marijuana decriminalization
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House Passes Historic but Largely Symbolic Measure to Decriminalize Marijuana
In what was largely a symbolic move, the House of Representatives voted on Friday to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level. Don’t spark up just yet, though. Vice reports that the bill is unlikely to pass through the Republican-controlled Senate. The measure, titled the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, would potentially remove marijuana from…
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The Winner of the 2020 Election Was Drug Reform
The clear victor on election night was neither President Donald Trump nor Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden—it was drugs. Voters in six states across the country backed more progressive drug laws, continuing a long march toward legalization. Among them are New Jersey, Arizona, Montana and South Dakota, who each voted to legalize recreational marijuana, and…
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Colorado Governor Grants Pardons to Those Convicted for Possession of Up to an Ounce of Marijuana
Colorado’s Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order on Tuesday pardoning people who have been convicted for possessing up to an ounce of Marijuana. CNN reports that this move follows the passage of a bill in June that granted the governor power “to grant pardons to a class of defendants who were convicted of…
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Pennsylvania Governor Wants to Legalize Marijuana to Help With COVID-19 Recovery Effort
Pennsylvania’s Democratic Governor Tom Wolf included marijuana legalization as part of his legislative agenda for the state’s COVID-19 economy recovery plan. CNN reports that Gov. Wolf has asked the state legislature to work towards legalizing marijuana. A press release outlining his proposed plan states that 50 percent of marijuana sales be directed towards historically disadvantaged…
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9 Years a Slave: Black Combat Veteran Freed After Being Legally Enslaved Over $30 Worth of Weed
This headline is clickbait. To be clear, Derrick Harris is Black. He is also a combat veteran who served in the Army during Operation Desert Storm. And, although the Constitution outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude, the 13th Amendment made a special exception for people who commit a “crime whereof the party shall have been duly…
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Black People Are Still Disproportionately Arrested for Marijuana Possession in California Despite Legalization
There was hope that when states like California voted to legalize marijuana, it would correlate with a reduction in marijuana related arrests for Black people. In Los Angeles, the opposite has proven to be true due to both a lack of access to legal means and red tape making it harder for Black entrepreneurs to…
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Close to 66,000 Marijuana Convictions to Be Dismissed in Los Angeles
As we’ve seen over the past few months, one of the benefits of marijuana legalization has been states allowing those previously convicted to have their charges dismissed. Los Angeles County has become the next city to do just that. According to CNN, approximately 66,000 marijuana convictions will be dismissed as a result of the recent…
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Driver Transporting 3,350 Pounds of Hemp Falsely Arrested After Officers Mistake It for Marijuana
As a California resident who declines to partake in one of its finest exports, I have no idea how to differentiate hemp from weed, and apparently police can’t either, as a U-Haul truck filled to the brim with approximately 3,350 lbs. of one of the above landed one poor unfortunate hired driver behind bars. From…
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First Day Sales for Legal Cannabis Top $3.2 Million in Illinois
Marijuana was made legal in Illinois on New Year’s Day and it got off to quite the profitable start. CBS News reports that 37 state dispensaries made 77,128 transactions on Wednesday. That translates to over $3.17 million in sales. For reference, that’s over a million more than what Cats made on it’s opening day. Sorry…
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Good News Everyone: Illinois Governor Clears Over 11,000 Marijuana Convictions
Seeing as this may be the last story you read this year why don’t we close the night out with some positive news? NBC News reports that the Governor of Illinois granted over 11,000 pardons for low-level marijuana convictions. This is only the first step as thousands more expungements are anticipated a new law legalizing…