The governor of Delaware has given his first public comments on a bill to legalize marijuana that was sent to his desk last week, noting the legislation’s limited scope but saying that he has remaining concerns and declining to say specifically whether he intends to sign it. Gov. John Carney (D), a rare example of a Democratic governor who continues to oppose legalization, said that he agrees that using cannabis shouldn’t be a “criminal offense,” adding that the bill passed in the legislature “just decriminalizes.” “It doesn’t have a regulatory piece that goes with it,” Carney told WMDT. “So we’re looking at the same concerns that I’ve been articulating for some time with respect to public safety and its effect on our young people, and we’ll continue to keep those in mind.” The bill that’s been transmitted to the governor’s desk is narrowly tailored, but because it removes all criminal penalties associated with possession and sharing of up to one ounce of marijuana between adults 21 and older, advocates consider that to be a form of non-commercial legalization.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 05/17/2022 11:07:00