Welcome back to The Week in Weed, your Friday look at what's happening in the world of legalized marijuana. This week, Wisconsin's legislature says no to the Governor's cannabis proposal. Pennsylvania's Senate says no to the idea of state-run dispensaries. Some of Nebraska's lawmakers would like to say no to funding the ballot measures passed last November. And finally, Ringo Starr talks about his first time smoking weed.
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin's governor, Tony Evers (D) included a plan to legalize both medical and adult-use cannabis in the budget proposal he recently submitted to the legislature. The legislature, which has a Republican majority, took exception to the idea and removed it from the proposal. In what may be a second blow to legalization, the legislature also removed a provision to allow for citizen-initiated ballot measures. At this point, probably the best hope for cannabis proponents is the fact that Minnesota will soon have a retail market. This will leave Wisconsin largely surrounded by jurisdictions where they can obtain cannabis legally. Whether this will motivate legislators to act remains to be seen.
PENNSYLVANIA
Last week, the Pennsylvania House voted to set up state-run cannabis dispensaries. This week, the Pennsylvania Senate rained on that parade. Opposition came from supporters of adult-use legalization, who were staunchly opposed to the state-run model. Perhaps the most promising route to legalization now is through a budget package, where the potential revenue will be top of mind.
NEBRASKA
Last November, the voters of Nebraska passed two ballot initiatives that legalized and regulated medical marijuana in the state. What those measures didn't, and couldn't, do was appropriate money to implement those new laws. That is something only the legislature can do. LB 677 would seek to provide funding, but it faces a lot of opposition, including from the state's Attorney General. Add in a looming deadline to set regulations, a budget deficit that will make allocating funds for a regulatory agency difficult and lawsuits surrounding the ballot initiatives themselves, and, as a headline from the Nebraska Examiner says, "It's Complicated."
AND FINALLY
Ringo Starr chatted with Jimmy Kimmel recently about his first time smoking pot. Unlike most people, he was introduced to marijuana by Bob Dylan.
Be well everyone – we'll see you next week.
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