Arizona Lawmakers Considering Bill to Solidify Legality of Cannabis Extracts

Lawmakers in the Arizona state House of Representatives have advanced a bill out of committee that would guarantee the availability of medical cannabis extractions no matter the outcome of a pending state Supreme Court decision that may end up banning them, Tucson.com reports.

The future of cannabis edibles and oils is uncertain in Arizona due to a pending Supreme Court case regarding the 2016 conviction of a medical cannabis patient, Rodney Jones. Jones was sentenced to more than 2 years in prison for possession of 0.05 of an ounce of cannabis resin because prosecutors successfully argued that extracts are not covered by the state’s medical cannabis laws, though the case has been working its way through appeals.

The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Tony Rivero (R-Peoria) and submitted to the Arizona House Committee on Public Safety, is now on the pathway to full House and Senate consideration. Rivero said the bill is an effort to change the language of Arizona’s medical cannabis law so that the original will of the voters is honored.

“Without this clarification some of Arizona’s most vulnerable patients such as children will no longer have access to alternative forms of medical marijuana needed to treat their debilitating conditions. We do not want patients to be forced to smoke marijuana or be subject to criminal penalties.” — Rep. Tony Rivero, via Tucson.com

The committee voted to advance the bill on a 5-2 margin in favor. The bill will now move on to the full state House of Representatives for consideration.