New York just legalized adult-use cannabis! 

Last night, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) received final approval from state legislators, and earlier today, Gov. Andrew Cuomo officially signed the legislation into law, making New York the 16th state to end cannabis prohibition and the third to adopt a legalization policy via its state legislature.

Under the legislation, adults over 21 may possess up to three ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrate, plus adults can grow a maximum of three mature plants and three immature plants once regulations are adopted. Legal possession of up to three ounces is effective immediately. Additionally, the law includes provisions for automatic expungement, community reinvestment, and measures to ensure the industry includes communities that have been disproportionately targeted by cannabis enforcement. Our summary of the MRTA is available here.

We expect this to be a record-breaking year for legalization in state legislatures. Until today, only two state legislatures had ever passed cannabis legalization — Illinois and Vermont, both efforts led by MPP. Now, we may see two legislatures pass legalization this WEEK alone.

• New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called a special session, which started yesterday, to finish the job on legalization. During the regular session, the House passed an equitable legalization bill, but the clock ran out before the Senate could. Already, committees have advanced legalization during the special session.
   
• Today, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam formally recommended the legislature move up legalization of possession and home cultivation to July 2021. (The legislatively passed bill did not legalize possession and home cultivation until 2024.) The legislature will consider his changes — which the speaker supports — on April 7.
   
• In addition, Delaware, Connecticut, and Rhode Island — all of which MPP is heavily involved in — have a real chance of passing legalization legislatively this year.

Adding New York to the list, 38% of Americans now live in a legalization state. But, that means 62% do not, despite more than two-thirds of Americans supporting legalization. We need your help to change that, so please support our work to pass more bills through state legislatures by making a donation today. 

Congratulations to the Empire State on this huge victory, and kudos to all the advocates who worked to make it possible!

Email and call your state senator today to let them know it’s time to legalize medical marijuana!

“The medicine that saves my life every day is illegal in South Carolina. I am asking my fellow South Carolinians, please support your veterans by asking your legislators to support compassionate legislation to bring this relief to everyone who needs it.”
 
— J., a female South Carolina veteran with PTSD and a severely painful kidney condition that medical cannabis has dramatically helped

Earlier today, the South Carolina Senate Medical Affairs Committee advanced the S.C. Compassionate Care Act in a 9-5 vote! After six long years of advocacy from patients and their loved ones, the S.C. Compassionate Care Act could get a Senate floor vote next week.

That’s where you come in …

We need all hands on deck to get this life-saving bill out of the Senate before the “crossover” deadline late next week. Here’s what you can do:

1. Send your state legislators an email asking them to stand up for patients.

2. Follow up with a polite call to your state senator.

3. Spread the word on social media, including by posting this action link.

4. Volunteer to phone bank from your own home. We’ll provide training and talking points on Friday, April 2 at 2:00 p.m.

Thank you for your compassion! Now, let’s get moving.

Ask your state legislators to support cannabis legalization!

Good news! This weekend, Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders reached consensus on the details of legalizing cannabis in the Empire State.

You might recall earlier in the legislative session Gov. Cuomo released his plan to legalize cannabis in New York – the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act. Legislative leaders also reintroduced the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which has been introduced several times since 2013. Gov. Cuomo later revised his bill to address concerns around equity and penalties for possession and usage.

This past weekend, the two sides reached a deal. You can check out a summary of the proposed legislation here.

Please email your state lawmakers and ask them to support legalization.

Under the proposal:

• adults over the age of 21 would be allowed to possess up to three ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrate, plus a maximum of 12 plants per household once regulations are adopted;
• a hybrid tax would be imposed, with a potency-based tax levied on distributors (0.5 cents/mg of THC for flower, 0.8 cents/mg for concentrates, and 3 cents/mg for edibles) and a point of sale retail tax of 9% state tax and a 4% local tax (with 75% of the local earnings going to municipalities and 25% to counties); and
• after regulatory and administrative costs, 40% of cannabis revenue would go to community grants reinvestment, 20% to schools, and 40% to drug treatment facilities and public education, including for a youth-focused public health education and prevention campaign, a statewide public health campaign on the health effects of cannabis, and for substance use disorder treatment.

​​​​​​​The bill is expected to receive a floor vote later this week! Please write your legislators now and spread the word. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as the bill progresses through the legislature.

Email your delegates and urge them to support HB 590!

Last week, the West Virginia Senate passed HB 590, a bill that would allow medical cannabis patients to obtain edible products from dispensaries, in a 26-8 vote. This would be an important upgrade to the state’s medical cannabis law, which currently prohibits the sale of edibles. Next, the bill will be considered by the House of Delegates.

Please write your delegates today and urge them to support this bill.

The slow rollout of the medical cannabis law has been very frustrating for patients, but it appears that the long wait will soon be over. One potential roadblock was cleared recently when the state licensed its first medical cannabis testing lab. Patients are already able to register online, and it appears that the program is finally on the verge of becoming operational.

Once dispensaries are open, there is no good reason that they should be prohibited from selling edible products. Many patients find that edible forms of cannabis are most effective in treating their symptoms, and it’s important that they be available to patients in West Virginia as they are in other states.

After you write your delegates, please share this message with your friends and family.

Email your elected officials and urge them to support the legalization bill!

New Mexico lawmakers fell just short of reaching agreement on a cannabis legalization bill before the legislative session ended on March 20. Fortunately, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has called for a special session so the legislature can complete its work on this important issue. The special session will begin TOMORROW.

