Marijuana possession would not be included in Louisiana’s draconian mandatory minimum sentencing laws if a bill introduced earlier this week manages to find approval in the state legislature.
State Rep. Austin Badon, a democrat from New Orleans, introduced House Bill 103 on Tuesday which in addition to removing marijuana possession a qualifying offense for the state’s three strikes law.
| Updated Vermont state seal. |
Earlier this week, a group of Vermont democrats, independents and progressives introduced House Bill 499, which would legalize small amounts of marijuana for personal use and cultivation in the state, as well as allowing for recreational cannabis stores to open up in the Green Mountain State.
| TokeoftheTown.com |
Towns in Massachusetts can not ban medical marijuana centers outright, but they are allowed to enact zoning regulations on where dispensaries can be located. State Attorney General Martha Coakley handed down that decision yesterday in response to a Wakefield, Mass. passing a law that prohibited marijuana centers from operating in that town.
A Marijuana Policy poll of 600 Minnesota voters underscores the need for medical marijuana reform in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The poll, conducted earlier this month, shows that 65 percent of Minnesota voters would support changing the law to allow for medical marijuana in that state.
| TokeoftheTown.com |
Update 6/12/2013: Hawaii’s proposed decriminalization bill that would have set a $1,000 fine for possession of up to an ounce has been changed, dropping the fine back to it’s original proposed limit of $100. It comes with a catch, though, the decriminalized amount would also be dropped to a 20 grams – eight short of the ounce originally promised. Money collected from fines would go toward the state general fund.
| Copenhagen. |
Copenhagen officials are considering a measure that would create a three-year legalization study to help curb gang activity and create a “better life for average cannabis users.” Interestingly, the current proposal calls for cannabis to be imported from Colorado and Washington where voters recently passed bills legalizing small amounts of cannabis for personal use.
Yesterday New Mexico’s House of Representatives approved House Bill 465, which would decriminalizes up to 4 ounces of cannabis. The measure passed by a vote of 37-33, and now moves to the Senate.
| TokeoftheTown.com |
Illinois is one step closer to having medical marijuana laws on the books after a bipartisan subcommittee approved HB0001 to move into the House for a full vote. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time bills have made it this far only to find their demise before the entire House.
If passed, the Illinois medical marijuana bill would allow patients to possess up to two and a half ounces, which they could replenish at one of 60 proposed, state-regulated dispensaries every two weeks. Herb would be grown in 22 cultivation facilities scattered across Illinois.
| Flikr.com |
| Let me grow. |
The movement to reform our failed cannabis policies has grown tremendously in recent years and months. It’s not slowing down anytime soon. Cannabis reform is a mainstream issue, and frankly, there’s no denying it. A majority in the county support legalizing cannabis, and 81% support its legalization for medical purposes.
On top of this, a majority of states in our country (27 in total) have either decriminalized cannabis possession (14), or legalized it for medical and/or recreational purposes (18). The remaining states are hard at work towards reform, and advocates in the states mentioned above are vehemently trying to improve their situation. For those who have been on the line about getting involved in helping bring cannabis law change, now is absolutely the time to jump in.
Below is a breakdown of efforts going on around the country: