Ask your state lawmakers to legalize cannabis this year.

Exciting news! Earlier this week, two crucial cannabis bills passed the Hawaii Senate.

The first measure, SB 767, would legalize cannabis and allow licensed businesses to cultivate, produce, and sell cannabis products. SB 767 passed the full Senate in a 20-5 vote. Under the bill, personal use and possession of cannabis would no longer be a crime and adult home cultivation of up to three mature plants would be allowed. The bill also charges the state Department of Health with crafting rules around business licensing and retail sales. However, the law wouldn’t take effect until the year 2137 and doesn’t address equity or expungement. We are calling on lawmakers in the House to strengthen the bill and call SB 767 for a vote.

Let your lawmakers know you want them to pass legalization this year.

SB 758, which would increase the decriminalized possession threshold from three grams to one ounce, also cleared the Senate in a 24-1 vote. SB 758 also now heads to the House for consideration.

Both bills’ futures are uncertain as they could face tough battles in the House. Gov. Ige also appears to be generally unsupportive of legalization. But every step forward brings us closer to the day when cannabis prohibition ends in Hawaii. And every respectful call and email lawmakers receive in support of legalization helps move them in the right direction. As both bills progress, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.

Ask your representative to support medical cannabis.

Alabama lags behind almost every state in the nation on cannabis policy. It is one of only 14 states without a medical cannabis law, and one of only 19 that still jails individuals for simple possession. With your help, that could finally change this year!

The Alabama Senate overwhelmingly approved medical cannabis legislation in February, for the third year in a row. Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill to reduce the penalty for cannabis possession to a fine.

Alabama voters overwhelmingly support rolling back cannabis prohibition, but it’s crucial that lawmakers hear from their own constituents. Here are three things you can do to help:

1. Email your state representative to ask them to support the Compassion Act, to stop criminalizing medical cannabis.
2. Call your state senator in support of S. 149, to reduce the penalty for simple possession to a fine.
3. Spread the word. Ask your friends and family to speak out by forwarding this message or posting the action links on social media.

Thanks for supporting sensible and humane cannabis policies!

Contact your lawmakers today and ask them to end cannabis prohibition.

Wyoming currently trails far behind other states when it comes to sensible cannabis policies. That could change this year! A bill—HB 209—that would legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adults has been introduced.

Top lawmakers, including the House Speaker and Judiciary Committee chairman, have sponsored the legislation. The Judiciary Committee is expected to hold a hearing on the bill this Friday.

It’s important that your lawmakers hear from you that you want them to allow adults to have access to safe, legal cannabis!

Wyoming is one of just 14 states with no medical cannabis law, and one of only 19 that still jails its residents for simple possession of cannabis. Meanwhile, its neighbors in Colorado, South Dakota, and Montana have all legalized cannabis for adults. A recent poll found that 54 percent of Wyomingites support legalizing personal possession of cannabis for adults.

Ask your lawmakers to follow the will of the majority of Wyomingites and legalize and regulate cannabis for adults this year!

Legalizing and regulating cannabis for adults would not only reduce the number of cannabis-related arrests in the state and generate a new source of revenue, but it would also provide adults with safe, regulated access to cannabis—including those who could benefit from cannabis medically.

After you reach out to your lawmakers, please forward this message to your friends and family in Wyoming and encourage them to do the same.

SB 854 would protect patients and allow them to obtain medical cannabis from dispensaries — urge your state legislators to support this important reform!

Tennessee is one of only 14 states that has yet to pass a medical cannabis law. Fortunately, lawmakers are working to change that in 2021. Sponsored by Sen. Janice Bowling, SB 854 would legalize medical cannabis for patients who qualify and establish a medical cannabis commission to regulate production and sales.

Last week, the Senate Government Operations Committee approved SB 854 in a 6-2 vote. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. If you live in Tennessee, please send an email to your state legislators and urge them to support SB 854!

If you’d like to read more about the bill, a detailed summary is available on the General Assembly’s website.

After you email your legislators, please share this important message with your family and friends!

The Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on LB 474 this Wednesday. Click here to contact your senator and follow the steps below to take action!

Earlier this year, Sen. Anna Wishart introduced LB 474, which would establish a well regulated, compassionate medical cannabis program in Nebraska for patients with serious health conditions. This Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. CT, the Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the bill.

It’s critical that supporters of medical cannabis take action now to support passage of this legislation to help seriously ill patients. Here’s how you can help:

1. Click here to email and call your state senator and urge them to support LB 474.
2. Visit the legislature’s webpage for LB 474, click “Submit Comments Online for LB 474,” and write a short statement in support of the bill. Each senator will see how many supportive comments are submitted from constituents in their district.
3. Write a position letter on the bill and email it to judpl@leg.ne.gov before 12 p.m. CT tomorrow. Click here for more details on writing and submitting position letters.

You can tune in and view the Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, too. The event will be streamed live on this webpage.

Patients and their families are counting on you and other Nebraskans to urge their state senators to pass LB 474. Please take action now and forward this email to others so they can take action, too.

Thank you.

SB 387 would continue to deny benefits to TANF applicants if they test positive for cannabis — urge legislators to stop discriminating against needy children on the basis of their parents’ cannabis use!

