Happy 420 USA – CANNABIS LAWS in the USA – State by State
CANNABIS LAWS BY STATE
In 1996, California was the first state to recognize the rights of qualified patients to cultivate, distribute, and possess medical cannabis. Since then, many states have legalized cannabis for adult use, medical use, or both. Cannabis laws by state are constantly changing, so we put together a comprehensive list to keep you up to date on the current laws.
As a look at the map makes clear, states continue to take a variety of approaches to regulating cannabis. While a few states still have outright bans, the trend has been toward loosening restrictions. Most states now allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes. An increasing number have also legalized recreational use or greatly reduced the penalties for possessing or using cannabis.
How Do States Decide on Their Cannabis Laws?
For decades, states have been changing their cannabis laws through both ballot initiatives and the legislative process. In states including California, South Dakota and New Jersey, voters have directly approved measures legalizing medical cannabis, recreational cannabis or both.
State legislatures have been passing laws to allow medical cannabis since the 1990s. In 2018, Vermont became the first state to legalize recreational cannabis through its legislature rather than through a ballot initiative. Since then, legislatures in states including Illinois and Virginia have followed suit.
A state’s cannabis laws don’t address every detail of how its system works. Instead, the law creates a framework within which state agencies and local governments can make more specific rules.
What Is Medical Cannabis?
Medical cannabis, as the name suggests, is prescribed by a doctor to treat specific conditions and symptoms. Studies have shown that cannabis can help patients with a variety of health concerns, including:
Certain kinds of epilepsy.
Nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy treatments for cancer.
The loss of appetite and weight loss that can be caused by HIV/AIDS.
Scientists continue to study whether cannabis is an effective treatment for some symptoms of multiple sclerosis, chronic pain and other conditions.
A physician will examine a patient and, if appropriate, provide a certification that the patient has a condition that can be treated with medical cannabis. Each state has its own list of qualifying conditions.
Once a patient has a physician’s certification, they can be placed on the state’s medical cannabis registry and issued an identification card. This card entitles them to purchase cannabis at a dispensary — a state-regulated store that is authorized to sell cannabis products. The amount of cannabis someone with a medical cannabis card can possess varies by state.
Another important difference between states is whether they recognize other states’ medical cannabis cards. Individuals must follow the rules of the state they are in, not just the state that issued their ID.
What Is Cannabis Decriminalization?
In addition to implementing and refining medical cannabis programs, states are also continuing to address the question of how to regulate the nonmedical use and possession of cannabis. As the map shows, many states now allow adults to possess and use cannabis with some restrictions. Others have opted instead for decriminalization.
Decriminalization of cannabis does not mean legalization of cannabis. Instead, decriminalization can reduce the legal consequences of those caught possessing or using cannabis.
Decriminalization generally means criminal penalties are replaced with civil penalties. For example, police would issue a citation instead of making an arrest, would not punish an individual with a jail or prison sentence, and the incident would not appear on the individual’s criminal record.
It’s important to note that these more lenient punishments generally only apply to the first-time possession of smaller amounts of cannabis — harsher penalties can be imposed for multiple infractions or for possessing larger amounts.
What Is CBD?
The Cannabis sativa plant contains both delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the chemical compound found in medical and recreational cannabis — and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is psychoactive — it’s the chemical in cannabis that causes a “high.” CBD is not psychoactive. For this reason, many states have begun loosening restrictions on its use for medicinal and other purposes.
At both the state and federal levels, however, the law surrounding CBD remains complicated and unsettled. This is especially true when it comes to the presence of THC in CBD products. Since the two compounds are chemically similar and derived from the same plant, many CBD products contain some THC. Some states that allow CBD products but have more restrictive laws for THC have specified that CBD products may not contain more than a certain small amount of THC.
By isolating and extracting the CBD from Cannabis sativaplants, it is possible to create CBD-only products. Since these products contain no THC at all, they reduce some of the risk and uncertainty surrounding the production, sale and use of CBD.
Navigating State Cannabis Laws
The laws addressing recreational cannabis, medical cannabis and CBD continue to evolve. We’ll continue to update our map to reflect changes to each state’s cannabis laws. If you have questions about how specific laws affect your cannabis business, you can always reach out to us — we’ll help you find the answers.
