Lagalizing Drugs in America

The votes in Washington and Colorado last month legalizing marijuana were just the latest developments in the debate over marijuana use in the United States.

Lawmakers and activists in some other states are contemplating their next moves in regards to marijuana:

—DELAWARE: Lawmakers passed a bill last year allowing the use of medical marijuana obtained from state-licensed ‘‘compassion centers,’’ but Gov. Jack Markell halted implementation after federal officials indicated that people involved in cultivating and distributing marijuana could be subject to civil fines or prosecution. As far as legalization for recreational purposes, Markell spokeswoman Cathy Rossi said there are the same concerns about medical marijuana. ‘‘That is, if the federal government is saying it won’t pursue persons with a medical need or recreational users, but it is prosecuting persons who provide that marijuana in a safe manner, then we are forcing people to obtain marijuana from the illegal market,’’ she said.

—ILLINOIS: Democratic state Rep. Lou Lang has been trying to legalize medical marijuana, but has no plans to try to go beyond that. Dan Linn, executive director of Illinois NORML, a group advocating the legalization of all marijuana use, said at least one lawmaker has expressed interest in introducing a bill in January. But Linn said many lawmakers don’t want to ruin Lang’s chances of getting his bill passed by pressing for wider use right now.

—INDIANA: Key lawmakers from both parties plan to introduce measures next year that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of the drug. Democratic state Sen. Karen Tallian says attitudes are changing among her fellow lawmakers, while Republican Sen. Brent Steele says the state should focus its strained resources on violent crime rather than pot smokers.

—MINNESOTA: Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton said in a recent interview with The Associated Press that he doesn’t support legalized use either recreationally or medicinally. He ties his opposition to medical marijuana to law enforcement’s opposition.

—MONTANA: Medical marijuana is allowed and a proposal to make the recreational use of pot a constitutional right has been refiled. The proposed 2014 constitutional initiative duplicates a proposal put forward last year that failed to make the ballot because organizers didn’t get enough signatures. Republican state Sen. Jeff Essmann doesn’t believe Montana voters will go the way of Colorado and Washington.

—NEBRASKA: Marijuana supporters have tried to legalize it by referendum but failed to collect enough petition signatures to force a vote. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman has repeatedly expressed opposition to medical marijuana. Lawmakers briefly considered a bill to legalize industrial hemp farming, but the legislation died.

—NEW MEXICO: The New Mexico Drug Policy Alliance says it will push lawmakers for a bill next year to legalize marijuana, but it will likely go nowhere. A legislative review committee has declined to endorse the proposal and Republican Gov. Susana Martinez is a former prosecutor who would like to repeal the state’s medical marijuana law.

—OREGON: Key lawmakers in Oregon have agreed not to try to legalize pot next year, waiting instead to see what happens in Colorado and Washington. In the meantime, lawmakers will evaluate the proposals from activists with an eye on potentially introducing a legalization measure in 2014.

—PENNSYLVANIA: A state senator who sponsored one of two medical-marijuana bills that died during the just-ended legislative session said the Colorado and Washington measures will help pave the way for similar measures in other states. Democratic state Sen. Daylin Leach compared marijuana legalization efforts to the debate over legalizing same-sex marriage: once a few states act, it will disprove ‘‘all the horror stories’’ perpetuated by opponents. Leach said he intends to resurrect his bill to allow marijuana use for medical purposes and to sponsor a bill to decriminalize the drug. However, Republican Gov. Tom Corbett’s spokesman, Kevin Harley, said Corbett would veto any bill to legalize marijuana, even for medical reasons.

—RHODE ISLAND: Under a law that takes effect April 1, adults in Rhode Island caught with an ounce or less of marijuana would face a $150 civil fine, and a state representative has said she plans to re-introduce legislation to legalize marijuana.

—VERMONT: Gov. Peter Shumlin and many lawmakers are pushing for decriminalization, in which those caught with small amounts of marijuana would be given something akin to a traffic fine rather than facing a criminal charge. Shumlin has argued that young people caught with small amounts of the drug should not have their future job prospects affected by a criminal record. House Speaker Shap Smith has opposed decriminalization, but this week he said he is willing to have a debate


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