News — legalization

Maine Cannabis History Both medical and recreational cannabis use are legal in Maine. In 1979, Maine enacted the Marijuana Therapeutic Research Program  to encourage research on the medical benefits of marijuana.   In 2009, voters passed the Maine Medical Marijuana Act, which expanded the state's existing program and decriminalized possession of up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, and officially established the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program (MMMP) and created a system of nonprofit dispensaries and cultivators.  In 2016, Maine voters legalized cannabis for recreational use with the passage of An Act to Legalize Marijuana, allowing adults 21 and older...

Massachusetts Cannabis History A century after becoming the first U.S. state to criminalize recreational cannabis, Massachusetts voters elected to legalize it in 2016, with the Massachusetts Marijuana Legalization Initiative.  The passage of this law legalized cannabis use for adults 21 and older and created the Cannabis Control Commission to regulate marijuana statewide. Retail sales began in November 2018. Massachusetts Child-Resistant Packaging Rules Massachusetts’ child-resistant packaging and labeling regulations are outlined in the Act for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana. In order to comply with state law, cannabis labels and packaging must adhere to the following guidelines: Packaging and Labeling: (1)...

Maryland Cannabis History While recreational marijuana use remains illegal in Maryland, medical use of marijuana is legal for patients and caregivers registered with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC). While recreational use remains illegal, possession of 10 grams or less was decriminalized in 2014.  In 2019, a task force began investigating the potential for adult use legalization in the state. In 2021, HB 32 Legalization and Regulation (Inclusion, Restoration, and Rehabilitation Act of 2021) was introduced, which would legalize the adult use of recreational marijuana and expunge prior cannabis related convictions.  Another concurrent bill, HB 708, seeks to clarify and harmonize...

Louisiana Cannabis History While recreational cannabis use remains illegal in Louisiana, medical marijuana is legal for qualified patients and available for purchase at state-approved pharmacies. Louisiana Act no 874 legalized medical marijuana use in 1991, but was heavily restricted.  In June 2018, Edwards signed HB 579 and HB 627, which expanded the qualifying conditions for medical marijuana and called on LSU and Southern University to conduct research on the medicinal value of marijuana. 2020’s HB 819 both expanded the list of qualifying conditions and made it obsolete by allowing physicians to recommend marijuana for any debilitating condition they are qualified to treat if they...