Marijuana Policy Project is pleased to announce Brian Vicente, founding partner of cannabis law firm Vicente LLP, has joined MPP’s Board of Directors!

Vicente LLP, formerly known as Vicente Sederberg, is the country's top-ranked cannabis law firm, led by attorneys who were instrumental in developing, passing, and implementing the world’s first cannabis legalization laws. 
 
As a trailblazing thought leader and advocate in the cannabis reform movement, Brian Vicente has been helping cannabis businesses obtain state and local licenses since the inception of the legal cannabis industry — an industry he has played a significant role in shaping. He has also advised national, state, and local government officials in the development of regulated cannabis markets across the United States and around the world, including in Uruguay, the first country in the world to legalize and regulate cannabis for adult use. 

Brian was a lead drafter of Colorado's historic legalization initiative, Amendment 64, and he co-directed the successful campaign that led to its passage in 2012. In 2018, newly elected Colorado Gov. Jared Polis selected Brian to serve as a member of his gubernatorial transition team, where he sat on the Economic Development and Labor Committee. 

Brian serves as President of the National Hispanic Cannabis Council and is consistently ranked as one of the top cannabis attorneys in the nation.

We’re incredibly proud to have Brian Vicente join MPP’s Board of Directors. His expertise and knowledge will be a major asset to MPP as we continue to advance cannabis reform nationwide and build momentum toward ending federal prohibition once and for all. 

This Black History Month, the Marijuana Policy Project proudly recognizes the countless achievements and immeasurable perseverance of Black Americans. As we honor the history of Black Americans, we must also seek to advance policies that address systemic racism and reform our criminal justice system. That includes ending cannabis prohibition.

At MPP we understand cannabis laws have frequently been fought in tandem with civil rights in an effort to make the United States a more free and fair country. At our core, we are staunchly opposed to the unfair treatment the criminal justice system has historically placed on Black Americans in relation to arrests and imprisonment resulting from cannabis prohibition.

The war on cannabis and its relation to the Black community has been a longstanding issue — one that has for decades been used as a motive to target and incarcerate communities of color. Despite Black and white Americans using cannabis at equivalent rates, the enforcement of cannabis laws have been anything but equivalent — with Black Americans far more likely to be arrested and convicted for simple possession. 

MPP is committed to addressing the racist and destructive policies of prohibition and to legalizing cannabis equitably. We strive to recognize, support, and celebrate Black Americans and will continue to fight for those who have been unfairly disenfranchised by cannabis prohibition.

We encourage our supporters to honor Black History Month this year by supporting Black-owned cannabis businesses across the country and acknowledging the work of Black Americans in the cannabis space. On that note, MPP is spotlighting some of the most influential Black folks in cannabis. Thanks to their selfless efforts, they have helped to better the cannabis industry and create paths towards a more equitable future.

The history between the Hispanic community and cannabis can be traced back centuries. Cannabis was first introduced to the Americas when the Spanish introduced hemp to Chile in 1545. The crop then spread throughout various regions of Latin America, in an attempt to increase production. When these Spanish conquistadores taught the Mexican indigenous people how to farm cannabis, they naturally began recreational and medicinal usage of  the plant. Notably, they began to use cannabis for pain management, including even menstrual cycles, in the 16th century. Today, the influence of these ancient indigenous peoples can still be seen in Mexican society with traditional healers encouraging the rubbing of marijuana onto skin to relieve arthritis symptoms, among other recommendations. 

But the connection between the ancient Latino indigenous communities and cannabis does not end there. Historians have outlined how indigenous populations, such as the Aztecs, cultivated a history of using psychoactive plants for spiritual rituals. The most popular psychoactive substances included Nicotiana Rustica (Aztec tobacco), fungi, and cannabis. Famously, the Otomí, a Latin American indigenous group, viewed cannabis as a deity named Santa Rosa. Shamans would eat Santa Rosa (cannabis) as a ritual to determine what illness the patient has. The Otomí can still be found in Puebla, Mexico practicing these various rituals involving cannabis today. 

