If you live in Maryland, contact your legislators today and encourage them to pass a bill to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana in 2019!

Today, Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced that her office would no longer prosecute marijuana possession, regardless of the amount. In Baltimore City, arrests for marijuana possession — almost entirely and disproportionately African American Baltimoreans — have continued even post-decriminalization in 2014.

It is time for the rest of the state of Maryland to follow the lead of State's Attorney Mosby and consider a safer and more just approach to marijuana.

Ask your lawmakers to support ending marijuana prohibition for adults in 2019 and ensure that those harmed by prohibition in the past are able to clear their records.

The time is now for Marylanders to pressure the General Assembly to end marijuana prohibition in the state of Maryland for adults 21 and older, with provisions to expunge records.

Please contact your lawmakers today, and join us in Annapolis February 5 for our Maryland 2019 Cannabis Legalization Lobby Day. Then, forward this message to your networks in Maryland. Together, we can end prohibition!

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This Monday, January 28, AL.com will be moderating a marijuana law panel in Birmingham.  The event will be an educational forum for policymakers to discuss Alabama’s marijuana laws. If you are interested in going, please RSVP as space is limited.

Here are the details for the forum:

What: Alabama marijuana law panel

When: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on January 28, 2019

Where: Harbert Center, 2019 4th Ave. N, Birmingham, AL 35203

A report put out by two of the participants, Southern Poverty Law Center and Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, highlights the fiscal and social costs of prohibition. Enforcing these failed marijuana laws costs the state millions of dollars and needlessly harms thousands of Alabamans. Please write your legislators, asking them to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana possession. Then, share the action with your friends and family. Together we can bring sensible marijuana laws to Alabama.

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If you live in Nebraska, click here to send a message to your state senator.

The push for medical marijuana is heating up in Nebraska — and we need you to be part of it!

Sen. Anna Wishart recently introduced a bill that would establish a compassionate program for individuals with serious health conditions. With a doctor's approval, qualifying patients would be able to safely access medical marijuana under this legislation.

Please contact your state senator right now and urge them to support LB 110!

Thirty-two states, including Utah, Oklahoma, and Missouri, have adopted laws to legalize medical marijuana. It's time for Nebraska to do the same. Take action and forward this email to others so they can contact their state senators, too.

One last thing: While we are hopeful that Nebraskan lawmakers pass Sen. Wishart's bill this year, a newly formed committee, Nebraskans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, is preparing to introduce a 2020 ballot initiative with MPP's support. Sign up to receive email updates from the campaign here, and if you live in or near Lincoln, please attend the campaign's kickoff fundraiser this Friday, January 25! Get more details and RSVP here.

Thank you for your support!

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Get your free tickets today for Maine's premier canna-networking event!

The Marijuana Policy Project will be hosting another great cannabis industry mixer in Portland. Lots of new and exciting developments are happening in Maine, and this event will be a perfect place to meet other folks in the industry. Here are the details:

What: Cannabis Industry Mixer

When: Thursday, February 7, 2019

Where: Cloudport CoWorking, located at 63 Federal Street, Portland, ME 04101

Why: To network with other Mainers connected to the cannabis industry

Food and drink will be complimentary thanks to our sponsor, Maine Cannabis Chronicle. Maine Cannabis Chronicle is an industry/cultural magazine launching this spring in Maine!

So please, register today for your free tickets, and we will see you in a few weeks!

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We will need two-thirds majorities to overcome Gov. Sununu's veto threat — email your state legislators today!

Rep. Renny Cushing's legalization bill has been introduced in the New Hampshire House with a bipartisan slate of 11 cosponsors, and it has been assigned a number: HB 481.

Please email your state representative(s) and senator today and encourage them to support HB 481, the bill to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis.

It's encouraging that new House Speaker Steve Shurtleff believes the bill can pass even though Gov. Chris Sununu has threatened to veto it. However, a veto override will only be possible if legislators hear from large numbers of their constituents in support of such a bill. If you receive a response from a legislator, it would be very helpful if you could share it with us via email.

HB 481 has been referred to the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, and a public hearing has already been scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5, in Room 204 of the Legislative Office Building (33 N State St., Concord). Check out our summary of the bill here, and please plan to attend the hearing, if possible, on February 5.

After you email your state legislators, please forward this message to your family and friends!

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At least five shops are now approved to open, with more on the way

Ohio has now approved five dispensaries to begin serving patients, with most announcing they are opening for the first time today, January 16. This is the final major milestone for a program first adopted by lawmakers in 2016, and a relief to those patients who can now get access.

According to the state's website, CY+ and Ohio Valley Natural Relief LLC are opening in Wintersville. There are two shops owned by The Botanist, one in Canton and one in Wickliffe included in the approval list, along with The Forest Sandusky in Sandusky, Ohio. The state's recently updated list is available online here. Many additional dispensaries are expected soon.

While Ohio has one of the most carefully regulated programs in the country, it hasn't been without challenges. Confusion over patient protections since the law was adopted continued throughout the process, and the high regulatory hurdle the state set for operators took longer to implement than many expected – with the state missing its final deadline last September. The program's launch is a relief.

