In recent months, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has repeatedly said that he does not agree with marijuana legalization and would most likely end the current policy which allows states to determine their own marijuana laws provided they meet certain criteria, earning him a grade of "F" on MPP's Presidential Report Card. On Tuesday, Gov. Christie reaffirmed this position, saying that state laws making marijuana legal are numbered if he is elected president. The Huffington Post reports: “If you’re…

A new poll released by the Castleton Polling Institute shows that a majority of Vermont residents want to make marijuana legal and regulated for adults. VTDigger.org reports: Respondents in the recent poll were asked: “Two states — Washington and Colorado — have legalized and regulated marijuana for recreational use. Do you support or oppose passing a similar law in Vermont to legalize and regulate marijuana for recreational use?” Of those surveyed, 54 percent supported the idea with 40 percent…

With the Vermont General Assembly set to convene this week, a group of citizens, organizations, and businesses from around the state is officially launching a coalition to support legislation that would end marijuana prohibition in Vermont and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. From the Washington Times: The Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana held a news conference Tuesday, a day before the start of a legislative session in which lawmakers…

The annual WMUR Granite State Poll released Wednesday by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center shows a growing majority of New Hampshire adults support making marijuana legal and regulating it like alcohol. The survey found 55% percent support making possession of small amounts of marijuana legal in New Hampshire — up from 53% in 2013 — and 67% approve of marijuana being sold in licensed retail outlets and taxed at levels similar to alcohol if marijuana possession becomes legal. The poll…

The New Hampshire House Ways and Means Committee voted to amend HB 492, which would make marijuana legal and regulate it like alcohol, in order to simplify the tax structure and regulatory language. The committee then voted 14-5 to recommend that the House not pass the bill, which would also allow people 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. The House is not bound by this recommendation, and will vote on whether the bill should progress to the Senate soon. The committee’s amended bill…

The Kentucky House Health and Welfare Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing Thursday at 12:00 p.m. ET on a bill that would allow people suffering from conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis (MS), and HIV/AIDS to use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it. [caption id="attachment_7360" align="alignright" width="150"] Rep. Mary Lou Marzian[/caption] HB 350, known as the Cannabis Compassion Act, introduced on February 10 by Rep. Mary Lou Marzian (D-Louisville), a registered…

The New Hampshire House made history last Wednesday, January 15, when it became the first state legislative chamber in the U.S. to approve a bill that would legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for adult use. Next, the revenue sections of HB 492 will be considered by the House Ways and Means Committee. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t begin reaching out to New Hampshire state senators, who will begin considering this bill in April if it passes the House a second time. If you live in New Hampshire, please…

The New Hampshire House of Representatives took a major step forward today, voting 170-162 to approve a bill that would legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for use by adults in the “Live Free or Die” state. Unfortunately, Gov. Maggie Hassan has already promised she will veto the bill if it reaches her desk. “I just think it's the wrong message to send to young people,” she explained. Based on Colorado’s Amendment 64, HB 492 would end New Hampshire’s failed prohibition of marijuana and replace it…

A new poll was released Monday showing increased support for allowing medical marijuana in West Virginia. The poll, which was commissioned by MPP and conducted by Public Policy Polling, found that 56% of Mountain State residents support passing a medical marijuana law (up from 53% last January), and only 34% oppose laws that would allow patients to obtain and use medical marijuana (down from 40%). Results are available here. If you live in West Virginia, share these poll results with your state legislators…

[caption id="attachment_7000" align="alignright" width="160"] Del. Manypenny (left) and Matt Simon[/caption] A January poll showed that a majority of West Virginia voters support a law allowing medical marijuana in their state, and now their representatives are listening.  The WV Joint Committee on Health recently held hearings into the advantages of medical marijuana, and heard stories from patients around the state who seek its relief.  In addition, Del. Mike Manypenny (D-Taylor) plans to reintroduce…