The Green Thread: Marijuana in the states

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VT Senate approves bill, sends to governor for his signature.  The bill will legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and possessing two mature marijuana plants or four immature plants.

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Michigan voters support legalization 61-35

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Sessions = cucked

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Florida's ban on smokeable medical marijuana ruled unconstitutional

BIG

Ohio Attorney General certifies marijuana legalization petition

Good.  Is the amendment worded better this time?

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The FDA has approved the country's first medicine made from marijuana.  CBD rescheduling to come.

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Legalization in Michigan passes!

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Still shocked that legal weed failed in North Dakota.

Yeah, especially by the margin.  Heitkamp lost by 11 and weed failed by 18.

Two years ago, medical cannabis was approved 64-36.

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Still shocked that legal weed failed in North Dakota.

Yeah, especially by the margin.  Heitkamp lost by 11 and weed failed by 18.

Two years ago, medical cannabis was approved 64-36.

I mean, it is North Dakota after all. No state anywhere near as conservative as North Dakota has approved recreational weed.

Alaska did, but it has a stronger libertarian streak than ND.

The next states we should be looking at for ballot initiatives are Arizona, Ohio (without the monopoly nonsense in the last referendum), Missouri, and Montana.  It would gain majority approval in Florida, but it will probably take a few cycles before it can get 60%.

Recreational probably won't pass in Oklahoma or Arkansas any time soon.

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Still shocked that legal weed failed in North Dakota.

Yeah, especially by the margin.  Heitkamp lost by 11 and weed failed by 18.

Two years ago, medical cannabis was approved 64-36.

I mean, it is North Dakota after all. No state anywhere near as conservative as North Dakota has approved recreational weed.

Alaska did, but it has a stronger libertarian streak than ND.

The next states we should be looking at for ballot initiatives are Arizona, Ohio (without the monopoly nonsense in the last referendum), Missouri, and Montana.  It would gain majority approval in Florida, but it will probably take a few cycles before it can get 60%.

Recreational probably won't pass in Oklahoma or Arkansas any time soon.

If it gets on the ballot in Wisconsin it would pass too. Recreational weed won everywhere it was on the ballot by yuge margins and medical marijuana was winning with 80% in deep Republican counties too.

True, but binding/non-advisory ballot measures need to be approved by the legislature first in Wisconsin.  Democrats would probably need to win control of the statehouse first at least, which they weren't able to do this year.

Although IIRC when I was watching the WI Senate debate a few weeks ago, Baldwin referred to some local marijuana measures that were on the ballot in some counties and cities that she was supporting.  How did those go?

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Cuomo, who as recently as last year opposed legalization, included it in his budget proposal.  New York could have a fiscal framework for the program as soon as April.

Thanks, Cynthia!!

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Excellent!  Now the ball is in Madigan's court.

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Excellent!  Now the ball is in Madigan's court.

Hopefully he blocks it


He should do at least one good thing for Illinois, and that good thing is blocking marijuana access (which should be illegal nationwide)

It's funny because you're one of the people who could benefit from a joint the most.

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Jared Polis signed six marijuana-related bills in Colorado yesterday, including a bill that lets businesses apply for a permit to allow consumption on their property.  The measures will have to be approved by local governments.

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It doesn't look like legalization is on the table in NY this year.  Cuomo says the votes aren't there in the Senate just yet and the session ends in just twelve days, although Cuomo as well as the Speaker and Majority Leader have been blamed for the bill stalling.

New York, like New Jersey, has awful politics, so sadly this doesn't surprise me.

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Seems like the momentum is there for FL to vote on legalization next year

https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/initiatives/initdetail.asp?account=74455&seqnum=2

That's good.  It probably won't pass with the 60% it needs next year, but it should get pretty darn close!

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https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1323824023634149376
https://twitter.com/MarijuanaPolicy/status/1323836876155998208

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https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1323879300618215427
Holy crap South Dakota

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Virginia governor pushes to legalize marijuana

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gov. Ralph Northam is pushing to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Virginia, which could be the first Southern state to do so.

Northam announced his support for legalization Monday, saying he wants a responsible approach that promotes racial equity and preserves youth safety. The Democratic governor said he is going to propose legislation during next year’s legislative session, a process he said could take up to two years. But he added that he’s certain the drug will eventually be legal for personal use.

“Legalizing marijuana will happen in Virginia,” Northam said.

https://apnews.com/article/ralph-northam-legislation-marijuana-virginia-3369fd0d37a364ce1a79aa8fdc5d34a2

If I remember correctly, one of the differences between Northam and Perriello was whether marijuana should be legalized only medicinally or recreationally, with Northam taking the moderate hero position. A medical marijuana bill passed this year, but there are no dispensaries open and the ones they have planned are very sparse given the size of the state (I think only five or six were planned, and the nearest one in my neck of the woods was planned for the Richmond area.)

