Next Steps in Legalizing Marijuana

Filed in Delaware by on January 30, 2017

There was a great article in Delaware State News by Matt Bittle (@MatthewCBittle) this weekend about the slow progress Delaware is making in medical marijuana sales as well as the next steps in legalizing recreational marijuana.

Currently, Delawareans who are prescribed medical marijuana have to come to Wilmington to fill their prescription. The Sussex site will open near Lewes sometime in March. The Kent site will open sometime later in 2017. Markell really slow-pitched this one.

According to the Delaware Division of Public Health’s website, patients can get medical marijuana for the following reasons:

Physicians may authorize a patient to use marijuana to treat symptoms of terminal illness, cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV and AIDS, decompensated cirrhosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, autism with aggressive or self-injurious behavior, intractable epilepsy, or the physical manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder. Conditions that cause severe, debilitating pain, wasting syndrome, intractable nausea and seizures also fall under the state’s medical marijuana law.

According to the Delaware State News article, Sen. Margaret Rose Henry “wants to expand the law to cover more conditions, thus allowing more veterans to use cannabis.” I think we should take a moment and realize none of this would be happening with Sen. Henry — medical or legalizing.

Now for the reason most of you are reading this post, the article said that Henry will be introducing legislation to legalize marijuana in March of this year. But remember one of the hurdles we have is our governor who is stuck in the 1970s regarding marijuana. From the Delaware State News article:

Gov. John Carney offered few details on whether he supports legalization, although he said at a debate in October he was concerned about its reputation as a gateway drug.

“Delaware decriminalized possession of marijuana, and I supported that move,” the governor, a Democrat, said in a statement. “I also believe that medical marijuana should be available for Delawareans in need. We should continue to wait and see how Delaware’s decriminalization law continues to be implemented, and monitor progress in other states, before taking any additional steps.”

So what can you do to help this along? The Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network (CAN) has several things in the works. Delaware CAN is organizing a Cannabis Bureau of Delaware Lobby Day on March 16th where citizens lobby their state representatives and senators on behalf of legalizing marijuana. Register here and make an appointment with your legislators.

You can also join Delaware CAN for a small yearly fee of $25 or if you are a student, $15. Delaware CAN also takes donations. They suggest a recurring donation of $4.20.

Delaware CAN has two upcoming meetings February 13th and February 25th. More information on their website.

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Comments (25)

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  1. RE Vanella says:

    So the final question the Governor fielded this morning re: the budget was on marijuana legalization. The guy asking the question ran through many cited facts including California revenue projections, a NY Times piece, polls in the News Journal, etc.

    Applause.

    Carney’s response was basically I don’t agree. And the room got a bee in its collective bonnet. So I piped up and asked him to elaborate on his disagreement. And he says because of the “negative” consequences he’s heard from colleagues in Colorado.

    So a lady across the room steps in and asks for “one example of a negative consequence he heard from his colleagues in Colorado.” (Great follow up! I wish I knew the woman’s name who asked that…)

    He starts meandering about the opioid epidemic. (He never said the words ‘gateway drug’ because I think he sensed that that phrase would further aggravate the room.)

    Then he says if you think marijuana legalization will solve all our budget problem you are mistaken. Of course this is a straw man. Nobody made this claim.

  2. nemski says:

    LOL, opioid epidemic. Yeah, that started in Colorado after legalizing pot. Hmm, I wonder if Carney talks to the governor of West Virginia at all. What a spineless evasion.

  3. mouse says:

    The only impact I have seen from the decriminalization is that the educated and respected contributors to my local community i know who use MJ no longer have to worry about being convicted of a felony and having their pictures in the paper for the crime of possessing a naturally occurring plant.

  4. RE Vanella says:

    Yeah, that whole answer kind of trailed off because even I could feel the tension in the room. It was like I could read everyone’s minds. We were collectively thinking, “if he says ‘gateway drug’ we’re going erupt.”

    I’m sure a clever career politician like Gov Carney picked up on the same vibe so he wrapped it up with some non sequiturs and beat a quick retreat.

  5. RE Vanella says:

    To mouse’s point Carney did slip in that he “supported decriminalization.” Of course that generates very little revenue. (It saves a few shekels on enforcement, I suppose.)

  6. Ben says:

    Thanks for the legwork, RE. gonna caffinate and make some calls.

