannabis for adults last year. 

The department is accepting public comments through an online survey, which you can access here. Responses will be accepted through May 16. 

MPP will be submitting comments and encourages supporters of social equity to make their voice heard, too. We are concerned that the regulations do not define “communities disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of previous marijuana laws,” which is included in the social equity provisions of Prop 207. Furthermore, the eligibility criteria for the social equity licenses are excessively narrow and should be broadened to encourage more people who have been directly or indirectly harmed by cannabis prohibition to apply. 

If you would like to submit comments and have questions, you can contact me directly at jmoffat@mpp.org.

Let your state senator know that it is past time Louisiana stop jailing cannabis consumers.

Good news! Yesterday evening, the Louisiana House of Representatives voted to reduce the penalty for possession of 14 grams of cannabis to a fine of up to $100 with no jail time.

This bill would save Louisianans the trauma, humiliation, and disruption caused by being locked in a jail cell for possessing a substance that is safer than alcohol. Please take a moment to let your state senator know you want them to support this modest bill — HB 652.

A supermajority of Louisianans support making marijuana legal for adults. At the very least, you can let your senator know, Louisianans should not be incarcerated for simple possession of cannabis.

Meanwhile, the Louisiana House of Representatives has not yet taken up to bills to legalize marijuana for adults’ use. The votes have been rescheduled for today. While it is unlikely that Louisiana’s legalization bills will become law this year, the more lawmakers hear a groundswell of support from their constituents, the quicker that day will come.

Please take a few minutes to call your state representative and ask them to vote “yes” on the legalization bills — HB 699 and HB 434. Our automated software makes it easy to find your state rep’s name and number, and it provides talking points and a sample script you can use to help guide your call. 

Sheriffs who oppose legalization are out in force to try to persuade state reps to vote against legalization. It is crucial that state reps hear from supportive constituents before they cast their votes.

To go the extra mile, urge your friends and family to write their legislators in support of legalization and decriminalization by sharing the link on Facebook or Twitter.

P.S. The bill to allow flower cannabis in the medical cannabis program (HB 391) is on the move, too. It’s already passed the House and is scheduled for a hearing this morning in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee starting at 10 a.m. You can reach out to your lawmakers in support of the bill here.

It’s critical that you contact your state senator in the next 24 hours.

It’s time to act.

Over the past several months, families and patient advocates have been urging state legislators to approve a compassionate medical cannabis law in Nebraska. Now the time has come, and tomorrow, members of the Unicameral will debate and ultimately decide the fate of LB 474, which would legalize medical cannabis for patients with serious health conditions. 

It’s critical that you take action now and contact your senator. You can use this online tool or look up your senator and their contact information on the Nebraska Legislature website. 

It takes less than five minutes to leave a message with your senator’s office, and they welcome input from their constituents. Just a handful of calls could make the decisive difference in how they vote. 

When you call, leave a short message with your name, where you live, and personal reason explaining why you think patients should not be criminalized for using medical cannabis to relieve suffering for a serious, debilitating health issue.

Children with epilepsy, veterans with chronic pain, and thousands of other patients could have the relief they deserve if Nebraska joins the 36 other states that have adopted compassionate medical cannabis laws. 

Please don’t wait. Take action now and ask others to do the same. 

Ask your state rep to vote "yes" on HF 600.

Minnesota House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler’s marijuana legalization bill has passed through 12 House committees and is headed to the full House floor! This will be the first time ever that a legalization bill has gotten a House floor vote in Minnesota.

Ask your state rep and senator to support legalizing cannabis.

Our automated system makes it quick and easy to write your state lawmakers. Simply type in your name and address, look over our draft letter, make any revisions you’d like, and hit “send.”

Legalization would create tens of thousands of good jobs and hundreds of millions in tax revenue, and it would reduce unnecessary stops, searches, and arrests that unfairly and unequally target Black Minnesotans. It would also treat adults like grown-ups, allowing them to make their own choices about a substance that is safer than alcohol.

Please write your lawmakers TODAY. Then, forward this email to others or spread the word on social media so that others can raise their voices for humane, sensible cannabis policies.

Contact your senator and ask them to legalize medical cannabis this year.

Today, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would legalize medical cannabis in Kansas! The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.  

Let your senators know you want them to legalize medical cannabis this year! 

The bill lists 23 medical conditions that would qualify patients for the program, including PTSD and chronic conditions that cause “severe, persistent pain.” It was amended on the floor to include lupus as a qualifying condition as well. Unfortunately, however, smoking and vaping products would be prohibited.

There are just a few days left before the legislature adjourns its veto session. It’s critical your senators hear from you; ask them to stand with patients and support legalizing medical cannabis this year!

