As 2024 approaches, we can expect to see a new drug policy reform effort that will once again put laws surrounding marijuana and psychedelics at the forefront. Advocates are working to leverage continued momentum.
The stage has been set for cannabis and psychedelics legislation to be advanced through ballots and legislatures in all states.
At least half a dozen states are considering legalizing marijuana for recreational or medical use by 2024. Activists will also push to end criminalization of etheogenic drugs like psilocybin while creating a path for regulated access.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recommendation that cannabis be moved to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act will also be revisited next year.
In 2024, Germany will be the first country in Europe that legalizes cannabis.
There’s no guarantee, but with the public’s increasing support for reform and increased pressure on legislators to act accordingly there is plenty of potential in 2024 for an effective drug policy.
Here’s a list of some of the most important marijuana and psychedelics news stories for 2024.
States that have legalized adult-use marijuana
Florida
Florida’s Supreme Court spent months examining the legal challenge brought by state Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) to a ballot initiative for marijuana legalization in 2024. This issue will need to resolved sooner rather than later.
The court heard oral arguments for the case. Smart & Safe Florida defended the constitutionality and reform of the measure, hoping to secure ballot placement in Florida after submitting nearly one million valid signatures.
The state has a 60 percent threshold for ballot initiatives, but recent polling indicates that Floridians are generally in favor of the proposal, even if their governor, 2024 GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, opposes it. The state has a 60 percent threshold for ballot initiatives to be approved, but recent polling indicates that Floridians support the proposal, even if the governor, GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis in 2024, is against it.
Hawaii
In recent sessions of the Hawaii Legislature, marijuana legalization proposals made progress in both chambers. The Senate even approved reform legislation in March 20,23. The issue is expected to be resolved in 2024. This is in part due to the fact that the state attorney general has recently released her own legalization proposal that she hopes will guide legislative debates in the months ahead.
The comprehensive cannabis bill was unveiled by Attorney General Anne Lopez in November. It received praise from legislators and mixed reactions from those who wanted to revise it to address more aggressively equity issues and reduce the criminalization of cannabis.
Her office has defended the reform proposal from attacks by prohibitionists and members of law enforcement .
In the current two-year legislative sessions, the separate Legalization Bill that passed through the Senate remains in play. This one has expungement provisions that are favored by advocates.
Governor Green (D) is on board with the reform. Josh Green (D), a Democrat, is in favor of the reform.
New Hampshire
In the Live Free or Die State, a number marijuana legalization bills have been filed and advanced over the past few years. However, they have stalled out due to opposition and disagreements over the best regulatory structure. Many pieces of legislation to repeal prohibition passed the House of Representatives, but died in the Senate. Advocates are still hopeful that 2024 is the year when the task will be accomplished despite a cannabis panel’s failure to submit a legislative recommendation to lawmakers after several meetings.
Gov. Chris Sununu, (R), came out in favor of legalizing marijuana via a unique system in 2023 . He did so after deciding that the policy shift was inevitable. Chris Sununu (R) has endorsed a system similar to the way the state manages alcohol sales. This was the framework that the commission considered before issuing their non-committal reports in early December.
The issue will likely resurface again in 2024. It’s possible the governor’s backing and regional dynamics could influence a robust debate and lead to legislation.
Other reform proposals, beyond legalization, have already been filed for the session of 2024. Legalize home cultivation among medical patients, and add eating disorders to the state list of qualifying conditions .
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania lawmakers will also be introducing marijuana legalization legislation by 2024. They hope to overcome the legislative obstacles that prevented the reform during the divided legislature.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, supports legalization. He is renewing his call for action after Ohio adopted the policy change. And a committee in the newly Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has been holding informational hearings to consider different reform models over recent months.
is preparing to reveal a modest proposal to decriminalize marijuana in Keystone State.
South Dakota
In recent months, the campaign to put marijuana legalization in South Dakota on the ballot in 2024 relied largely on volunteers for the initial signature collection. However, advocates hope to have the resources in place to commit fully to the effort in the coming year with a massive paid signature drive.
The office of State Attorney General Marty Jackley (R) released a final ballot explainer for the initiative in Decembre. However, South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws wants to make sure they have enough support before investing in an all-out campaign. At the 2020 ballot.
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The legalization of medical cannabis could also be advancing in many states
Nebraska
Nebraska activists are once again pushing to place medical marijuana legalization in the state’s ballot — for the third time within as many elections cycles. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, or NMM, is confident that despite previous efforts being derailed by legal challenges as well as fundraising setbacks in the past.
The campaign has already gathered enough signatures in more than a dozen countries. It is urging supporters to donate what they can, both financially and with their time.
The campaign must collect valid signatures of at least five per cent of registered voters from a minimum 38 counties in the state.
Since July , volunteers are collecting petitions. This is about two months after submitted the complementary legalization initiative to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Nebraska legislators, including Sen. Anna Wishart, campaign co-chair (D), also tried to pass the reform through the legislature, but cannabis legislation has consistently been blocked by the conservative lawmakers.
Wishart’s bill for medical cannabis was heard by the unicameral Judiciary Committee on February 20, 2023. However, it failed to advance. She blamed the lack of action on changes to committee membership. A previous version of the measure ultimately failed to pass in the GOP-controlled Legislature due to a filibuster.
