Last week, the New Hampshire House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 13-7 to recommend against passage of HB 656, a bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for use by adults 21 and older. The committee also voted to defeat a proposed amendment that would simply legalize possession and limited cultivation for adults. The committee’s recommendation is not the end of the road for HB 656: The full House will debate and vote on it in January. The minority of the committee…

A bipartisan bill to add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition for New York’s medical marijuana program was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo during Veterans Day weekend. The Senate passed S 5629 in June (50-13), and the Assembly version, A 7006, received overwhelming approval in May (131-8). New York is the 28th state to allow medical marijuana to be used to treat PTSD. “Gov. Cuomo should be applauded for helping thousands of New York veterans find relief with medical…

New Approach South Dakota submitted nearly 15,000 signatures to the Secretary of State with hopes of adding a medical marijuana measure to the 2018 ballot. South Dakota Secretary of State Shantel Krebs said the review of the submitted measure would likely be finished within four months. Her office conducts a random sampling of the signatures to determine validity, with at least 5% of the collected signatures being reviewed. The medical marijuana measure that was submitted for signature validation…

Poland became the latest country to allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes this week. The Independent reports: Under new regulations that came into force on Wednesday cannabis from imported plants can be processed at Polish pharmacies - as long as it has been logged with the country's Office for Registration of Medical Products. Pharmacists are already prepared to make the drugs, according to the Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber (PPC). ... A spokesman said: "Given the fact that there are nearly…

On Tuesday, Virginia was faced with a  choice between three candidates for governor, all of whom supported some kind of sensible marijuana policy reform. At the end of the day, they decided to back Ralph Northam, who was clearly the best candidate on this issue. Marijuana Moment reports: Northam, a Democrat, made marijuana decriminalization a centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign, often describing the issue in racial justice terms. He also spoke about the medical benefits of cannabis. Here’s…

Gov. Chris Christie has said that he is the “only impediment” to taxing and regulating marijuana in New Jersey — and he is leaving office in January 2018. Phil Murphy (D), who has repeatedly touted his support for legalization, beat Kim Guadagno (R) by about 10 percentage points and will be the next governor! Senator Nicholas Scutari (D-22), sponsor of the bill to end marijuana prohibition in New Jersey, won easily, and Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3), another vocal supporter of legalization,…

Virginia will elect its next governor tomorrow, November 7. Please take a minute to examine each candidate's position on marijuana policy before you head to the polls. While every candidate favors some form of reduced penalty for simple possession, they have significant differences in opinion regarding marijuana penalties in the commonwealth. Democrat Ralph Northam supports decriminalization of marijuana and legalizing the medical use of marijuana. Republican Ed Gillespie opposes decriminalizing…

On Friday, Maine Gov. Paul LePage followed through on threats to veto legislation that would have started the process of implementing a regulated marijuana market that Maine voters called for when they approved Question 1 in 2016. The bill, which was supported overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, would have created rules for cultivation, processing, and retail establishments, as well as set tax rates for adult-use marijuana and delay marijuana social consumption lounges until summer 2019. LD 1650…

A poll commissioned by the American Legion in October showed record support among veterans for medical marijuana. The Cannabist reports: With polling showing Americans’ support for marijuana legalization has hit new highs, a new survey by the American Legion shows strong support within the military veteran community for medical marijuana research and legalization. The “robo-call” survey commissioned by America’s largest veterans service organization polled vets and their non-professional caregivers…

Missouri Alderwoman Megan Green is introducing an ordinance in St. Louis to prevent the use of city resources to enforce laws prohibiting the use of marijuana. Specifically, the ordinance would: Prohibit city police and other officials from using city resources to enforce marijuana prohibition against adults; and Continue to enforce marijuana prohibition laws against minors and those who provide marijuana to minors. Alderwoman Green said, “We’ve come to a point as a country, and as a city, where…