MPP’s general election voter guide is now available; please take time to read it and make a plan to vote!

Last week was a huge week for cannabis policy reform in northern New England. On Wednesday evening, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced that he would allow a bill legalizing cannabis sales to become law without his signature. He also signed a bill that will automatically expunge all previous misdemeanor records for cannabis offenses. And in Maine, the first adult-use cannabis retail stores opened for business last Friday!

Sadly, Gov. Chris Sununu has shown no indication that he is evolving on the issue. In a recent appearance on WMUR, Sununu once again dismissed the idea of legalizing cannabis, saying “now is just not the time.”

It sounds like, for Sununu, it may never be “the time” to end cannabis prohibition. Fortunately, there are two ways around this: one is for N.H. to elect a different governor, and the other is to elect enough supportive legislators that it becomes possible to override a potential veto.

There has never been a more important election for cannabis policy reform in New Hampshire. Please take time to read MPP’s voter guide for the general election and share it with other supporters. Then, make a plan to vote and start spreading the word about your preferred candidates!

Dharma Pharmaceuticals will host their grand opening Saturday, October 17 at 9 a.m.

Exciting news! After much anticipation, patients can now purchase medical cannabis products.

Dharma Pharmaceuticals is the first dispensing location to open in the state. They are holding a grand opening this Saturday, October 17. Patients planning to attend the grand opening must call 833-434-2762 for an appointment. Here are the details:

When: Saturday, October 17, beginning at 9am.

Where: 500 Gate City Highway, Suite 460, Bristol, Virginia

What to bring: Registered patients must bring a government issued ID, a paper copy of written certification issued by registered practitioner, and their medical cannabis patient card issued by the Board of Pharmacy in order to enter the building and be dispensed medical cannabis products.

*Please be prepared to follow social distancing guidelines and wear a mask.*

You can find more information on how to become a registered cannabis patient in Virginia here, and check out our full summary of Virginia’s medical cannabis law here.

The Board of Pharmacy has issued approval to four additional pharmaceutical processors to produce and dispense medical cannabis products, so be on the lookout for the opening of additional dispensing locations.

Be sure to share this news with your friends and family in Virginia!

Nearly four years after Maine voters approved cannabis legalization at the ballot box, the will of the people will finally go into full effect today as legal marijuana sales for adults begin!

Adults 21 years of age or older with a valid ID can purchase up to 2.5 ounces of a combination of marijuana and marijuana concentrate that includes no more than five grams of marijuana concentrate. It remains illegal to consume marijuana in public spaces. Maine municipalities must opt in to the adult-use program by locally allowing for marijuana establishments. More details on Maine’s adult-use marijuana regulation law can be found here.

According to the Portland Press Herald’s "Things to know before you go" guide, seven retail stores have been authorized by the state to sell cannabis to adult consumers. The guide offers several other useful pointers on navigating the new retail market.

With today’s launch of Maine’s retail cannabis market, 10 states have now successfully implemented cannabis regulation laws. In an 11th state — Vermont — Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law Wednesday to add regulated sales to existing legislation that legalized personal possession and cultivation.

MPP spearheaded the successful 2016 Yes on 1 legalization campaign in Maine and played a central role in the coalitions that passed initiatives to legalize and regulate marijuana in Colorado, Alaska, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Nevada. Currently, MPP staff are playing an important role in the 2020 legalization ballot initiatives in Montana and South Dakota.

Although the delays in Maine were unfortunate and unnecessary, we’ve succeeded in replacing prohibition with a thoughtful policy that legalizes, regulates, and taxes marijuana sales for adults in Maine.

A victory for Maine. A victory for marijuana reform in our country.

Automatic expungement bill signed; cannabis prohibition will soon be history in Vermont, which becomes the 11th state to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis

On October 7, 2020, Gov. Phil Scott announced that he will allow S. 54, the bill to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales, to become law without his signature. This means we can all finally breathe a sigh of relief and begin to celebrate the end of cannabis prohibition in Vermont!

Although much work remains before Vermont can establish a responsible, equitable market for cannabis, the governor’s decision represents a huge step forward for the state. Instead of being forced to start over with a whole new bill in 2021, Vermont will soon begin creating a Cannabis Control Board that will license businesses and regulate the sale of both medical and adult-use cannabis.

