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.

Two bills, HB 230 and SB 269, are advancing through the New Mexico legislature to clarify employment protections for medical cannabis patients. These bills would ensure that qualified patients cannot be fired or denied employment solely for testing positive for cannabis or its metabolites, while still allowing employers to enforce workplace safety policies.

If you live in New Mexico, let your lawmakers know: Medical cannabis patients should not have to choose between their health and their jobs.

It is already illegal under New Mexico law for employers to take adverse actions against employees for state-legal medical cannabis activities (with an exception if it is mandated by the feds). HB 230, introduced by Representative Reena Szczepanski, and Senator Linda López's SB 269 would ban random drug testing of registered patients for cannabis and clarify that a positive test result alone cannot be used to prove impairment. Instead, testing would only be allowed when there is reasonable suspicion of impairment at work, after a workplace accident involving another person, or following an incident that causes property damage.

Additionally, the Department of Health and Workforce Solutions would be required to develop guidelines for determining cannabis impairment based on physical symptoms, psychomotor performance, and cognitive function.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's proposal to ban hemp-derived THC products (S3) passed unanimously out of the Senate State Affairs Committee and now heads to the full Senate. 

If you live in Texas, you can use this link to tell your legislators that regulation is more effective than prohibition!

MPP has traditionally focused on expanding the Compassionate Use Program, decriminalization, and legalization of traditional cannabis in Texas. However, at this time we feel the need to facilitate our readers communicating with their legislators on this issue. We know many of you use these products or work in the industry.

We know prohibition does not work. Banning these products will disrupt a multi-billion dollar industry that employs over 50,000 Texans. If anything, the way this industry grew so fast should show legislators that Texans wants access to cannabinoid products.

If the Texas legislature had passed legislation to allow Texans to have access to regulated, laboratory-tested cannabis products, we would not be having this conversation today. Unfortunately, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blocked reforms, including decriminalization and a more workable medical cannabis program. Texans want cannabis products. Forcing otherwise law-abiding citizens to turn to the illicit market or an under-regulated hemp market is more dangerous than a regulated market.

A California Assembly bill introduced this session (AB564) would stop the cannabis sales tax increase that is set to bump the current 15% excise tax up to 19%. This tax hike would likely crush many already struggling cannabis businesses financially. If passed, the bill would be effective immediately, ensuring the tax jump to 19% will not take place.

If you live in California, act now and ask legislators to repeal the biennial cannabis tax rate increase!

A bill enacted in 2022 eliminated a cultivation excise tax and required the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to adjust the excise rate every two years to account for the added revenue that would have been generated by the cultivation tax. AB564 would stop both this year’s tax increase and planned biennial hikes in the future.

Excessive tax rates would damage the legal, regulated cannabis market, which is struggling to compete with the unregulated, untaxed cannabis market and intoxicating hemp. In 2023, a little over 15% of cannabis business operators defaulted on their taxes.

An outrageous bill (HJR004) that removes the ballot initiative process for cannabis (and other drugs) legalization has unfortunately passed the Idaho House of Representatives and Senate in lopsided votes. As a result, in 2026, Idaho voters will vote on a state constitutional amendment providing:

"Shall Section 26, Article III of the Constitution of the State of Idaho 26 be amended to provide that only the Idaho Legislature shall have power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances?"

If approved by a majority of voters, no citizen's initiative would ever be allowed to create a compassionate medical cannabis program or adult-use legalization law. Idaho arguably has the worst cannabis laws in the nation – and the most anti-cannabis state lawmakers. The state has no medical cannabis program, no adult-use legalization law, and no decriminalization law.

Last month, Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) signed a draconian bill into law (H0007) that created a mandatory minimum fine for cannabis possession. Starting on January 1, the new law will impose a mandatory minimum $300 fine on simple possession of cannabis — less than or equal to 3 ounces  — in addition to possible jail time.