Patients who could benefit from medical cannabis should not have to wait another year to legally access it. Help make sure this is the year Kansas joins the majority of other states and establishes a medical cannabis program by reaching out to your senators and sharing this message with your friends and family. 

Ask Gov. Ivey to sign the medical cannabis bill if it makes it to her desk.

Great news! The Alabama House of Representatives just passed medical cannabis in a 68-34-1 vote. The bill already passed the Senate (20-10), but because it was amended in the House, the two versions need to be reconciled before it can head to Gov. Ivey.

Although it has passed the Senate three years in a row, this is the first time the House of Representatives has ever passed medical cannabis legislation.

You can check out our summary of the bill here.

Please take a few minutes to ask Gov. Kay Ivey to sign SB 46 into law if it lands on her desk. Here are some talking points you can use:

• Patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, intractable pain, and other terrible medical conditions deserve our compassion and mercy.

• Some of our suffering neighbors with chronic medical conditions find that prescription medicines simply do not work for them. Their cancer wasting, seizures, pain, and spasms simply have not responded to available treatments.

• If a suffering patient’s physician recommends medical cannabis, Alabama law should not stand in the way. 

Then, spread the news with other compassionate Alabamians.

Ask key senators to allow botanical, flower medical cannabis.

Minnesota is one of only two medical cannabis states that doesn’t allow cannabis in its natural, flower form. This drives up prices for patients and deprives many of the medicine that works best for them. Many end up turning to the unregulated, sometimes dangerous, illicit market.

Please take a moment to add your voice to finally give patients access to whole-plant cannabis: Ask key senators not to stand in the way of relief.

In both 2019 and 2020, the DFL-led House of Representatives passed bills to allow flower, but they both died in the Senate. This year, the Senate Health Finance and Policy Committee unanimously approved adding flower, but it never got a Senate floor vote.

The House has included the bill in the Health and Human Services Omnibus bill. The provision’s fate now lies in the hands of the Republican Senate majority.

Please send a note to key members of Senate leadership to ask them to stand up for patients. You can also sign and share the petition from our allies at Sensible Change Minnesota, who are leading the charge.

Ask your lawmakers to establish a compassionate medical cannabis program this year.

Exciting news! The House Committee on Federal and State Affairs has approved (12-8) a bill to legalize medical cannabis in the state. The bill is now cleared for a vote on the House floor.

Reach out to your lawmakers today and ask them to support legalizing medical cannabis this year!

The proposed legislation would establish a medical cannabis program for qualified patients. As amended in committee, the bill lists 23 conditions that would qualify patients for the program, including PTSD and chronic conditions that cause “severe, persistent pain.” Unfortunately, however, smoking and vaping products would be prohibited.

Gov. Laura Kelly (D) has repeatedly voiced her support for medical cannabis. Still, the legislature must act in order to bring a compassionate, effective medical cannabis program to Kansas. It’s important your lawmakers hear from you; let them know you want them to legalize medical cannabis this year!

Kansas is currently one of just 14 states with no effective medical cannabis law. Help make sure this is the year Kansas stands with patients and establishes a medical cannabis program by reaching out to your lawmakers and sharing this message with your friends and family!

Please take a minute to email your lawmakers in support of HB 150!

This Thursday night, the Delaware Cannabis Policy Coalition is holding a virtual town hall to respond to concerns around cannabis legalization. Mark your calendars, and we hope you will join us!

You can check out a full summary of this year’s legalization bill, HB 150, here. We need all hands on deck to make sure this is the year Delaware moves forward with legalization!

As a reminder, we’re still recruiting volunteers to help generate phone calls to legislators in key districts. Please email onaugle@mpp.org if you’re willing to make some calls to constituents of key lawmakers. We’ll send details on how to get started.

And don’t forget to join us for this important discussion on Thursday at 7 p.m., and please also reach out to your lawmakers and ask them to support legalization this year. Be sure to share this message with your family and friends to help us spread the word.

Together, we can end prohibition in the First State!

Ask your lawmakers to stop arresting cannabis consumers this year!

Cannabis policy reform is continuing to gain momentum in the Texas Legislature! The House of Representatives approved two bills last week:

• HB 441, which would eliminate the threat of jail time for up to one ounce of cannabis while creating an opportunity for deferral, dismissal, and non-disclosure. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. 
  
  
• HB 1535, which would expand the state’s low-THC medical cannabis program. The bill would add cancer, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as conditions that could qualify people for the program. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Be sure to reach out to your state senator and ask them to stop arresting cannabis consumers and support HB 441.

Then, please call your senator to improve and pass HB 1535.

The legislative session is set to end on May 31. Make sure your lawmakers know this issue matters to voters; ask them to support decriminalization and an effective medical cannabis law this year.

Stay tuned for future updates!