Support the families and patients fighting for medical cannabis in Nebraska

Thanks to a new 2022 ballot initiative effort, Nebraskans may have an opportunity to end the criminalization of medical cannabis in their state next year. 

Led by Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM), a ballot question committee, local advocates intend to qualify a pair of initiatives ahead of the November election next year. In total, they’ll need to gather about 175,000 valid signatures from voters across the state before the July 7, 2022 deadline. Sponsors of the initiatives, State Senators Anna Wishart and Adam Morfeld, recently filed drafts of the measures with the Nebraska Secretary of State. The campaign expects to begin circulating petitions later this month.

You can support the signature drive by donating directly to the campaign! A contribution of any amount will help print petitions, provide fuel for volunteers’ travel, and move the campaign closer to qualifying for the ballot.

The NMM campaign is now recruiting volunteers from across the state. They are working to organize local teams and mobilize supporters to be part of the grassroots signature drive. You can get involved by signing up here!

I hope you will support this important effort to bring compassionate cannabis laws to Nebraska. Please forward this email to other supporters and stay tuned for more updates as the petition language is finalized and the signature drive ramps up!

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Good news! On June 30, 2021, Governor Wolf signed P.L. 210 into law, making several improvements to Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program. P.L. 210 (otherwise known as HB 1024) was sponsored by Rep. Paul Schemel (R-Franklin) and acts on recommendations made by the Department of Health to revise the Medical Marijuana Act, which was signed into law in 2016.

The proposal most notably allows patients to purchase three times as much cannabis as they previously could, and it removes language that steered chronic pain patients to try more dangerous painkillers first. P.L. 210 also narrows the restriction on people with past drug convictions working in or owning medical cannabis businesses. It protects patient safety standards and product quality of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program while empowering the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board to continue to consider new medical conditions for eligibility. It will also retain certain flexibilities enacted under the state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration that patients and dispensaries found improved safe access. You can check out a summary of P.L. 210 here and a full summary of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana law here.

Although the updates to the medical marijuana program are welcomed, we know that many residents will still not be able to access cannabis for their medicine. That’s why we are continuing to push for legalization in Pennsylvania. Please take a few minutes to email your state lawmakers to add your voice to the growing number of Keystone residents that support marijuana legalization.  

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Minnesota’s Office of Medical Cannabis is once again considering adding new qualifying medical conditions and a mode of administration to the medical cannabis program. It is accepting public comment on:

• Sensible Minnesota’s petition to add GI-uptake infused edibles (i.e., edibles that are not dissolved orally, such as chewable products), and
• Adding anxiety disorder and/or specific sub-conditions — generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety/ social phobia, panic disorder, specific phobias, separation anxiety, and agoraphobia. The Office of Medical Cannabis seeks to limit the condition to individuals who are 25 or older.

You can add your voice in support of expanding the program by submitting written comment by October 1.

Email health.cannabis.adddeliverymethod@state.mn.us to support GI edibles as a new delivery method. Email health.cannabis.addmedicalcondition@state.mn.us to support adding anxiety disorder as a qualifying medical condition and to weigh in on the proposed limitation to those 25 or older.

Or send postal mail to:

Office of Medical Cannabis 
P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, MN 55164-0882

When Minnesota’s medical cannabis law passed in 2014, its list of qualifying conditions and modes of administration were among the most restrictive in the country — leaving behind huge numbers of patients and prohibiting raw cannabis. But, thanks to years of advocacy led by Sensible Minnesota, the program has steadily improved. Chronic pain, macular degeneration, PTSD, autism, and obstructive sleep apnea have been added through the petition process, and the legislature added whole-plant flower cannabis this year.

Please comment on one or both petitions to help the program continue to improve. To go the extra mile, forward this message to other Minnesotans who may be interested in raising their voices.

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On Thursday, the New Orleans City Council approved a package of three ordinances to move the city as close as it can legally get to legalizing cannabis possession. 

Beginning on September 15, the ordinances — sponsored by Council President Helena Morena — will pardon about 10,000 cannabis possession convictions and pending charges. New Orleans had previously reduced the penalty for cannabis possession to a fine-only offense. 

With this new policy, anyone who receives a summons under the law will have it immediately forgiven, with no action needed from the court or the ticketed individual. 

Smoking cannabis in public will be a ticketable offense under the Smoke-Free Air Act. 

As Council President Moreno explained, “These new policies will help NOPD build community trust and use saved manpower hours to address major issues like shootings, murders, and the overall prevention of violence in our city. We must begin to rethink the historical practices that have over-incarcerated, over-fined, and stigmatized our communities for decades. The time to end the criminalization of cannabis possession is now.”

Congratulations to our allies at CommonSense NOLA, including Kevin Caldwell; Council President Morena; and everyone else who worked so hard to enact these measures! 

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Good news! On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB 605 into law, adding opiate use disorder to New Hampshire’s medical cannabis program and allowing visiting patients to purchase cannabis while in the state. 

