420 with CNW — An Overview of Cannabis Legislati
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The past week has been quite a busy time for cannabis reform. Lawmakers recently tabled a bill seeking to legalize cannabis at the federal level, while legislators from four states approved new marijuana legalization bills in various committees. In the wake of last year’s slew of cannabis reform victories at the state level, legislators have been keen on cannabis legalization, whether by leveraging the momentum of the state-level legislation or by getting ahead of campaigners to craft their own cannabis legislation rather than wait for policy change through the ballot.
In Hawaii, the Senate Committee responsible for Intergovernmental, Public Safety and Military Affairs gave the nod to two bills that would legalize cannabis and increase the allowed limit. Bill SB-767 aims to legalize marijuana for adults aged at least 21 years, as well as allow state-licensed businesses to grow, produce and sell cannabis products. Adults aged 21 and over would also be able to grow a maximum of three mature plants for their personal consumption. Bill SB 758 would increase the threshold one can possess from 5 grams of cannabis to 28.5 grams (one ounce).
Minnesota’s House Committee in charge of Commerce and Finance Policy approved a bill to legalize cannabis. Filed this month by Majority Leader of the House Ryan Winkler and joined by other legislators, the bill seeks to allow adults who are at 21 years old to buy and possess a maximum of 1.5 ounces of marijuana as well as grow up to eight cannabis plants, including four mature ones.
In New Mexico, the House committee in charge of Health and Human Services passed a proposed measure to legalize cannabis through a 7–4 lawmaker vote. The measure plans to allow adults aged at least 21 to possess two ounces of marijuana and cultivate a maximum of six immature plants as well as six mature plants for their own personal consumption. It also seeks to create a mechanism to regulate and tax cannabis sales, with the tax revenue being used to reinvest in communities that were impacted the most by the drug war.
A North Dakota committee narrowly passed a Republican-sponsored measure that would legalize recreational marijuana use by adults. The Human Service House committee passed the bill, which plans to allow adults who are at least 21 years or more to have cannabis and buy up to an ounce for their personal use, through a close 7–6 narrow win. The bill is now expected to head to the Appropriations Committee before being considered on the floor.
Other states that saw drug reform action include California, where a number of lawmakers tabled a bill to legalize psychedelics possession; New Jersey, which passed a bill that would clear the way for implementing the state’s voter-supported cannabis legislation; Virginia, where both Houses of the legislature voted to legalize cannabis; Washington State, where a committee passed a bill to decriminalize personal use of small quantities of all currently illegal drugs; and Wisconsin, which published a budgetary proposal calling for the legalization of both therapeutic and recreational use of cannabis.
Business is thriving in states that already have legal cannabis markets. For example, Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: GLH) (OTCQB: GLDFF) is licensed in Nevada and Oregon in addition to having distribution partnerships in California. These operations have seen the company recruit a total of at least 160 permanent employees to serve its growing client base.
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