Decriminalization

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said in a tweet last week that it is time for Virginia to “move toward legal, regulated adult use” cannabis. 61 percent of Virginians support legalization.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill into law that establishes an expungement process for low-level criminal charges and expands the state’s existing decriminalization rules.

Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler and Sen. Kamala Harris are introducing a federal cannabis reform bill called the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act to both decriminalize cannabis and set up the expungement of prior cannabis convictions.

A cannabis decriminalization law in Hawaii has taken effect without Gov. David Ige’s signature; the governor, however, vetoed a bill allowing patients to transport medical cannabis products between islands and another bill that would have made permanent the state’s hemp program.

New York lawmakers, after failing to adopt adult-use legalization this session, have approved legislation expanding cannabis decriminalization in the state and establishing a framework for the automatic expungement of low-level cannabis convictions.

The last-minute efforts to legalize or decriminalize adult-use cannabis in New York before the legislature adjourns for the year have failed; lawmakers will have to pursue the issue again next year.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring called for the decriminalization of cannabis in an op-ed published on Saturday, arguing that prohibition is “needlessly creating criminals.”

Cincinnati will become the fourth municipality in Ohio to decriminalize cannabis possession, following Dayton, Toledo, and Norwood.

New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney says he’s skeptical of a proposal to decriminalize cannabis possession in the state, saying he would rather pass a statewide legalization law.

Denver voters have passed a city initiative decriminalizing the adult possession and use of psilocybin (a.k.a. psychedelic) mushrooms. It is the first successful initiative of its kind in the U.S.

The new District Attorney for Dallas County, Texas says he will no longer prosecute low-level cannabis crimes for first-time offenders.

Connecticut lawmakers have advanced three cannabis bills out of committee: one to allow possession and expunge low-level possession charges, one establishing a regulated marketplace, and one to ensure employers can bar cannabis use from the workplace and to create a DUI test for cannabis.

Recent changes to New Mexico’s medical cannabis rules could potentially grant access to inmates throughout the state.

New rules in New Mexico will remove some criminal penalties for cannabis possession while another new law offers critical changes to the state’s medical cannabis program.

Under decriminalization rules passed April 1, adults in Israel will no longer be prosecuted for simple home growing and low-level cannabis possession.

New Mexico state lawmakers have sent a host of cannabis-related legislation to the governor’s desk. Full adult-use legalization, however, did not make the cut this year.

A decriminalization bill was introduced into the Texas House of Representatives on Monday. It’s the third time such legislation has been introduced in Texas.

Wisconsin’s governor has released details about his plan to decriminalize cannabis possession under 25 grams and create a medical cannabis program in the state.

Despite failing to receive a committee hearing last year, Sen. Paul Lowe has re-introduced cannabis decriminalization legislation to the North Carolina Senate.

State’s attorney Marilyn Mosby announced her office will no longer prosecute cannabis crimes and is attempting to vacate thousands of previous and pending cannabis convictions.

This week marked the introduction of two legalization bills in the Virginia state House of Delegates. Meanwhile, Gov. Northam expressed his continued support for decriminalization.

Texas is in the minority of states that haven’t passed major cannabis reform legislation, but mounting pressure from both within and outside the state could result in significant progress on that front in 2019.

The Caribbean island nation is the latest country in the region to decriminalize cannabis; the country aims to become a leader in medical cannabis research and production.