2023 Mid-Year Update
2023 is shaping up to be another landmark year for our movement. Thanks to the tireless work of advocates, organizers, lawmakers, and other key allies, we’ve continued to dismantle the failed policies of prohibition and secure more victories on the local, state, and federal levels. Here’s a look at some of the biggest wins we’ve had so far this year:
Last week, Rhode Island completed their first round of automatic expungements for past convictions involving cannabis possession, with over 23,000 cases cleared so far. MPP spearheaded a multi-year grassroots lobbying effort to pass the legalization law last year, and we fought hard to ensure that this automatic expungement policy was included.
In April, the Delaware legislature passed companion bills to legalize cannabis for adults over 21 in supermajority votes. As a proud member of the Delaware Cannabis Policy Coalition, MPP played a leading role in the multi-year advocacy effort that included providing testimony in key committees, drafting voter guides, and co-organizing lobby days, rallies, town halls, and media outreach.
After Maryland voters overwhelmingly approved Ballot Question 4 to legalize adult-use cannabis in the November 2022 midterms, the legislature followed through last month on passing companion legislation to tax and regulate legal cannabis sales in the state. They also passed a bill to prohibit using the perceived scent of cannabis as a pretext for stops and searches by law enforcement. MPP played a leading role in efforts to legalize medical and adult-use cannabis in Maryland from the very beginning, and fought hard to ensure that Maryland’s cannabis policies prioritize fairness, equity, and criminal justice.
Earlier this month, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed an adult-use legalization bill into law that includes regulations for cannabis possession, cultivation, and sales. The taxes from legal cannabis sales will be used for public health and safety programs, community renewal grants, and cannabis research at the University of Minnesota.
The recent victories in Delaware, Maryland, and Minnesota mean that there are now 23 states with adult-use legalization laws, with MPP having played an instrumental role in 13 of these successful efforts.
In addition to the wins on adult-use legalization this year, Kentucky recently became the 38th state to legalize medical cannabis. MPP was part of a coalition of advocacy organizations supporting this effort.
Following President Biden’s October 6, 2022 proclamation announcing a mass pardon for federal and D.C. cannabis offenses of simple possession of marijuana, the DOJ launched an application process in March for eligible individuals to receive an official certificate of pardon.
Reaching these significant milestones would not have been possible without the activism and generosity of MPP supporters from across the country. As we look to the opportunities in play in the months ahead, we are facing a challenging landscape that will require robust resources and sound strategies to secure more victories.
The recent defeats of legalization ballot measures in Oklahoma, South Dakota, and other key states demonstrate that prohibitionists are increasingly threatening our progress with well-funded and strategic misinformation campaigns and legal tactics. As an experienced, independent voice and a trusted partner in the cannabis policy reform movement, our proven team at MPP continues to be on the front lines bringing factual information and effective advocacy in the fight to end cannabis prohibition.
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