Massachusetts’ existing medical marijuana law does not provide explicit anti-discrimination protections for a medical marijuana user at work, although a pending court case may change that.
Four months after a majority of San Diego County voters supported a statewide proposition to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana , the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday passed a ban on cannabis shops and farms in unincorporated areas.
Source: County bans new marijuana operations, phases out others – The San Diego Union-Tribune
Revised rules for the Ohio medical marijuana program expected to debut next year won’t allow home delivery, home-growing or smoking of marijuana but would permit more dispensaries than originally outlined.
Source: Revised Ohio rules would allow more medical marijuana shops
New Hampshire is the only state left in the New England area to not have marijuana decriminalization laws on the books already, but a bill that was introduced – and just approved by the House – would make the current criminal misdemeanor a civil violation in the future. The New Hampshire house approves multiple marijuana-related bills.
Similar bills have been introduced in the past, but none have ever made it out of legislature. However, the future of this bill might be brighter, considering the recent legalization of cannabis in nearby Maine and Massachusetts.
“I think it signals this really is a new day,” said Cushing. “For 40 years the House has been debating whether it should decriminalize a small amount of marijuana. Today, I think the vote is a really clear signal that it’s time to change the policy.”
House Bill 640 would take what is currently up to a year in jail or a $2,000 fine and turn it into a $100 ticket on the first offense. Additional offenses would be fined at $200 and $350, depending on how many offenses and how frequently they occur. Compared to votes in previous years, the large majority (318-36) voting in favor of this decriminalization bill certainly shows that there are more people than ever, Democrat and Republican alike, who are in support of lessening the penalties for simple cannabis possession.
Source: New Hampshire House Approves Multiple Marijuana-Related Bills | The Marijuana Times
(AP) — Connecticut’s continuing fiscal woes, coupled with a new law that fully takes effect next year in neighboring Massachusetts, have prompted state lawmakers to take their most serious look yet at possibly legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for adults. Several bills with bipartisan support that sanction the retail sale and cultivation of pot are currently progressing through the General Assembly. The first bill drew dozens of supporters last week at a Public Health Committee hearing, many lauding the legislation as a way to regulate an illegal industry and potentially deliver millions of dollars for the state’s coffers. Yet, despite the apparent growing enthusiasm and the fact Connecticut already legalized the medical use of marijuana, it’s questionable whether any of the recreational-use bills will ultimately survive this session. Connecticut’s debate over recreational marijuana comes as lawmakers grapple with a budget deficit estimated to be as much as $1.7 billion next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Source: Legalizing marijuana gets attention of Connecticut lawmakers – NewsTimes
Oakland ramped up its counterattack to the U.S. war on drugs on Tuesday, expanding a one-of-a-kind program to help people jailed for marijuana crimes enter the booming cannabis industry.
There has been little legislation to address how adults, “authorized” to consume cannabis, will do so anywhere other than in the privacy of their own home. Alaska and Maine’s recreational bills included language for potential approval of public use, but Denver as a city is the first to officially approve “social clubs.” While marijuana bars, known as “dispensaries”, have been popping up all around the country, as a place consumers can purchase, laws have otherwise stated “no public consumption,” forcing users to go, and stay, at home.
The bill, recently approved by the Colorado Senate, allows local jurisdictions to permit bring-your-own pot clubs, as long as those establishments don’t serve alcohol or any food beyond light snacks. They also can not also be, a dispensary. Gov. John Hickenlooper is hinting that he’ll veto the recent measure unless it bans indoor smoking.
Sponsors of the bill say clubs should be allowed because Colorado already has a network of underground, unregulated pot clubs, and regulators aren’t sure how to treat them.
Providing a place for people to consume marijuana, while socializing, relaxing, shopping or simply not being judged, could help alleviate complaints that associated with the real impacts of “public consumption”.
Smoking is not a habit we want to encourage for children, many are bothered by the smell of marijuana and some may be offended for religious or moral reasons. As to provide comfort for both those consuming marijuana and those who choose not to, providing a safe place for marijuana consumption is bound to be one of the larger topics in the industry in the upcoming years.
For more, checkout one California journalists opinions on the Marijuana clubs approved in Colorado Senate:: Marijuana clubs approved in Colorado Senate – Sacramento, CA
In early March 2017, The Sacramento City Council in California, approved a process for issuing marijuana cultivation permits and lifted a moratorium on cultivation, paving the way for commercial cultivation in the city.
The new policies include criminal background checks for applicants and that all cultivation facilities must be at least 600 feet from neighborhood and community parks.
Sacramento Mayor, Darrell Steinberg, asked the great questions:
“Do we have the potential to gain substantial revenue for the things the public expects us to deliver on? Are we creating high-wage jobs? Are we going to use the right amount of revenue for enforcement of the underground industry that will continue to exist? And fourth, are we investing the revenue, some of the revenue, in drug addiction and drug education services?” Steinberg said. “I think those are four big-picture things that I am going to make sure that we focus on as we move forward here.”
Time will tell, how big the “Yes” answer he will get will be.
Source: Bizjournals.com: http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2017/03/08/sacramento-approves-commercial-marijuana.html
Since voters approved recreational marijuana use and sales in November, some towns, including the town of Sullivan, Maine have closed the door on marijuana sales.
Some local residents are voting to prohibit retail sales and social marijuana clubs.
Local ordinances in Marijuana States are common, although more cities and towns have opted “in” later than those who have allowed the commerce and opted “out” later.
Although Adilas420, strongly supports a towns right to “Opt Out” – it may be premature for residents to vote on such measures until they understand what rules will be implemented and enforced for cannabis businesses. Many states have adopted robust seed to sale rules and regulations building a professional, safe, and beneficial marijuana industry.
Selfishly, We are hoping our favorite vacation towns in Maine, Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport, Biddiford Pools will opt in!
Source: Another town blocks sale of marijuana on heels of referendum – Fox Bangor – WVII ABC 7
Millions of people, regulators, business owners, investors and workers continue to work towards ending prohibition of marijuana. With the new Presidential Administration, many of us continue to work within “Pot Purgatory.” This is a place we know and have worked within for many years. However, today we feel the force of the dark side more than ever. Today, this place of “somewhere in between legal and illegal” feels even riskier than usual. Its BIGLY risky. As they light at the end of the tunnel, many of us saw with 4 States voting to legalize on on November 9th. This has many responsible Americans throwing themselves “All in,” to the “Pot Purgatory” but we have little insight as to how the Government will actually respond. The Boston Globe reports:
Officials in the four most recent states to legalize marijuana — including Massachusetts and Maine — are languishing in limbo after signals from the Trump administration that a recreational marijuana market crackdown may be coming.
On the one hand, state leaders are mandated to follow the will of their voters, who approved legalization measures in November. But, on the other, it may not make sense to keep spending scarce taxpayer dollars building a new bureaucracy to regulate pot greenhouses, shops, and testing facilities, if national authorities will soon swoop in and snip the industry, which remains strictly forbidden under federal law.
US Senator Elizabeth Warren and some of her colleagues have also written to the Justice Department, requesting it leave the old policy in place, saying it is “essential” that states “receive immediate assurance from the DOJ that it will respect” their ability to enforce sensible drug policies.
“Fiscal responsibility requires predictability, and I want to ensure that we understand the DOJ’s intentions,”the letter read. Read the full story from The Source: If Trump cracks down on pot, where does that leave Mass.? – The Boston Globe.
We are prepared to continue to navigate this place we call “Pot Purgatory.” If you need extra help to ensure you are maintaining State Compliance and at least “floating in the right direction,” Contact Us today!
