Last week in marijuana legislative news, Nevada tabled plans for cannabis lounges, a decriminalization bill was introduced in New Mexico and regulations were eased for medical marijuana in Maine. Find out about that more in our weekly marijuana legislative roundup.
Nevada:
Last week, city and county officials announced that Las Vegas will postpone plans for social-use cannabis lounges until 2019 in order to monitor a pilot program being implemented in Denver, Colorado. A week prior, Denver licensed the first social-use venue under a tightly-controlled pilot program for cannabis lounges that approved by voters in 2016. One reason that officials cited to justify the delay was Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ renunciation of the Cole Memo in January.
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Related Story: Marijuana Is Legal In Nevada, But Where Can You Smoke It?
New Mexico:
On Monday, two Albuquerque city councilmembers announced legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana in the city. If enacted, the bill would reduce possession of up to one ounce of marijuana from a misdemeanor criminal violation punishable by jail to a civil infraction punishable by a citation and a fine of no more than $25. To become law, the proposal will need a majority vote of the city council before going to the mayor for signature.
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Related Story: It Is Now 100 Percent Legal To Smoke Marijuana In Maine
Maine:
On Wednesday, the Health and Human Services Committee of the Maine Legislature voted in favor of a bill to ease regulations on medical marijuana in the state. The measure would eliminate the list of qualifying conditions, allow caregivers to take on more patients, raise the number of cannabis patients could legally possess to eight pounds, and license an additional six dispensaries. The bill will now go before a vote of the full legislature.
