Great news! In a 6-5 vote, the Louisiana House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee voted to advance Rep. Richard Nelson’s bill to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults 21 and older. It now heads to the full House of Representatives!

Next week, two legislative committees in Baton Rouge will be hearing testimony on bills that would bring Louisiana’s cannabis policies into the 21st century.

On Monday, lawmakers returned to Baton Rouge for their 2021 legislative session. More than a dozen cannabis policy bills have been proposed — including bills to legalize cannabis and to allow flower cannabis in the state’s medical cannabis program.

A new poll by Starboard Communications found 72% of South Carolina voters support allowing medical cannabis and only 15% are opposed! But because South Carolina doesn’t have a citizens’ initiative process, the only way to translate that overwhelming support into law is for the state legislature to act.

Last year, the Alabama Senate overwhelmingly approved the Compassion Act — which would have legalized medical cannabis — but it stalled in the House when the coronavirus derailed the legislative session. This year, Sen. Tim Melson, MD, has already filed the 2021 version of the bill, SB 46.

Ask your state legislators to cosponsor the South Carolina Compassionate Care Act. On Wednesday, Sen. Tom Davis (R) and Rep. Bill Herbkersman (R) pre-filed bills that would allow seriously ill patients to use and safely access medical cannabis in South Carolina.As Rep. Bill Herbkersman explained, “It is unacceptable that South Carolinians with serious illnesses have to break the law to alleviate their suffering. My brother [who died of cancer] deserved better. Our friends, family, and neighbors…

As of today, Louisiana’s list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis has gone from one of the most restrictive to one of the more expansive! Three new medical cannabis laws took effect today, August 1, 2020. Perhaps the most important of the new laws is HB 819, which allows doctors to recommend medical cannabis for any medical condition the physician “considers debilitating to an individual patient” that the physician is qualified to treat. Previously, patients could only receive a recommendation…

Exciting news! Yesterday, Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration took another important step to preserve safe access to medical cannabis during COVID by issuing a waiver that would allow home delivery of medical cannabis to patients and designated caregivers. The waiver implements one of the key provisions contained in Jake Honig’s Law that was signed into law in 2019. At the onset of the COVID public health emergency, Gov. Murphy’s administration issued waivers providing for curbside pick-up, remote…

Good news! Last week, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill (HB 819) that will allow doctors to recommend medical cannabis for any medical condition the physician “considers debilitating to an individual patient” that the physician is qualified to treat. Currently, patients can only receive a recommendation for cannabis if they have a medical condition that is specifically listed. HB 819 also adds several qualifying conditions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, traumatic brain injury, and chronic…

Ask Gov. Edwards to sign the bill when it lands on his desk. Exciting news! On Wednesday, the Louisiana Senate followed the House’s lead and overwhelmingly approved legislation (HB 819) to allow medical cannabis for any debilitating medical condition. HB 819 would significantly expand Louisiana’s medical cannabis program: Patients currently only qualify if they have one of the specifically listed medical conditions. Ask Gov. John Bel Edwards to sign HB 819 into law when it lands on his desk.Before…