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Journal Times editorial: Pot referendums could sway election
8/12/18--This coming November, City of Racine residents will have the chance to vote in an advisory referendum on the question of whether marijuana should be legal for medicinal and/or recreational use, as well as what the potential revenue should be used for. Keeping in mind the fact that the marijuana referendums could sway the election, the poses the question: Is this the right time? Would April be a better time? Read Will recreational marijuana be legalized in Florida in 2020? John Morgan thinks so.
7/6/18--Orlando attorney John Morgan, who bankrolled the successful effort to broadly legalize medical marijuana in Florida two years ago, says he will raise funds — and dip into his own deep pockets — to get a recreational use measure on the 2020 ballot. Morgan said he is speaking with U.S. marijuana companies to raise enough money to get a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot and would personally contribute any needed funds. He estimates the campaign would need about $5 million. Read Group collecting signatures for measure to legalize recreational marijuana
7/5/18--A petition is underway to legalize recreational marijuana in Oklahoma. In May, ‘Green the Vote’ announced that it was seeking a constitutional amendment that would allow adults to use marijuana recreationally. State Question 797 would allow anyone over the age of 21 to legally possess, use, grow, process, and sell marijuana. It would also allow marijuana to be classified as an herbal drug, which would be regulated by the Oklahoma Cannabis Commission. In order to have a chance to get the question on the November ballot, the group says it needs to collect 124,000 signatures of registered Oklahoma voters. So far, they have already collected more than 64,000 signatures for the measure. Read Marijuana campaign Part 2?
6/30/18--Orlando attorney John Morgan apparently wants to put more money into getting Floridians to vote on marijuana. The lawyer, who spent about $7 million backing a successful 2016 constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana, is now suggesting the creation of a fund that would support putting “full marijuana legalization on the ballot in 2020.” Read Lawmakers hold hearing Thursday on legalizing marijuana
3/15/18--A public hearing Thursday on recreational marijuana was a lopsided affair, with all but one of the people who testified urging lawmakers to legalize possessing, growing, and selling limited amounts of the drug. The state legislature is weighing three bills that, in tandem, would legalize marijuana and regulate its retail sale. Connecticut has been hesitant to follow the lead of neighboring Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont, all of which have legalized recreational marijuana. Read A new legal weed plan allows for hundreds of dispensaries across N.J.
3/13/18--Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Mercer, has unveiled a plan to legalize marijuana that would permit hundreds of dispensaries across New Jersey and would allow people to grow a small number of plants at home. The bill would legalize the possession and personal use of small amounts of marijuana, while creating both a commercial industry and a government body to regulate that industry. It would also allow New Jerseyans convicted of marijuana possession to apply to have their records expunged. Read Md. lawmakers hear arguments for, against putting marijuana legalization on Nov. ballot
3/13/18--Medical marijuana is being prescribed and steps have been taken to decriminalize it, but with thousands of Marylanders still being prosecuted for marijuana offenses, the Marijuana Policy Project says it’s time to put it to a vote. On the ballot, Marylanders would decide whether or not to legalize marijuana for recreational use, allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce. The House Judiciary Committee heard pros and cons Tuesday. Read The business of weed, from the medical marijuana industry to the black market
3/8/17--Whether its legal, illegal, medical or recreational, the marijuana industry means business. As lawmakers debate legalizing marijuana in New Jersey, the players who stand to be impacted -- from businesspeople already invested in the medical industry to black market dealers -- are keeping a close eye on how things develop. Read Schumer introduces Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act
6/27/18--Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) formally introduced new legislation to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. Specifically, the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act, effectively decriminalizing it at the federal level. Read Recreational marijuana in Florida likely on hold for years
1/2/18--Anyone hoping that Florida voters would get a shot at legalizing recreational marijuana in 2018 will likely be disappointed. Organizers of the two primary efforts to get the issue on the state’s Nov. 6 ballot say they won’t come close to collecting the required 766,000 petition signatures by the Feb. 1 deadline. The groups now hope that 2020 will be their year. Read Several states likely to legalize marijuana in 2018
12/28/18--It was a big year for pot in 2017: For the first time, a majority of Americans said it should be legalized, four state ballot initiatives passed and startups pounced on California's approval of recreational use. The year ahead portends legalization in three states, and the first pro-pot initiatives enacted by lawmakers instead of voter referendums. Read Could recreational marijuana soon be legal in Ohio?
