Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
It's a thought-provoking proposition - one that follows a trend across the nation.
Should the territory consider easing - or even eliminating - laws that forbid marijuana? If so, in what way and how?
Should marijuana use for medical purposes be permitted? What about legalizing marijuana for recreational use?
Sen. Terrence Nelson - who plans to put forward a bill that would legalize marijuana for medical use in the territory - is visiting Washington State and Colorado to look into their experiences with legalizing pot.
Colorado and Washington have legalized not only medical marijuana, but also recreational marijuana.
For the better part of two weeks, The Virgin Islands Daily News is going on location as Nelson tours those states, to report findings about the marijuana industry there.
In total, four states in the union - Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon, along with the District of Columbia - have legalized some form of recreational marijuana, and they are in various stages of implementation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Colorado and Washington have implemented their laws.
But far more states have passed medical marijuana laws.
A total of 23 states, Washington, D.C, and Guam now allow for comprehensive public medical marijuana and cannabis programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Different states have approached it in a variety of different ways - and the symptoms or conditions that different states allow its use for also vary widely.
Medical marijuana means marijuana used as an herbal remedy or therapy to treat disease or alleviate symptoms.
Notably, marijuana is still against federal law. It remains a Schedule 1 Drug under the Controlled Substances Act.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Food and Drug Administration has not recognized or approved the marijuana plant as medicine, although scientific study of the chemicals in marijuana has led to two FDA-approved medications in pill form, dronabinol and nabilone, both used to treat nausea and boost appetite.
Nelson, who headed a push to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana in the territory - making it a civil offense instead of criminal - said he plans to introduce his medical marijuana legislation during the 31st Legislature.
He has authorship of the bill and has already received a draft - but said he wants to look into the experience the governments in Washington and Colorado have had and use that information to fine-tune the proposed legislation into a final draft before taking it to his colleagues.
"In creating legislation, I believe it's only due diligence to go forward in places that have examples of medicinal marijuana and the industry in general," Nelson said.
Although recreational use of marijuana is now allowed in Colorado and Washington, Nelson said that "they also have some of the better models of medicinal marijuana too."
"We're trying to avoid the pitfalls and learn from their mistakes," he said.
In a press release about the tour, he talked about the potential the medical marijuana industry could have to bring more money to government coffers.
"Not only would this industry provide new money to the General Fund of the Government and opportunities to our citizens, it will also provide an alternative to the health options available to many with ailments that can benefit from the use of the plant," he said.
Nelson's office has dubbed the trip his "medical cannabis expedition."
Last month, he issued an open invitation to people in the territory to go along.
Last week, Nelson said he thinks several people will be going, including a representative from another senator's office, as well as some individuals from the private sector, although plans were still being finalized.
The trip is scheduled to include meetings with government officials in Colorado and Washington who deal with the marijuana industry, a meeting with the Washington Marijuana Business Association, tours of medical marijuana farms, producers and processors, dispensaries, recreational stores - even a cannabis bakery.
Other items on the schedule include a visit to a medical marijuana evaluation facility, an educational program for cannabis industry workers, and meetings with law enforcement officials.
In Denver, Nelson has allotted significant time to the *upcoming awards ceremony *edit*, a three-day event that bills itself as "the world's leading marijuana trade show." Cannabis Cups are hosted in states that have legalized medical and recreational marijuana.*edit*
Nelson said he thinks the easing of marijuana laws is a trend that could bring economic benefits to the territory.
"Well, we're talking about a trend, a going trend now that economists and policy makers globally are considering, have implemented and it's moving forward," he said.
Nelson said he has been pushing the idea of legalizing medical marijuana in the territory for some time.
"It is something I carefully considered whether or not I wanted to touch, knowing how taboo it is," he said. Ultimately, he said, he decided to proceed.
The meetings are scheduled to begin today with government officials in Olympia, Wash., that state's capital.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Can the V.I. learn from states that have legalized marijuana? - News - Virgin Islands Daily News
Author: Joy Blackburn
Contact: letters@dailynews.vi
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Virgin Islands Daily News | virginislandsdailynews.com | A Pulitzer Prize Winning Newspaper, Virgin Islands Guide, Virgin Islands InfoVirgin Islands Daily News
Should the territory consider easing - or even eliminating - laws that forbid marijuana? If so, in what way and how?
