“Every single day that Harrisburg delays there are Pennsylvanians charged with marijuana possession and paraphernalia offenses.”
The post Lawmakers, Cops Consider Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization in Pennsylvania appeared first on NORML.
Quirk Bill Would Assert Right of Doctors to Prescribe Medication to Patients Using Medical Cannabis
Assembly Member Bill Quirk has introduced a bill (AB 1954) to protect the right of patients to medical treatment if they use medical marijuana, and the right of physicians and clinics to treat them. The bill is sponsored by CANORML.
“Many physicians are under the mistaken impression that they can’t prescribe medication to patients who test positive for cannabis,” said Dale Gieringer, Director of CANORML. The Quirk bill would clarify that physicians cannot be punished for treating patients who use medical cannabis, notwithstanding its illicit status under federal law.
Cal NORML regularly hears from patients who are terminated from pain management medications on account of their use of medical cannabis. A great many studies have shown cannabis is effective for pain, and can help patients reduce their use of opiates.
The California Medical Association House of Delegates adopted a resolution in 2019 condemning the automatic elimination of patients who use medicinal cannabis from pain management programs. AB 1954 would specify that a positive drug test for cannabis should not in itself be the sole basis for denying medical treatment to a patient absent a medically significant reason.
“It is irresponsible and unethical for pain management programs to eliminate patients who are using medical cannabis for their chronic pain, because there is conclusive scientific evidence that cannabis is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain,” said Larry A. Bedard, a Marin-based physician who authored the CMA resolution.
“I’m so happy Asm. Quirk has taken this issue up for patients. We can’t wait any longer,” said Yami Bolanos, a patient and advocate from Los Angeles who was instrumental in the passage of AB 258 (Levine; 2015), ending discrimination against organ transplant patients who use cannabis in California.
The legislation is expected to face its first vote in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee in March. Californians can take action on AB 1954 by writing to their Assembly Members.
Bonta Bill Would Expedite Clearing of Past Marijuana Convictions
Cal NORML is also in support of AB 1706 (Bonta), a bill that provides urgently-needed solutions to the delayed implementation of our automatic marijuana record-sealing statute.
In 2018, we passed groundbreaking legislation that mandated the automatic sealing of cannabis criminal records for offenses that are no longer illegal. Authored by current Attorney General Rob Bonta, AB 1793 was a nation-leading step not just in cannabis reform, but also in criminal justice reform, and has been modeled in many states since. Its automatic process ensured that the individual with the eligible record would not have to petition the court for relief; rather, that relief would be automatically provided in light of the state’s repeal of cannabis prohibition.
Unfortunately, the implementation of AB 1793 has been inconsistent across the state. While some counties were proactive in implementing the legislation, others were not, and the statute lacks certain deadlines to ensure completion of the process. According to an investigation by the Los Angeles Times, there are at least 34,000 cannabis-related records that still have not been fully processed by the courts.
These implementation gaps have created a system of justice by geography, and a solution is urgently needed. By adopting AB 1706, we can ensure that California finally lives up to our overdue promise to remove these erroneous criminal records and allow individuals criminalized by an unjust prohibition to move on with their lives. I strongly support this needed legislation and ask for your aye vote on it. Please take tell your Assemblymember to support AB 1706.
Other 2022 Legislation
Other bills Cal NORML is tracking in Sacramento this year:
OPPOSE: Asm. Thurston Smith of San Bernardino County has introduced AB 1725, to re-felonize the cultivation of more than six cannabis plants. “A showpiece for the Republican anti-pot narc constituency,” Cal NORML director Dale Gieringer told L.A. Weekly about the bill. “It would be struck down by the courts as violating Prop 64.” Another bill, AB-1599, would increase penalties for various drug crimes.
SUPPORT: AB 1014 (McCarty) addresses regulations for cannabis delivery vehicles and AB 1646 (Chen) would authorize cannabis beverages to be packaged in clear containers.
IN PROGRESS: AB 1646 (Aguiar Curry) is a clean-up bill on hemp. We have been in communication with the author and are watching the evolution of this bill. In addition, we’re expecting several cannabis tax reform proposals that we will be keeping our members posted on.
The post Medical Marijuana Patients’ Rights Bill, Expungement Bill, Others Introduced in California appeared first on CaNORML.org.
Here is NORML’s weekly update on state legislative activity in Wisconsin, Washington, Tennessee, South Dakota, South Carolina, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Iowa, Illinois, Hawaii, and Colorado.
The post State Policy Weekly Update 2/11/2022 appeared first on NORML.
Here is NORML’s weekly update on state legislative activity in Wisconsin, Washington, Tennessee, South Dakota, South Carolina, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Iowa, Illinois, Hawaii, and Colorado.
The post State Policy Weekly Update 2/4/2022 appeared first on NORML.
As more states transition from marijuana criminalization to a regulated retail marketplace, struggles over the structure of retail sales markets have become a foremost concern. Inabilities in establishing and enacting clear and timely regulations regarding the application and acceptance process for business licenses have caused significant delays in the actualization of retail markets in many states.
The post Retail Licensing Delays and Emerging Social Equity Concerns in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut appeared first on NORML.
By a vote of nearly 2 to 1, members of the South Carolina State Senate advanced medical cannabis access legislation, the bipartisan Compassionate Care Act. It will now go to the State House of Representatives.
The post South Carolina: State Senate Advances Compassionate Care Act appeared first on NORML.
“Today, we are without any kind of home-grow rights. If we were able to produce our own cannabis, our own cannabis oils, and yes even our own vape products, we could guarantee our own safety.”
The post Pennsylvania: Patients Respond to Recall of Medical Cannabis Products, Say Such Incidents Strengthen Arguments to Permit Home Cultivation appeared first on NORML.
“We are hopeful that Oklahomans will have the opportunity this fall to decide in favor of ending the failed policy of marijuana criminalization.If so, we are confident that they, like voters in other states have already done, will decide in favor of legalization,” said Jax James, NORML’s State Policy Manager.
The post What’s the Future of Marijuana Legalization in Oklahoma? appeared first on NORML.
Senator Schumer said: “In the coming weeks, we’re ramping up our outreach and we expect to introduce final legislation. Our goal is to do it in April. Then we begin the nationwide push, spearheaded by New York, to get the federal law done. As the majority leader, I can set priorities. This is a priority for me.”
The post Senate Majority Leaders Provides Timeline for Introducing Long-Awaited Marijuana Descheduling Plan appeared first on NORML.
This vote marks the sixth time that members of the House have advanced SAFE Banking to the Upper Chamber either as an amendment or as a stand-alone piece of legislation.
The post House Advances SAFE Banking Act as Part of the America COMPETES Act appeared first on NORML.