12/8/17--Ohio’s medical marijuana program will go into effect in about 10 months, but already there’s a push to make all marijuana legal across the board. Jimmy Gould of Green Light Acquisitions, LLC, will propose making marijuana legal for all adults in Ohio. He said he has raised, invested, and spent more than $28 million on legalizing marijuana in the Buckeye State. Gould insists that his plan – this time around – will meet with voter approval. Read New Jersey rec MJ legalization, Indiana hemp chaos & cannabis + wine
12/1/17--New Jersey’s governor appoints a marijuana advocate to a key position, Indiana hemp retailers are ordered to remove CBD products from their shelves, and an Oregon judge allows a vineyard’s lawsuit against a planned cannabis grow to continue. Marijuana Business Daily presents a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week. Read Recreational cannabis in New Jersey could put a dent in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana industry
11/27/17--The prospects for legalizing marijuana in New Jersey look promising after voters elected Phil Murphy to the governor’s office in November. Yet, while the Garden State is eagerly anticipating the great financial opportunities that legal cannabis will bring, some members of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana industry are worried that easy access to recreational weed across the state line may steal their thunder. Read Is recreational marijuana about to be legalized in Michigan?
11/27/17--Members of the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol believe recreational marijuana is about to be legalized in Michigan. State lawmakers, however, weigh in both ways on the issue. Earlier this month, the coalition turned in several cases of signed petitions to get the referendum either approved, or placed on a ballot for voters to decide. About 350,000 people signed the petitions, nearly 100,000 above the 252,000 signatures the state requires for the proposal to be looked at. Read Majority of N.Y. voters support legalizing and taxing pot: poll
11/27/17--Nearly two-thirds of New York voters support legalizing marijuana. Sixty two percent of New York voters said they supported making marijuana use legal for people 21 and older, with only 28% opposed, according to the poll commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project Foundation and the Drug Policy Alliance. The poll also found that legalizing and taxing marijuana was, by far, the most popular way to erase New York’s looming budget deficit, with 60% of voters supporting it. Read Marijuana legalization study panel to hold third meeting
11/26/17--A committee studying the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana in New Hampshire is hearing from several experts. The committee is holding its third meeting, and the panel is expected to hear from representatives of the state banking and agriculture departments as well as the New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. Read Push to legalize recreational pot in Illinois takes step forward
11/7/17--Illinois voters could soon be able to voice their say on whether the state should legalize recreational marijuana. Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey is moving forward with an effort to put the marijuana legalization question on the March ballot. He wants voters to have a direct opportunity to have their voices heard as the debate on this issue in Springfield continues. Read Recreational cannabis, assisted dying plans fail
11/6/17--A pair of ballot measures aimed to legalize recreational marijuana, and allow patients with serious medical conditions to use marijuana, attracted roughly 15,000 signatures, but the measures won't go before voters in 2018. There were not enough signatures collected for the proposed ballot questions. Read Poll: Marijuana research widely supported among veterans
11/2/17--Most veteran households, regardless of state, age or political affiliation, support researching and legalizing medical marijuana, according to a poll commissioned by the American Legion. It included a sample of 513 veterans and 289 family members across 39 states. The poll, with a margin of error of 3.45 percentage points, found 92 percent of veterans support research into medical cannabis as well as 93 percent of veteran caregivers. Read St. Louis alderwoman’s bill would legalize marijuana
10/25/17--Democratic Alderwoman Megan Green introduced a bill that would prohibit the city from enforcing marijuana laws, essentially allowing residents to use, sell, and grow marijuana. Specifically, Green's bill would allow only for penalties for anyone using marijuana under age 21, selling to someone under 21, or possessing more than two ounces or more than 10 marijuana plants for cultivation. Consumption beyond private residential property would be limited. Read These states will probably vote on marijuana in 2018
