Louisiana lawmakers have approved a bill to create a regulatory framework for marijuana legalization, building upon the state’s 2021 decriminalization law.
Members of the House Health and Welfare Committee passed the measure from Rep. Edmond Jordan (D), with amendments, in a unanimous 10-0 vote on Wednesday.
The proposal wouldn’t legalize cannabis, per se. The plan is to have the broader reform implemented in three parts: passing the regulatory measure this year and then working to advance separate bills to allow adult possession and tax marijuana sales next year.
Getting the regulatory measure through the conservative legislature would represent a significant win in the state, however, and set lawmakers up to better define what their program might look like in the coming session.
The legislation as revised would establish an adult-use cannabis program under the Louisiana Department of Health. There would be no caps on the number of dispensaries that regulators could approve, and a previous cap on the number of cultivators was removed as part of an amendment on Wednesday.
Adults 21 and older would be able to buy up to one ounce of cannabis per day. And they could also apply for a permit to cultivate up to six
Read full article on Marijuana Moment
