North Carolina sees a marijuana legalization bill filed, Ohio sees a fentanyl test strip bill filed, and more.
Delaware Governor Vetoes Marijuana Legalization Bill. Gov. John Carney (D) has vetoed House Bill 371, which would have legalized the possession of up to an ounce of weed by people 21 and over but did not create a legal marijuana commerce regime. That move earned him the wrath of fellow Democrats, but that did not deter Carney. "I recognize the positive effect marijuana can have for people with certain health conditions, and for that reason, I continue to support the medical marijuana industry in Delaware," Carney said in returning the bill to the state House. "I supported decriminalization of marijuana because I agree that individuals should not be imprisoned solely for the possession and private use of a small amount of marijuana -- and today, thanks to Delaware's decriminalization law, they are not. That said, I do not believe that promoting or expanding the use of recreational marijuana is in the best interests of the state of Delaware, especially our young people. Questions about the long-term health and economic impacts of recreational marijuana use, as well as serious law enforcement concerns, remain unresolved." Lawmakers could try to override the veto, but that hasn't been done successfully in the state since 1977.
North Carolina Marijuana Legalization Bill Introduced. State Sen. Toby Fitch (D-Wilson) filed a marijuana legalization bill on Monday, Senate Bill 765. The bill would allow people 21 and over to possess up to two ounces and grow up to two immature and two mature plants, as well as setting up a system of regulated cultivation and sales. The bill faces dim prospects in the Republican-dominated state legislature.
Harm Reduction
Kansas Legislature Kills Effort to Decriminalize Fentanyl Test Strips. After defeating a bill decriminalizing the possession of fentanyl test strips earlier in the session, House Republicans this week blocked a last-minute effort by Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Jason Probst (D-Hutchinson) to attach the fentanyl test strip language to a broader controlled substances bill. This was the last day of the legislative session, so no further action is possible this year. Republicans argued that the test strips would facilitate people using drugs, which they are apparently more concerned with than people dying.
Ohio Fentanyl Test Strip Decriminalization Bill Filed. State Rep. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) has filed a bill to decriminalize fentanyl strips, House Bill 456. Boggs said she was motivated by the recent overdose deaths of two Ohio State University students. "Many of you may know that Ohio State recently had a great loss when two university students who had finished with their finals, were about to go into graduation weekend, ended up overdosing what we believe was on fentanyl from Adderall that they had purchased on the streets. This problem is certainly something that I think we all appreciate is significant and needs to be addressed, and we believe that by decriminalizing these fentanyl testing strips, it's creating one more tool, one more avenue that could potentially result in somebody avoiding an overdose that is unattended because they are unaware of what substances are in the drugs that they are using," Biggs said.
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