Twenty-three Idaho lawmakers also proposed a bill (HJR003) to require a ⅔ supermajority vote of the legislature to for any bill to legalize cannabis. It was re-referred to its original committee and appears to have stalled. These repeated attempts and overreach hurts Idahoans financially, and also seek to eliminate the path of a medical or adult-use program in the coming years — or even decades.

Idahoans deserve to make their own decisions — both about cannabis and cannabis policy. They do not need government authorities to control every freedom and decision. If you live in Idaho, be prepared to vote "no" next year on the proposed constitutional amendment to take away your rights regarding cannabis.

West Virginia lawmakers have the choice to support bills this session that would allow edibles and home grown cannabis as new options under the medical cannabis program. Patients deserve the flexibility of deciding what form of medication best suits their needs, and to grow their own cannabis – which is a more affordable option for many.

If you live in West Virginia, urge your lawmakers to support these bills for patients!

HB 3201 would add edibles to West Virginia's medical program. Edibles can provide longer-lasting relief for many patients, and is a crucial option for many. This law would allow the edibles to be in lozenge or gelatin form, limited to geometric shapes only with a limit of 10 milligrams of THC per serving.

HB 3230 allows patients and caregivers to cultivate up to 10 plants, five of which can be mature at the same time. Home cultivation is not only affordable but also a great option for patients who live far from a dispensary. It also expands the program to allow dry leaf/plant cannabis and allows for homemade edibles.

Most medical marijuana programs in the nation allow edibles with proper labeling and dosage limits. Meanwhile, over half of the programs allow home cultivation.

On the heels of the Ohio Senate passing a bill to roll back cannabis freedoms, Rep. Brian Stewart (R) has proposed a House version of the outrageous bill. The House bill, HB 160, would re-criminalize innocuous conduct, reduce the potency cap on extracts to 70%, and eliminate funding for social equity and criminal justice reforms.

If you live in Ohio, tell your state representative: Hands off Issue 2, the people's legalization law.

In November 2023, 57% of Ohio voters approved Issue 2, legalizing cannabis for adults 21 and older. HB 160 and the Senate-passed bill (SB 56) are a slap in the face to those voters. Both bills re-criminalize passing a joint or otherwise sharing cannabis, possessing cannabis from Michigan and other states, and a wide array of other conduct. Meanwhile, Gov. DeWine has proposed doubling the cannabis excise tax from 10% to 20%.

People power defeated Ohio lawmakers' attempt to overturn the will of voters last year. But since then a new crop of lawmakers has been elected and Ohio has a new Speaker of the House, who vehemently opposed Issue 2. It's time to mobilize to save Issue 2.

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. This year, Rep. Jared Sullivan's HB 198 would take that question off the table and simply legalize possession of modest amounts of cannabis for adults 21 and older.

HB 198 is out of committee and headed to the House floor. If you live in New Hampshire, let your state reps and senator know you want them to vote "yes" to let Granite Staters live free.

HB 198 would prevent hundreds of arrests each year. It would finally treat adults like grown-ups, and let them make their own decisions about cannabis. 

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 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.

There are also several other positive reforms making their way through the legislature, including an MPP-backed automatic annulment bill (HB 196), and bills to allow home cultivation by patients (HB 53) and double medical cannabis possession limits (HB 190).

Florida has the opportunity this legislative session to stop destroying lives over old cannabis possession charges. This is a much-needed step in the right direction for Florida to stop closing the door of opportunity for people who have already served time, and/or have paid the fine for their past minor charges.

If you live in Florida, take action now and tell legislators you want to see expungement for Floridian's minor cannabis charges!

Senate Bill 1026 would allow individuals to have their records expunged for possessing two ounces or less. It would also require the Department of Law Enforcement to notify those eligible for expungement without charging a fee. If passed, the law would be set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Meanwhile, S1028 provides a comprehensive framework for the handling of cannabis expungements. It would make records of past convictions confidential.