Four Pennsylvania lawmakers seek to end a push to launch operations in a safe drug consumption site. With the move, Sens. Sharif Street (D), Christine Tartaglione (D), Anthony Williams (D) and Jimmy Dillon (D) submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania fighting against any agreement in a lawsuit that seeks to allow operations of a center in Philadelphia that non-profit Safehouse would run.
South Divided Over Cannabis Legalization
Two recent polls have investigated the sentiment on cannabis legalization in two Southern states. The survey from Winthrop University has revealed that residents of South Carolina support legalization of both recreational and medical use of cannabis, with 56% and 76%, respectively, backing the reform, reported Marijuana Moment. Congresswoman Nancy Mace, serving as the U.S. representative for South Carolina’s 1st congressional district since 2021 and has been a cannabis reform advocate for years, said in last week’s tweet that findings are “not as controversial as some would have you to believe.” Kentuckians are, to that end, more conservative, as a recent Emerson College poll found that the state’s Republican voters are not supporting recreational marijuana legalization. The majority (50.2%) is openly against it, while a third of those asked would support the cannabis policy reform.
Kentucky Researchers To Study Pros & Cons Of Medical Marijuana
On the heels of the Bluegrass State making the headlines as the 38th state in the nation to enable access to medical marijuana for patients with debilitating conditions, researchers from the University of Kentucky are getting ready to research the pros and cons of the medical use of the plant. The state granted the research center $2 million to conduct the study last year. The researchers aim to study the effects of cannabis on opioid addiction, obesity and cancer. “We are looking at outcomes like quality of life, mood and appetite,” Dr. Shanna Babalonis, director of the University of Kentucky Cannabis Center, said. “We are looking at weight, so we are trying to figure out will medical marijuana and cannabis help the patients keep their weight up.”
WA Bill
To Legalize Interstate Marijuana Sales Heads To Governor
A bill allowing cannabis companies to negotiate interstate agreements in Washington State is heading to Gov. Jay Inslee‘s (D) desk after the state Senate gave it final approval on Friday. The bill, SB 5069 from Sen. Ann Rivers (R), got the green light from members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday following the adoption of an amendment that sought to change “a scrivener’s error” in the bill’s version that passed the state Senate in a 40-8 vote last month. Under the legislation, imported cannabis goods would have to be aligned with the state’s testing, packaging and labeling regulations; they need to adapt to rules set by the Department of Health and Liquor & Cannabis Board.
When Inspirational Technologies is an endorsement of the “Cannabis” approach to the medical condition, we say, let’s let the look at the data and the people who say that they benefit for cannabis alternatives.
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Hemp absorbs twice as much carbon per hectare of land than a forest does, and hemp-derived products can be used to replace paper, petroleum-based plastics, and cotton fibers.
In 2021, the U.S. hemp market was reported to be worth $824 million in 2021. By 2030, the global hemp market is predicted to be worth $17.24 billion.
The 2023 Farm Bill offers an opportunity to iron out ambiguities surrounding hemp production that will benefit farmers and stabilize the market. The upcoming Farm Bill is also an opportunity to create hemp policies that recognize the historical injustices that Indigenous and Black farmers have experienced.
Across the aisle, the question of how to handle the production of industrial hemp, a newly legalized crop, is on legislators’ minds. As the 2023 Farm Bill begins to come into focus, this carbon-sequestering plant has the potential to reshape U.S. agriculture.
Hemp absorbs twice as much carbon per hectare of land than a forest does, and hemp-derived products can be used to replace paper, petroleum-based plastics, and cotton fibers. But hemp, a strain of the Cannabis plant (from which marijuana is derived), was previously considered a Schedule I substance—the most highly regulated narcotics under the Controlled Substances Act.
The 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-179) legally distinguished hemp from marijuana by defining hemp as having a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) level below 0.3 percent, which is insufficient to produce narcotics. But it limited hemp cultivation to research purposes only. The 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334) relaxed many restrictions and established the Domestic Hemp Production Program, making it easier for farmers to grow and sell hemp. The legalization of hemp cultivation in the United States has allowed farmers to employ the crop to promote sustainable farming practices and produce sustainable alternatives to plastics and other materials.
The 2023 Farm Bill can serve as an opportunity to ensure hemp is cultivated and produced to its fullest potential. Ambiguities in federal laws must be addressed to ensure that the hemp market, which was reported to be worth $824 million in 2021, continues growing.
