Delaware’s marijuana decriminalization law officially takes effect today, making Delaware the 19th state in the nation to remove the threat of jail, a punishment far too severe for simple marijuana possession. Under the new law, the possession or private use of one ounce or less of marijuana will no longer trigger criminal penalties or create a criminal record for adults over 21 years of age. Instead, it will be a civil violation punishable by a $100 fine. Adults between the ages of 18 and 20 will…

On December 2, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services issued a request for proposals for two new medical marijuana compassion centers, one in Sussex and another in Kent County. The announcement comes six months after the state’s first center opened in Wilmington in June. The new dispensaries are scheduled to open in the fall of 2016. The addition of two centers will help to better meet the needs of Delaware patients and will reduce the distances they have to travel. Currently, one…

Over the weekend, the November 2015 issue of the Delaware Register of Regulations was published, expanding the legal protections of the state’s medical marijuana act to reach more individuals. The published regulations officially added "autism with self-injurious or aggressive behavior" to the list of conditions, giving doctors one more treatment option should they think it would benefit their patients. The condition was added after a petition to do so was submitted to the Department of Health and…

On Tuesday,  Gov. Jack Markell (D) signed SB 90 — Rylie’s Law — into law. Gov. Markell’s approval is yet another sign of Delaware lawmakers understanding the benefits that medical marijuana holds for seriously ill patients of all ages. Not one lawmaker opposed this new law [caption id="attachment_8923" align="alignright" width="200"] Sen. Ernesto Lopez[/caption] Introduced by Sen. Ernesto Lopez (R), SB 90 is now Delaware law. Doctors may now recommend medical marijuana oils to certain patients under…

Wednesday evening, the Delaware Senate Judiciary Committee voted 4-2 to approve legislation that would stop the state’s ineffective and cruel practice of jailing individuals for possessing a small amount of marijuana — a substance that is safer than alcohol. The bill can now be voted on as early as tomorrow. Since the House has already approved the bill, a positive Senate vote will send it to the governor for final approval. If you are a Delaware resident, please email your state senator today and…

[caption id="attachment_8904" align="alignright" width="150"] Gov. Jack Markell[/caption] Last week, the Delaware House approved SB 90 by a 40-0 (1 absent) margin! This vote follows unanimous approval by their colleagues in the Senate, sending the bill to Gov. Jack Markell with not one lawmaker having objected. If you are a Delaware resident, please email Gov. Markell and ask him to sign SB 90 today! Introduced by Sen. Ernesto Lopez (R), SB 90 would allow doctors to recommend medical marijuana oils…

[caption id="attachment_8840" align="alignright" width="147"] Rep. Helene Keeley[/caption] The Delaware State House of Representatives returns to Dover this week, and we are hopeful it will take up HB 39 — the bill to replace Delaware’s criminal penalty for marijuana possession with a $100 civil fine. If you are a Delaware resident, please email your state representative in support of this sensible bill today! Introduced by Rep. Helene Keeley, HB 39 would make possession of up to one ounce of marijuana…

[caption id="attachment_8497" align="alignright" width="225"] Rep. Helene Keeley[/caption] Delaware State Rep. Helene Keeley, State Sens. Margret Rose Henry and Bryan Townsend, and 10 of their colleagues have just introduced legislation that would replace Delaware’s criminal penalty for marijuana possession with a simple civil fine, similar to a traffic ticket. If you are a Delaware resident, please email your state representatives and ask them to support this modest reform. Possessing one ounce…

Executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, Rob Kampia, discusses what’s next for the push to make marijuana legal in the United States: The state that will most likely be next to legalize is Rhode Island, which would be the first to do so via state legislature. Also this spring, the District of Columbia is expected to enact a similar law through its city council. There's also a real opportunity to legalize marijuana through five more state legislatures between now and 2017 – Delaware, Hawaii,…

Marijuana advocates made history with three huge Election Day victories in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington D.C. and are optimistic for what the future holds. “The stage is now set for 2016, when measures to regulate marijuana like alcohol are expected to appear on ballots in at least five states,” said Mason Tvert, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project, which was instrumental in passing legalization in Colorado and bankrolled the successful campaign in Alaska. The five states where…