A recreational marijuana bill continues to advance through the chamber with little resistance
It appears that cannabis advocates in Delaware are finally being heard. The end of prohibition has made great strides in this state after House members gave the go-ahead to HB2, the measure that seeks to legalize recreational cannabis use. While obtaining the qualified two-thirds majority has been a difficult task to achieve, the bipartisan support of 27-3 was enough for the bill to continue on its course to success.
Lawmakers were praised by advocates for working exhaustively and accepting the measure. The end result is clearly a reflection of how a large number of residents feel. “The people of Delaware overwhelmingly support cannabis legalization, and we deserve to see our legislature finally make this important change in 2023,” said Zoë Patchell, executive director of Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network.
In Delaware, any bill instituting a new tax needs to have three-fifths majority support. While that was seen as a hurdle in previous years, 2023 seems to bring winds running in favor of legalizing the recreational cannabis market in The First State. Patchell says it has taken more than a decade of work by grassroots volunteers and bill sponsors to arrive at this historic victory.
The University of Delaware has conducted several polls showing a consistent and solid majority of residents in favor of legalization over the past ten years. Today’s victory comes after years of stalemate. Still, it appears that the positivity is now much greater, as the 2023 session is already heading in a much better direction for cannabis policy reform in the state.