Power to the Plant
Much of hemp’s appeal as a sustainable solution stems from its carbon sequestration rate. In an interview with Dezeen, Cambridge University researcher Darshil Shah stated that hemp can capture between 10 and 15 tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) for each hectare of cultivation, a rate twice that of forests. Its fast growth rate means that farmers have the opportunity to harvest hemp multiple times per year, priming it for climate mitigation efforts.
Hemp’s high yields hold the promise of replacing other fiber- and oil-producing plants. According to the National Hemp Association, one acre of hemp produces double the amount of oil than an acre of peanuts does, and it also produces four times as much fiber pulp used for paper than an acre of trees does. When processed, every part of the hemp plant can be used for a wide range of products, including biofuels and textiles.
The wide range of versatile hemp-derived products has the potential to address U.S. reliance on plastics, fossil fuels, and cotton, by serving as a sustainable replacement. Currently, the Center for International Environmental Law predicts that plastic consumption will continue increasing and account for 20 percent of oil consumption by 2050. Hemp, however, offers a naturally biodegradable alternative that can replace petroleum-based plastic materials on both the commercial and industrial scale. Alongside bioplastics, hemp has gained prominence being a durable alternative to cotton, as it requires less land and around half of the water cotton crops need. Beyond clothing and plastics, hemp has been used in construction with products like hempcrete, and its seeds have been used in cosmetics and in food for their nutritional value. With this plethora of sustainable benefits, hemp has the potential to reshape more than just agriculture.
Moreover, the carbon sequestration of hemp has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from U.S. agriculture—which the EPA estimated accounted for 11.2 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2020. By offering sustainable alternatives to high-emission products, hemp cultivation could help the United States meet its climate goals.
Addressing Diversity in Farming via Hemp
Though the legislative focus on industrial hemp has been relatively recent, Indigenous peoples have been farming hemp long before it was legalized in the 2014 Farm Bill. Yet, current hemp legislation and its enforcement do not quite recognize this—nor do they treat Indigenous farmers equally to their white counterparts.
In 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized 30,000 hemp plants and invaded sovereign land belonging to the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, claiming that these plants violated the law as they were intended to produce marijuana. The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against the DEA agents for the destruction of their crops. They claimed that they were legally growing hemp on their lands for research by the College of the Menominee Tribe, yet the judge agreed with the DEA’s attorney and dismissed the lawsuit.
This case is an example of how the enforcement of hemp legislation is complicated by the history of Indigenous land dispossession by the U.S. government. Environmental activist and member of the Ojibwe tribe Winona LaDuke is advocating for both the environmental benefits and social benefits of hemp policy crafted with respect to communities of color, their histories, and their beliefs.
Writing for the Esperanza Project, LaDuke spotlights how plots of hemp qualify as carbon sinks, with the plant itself being capable of replacing carbon-intensive materials. LaDuke notes that these qualities offset GHG emissions, which prompts ecological restoration that can be led by young Indigenous leaders. Thus, there is potential for hemp production to provide added income to Indigenous communities and act as part of a path toward a sustainable, circular economy.
The hemp market is predicted to continue to grow and reach a global value of $17.24 billion by 2030. With this growth comes the opportunity for more farmers to get involved—farmers such as Indigenous and Black farmers who have been traditionally left behind by agricultural policies. Hemp can be grown on small plots of land, a trait beneficial for farmers of color who typically do not own the same large expanses of land that their white counterparts do.
Black and Indigenous communities in the United States have faced a history of exclusion from land ownership and economic opportunities, and this history has shaped their access to agriculture today. According to a 2012 USDA report, only 1.4 percent of the country’s 3.2 million farmers are Black farmers as a result of discrimination from lending institutions, including the USDA. Black farmers are hoping to see hemp policy address historical injustices in agriculture.
A change to hemp licensing would be a first step to addressing historical injustices. Federal law requires farmers applying for hemp licenses to not have had a drug felony in the past 10 years. As the Drug Policy Alliance reports, Black and Latinx people are more likely to have marijuana-related drug felonies which, under this policy, further excludes them from harvesting the benefits of hemp.
A lack of hemp education is another issue affecting both Black and Indigenous farmers that hemp policy could address. The Pew Charitable Trusts has reported on organizations forming to educate people on hemp, what it is, and how to acquire a license for it. Such education could be undertaken by the federal government to ensure that hemp production is inclusive and sustainable for all.