Glad to see Northam sees the light on this issue. More Democrats should follow. There's no point in not capitalizing on an issue that enjoys support from broad swaths of the electorate, including a majority of Republicans under 40.

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So is this where we are now? Among the states where recreational pot has been approved:



I assume none of the referenda passed last year has gone fully into effect yet, or at least no pot shops are currently open.

60% shade = Recreationally legal
50% shade = On track to being recreationally legal
40% shade = Legally ambiguous/Other

Noem and the Atlas poster-turned-killer AG are fighting legalization in SD. VT allows personal ownership/growth but no legal infrastructure for businesses.

DC I wasn't too sure about. The voters legalized it there, but noted fascist non-DCer Andy Harris is blocking it from going into effect.

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What is going on in safe Democratic Hawaii? They are the only Pacific state not to legalize and are behind South Dakota of all states.

A bill died in their House this year. Really not sure what's going on there.

At least we just need a sig in NM to make it legal, so not sure what the holdup is there as well.

*ge is staunchly against legalisation. The bill would become law if he simply refused to sign the bill, and there are definitely enough votes to overturn a veto. I wonder whether the legislature just thinks it’s easier to wait until he’s out of office. If the next Governor runs with cannabis reform as a pillar of their election platform, it could end the issue.

Another reason to hate scumbag *ge. Also, please censor slurs on this site. Thank you.

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So is this where we are now? Among the states where recreational pot has been approved:



I assume none of the referenda passed last year has gone fully into effect yet, or at least no pot shops are currently open.

60% shade = Recreationally legal
50% shade = On track to being recreationally legal
40% shade = Legally ambiguous/Other

Noem and the Atlas poster-turned-killer AG are fighting legalization in SD. VT allows personal ownership/growth but no legal infrastructure for businesses.

DC I wasn't too sure about. The voters legalized it there, but noted fascist non-DCer Andy Harris is blocking it from going into effect.

Jason Ravnsborg was a atlas user?

Yup, many years ago. Around 2004-ish.

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Some news from the Hill that I didn't want to post as its own thread, because the usual suspects will call leftists who disagree with Biden on pot white privileged or whatever:

Although the Biden administration has at least gestured towards reform, toning down the policy against staffers who answer honestly to past marijuana use.

But Biden still hasn't changed his stance, although Schumer is moving forward with the legalization bill anyway.

I have a very hard time seeing Biden actually veto a bill that should receive at least some Republican support. Five Republican senators come from states where pot is legal, plus a handful would vote to let the states regulate it anyway.

Two-thirds of Americans support legalization including 55% of Republicans. There is nothing for either party to gain by opposing it.

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Nebraska will probably be next to legalize via ballot initiative next year. Pretty gross of Ricketts to prop up big tobacco by literally telling people "big marijuana" is going to kill your kids.

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A brief review of marijuana and psychedelics referendums that could be on the ballot next year:

Arkansas: Activists are collecting signatures to place full adult-use legalization on the 2022 ballot.

California: Activists recently filed a petition for the 2022 ballot to make the state the first in the nation to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for any use. Cultivation, sale, social sharing, and on-site consumption would all be legal.

Idaho: State officials recently cleared activists to begin collecting signatures for possession of up to three ounces of marijuana on private property for adults 21 and older. This is similar to Vermont's law, I believe, which allows cultivation and consumption but not sales or marketing. (There are a few of these here.) Medical should also be on the ballot.

Maryland: Hogan has suggested openness to the idea of marijuana being on the ballot next year. Dems in the legislature are working on that.

Mississippi: Not much here. A campaign might start if the legislature fails to pass a medical cannabis law, after the voters overwhelmingly approved in what I guess was a non-binding referendum, or if they pass one with weak consumer protections.

Nebraska: Activists want to get something on the ballot, otherwise nothing much so far.

North Dakota: Activists want another shot after the 2018 legalization referendum failed. The legislature is a bit more pro-weed than you would expect from such a Republican body, but ultimately the Senate killed a House-passed bill for legalization.

Ohio: Another cultivation/personal ownership law may be on the ballot, but not full legalization. Adults may possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis, and they could also have up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates. Individuals could grow up to six plants for personal use, with a maximum 12 plants per household.

Oklahoma: Full legalization of sale and consumption and medical might be on the ballot. Signature gathering fell short last year due to COVID.

South Dakota: Activists are filing for four separate, similar ballot initiatives and a fifth one that would prevent the Supreme Court from overturning again.

Wyoming: Activists are seeking measures to decriminalize adult-use and legalize medical.

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The Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the legalization measure won't be on the November ballot after all.

https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-ballot-legalization-recreational-marijuana/41319327

The petitioners just ran out of time. It'll definitely be on the 2024 ballot in Oklahoma.