10/26/17--In 2018, voters in a number of several states are likely to see cannabis questions when they go to their polling places. An article published in Marijuana Moment presents an in-depth look at those states that have the best chance of qualifying marijuana initiatives, followed by some brief information on a few that seem like longer shots. Read New Zealand to hold marijuana vote under new leader Ardern
10/20/17--New Zealand is poised to vote on legalizing marijuana under a new government that takes office next week. Liberal Jacinda Ardern was confirmed as the nation's next prime minister, and she said the country would hold a referendum on whether to legalize recreational marijuana at some point over the next three years. Ardern didn't say whether she favored legalization but said the current system wasn't working well. Read Big names, big money come through to help medical marijuana initiative
10/13/17--With less than six months to go, New Approach Missouri's proposal to legalize medicinal use of marijuana appears to be in a strong position to get on statewide ballots next year. The proposal would allow licensed physicians to recommend marijuana or related products for patients suffering from dozens of specified illnesses. It also calls for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to issue licenses to growers and to retailers. So far, there’s no organized opposition in Missouri to any of the pro-marijuana proposals. However, New Approach Missouri expects that to change if it makes the ballot. Read 5 states angling to put recreational marijuana on the ballot in 2018
10/14/17--As mid-term elections in 2018 approach, The Motley Fool examines five states that already have one, or in some cases far more than one, initiative or amendment lined up to legalize marijuana for adult use. These states include Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, and Nebraska. Read Delaware panel weighs issues of legalizing marijuana, told to “keep it simple, keep it restricted”
10/5/17--As Delaware lawmakers consider legalizing recreational marijuana, John Yeomans, director of the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, believes they should take a go-slow approach and address a wide range of health and safety concerns, including the need to prevent driving under the influence and distribution of marijuana to minors. While eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use of marijuana, each has done so through referendum, which Delaware does not allow. That leaves the possibility that Delaware could be the first state to implement legalization through the legislative process. Read This graph shows you the average cost of marijuana across Canada
9/21/17--The Ontario government gave an estimate on just how much they might be selling legal marijuana. According to one Reddit posted graph of the average marijuana prices of 1 gram in each Canadian province and the territories as a whole, northern territories pay the most for their bud, while Quebecers are paying the least. The Parliamentary Budget Office of Canada reports, the national average for one gram of weed in Canada is priced at $8.32, and marijuana is used the most in Ontario and the least in the northern territories. Read Plymouth town meeting issues include marijuana sales
9/15/17--Town meeting members will decide whether to allow retail sales of recreational marijuana in certain parts of town. The board of selectmen is sponsoring two measures that would restrict the selling of recreational marijuana to industrial parks. Two other measures, submitted by petition of town meeting member Steven Striar, offer other potential locations for recreational marijuana sales and propose amending the town bylaws to include definitions related to recreational marijuana. Read Canada marijuana legalization: Police services ask feds to postpone July 2018 start date
9/12/17--Canada's police services say there is zero chance they will be ready to enforce new laws for legalized pot by next summer. They said Tuesday they need more time to properly train officers about the new laws and more than double the number of police officers who are certified to conduct roadside drug impaired driving testing. There also needs to be more time for public education, the police said. Read
How should Atascadero regulate marijuana? City wants residents’ input
8/26/17--Atascadero officials are looking for residents’ input on marijuana regulations as the city continues drafting restrictions. Marijuana regulation became a statewide issue in November after California voters passed Proposition 64, which legalized recreational use of the drug. Medical marijuana has been legal in California since 1996. Read What are tenants’ rights under proposed marijuana laws?