Hemp’s Future in the Farm Bill
The Farm Bill has always been an opportunity for policymakers to address agricultural and food issues on a federal level. The federal government defined industrial hemp, differentiating it from marijuana, and developed the Hemp Research Pilot program to legalize hemp cultivation for research purposes in the 2014 Farm Bill. Outside of research, hemp production was still illegal under federal law. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp cultivation outside of pilot products, though it also restricted the THC content of hemp plants.
Ahead of the 2023 Farm Bill, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research held a congressional hearing to see how the next Farm Bill could improve hemp production. In this hearing, the need for clear regulations around CBD (the active ingredient in cannabis derived from hemp plants) and for stronger supply chain processing were highlighted, alongside further opportunities for hemp-derived products within climate markets.
Frustration and confusion around CBD laws has been a topic of concern for hemp farmers since the 2018 Farm Bill. Now, it is one of the issues hemp industry advocates hope to see addressed in the 2023 Farm Bill. Beyond CBD, the National Hemp Association is hoping to see three other major changes. It is advocating for a specific carve-out for hemp grain and fiber to develop a framework for promoting these products, for hemp grain to be allowed as animal feed to support farmers, and for the THC limit to be raised to one percent instead of 0.3 percent. Raising the THC limit has been discussed by numerous hemp organizations and farmers, as a one percent limit provides leeway and lessens the need for crops to be destroyed.
The National Law Review highlights further hemp-related changes that may be included in the 2023 Farm Bill, one of which being the revision of the broad definition of hemp. Currently, only delta-9 THC has been regulated in the 2018 Farm Bill, and there are worries that this is a loophole for unregulated hemp sales of other kinds of THC. Moreover, federal laws do not address what happens when the THC level of raw hemp exceeds the 0.3 percent allowed, even if it is ultimately processed into a product that will have a lower THC percentage (this is often referred to as “in-progress” hemp).
With many organizations highlighting the need to iron out ambiguities surrounding hemp laws, the 2023 Farm Bill may be the prime opportunity to do so. Including smart hemp production and cultivation policies in the 2023 Farm Bill has the potential to make the hemp industry more sustainable, inclusive, and profitable.
Author: Lynlee Derrick
We, at Inspirational Technologies are at the forefront of Inspirational and Frontrunners on the frontier of current technology. We are often faced with our own personal conflicts which directly influence our interactions with our peers and family.
When Inspirational Technologies is an endorsement of the “Cannabis” approach to the medical condition, we say, let’s let the look at the data and the people who say that they benefit for cannabis alternatives.
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
4 Hemp key points being Health Hope and Happiness, thru Hemp“.
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Did you ever wonder why cannabis doesn’t affect everyone the same way? Why do some people experience pleasure and relaxation when smoking pot and others get anxious or even paranoid?
To understand the various effects the same plant has on the same species, we humans that is, it’s essential to understand not only the plant and its components, but our own endocannabinoid system.
Enter neuroscience.
First things first, what is the endocannabinoid system?
Simply put, it is a biological system in the body that helps regulate and balance key bodily functions. An American psychiatrist with a private practice in San Francisco and Marin County focuses on addictions. In his book, “Marijuana on My Mind: The Science and Mystique of Cannabis,” Timmen L. Cermak, M.D. explores various questions about marijuana and its effects.
In his January post in Psychology Today, Cermak tries to explain how it feels to be high and why this experience can sometimes resemble meditation. In a new post, he focuses on “how THC and CBD ingestion produces pleasant effects for so many people, why too frequent use of cannabis can produce subtle cognitive and emotional impairments, and how selective use of cannabis has medicinal benefits for a variety of illnesses.”
Cermak looks at Koen Van Laere’s discovery of how genetic differences in the density of active CB1 receptors determine temperamental characteristics of extroversion exhibited in novelty-seeking and often risk-taking and introversion’s novelty and risk avoidance.
Cermak explains how THC increases endocannabinoid system activity, lowering the bar for experiencing novelty. This is why, when some people are, they notice things that they hadn’t noticed a long time ago, like the rainbow on each soap bubble. For some cannabis consumers, weed can help them become more fascinated with the everyday world.