Opiate use disorder will only qualify if the patient was certified “by a board certified addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry provider who is actively treating the patient for opioid use disorder” and if the patient has “associated symptoms of cravings and/or withdrawal.”

Meanwhile, patients who are visiting from other medical cannabis states can begin buying cannabis in New Hampshire starting on September 7. They may only buy cannabis from New Hampshire ATCs (dispensaries) three times in a 12-month period unless they produce a statement from their health care provider stating that they have a condition listed under New Hampshire law. 

The governor previously signed SB 162, which makes tweaks to the medical cannabis law, including allowing New Hampshire-registered patients to go to any ATC beginning on September 7 instead of requiring them to designate a single ATC. Patients are still limited to two ounces every 10 days and can have their ID cards revoked if they exceed the limit.

ATCs will be allowed to cultivate up to three mature plants per patient in the program, replacing the limit of three mature plants per patient who designated it. SB 162 also removes the five-patient cap on caregivers and allows medical providers to specify that a patient ID card is valid for up to three years. 

While we’re glad to see New Hampshire’s cannabis policies continue improving, they lag far behind the state’s neighbors and voters’ wishes. New Hampshire is an island of prohibition, surrounded by jurisdictions where cannabis is legal for adults. Unfortunately, Gov. Chris Sununu is a prohibitionist, and the Senate has repeatedly killed legalization efforts. Let your lawmakers know it’s past time the state stop punishing adults for using a plant that is safer than alcohol.

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The penalty for just under a half-ounce of cannabis is reduced to a fine.

Louisiana’s new cannabis “decriminalization” law — HB 652 — took effect yesterday!

On August 1, 2021, the penalty for possessing up to 14 grams of cannabis (0.49 oz.) was reduced to a fine of up to $100. For those unable to pay, the court shall use its discretion for alternatives, such as community service or installment payments. Thanks to the new law, possession of up to 14 grams is now enforced by a summons (like a traffic ticket) not an arrest.

This new law does not reduce penalties for possessing over 14 grams or for possession with intent to distribute or sales of any amount. Those penalties remain harsh.

We are grateful to everyone who has worked so hard for humane cannabis policies in Louisiana, including bill sponsor Rep. Cedric Glover and Louisiana Progress — which led the charge on legalization and decriminalization advocacy this year. We also appreciate each of you who urged your lawmakers and the governor to support this important reform, which will save thousands from the trauma of arrest and incarceration!

Stay tuned for updates on efforts to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults’ use. The Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice is studying the issue before the legislature reconvenes next year. And, in New Orleans, the proposed ordinance to pardon past and future cannabis possession offenses awaits a vote.

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Ask your state lawmakers to support patients this year.

Great news! Last week, the Senate Finance Committee advanced a bill that would allow patients to use and safely access medical cannabis if they have a qualifying debilitating medical condition. The committee first adopted an amendment to direct medical cannabis sales tax revenue to fund the medical cannabis supply system and a cannabis research program at the University of North Carolina. 

As you may recall, SB 711, otherwise known as the “NC Compassionate Care Act,” is sponsored by Rules Committee Chairman Bill Rabon (R) and has already advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill would establish a nine-member Medical Cannabis Advisory Board and a 13-member Medical Cannabis Production Commission. The Medical Cannabis Advisory Board would have the power to add new debilitating conditions to the program, while the Medical Cannabis Production Commission would regulate the supply of medical cannabis. You can check out a summary of the bill here.  

Please email your state lawmakers and ask them to support patients.

Before SB 711 is considered for a Senate floor vote, it must win approval from the Health Care and Rules and Regulations committees. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on opportunities to testify and advocate for passage as the bill makes its way through the legislative process.  

In the meantime, please consider sharing your story of how cannabis has helped you or a loved one cope with a medical condition with NC Families for Medical Cannabis. NC Families for Medical Cannabis is a coalition of North Carolina families, physicians, and veterans who support safe, regulated access to medical cannabis for North Carolina patients suffering from medical conditions. As we approach a full floor vote, these stories will be extremely helpful in persuading lawmakers to vote in favor of SB 711.

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Urge your members of Congress to support this long overdue legislation.

Today, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a draft of their long-anticipated legislation to end federal cannabis prohibition.

In short, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would deschedule cannabis by removing it from the list of federally controlled substances, empowering states to decide their own cannabis policies. It would also put equity at the foundation of federal reform by ensuring restorative justice to those people and communities hardest—and most unfairly—hit by cannabis prohibition through expunging prior convictions and records, allowing people to petition for resentencing, and removing collateral consequences for those who’ve been criminalized. In addition, the bill would implement a framework for responsible regulations and taxes, with some of the tax revenue dedicated to grants programs intended to help equity applicants and those most impacted by the war on cannabis. Read a summary here.

Please ask your members of Congress to support the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act! 

