More States Debate Marijuana Legalization

(Spring 2017) The trend to legalize cannabis continues to gain momentum. Last November’s election saw North Dakota, Montana, Florida and Arkansas voters all approve medical marijuana, while ballot box counts in Nevada, California, Maine and Massachusetts gave way to recreational legalization. Likely spurred on by these successes, more legislators are now championing the move in other states as well.

Perhaps bolstered by the recent wins, Karen Tallian recently presented marijuana legislation on Indiana’s State Senate floor, despite encountering resistance from fellow lawmakers in the past. The Senator’s Bill 255 would form a group to develop a framework for legalizing medical cannabis. If passed, Tallian’s measure would permit individuals with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and migraines, along with people suffering from a long-term illness, to use marijuana when permitted by their physician.

However, Tallian, who wishes to see marijuana totally legalized someday, may once again receive little support from her colleagues or from Indiana’s new governor, Eric Holcomb. In a debate last autumn, Holcomb commented that legalizing cannabis is not at the top of his agenda.

Senator Tallian says Indiana’s current harsh laws lag behind reforms other states have made for marijuana possession and argues that teenagers should not be given a criminal record simply for small amounts of cannabis use.

Tallian’s rollout of her bill is just the tip of the iceberg for marijuana legislation introduced in 2017. Down south, Texas lawmakers submitted a bill to decriminalize the drug, while Virginia is also working toward decriminalization and approval for medical marijuana. Following Virginia’s lead, Tennessee is talking about legal medical cannabis and two of its cities have already revamped their laws to reduce charges for the drug’s possession. Meanwhile, Missouri and South Carolina may soon have the opportunity to legalize medicinal marijuana, with the former also supporting the recreational use of the drug.

Hundreds of miles away, other states are echoing similar mindsets. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo produced a bill to decriminalize the drug. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, those who currently live with seizures are permitted to use marijuana extracts and state legislators would like to push forward to legalize other forms of medical marijuana.

And the legislative debate goes on in New England. Lawmakers who want to legalize recreational marijuana in Connecticut may have an uphill battle with Governor Dannel Malloy, but might he be swayed by an argument that the move could help reduce the state’s $1.5 billion budget gap? Recreational marijuana is on the table in nearby Rhode Island, as well; the two legislators introducing the measure there also want to tax sales of the drug at 23%.

In nearby New Hampshire, Senate Minority Leader Jeff Woodburn is poised to roll out a proposed measure for recreational marijuana, and some of his fellow lawmakers presented House Bill 215 at the beginning of the year. If passed, HB 215 would mandate a review of laws associated with legalization, regulation and taxation of the drug. The study would also explore how cannabis has affected close-by states such as Massachusetts and Maine, which have approved medical and/or recreational marijuana. If passed, results of HB 215’s investigation would be revealed near the end of 2017.

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