louisiana cannabis Archives

Louisiana House Approves Marijuana Research Resolution, Full Legislature Approves Medical Marijuana Bill

June 7, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

**Louisiana’s House of Representatives has passed House Resolution 1899, and the full legislature has approved Senate Bill 35.**

House Resolution 1899, sponsored by Representative Frank Hoffman, was passed by the House with a unanimous 93 to 0 vote. 12 member abstained from voting.

According to its official legislative digest, House Resolution 189: “Urges and requests the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Centers at New Orleans and Shreveport, the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and the Louisiana State University and Southern University Agricultural Centers to pursue opportunities for basic research, applied research, and clinical trials to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of marijuana for therapeutic use.”

Louisiana Marijuana Possession Laws

August 4, 2016 by Anthony Martinelli

Louisiana Marijuana Possession Laws:

14g or less (first offense)	Charge: Not Classified	Incarceration: 15 days	Fine: $300
More than 14g – less than 2.5lbs (first offense)	Charge: Not Classified	Incarceration: 6 months	Fine: $500
2.5 – less than 60lbs	Charge: Not Classified	Incarceration: 2* – 10 years	Fine: $30,000
60 – less than 2000lbs	Charge: Felony	Incarceration: 5* – 30 years	Fine: $100,000
2000 – less than 10,000lbs	Charge: Felony	Incarceration: 10* – 40 years	Fine: $400,000
10,000lbs or more	Charge: Felony	Incarceration: 25* – 40 years	Fine: $1,000,000

For further information on Louisiana marijuana laws – including penalties for distribution and cultivation – click here (take note that the distribution laws are incredibly harsh, including a 5 year mandatory minimum for the distribution of any amount). For recent updates to Louisiana’s marijuana possession laws and other Louisiana-related stories, click here.

Bill to Reduce Cannabis Penalties, Allow Expungements, Passes Louisiana Legislature, Heads to Governor

June 8, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Louisiana’s House of Representatives has passed House Bill 149, a proposal to drastically reduce the penalties for cannabis possession while allowing for the expungement of certain cannabis convictions, with a 74 to 19 vote. The vote comes just days after the Senate passed the measure 54 to 37. It now heads to Governor Bobby Jindal, who plans to sign it into law.

House Bill 149, sponsored by Representative Austin Badon, will reduce the penalty for possessing up to 14 grams of cannabis from a potential six month jail sentence, to a maximum jail sentence of 15 days. The penalty for a second cannabis possession offense – any amount not deemed for distribution – would be reduced to a misdemeanor with a maximum jail sentence of six months; it’s currently a felony with a potential five year prison sentence.

Louisiana Senate Gives Approval to Bill Decreasing Cannabis Penalties, Allowing Cannabis Expungements

June 3, 2015June 3, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Louisiana’s Senate has passed House Bill 149, a proposal to significantly reduce the penalties for cannabis possession, while allowing certain cannabis possession charges to be expunged from people’s criminal records.

House Bill 149, which is a slightly altered version of Senate Bill 241 which the Senate passed in May, has already passed the full House of Representatives with a 54 to 37 vote. Sponsored by Representative Austin Badon, the bill would reduce the penalty for possessing up to 14 grams of cannabis from a potential six month jail sentence and a $2,500 fine, to a maximum jail sentence of 15 days, and a maximum fine of $300.

Louisiana Governor Says He’ll Sign Bills to Legalize Medical Cannabis, Reduce Cannabis Penalties, if They Reach His Desk

May 28, 2015May 28, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced on Thursday that he’ll sign legislation to legalize medical cannabis, and to reduce the penalties for cannabis possession, if the bills reach his desk as expected.

Senate Bill 143, which passed the House Committee on Health and Welfare yesterday and has already passed the full Senate, would legalize the possession and state-licensed distribution of cannabis medicines with those with certain debilitating conditions. The proposal wouldn’t allow cannabis to be smoked, but would allow for it to be vaporized and consumed through oils, edibles, tinctures and topicals.

Louisiana Senate Passes Bill to Reduce Penalties for Cannabis Possession, Allow Expungement of Cannabis Offenses

May 27, 2015May 25, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Louisiana’s’ full Senate has voted 27 to 12 to pass Senate Bill 241, a proposal to reduce the penalties for possessing cannabis, while allowing those with just one cannabis possession charge to have it removed from their records.

The proposal, sponsored by Senator J.P. Morrell (D-New Orleans), would reduce the maximum penalty for someone caught possessing up to 14 grams of cannabis to a 15 day jail sentence and a $300 fine, whereas it’s currently a maximum sentence of 6 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Louisiana Senate Judiciary Committee Passes Bill to Reduce Cannabis Penalties, Allow Expungement of Cannabis Convictions

May 21, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

In a unanimous vote, Louisiana’s Senate Judiciary Committee has given approval to legislation that would drastically reduce the penalties associated with an individuals second and third cannabis possession offense, while allowing those with just one offense to have the charge expunged from their record.

The proposal, sponsored by Senator J.P. Morrell (D-New Orleans), would save the state up to $16 million a year by reducing the penalty for a second cannabis possession offense to a misdemeanor with a maximum jail sentence of 6 months; under current law an individuals second offense is a felony with a potential 5 year prison sentence. The measure would reduce the penalty for a third cannabis possession offense to a felony with a maximum sentence of 4 years, rather than a maximum of 20 as it currently stands.

Legislation to Legalize Medical Cannabis Unanimously Passes Louisiana Senate Committee

May 10, 2015April 29, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

A proposal to legalize medical cannabis, including state-authorized dispensaries, has been given unanimous approval by Louisiana’s Senate Committee on Health and Welfare. Legislation to Legalize Medical Cannabis Passes Louisiana Senate Committee

The measure – Senate Bill 143 – would allow those with a limited number of medical conditions who receive a recommendation from a physician to possess and use medical cannabis in any form except inhalation, meaning that patients would need to rely on other forms of use, such as through oils, vaporizers, edibles and topicals. The qualifying medical conditions – which would have been any “medically recognized disease or condition” – was amended in committee to be glaucoma, cancer and spastic quadriplegia.

Legislative Proposal to Legalize Cannabis Filed in Louisiana, Would Allow Unlimited Possession

March 23, 2015March 20, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Legislation to legalize recreational cannabis for those 21 and older has been filed in Louisiana’s House of Representatives.

House Bill 117, filed by Representative Dalton Honoré, would explicitly legalize the possession, use and distribution of cannabis for recreational purposes. The measure would establish no specific possession limits, meaning it would legalize the possession of an unlimited amount of cannabis. This is in contrast to many recent legalization efforts, but would put cannabis on the same field of legality as alcohol and tobacco, where any amount is legal to possess.

Poll: 60% of Louisiana Voters Support Decriminalizing Cannabis

October 1, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

A new poll conducted by Public Policy Polling has found that a majority of Louisiana voters are in favor of legalizing medical cannabis, as well a decriminalizing cannabis possession.

According to the poll, 60% of voters in Louisiana support removing criminal penalties for someone caught possessing up to an ounce of cannabis for the first time, making it instead a simple $50 or $100 ticket. Majority support was found in all age groups, including 52% of those aged 65 and older.