It’s important that lawmakers hear from you. Email your elected officials right now and urge them to support ending prohibition this year!

Polling has found that more than 60% of New Mexicans support legalizing, taxing, and regulating cannabis for adult use. The House passed a legalization bill, HB 12, last month, but the Senate was not able to agree on details and did not vote on the bill before the regular session ended.

Gov. Grisham expressed confidence that legislators would be able to complete their work and pass a legalization bill during the special session. “We must and we will forge ahead and finish the job on these initiatives together for the good of the people and future of our great state,” she said.

After you write your lawmakers, please share this important message with your family and friends.

The governor has until March 31 to act on the legalization and expungement bills — write him and urge him to fix the legalization bills today!

Good news! This week, Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation (HB 2218/SB 1333) that will allow registered patients to obtain whole-plant, “botanical” cannabis from medical cannabis dispensaries. The new law, which takes effect on July 1, will make it possible for patients to use cannabis in whatever form they find to be most helpful.

Gov. Northam has until March 31 to take action on the adult-use legalization and expungement bills. Unfortunately, as we informed you previously, the legalization bills still include one very bad provision that would criminalize bringing small amounts of cannabis into the Commonwealth from other jurisdictions. Both HB 2312 and SB 1406 would create a new criminal penalty, punishable by up to a year in jail, for entering Virginia with less than five pounds of cannabis. The bills do not include an exception for one ounce or less of cannabis.

We are also asking Gov. Northam to move the effective date of legalization from 2024 to 2021. If you haven’t already done so, please write Gov. Northam today and encourage him to request these important amendments.

If you’d like to read MPP’s letter to Gov. Northam, click here.

After you write Gov. Northam, please share this message with your friends and family in Virginia.

Ask your lawmakers to support HB 150!

Today, Delaware’s House Health and Human Development Committee voted 10-5 in favor of HB 150, a bill to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older. It now moves to the House Appropriations Committee before heading to the House floor.

The bill will need a three-fifths supermajority (25 votes) to pass the House, so it’s very important your representatives hear from you.

You can check out our full summary of the bill here.

By passing HB 150 this year, Delaware can reduce the number of cannabis-related arrests and police interactions, free up law enforcement resources to focus on more serious crimes, and generate a new revenue source for the state.

Ask your state rep to stand with 61 percent of Delawareans and vote YES on HB 150! After you contact your representative, forward this message to your networks in Delaware — or share the action link on social media — and encourage them to do the same.

Together, we can end prohibition in the First State!

Click here to contact your state lawmaker about HB 2722.

Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives recently approved HB 2722, which puts arbitrary caps on the number of medical cannabis businesses allowed in Oklahoma and creates impediments for new entrepreneurs to enter the industry. Passage of this legislation would only reduce competition and limit patients’ options.

HB 2722 is now being considered by state senators. Make sure your voice is heard before they vote by using our legislative action tool.

Oklahoma's medical cannabis program is working and helping patients. The state should avoid overly restricting an otherwise free and healthy medical cannabis market.

Thank you for taking action and contacting your state senator today.

HB 290 would reclassify cannabis possession from a misdemeanor to an infraction — write your elected officials today and urge them to support this reform!

In December, the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice recommended that cannabis possession should be a civil — not a criminal — offense. Last week, legislators put forward a bill that would do just that.

HB 290, which has 28 legislative sponsors, would reclassify the penalty for possessing up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis from a misdemeanor to an infraction. Under North Carolina law, infractions are punishable by a fine of up to $100.

Please contact your state legislators right now and urge them to support this sensible reform.

Under current law, possessing up to a half ounce of cannabis is a misdemeanor that carries a fine of up to $200, along with the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction. Possession of greater amounts up to 1.5 ounces can result in up to 45 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Most North Carolina residents — 54% according to a recent Elon College poll — are in favor of legalizing cannabis. HB 290 would not legalize possession, but it would significantly reduce harm to individuals who are charged with possessing small amounts. It would also allow police and courts to waste less time dealing with cannabis possession cases, leaving them with more time to deal with serious crimes.

After you write your legislators, please share this message with your family and friends.

Ask your lawmakers to support HB 150.

The House Health and Human Development Committee has scheduled a hearing for HB 150, legislation to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older. The virtual hearing will take place on Wednesday, March 24 at 11 a.m.

Please write your lawmakers today and ask them to support HB 150.

You can voice your support at the hearing by providing written or oral testimony. We particularly encourage testimony from supportive law enforcement, clergy, substance abuse and medical professionals, educators, and those who have been harmed by cannabis prohibition.

For more information on HB 150, you can check out our summary here. You can find some arguments in support of legalizing and regulating cannabis here.

Written testimony can be submitted by emailing it to HouseCommitteeComment@delaware.gov. Please specify the House Committee (Health and Human Development), the date of the committee meeting (March 24, 2021), and the bill number for which you are submitting public comment (HB 150). Submissions will be accepted in advance of the committee meeting and up to 24 hours after the hearing has concluded.

Oral testimony will be limited to two minutes. You can register to submit oral testimony here. Check out the guidelines under “Minutes and Supporting Documents” for more details on providing testimony.

Help us send a strong message to the General Assembly to end cannabis prohibition in the First State this year! Please show your support at the upcoming bill hearing, contact your lawmakers, and forward this message to your friends and family in Delaware.