washington d.c. Archives

Washington D.C. Measure to Expand Number of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries Signed by Mayor

March 26, 2017March 25, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has signed into law an ordinance to expand access to medical cannabis.

Mayor Bowser signed Bill 22-0138 10 days after the district’s council gave it unanimous approval with a 12 to 0 vote. Bowser had until March 27th to sign it, veto or or allow it to become law without her signature.

The new law states that; “The Mayor shall open an application period for the registration of a dispensary in Ward 7 or Ward 8 within 60 days after the effective date of the Medical Marijuana Dispensary Emergency Amendment Act”. This increases the number of dispensaries in the district from five, to six.

Washington D.C. Council Unanimously Passes Ordinance to Increase Medical Cannabis Dispensaries

March 17, 2017March 17, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Washington D.C.’s full Council has voted to increase the number of medical cannabis dispensaries operating within the district.

Bill 22-0138 was given approval with a 12 to 0 vote, sending it to Mayor Muriel Bowser for consideration. Mayor Bowser is expected to quickly sign it into law; she has until March 27th to do so (or veto it), at which point it would take effect without her signature.

According to the proposed law; “The Mayor shall open an application period for the registration of a dispensary in Ward 7 or Ward 8 within 60 days after the effective date of the Medical Marijuana Dispensary Emergency Amendment Act”.

DC Mayor Says it’s Unlikely Activists Will be Arrested for Smoking Marijuana at Trump Inauguration

January 6, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

**Recently the DC Cannabis Campaign announced that they will be handing out 4,200 free joints at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20th.**

They plan to light and smoke the joints four minutes and 20 seconds into Trump’s speech. Now, DC Mayor Murial Bowser, a support of legalization, says it’s unlikely those smoking at the event will be arrested.

In DC the possession and use of up to two ounces of cannabis is legal for those 21 and older, with the cultivation of up to six plants also being legal. However, smoking in public remains a misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail, so technically anyone lighting up at the event could still be arrested and charge. Bowser’s announcement is likely to ease the fears of many, and increase the turnout of those who will attend.

Marijuana Advocates to Light Up, Hand Out Thousands of Joints During Trump Inauguration

January 2, 2017January 2, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Cannabis advocates have announced that they will lighting up cannabis joints – and handing out thousands for free – during and leading up to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration; the event takes place on January 20th.

“We have to give away marijuana at the Inauguration; we have to encourage people to use marijuana during his speech;” says Adam Eidenger of the DC Cannabis Campaign, which spearheaded Initiative 71, the district’s successful 2014 legalization initiative. “I imagine there’ll be the smell of marijuana throughout the Inauguration”.

Group that Legalized Cannabis in D.C. Plans Smoke-Out in Front of White House on April 2

March 2, 2016 by Anthony Martinelli

The D.C. Cannabis Campaign, the organization that successfully legalized cannabis in the district through a voter-approved initiative in 2014, announced today that they’ll be holding a massive protest and smoke-out in front of the White House on April 2. The group plans to call on President Obama to reschedule cannabis without Congress – which he has the legal authority to do – as well as pardon Americans currently jailed on nonviolent cannabis crimes.

“President Obama has the power to use his authority to reschedule cannabis”, the group says in their announcement of the event. “But recent reports have shown that he has no plans to change the status quo and, frankly, that is just pitiful.”

Marijuana Arrests Down 99.2% This Year in Washington D.C. Compared to Last Year

November 28, 2015November 28, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

By Johnny Green, TheWeedBlog.com

It wasn’t that long ago that thousands of people were arrested for marijuana annually in Washington D.C.. 2,346 people were arrested for marijuana in Washington D.C. in 2011. Washington D.C. voters approved marijuana legalization during the 2014 Election. As a result, marijuana arrests in D.C. are down. Way down. As of November 6th (the most current data available), there have only been 7 arrests for marijuana in D.C.. Per the Washington City Paper:

Washington DC: HIV Infection Rate Among Drug Users Drops 70% Since Introduction of Needle Exchange Program

September 9, 2015September 8, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

The average monthly rate of new HIV infections among drug users in Washington D.C. has dropped by roughly 70% since the district implemented a needle exchange program in 2008, according to a new study being published in this month’s issue of the journal AIDS and Behavior, which we received through press release.

In total, new HIV cases among drug users has dropped from 19 new infections per month prior to 2008, to less than 6 per month now.

“This shows that policy change matters for HIV prevention,” says Monica Ruiz, a professor at the George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health. “[P]olicy changes like this that help people to get the resources that they need to stay healthy and prevent infection — those are hugely important.”

Washington D.C. Attorney General Expresses Support for Legalizing All Drugs

August 24, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Washington D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, in a Friday interview on the Washington Journal, expressed support for putting an end to the war on drugs by legalizing illegal substances, not just cannabis.

During a segment on synthetic cannabinoids, a caller stated that drug prohibition is a civil liberties issue, and “when people want to consume substances that alter their state of consciousness they should be allowed to. Now, if you didn’t have such a crackdown on drugs like marijuana, cocaine and heroin, there wouldn’t even be a market for synthetic drugs.”

D.C. State Fair to Feature Cannabis Growing Competition

July 16, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

The D.C. State Fair will feature a cannabis growing competition this year after voters legalized possession and cultivation of the plant.

The “Best Bud” contest will join the fair’s growing list of competitions, including knitting and crocheting contests, a contest for pickled food and a contest for homebrews.

“Now that it’s legal for residents of the District to grow their own plants, we wanted a way to highlight this new freedom while also showing off the agricultural talents of the District’s people,” says Anna Tauzin, who serves as Outreach Director for the State Fair.

D.C. Council Passes Bill to Prohibit Pre-Employment Cannabis Testing

May 4, 2015April 15, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

The Washington D.C. Council has approved the Prohibition on Pre-Employment Marijuana Testing Amendment Act of 2015 (Bill 21-25). The measure was passed on a unanimous voice vote.

According to an official summary of the bill, it would prohibit employers “from requiring a prospective employee to submit to a drug test for marijuana use as a part of the application procedure.” In addition, the legislation “requires the Mayor to: Establish a public information campaign on the impact of marijuana use and abuse; Report to the Council information regarding health education programs in public schools related to substance abuse; Evaluate the effectiveness of the District’s treatment programs regarding the use and abuse of marijuana.”