By Laura Sharer, Delaware NORML Dover, DE – Last week, Delaware’s House of Representatives missed another chance to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older. HB 305 needed to clear a legislative hurdle requiring a three–fifths supermajority, or 25 votes. The final tally on March 10th was 23-14-4. “We’re outraged that Delaware is maintaining the tragic policy of cannabis prohibition,” said Delaware NORML’s Executive Director Laura Sharer, “This delay means many thousands of residents will have their lives upended by unnecessary and racially disparate cannabis enforcement. Consumers are left to bear this unjustifiable human cost of life-altering police interaction, searches, and arrests for a non-toxic plant.” Despite the decriminalization of small amounts, marijuana possession arrests still happen every day, more than 115 every week in Delaware. And registered patients can’t afford the handful of regulated medical dispensaries. Zoë Patchell has been leading citizen volunteer groups spearheading cannabis reform for a decade. She was shocked that the issue of stopping cannabis arrests is getting hung up on business rules.
NORML, 03/13/2022 20:00:00