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MPP's Pennsylvania Voter Guide

Oct 18, 2016

General Assembly, PA, Pennsylvania, voter guide

Pennsylvania is one of the 26 states that lack a ballot initiative process, meaning the only way to improve statewide marijuana policies is to convince the state legislature to do so. With Election Day just weeks away, now is the time to help shape the makeup of the next General Assembly.2000px-seal_of_pennsylvania-svg
If you are a Pennsylvania resident, find out where candidates in your state House and state Senate districts stand on marijuana policy reform before you cast your votes on Tuesday, November 8:

1. If you’re not sure what state legislative districts you live in, click here.

2. Then, check out our voter guide to see where the candidates in your district stand.
We complied all incumbent candidates’ votes on medical marijuana, and sent all candidates a three-question survey on replacing jail time for marijuana possession with a civil fine; regulating marijuana like alcohol for adults’ use; and making it legal for adults to grow a limited amount of marijuana.
If candidates in your state legislative district didn’t answer our survey questions, you may want to reach out to them directly to ask where they stand. Please let us know if you get a response.

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Medical Marijuana||Research

MPP's South Carolina Voter Guide

Oct 18, 2016

House, Palmetto State, SC, Senate, South Carolina, voter guide

Medical marijuana patients in South Carolina remain criminals if they use a treatment option that is safer many prescriptions. Bipartisan lawmakers have proposed bringing a compassionate law to the Palmetto State, but the proposal was defeated in committee this year.Seal_of_South_Carolina.svg

If patients are to get the protections they deserve, they’ll need legislators who stand up for them. You can help make that happen.

If you are a South Carolina resident, find out where candidates in your state House and state Senate districts stand before you cast your votes on Tuesday, November 8.

1. If you’re not sure of what state legislative districts you live in, click here.

2. Then, check out our voter guide to see where the candidates in your state House and state Senate district stand on medical marijuana policy.
If we have no information on candidates in your district, that means they didn’t respond to our questionnaire. You may want to reach out to them directly to ask where they stand. Please let us know if you get a response.

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Medical Marijuana||Prohibition

MPP's Nebraska Medical Marijuana Voter Guide

Oct 18, 2016

NE, Nebraska, Senate, Tommy Garrett, voter guide

In March, Nebraska Sen. Tommy Garrett’s compassionate medical marijuana bill came a few votes shy of the super-majority needed to stop a filibuster.2000px-nebraska-stateseal-svg If patients are to get the protections they deserve next year, they’ll need legislators who stand up for them.
On November 8, half of the Nebraska Legislature is up for re-election.

1. If you’re not sure what state Senate district you live in, click here to find out. If your Senate district is an odd number, it’s on the ballot this year.

2. If you live in an odd-numbered Senate district, check out our voter guide see where the candidates in your district stand on allowing medical marijuana.

To compile our Nebraska voter guide, we reviewed the medical marijuana voting record of all incumbent senators who are running for re-election, and sent a questionnaire to all candidates. Unfortunately, only one candidate responded to our questionnaire. While they’re trying to earn votes, please consider reaching out to candidates in your district to let them know you want them to stand up for patients. The voter guide includes all candidates’ contact information.

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Prohibition

Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy Releases State Voter Guide

Oct 18, 2016 Heather Fazio

Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, Texas, Texas NORML, TX, voter guide

To find out where Texas candidates for state senator and state representative stand on marijuana policy reform, we surveyed them, compiled their voting records, and put together a voter guide to make it easy for those of us who consider this issue a priority.s6v2cbfqzfoq695dmsrvg5zcwwvu9khspgdvm07hevsi-068qgifwmcxwibowjdbzh8pegs2048

There are two ways to view the results:

a. Enter your address and we’ll tell you which candidates are seeking your vote and where they stand on marijuana law reform.
a. This full-length document displays candidates’ responses to our survey, contact information for those who declined to respond, and incumbents’ voting records for the marijuana-related bills from last session.
This voter guide was compiled, published, and funded by members of Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, a broad coalition of organizations, activists, and community leaders dedicated to meaningful reform in Texas.
Texas NORML originated the guide in 2012, and we'd like to thank them for helping to put this year's guide together.
Don't forget: early voting starts in Texas on Oct. 24, and the general election will be held on Nov. 8!

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Prohibition

MPP's New Hampshire Voter Guide

Oct 18, 2016 Matt Simon

Chris Sununu, Colin Van Ostern, Democrat, Granite State, libertarian, Max Abramson, New Hampshire, NH, Republican, voter guide

There has never been a more important opportunity to advance marijuana policy reform in New Hampshire than this year’s general election, which is now less than a month away. Granite Staters overwhelmingly support reforming marijuana laws, and MPP’s newly published voter guide shows that legislators and candidates are finally getting the message!Seal_of_New_Hampshire.svg
This year, for the first time in New Hampshire history, both major party candidates for governor — Democrat Colin Van Ostern and Republican Chris Sununu — have clearly stated their support for decriminalization. At this point, there does not appear to be a significant difference between Van Ostern and Sununu on marijuana policy, and either candidate would certainly be an upgrade over Gov. Maggie Hassan. A third candidate appearing on the ballot, Libertarian Max Abramson, supports legalization.
Even more exciting than the governor’s race is the prospect of improving the make-up of the state Senate, which has killed seven decriminalization bills since 2008. As the voter guide illustrates, several of the worst prohibitionist senators from last session are not seeking re-election, and many of the candidates seeking to replace them have much more enlightened positions on marijuana policy.
If you are a New Hampshire resident, please mark your calendar for Nov. 8, and share the voter guide with as many people as possible on Facebook and other social media platforms!

