Poll Finds Swing State Voters Support Marijuana Reforms, Ukraine MedMJ Law Now in Effect, More... (8/16/24)

A Florida state senator plans to file a bill to ban public smoking to prevent legal weed from stinking up the state, and more.

Ukraine's parliament, ther Verkhovna Rada

Marijuana Policy

Polling: Swing State Voters Overwhelmingly Back Marijuana Legalization, Other Reforms. New polling from the Terrance Group finds that likely voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin show strong support for marijuana legalization and related reforms. Of the three states, only Michigan has so far legalized marijuana, and only Wisconsin has not enacted medical marijuana.

In Michigan, 64 percent support marijuana legalization; in Pennsylvania, 58 percent support it; and in Wisconsin, marijuana legalization has 62 percent support. Supermajorities in all three states supported medical marijuana.

"Legalizing and regulating adult-use cannabis access is not only good policy, but it's also good politics," NORML's Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. "State and federal politicians who continue to ignore their constituents' sentiments on these issues do so at their own political peril."

When it comes to the major party presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris (D) sponsored a federal marijuana legalization bill, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) supported and signed into law a state marijuana legalization bill. On the GOP side, former President Donald Trump (R) has acknowledged that marijuana legalization is a popular position (but has yet to say whether he supports it), while Ohio Sen. JD Vance (R) has said that state-level decisions to legalize marijuana should be respected and that no one should go to jail for low-level pot possession.

Florida GOP Lawmaker Will File Bill to Ban Public Smoking If Weed Is Legalized. State Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) says he intends to file a bill to ban all public smoking in the state to mitigate the impact of marijuana legalization -- a proposal he supports and expects to win in November.

The Amendment 3 marijuana legalization initiative from Smart & Safe Florida is currently polling with or near high enough levels of support to win, even though it must overcome a 60 percent threshold because it is a constitutional amendment.

Gruters said he does not want Florida to become another Las Vegas or New York where marijuana legalization has led to complaints about smells. Gov. Ron De Santis (R), who opposes the measure, says it will make the whole state smell like pot.

"The feedback I got when I came out in favor of Amendment 3 was the smell, so we want to follow Arizona's law and ban smoking in all public places," Gruters said Thursday.

Arizona has banned smoking in most public places since a voter-approved initiative passed in 2006. Florida law currently allows localities to ban smoking at beaches and parks.

Gruters said his bill would ban smoking anywhere the public has access, including parks, beaches, sidewalks, restaurants, and bars. The bill would define "public places" to include common areas of "schools, hospitals, government buildings, apartment buildings, office buildings, lodging establishments, restaurants, transportation facilities, and retail shops."

It would regulate all manner of smoking, including vaping, and all products including marijuana and tobacco, Gruters said, adding that it is just a starting place for legislative debate.

International

Ukraine Medical Marijuana Legalization Now in Effect. As of today, medical marijuana is legalized in Ukraine. The legislature passed the bill and President Volodymyr Zelensky signed it into law about six months ago, but it did not take effect until now.

"Cannabis, its resin, extracts, and tinctures are excluded from the list of particularly dangerous substances," the Ministry of Health said in an update on the new policy. "Previously, their circulation was prohibited -- now it is allowed but with certain restrictions."

"In order to ensure the cultivation of medical cannabis in Ukraine, licensing conditions have been developed, which will soon be considered by the Cabinet of Ministers," it said. "Also, the entire chain of circulation of medical cannabis, from import or cultivation to dispensing to a patient in a pharmacy, will be subject to license control."

"We will remind you that the law refers only to the medical, not recreational, use of cannabis-based drugs."

"This is a significant step forward in providing care to patients who need specific treatment," the ministry added.

The legalization of medical marijuana was propelled by the Russian invasion, with government officials and advocates arguing that it could be a boon for wounded or traumatized soldiers and civilians.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's 501(c)(4) lobbying nonprofit, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this website. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)