[caption id="attachment_7226" align="alignright" width="240"] Sen. Daylin Leach[/caption] A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania state senators has introduced Senate Bill 1182, the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act. This is the first time in recent Pennsylvania Senate history that a medical marijuana bill has received bipartisan support. Authored by Sen. Daylin Leach (D) and Sen. Mike Folmer (R), the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act will protect Pennsylvanians with serious and debilitating…

The New Hampshire House of Representatives took a major step forward today, voting 170-162 to approve a bill that would legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for use by adults in the “Live Free or Die” state. Unfortunately, Gov. Maggie Hassan has already promised she will veto the bill if it reaches her desk. “I just think it's the wrong message to send to young people,” she explained. Based on Colorado’s Amendment 64, HB 492 would end New Hampshire’s failed prohibition of marijuana and replace it…

Building on steadily increasing public support, a coalition of marijuana policy reformers are looking to 2016 to get an initiative on the Massachusetts ballot to make marijuana legal for adults and regulate it similarly to alcohol. MPP was largely responsible for the successful 2008 campaign to remove the threat of arrest for possession of small amounts of marijuana in the state. Now, national and local advocates are preparing to end marijuana prohibition in the Bay State: Outside groups are already…

In case you missed it, check out MPP’s director of federal policies, Dan Riffle, debating Project SAM’s Kevin Sabet on ‘Washington Journal’ early Saturday morning:

Last Thursday, the Kentucky House Health and Welfare Committee considered the testimony of patients and advocates, who spoke in favor of passing a medical marijuana bill. Legislators learned about the experiences of 10 families who left their support structures and home state to move to Colorado, where young patients with seizure disorders could have legal access to medical marijuana. The hearing resulted in several news reports, including this article in The Lexington Herald-Leader and this video…

On Monday, CNN released a new poll showing 55% of Americans support making marijuana legal. Only 44% were opposed. According to the CNN poll and numbers from General Social Survey polling, support for legalizing marijuana has steadily soared over the past quarter century - from 16% in 1987 to 26% in 1996, 34% in 2002, and 43% two years ago. The survey found interesting divides on the issue. "There are big differences on age, region, party ID, and gender, with senior citizens, Republicans, and Southerners…

Rep. Sherry Jones has taken an important step for seriously ill patients in Tennessee and introduced a medical marijuana bill, HB 1385. [caption id="attachment_7205" align="alignright" width="120"] Rep. Sherry Jones[/caption] The bill, known as the Koozer-Kuhn Medical Cannabis Act, would establish a regulatory system similar to those adopted in 20 other states and the District of Columbia. Rep. Jones recently told WRCB-TV that the bill is “simply a matter of being rational and compassionate.” The…

A new poll was released Monday showing increased support for allowing medical marijuana in West Virginia. The poll, which was commissioned by MPP and conducted by Public Policy Polling, found that 56% of Mountain State residents support passing a medical marijuana law (up from 53% last January), and only 34% oppose laws that would allow patients to obtain and use medical marijuana (down from 40%). Results are available here. If you live in West Virginia, share these poll results with your state legislators…

This Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to announce an executive action creating a medical marijuana program. While it’s encouraging that he has realized patients should not be punished for using their medicine, unlike the medical marijuana bill sponsored by Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and Senator Diane Savino, Gov. Cuomo’s proposal would not create an effective program. The "State of the State" address will be streaming live at 11:30am ET on Wednesday. [caption id="attachment_7194" align="alignright"…

[caption id="attachment_7190" align="alignright" width="160"] Sen. Miller[/caption] Just days after the first legal marijuana sales took place in Colorado, Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) announced that he would support legislation to make marijuana legal and regulated in his own state. “I favor the legalization and taxation of marijuana, with restrictions,” Miller said, adding that he thinks his position will only grow in popularity in coming years. “I know where…