We wish to thank the many supporters who contributed to the bill's passage and adoption following our voter initiative. MPP is pleased that the voter initiative we initiated in 2014 jump-started a serious effort in the legislature to pass such a measure, with today's sales being the final result. Thanks everyone!

Please forward this message to friends, family, and supporters. The big day has finally arrived Ohio!

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On Sunday, Gov. Raimondo announced that she will be including a plan to legalize and regulate marijuana for adult use in her upcoming budget. This endorsement represents an exciting breakthrough in our years-long effort to end marijuana prohibition in Rhode Island.

Detailed legislation will be available soon. For now, what we know is that the governor aims to establish the most tightly regulated legalization program in the country. Check out this article to read more about the plan.

While we may not agree with all aspects of the proposal – including the ban on home cultivation – we commend the governor for spearheading this initiative. In the coming months, we expect a robust discussion within the General Assembly, and there may be opportunities to amend the legislation.

One thing is for sure: Legalization will finally have the hearing it deserves this year. It's going to be an interesting session, so be sure to stay tuned for more updates on how you can help ensure that legalization crosses the finish line this year.

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If you're a South Carolina resident, click here to send a message to your lawmakers in support of a medical cannabis program.

Sen. Tom Davis introduced a new bill today that would establish a medical cannabis program for seriously ill patients in South Carolina. The text of Senate bill 366 is available here. Sen. Davis' office sent out a summary of the bill, and we have our own as well. Rep. Peter McCoy is expected to file his own version in the House soon.

You lawmakers need to hear from you. Click here to forward a message asking for support.

Sen. Davis and Rep. McCoy sponsored medical cannabis bills in 2018, and in many respects this year's effort will pick up where last year's left off. Measures in both chambers passed out of committee last year, but time ran out before floor votes could be taken. Given the groundwork laid since then, we hope to see a bill pass and be presented to the governor for his signature in 2019.

At the same time, there are signs of increasing support among members of the GOP. Members of the Charleston County GOP voted yesterday in support of a resolution asking the state legislature to adopt a medical cannabis measure for patients in South Carolina. Based on recent polling, 63% of Republicans in the state support such a program.

2019 could be the year patients finally get a program they deserve! Make sure your lawmakers hear from you, and please forward this message to friends, family, and supporters in South Carolina.

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Mark your calendars for Tuesday, February 5 and register today!

Maryland's 2019 legislative session is underway and discussion of legalizing adult-use cannabis has already begun. Please join the Maryland Cannabis Policy Coalition's lobby day event to demonstrate that Marylanders want the General Assembly to pass legislation to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older this year.

What: Maryland 2019 Cannabis Legalization Lobby Day
When: Tuesday, February 5, 2019 (7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Where: House Building, Room 170, Annapolis, Maryland
Register here.

Prior to meeting your elected officials, we will provide you with an information package including appointment times and locations and suggested talking points.

It is important your lawmakers hear from as many constituents as possible. Help us send a strong message to the General Assembly to end prohibition in 2019 by joining us in solidarity, and sharing this message — or the Facebook event — with your family and friends in Maryland.

We look forward to seeing you February 5. Together, we can end prohibition in 2019.

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After the hearings, a public discussion about cannabis legalization will take place Tuesday evening in Peterborough.

The New Hampshire legislative session has begun, and several bills to improve the therapeutic cannabis program have already been scheduled for public hearings on Tuesday afternoon, January 15. There will also be a hearing Tuesday afternoon on a bill that would enable annulment of criminal convictions for possessing three quarters of an ounce or less of marijuana.

The public is welcome to attend these hearings. For each bill, there will be a sign-in sheet where people can register their support or opposition. Any member of the public can also sign up to testify — please let me know at msimon@mpp.org if you would like to testify so we can coordinate.

WHAT and WHEN: Public hearings on these bills in the House Committee on Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs, on Tuesday, January 15:

1:00 p.m. — HB 335, relative to therapeutic cannabis dispensary locations
1:30 p.m. — HB 174, relative to alternative treatment center licenses
2:00 p.m. — HB 364, permitting qualifying patients and designated caregivers to cultivate cannabis for therapeutic use
2:30 p.m. — HB 366, adding opioid addiction, misuse, and abuse to qualifying medical conditions undertherapeutic use of cannabis

Public hearing in the House Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, on Tuesday, January 15:
2:30 p.m. — HB 399, relative toannulment of arrests or convictions for possession of a certain quantity of marijuana

WHERE: Legislative Office Building, 33 N State St., Concord. The medical cannabis bills will be heard in Room 303, and the annulment bill will be heard in Room 204.

In other news, the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript will be hosting a public discussion about legalization on Tuesday evening. Here are the details:

WHAT: Community Conversations, a discussion series that is free and open to the public. This week's program will focus on cannabis legalization and feature panelists from both sides of the debate.

WHERE: Monadnock Center for History and Culture, 19 Grove St., Peterborough

WHEN: 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 15

We expect that the legalization bill will be introduced very soon. Please share this message with your family and friends, and stay tuned for updates!

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