House Bill 110 faced a great deal of scrutiny, and after a vote in one of the last remaining days of the legislative session, marijuana remains illegal for adults without a medical prescription.
The bill’s sponsor, retiring State Rep. Helene Keeley (D-West Wilmington) issued a statement immediately after the measure’s failure on Wednesday, June 27, 2018.
“While I am disappointed that we did not have enough votes to pass HB 110, I am encouraged by the progress we have made on this issue. When Sen. Margaret Rose Henry and I began this process several years ago, there were many questions surrounding how to implement cannabis regulation in the First State.
Since that time, public support and momentum for cannabis legalization only continues to grow, and I truly hope that we are able to see this eventually come to fruition for Delaware. We have an incredible opportunity to create an entirely new industry in Delaware that will support jobs, economic development and state funding.
Through our work with stakeholders throughout the state we have seen how cannabis can be regulated strictly and safely, and I believe we have a strong framework to move forward. Delaware has already decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis and approved medical marijuana for patients. Recreational legalization is a natural progression on this topic.
This has been an issue I have championed throughout my tenure in the Delaware Legislature and am confident the conversation and work will continue.”
A three-fifths majority was needed to pass the bill that would allow recreational use of marijuana by those over the age of 21 in the First State.
The vote went 21-15 with five legislators abstaining from voting.