On the other hand, too frequent cannabis use leads to raising the bar for experiencing novelty higher than normal, thus leading to a sense of boredom. “High cannabinoid activity produces novelty; low cannabinoid activity reduces novelty,” writes Cermak.
This means that people born with low CB1 receptors may feel good when THC increases their amygdala endocannabinoid system activity, as it “brightens their interest in the world.” On the other hand, people with high CB1 receptors who are already close to saturation with novelty could be overwhelmed with THC to the point of feeling anxious.
Temperament & Personality
Cermak notes an important distinction between temperament and personality when he says that “temperament is genetically determined and should not be conflated with personality.” He explains that two people with the same temperamental trait of novelty-seeking can develop two destructive personalities: “one becoming an inveterate world traveler while the other becomes ensnared in a series of drug addictions.”
In the end, Cermak highlights how Laere’s research offers a basis for understanding why the 20% reduction in CB1 receptors caused by frequent marijuana use could lead to temperament and ultimately personality changes. However, research confirming this theory would be unethical, so all we can do is trust anecdotes that indicate how regular marijuana use is related to various personality changes.
For More Information on Cannabis and CBD and YOU. Click On the Following Link
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
4 Hemp key points being Health Hope and Happiness, thru Hemp“.
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Is Weed Not Yet Legalized in North Carolina? Medical Marijuana Efforts Gain Traction.
Story by Morgan Paxhia
Is weed legalized in North Carolina? Not currently, but efforts are being made by state lawmakers to pass a medical marijuana bill.
Republican state senator Bill Rabon refiled a medical marijuana legalization bill in late January that, if passed, will allow patients with several qualifying conditions, including cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and epilepsy, among others, the ability to buy and possess cannabis from licensed dispensaries. A similar bill was blocked last year, but in its current form, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It still has to make it through a full floor vote in the Senate and House of Representatives, but Republican House Speaker Tim Moore said in an interview that he “would not be surprised at all if that bill moved. I think the odds are more likely than not that something will happen on that.”
According to early looks at the licensing and qualifying conditions included in the bill, North Carolina is making great progress toward establishing its medical cannabis market. Initial plans within the state are for 10 vertically integrated licenses to be approved that will hold up to eight dispensaries each, essentially allowing for 80 doors statewide. Previously, we have seen thriving operators born from a similar tight license count model combined with limited medical conditions and a good addressable market.
We’re reminded of a small-scale version of the Florida market, which has grown massively over the years. This will likely result in a ballot initiative for adult-use weed legalization in Florida in 2024. There will be a lively amount of interest when this is all in place and the application process begins.
Right on North Carolina’s heels comes additional legislative progress in South Carolina. This week, the Senate approved a bill for the legalization of medical cannabis in the state. We covered the potential for this bill to progress earlier this year and are seeing the momentum carry forward.
The movement to legalize medical cannabis in North and South Carolina reminds us of James Tayler and his wonderful song, “Carolina in My Mind.” We are rooting for the Carolinas to bring jobs, tax revenue and legal choice for the good people across both states.
The South shall rise again, but this time as a growth engine for legal cannabis.
Twitter allows ads from legal cannabis companies.
This past October, while Elon Musk completed his ownership of Twitter, speculation swirled around the possibility of the social media platform becoming more cannabis friendly. Last week, the cannabis industry received confirmation of that, as Twitter announced a policy change that will allow U.S. cannabis companies to advertise on its platform.
Twitter is proving to be the social media platform most aligned with the legal cannabis industry, and we are very excited by its move to create a path toward legal cannabis advertising. Mainstream advertising platforms have been reluctant to promote an industry that is federally illegal and have expressed concern about how to validate potential advertisers as legal businesses.
UPDATE 2023
The North Carolina Senate voted on Tuesday to legalize marijuana use for medical purposes, giving strong bipartisan support for the second year in a row to an idea that its supporters say would give relief to those with debilitating or life-ending illnesses.
After little debate, the chamber voted 36-10 to give initial support to legislation that would create a structure by which physicians could essentially prescribe marijuana to their patients if they believe the health benefits outweigh the risks. Patients with over a dozen conditions could qualify — including epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and post-traumatic stress disorder — as well as those with terminal illnesses or who are receiving hospice care.