  7. RE Vanella says:

    I’d also suggest that somebody attend the next few of these sessions in person. There’s one in Hockessin and one in Newark and something somewhere downstate in the next 2 weeks.

    Hit him on this over and over.

  8. Alby says:

    John Carney: Not. A. Democrat.

  9. chris says:

    Governor Hickenlooper has made public comments about effects of moving so fast on general legalization. That is probably what Carney was referring to.

  10. fightingbluehen says:

    What these people who claim that marijuana is a gateway drug don’t seem to grasp, is that legalizing it would take the drug dealers, who would likely supply the stronger drugs, out of the equation.

  11. nemski says:

    Interesting take on Hickenlooper’s comments.

    Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Denver-based Marijuana Policy Project, a group dedicated to ending cannabis prohibition nationwide, said Hickenlooper’s administration successfully implemented an effective new law, “but he tends to sell it short when discussing it publicly.”

    “As a former brewpub owner, the governor surely appreciates the benefits of replacing prohibition with regulation. Yet he holds marijuana to a much higher standard than alcohol, despite it being far less harmful to the consumer and to society,” Tvert said.

    I get the feeling that Carney wants to hear what Carney wants to hear.

  12. mouse says:

    Alcohol is the true gateway drug to hell. MJ causes none of the misery, health effects or asocial and dangerous behaviors of alcohol. And knowing many many people who have smoked tractor trailers full of MJ with no desire to do anything else including alcohol, I would say the gateway line is a total fabricated lie based in malicious propaganda. It’s only uptight self righteous mean spirited sadistic types who want to make it illegal to possess a naturally occurring plant!

  13. Delaware Left says:

    It won’t happen if Hansen loses

  14. Ben says:

    That’s why Carney isnt supporting her candidacy. He needs KKK…. sorry, “GOP” cover to disregard the will of his bosses.

  15. fightingbluehen says:

    @Delaware Left

    I don’t see how you figure that. The Democrats could have already legalized marijuana if they had wanted to. The Republican candidate for governor ran on legalizing marijuana….You’re way off base on that one….Talk to Schwartzkopf.

  16. Delaware Left says:

    I know we all hate Pete here, but a republican senate isn’t going to legalize.

  17. Ben says:

    We really do need to line up a primary opponent for Carney. Not just for this, but for all he will do to advance the Bannon/drumpf agenda.

  18. chris says:

    Not so sure…Delcollo was talking pro-pot during his race I heard. Bonini is very libertarian on these issues too. You could get some votes out of that R caucus.

  19. Ben says:

    Based on their past behavior, I have trouble agreeing on that.

  20. Delaware Left says:

    Both were using it as an electoral wedge issue, although I’m sure at least Bonini would vote for it. Problem is it won’t see the floor in a Republican ran senate

  21. puck says:

    Neither Carney nor this assembly is going to legalize pot. Carney is laughing for spending all our energy on pot. Focus on something else, like minimum wage and upper income tax increases.

  22. RE Vanella says:

    I wouldn’t characterize it as “spending all our energy,” but I’m not thrilled with the chances either, no.

  23. bamboozer says:

    The real surprise is that the native greed of Delaware’s politicians has not overcome their usual cowardice at actually doing something. Notice that other states are not waiting, notice that revenue is indeed rolling in for states that have taken the lead. As for talk of a primary for Carney good luck, we’ve talked about a primary opponent for Carper for over a decade with no credible takers.

  24. anon says:

    Maryland introduced their legalization bill already. In the words of Ricky Bobby, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” Delaware needs to get its fat, stupid ass moving.

  25. Jason330 says:

    Unlike Carper, I can see Carney attracting a primary challenger.

    1) He is not well liked. Even within the party, he is viewed as a “Ruth Ann Minner Part Duh” (c) 2017.

    2) The Gov’s race cost much less to file for.

    3) His retrograde economics give him the appearance of being at war with the Dem base. That is going to get more obvious as he rams through tax cuts and services cuts with the help of the DEGOP.

    4) If he limps into 2018 with zero accomplishments (other than tax cuts for the very wealthy and service cuts for everyone else), he might give up the Governorship to Ken Simpler. Aint nobody got time for that.

    5) His base is wealthy (the chamber of commerce), but small.