8/24/17--Many landlords across Canada want to prohibit tenants from growing and smoking marijuana on their properties, but landlords may not be able to prevent all tenants from smoking marijuana inside their units. Court battles over smoking in rental units have gone “both ways” in the past, with the courts sometimes ruling in favor of the tenant and sometimes siding with the landlord. It’s still unclear how the proposed marijuana legislation, which is still being studied by House of Commons’ health and justice committees, will affect landlord-tenant agreements. Read Here are the next 6 states likely to legalize recreational use of marijuana
8/23/17--The recreational use of marijuana could occur as soon as 2018 in several states along the East Coast and in the Southwest if voters approve the referendums. While experts sometimes disagree on which states are likely to legalize recreational use, there are six states agreed upon that are most likely to end prohibition for adults 21 years and older. The states are Vermont, New Jersey, Arizona, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Read Michigan cannabis legalization advocates have raised half a million dollars to get on 2018 ballot
8/21/17--A proposal that appears likely to go before voters next year would make Michigan the ninth state to legalize the drug for recreational use. Adults 21 and older could possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to 12 plants at home. A 10 percent tax on marijuana would be assessed, in addition to the 6 percent sales tax. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol says it has collected 200,000 signatures in three months. It needs about 252,000 valid signatures in a six-month window. Read Second Michigan recreational marijuana campaign gets OK
8/18/17--A second – and now competing – campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan has gotten the go-ahead from state officials to begin collecting signatures in a bid to make the 2018 ballot. The campaign, Abrogate Prohibition Michigan, was approved by the state board of canvassers to move ahead with its goal of 315,654 signatures, the Detroit Free Press reported. Read Michiganders could keep enough marijuana for 880 joints under proposal
7/27/17--A group called the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is circulating a petition to legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan. Under the petition, Michigan residents could legally carry 2.5 ounces of marijuana, or possess 10 ounces of marijuana at home. Read Task Force created to study outcome of legalizing marijuana in Delaware
7/2/17--The General Assembly has passed a concurrent resolution that will create a task force to study the outcome of regulating and taxing marijuana for recreational use in Delaware for adults 21 and older. The Adult Use Cannabis Task Force “shall study adoption of a model for regulation and taxation of adult-use cannabis in Delaware, including local authority and control, consumer safety and substance abuse prevention, packaging and labeling requirements, impaired driving and other criminal law concerns, and taxation, revenue, and banking issues.” Read Marijuana legalization backers optimistic about putting issue to Michigan voters in 2018
6/26/17--Backers of a marijuana legalization ballot initiative in Michigan say they have the financial and grassroots support necessary to put the question before voters in 2018. The initiative would allow for the personal possession, cultivation, and use of marijuana for those age 21 and older — as well as the cultivation of industrial hemp. It also creates a licensing system for growing, processing, testing, transporting, and selling marijuana. Additionally, residents would be able to purchase up to 2.5 ounces at a time. Read Marijuana isn’t a medical treatment or moneymaker for Missouri, but that could change after 2018
6/27/17--All of the marijuana legalization initiative-petition proposals in Missouri seeking to amend the state constitution face a tough challenge. Roughly 190,000 signatures from registered voters in at least six congressional districts are required in order to get on the 2018 ballot. At the moment, the group that has the best chance is New Approach Missouri. It has raised the most money for its initiative petition drive to legalize marijuana for the treatment of dozens of diseases. Read On medical marijuana, Hastings against growing but open to dispensing