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Tax and Regulate

Delaware Senate Majority Whip to Introduce Legalization Bill Next Session

Oct 18, 2016 Maggie Ellinger-Locke

DE, Delaware, Margaret Rose Henry, Medical Marijuana Act Oversight Committee, Tax and Regulate

Last week during a meeting of the Medical Marijuana Act Oversight Committee, Senate Majority Whip Margaret Rose Henry — who sponsored Delaware’s medical bill — said she plans to file a bill to regulate cannabis like alcohol! You can read more of her statements in this Delaware Online article.

[caption id="attachment_10111" align="alignright" width="200"]margaretrosehenry Sen. Margaret Rose Henry[/caption]

Congratulations to all the advocates who have helped get Delaware to this point and are celebrating this wonderful news across the state today.

But, the battle has barely begun. Having a champion as respected and effective as Sen. Henry is crucial, but unless we get a majority of the General Assembly on board, the bill will not succeed. If you are a Delaware resident, please ask your legislators to embrace reform and support the passage of this bill. And if Sen. Henry is your state senator, be sure to thank her for taking this important step.

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Research

National Poll Shows Increasing Majority Support for Legal Marijuana

Oct 12, 2016

John Kasich, Ohio, Pew, Pew Research Center, poll

A new poll by the Pew Research Center shows that a majority of Americans think that marijuana should be legal, and support is increasing.

[caption id="attachment_10109" align="alignright" width="225"]screen-shot-2016-10-12-at-11-41-48-am (Pew Research Center)[/caption]

Today, 57% of U.S. adults say the use of marijuana should be made legal, while 37% say it should be illegal. A decade ago, opinion on legalizing marijuana was nearly the reverse – just 32% favored legalization, while 60% were opposed.

The shift in public opinion on the legalization of marijuana has occurred during a time when many U.S. states are relaxing their restrictions on the drug or legalizing it altogether. In June, Ohio became the 25th state (plus Washington, D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico) to legalize marijuana in some form after Gov. John Kasich signed a medical marijuana program into law. This November, Americans in nine states will vote on measures to establish or expand legal marijuana use.

The same report released last year showed 53% support for legalization nationally.

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Tax and Regulate

Nevada Culinary Union Endorses Question 2

Oct 11, 2016

Culinary Union, Local 226, Nevada, NV, Question 2

The Culinary Workers Union Local 226, Nevada’s largest union, has endorsed Question 2, the Initiative to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol!

The Culinary Union represents more than 57,000 workers in the state, so this endorsement gives a tremendous boost to our efforts to end marijuana prohibition. 

Local 226 knows, as we do, that it is time to stop punishing adults who choose to use marijuana. They also know that passage of Question 2 will take marijuana out of the criminal market and place it in regulated businesses that will create well-paying jobs.

 

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Medical Marijuana

New Connecticut Medical Marijuana Provisions Take Effect

Oct 07, 2016 Becky Dansky

cerebral palsy, Connecticut, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, irreversible spinal cord injury, minors, terminal illness

This week, a new law that improves Connecticut’s medical marijuana program went into effect. Among other changes, for the first time, certain patients who are under 18 now qualify to use medical cannabis in the Constitution state. Previously, Connecticut had been the only medical marijuana state to completely exclude seriously ill minors from its program.Seal_of_Connecticut.svg
To participate in the Connecticut medical marijuana program, minors must have been diagnosed with terminal illness, an irreversible spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, or severe or intractable epilepsy. In addition, they must have a written certification from two doctors — a primary care provider and a specialist. Finally, a parent or guardian must submit a written statement consenting to the patient using medical cannabis and agreeing to serve as the minor’s primary caregiver.
The new law extends legal protections to nurses who administer medical marijuana to patients in hospitals, and it also creates a research program. The department is now accepting research applications from hospitals, universities, dispensaries, and growers. Research subjects and employees of approved applicants will also have to register with the department.

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Tax and Regulate

Massachusetts Ads Featuring Former Cop Kick Off Final Weeks of Campaign

Oct 06, 2016

Massachusetts, Merrimack College, Q, Question 4, Tom Nolan, Yes on 4

The campaign in support of Question 4 in Massachusetts began airing its first television ad this week. The 30-second spot, which can be viewed below, features former Tom Nolan, a retired Boston police lieutenant who is now an associate professor and program director of the criminal justice graduate program at Merrimack College.

In the newly released ad, Nolan discusses several of the controls on marijuana that would be created under Question 4, as well as the millions of dollars in revenue that would be generated each year by taxes on adult-use marijuana sales.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKaRJ_urDmM&w=560&h=315]

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