A.1617, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), has been re-introduced this legislative session. The bill would legalize the adult possession, use, and regulated sale of marijuana. Over the past twenty years, many New Yorkers have been negatively affected by the harms of prohibition in New York. With people of color accounting for nearly 85% of those arrested annually, the MRTA directs the benefits of taxing and regulating marijuana to these communities. Because structural racism is ingrained in marijuana prohibition, it’s important that the MRTA both ends marijuana prohibition and promotes racial justice. Significant steps are taken in the amended MRTA to ensure racial justice and a small business-friendly industry, including: Creating a micro-licensing structure, similar to New York’s rapidly…
Category: Community organizing
Chicago NORML Goes To DC
Chicago NORML is very excited to participate in the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) summit in Washington D.C. and playing a leading role in drafting policy agendas to ensure participation of people of color in the cannabis industry.
New York: State legislature signals support for adult-use cannabis legalization
In news that bodes well for the future of cannabis legalization in the state of New York, both chambers of the state legislature have included legalization language in their annual budget proposals. Both budget proposals also address the expedited expungement of certain marijuana-related convictions, implementing social equity programs in the state’s growing marijuana industry, and diverting tax money earned through the legal cannabis industry to benefit communities that have borne the brunt of the most brutal aspects of marijuana prohibition and the war on drugs in New York. Though Governor Cuomo’s budget proposal does not allow for the personal cultivation of marijuana plants, the NY General Assembly’s budget proposal does promote home cultivation upon the legalization of adult-use and retail…
New Jersey: Adult-use legalization is closer than ever
After months of negotiation, Governor Murphy and NJ state legislators have reached a deal on what will be included in upcoming legislation to legalize the adult-use and retail sale of marijuana in the state of New Jersey.
Texas NORML: Patient Lobby Day Recap
In the Texas State Capitol Building, dozens of patients joined us to ask their legislators to coauthor legislation that will make the Texas Compassionate Use Program more inclusive and effective.
Marijuana reform is budding in New Hampshire!
In New Hampshire, there has been a great deal of progress in the last few years. Several bills have been introduced in the state legislature, ranging from legal hemp production to adult-use marijuana legalization, and the fight for freedom has never been more widely supported than now.
Recap: Texas Veteran Lobby Day
On Monday, Texans Veterans met at the Capitol to meet with their legislators and advocate for a comprehensive medical marijuana program in Texas.
NORML Chapters Are Leading The Way All Around The Country
Only two months into the 2019 legislative session, with 45 NORML Lobby Days on the books, legalization proposals are swiftly moving forward in states across the country. Irrespective of geographic location or political ideology, lawmakers everywhere are beginning to realize that now is the time to take action on marijuana law reform.
NORML Chapter Newsletter, February 2019
Everyday NORML Chapters from around the country invest countless hours in advocating for meaningful marijuana law reforms on the local, state and federal level! Here is a brief rundown of some of their most recent media accomplishments.
Rick Steves: I support home cultivation rights for all marijuana consumers
It’s time our state lawmakers comport Washington law with those of other states that regulate the adult use of marijuana — all of which allow adults to grow limited quantities of cannabis in private.