After several days of discussion, the Vermont House overwhelmingly voted this afternoon in favor of H. 200, a bill that would reduce the penalty for possessing up to an ounce of marijuana to a violation, making it a civil, rather than criminal, offense. Ninety-two representatives voted in favor, and only 49 were opposed.

The bill will now move forward to the Senate, which has already held hearings on the issue.

If you live in Vermont, please contact your senator today and urge them to support this legislation.

As amended by the House Judiciary Committee and approved in a 9-2 vote, H. 200 would reduce the penalty for possessing up to an ounce to a fine of up to $300. With support from Gov. Peter Shumlin and top law enforcement officials, the bill appears to have a very strong chance of passing into law.

On Tuesday, a group of doctors held a news conference to announce the support of nearly 250 Illinois physicians for allowing patients with serious illnesses to obtain and use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it.

Specifically, the doctors signed on to the following statement:

Licensed medical practitioners should not be punished for recommending the medical use of marijuana to seriously ill people, and seriously ill people should not be subject to criminal sanctions for using marijuana if their medical professionals have told them that such use is likely to be beneficial.

Their endorsement comes just as the Illinois House of Representatives prepares to vote on House Bill 1, which would allow patients with serious illnesses to use medical marijuana with recommendations from their physicians.

The bill would also establish a network of state-regulated cultivation centers and dispensaries to provide marijuana to qualified patients.

If passed, Illinois would become the 19^th state to legalize medical marijuana.

Pennsylvania will again consider making medical marijuana legal. The Governor Raymond P. Shafer Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, or House Bill 1181, was introduced Monday at the State House, and it has since been assigned to the House Health Committee for consideration.

The bill would allow anyone with a debilitating condition such as HIV/AIDS or cancer to use medical marijuana provided they obtain a written recommendation from a doctor with whom they have a “bona-fide doctor-patient relationship.”

The bill also addresses the Department of Health’s role in patient registry and the issuing of identification cards to medical marijuana patients and their primary caregivers.

There is already a Senate companion bill to this (SB 770). If you are a resident of Pennsylvania, please contact your lawmakers and ask them to support medical marijuana legislation.

The Board of Aldermen, the law-making body of St. Louis, Missouri, voted 22 to 3 in favor of reducing the penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana in the city to that of a traffic ticket.

[caption id="attachment_6260" align="alignright" width="160"] Alderman Shane Cohn[/caption]

Introduced earlier this year by Alderman Shane Cohn, the law gives police officers the option to redistribute some marijuana cases to the municipal court system, essentially making a criminal infraction a municipal offense.

Due to the absence of local marijuana laws in St. Louis, police charge offenders under the severe state laws.

"[Missouri] has some of the most draconian laws in the nation," John Payne, executive director of Show-Me Cannabis Regulation, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The ordinance reduces the penalty to a $100 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail.

The policy goes into effect June 1.

Breaking news out of Congress! Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) is leading a new bipartisan bill that would modify the federal Controlled Substances Act, so that anyone acting in compliance with a state marijuana law would be immune from federal prosecution.

[caption id="attachment_6255" align="alignright" width="209"] Rep. Dana Rohrabacher[/caption]

The Respect for State Marijuana Laws Act would protect marijuana users, dispensary operators, and other individuals who have been courageous enough to help take production and sales above ground into state-regulated markets.

Three Republicans and three Democrats have currently co-signed the bipartisan bill: Reps. Rohrabacher, Justin Amash (R-MI), Don Young (R-AK), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Jared Polis (D-CO).

If you don’t see your member of Congress on that list, please use our online action center to urge them to co-sponsor the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act and then urge your friends to do the same!

[caption id="attachment_6251" align="alignright" width="270"] Sen. Kimberly Yee[/caption]

State Senator Kimberly Yee said she would amend her medical marijuana labeling bill — SB 1440 — so that a first-time violation would not result in the permanent closure of legal dispensaries. This is one of many problems with the bill.