6/16/17--Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings said he has mixed feelings on the new medical marijuana licensing and dispensing program in Ohio. According to The Times-Gazette, even if it’s not grown in the state, Hastings is less resistant to medical marijuana being dispensed locally. Read New York recreational marijuana bill is on the table
6/14/17--A group of New York state lawmakers and community advocates reintroduced a bill on Monday in an effort to legalize recreational marijuana. State Sen. Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes, along with a collection of cannabis supporters and social justice activists, announced they will support the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. The bill would create a legal market for cannabis sales in the Empire State and tax and regulate it like alcohol. Read New York lawmakers make second attempt to legalize marijuana in 2017
6/9/17--New York lawmakers will soon reintroduce proposals that aim to establish a fully legal recreational marijuana trade. The proposals -- A3506 and S3040 -- would give adults 18 and older the freedom to possess up to two ounces of marijuana and grow up to six plants at home for personal use. It would also establish a fully legal cannabis industry by giving adults 21 and older the freedom to purchase cannabis products from retail dispensaries in a manner that compares to purchasing alcohol. Read Missouri marijuana legalization initiative ready for immediate signature collection
5/25/17--The Missouri Marijuana Legalization Movement (MMLM) has put together an initiative petition for 100 percent legalization of cannabis in Missouri. The Secretary of State has approved a petition for circulation that will put that question in front of the voters of Missouri on Nov. 8, 2018. Read Ohio Supreme Court Justice backs legalizing marijuana
5/20/17--Ohio Supreme Court Justice William O'Neill said making marijuana legal is working in Colorado and doing it in Ohio would bring hundreds of millions of dollars in sales taxes. Justice O'Neill also said he not only wants to legalize marijuana but also release all non-violent marijuana offenders from prison. Read Vermont’s legal marijuana bill faces final hurdle in Republican governor
5/19/17--Vermont governor Phil Scott has until Wednesday next week to act on bill S. 22 that would make his state the ninth in the nation to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. This bill would remove criminal and civil penalties for minor pot possession, allow residents to grow a limited number of marijuana plants, and create a commission tasked with eventually establishing a system for state-regulated sales. It’ll take effect July 2018 unless Governor Scott vetoes it before Wednesday’s end. Read Canada weighs risks and benefits of setting 18 as minimum age for weed use
5/18/17--Canada may be setting the minimum age for marijuana use at 18 — three years lower than in U.S. states that have embraced legalization. Advocates for the measure say putting the limit at 21 would encourage a black market, and drive youths into the hands of criminals. The task force that drafted the measure reported that experts said “that setting the minimum age too high risked preserving the illicit market, particularly since the highest rates of use are in the 18 to 24 age range.” Read N.J. legislator planting seeds for recreational marijuana legalization post-Christie
5/15/17--New Jersey Sen. Nicholas Scutari is introducing legislation now to legalize recreational marijuana as a way to lay the groundwork for it to be enacted by the next governor. The legislation would permit possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana, 16 ounces of marijuana-infused products in solids, 72 ounces in liquid form, and 7 grams of concentrate. It would prohibit home cultivation. Read How close is legal marijuana in PA?