Last Tuesday, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice indicated that his opposition to cannabis legalization is “weakening” because medical experts say cannabis regulation is helping to mitigate drug-related problems in other jurisdictions. He expressed some reservations but said he would be willing to sign a legalization bill if the House and Senate approved it. This is a remarkable development!

Unfortunately, legislators seem to be more interested in maintaining regressive policies than considering legalization. On Wednesday, the Senate passed SB 387, a bill that would extend the state’s policy of drug testing applicants for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and disqualifying them if they test positive for cannabis or other drugs. Sen. Ron Stollings proposed an amendment to remove cannabis from the bill, but the amendment was defeated.

Please contact your elected officials and tell them that they should be considering legalization, not voting to punish children because of a parent’s cannabis use.

After you contact your elected officials, share this email with your family and friends.

Ask your state lawmakers to legalize cannabis this year.

Exciting news! This week, two crucial cannabis bills advanced in the Hawaii Legislature. SB 767 would legalize cannabis and allow licensed businesses to cultivate, produce, and sell cannabis products. It would also allow adult home cultivation of up to three mature plants. Under the bill, the state Department of Health would craft rules around business licensing and retail sales by July 1, 2021. The Senate Ways & Means Committee passed SB 767 with amendments on a 7-0 vote. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for a full vote.

Meanwhile, SB 758, which would increase the possession threshold to one ounce from three grams advanced out of the Judiciary Committee on a 7-0 vote. It also now heads to the Senate floor for a full vote.

Both bills’ futures are uncertain as Gov. Ige appears to be generally unsupportive of legalization. However, House Speaker Scott Saiki (D) is likely to be supportive, as he introduced a legalization measure in 2013. It’s now more important than ever to contact your lawmakers and let them know you support legalization. As both bills progress, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.

Click here to send a message opposing federal caps and product bans.

Not satisfied with federal prohibition alone, some in Congress now want to limit state programs. In a shocking move, two powerful Senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Dianne Feinstein of California, issued a report on behalf of the U.S. Senate drug caucus indicating they may seek to impose federal caps on THC in products in legal state cannabis programs. Anything over the cap would be banned. 

Ask your Senators to push back on this offensive proposal.

States around the country have shown they are capable of deciding for themselves which products to allow, and so far cap-and-ban proposals have been nearly universally rejected. Cap-and-ban proposals overlook the needs of medical cannabis patients and reintroduce exactly the same prohibition policies that led to legalization — the criminalization of cannabis and the uneven enforcement against people of color, long the hallmark of cannabis prohibition.

Ironically, 60% of voters in Sen. Cornyn’s home state of Texas support legalization, along with 68% of voters in Sen. Feinstein’s state of California. To say their proposal is out of step with voters in their own states, much less nationally, is an understatement. 

Prohibition and its failed policies must end, and you can help. Please take a moment to send a quick email to your Senators and a clear message to prohibitionists: stop working against the will of the voters and let the states continue to regulate cannabis without interference.   

Virginia must not criminalize “importing” small amounts of cannabis — write the governor today!

The Virginia House and Senate deserve a round of applause for completing work on the adult-use legalization bills and advancing them to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk. Although we are disappointed by the fact that cannabis will not become legal until January 2024, we are pleased that the final bill does not criminalize sharing of cannabis between adults or increase penalties for public consumption and underage possession.

Unfortunately, both bills still include one very bad provision that would criminalize bringing small amounts of cannabis into the Commonwealth from another jurisdiction. 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.

Gov. Northam is expected to ask the legislature for amendments to the bill, so we are urging him to seek an amendment to this provision. Bringing one ounce or less of cannabis into Virginia for personal use should not be a criminal offense, and it needs to be exempted from this new penalty.

Please write Gov. Ralph Northam today and encourage him to request an amendment to this provision. If you use Twitter, please also consider re-tweeting MPP’s tweet to Gov. Northam, or adding your own tweet to ask him to fix the law and avoid re-criminalizing cannabis consumers.

MPP has sent Gov. Northam a letter urging him to request this amendment. To read it, click here.

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

Tell your state lawmakers you support cannabis legalization!

Exciting news! Just last week, a bipartisan pair of senators introduced a bill that would legalize cannabis for adult use in Pennsylvania. Sens. Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D) have drafted legislation that would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess cannabis from licensed retailers. The possession limit would be set at 30 grams, and medical marijuana patients would have an option to cultivate up to five plants at home.

Under the proposal, which hasn’t yet been formally introduced, a Pennsylvania Cannabis Regulatory Control Board would be responsible for managing both the medical and recreational programs and issuing marijuana business licenses. Cannabis products would be subject to the state’s six percent sales tax, in addition to a 10 percent excise tax. The revenue would go to a new Cannabis Regulation Fund, as well as a Cannabis Business Development Fund that would provide financial aid, loans, grants and technical assistance to social and economic equity businesses. You can check out a full summary of the bill here.

As the momentum continues to build for legalized, regulated sales of cannabis to adults in Pennsylvania, please take a few minutes to email your state lawmakers to add your voice to the growing number of Keystone residents who support marijuana legalization.