Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana. This week, lawmakers introduced a new federal legalization bill. Idaho cannabis supporters were not able to get an initiative on the ballot. Massachusetts cannabis opponents were able to put repeal on the ballot. And finally, there’s a volunteer opportunity in Vermont.
FEDERAL LEGALIZATION
As federal rescheduling hearings wrapped up recently, Senate Democrats have a different idea of how to deal with cannabis – just take it off the schedule altogether. Led by Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), the bill has fourteen co-sponsors so far. As Senator Booker said:
For decades, generations have suffered unjustly under the failed War on Drugs and broken cannabis laws—hurting primarily people of color. It is long overdue that we stand up for them.”
Or, as co-sponsor Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) put it:
[I]it is time for Congress to stop dicking around and make weed legal. This bill is a good step forward.”
IDAHO
Proponents of legal cannabis in Idaho have tried so many times to get a medical marijuana measure on the ballot that even they must have lost count. Their most recent effort has come up short, without the necessary number of signatures to get the initiative before voters. Will this be the end of the road? Possibly – a measure that has made the ballot would prevent cannabis legalization by initiative, so only the legislature could legalize it. And that’s not very likely to happen.
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts legalized adult-use cannabis in 2016. Now, some residents would like to rescind that decision. A legalization repeal initiative will appear on the November ballot. Medical marijuana would still be legal, and so would possession. Home cultivation would not. This means that you can possess cannabis, but you can’t buy or sell it outside of the medical program. One can only imagine that dispensaries in the surrounding jurisdictions must be delighted at the prospect.
AND FINALLY
If you’d like to help law enforcement learn how to spot cannabis impairment in drivers, there’s a volunteer opportunity for you in Vermont. The Vermont Police Academy is looking for folks willing to consume cannabis and then allow officers to observe them. Officers are better able to spot signs of impairment, and participants can better understand how cannabis affects their driving.
Be well everyone – we’ll see you next week.