Ask your state lawmakers to legalize cannabis this year.

Good news! Since the beginning of the legislative session in January, there have been several cannabis-related bills introduced. Just this week, the Hawaii Legislature advanced two separate measures that would expand decriminalization and legalize cannabis. S.B. 758 would increase the possession threshold to one ounce from three grams. The Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee unanimously advanced S.B. 758 in a 5-0 vote.

Shortly after, the committee advanced S.B. 767, which would legalize cannabis and allow licensed businesses to cultivate, produce, and sell cannabis products. It would also allow adult home cultivation of up to three mature plants. S.B. 767 advanced in a 4-1 vote and now heads to a joint hearing between the Senate Judiciary and Ways & Means Committees. Meanwhile, S.B. 758 is headed to the Judiciary Committee for a hearing.

Both bills’ futures are uncertain, as Gov. Ige appears to be generally unsupportive of legalization. However, in the interim, we urge you to contact your lawmakers and let them know you support legalization. As both bills progress, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.

Mahalo for your continued support.

Read more

On July 31, Gov. John Carney signed a bill into law that expands decriminalization for cannabis possession of one ounce or less to those under 21. The law became effective upon the governor's signature.

This important legislation will save young adults from life-altering criminal convictions, which can close the door on opportunities including jobs, housing, and higher education. For more information on Delaware's decriminalization law, check out our summary here.

In other news, the adult-use legalization bill, HB 110, will pick up where it left off in the House Appropriations Committee in 2020. You can read our summary of HB 110 here.

Please ask your representative to support HB 110 to end cannabis prohibition and replace it with a system where cannabis is regulated similarly to alcohol.

Read more

Ask your lawmakers to support legalizing, taxing, and regulating marijuana for adult use.

Today, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed A08420 into law, which will fix the state's decriminalization law and provide for automatic expungement for those with certain misdemeanor cannabis convictions. The law will take effect in 30 days.

This reform will save thousands of New Yorkers from arrest and allow those with previous cannabis convictions to move on with their lives. It also reduces the penalty for possessing about an ounce of cannabis from a $100 fine to a $50 fine. For more details, read our full summary of the bill here.

While this improved decriminalization law is an important step forward, there is still work to be done to improve New York's marijuana laws. Unfortunately, the legislature failed to pass a legalization measure before the session adjourned.

The majority of New Yorkers support legalization. Let your lawmakers know you want them to pass legislation to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for adult use in 2020.

Read more

Ask your representative to support HB 110 to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older.

Delaware's legislature adjourned on June 30, after making some modest but important improvements to marijuana policies. Since the General Assembly holds a two-year session, bills that did not get votes will roll over and pick up where they left off in January 2020.

The legalization bill, HB 110, was approved (8-3) by the House Revenue and Finance committee on June 5 and is now pending in the House Appropriations Committee. To pass HB 110 in 2020, it is very important to keep pressure on the General Assembly and continue our organizing efforts in the interim.

Ask your state rep to stand with 61 percent of Delawareans and vote YES on HB 110.

To go the extra mile, let us know if you're up for volunteering to phone bank to generate phone calls in key districts. You can make calls on your own schedule, from home.

Yesterday, Gov. John Carney signed SB 37 into law, which provides for the expungement of certain misdemeanor and felony convictions. This bill will allow for a single cannabis misdemeanor conviction to be expunged after five years and a single cannabis felony conviction to be expunged after seven years.

Additionally, two important bills passed the legislature and are headed to Gov. Carney:

• SB 45, a bill to expand decriminalization to those under 21; and
  
  
• SB 24, which would allow patients with any severe and debilitating medical condition to qualify for medical cannabis if they have exhausted other treatments, and the treatments have been ineffective or had prohibitive side effects.

Ask the governor to sign these important bills — SB 45 and SB 24. Call him at (302) 744-4101, shoot him an email, or weigh in on Twitter.

Meanwhile, HB 243, a bill to allow medical patients to grow their own cannabis, was introduced on June 20 and is pending in the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.

It is past time Delaware end cannabis prohibition and replace it with a system in which cannabis is taxed and regulated similarly to alcohol. After you contact your rep, please forward this message to your family and friends in Delaware.

Together, we can end prohibition in 2020!

Read more

Ask your lawmaker to allow patients to grow their own cannabis and also expand decriminalization!

Last Thursday, a bill that would allow Delaware patients to grow their own cannabis was introduced. The bill, HB 243, would allow registered medical cannabis patients to grow up to six mature cannabis plants in an enclosed facility.

Ask your legislator to support HB 243!

For some patients, medical expenses and a reduced ability to work make the price of store-bought cannabis out of reach. This important improvement to the medical cannabis program would provide people who could benefit from medical cannabis with safe, legal access to the medicine they need.

In other encouraging news, the Senate has approved a bill (13-6) that would expand decimalization to those under 21 years of age. It now heads to the House for consideration. Under current law, those under 21 years old still face criminal penalties for marijuana possession. This bill would save young adults from life-altering criminal convictions, which can close the door on opportunities including jobs, housing, and higher education.

Ask your representative to improve decriminalization by voting YES on SB 45!

These pieces of legislation are important steps to improve Delaware's cannabis laws. Please also ask your representative to support HB 110 to end cannabis prohibition and replace it with a system where cannabis is taxed and regulated similarly to alcohol.

Read more

Ask Gov. Cuomo to sign improvements to decrim.

After months of debate this legislative session on how the state will approach legalization, the legislature adjourned this week without reaching a conclusion.

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Senator Liz Krueger's Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act was unable to gain enough support in the Senate to receive a vote before the legislature's deadline.

However, the legislature did approve improvements to New York's decriminalization cannabis policies.

Lawmakers passed legislation to fix the state's decriminalization law and provide for automatic expungement for those with certain misdemeanor cannabis convictions. This reform will save thousands of New Yorkers from arrest and allow those with previous cannabis convictions to move on with their lives. For more details, read our full summary of the bill here.

Please ask Gov. Cuomo to sign A08420!

It is unfortunate that despite the majority of New Yorkers supporting legalization, the legislature failed to act this session. It is past time to end cannabis prohibition in New York. Let your lawmakers know you want them to end prohibition and replace it with a system where marijuana is taxed and regulated similarly to alcohol.

Read more