By the 1800s many Latin American countries began separating from their colonial rulers and declaring their independence. Although many Latin American countries were no longer under colonial rule, they still experienced tumultuous political unrest. Critically, the Mexican Revolution forced many Mexicans to migrate to the United States by the 1900s. This wave of migrants coupled with poor economic conditions culminated in anti-immigrant sentiments. Politicians and the media disparaged these Latinx migrants, and in particular, condemned their usage of “marihuana”. The word marijuana as we know it today stems from the racist anti-immigrant propaganda of the 1930s. 

Harry Anslinger, the Chief of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, was a high-profile figure at this time who was active in demonizing marijuana and its Latinx users. Besides popularizing the term “marihuana”, Anslinger is also known for his role in passing the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. Two days after this act was passed, Moses Baca (a Mexican American) was the first federal arrest for cannabis. Decades later, it is hard to specifically calculate the impact these anti-marijuana policies have had on the Latinx community because marijuana arrests tend to be sorted by race and not ethnicity. However, states that do break down arrests by ethnicity have showcased across the board that black and Hispanic people are more likely to be arrested than white users.

It is clear, the history of marijuana and the Latinx community in the United States stretches back to its very introduction. Yet, the Latinx roots of marijuana’s origins in America are often overlooked and forgotten. As marijuana has become more accepted, a multi-billion dollar industry has developed – an industry the Hispanic community is not benefiting from. Data showcases that only 5.7% of all cannabis licenses are owned by Hispanic entrepreneurs compared to the overwhelming 81% owned by white entrepreneurs.

Furthermore, US policy against marijuana has impacted Latinx communities beyond the American border and into their home countries. In 2013, Uruguay was the first country in the world to legalize marijuana, but they have experienced many roadblocks since its implementation. Most critically, Uruguay's banks have pressured customers to stop their legal sale of marijuana in order to not violate the U.S. Federal Finance Laws and Controlled Substances Act of 1970.  Many Latin American countries - including Uruguay - depend on US banking partners for various transactions and cannot afford to lose their backing or pay hefty violation fines. Similarly, other Latin American countries are still facing roadblocks to  legalizing and destigmatizing marijuana as a result of short-minded American policies.

Gov. Dan McKee held a signing ceremony earlier today to officially enact the Rhode Island Cannabis Act

Did you hear the news? 

Earlier today, Gov. Dan McKee signed into law a bill that immediately makes possession and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis legal in Rhode Island! 

Rhode Island has officially become the 19th state to legalize cannabis for adults!

The law establishes a timeline to establish a legal cannabis market overseen by a new regulatory commission. Members will be appointed by the governor with input from leaders of the General Assembly. Existing medical cannabis establishments will be permitted to obtain hybrid adult-use licenses later this year, and sales are slated to begin in December.

The amended legislation includes a policy to automatically clear criminal records for misdemeanor and felony possession convictions over the next two years. Recent changes to the proposal also eliminate fees for medical cannabis patients. A comprehensive summary of the legislation can be found here.

Passage of the legislation represents the culmination of organizing efforts led by MPP and many local advocates over the past several years. We are proud to have been a central part of this major achievement.

I’m grateful to the many volunteers, organizations, lawmakers, and supporters like you who helped make this a reality.
 

Ask your lawmakers to override the governor’s veto on HB 371

Today, Gov. John Carney (D) became the first Democratic governor to veto a cannabis legalization bill by vetoing HB 371 — a bill that would legalize possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for adults 21 and older in Delaware. Meanwhile, a supermajority of Delawareans support cannabis legalization.

Please join us in calling on the legislature to override the governor’s veto by emailing your lawmakers today!

Passing HB 371 will save thousands of Delawareans from police interactions and citations for simple cannabis possession. Ask your lawmakers to stand with a majority of Delawareans and override the governor’s veto on HB 371.

HB 371 passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate by supermajority votes: 26-14 in the House and 13-7 in the Senate. Twenty-five votes would be required in the House to override a veto, and 13 would be required in the Senate. Delaware legislators have until June 30, when the legislative session ends, to override the governor’s veto. Although the vote margins were large enough to override a veto, overrides are extremely rare in Delaware, so it’s crucial that legislators hear their constituents want them to override the veto.

