Delaware named top “state to watch” for pot legalization in 2017
What States Could See Marijuana Legalized In 2017?
Voters in eight states passed marijuana legalization laws following the 2016 presidential election, giving the legalization movement the required momentum for more states across the country to carry out discussions on the decriminalization of cannabis in 2017.
Here are seven states to watch that are gearing up to legalize cannabis in 2017:
Delaware
The recreational legalization of cannabis is expected to be discussed by the state’s officials in early 2017. Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, during a Medical Marijuana Act Oversight Committee meeting in October 2016, said: “It’s time to certainly look at it.”
The state lawmaker has pledged to introduce a bill legalizing the adult use of cannabis, and a recent University of Delaware poll shows that 61 percent of residents surveyed support legalization, according to recent reports from the Delaware State News and The Wilmington News Journal.
The senator is responsible for drafting the state’s medical cannabis bill and Delaware’s Democratic Governor-elect John Carney also supports the decriminalization of marijuana in his state.
Delaware decriminalized cannabis last year, which means those caught with small amounts of the drug are slapped with a civil fine instead of a criminal offense. The Legislature also has eased some penalties for drug possession.
I attended a panel discussion on this topic at the Police Athletic League a few months ago (that irony was rich). Panel was sponsored by Delaware NORML and included a high placed member of LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) as well as a lobbying group called Delaware Cannabis Policy Coalition. Also on the panel was the president of the NAACP of DE, C Linwood Jackson. Talk was relatively well attended – probably between 50 and 100 people.
The angle is, of course, tax revenue and criminal justice reform. They are creating a sense of urgency because there may be only a few years until surrounding states also legalize. The real dough comes early when Wilmington and Rehoboth, etc. become destinations or sorts. Once PA, NY, NF and MD go legal the revenue will likely flatten out.
Beyond that, weed is safer than cigarettes and alcohol, and prohibition doesn’t work. There is real traction here it seems to me. Now’s the time to speak up and show your support, whether you smoke or not.
I’m looking around for the comment recently made on Delaware Liberal about MRH’s bill.
From what I remember, the commentor noted that she was proposing only one legal sales location in each county. That sounds both stupid and corrupt and not a decent revenue generator. Talk about a traffic jam on pay day!
Well, Nancy, if it’s going to be a revenue generator with limited outlets, it might make more sense to locate the pot shops at the racinos.
Think about it: plenty of parking, the slots operators want more revenue, and all three venues have considerable open space that would be ideal for cultivating weed. Geez, Dover Downs could sell out a year’s crop during Firefly alone.
Lots of details being bandied about are not to my liking. Great point, Nancy. Private grow needs to be included and they (NORML and the lobby) are trying to ensure it is. The fact that the licensing is being gobbled up by ex-cops is discouraging and par for the course in the Diamond State.
I can say this. A legalization referendum in Ohio was defeated because the usual supporters voted no. The licensing was all to be funneled to corporate interests and looked corrupt. It’s different here because DE has an opportunity to be the first state the legalize via legislation rather than referendum. But the down side is our legislators are more apt to structure this for corporations and the cops. Perhaps the support of NORML, NAACP, LEAP, DCPC, etc., is contingent upon a good bill with an agreeable set-up. I get the sense they aren’t going to support just anything. We need to watch this very closely.
The other issue is that if the tax is set too high and the shops are too limited the current market will just keep doing what its doing.
Our currently policy is untenable. It only serves to drive suppliers, all black market/criminals at this point, by making demand less taboo. Legalize it, tax it, regulate it. I don’t get the delay.
Of course, if the incoming Attorney General for the Trump administration decides to enforce current federal law, it might not matter what our state or any other state decides to do. Democrats for federalism?? Crazy.
50 to 100 people at something like that seems like a huge number to me. I have always been impressed by political savvy of the legalization movement.
Save your seeds and toss them out the window on properties owned by legislators who oppose. When the plants grow, call the media
The comment about a single sales outlet in each county was based on reading the medicinal bill and mistaking it for the proposed legalization bill. To my knowledge, the actual legalization bill has not yet been made available. I am hopeful that we will not only see full legalization, but also legal production of industrial hemp. Unlike some of the other states which have already legalized, Delaware has a strong agricultural tradition already and the ability of farmers to grow hemp as well as more potent strains could serve to revitalize the economy of the whole state before the downstream industries for processing hemp into other useful products are even factored in.