The proposal is almost identical to a bill the Senate passed last June by a similar margin, which then stalled in the House. This year, Republican House Speaker Tim Moore has said there’s some support for the idea in his chamber. The measure needs one more Senate vote on Wednesday before it moves to the House.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Marijuana legalization in North Carolina for medical purposes is advancing again within the state Senate, less than a year after a very similar measure setting a structure for its sale and consumption passed the chamber by a wide margin.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday for the legislation, which was refiled last month as the new two-year General Assembly session began. The measure cleared the panel on a voice vote after the passage of several amendments, one of which is designed to ensure sales access in rural areas.
While the new version is likely to clear the full Senate sometime next week, the future of medical marijuana in North Carolina will depend on its level of support in the House. That chamber declined to take up the Senate measure in 2022. Speaker Tim Moore, a Republican, suggested recently that support for legalizing pot for the treatment of medical conditions is possible given the right restrictions in the measure.
Sen. Bill Rabon, a Brunswick County Republican who shepherded the previous and current measures, has pitched to colleagues the legalization of smoking or consuming cannabis as a way to give relief to people with pain or illnesses and from whom their doctors say they could benefit.
House interest “seems to be growing, and I’m very happy to hear that,” said Rabon, a cancer survivor who as a chairman of the Senate Rules Committee is a top lieutenant to Senate leader Phil Berger.
The state’s Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, has pushed lawmakers in North Carolina to reform its cannabis laws.
“Conviction of simple possession can mar people’s records for life and maybe even prevent them from getting a job,” Cooper said at the time.
“North Carolina should take steps to end this stigma,” the governor added.
In his announcement of the pardons, Biden urged “all Governors to do the same with regard to state offenses.”
“As I often said during my campaign for President, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana. Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit. Criminal records for marijuana possession have also imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. And while white and Black and brown people use marijuana at similar rates, Black and brown people have been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates,” Biden said in a statement at the time.
“Federal law currently classifies marijuana in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the classification meant for the most dangerous substances. This is the same schedule as for heroin and LSD, and even higher than the classification of fentanyl and methamphetamine – the drugs that are driving our overdose epidemic,” Biden added.
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
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The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a new bill to legalize marijuana without any regulations or limitations on weed in the state, reported Marijuana Moment.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Kevin Verville, aims to remove marijuana from the state’s list of prohibited substances.
Verville credited the bill’s short length and simplicity for helping it pass. When bills get too “long,” or complicated, legislatures “get confused” and “vote against them,” he says.
“This is the shortest, easiest way to affect the change that the majority of our constituents want—and that is the legalization of cannabis,” Verville said.
In addition to removing criminal penalties for cannabis-related offenses, the bill also includes a provision for the annulment of records for people with prior cannabis convictions or pending cases.
In addition, some members believed that continuing to criminalize marijuana would only expose more citizens to potential involvement in the criminal justice system.
The two New Hampshire lawmakers, one Republican and the other Democrat, seem to share a common interest – cannabis.
House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R) and Minority Leader Matt Wilhelm (D) have joined forces to file a bill to legalize recreational cannabis for the 2023 session, reported Marijuana Moment.
What’s In The Bill
The bipartisan measure would allow those over 21 to possess or give away up to 4 ounces of marijuana and also clear records of past marijuana possession offenses. In addition, marijuana sales would be taxed at 8.5%. The bill would also set up a new market with state-approved retailers to sell cannabis.
Cultivation of up to six plants, including three of which may be mature, and possession of marijuana produced at home would also be allowed under the new legislation.
“The House has long stood united in finding a pathway to getting this done for Granite Staters,” Osborne said. “With any luck, the Senate will come around to supporting the will of the vast majority of New Hampshire citizens.”
Previous (Failed) Efforts
New Hampshire’s Senate members have struck down the two previously House-passed bills that would have legalized marijuana in April.
The noncommercial legislation from Osborne’s GOP colleague Rep. Carol McGuire was killed in a 9-15 vote, while another bill – from Rep. Daryl Abbas (R) – that would have set up an adult-use market run by the state’s Liquor Commission was also defeated by the Senate, on a voice vote.
Now, House members behind the latest legalization effort are hoping to get the new bill approved by Senate members in 2023.
“Legalization of adult possession of small amounts of cannabis is the right thing to do for New Hampshire and we must get it done in 2023,” Wilhelm said.
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
4 Hemp key points being Health Hope and Happiness, thru Hemp“.
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