[author: Susan Ryan]
Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what’s happening in the world of legalized marijuana.
The big news this week is that Alabama is considering a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the state. The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee; it now heads to a full Senate vote later in this legislative session.
In Pennsylvania, a recreational cannabis bill was introduced this week by Rep. Jake Wheatley. A member of the “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” club, this is the second time Wheatley has tried to enact this legislation.
Meanwhile, in Virginia, both chambers of the state legislature passed decriminalization bills. Since the governor and the state’s Attorney General have expressed support for this move, it seems certain to become law.
In Connecticut, marijuana legalization is supported by a “higher authority.” A coalition of clergy held a rally at the Capitol building, advocating legalization and regulation of adult-use cannabis.
On the other side of the country, Los Angeles County is preparing to dismiss almost 66,000 cannabis convictions with the help of Code for America. District Attorney Jackie Lacey indicated that her office has dismissed felonies for cultivation, transporting, or sales for persons meeting certain requirements.
Staying out west, New Mexico will phase out medical cannabis cards for non-residents, starting mid-year 2020. Currently enrolled out of state patients would be able to keep their cards for three years, without possibility of renewal.
Turning our attention to the federal government, Senate Banking Committee chair Mike Crapo (R-ID) got a letter this week from Republican legislators asking him to oppose marijuana banking. Senator Crapo gets lots of correspondence on this topic; last month, he heard from House members, who wanted him to push banking legislation forward.
Finally, the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement with players may include drastically different rules concerning cannabis use. Player suspensions would come “only in the event of extreme and repeated disregard of the policy or significant violations of applicable law regarding the possession and use of marijuana.”
See you next week!
