A Kentucky lawmaker ultimate week offered a invoice to legalize the ownership and use of leisure marijuana, even supposing the measure would no longer allow gross sales of adult-use hashish. The law, Area Invoice 72, was once offered by means of Democratic Rep. Nima Kulkarni on Tuesday, in keeping with a record from on-line hashish information supply Marijuana Second.
If handed, the law would legalize ownership and use of as much as one ounce of marijuana for adults elderly 21 and older. The measure would additionally permit adults to domesticate as much as 5 hashish vegetation at house.
A Kentucky lawmaker has offered a invoice to legalize the ownership and use of leisure … [+]
Remaining January, Kulkarni offered a invoice to permit citizens to legalize leisure marijuana by way of a constitutional modification poll measure. On the time, the lawmaker mentioned the measure would finish prison consequences for minor pot offenses.
“For many years, the failed and irrational Struggle on Medication has ensured that we’ve got arrested, prosecuted and jailed thousands and thousands of American citizens for low degree nonviolent drug offenses,” Kulkarni mentioned ultimate yr in a commentary quoted by means of the Kentucky Lantern.
Along with legalizing the ownership, use and cultivation of small quantities of marijuana, Kulkarni’s new invoice would additionally legalize the ownership of as much as 5 grams of cannabinoids derived from hemp or marijuana and merchandise containing as much as 1,000 milligrams of delta-8 THC or delta-9 THC.
Ownership of marijuana in quantities more than what is permitted by means of the law can be thought to be a Elegance B misdemeanor, with offenders matter to consequences together with as much as 45 days in prison. Trafficking of a couple of ounce however not up to 8 oz. of marijuana can be a Elegance A misdemeanor at the first offense and a Elegance D prison for next offenses. Extra serious consequences would practice for trafficking higher quantities of hashish.
Rising greater than 5 marijuana vegetation can be a Elegance D prison, with next offenses charged as a Elegance C prison. Civil consequences would practice for house hashish growers who exceed the one-ounce restrict on private ownership.
Marijuana Legalization Invoice Permits For Expungement Of Prior Convictions
The invoice additionally permits for the expungement of convictions for prior marijuana offenses which are legalized by means of the measure. Courts can be required to vacate convictions and expunge data inside of 200 days of the invoice’s efficient date until objections are filed by means of prosecutors.
Along with the invoice calling for a public vote on a marijuana legalization modification, Kulkarni additionally offered a invoice to legalize pot legislatively for the 2022 legislative consultation. The expenses had been filed with the fortify of hashish coverage reform advocates together with the Kentucky bankruptcy of the American Civil Liberties Union.
“I’m sponsoring those expenses for a number of causes, any one in every of which will have to be sufficient for them to transform legislation,” Kulkarni mentioned after pre-filing a an identical measure for the 2022 legislative consultation.
“First, present hashish statutes have needlessly and tragically ruined many lives, particularly folks of colour who’ve suffered on account of unequal enforcement,” she added, in keeping with a record from Marijuana Second. “2nd, hundreds of voters, from most cancers sufferers to veterans affected by PTSD, will have to have the correct to make use of one thing that provides them the psychological and bodily aid they deserve with out depending on more potent, probably addictive drugs. 3rd, hashish decriminalization would give the state a much-needed supply of dependable income with out elevating present taxes a unmarried cent.”
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear legalized using clinical marijuana underneath positive prerequisites in Kentucky with an government order issued in November 2022. That led the state legislature to cross a clinical marijuana legalization invoice, which Beshear signed in April of ultimate yr.
Kulkarni’s new invoice has been assigned to the Area Committee on Committees for attention.
