Smoking a doobie in the bayou

It’s a time of celebration for the Louisiana cannabis community !!! Get your bong and weed grinder ready, all of you!

Over a month ago Louisiana Governor John Bell Edwards signed law decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana for personal use. As of August 1, Louisiana residents seen with up to 14 grams of marijuana will only be fined $ 100 with no jail sentence.

This is a massive advance in the Louisiana marijuana sector, as possession of such small amounts of cannabis is no longer officially classified as a crime, it is only an offense.

This step removes the fear of incarceration for residents who may have small amounts of marijuana. The governor’s action also reinforces predictions by cannabis experts that marijuana possession will be decriminalized at the federal level soon enough.

Much-needed advance in Louisiana’s marijuana market

Governor Edwards insists that he do not take this new law “lightly” and expressed his commitment to release Louisians from incarceration over such minor problems. He believes the legal strongholds against cannabis in the state have ruined lives and destroyed families while costing taxpayers a lot.

The bill is also a massive step in reforming the criminal justice system in Louisiana. The decriminalization law is also in line with what is used in public policy areas, which makes it a formal proclamation. The previous penalty for possession of marijuana was more severe. People caught with cannabis can be fined $ 300 and up to eight years in prison if arrested up to four times.

The Louisiana Legislature passed the bill, and it was a bipartisan move, with many experts agreeing that the Louisiana marijuana market has finally made impressive strides. The bipartisanship exhibited in the Legislative House represents a collective effort that has resulted in Louisiana being at the fore when it comes to getting other states to adopt progressive marijuana reforms.

Complicated dInvoice details

It should be noted that the bill also expands the variety of medicinal cannabis available to consumers, and this plays an important role in increasing revenue for the state. With the bill, people over 21 can give one person two and a half ounces of cannabis every two weeks.

It should also be noted that the raw and smokable medical cannabis may not necessarily meet the medical standards of other forms of marijuana in other states. The legislative arm of the Louisiana government rejected proposals to fully legalize cannabis, taxes, and the control of the sale of all cannabis-infused drugs.

Louisiana received its first medical cannabis license in 2018, and since then pharmacies in the state have been able to prescribe medical cannabis to patients. This bill extends patients’ access to cannabis-based drugs that they need to maintain their health.

Safe places to buy medical cannabis in Louisiana

After a patient visits a licensed physician and receives a prescription for medical cannabis, a purchase can be made. The Louisianan Pharmaceutical Board has passed rules that allow medicinal cannabis in Louisiana. Approved forms of cannabis include:

• Sprays

• Pills

• Oils

• Extracts

• Capsules

• Tinctures

• Suppositories

• Topical oil

Patients can also purchase medical cannabis products from licensed and approved pharmacies for up to a month. At the same time, the recommended doses and all quantities purchased are recorded in the Louisianan Medical Cannabis Tracking Platform.

The way forward for the Louisiana marijuana community

Though the idea of ​​fully legalizing marijuana, its sales, and taxes was introduced by Republican Richard Nelson, it was largely rejected. Sometimes the road to full legalization is never a once in a lifetime experience for a state as multiple bills are passed and some are rejected.

Carly Wolf, NORML’s state policy manager, described the passage of the current bill as “great progress” in ending the racist and discriminatory policies that brand good Louisians as criminals for minor offenses.

He also agrees with experts who have repeatedly said that Louisiana’s law enforcement agencies should be careful to tackle real crimes rather than prosecuting law-abiding residents.

In the future, there will be more legislative efforts to reform cannabis in Louisiana, and one of the highly anticipated bills will focus on lifting the ban on smoking medicinal marijuana flowers. It should be noted that several studies are currently being conducted to determine the impact of legalizing recreational marijuana use in the state.

While there is still a lot left to be desired in Louisiana, it’s important to emphasize that the state is making headway with its marijuana reforms. If the reforms are done right, they will pave the way for legalization, and all indications are that Louisiana is properly approaching its reforms, which means legalization is imminent.

Experts raise awareness in Louisiana.

The decriminalization bill was sponsored by State Representative Cedric Glover (a Democrat), who partnered with an advocacy group called Louisiana Progress to launch an awareness campaign. This campaign will educate the public about the new reforms with the help of FAQ brochures on social media platforms.

Representing the Shreveport borough of Louisiana, Glover insists he knew the exact time when reform was about to take another turn. He describes the moment when he saw two city council officials (one conservative and one progressive) come together to support the goal of decriminalization.

He also believes that the criminalization of marijuana is “harmful” to residents of Louisiana in many ways, particularly marginalized black and brown communities. Low income and young people are also affected, so he hopes this new law will provide relief and a sense of freedom for these disadvantaged communities.

Although the governor has claimed he would not sign a law to fully legalize recreational cannabis, this decriminalization law kindles hope in many people’s hearts that he will eventually legalize it.

Bottom line

In June, Governor Edwards signed law allowing patients to legally make medical marijuana available. In addition to announcing that possession of cannabis is no longer a criminal offense, the state is expanding its marijuana program.

Louisiana, like many other states in America, is beginning to capitalize on the potential of its marijuana market. Hopefully there will be more cannabis-friendly legislation in the near future that will allow Louisians to maximize all of the benefits of marijuana.

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