North Carolina
The Senate passed a bill in March 2023 to legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina, but the House stalled it due to a rule informally preventing legislation from being brought to the floor unless the majority party has agreed. The Republican Senate sponsor made it clear that he plans to bring the issue up again during the 2024 session.
House Majority leader John Bell (R), expressed disappointment that reform did not advance in 2023. , he predicted the reform would return to the forefront in the next year.
South Carolina
The GOP-led bill for medical cannabis legalization did pass through a South Carolina Senate Committee early in 2023 but did not make it through to the full chamber before a deadline for legislative crossover. The bill is still alive and well for the second half the two-year session in 2024. Advocates intend to push it through.
A previous version passed the Senate at its last session, only for to stall in the House due to a procedural glitch.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Republican Assembly Speaker has promised to introduce a limited medical marijuana bill in January. He’s stated that , he is “pretty sure” the bill will pass with or without votes from Democrats, who are pushing comprehensive reform.
The text of the proposed legislation has not yet been released, but Speaker Robin Vos (R), recently preview the proposal . He explained how the reform will only allow for a limited medical cannabis reform . This would allow patients with serious illnesses such as cancer and post-traumatic disorder (PTSD), HIV, and chronic pain, to have access to products in pill or oil form.
The leadership has stated that they are only interested in creating a medical cannabis program and have refused to hold an hearing on the latest adult-use marijuana legislation by a Democrat senator.
DEA’s marijuana rescheduling decision
The question that concerns advocates and stakeholders across the country is whether DEA will act on the recommendation of the federal health agency and place marijuana under Schedule III of CSA, a change in policy which would have many symbolic and practical implications.
researchers from Congress have determined that the DEA is “likely” to follow HHS’s recommendation. However, it is not obligated to do so. Although the timing is unclear, many observers believe that DEA will make a final decision before the November 2020 election.
The DEA hasn’t indicated how it will decide on the scheduling issue. Administrator Anne Milgram pledged that she would follow science and maintain an “open-minded” attitude as the agency completed its review.
Senate resumes work on cannabis banking legislation
The delayed U.S. Senate’s consideration of a bipartisan measure to protect banks who work with state-legal cannabis businesses has caused widespread frustration. The Secure and fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER), Banking Act was approved by the Senate Banking Committee on September 20, 2023. However, it never made it to the Senate floor despite repeated promises from the leadership to move the bill forward.
In December, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (DNY) reiterated that the bill would be one of the top priorities for the chamber heading into the New Year, but he warned that bipartisan cooperation was required and the work “wouldn’t be simple.”
California and Massachusetts will consider legalizing psychedelics
California Gov. Gavin Newsom , a Democratic legislator from California, vetoed in 2023 a bill that would have legalized psychedelics and promoted a framework for regulated access. He also encouraged legislators, however, to present a revised version with a focus on therapeutic uses. The Senate sponsor has said that he will do this in 2024.
At a recent event, Sen. Scott Wiener said that California has reached an “inflection” point in psychedelics legislation. He is confident that amended legislation that he will introduce with a co-leader from the Assembly GOP will pass through the legislature to the governor’s office.
In Massachusetts, activists reported in December that local clerks have certified they submitted more than enough valid Signatures in order to force a legislative consideration of the psychedelics-legalization initiative, before the issue could be placed on the 2024 state ballot.
This measure would establish a framework that allows for lawful, supervised access to psychedelics in licensed facilities. The measure would legalize possession and gifting psychedelics like ayahuasca and psilocybin, but would not allow for retail commercial sales.
Separately Massachusetts Gov. Maura Shealey (D), has introduced legislation which includes provisions to Create a psychedelics Working Group to Study and Make Recommendations About the Potential Therapeutic Benefits of Substances like psilocybin or MDMA for Military Veterans.
FDA considers MDMA for prescription as a possible medication
After extensive clinical trials, a psychedelics focused drug development company formally requested FDA review an application to accept MDMA as a prescribed medication for the treatment PTSD. The process is expected to be completed in 2024.
MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, which is a non-profit organization, announced that in December it had submitted a new drug application to FDA. The agency was requesting accelerated review because the psychedelics were previously classified as breakthrough therapies.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), if the NDA were to be approved, would have to reschedule MDMA. It would be the first time in history that a psychedelic was approved as a drug, administered along with psychotherapy or other supportive services.
Germany legalizes marijuana at the national level
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) expressed concerns about the final vote on a bill that would have legalized marijuana in Germany. The landmark proposal has been postponed to 2024.
After the final reading of the bill in the Bundestag it will be sent to the Bundesrat. This is a separate legislative organ that represents the German states. In September, members of the Bundesrat attempted to block the reform proposal but ultimately failed.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is leading the legalization initiative. He first revealed details about the revised plan in April. distributed the legislative text in April to cabinet officials.
DEA Requests More THC, Psilocybin and DMT For Research In 2024
Image element provided by Kristie Gianpulos.
The post As the federal cannabis scheduling review concludes, more states will legalize marijuana and psychedelics in 2024.
