Decriminalized Possession of Hard Drugs Takes Effect in Oregon
by Kat Helgeson
Colorado’s governor is now empowered to unilaterally pardon people with prior cannabis possession convictions under a social equity bill that lawmakers sent to his desk early June 2020. Less than a week after the Colorado House of Representatives first passed the legislation, the Senate cleared it with an amendment granting the governor the power to expedite pardons without consulting with prosecutors and judges involved in the cases.
Appropriately titled “Social Equity Licensees In Regulated Marijuana”, a conference committee considering the amendment ultimately approved it with one caveat — allowing the governor to consult with others about pardons if he wishes. House Bill 1424’s passage comes after months of conversations between reform advocates, industry stakeholders, and lawmakers, and just before the end of the legislative session. The bill gives him the authority to mass-pardon cannabis convictions for possession of 2 ounces or less.
The bill aims to open the cannabis industry to more POC and those who were previously convicted on drug charges that wouldn’t be crimes now. Not everyone agreed with adding the expungement amendment. Representative Matt Soper decided to withdraw as a bill sponsor, stating he doesn’t disagree with clearing people’s past cannabis convictions but rather the way it was legislatively done.
Representative Terri Carver, from Colorado Springs, challenged the amendment on the House floor, saying it violated the state’s single-subject rule and went beyond the scope of the conference committee’s charge. The point of the social equity program was to create more equity and diversity in the industry, another bill sponsor stated. This legislation would create a social equity definition in statute. This is an important first step toward developing a meaningful social equity program to assist those who have been disenfranchised by the failed war on drugs.
By expanding the social equity program for cannabis business licenses to Colorado residents who have been arrested or convicted on a cannabis offense, who have been subject to civil asset forfeiture from a cannabis offense, or lived in an area that’s designated as high crime or economically disadvantaged – the legal industry is now more accessible.
This bill also created two additional categories for eligibility for the accelerator licensee program, with a focus on restorative justice. Fittingly, Governor Polis signed the bill at Simply Pure, a dispensary in Denver owned by Wanda James and Scott Durrah, the first Black couple in the country to own a dispensary, a cultivation facility, and an edible company, according to their website.
The proposal stipulates that a person would be eligible under the social equity program if they meet at least one of three criteria: 1) they lived in a designated economically distressed community for a minimum of 15 years between 1980 and 2010, 2) the applicant or a member of their immediate family has been arrested or convicted for a marijuana offense or 3) their income is at or below an amount to be determined later in rulemaking.
A person who meets the criteria for a social equity licensee, pursuant to the rule and agency discretion, may be eligible for incentives available through the Department of Revenue or Office of Economic Development and International Trade, including but not limited to a reduction in application or license fees.
This blog was originally written by Anthony Dutcher but has been updated with new information as states continue to change their regulations nationwide. Looking to find your medical cannabis in a state that hasn’t yet legalized it? It may be tempting to drive across neighboring state lines with more cannabis-friendly laws. However, the number of states…
Transporting cannabis is a tricky business, thanks in large part to the fact that cannabis is still illegal at the federal level. Even when you’re transporting cannabis from a state where it’s legal to another state where it’s legal—for example, driving across the border from California to Oregon—there’s a chance you might run into trouble….
Jamaica is facing a major cannabis shortage. Spanish Town, Port Antonio, Montego Bay, and the island capital, Kingston, are all running short on herb. The island of Jamaica is known for reggae music and big spliffs. Hearing that there’s a shortage of cannabis is leaving many people scratching their heads in dismay. Jamaica without weed…
Cannabis glass art is a functional art of spectacular proportions. There are many different variances of functional glass art created by a multitude of talented individuals. Glass and grass go hand in hand for many people. Glass pipes provide smooth, clean-tasting hits, and people love the endless possibilities of their designs. It wasn’t but a…
Asthma can cause permanent lung damage due to persistent coughing and wheezing- which is exactly why patients should take preventative measures to minimize coughing and wheezing. A recently published study, which includes a survey, found that a surprising amount of asthma patients smoke cannabis, despite the fact that it may induce coughing. The cannabinoids from…
New Jersey has launched a cannabis institute to help professionals further their education in cannabis. California has introduced a bill to help…
We kind of already knew that the Queen of England was a pretty amazing woman. Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom,…
Note: Veriheal does not support illegally consuming therapeutic substances like cannabis and psilocybin but acknowledges that it transpires because of the current…