Meanwhile, a separate bill (HB 372) that would legalize, regulate, and tax adult-use cannabis sales fell short of the needed 25 votes on the House floor last week. The bill sponsor, Rep. Ed Osienski (D), changed his vote from yes to no, which will allow him to have the bill reconsidered before the legislative session ends on June 30. 

The fight to bring legalization to Delaware continues! After your reach out to your lawmakers today, please share this message with your family and friends in Delaware.

Take action as the Rhode Island General Assembly debates legislation to legalize cannabis for adults

Later today, members of the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives will debate a proposal to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana. After years of public debate and advocacy, Rhode Island could soon join the 18 other states that have ended cannabis prohibition for adults. 

Your lawmakers need to hear from you. Please contact your legislators right now and urge them to vote for this important legislation.

The recently amended bill will pave the way for the establishment of a regulated market with retail stores where adults 21 and older can purchase cannabis products. The legislation also allows adults to cultivate cannabis plants at home and creates a process to automatically clear past cannabis convictions for tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders.

You can tune in to watch the floor debate on Capitol TV around 4:00 p.m. today. 

Rhode Island has never been closer to legalizing marijuana for adults, and it is because of supporters like you who take action and support MPP’s work. 

Make your voice heard and ensure this is the year legalization crosses the finish line in Rhode Island!
 

Let your senator know you support the reforms passed by the House of Representatives!

It’s been a busy year in Baton Rouge so far! There were over 20 cannabis-related bills introduced this session. We have seen bipartisan support for both improving the medical program and for criminal justice reforms.

With only two weeks left in the legislative session, several bills have passed the House and are beginning to be taken up in Senate committees.

Criminal justice reform — Multiple bills have passed the House of Representatives that would reduce the harm done by  Louisiana cannabis laws:

• HB 629, which would ban warrantless searches of homes based on the smell of cannabis, passed the House 66-28.
• HB 775, which would legalize paraphernalia for medical patients, passed the House 79-12.
• HB 1028, which would decriminalize cannabis paraphernalia for adult use (imposing a $50 fine), passed the House 56-40.

Let your senator know you support these criminal justice reforms!

We have also been able to keep the bill (HB 700) that would re-criminalize cannabis possession for minors — including by adding possible jail time — from getting a floor vote and helped build bipartisan opposition to it.

In other good news, HB 234, which would impose a fine on smoking or vaping cannabis in a moving vehicle, was amended in a Senate committee to make it a secondary offense (meaning you must be pulled over for another offense). This is important to ensure it’s not used as a tool for pretextual stops (including of people who may be smoking cigarettes or vaping nicotine).

Medical cannabis — We have seen strong bipartisan support for some improvements to the medical cannabis program, although we’ve been disappointed that the bill to remove the paltry cap on cultivation licenses was defeated.

• HB 697 — Many of the reforms are being rolled into HB 697, including moving oversight to the Department of Health from the Department of Agriculture; awarding another therapeutic cannabis pharmacy license in Jefferson Parish; increasing pharmacies after there are over 4,000 active patients in a region; and allowing existing pharmacies to open a satellite location in their region. The bill passed the House 77-16.
• HB 698, which would direct the Department of Health to regulate the testing of medical cannabis products, passed the House 73-19.
• HB 137, which would provide legal protections to verified out-of-state patients with cannabis in their possession, passed the House 66-25.
• HB 135, which would allow verified patients from out-of-state to purchase medical cannabis at in-state pharmacies, passed the House 73-22.
• HB 588, which would terminate the sunset clause for the medical program, passed the House 58-37.

These bills are all now pending in the Senate — either in committees or on the Senate floor. For more information, including the status of several other cannabis bills, you can check up our updated legislative overview. Unfortunately, some other valiant attempts to improve cannabis policies — including by setting up a framework for legalization and removing cannabis possession from the habitual offender sentencing — fell short this year.

Please share this message with friends and family in Louisiana. Together, we will continue to advance sensible cannabis policy in the Pelican State!

Ask the governor to sign the simple legalization bill and sign up to phone bank!

Yesterday, HB 372 – a bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales in the state – fell short of the needed 25 votes. Notably, the bill sponsor, Rep. Ed Osienski (D), changed his vote from yes to no, which will allow him to have the bill reconsidered before the legislative session ends on June 30. The final vote count was 23-15 with two absences (one of whom is a cosponsor of the bill).

