Did you know that African Americans in Baltimore are five times more likely to be arrested for drug possession than people of other races, and marijuana is the most common drug possessed? To learn more and help be part of the solution, don’t miss this upcoming special event entitled Legalizing Marijuana: The Impact on Racial Justice in Baltimore City, organized by the Maryland Cannabis Policy Coalition. When: Tuesday, December 13 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Where: Baltimore War Memorial Assembly Hall 101…

The Delaware Legislature’s 2017 session begins on January 10. While advocates expect ending cannabis prohibition to be taken up, to move this important issue forward, we need to grow our team of effective activists. That’s where you come in! Please join the Marijuana Policy Project on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 1 – 5 p.m. at the Wilmington Public Library for a training to sharpen your citizen lobbying skills! You can RSVP here. We’ll discuss the legislative process and how to get involved, the contents…

Legislative leaders in Montpelier are describing last week’s victory in Massachusetts as a “game changer” for Vermont. This week, Sen. Dick Sears, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, told a VPR reporter, “For me, that’s a game-changer, that Massachusetts has voted to legalize.” Rep. Maxine Grad, chair of the equally powerful House Judiciary Committee, agreed and said she thought the House would be much more amenable to ending marijuana prohibition now that legalization is definitely…

On the same night that voters in eight states were approving marijuana policy reform initiatives, Donald Trump was on his way to being elected the next President of the United States. While this divisive election has left some people jubilant and others outraged, many are wondering what a Trump presidency will mean for the future of marijuana policy reform efforts as well as the progress we have made so far. While it is difficult to tell what will happen in the next administration, MPP is hopeful…

MPP received the Award for Community Activism at the 2016 Cannabist Awards last night during the Cannabis Business Conference and Expo in Las Vegas. Fittingly, the award was accepted by our director of state campaigns, Matthew Schweich, who oversaw MPP's highly successful initiative efforts in 2016. Thank you to everyone who voted for us, and an even bigger thank you to all of the volunteers and supporters who help us do the work we do. [caption id="attachment_10172" align="aligncenter" width="470"]…

This year, MPP was instrumental in passing a number of marijuana policy reform initiatives around the country. We are very interested in bringing our expertise to Michigan for a November 2018 initiative. We’d like to team up with local advocates and make Michigan the first in the Midwest to replace prohibition with sensible regulation. In mid-December, MPP Executive Director Rob Kampia and Director of State Policies Karen O'Keefe will hold public forums in three major Michigan cities to hear from…

The Marijuana Policy Project is proud to welcome Emily Paxhia to the Marijuana Policy Project Board of Directors. MPP’s dues-paying members elected Ms. Paxhia to the board this week following a seven-day voting period involving three highly qualified candidates. This popularly-elected board member will serve a three-year term, during which she will help guide the overall direction of the organization. Here is Ms. Paxhia’s bio from Poseidon Asset Management, where she is currently a managing partner: Emily…

Nov. 14 was the first day bills could be filed in Texas for the 2017 legislative session, and Rep. Joe Moody (D-El Paso) didn’t waste any time. He introduced HB 81, which would replace possible arrests and jail time with a civil fine for low-level possession of marijuana. As a former prosecutor and the current Vice Chairman of the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, Rep. Moody is a champion of sensible marijuana policy because he has seen how current laws are failing our communities. [caption id="attachment_10160"…

Denver voters have approved a ballot initiative to allow social cannabis use in certain private businesses. Initiated Ordinance 300 (I-300) was too close to call on Election Day, but once all the ballots were counted, it ended up receiving a solid 53.5% of the vote. I-300 creates a pilot program for permitting private establishments to allow adult cannabis consumption in designated areas. The city will only issue permits to establishments that have received formal support from their officially recognized…

On Election Day, voters in California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada declared an end to the war on marijuana in their states by approving initiatives to regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol for adults. This historic event was by far the biggest victory for drug policy reform to date, and will help pave the way for progress around the country. There are now eight states where marijuana is legal for adults to possess and where cultivation and retail sales are regulated and taxed. Marijuana possession…