Should marijuana use for medical purposes be permitted? What about legalizing marijuana for recreational use?
Sen. Terrence Nelson - who plans to put forward a bill that would legalize marijuana for medical use in the territory - is visiting Washington State and Colorado to look into their experiences with legalizing pot.
Colorado and Washington have legalized not only medical marijuana, but also recreational marijuana.
For the better part of two weeks, The Virgin Islands Daily News is going on location as Nelson tours those states, to report findings about the marijuana industry there.
In total, four states in the union - Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon, along with the District of Columbia - have legalized some form of recreational marijuana, and they are in various stages of implementation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Colorado and Washington have implemented their laws.
But far more states have passed medical marijuana laws.
A total of 23 states, Washington, D.C, and Guam now allow for comprehensive public medical marijuana and cannabis programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Different states have approached it in a variety of different ways - and the symptoms or conditions that different states allow its use for also vary widely.
Medical marijuana means marijuana used as an herbal remedy or therapy to treat disease or alleviate symptoms.
Notably, marijuana is still against federal law. It remains a Schedule 1 Drug under the Controlled Substances Act.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Food and Drug Administration has not recognized or approved the marijuana plant as medicine, although scientific study of the chemicals in marijuana has led to two FDA-approved medications in pill form, dronabinol and nabilone, both used to treat nausea and boost appetite.
Nelson, who headed a push to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana in the territory - making it a civil offense instead of criminal - said he plans to introduce his medical marijuana legislation during the 31st Legislature.
He has authorship of the bill and has already received a draft - but said he wants to look into the experience the governments in Washington and Colorado have had and use that information to fine-tune the proposed legislation into a final draft before taking it to his colleagues.
"In creating legislation, I believe it's only due diligence to go forward in places that have examples of medicinal marijuana and the industry in general," Nelson said.
Although recreational use of marijuana is now allowed in Colorado and Washington, Nelson said that "they also have some of the better models of medicinal marijuana too."
"We're trying to avoid the pitfalls and learn from their mistakes," he said.
In a press release about the tour, he talked about the potential the medical marijuana industry could have to bring more money to government coffers.
"Not only would this industry provide new money to the General Fund of the Government and opportunities to our citizens, it will also provide an alternative to the health options available to many with ailments that can benefit from the use of the plant," he said.
Nelson's office has dubbed the trip his "medical cannabis expedition."
Last month, he issued an open invitation to people in the territory to go along.
Last week, Nelson said he thinks several people will be going, including a representative from another senator's office, as well as some individuals from the private sector, although plans were still being finalized.
The trip is scheduled to include meetings with government officials in Colorado and Washington who deal with the marijuana industry, a meeting with the Washington Marijuana Business Association, tours of medical marijuana farms, producers and processors, dispensaries, recreational stores - even a cannabis bakery.
Other items on the schedule include a visit to a medical marijuana evaluation facility, an educational program for cannabis industry workers, and meetings with law enforcement officials.
In Denver, Nelson has allotted significant time to the *upcoming awards ceremony *edit*, a three-day event that bills itself as "the world's leading marijuana trade show." Cannabis Cups are hosted in states that have legalized medical and recreational marijuana.*edit*
Nelson said he thinks the easing of marijuana laws is a trend that could bring economic benefits to the territory.
"Well, we're talking about a trend, a going trend now that economists and policy makers globally are considering, have implemented and it's moving forward," he said.
Nelson said he has been pushing the idea of legalizing medical marijuana in the territory for some time.
"It is something I carefully considered whether or not I wanted to touch, knowing how taboo it is," he said. Ultimately, he said, he decided to proceed.
The meetings are scheduled to begin today with government officials in Olympia, Wash., that state's capital.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Can the V.I. learn from states that have legalized marijuana? - News - Virgin Islands Daily News
Author: Joy Blackburn
Contact: letters@dailynews.vi
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Virgin Islands Daily News | virginislandsdailynews.com | A Pulitzer Prize Winning Newspaper, Virgin Islands Guide, Virgin Islands InfoVirgin Islands Daily News
