Illinois Considers Weed Delivery, Missouri Marijuana Legalization Takes Effect, Philippines Senator Push For MM, & More

Illinois Gov. Pritzker Considers Cannabis Delivery

Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker is considering allowing marijuana deliveries in the state, reported Crain’s Chicago Business.

“At first blush, as long as it’s regulated — and as long as we make sure the person who is ordering it gets it, and they’re legally allowed to — it would seem to me the same as someone coming into a store,” Pritzker told reporters at Ivy Hall, a new dispensary in Bucktown.

States that currently allow marijuana delivery services include Michigan, Maryland, Nevada, California, and Florida.

In October, Uber Eats UBER announced it will start delivering marijuana in Toronto via a partnership with cannabis website Leafly LFLY saying this is the first time in the world that cannabis delivery is available on a major third-party platform.

It is important to note that Pritzker wasn’t advocating for delivery, just that he agrees that “the impact” in other states that allow it should be examined.

Missouri Cannabis Legalization Takes Effect, Expungements May Be Challenging 

During this year’s mid-term elections, Missouri legalized recreational cannabis and become the first state in the nation where voters approved a program for the automatic expungement of prior marijuana convictions.

Cannabis legalization is expected to take effect Thursday, allowing individuals 21 and older to legally possess three ounces or less of cannabis flower.

John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022, said cannabis sales are only allowed “within the regulated system.” Simple possession will be legal starting Dec. 8, reported STL Today.

“The decriminalization aspects do not hinge on licensed sales existing,” he said.

The tricky part? Expungements. 

All cannabis-related misdemeanors must be expunged by June 8 and felonies by Dec. 8, 2023, but experts in expungement law say it would be difficult for the courts to meet those deadlines, outlined in Amendment 3, writes Missouri Independent.

“Here’s the main problem: What’s written in Amendment 3 doesn’t match up with how people are charged with marijuana violations under the state’s criminal code,” reported the outlet.

Czech Republic’s Proposal For Legal Cannabis Market To Be Ready By March 

The proposal for introducing a legal marijuana market in the Czech Republic should be finalized by the end of March, the country’s National Drug Jindřich Vobořil said on Friday, reported The Cannabis Review.

The bill should cover rules concerning manufacturers, distributors, and sellers, the creation of social clubs, and small-scale cultivation.

“In the field of cannabis, prohibition seems to be failing completely and the market has not only settled but is still growing,” Vobořil stated. “That is why we need to find better tools of control. A tightly regulated market can regulate what and who produces where to whom and how much is sold. This complete ban cannot. A regulated market has a greater potential for prevention,"

Cannabis Decriminalization Could Save Taxpayers $850 A Year In Australia

According to a new report from the public health research organization, the Penington Institute, Australia could save taxpayers around $850 million annually with cannabis decriminalization, reported The Guardian.

The report titled “Cannabis In Australia 2022” published on Thursday revealed that criminalizing people who consume marijuana costs, Australian taxpayers, $1.7 billion a year in law enforcement costs. The document further revealed that more than 90% of marijuana-related charges since 2010 have been for personal use or possession offenses.

“The demonstrated harms and enormous financial burden associated with Australia’s simplistic prohibition approach is much more harmful than the substance itself,” John Ryan, the CEO of the Penington Institute said.

Philippines Sen. Nancy Binay Pushes For Medical Marijuana 

Philippines Senator Nancy Binay on Wednesday called for the legalization of medical marijuana to persuade physicians and medical practitioners to prescribe it to their patients, especially those dealing with epilepsy reported Malaya Business Insight.

Binay made these comments during the first hearing on the Medical Cannabis Compassionate Access Act of the Philippines, or Senate Bill No. 230.

“Maybe it’s good to have research and further study on this, because one of the hurdles that you need to overcome is how to convince medical professionals to prescribe this medical cannabis,” Binay said. “At the end of the day, it should always be the science that would guide us. And we have to put in place the necessary safeguards and prioritize the safety of patients. From the treatment perspective, patient care is paramount, but we don’t want the law to be abused.”

Next: SAFE Still Has A Chance, Despite McConnell's 'No To Cannabis Reform'

Photo: Benzinga Edit; Source: Shutterstock