A bill that would legalize marijuana for medical use has been debated and tweaked since it was first introduced late last spring. But the one thing that’s held steady is popular support.
Further proof came last week when KSTP-TV released the results of polling conducted through SurveyUSA. The research firm asked 543 registered voters whether medical marijuana should be legal and found overwhelming support: 68 percent of Minnesotans said yes and 24 percent said no.
The senate version of a bill that would legalize marijuana for medical use in Minnesota got its first hearing Thursday, undergoing two hours of testimony and proving that the issue is not dead. Time ran out before members of the Health, Human Services and Housing Committee could vote, but they plan to resume discussion when they return from Easter/Passover break.
We reported earlier this week that all hopes for medical marijuana in Minnesota this year were gone. We’re happy to report we were wrong.
A bill legalizing the use, cultivation and sales of medical cannabis introduced last year by State Senator Scott Dibble, a Democrat from Minneapolis, will be considered by a state Senate committee later today.
| Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. |
Families of children suffering from severe seizures could have access to high-CBD treatments under a plan expected later today from Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.
South Carolina state Rep. Todd Rutherford currently has a bill in the state legislature that would legalize up to two ounces of cannabis for medical use for patients with doctor’s recommendations. The only problem is that it’s going nowhere.
So Rutherford took an interesting step this week to get more support, putting the measure on the Democratic primary ballot set for June 10 even though the vote wouldn’t actually do anything. Basically, it’s a statewide pot poll of Democrats.
While hundreds if not thousands of people are in jail over (increasingly bunk) medical cannabis charges up here in the states, Uruguay is legalizing medical cannabis use for prisoners who have a doctor’s recommendation.
Yesterday, Long Beach voters overwhelmingly approved taxing any marijuana dispensary operating in the city. Measure A, which won 74 percent of the vote, would impose a city business tax of 6 percent of gross receipts per dispensary as well as a $25 to $50 per square foot tax on marijuana grows.
Although dispensaries that qualify as non-profits would be taxed at a lower rate, some marijuana activists have opposed the tax for being too stiff, while others have pointed out that, unless city officials (who have a terrible track record on this issue) get around to legalizing medical marijuana, the tax is completely meaningless. Nick Schou has more over at the OC Weekly.
| Minnesota state capitol. |
At one point yesterday it looked as though the Minnesota legislature would vote on a medical cannabis bill by the time they adjourned for a two-week Passover/Easter break later today. But now it looks like would-be Minnesota medical marijuana patients are going to have to wait at least two weeks before the issue gets picked up again.
| Rappaport Center/Flickr. |
| Boston Mayor Martin Walsh. |
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh says he will be fighting the applications of two medical marijuana dispensaries in his city in a meddling letter to state Public Health officials this week. In the letter, he tells the state health department that he expects “swift and uniform” denials if the applications have any inaccuracies in them whatsoever.
Missouri Republicans might pass a bill that would allow cannabidiol oil – a form of medical marijuana – for people with severe epilepsy, but the restrictions on it are so tight that marijuana reform advocates are not exactly thrilled.