Despite last week’s move by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to rescind the Cole Memo, a 2013 DOJ memorandum that allowed state sanctioned marijuana business to thrive despite the quagmire between state and federal laws, lawmakers in several states are advancing marijuana reform legislation.
Between now and June 26, representatives with the Vote Yes On 788 campaign will be traveling statewide and meeting face-to-face with voters. NORML will also be focusing its resources in the coming months to support these campaign efforts.
Just hours after US Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded Obama-era guidelines instructing US attorneys to take a ‘hands off’ approach in states with legal marijuana regulations, lawmakers in the Vermont House voted to legalize the personal possession and home cultivation of marijuana by a vote of 81 to 63.
As support for marijuana legalization in America reaches an all-time high, NORML chapters around the country are hoping to tap into the energy and enthusiasm of their most ardent supporters for their 2018 lobby days.
In the wake of landmark cannabis victories in 2016, there was much momentum to build upon when state legislatures opened up at the beginning of 2017. With NORML chapters in nearly all 50 states, activists took the fight to the halls of state capitals and city councils from Florida to Washington State and everywhere in between. In all, lawmakers in 26 states have passed legislation to advance cannabis reform.
From all of us at NORML to all of you, we hope you have a very, very green Christmas.
In June of 2016 members of Peachtree NORML began a practice of visiting official law enforcement Facebook pages when marijuana bust “brag” posts were put up. We began expressing our opinions on those posts. Those opinions were often deleted from these official pages and the citizens making them were blocked from commenting. These actions are an abridgment of a citizen’s First Amendment Right to criticize a governmental official or entity. Sheriff Joey Terrell of Habersham County, Georgia was one of the officials who deleted dissenting comments. We decided to contact the ACLU, and they decided to take up our case for us.
Legal Aid of Western Missouri, an organization that provides free, comprehensive civil legal services to low-income people, can now offer free legal services to indigent defendants charged with marijuana possession.