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 that the current federal policy of not targeting people and businesses in compliance with state marijuana laws will continue in the next administration.

Some things to consider:

-A clear majority of Americans think marijuana should be legal for adults, according to recent Pew Research Center and Gallup polls. Additionally, a clear majority of Americans think the federal government “should not” enforce federal marijuana laws in states that allow legal adult use, according to a March, 2015, Pew poll.

-Roughly 21% of the population now live in states where marijuana is legal for adults, and 62% live in states with effective medical marijuana laws.

-More people voted for marijuana initiatives than voted for Trump and other prominent politicians in several states.

-Even if Trump appoints someone who is against marijuana policy reform to head the Department of Justice, it would cost significant resources for federal law enforcement to start targeting state-legal marijuana businesses.

-U.S. Attorneys have significant discretion regarding how they prioritize enforcement of federal laws.

-The political consequences of ripping the marijuana market away from legitimate, tax-paying businesses and handing it right back to dangerous criminals would be severe.

-The number of Members of Congress who represent states with medical or adult-use marijuana laws is about to drastically increase, bringing us closer to Congressional support for ending federal prohibition regardless of the administration's position.

-During the campaign, Trump made several statements in support of medical marijuana and allowing states to determine their own marijuana policies, even though he does not support regulating marijuana for adult use.

No matter what happens, MPP and our allies will continue to work diligently toward changing both state and federal marijuana laws. Please make sure to contact your lawmakers and ask them to help us end the government's war on marijuana.

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"] Matthew Schweich, Director of State Campaigns[/caption]

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.

Emily shifted her focus entirely to the cannabis industry in 2013. Since that time, she has taken her experience of researching markets, companies and strategic opportunities and turned it entirely to the world of cannabis. Her focus on understanding where the market is headed, rather than where it has been has been, is critical to building a diverse portfolio of companies that span the sector.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="200"] Emily Paxhia[/caption]

With 15+ years in working with Fortune 500 companies to develop products, to resolve strategic errors, and to address new target audiences has been beneficial to continuing to build Poseidon's portfolio companies along their path to success. 

Emily brings a qualitative lens to the review and due diligence process and has aimed to be connected and involved in as many aspects of the industry as possible. She has been seen speaking at WomenGrow Events, MJ Business Journal Conference, ArcView, Opal Investment Conferences, KQED, World Agritech Summit, Hemp Industries Association conferences, YPO and WPO events, etc. She sits on the boards of portfolio companies and also the National Hemp Association. Emily's drive to grow the portfolio is catalyzed by her intense love of the industry and her desire to provide returns to their Limited Partners.

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 neighborhood organization or business-improvement district, and recipients will be required to follow a number of guidelines. A full description of I-300 is available on the Yes on 300 campaign's website.

The passage of I-300 is generating a ton of media attention around the country and abroad.

Mashable reports:

"This is a groundbreaking law that reflects the shift taking place in the public attitudes toward marijuana," Mason Tvert, Director of Communications for the Marijuana Policy Project, told Mashable.

"By allowing adults to use marijuana in certain private establishments, we can reduce the chances that they are going to use it in public, like on the street or in the park. This is a community-focused measure that ensures neighborhoods will have the final say over what is and is not allowed," Tvert said.

...

"We believe this will allow communities and businesses to test the waters to see what works, then move forward with the best plans possible. We are hopeful this will produce a system that can serve as a model for other cities and towns in Colorado and throughout the nation," Tvert told Mashable.

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 and cultivation are legal in the District of Columbia, but Congress has prevented the city from regulating the non-medical marijuana industry.

This means that marijuana is legal for 66.5 million Americans, or about 21% of the population.

Unfortunately, a similar initiative in Arizona is trailing while the final votes are being counted, but advocates are already preparing to continue the fight in the legislature and possibly at the ballot in coming years.

Support for ending marijuana prohibition is increasing across the nation, according to recent polls. Marijuana initiatives out-performed a number of successful politicians in some states as well. During President-elect Trump's campaign, he voiced support for leaving marijuana policy up to the states. Advocates are hopeful that the next administration will support the will of the people and continue the federal policy of non-interference until Congress is able to pass meaningful marijuana policy reform.

All four of the medical marijuana initiatives being considered by states on Election Night were approved by voters, adding to the considerable momentum of marijuana policy reform sweeping the country. Voters in Arkansas, Florida, and North Dakota approved initiatives for new medical marijuana programs, and Montana voted to significantly expand access and improve its existing program.

As of now, there are effective medical marijuana laws on the books in 28 states and the District of Columbia, covering 198 million Americans (or roughly 62% of the population). Patients in states without legal, safe, and reliable access to medical marijuana should continue to put pressure on their elected representatives to pass sensible reforms at the state and federal level. Together, we can make sure the seriously ill aren't treated like criminals for much longer.

Voters in four Ohio towns adopted sensible measures on Election Day by removing all penalties for the possession of 200 grams or less of marijuana under local ordinance. Bellaire, Logan, Newark, and Roseville each adopted similar ballot measures. Voters in Byesville did not adopt their proposal.

MPP applauds the hard work that went into giving local residents the chance to have a say, and congratulates Bellaire, Logan, Newark, and Roseville for moving marijuana policy forward. Great work!

Yesterday, a staggering 64% of North Dakota voters approved Measure 5, a compassionate medical marijuana initiative.

Check out MPP’s summary of the measure.