Now that Democrats have the majority in both chambers, there’s a sense of hope among advocates that this kind of reform is attainable in this Congress. We’ll need to secure 60 votes in the Senate, which is a major undertaking, but certainly possible, representing a unique opportunity for politicians to work across the aisle and enact a commonsense policy that has broad popular support. And, although President Biden’s support for legalization has been lukewarm, Sen. Booker insists Biden’s stance in favor of “decriminalization” will be enough to advance the legislation.

But with 19 legal states, including over 43% of the U.S. population, and public support for support for legalization swelling to 69% in a recent Quinnipiac poll, something’s got to give. It’s hard to imagine that President Biden would veto a bipartisan cannabis reform bill should one land on his desk, especially given the role that cannabis prohibition plays in sustaining racial injustice in the U.S. 

MPP has been advocating for ending prohibition for over 25 years, and we’ll continue to work alongside elected leaders and advocates in support of this comprehensive reform measure. Please urge your federal lawmakers to support this legislation. Then, share the action with your friends, family, and social networks. We’ll continue to keep you informed of the bill’s progress and further opportunities to take action.

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Ask your state lawmakers to support patients this year.

Great news! Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill that would allow patients to access cannabis if they have a “debilitating medical condition.” SB 711, sponsored by Rules Committee Chairman Bill Rabon (R), would also establish a Medical Cannabis Advisory Board and a Medical Cannabis Production Commission. The Medical Cannabis Advisory Board would have the power to add new debilitating conditions, while the Medical Cannabis Production Commission would regulate the supply of medical cannabis.   

Please email your state lawmakers and ask them to support patients.

While the bill would be an improvement over the status quo, the bill does not allow chronic pain or opioid reduction as a debilitating condition. A 2021 Elon poll found 73% of North Carolinians support allowing medical marijuana. That’s why we’re urging folks to contact their state senators and tell them to improve and pass SB 711.

The committee approval — which was nearly unanimous — is the first of many hurdles the proposed bill must clear, including three additional Senate committee votes, before it passes both the Senate and House and is signed into law by the governor. The bill is scheduled to be taken up next by the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, July 20 at 2:00 p.m. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as the bill makes its way through the legislative process.

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Becoming an elite athlete takes years of dedication — long days, longer nights, pain, and sacrifice. As an Olympic caliber sprinter, Sha’Carri Richardson committed herself to the process, navigating a labyrinth of rules and regulations for the chance to compete at the highest level of her sport. On July 2, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) dashed her dreams of participating in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games with a suspension for violating its ban on marijuana, an outdated rule with no basis in science.

Demonstrating maturity and poise, Sha’Carri took full responsibility for breaking the rules, but her acceptance can’t change the weight of this injustice. The USADA’s marijuana ban, derived from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) classification, is a vestige of cannabis prohibition’s vile legacy. A legacy that is built on racism. 

Harry Anslinger, a founding commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, designed and successfully executed the campaign to outlaw cannabis. He crafted it as a tool to suppress and control what he called the “degenerate races.” More than eight decades later, Anslinger’s crusade against cannabis, which snaked its way into our cultural norms, finally shows signs of cracking. Adult-use marijuana is currently legal in Washington, D.C. and 19 states, including Oregon, where 21-year-old Sha’Carri consumed to cope with the tragic loss of her mother.

Ninety-one percent of Americans support cannabis legalization for medical or adult use. Other sports leagues have removed cannabis restrictions, and it’s time for both WADA and USADA to pull the plant from its list of prohibited substances. Congress has demonstrated support for eliminating the ban, and President Biden should unequivocally support this reform as well. The current policy is indefensible. 

The World Anti-Doping Agency outlaws marijuana claiming that it is both a performance-enhancing drug and a substance of abuse. The agency's own medical director, Dr. Alan Vernec, stated, "There is no evidence for cannabis use as a performance-enhancing drug," in a co-authored paper for The Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. And, the 'substance of abuse' label is an arbitrary and nebulous designation, permitting WADA to suspend athletes who test positive, effectively forcing them to enter a drug treatment program in order to shorten their punishment.

Sadly, Sha’Carri’s atonement wasn’t enough to garner her a second chance. USA Track and Field (USATF) excluded her from the relay team, despite her eligibility. In the span of two weeks, Sha’Carri went from being the breakout star of the USA Track Team to being completely shut out of the Olympic Games. All because of a rule that should not exist.

While the nation grieves the loss of a potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity along with Sha’Carri, we must also speak out to ensure that she is the last American athlete to suffer the indignity of being banned from Olympic competition for consuming cannabis. The damage caused by prohibition permeates our governmental, societal, and cultural institutions. In order to repair the harm, we need to stand against the injustice and continue the fight to legalize and normalize cannabis, demanding an end to archaic and discriminatory policies, wherever they may be. 

— Steven Hawkins, executive director, Marijuana Policy Project

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