“In the 10 states and Washington, D.C., that have legalized cannabis for adults, the sky hasn’t fallen,” said NORML state policy coordinator Carly Wolf, a Marlboro native.

When he was House speaker, Mr. Boehner earned the equivalent of an “F” rating from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, which in 2011 excoriated him for his opposition to the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act. The proposed bill, which died in committee, would have legalized marijuana for adult use and removed it from the Food and Drug Administration’s list of Schedule I controlled substances.

"The largest-ever controlled trial assessing marijuana use and motor vehicle accidents, conducted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reports that marijuana-positive drivers possess virtually no statistically significant crash risk compared to drug-free drivers after controlling for age and gender."

Dan Linn, Executive Director of Illinois NORML: "(The bill is) one step of many in ending cannabis prohibition. Even after this bill passes there will still be work to do to give adults in Illinois access to cannabis without having to purchase it from a limited amount of stores and cultivators.”

Mary Kruger of Roc NORML: “Their mayors and their district attorneys take steps toward offering justice to these folks knowing that we’re on our way toward legalization in New York, and the brief just highlights how Rochester and Monroe County are no different than those cities other than the fact that we’re not offering justice.”

“Adding a condition for which a physician could recommend medical marijuana instead of an opioid is a safer pain management tool that will be useful for both our doctors and patients,” said Ashley Weber, executive director of Colorado NORML, a pro-marijuana advocacy group.

(The) New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association’s opposition to allowing home-grown cannabis was quickly attacked as “individual and corporate greed” by cannabis consumer advocacy groups... Already, the Illinois chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws has noted that any such change could result in the loss of its support for the bill.

“In the grand scheme of things, our reform movement is just beginning to crest after all these years of prohibition. It comes down to managing expectations and thinking realistically."

"(We have seen) a pattern of censorship and suppression of information and content pertaining to legal uses of cannabis across Facebook’s platform as well as that of the popular social media app, Instagram, also owned by Facebook.”

"It's incredibly difficult for consumers to navigate these unregulated products," said Jenn Michelle Pedini, (VA NORML) "Study after study is showing these products very rarely contain what would be a therapeutic level of cannabidiol or even the amount of CBD that's indicated on the label," said Pedini.

Biden is lagging behind, says Erik Altieri, executive director of the marijuana advocacy group NORML. “If this is an issue that you care about, there couldn’t be a worse candidate to support at this moment than Joe Biden.”

“And that does include the Republican side,” Altieri argues. Donald Trump, he notes, has at least voiced support for states’ authority on cannabis. “Granted, [Trump] hasn’t taken any actions in the affirmative on that while in office. His public comments are to the left of Joe Biden on marijuana.” 

It’s entirely possible for it to be legal in Virginia first depending on who Virginians elect. We are two to three years away from a bill that ends the federal prohibition of marijuana. The speed at which that happens in Virginia is up to Virginians.

"It's time to decriminalize marijuana, and this bill is a critical first step."

Pedini is with Virginia’s National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws said for a healthy person, these things in CBD Oil probably pose little health risk. “But for a consumer who has a compromised immune system or who is looking to address a serious health need, a regulated product is probably a safer option,” Pedini said.

"Survey data indicate that self-reported cannabis use is becoming more common among seniors," Paul Armentano, deputy director of Washington-based National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, which advocates for legalization of marijuana in the US, told China Daily.

The majority of states in the U.S. now authorize the production and dispensing of medical marijuana to qualified patients. Nonetheless, federal law continues to define the cannabis plant as a schedule I controlled substance “with no currently accepted use in the United States.” This is an untenable, seemingly flat-Earth position that has no basis in modern reality.

In the end, Rick and his co-conspirator attorney Keith Stroup, the founder of NORML, were both found guilty, most likely because –of course, they were smoking a joint and they owned it.

In a statement sent to Rolling Stone, Erik Altieri, the executive director of the marijuana reform organization NORML, criticized Biden for his “abysmal record when it comes to marijuana law reform, ending our failed war on drugs, and addressing mass incarceration.” “Biden’s views are far out of step with the American public and he holds the worst record on cannabis related policy of any individual currently running for the Democratic or Republican nomination,” Altieri said.

Justin Strekal, political director for the veteran legalization advocacy group NORML, says the issue has appeal across the ideological spectrum. But he and other advocates argue that it’s not enough for lawmakers to simply address the concerns of industry. They must also tackle the thornier issues around racial and economic justice.“When we lean in on framing this as a right of individual liberty, individual freedom and individual justice, that's where we have space to grow in support,” Strekal said.

To date, no state has ever repealed a marijuana legalization law. Were the societal impacts of these legalization policies not preferable to those associated with criminal prohibition, or as dire to health and safety as some have alleged, public and political support in American for marijuana policy reform would be rapidly declining. Instead, just the opposite is true.

The public now overwhelmingly believes that the mere consumption of cannabis should not lead to a loved one being arrested or adversely affected by discriminatory housing, educational, or policing policies. It’s time for Congress to amend the federal law in a manner that reflects these values.

“While it is a cause to celebrate, it’s also a call to action,” says Justin Strekal, the political director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).”We take it seriously as an issue. Despite the increased support, growing and possessing marijuana is still unfairly penalized. In states where it’s still not legal, racial bias runs rampant in terms of who gets targeted and arrested by law enforcement.”

“Never in modern history have we had more political support and momentum for ending policy of marijuana prohibition,” said Justin Strekal, political director of NORML, a marijuana legalization advocacy group. “Now, the real questions that are being discussed throughout the halls of Congress and state legislatures and in dining rooms nationwide is no longer if but how, and the how matters.”

Yet despite these recent cultural and political shifts in opinion, marijuana legalization is not inevitable. These societal and legal changes only occur when advocates remain passionate and vigilant, and when they demand their elected officials to act. And the time for action is now.

“Instead of reflexively opposing marijuana legalization,” Armentano wrote, “lawmakers, regulators, and pundits like Patrick Kennedy and SAM should welcome the opportunity to bring these necessary and long overdue controls to the cannabis market.”

The legitimate powers of government should reach no further than controlling acts that are injurious to others. Pot never should have been criminalized. Outside of making North Dakota a state, locking people up for smoking weed was one of the dumbest things our government has ever done.

I also strongly advocate that all Americans contact their legislators and ask them to sponsor and support the Marijuana Justice Act of 2019, the only piece of federal legislation that would decriminalize cannabis, remove it from the Controlled Substances Act, and pave the way for expungement of marijuana convictions and community redevelopment for those of us most marginalized.

Yet despite these recent cultural and political shifts in opinion, marijuana legalization is not inevitable. These societal and legal changes only occur when advocates remain passionate and vigilant, and when they demand their elected officials to act. And the time for action is now. (Paul op-ed)

More than half of the declared field earned an “A” rating from cannabis advocacy group NORML, which promotes recreational use, not just medical use.