Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana. This week, we begin in Idaho, where the legislature is not on board with a medical marijuana ballot initiative. Then we turn our attention to Massachusetts, where there’s a ballot initiative to make cannabis illegal again, but new changes to existing law allow possession of more pot. We look at two governors who are urging their respective states to legalize. And finally, we hear from a Senator who is skeptical about medical marijuana.
Link to IDAHO IDAHO
Idaho’s legislature disapproves of the medical marijuana initiative that may appear on the November ballot. Both the Senate and the House have passed a resolution urging voters to give a thumbs down to legalization. Assuming the initiative does appear on the ballot (not a given – see our report from two weeks ago), it will be very interesting to see if the voters reject cannabis or the advice of their elected representatives.
Link to MASSACHUSETTS MASSACHUSETTS
Idaho isn’t the only state where voters and lawmakers seem to be at odds about cannabis. In Massachusetts, however, the roles are reversed. A ballot initiative to recriminalize cannabis is in the works, although polls show it doesn’t have majority support. And now a group of business owners has filed a lawsuit against the initiative, hoping to prevent it from appearing before the voters at all. Meanwhile, lawmakers are heading in the opposite direction. The legislature has passed a bill that would double the amount of cannabis a state resident could buy or possess, along with making changes to the state commission in charge of cannabis.
Link to GOVERNORS IN FAVOR OF CANNABIS GOVERNORS IN FAVOR OF CANNABIS
Meanwhile, two governors in states where adult-use cannabis is illegal are speaking out in favor of setting up a retail market. In Pennsylvania, which is largely surrounded by states with full legalization, Governor Josh Shapiro (D) would really like to join that club.
North Carolina, which doesn’t even allow medical marijuana, shares a long border with Virginia, which presumably is about to give the go-ahead for an adult-use retail market. The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis released an interim report on the situation in the state recently, and they indicated that the state needs to set up a market, while making sure kids don’t have access. Governor Josh Stein (D) is on board with that recommendation.
Link to AND FINALLY AND FINALLY
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) recently gave an interview to The Cincinnati Enquirer. Among other topics, he discussed his feelings about cannabis, stating that he favored Kentucky being able to decide for itself on legalization, rather than instituting a federal law. He also indicated he preferred “medical margaritas.”
Be well everyone – we’ll see you next week.