Meanwhile, HB 371, a bill that would legalize possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for adults, was transmitted to Gov. John Carney’s (D) desk yesterday. He will have until May 31 to act on the bill.

Gov. Carney has been wary of legalization, so we need all hands on deck to convince him not stand in the way of progress. Gov. Carney has spoken up against the racist, traumatic search of the women’s lacrosse team in Georgia. He needs to hear voters demand he sign HB 371 into law to stop racist, pretextual searches at home in Delaware. 

Here’s how you can help:

1. Call the governor today and ask him to allow HB 371 become law.
2. Follow up with an email.
3. Sign up to phone bank next week with us to generate constituent calls to the governor.

You can sign up using this Google form (we have lunchtime and evening shifts available). We will provide a quick training, script, and directions in advance. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to info@delawarecannabispolicy.org.

The fight is not over to bring legalization to Delaware in this year!

Thank you for your continued support to make sure 2022 is the year Delaware legalizes and regulates cannabis for adults. Please share this message with your networks in Delaware to spread the word and encourage them to take action, too.

Committees in both the House and Senate will vote on cannabis legalization later today

Exciting news: Rhode Island could soon become the next state to legalize cannabis for adults! 

Later today, members of the House Finance Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on an amended proposal to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults after several weeks of discussion among legislators and stakeholders.

Thanks to the work of MPP and local criminal justice reform organizations, a major change from the previous version of the legislation is the inclusion of a state-initiated process for the clearance of past misdemeanor and felony convictions for cannabis possession. A prior version of the General Assembly’s legislation would have required individuals to take action and file a petition with the court to have their records expunged. But under the revised language, tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders will receive relief automatically by July 1, 2024.

The amended bill also eliminates all registration and plant tag fees for medical cannabis patients and establishes additional provisions that allow localities to set their own cannabis policies.

Once approved by the committees, the bill is expected to advance to the floor of both legislative chambers soon before it goes to the governor’s desk. 

Stay tuned for more updates soon! 

On April 20, Delaware State University’s female lacrosse team was traveling back from end-of-season games in Florida. While driving on I-95 North outside of Savannah, the team’s bus was pulled over for driving in the left lane on the interstate. Delaware State is a Historically Black University, and the driver and most of the students were Black. 

A deputy was recorded saying, “There's a bunch of dang schoolgirls on the truck. Probably some weed.” With no probable cause, local police brought in a drug-sniffing dog and searched student bags that were stored under the bus. The 45-minute stop and search, which involved male officers rifling through the young women’s underwear and menstrual products, found no contraband and resulted in no arrests or citations. One of the student athletes wrote about the incident.

This isn’t the first time Georgia law enforcement has traumatized dozens of innocent Black young people in pursuit of marijuana convictions. 

On New Year’s Eve 2017 in the city of Cartersville, Georgia, police entered an apartment where there was a party without a warrant and found under an ounce of cannabis. They proceeded to arrest all 64 people at the party, all of whom, except nine, were people of color. They were held for between one and three days in the county jail in extremely overcrowded cells. The case was eventually dismissed, and the City of Cartersville agreed to pay $900,000 in damages.

Until the Georgia General Assembly removes criminal penalties for cannabis, humiliating and intrusive searches and life-altering cannabis arrests will continue in large numbers. Researchers have found that traffic searches disproportionately target Black Americans, despite the fact that they are less likely to result in contraband than searches of white drivers. Black individuals are also three times more likely to be arrested for cannabis in Georgia compared to white people, despite similar use rates. 

Yet, the Georgia General Assembly has refused to make sensible changes to its cannabis laws. Decriminalizing cannabis can reduce the damage that these laws inflict on otherwise law-abiding citizens. The supposed smell of cannabis is the most common pretext to search a vehicle. Legalization has been shown to dramatically reduce the number of traffic searches. 

Over 30 states have decriminalized or legalized cannabis. Let your legislators know it is past time for Georgia to join the majority of the country in decriminalizing or legalizing personal amounts of cannabis.