Decriminalization

The advocacy group behind a Washington state drug decriminalization ballot initiative announced it would cease its campaign this year due to funding-related issues despite recording all-time high levels of support.

Canada will temporarily decriminalize opioids, cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine in British Columbia as the province looks to fight its record overdose rates.

Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) expressed support this week for the cannabis decriminalization bill recently passed by state lawmakers but didn’t say if he intends to sign the legislation.

Mayor Sadiq Khan of London, England has convened a commission to investigate decriminalizing cannabis throughout the U.K. despite opposition from some national officials.

Voters in Austin, Texas have overwhelmingly approved a measure to decriminalize cannabis possession and ban no-knock search warrants in the city.

The Israeli government is considering a cannabis reforms package that would decriminalize personal possession and allow for the expungement of past offenses.

Advocates in Denton, Texas have launched a signature-gathering campaign with the goal of ending citations and arrests for misdemeanor cannabis possession.

The Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill to decriminalize cannabis possession in the state and expunge prior cannabis charges.

Thailand’s Public Health Minister signed a document on Tuesday effectively decriminalizing cannabis in the country.

Vermont’s House Judiciary Committee is reviewing three different drug reform bills that range from personal use decriminalization to substance abuse disorder treatment.

Austin voters will get to decide during the upcoming May election whether to stop the enforcement of low-level cannabis possession charges and ban no-knock warrants by police.

Congressional Democrats are planning to take on numerous cannabis reform proposals during the upcoming legislative session, including banking, expungement, decriminalization, and social equity considerations.

Austin, Texas residents will have the opportunity to vote in May on ending enforcement of low-level cannabis offenses and no-knock raids by police.

London, England Mayor Sadiq Khan is looking to adopt a cannabis decriminalization pilot program that would offer guidance on drug use instead of arresting young adults between 18-24.

A recent study found that cannabis decriminalization policies have helped to reduce the racial disparity in cannabis possession arrests.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones signed a law to decriminalize the possession of cannabis, up to two ounces, and to prevent warrantless searches by police due to cannabis odor.

Signatures for a ballot initiative to decriminalize cannabis and ban no-knock raids have been submitted to the city of Austin, Texas.

Kentucky state Rep. Nima Kulkarni (D) pre-filed bills to decriminalize cannabis possession and to allow ballot questions discussing legalization to be put to voters.

The St. Louis, Missouri Board of Aldermen approved a measure to decriminalize cannabis possession up to 35 grams, remove cannabis screening from the hiring process for most city positions, and stop cannabis from being used as the basis for a warrantless police search.

Detroit voters decided to decriminalize psilocybin and the therapeutic use of other entheogenic plants during last week’s election.

U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren have sent a letter urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to decriminalize cannabis by removing it from the federal controlled substances list.

The Seattle City Council voted yesterday to decriminalize the use, possession, and home cultivation of psilocybin, making it the largest U.S. city so far to enact such reforms.

California’s attorney general last week approved language for an upcoming psychedelic decriminalization ballot initiative.

The campaign to decriminalize cannabis in Italy gathered the 500,000 signatures required to put the issue before voters in just one week.