Weekly Cannabis Roundup: November 26

Illinois cops can no longer search vehicles that smell of raw cannabis, Ohioans have gathered almost enough signatures on their proposal to legalize recreational cannabis in the state, and Connecticut police have called on lawmakers to protect the public from laced cannabis by accelerating the opening of state dispensaries.

Let’s dive into this week’s cannanews.

Illinois Judge Dismisses Cannabis Odor as Cause for Vehicle Search

An Illinois judge has ruled that the smell of raw cannabis alone is not sufficient probable cause for state police officers to search vehicles without a warrant. The ruling stems from a case in which the passenger of a vehicle was arrested during a December 2020 traffic stop for possessing just over 2 grams of cannabis. Illinois legalized recreational cannabis in January 2020, but police continued to use cannabis odor as cause for search. The defendant’s attorney applauded the court’s ruling as a “necessary expansion of our constitutional protections.” 

Proposal To Legalize Recreational Cannabis in Ohio Gains Momentum

A citizen-led proposal to legalize recreational cannabis in Ohio is on track to secure enough signatures by the end of November to move forward as legislation. The proposal is an initiated statute launched by representatives of the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, who were approved by the Ohio Ballot Board in August to begin gathering signatures. Once the coalition gathers the required 133,000 signatures, the Ohio General Assembly will have four months to enact a recreational cannabis program. 

Connecticut Police Advise State To Open Dispensaries Following Overdoses

A Connecticut police captain has urged the state legislature to expedite the opening of adult-use dispensaries, which are currently set to open near the end of 2022. The call comes after at least 39 incidents of overdose in the state since July due to fentanyl-laced cannabis. Police Captain Ed Benecchi, who handled at least one of these incidents, told media sources, “The dispensaries need to be opened as soon as possible to protect the public.” Since 2019, more than 80% of overdose deaths in Connecticut have involved fentanyl.