A cannabis conviction can haunt a person for the rest of their life. It can disqualify a person for jobs, housing, educational loans, security clearances, and professional licenses. This stymies a person's ability to better themselves. The consequences simply do not match the severity of the violation. Ruining lives over cannabis is particularly outrageous given that most Florida voters want it to be legal.

The inequitable nature of enforcement of cannabis prohibition, highlighted in our 2022 report, reinforces the need to give people the opportunity to clear their criminal record and continue a productive life. These pieces of legislation, if enacted, would achieve this goal.

Florida is the Sunshine State and these bills will create the best disinfectant to the stain that a cannabis charge can leave on a person's record.

March is Women's History Month, a time to celebrate the incredible contributions of women throughout history. While often overlooked, women have played a pivotal role in shaping the cannabis landscape. This month, we're shining a spotlight on the women who are leading the charge in cannabis advocacy, fighting for policy reform, social justice, and access to this powerful plant.

Here at MPP, we've witnessed firsthand how women in leadership positions can influence positive change as they simultaneously work towards ushering in more women to the burgeoning industry. These women are not just advocating for cannabis; they're advocating for social justice. They understand that cannabis prohibition has been used as a tool of oppression, disproportionately targeting Black and Brown communities. They're fighting to right these wrongs and create a more equitable system for everyone.

To that end, we are excited to shine a spotlight on some of the many women who are leading the charge in the cannabis advocacy movement!

Lauren Daly, Interim Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project

Lauren recently returned to MPP as Interim Executive Director after working as a frontline fundraiser for more than a decade in impactful nonprofit organizations. She first got involved in the cannabis movement as a volunteer in 2013, and got her first fundraising job at MPP shortly after. She joined the Students for Sensible Drug Policy team in 2014 and became SSDP's first Development Director, leading fundraising during one of the organization's largest growth periods. In 2020, she became a Development Officer for the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia. There, she played a key role in steering ACLU-DC's fundraising strategy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also served as a board member for Source Research Foundation, which provides grants for academic research and community projects related to psychedelics.

Karen O'Keefe, Director of State Policies at the Marijuana Policy Project

Karen is an attorney and the Director of State Policies at MPP. She has been with MPP since 2003 and is perhaps the foremost expert in the country on state cannabis policies. Working closely with local advocates and lawmakers, her team played a leading role in the advocacy campaigns that resulted in the first two legalization laws to pass through state legislatures, in Vermont and Illinois. Her team has also played central roles in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, and Rhode Island's successful legalization efforts and the lobbying campaigns that resulted in more than a dozen medical marijuana and decriminalization laws.

Betty Aldworth, Board Chair of the Marijuana Policy Project and Interim Co-Executive Director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)

Betty was a pioneer in the cannabis legalization movement, and served as spokesperson for Colorado's successful Amendment 64 campaign in 2012. As the Director of Communications and Post-Prohibition Strategy at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, she generates support for psychedelic research and reform through the media and illustrates the promise of a post-prohibition world through inspiring public education opportunities. Betty has dedicated her career to building a more sensible future through reforming drug policies to be rooted in safety, justice, and education.

Additionally, we are proud to both recognize and celebrate the women of the MPP team who make our work possible: Kim Napoli (Board of Directors), Bridget Spiddle, Daniela Jang, and Violet Cavendish—as well as other women who are shaping the future of the cannabis reform movement:

Kat Murti, Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Kassandra Frederique, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance
Frederika McClary Easley, President of the Minority Cannabis Business Association and Executive Director of the Cannabis Impact Fund
Steph Sherer, Board President and Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access
Sheri Orlowitz, Board Chair of the Council for Federal Cannabis Regulation
Dr. Chanda Macias, CEO of WomenGrow

Without the contributions of women, the cannabis reform movement would not be where it is today. And to get where we need to go, strong women leaders are going to continue to be at the forefront of this fight to build a legal cannabis reality where no one is left out or left behind.