The governor’s statement on S. 54 is available here.

For more information on the details of Vermont’s new cannabis regulation law, here is a summary.

Gov. Scott did sign another important cannabis policy reform bill. S. 234, which will automatically expunge records for past misdemeanor cannabis offenses and decriminalize amounts modestly in excess of the possession limit.

We’re especially grateful to the many legislative leaders who have championed this policy, to Laura Subin for her tireless efforts leading this coalition, and to our outstanding lobbyists at the Necrason Group for all their efforts.

And we’re also very grateful to all of you who made calls, sent emails, and spread the word about the importance of ending cannabis prohibition in Vermont. Your advocacy, donations, and commitment to the cause make the work that we do possible. But this isn’t the end of the road—there is more work to be done. Help MPP keep up the momentum by chipping in today.

A number of states have enacted cannabis legalization through ballot measures. But so far, only Illinois -- where MPP also played a central role -- and now Vermont have fully legalized cannabis via the legislative process. In the coming year, as many as 10 other states are expected to seriously consider ending cannabis prohibition via their legislatures.

That’s why your support is so important. Together, we’ve built the momentum that will help us continue this fight in states across the country and on Capitol Hill. Even at this very moment, Congress is considering legislation that would end cannabis prohibition and expunge all cannabis-related arrests, charges, and convictions federally.

Please share this excellent news with your family and friends!

There are just a few weeks until Election Day, and the South Dakota campaign is heating up. The opponents are doing everything they can to defeat marijuana reform. They’re resorting to scare tactics and lies, making false claims about Colorado, and being dishonest about the details of Amendment A (the legalization initiative).

The good news is, the 2020 campaign -- South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws -- is fighting back. They sent a mailer to tens of thousands of voters across the state. They’re running TV and digital ads that explain the benefits of Amendment A (which legalizes marijuana for adults 21 and over and protects medical marijuana access) and Measure 26 (the medical marijuana initiative). They have some great Facebook videos from supporters (including popular travel writer and public TV host Rick Steves) that they’re sharing with voters across the state. They’re getting their message out through the media, making the case for legal access to medical marijuana and pushing back on the opponents' false claims.  

And last week they organized an awesome day of action across the state!

The campaign is working very hard, and they’re still on a path to victory.

But in past campaigns in other states, anti-reform forces have spent big money in the final weeks before Election Day. So we can’t take anything for granted in South Dakota.

Here’s how you can help:

1. If you know someone in South Dakota, tell them to double check that they are registered to vote! The deadline is October 19. If they have questions, they should visit SouthDakota2020.org/vote or contact the campaign on Facebook. 

2. If you can, please make a donation directly to South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws. Whether it’s $10 or $100, it will really help the campaign.

3. Buy an A+26 t-shirt! Fifteen dollars ($15) from each purchase is donated to the campaign.

MPP staff are playing an important role in this exciting campaign, which will be historic. Until now, no state has approved medical marijuana and legalization for adults on the same ballot. Let’s make sure our friends in South Dakota have all the support they need to achieve victory on Election Day.

Ask Gov. Northam to sign SB 5029 and SB 5013 into law.

During a special legislative session, the Virginia General Assembly approved two important cannabis reform bills. Here’s what the legislation would do:

SB 5029 would prevent law enforcement from using the odor of cannabis as a pretext for searching and seizing property.

SB 5013 would give people issued a summons for cannabis possession the option of pre-paying the civil penalty instead of having to go to court.

The bills now head to Gov. Northam’s desk. Email Gov. Northam today and ask that he sign the bills into law!

The supposed smell of cannabis is perhaps the #1 pretext for police stops. Black individuals are disproportionately stopped and searched, just as they are disproportionately arrested for cannabis. These unnecessary stops are traumatic, demeaning, and can even be deadly. SB 5029 is an important reform that will reduce police-civilian contact over the supposed smell of cannabis.

Meanwhile, SB 5013 will avoid disrupting lives by no longer forcing individuals to miss work or school to go to court for simple possession of cannabis.

After you contact the governor in support of these reforms, please take a minute to also reach out to your lawmakers and ask them to support broader reform — legalizing and regulating cannabis for adults 21 and older.

