Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what's happening in the world of legalized marijuana. This week, the big story is New Hampshire deciding not to legalize adult-use cannabis. Also, Maryland's Governor has issued pardons for cannabis offenses. A rider prohibiting DC from setting up a retail market is back. And finally, we have an update on the Martha's Vineyard pot shortage situation.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Stop me when this sounds familiar. New Hampshire, once again, has decided not to legalize cannabis for adult-use. You can be forgiven if you thought that this time it might all be different, since the Senate (where previous bills had gone to their eternal reward) had voted YES. But, in the end, it was the House who just couldn't stomach the changes in the bill a conference committee agreed to and voted NO. So where does this leave legalization in the Granite State? Honestly, who knows. Governor Sununu is not running for re-election, so that will mean a new player in the mix. Stay tuned, but don't hold your breath.
MARYLAND
Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) issued pardons for 175,000 state-level marijuana possession and paraphernalia convictions this week.
We cannot celebrate the benefits of legalization if we do not address the consequences of criminalization
Governor Wes Moore (D) at a press conference discussing pardonsThis will not clear people's criminal records, which is something the state legislature has to do. The Governor indicated that he will work with the legislature on this issue.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To paraphrase The Godfather, I thought the rider was out, but they put it back in. As longtime readers know, the District of Columbia legalized cannabis 10 years ago. But Congress has decreed ever since that no retail market for adult-use cannabis is allowed. This is known as the Harris Rider, after its author, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD). There was a brief glimmer of hope amongst those who wish to set up a market when the Rider didn't appear in the subcommittee version of the 2025 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill. But the full House Appropriations Committee reinserted it. So if you were thinking this might be the year an adult-use market opens, you can fuhgeddaboudit.
AND FINALLY
We have a follow-up to last week's "And Finally" section, detailing the issues surrounding pot on Martha's Vineyard. We can now report that the state's Cannabis Control Commission will permit cannabis to be transported between the mainland of Massachusetts and its local islands. The signs of relief could be heard as far south as Manhattan.
Be well everyone; we'll see you next week.
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