If you live in Maine, click here to reach out to your lawmakers today. Aside from implementing Maine's new adult-use marijuana law, there are other marijuana policy bills being heard in Augusta. Four Maine legislators, from both parties, have introduced bills that would help Mainers with past marijuana convictions. You can read more the bills and sponsors here. Earlier this month, the Portland Press Herald published an editorial in favor of these reforms, saying: "Times change, and laws need to…

Two competing marijuana initiative campaigns in Maine announced they will unite behind one state ballot measure to end marijuana prohibition in 2016. The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, backed by MPP, will stop collecting signatures in support of the initiative it filed in March and spearhead the campaign in support of a similar initiative filed in February by Legalize Maine. Each of the campaigns has collected approximately 40,000 signatures, and they will work together to collect the…

State legislators in Maine are planning to introduce at least four marijuana-related bills in the upcoming session. From the Portland Press Herald: The marijuana OUI bill is being proposed by the Department of Public Safety, which wants to set a limit that will allow police officers to determine when a driver is too stoned behind the wheel. [caption id="attachment_8429" align="alignright" width="152"] Rep. Diane Russell[/caption] Rep. Diane Russell, D-Portland, said she will introduce her fourth…

According to the Portland Press Herald, the issue of whether to implement a regulated and legal adult marijuana control system in South Portland, Maine took center stage Wednesday at a debate over the upcoming vote. Among the points of contention were whether marijuana is safer than alcohol and whether making marijuana legal will increase teen use. South Portland Police Chief Edward Googins, a vehement opponent, and Maine political director of the Marijuana Policy Project, David Boyer, debated over…

The Portland Press Herald reported that advocates of making marijuana legal kicked off a campaign yesterday in support of upcoming votes on the issue in Lewiston and South Portland. The advocates, led by the Marijuana Policy Project, held a rally at Kennedy Park for those in favor of Lewiston’s Question 2, which would make the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age and older. “Every day more and more people support making marijuana legal,” said David Boyer, Maine…

The Marijuana Policy Project filed a complaint Wednesday in the York County Superior Court calling for a temporary injunction that would require the York Board of Selectmen to place the query of recreational marijuana on the November ballot, according to the Portland Press Herald. The board of selectman has twice refused to ask voters whether they want to allow the recreational use of marijuana, on the grounds that it is not lawful because the use of marijuana is still illegal under state law. Regardless,…

In just 25 days, Portland, Maine could become the first East Coast city in the nation to legalize marijuana for adults. On November 5, voters will decide whether to approve a local ballot initiative that would make the possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana legal for adults 21 and older. MPP is part of a coalition that's backing the local initiative (which is known as "Question 1"), and we recently made national headlines when we launched a series of ads on Portland buses and bus shelters that…

Marijuana prohibitionists have been stirring up controversy since a line of bus advertisements supporting Question 1 in Portland, Maine were revealed on Tuesday.  The advertisements serve to spark interest among voters and pose the question, “Why should adults be punished for making the safer choice to use marijuana over alcohol?“ Opponents, particularly from a group called 21 Reasons, argue that the ads are irresponsible and should be taken down. Here is what the Portland Press Herald had to say: Ultimately,…

[caption id="attachment_6102" align="alignright" width="240"] David Boyer[/caption] The Portland Press Herald interviewed David Boyer, the Maine political director of Marijuana Policy Project, about the specifics of Portland’s proposed measure to legalize marijuana for adults. Following a vote by City Council on Monday, June 15, voters residing within city limits will be able to decide whether to remove all civil and criminal penalties for the possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for adults…