We may be in the dog days of summer, but cannabis policy reform continues to move full speed ahead.
In the past few weeks, two more states – Maryland and Minnesota – have legalized the plant, bringing cannabis freedom to nearly 12 million additional Americans!
Nationwide, half of the US population now resides in a jurisdiction where the responsible use of cannabis is now legal under state law.
But that’s not all.
In Michigan, state regulators just recently voted to end pre-employment cannabis testing for tens of thousands of workers. Michigan joins California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Montana, Rhode Island, and Washington in reforming its marijuana-related drug testing rules.
In Missouri, court officials recently announced that they have expunged more than 70,000 marijuana-related convictions. To date, state officials across the US have cleared an estimated 1.8 million cannabis-related convictions.
In Maine, legislation recently became law removing marijuana restrictions for those on probation, parole, or pre-trial release — making it one of the first states to do so.
In Washington, officials have just launched a first-in-the-nation program to financially reimburse tens of thousands of residents for any legal fees they previously incurred as a result of a marijuana-related conviction.
And in Ohio, local activists have turned in their final batch of signatures to place an adult-use legalization initiative on the November ballot.
Indeed, even in the peak of summer, NORML and its staff are working hard to advance the cause of cannabis freedom. And while we can point to — and celebrate — many recent victories, our focus always remains on what’s next.
As we look ahead, we know that this fall will bring a renewed emphasis on federal legislation as well as numerous state-election battles. Please ensure that we are well positioned for the battles that lie ahead by pitching in today.
Our work doesn’t take a summer hiatus, and these days we need your support more than ever. If you value the work we do, please support NORML today.
Together, we will continue to be victorious.