This didn’t occur, and the future of medical marijuana is in jeopardy. If you are an Arizona resident, please write your legislators today.

SB 1440 is billed as a way to label medical marijuana edibles so they won’t fall into the hands of children. That’s a great idea, and we support it. However, the rules are vague, and the bill contains a one strike and you’re out clause, which would permanently close a dispensary for even a minor violation.

Arizona voters have said “yes” to medical marijuana three times, but some elected officials ignore the will of the voters and the plight of patients.

It’s clear that the intent of SB 1440 is not to protect children but to shut down licensed dispensaries that provide relief to thousands of Arizonans with serious medical conditions. It’s being pushed by medical marijuana opponents and is a back-door attempt to gut the program.

After a lengthy discussion, the Vermont House overwhelmingly voted this afternoon in favor of H. 200, a bill that would reduce the penalty for possessing up to an ounce of marijuana to a violation, making it a civil rather than criminal offense. Ninety-eight representatives voted in favor, and only 44 were opposed.

The bill is scheduled for more discussion in the House and a final vote next week before it moves to the Senate. However, today’s vote represents a strong indication of support from the House.

As amended by the House Judiciary Committee and approved in a 9-2 vote, H. 200 would reduce the penalty for possessing up to an ounce to a fine of up to $300. The Senate Judiciary Committee has already begun considering testimony on this issue, and with support from Gov. Peter Shumlin and top law enforcement officials, the bill appears to have a very strong chance of passing into law.

[caption id="attachment_6239" align="alignright" width="152"] Rep. Kelly Alexander[/caption]

North Carolina State Rep. Kelly Alexander, Jr. (D-Mecklenburg) introduced a bill to downgrade the penalty for simple possession of marijuana in the state.  H637, which was co-sponsored by seven of Rep. Alexander’s Democratic colleagues, passed first reading Wednesday and was referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.

Currently, individuals in North Carolina convicted of possession of under a half-ounce of marijuana typically receive a fine and a suspended sentence. While the existing law keeps most marijuana consumers out of jail, it still leaves individuals with stigmatizing criminal records.

Under H637, those found possessing less than an ounce of marijuana would receive a civil infraction rather than a suspended sentence and a rap sheet. The bill also allows past offenders to have their records expunged.

If you live in North Carolina, ask your lawmakers to join Rep. Alexander in bringing sensible reform to the state then  urge your friends and family to do the same.

Recently, MPP posted a billboard in Portland (OR) to coincide with Alcohol Awareness Month and upcoming beer and wine festivals, touting the relative safety of marijuana compared to alcohol. Unfortunately, someone apparently didn't like that and tore it down within the first 48 hours!

We aren't going to let that get in the way of our our public education efforts, though, and we conveyed that with the replacement billboard we unveiled today. It appears like the original, but with a very large red rip through the middle and  reads: "Our original billboard was vandalized, but... The truth cannot be destroyed." It's already getting attention in the media.

Help us get this truth out to the public by sharing the image of the billboards on Facebook and Twitter.

After years of work, a bill that would stop the criminalization of Vermont’s marijuana users is headed to the floor of the Vermont House of Representatives. It could get a vote as early as Friday.

[caption id="attachment_6228" align="alignleft" width="220"] VT Attorney General William Sorrell[/caption]

Over the last week, the House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on both sides of the issue. Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell, Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn, and many others testified in support, and the committee listened. Yesterday, it voted 9-2 in favor of reform.

But the opposition is making their voices heard, too. Yesterday, several police are lobbying against this modest proposal to impose a civil fine — not possible jail time — on possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. It’s vital that lawmakers hear from the 63% of Vermonters who believe police have better things to do than to arrest and book marijuana users.

If you live in Vermont, please write your lawmakers today. Politely ask them to support reducing the penalty imposed on Vermonters who possess a substance that is safer than alcohol. Then, share this message with other sensible Vermonters so that they, too, can speak out for reform.