5/12/17--The majority of Pennsylvanians polled by Franklin & Marshall College believe all marijuana use should be legalized. The Morning Call outlines the 5 bills referring to marijuana in the statehouse currently being consideration. Read Marijuana legalization ballot drive launched in Michigan
5/5/17--Marijuana proponents launched a 2018 ballot drive to make Michigan the ninth state to legalize the recreational use of the drug and the first in the Midwest to do so. The initiative has the backing of state-based marijuana advocacy groups and a key national lobbying organization, which suggests the financial backing and coordination will be there to gather the roughly 252,000 valid voter signatures needed to qualify for a statewide vote. Read MPP chief ready to barter for marijuana campaign donations
4/28/17--Rob Kampia, executive director of Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), solicited tobacco business interests in Michigan in search of campaign donations to run what will likely be a multimillion-dollar, 19-month endeavor. Although efforts were largely unsuccessful, MPP did secure a $50,000 donation from Wild Bill’s Tobacco, a chain of smoke shops involved in the Michigan negotiations. However, according to Kampia, that money was “to keep our ears open” – not in exchange for any particular provision written into the ballot measure. Read Alcohol, tobacco interests eyeing Michigan marijuana market
4/27/17--The tobacco industry is eyeing the retail end of the of the cannabis industry in Michigan, and industry officials have raised the possibility that both tobacco and alcohol companies could be positioned to profit from secure wholesale transport of cannabis. The scene in Michigan highlights how more established industries will likely insert themselves into the legalization process to gain a foothold in the multibillion-dollar cannabis industry. Read Group pushes to get marijuana measures on the ballot
4/23/17--New Approach South Dakota is pushing to legalize medical and recreational cannabis in the state. The organization says recreational and medical marijuana would boost tax revenue for South Dakota, and create a safe, alternative medicine for patients who may suffer from epilepsy, PTSD, and more. Read Pro-marijuana protest outside Knesset
4/20/17--Hundreds of Israelis gathered on a grassy hill overlooking parliament on Thursday to smoke marijuana in an act of communal defiance of current laws. Sitting in small groups just across from the Knesset, participants lit up as the clock struck 4:20 pm for the local version of the traditional worldwide "420" pro-marijuana events. Read Vermont Senate approves marijuana legalization for adults
4/21/17--Vermont has taken another step toward legalizing marijuana for adults over the age of 21. On Friday, the Senate voted 21-9 in favor of a bill that would legalize marijuana for adults in the state and would create a regulatory agency on the production and sale of the drug. The bill had previously been brought up in 2016, but had failed in the House. Read Top lawmakers smelled out Indiana marijuana scheme
4/17/17--Some of Indiana's best-known former legislators and lobbyists joined a secret investment company that several investors say was formed to cash in if marijuana was ever legalized in Indiana. According to an IndyStar investigation, the secretive investment company has tried for years to cash in on marijuana leglization in Indiana, and its investors included many of the state’s most influential behind-the-scenes political power brokers. Read Huge opportunities for B.C. with legalization, marijuana producer says
4/13/17--According to Dan Sutton, founder and managing director of medical marijuana producer Tantalus Labs, the time has come for British Columbia (B.C.) to take the lead on the marijuana legalization process. Sutton said B.C. is perfectly positioned to lend its expertise to the legalization process. "I think demand will substantially increase as a result. Production will necessitate massive expansion as well. We need a new generation of entrepreneurship to step in and fill that void." Read Bill introduced to legalize recreational use of marijuana in Illinois
4/12/17--A new bill being introduced in the Illinois House would legalize the drug. In its current form, the bill would allow people to have less than 28 grams of marijuana, under the same structure the state's medical marijuana program currently uses. Lawmakers sponsoring the bill say it will provide safe products, which are taxed and licensed to consumers, while also providing $350 to $700 million in revenue. Read RI lawmakers debate marijuana legalization
4/12/17--Rhode Island lawmakers are tackling the controversial topic to legalize recreational marijuana. The issue was taken to the state house, and it was the first legislative hearing on the proposal to legalize marijuana in the state. Similar meetings have been held every year since 2011 but none have resulted in a vote. Read Montana lawmakers may study recreational marijuana
4/11/17--House Joint Resolution 35 plans to create a committee to study how recreational legalization would be carried out in Montana. The panel would examine if liquor control should be a guide for marijuana control, how legalization has affected other states, and the pros and cons of it all. Read Newsviews: legalizing marijuana in Illinois
4/2/17--A proposal's been made to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Illinois. The lawmakers behind this measure say the money could be used to help close the state's budget gap. Police have said this could be an enforcement nightmare. Read Lawmakers want weed federally regulated like every other industry
4/3/17--The inability to apply for tax breaks, and the lack of banking options for weed workers could change if a group of lawmakers can get a package of newly introduced bills passed, which would require the federal government to regulate the marijuana industry in the same manner as the alcohol and tobacco industries. Under the Marijuana Revenue and Regulation Act, the measures would prevent marijuana businesses from being punished for federal crimes and penalties regarding sale of the plant in legal states. Read