Cannabis Use Is Not Child Neglect Under Maryland Law & More Weed News In PA, MT, NY & Canada

Pennsylvania: Bipartisan Senators Introduce Cannabis Legalization Bill

PA senators Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D) teamed up on a new piece of legislation to legalize recreational cannabis use.

On Friday, the duo announced a plan to introduce the bill that would regulate the industry addressing safety by making it legal only for adults over 21, provide the means to law enforcement to affirm DUIs and halt illegal sales. The measure would also ban advertisements targeting children, implement social equity propositions, and allow for the expungement of non-violent convictions for medical marijuana patients.

“Legalized adult use of marijuana is supported by an overwhelming majority of Pennsylvanians and this legislation accomplishes that while also ensuring safety and social equity,” stated Laughlin. “With neighboring states New Jersey and New York implementing adult use, we have a duty to Pennsylvania taxpayers to legalize adult-use marijuana to avoid losing out on hundreds of millions of dollars of new tax revenue and thousands of new jobs.”

According to estimates presented by the fiscal office during state budget hearings in 2021, legal cannabis markets could yield $400 million to $1 billion in new tax revenue.

Maryland Gov Signs Bill Protecting Parents Who Legally Use Weed From Child ‘Neglect’ Charges 

Governor Wes Moore (D) signed into law a bill that protects legal cannabis-consuming parents from being charged with child neglect. House Bill 232 which was signed last week amends the state’s child neglect statute so that the marijuana use by a parent of a child’s guardian is not used as prima facie evidence of a crime. It takes effect July 1.

“Neglect’ does not include the use of cannabis by any parent or individual who has permanent or temporary care or custody or responsibility for supervision of the child unless, as a result of the use of cannabis: the child’s health or welfare is harmed or placed at substantial risk of harm, or the child has suffered mental injury or has been placed at substantial risk of mental injury,” the bill reads.

The news comes several weeks after Moore signed Senate Bill 516, Cannabis Reform legislation, which regulates the sale of marijuana before it becomes available on July 1.

Montana: Bipartisan Lawmakers Ask For Reconsideration Of Legal Opinion On Poll Override Of Pot Bill Veto

Sen. Mike Lang (R), Senate Minority Leader, Pat Flowers (D) House Minority Leader Kim Abbott (D), Sen. Dan Bartel (R) and Rep. Katie Sullivan (D) urged the director of Legal Services and Montana’s Code Commissioner Todd Everts to reconsider his original interpretation of the marijuana revenue bill veto, reported Daily Montana.

What happened: Senate Bill 442 would have regulated how $50 million of recreational cannabis taxes would have been distributed in Montana, but it was dismissed by Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) a day after it passed the Legislature at the beginning of May.

The legislation would have addressed both the state's wildlife and the people who call Montana home "from our strongest to our weakest," said earlier the bill's sponsor, Sen. Lang (R), who started the effort to overturn the governor’s veto two weeks ago.

“Your interpretation of the constitution, code, and legislative rule will deprive our co-equal branch of the government of practical and important methods to override a veto that the Constitution protects,” the lawmakers wrote to Everts.

The bipartisan group of regulatory said there was no evidence that the veto was delivered to the Senate before adjournment and that it was not formally read across the rostrum, hence not giving lawmakers a chance to override it.

New York: Legal Marijuana Sales Surpass $16.5M Since Launch Despite Challenges

Recreational cannabis sales in New York surpassed $16.5 million since the launch in December, reported Bronx Times.

While previous projections estimated at more than $1 billion, various market hurdles impacted the industry's growth. Among those are lawsuits, difficulties to halt large illegal operators and bureaucratic delays.

As per May 11th data from Cannabis Control Board, there are only 10 adult-use cannabis stores, out of which six are in NYC, competing with some 1,400 illegal marijuana dealers, writes MJBiz Daily.

“I would say New York’s legalization of cannabis has been unconventional, and it’s been spectacular. It’s gone above expectation and confronting a problem that we’re lucky to face,” said Trivette Knowles, a public affairs officer at the state Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). “We’re the first state to legalize cannabis with an equity focus. … Essentially, addressing the harms previously doled out by the government to communities disproportionately impacted by over-policing and over-criminalization of cannabis.”

The agency issued a total of 215 conditional adult-use retail dispensary licenses reserved for nonprofits or individuals harmed by the War on Drugs.

Canada: March Cannabis Sales Surpass CA$400 Million Again

Marijuana sales grew in every Canadian province in March, per Statistics Canada, reported MJ Biz Daily.

Total March sales reached CA$405.5 million ($300 million), up by 11.3% from February and 12.8% year-over-year.

This is the second time Canada’s cannabis sales were above CA$400 million, with the last time being in last December when they hit CA$425.9 million. By provinces, Ontario was the major contributor, with sales improving by 12% and reaching CA$ 158.9 million.

Photo created with AI on Mid Joruney, with image by hudozhnica ananas on Shutterstock