Chronicle AM: MPP Eyes OH MedMJ Init, MD Solons Override Paraphernalia Veto, More... (1/21/16)

The state legislative season is now underway and marijuana-related bills are popping up in various states, Michigan ponders roadside drug testing bills, Canada's Tories bow before the inevitability of marijuana legalization, and more.

Marijuana is on the legislative agenda in states around the country. (wikimedia.org)

Kansas Legislators Hold Hearing on Decrim, Hemp, and Medical Marijuana Bill. The Senate Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee met Wednesday to hear testimony on House Bill 249, which would reduce penalties for pot possession, allow the limited use of medical marijuana, and allow for a pilot project on hemp production. The measure has already passed the House.

Maryland Legislature Overrides Veto of Pot Paraphernalia Decrim. Both the House and the Senate voted today to override Gov. Larry Hogan's (R) veto of Senate Bill 517, which fixed an oversight in the state's decriminalization law. The bill removes criminal penalties for the possession of pot paraphernalia, which the original decrim bill failed to do.

Medical Marijuana

Marijuana Policy Project Eyes Ohio Medical Marijuana Initiative. MPP said Wednesday it plans to put a medical marijuana initiative on the 2016 ballot. The initiative would take the form of a constitutional amendment, but has not yet been drafted.

Utah "Whole Plant" Medical Marijuana Bill Filed. Sen. Mark Madsen (R-Saratoga Springs) has introduced Senate Bill 73, which would create a full-fledged medical marijuana system in the state. The bill would only allow marijuana to be consumed in the forms of oils and gummies, not smoked. Another bill already filed would allow only cannabidiol.

Industrial Hemp

Missouri Hemp Bill Hearing Turns Into Debate About Possibility It Could Lead to Pot Legalization. It was supposed to be a debate about establishing a pilot program for industrial hemp production, but the discussion of Senate Bill 584 quickly devolved as representatives of law enforcement said that while they didn't oppose the bill, they feared it be the camel's nose under the tent for pot legalization. "It is no secret that many would look at a bill such as this as the first step to legalizing marijuana," said St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar. No vote was taken on the bill. Similar legislation passed the House last year, but never got a Senate vote.

Drug Testing

Indiana Unemployment Drug Testing Bill Hits Snag. The Senate Pensions and Labor Committee heard an unemployment drug testing bill, Senate Bill 245, but took no vote on it after the committee chairman said it "needs some more work." The bill sponsor, Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) was unable to say how many people would be drug tested or produce any supporting data for the bill other than to say that employers in his district tell him they can't get people to take drug tests.

Michigan Bills Would Allow Roadside Drug Testing. A pair of bills, Senate Bill 207 and Senate Bill 434 would create a pilot program for roadside drug testing. The latter would authorize State Police to create a pilot program, while the former would authorize officer who are certified drug recognition experts to require drivers to submit to drug tests.

International

Scientists Call for New Approach to Evaluating Illicit Drug Policy. In an open letter released by the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP), scientific experts from around the globe called on governments to align illegal drug policies with community concerns -- not on reducing the availability of illicit drugs. The move comes as part of the run-up to the UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs, set for April.

Canada's Tories See the Writing on the Wall for Marijuana Legalization. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to legalize marijuana, and Canada's Conservative Party seems to realize it can do nothing to stop it. "The new government will legalize marijuana," Rona Ambrose, interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, said in a radio interview on Wednesday. "We know that."