This week, State Representative La Shawn Ford announced a bill* that he hopes will allow the Illinois dispensary rollout to move forward and advance social equity goals. While these are great goals, we think the bill will not accomplish either.
Read MoreThe Commonwealth of Virginia is very close to becoming the 16th state (plus Washington D.C.) to legalize recreational “adult use” cannabis. It would also become the first “Southern” state to do so. Neighbors such as Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia have extremely limited medical programs, while West Virginia and Florida have full medical cannabis programs. But none have adult use programs, and so Virginia is on the verge of becoming the reform leader in the region. Virginia is also the third state to have passed legalization through legislation.
Read MoreYesterday, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont filed legislation that would establish an recreational (“adult use”) cannabis market in the State. The Governor’s proposal would create a licensing process for cultivators, retailers, micro-cultivators, product manufacturers, food and beverage manufacturers, product packagers, and delivery services.
Read MoreOn January 22, 2021, Arizona became the 15th state to permit sales of recreational cannabis. The start of sales should make cannabis reform advocates around the country smile for several reasons.
Read MoreIn a historic move, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the MORE Act today, a federal marijuana decriminalization bill. Not surprisingly, the votes largely went along party lines—222 Democrats, five Republicans, and a Libertarian voted in favor, while 158 Republicans and six Democrats voted against the measure.
Read MoreYesterday, Mexico’s Senate approved a bill that moves it closer to becoming the third country to legalize recreational cannabis. While the bill still needs to be approved by the Chamber of Deputies before it goes to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s desk, there is renewed optimism that the three-year-old legalization process may soon be completed.
Read MoreAs we wrote about here, cannabis had a banner night across the country on Tuesday as five states passed ballot initiatives legalizing cannabis in some fashion. Additionally in Illinois, a state that legalized recreational cannabis through legislation, voters signaled their approval of legalized cannabis in a different way. While the election results are not yet final, voters in Batavia, Elk Grove, Glen Ellyn, Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, and Wilmette appear poised to approve the sale of recreational marijuana within those cities.
Read MoreIt’s not an exaggeration to say that the only consistent thing in the past few American elections has been support for cannabis legalization. Democrats, Republicans, and independents in red, blue, and purple states all seem ready to decriminalize and legalize cannabis. 2020 was no different; voters approved cannabis legalization measures in every state offering them on the ballot.
Read MoreMontanans will vote on a recreational marijuana legalization effort this year, but if it passes (and polls show it is expected to) will it ever be implemented? If the Wrong For Montana (“WFM”) campaign has its way, the initiative will be tossed aside before it ever gets under way.
Read MoreSeveral states are advancing adult-use cannabis legalization efforts, but Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is again promoting a unique approach to a recreational marijuana market: state-run marijuana distribution. A recent article in PoliticoPro (subscription required) dives into the issue and provides great context and analysis on whether this proposal is feasible and its chances to succeed.
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