Side note: Two of the three nominated candidates for the 10th SD election at least tacitly support the concept of legalization. The Republican in the race is the odd man out.
So sick of the republicans pandering to puritanical uptight bigots
This reminds me of the national story that appeared in 2001 or 2002, surveying the up-and-coming Democratic female politicians around the country. Ruth Ann Minner was included not because she was up-and-coming — she started out as a secretary and, other than new ways to slake her thirst for revenge, never learned anything new through her time as governor — but because national writers* don’t know anything about Delaware except the amount of the toll on I-95.
*Dave Weigel is the exception. He lived here in high school.
I can’t imagine the Speaker supporting legalization of weed.
@anon – I asked that question exactly at the panel discussion. Like you I was extremely skeptical. The woman representing DCPC was very confident in Pete S’s support. PS supported medical and decriminalization. They know better than I do as they have worked with the legislators in Dover. The speaker may actually be on board with this. We have to wait and see the drafts and see who supports. Like I said there is a cohort of police supporting this…
@anon: Why is that? He was eager to support the Millsboro casino. He’s an old-school cop-turned-politician — if there’s money involved, he’ll listen.
@mouse, me too.
Thanks for the clarification that what was said was in error in reference to MRH’s legislation. A big relief.
6/23/2016 – Cape Gazette – Schwartzkopf said he’s heard constituents voice concerns about Delaware making the move forward with trying to legalize marijuana. He said he won’t support that.
“…heard constituents voice concerns about Delaware making the move forward with trying to legalize marijuana.”
Lol. That’s classic.
Maybe if they offered him a cushy contract to grow it
All of his constituents at state police headquarters
Hmm. Thanks for that info. I was skeptical & that bit from the Cape Gazette isn’t surprising.
Guess we’ll have to wait till the language of the bill is public. Then push like hell on these people.
I remember when sports gambling was supposed to be the revenue savior. Crashed and burned!!!!!!!!! This could generate several million bucks to the state in the end, but not enough to really matter.
Not going to happen under Carney. The GA can vote all it wants, but no way Mr. Health and Exercise approves legal pot.
As far as ex-cops and pals scooping up the medicinal clinic licenses, did anyone look at the applications of the competitors and compare them? Mark Lally worked for Delaware Tech after leaving Carper’s staff and has plenty of business connections. Maybe his was truly better, I don’t know. Certainly not defending, just asking.
“Mark Lally worked for Delaware Tech after leaving Carper’s staff and has plenty of business connections.”
With connections like that, I doubt they looked very hard at other applications. Which Masonic lodge does he belong to?
@chris: Correct. The savings on policing/corrections will be a larger sum than the tax revenue generated.
Like many of you I find it hard to believe our ever greedy politicians have not latched onto legalization like the holy grail of a balanced budget, and I also wonder if the fools in Dover will jump on the bandwagon or wait until the train has left the station and surrounding states are raking in the money we could have had. Perhaps their waiting to see how much trouble Sessions makes as AG, he’ll be confirmed, it’s the senate and he’s their good old boy. After medical marijuana and decriminalization I have hope, and I don’t often do that.
Carney is key. You’ve got a cautious pol facing a serious budget deficit. Legalization has the potential to raise some significant revenue. It’s one of the best of what otherwise are an unappetizing list of options.
I also think that garnering support from the ag community is very important. If some of these culturally-conservative legislators recognize what a boon this could be to the farming community, it is possible to put together a winning legislative coalition.
Not to mention that this can create entrepreneurial jobs. Hey, if you want to put limits on it, how about limiting the number of pot shops to the number of vape shops? Or Korean nail salons? I’ll take that.
As to Pete and the cops, the police opposed decriminalization b/c it would eat into their stop/sniff/confiscate mode of policing and would deplete their ‘civil takings’ windfall. I think Pete’s district could well be supportive of legalization. So, while his ‘yes’ vote may not be likely, he may be reluctant to kill the bill like he has with so many others. Assuming, of course, that effective grassroots pressure is brought to bear.
The other issue to consider regarding legalization is big Pharma. Big Pharma will lose out if pot is legal. Look up the state legislators campaign donations. I’m sure there will be a connection.
True. But if the issue is effectively framed as jobs/revenue vs. the influence of Big Pharma, the legislators will not side with Big Pharma. Because they could, you know, lose their seats. That’s the one thing they understand.