Together, we can end cannabis prohibition in Virginia!

Look up your state legislative districts and then see where your state House and Senate candidates stand on protecting patients.

South Carolina is one of 26 states that lacks a citizen initiative process. The only road to enacting a compassionate medical cannabis law in the Palmetto State is via the state legislature. While medical cannabis isn’t directly on the ballot, the entire legislature is.

Early and absentee voting have already begun. Now’s the perfect time to get informed about where your candidates stand on medical cannabis.

Our voter guide includes responses to the South Carolina Compassionate Care Alliance’s candidate questionnaire, along with whether incumbents cosponsored medical cannabis bills and incumbents’ past committee votes.

First, look up your state legislative districts here. After you fill in your information, the second section will display your Voting Districts. You’re looking for the number of your SC Senate District and SC House District.

Then, check out our voter guides for South Carolina Senate races and South Carolina House races. (If one or more of your candidates hasn’t responded, ask them if they agree that seriously ill patients should be allowed to use and safely access medical cannabis when it’s recommended by a physician.)

Finally, if you’re a registered South Carolina voter, make a plan to vote. This year, South Carolina is letting all voters vote absentee due to COVID-19 (by selecting “State of Emergency” as the reason).

• In-person absentee voting began today and lasts until 5:00 p.m. Monday, November 2. Locations can be found here. Voters must present a voter ID when voting in person and should wear a mask.
• Voters can also cast an absentee ballot by mail or personal delivery to their county voter registration office. If you choose this approach, first carefully review the requirements on timing and procedure.
• Alternatively, voters can vote at their precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Don’t miss out on this chance to help decide who represents you in Columbia. And please spread the word to other compassionate South Carolinians, so that they, too, can cast informed votes.

Gov. Phil Scott said this week that he remains undecided — please email or call him today!

Yesterday, the bill to legalize and regulate cannabis sales landed on the desk of Gov. Phil Scott. He will have until Wednesday to sign or veto it — if he takes no action, it will become law without his signature.

Please call or email Gov. Scott today and urge him to sign S. 54!

During a debate on Wednesday evening, Gov. Scott made this alarming statement: “In terms of the pot bill, I haven’t made up my mind about that. I have received a lot of groups—racial equity groups—that are asking me to veto it. I was leaning towards letting it go, but I’m really questioning that at this point. I want to hear and listen from them.”

Although we respect the fact that others may disagree, we feel strongly that S. 54 represents an important step forward for racial and social equity. In a recent op-ed, MPP’s executive director Steve Hawkins explained why he views passage of S. 54 — and its companion bill, S. 234 — as “a racial justice imperative.” And in another excellent op-ed, Monica Donovan explained the bill’s equity provisions and warned that, "the insistence on waiting for a perfect bill would simply result in perpetuating this state of pseudo-legalization — and the harm it perpetuates — for at least an extra year."

For more information on the details of S. 54, here is a summary.

We believe it would be a terrible setback if Gov. Scott vetoes this bill, perpetuating the intolerable status quo. Please share this news with your family and friends and urge them to contact the governor.

Find out if your state senate district is on the ballot and where your candidates stand on medical cannabis access.

We were devastated when the Nebraska Supreme Court removed the medical cannabis initiative from November’s ballot in a 5-2 vote.

But we’re not giving up.

While medical cannabis isn’t directly on the November ballot, 25 of the 49 seats in the Nebraska Legislature are. And only legislators will have the power to legalize medical cannabis before November 2022. If you live in an odd numbered state legislative district, your district is on the ballot! (You can look up your state legislative district here.)

Before you cast your vote, check out this voter guide from Nebraska Families 4 Medical Cannabis to see which candidate(s) will stand up for the seriously ill.

Then, if you’re eligible, make a plan to vote. Early voting begins on Monday, October 5 at county elections offices. Nebraska is also a “no excuse” absentee voting state — meaning anyone can request an absentee ballot — and some counties are sending one out to all registered voters. Alternately, voters can cast their ballots at their local polling place on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.

Please spread the word to other compassionate Nebraskans, so that they, too, can cast informed votes.

And stay tuned for more ways to help move the issue forward. With your help, Nebraska will enact a comprehensive medical cannabis program.