Indiana State Sen. Karen Tallian remembers the moment that sparked her interest in marijuana legislation. About a decade ago, Tallian represented a teenager right out of high school who was charged with marijuana possession when a party was busted by the police. The teen took a plea deal, complied with its conditions, and walked away […]
Indiana
Even as neighboring states legalize marijuana, Indiana is resisting the trend
Indiana’s Republican Statehouse leaders are firmly against taking any steps toward following neighboring states in legalizing marijuana use during the upcoming legislative session. They might not be able to avoid talking about it during the 2020 election campaign. Indiana lawmakers have not seriously debated proposals such as allowing medical marijuana or removing the threat of […]
Indiana ignores marijuana as neighbors legalize it
Illinois joined 11 states in legalizing recreational marijuana this year, joining Michigan as the second state in the Midwest to legalize the substance. In Indiana, nine bills related to marijuana died without a committee hearing in 2019, bucking the national trend. Over 30 states allow marijuana prescriptions for medical conditions, such as seizures and chronic […]
Medical marijuana is now legal in Ohio. Here’s what it means for Indiana.
Medical marijuana dispensaries opened in Ohio for the first time Wednesday. With medical marijuana in Ohio, Kentucky will be the last state on Indiana’s border that also doesn’t allow medical marijuana. Among Ohio’s first medical marijuana customers at a dispensary in Wintersville, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, were a military veteran with PTSD who drove five hours […]
Region senator files proposal to legalize recreational marijuana use in Indiana
State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, filed legislation Tuesday that would permit Hoosiers to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana for recreational purposes. If Senate Bill 213 next year becomes law, Indiana would join Michigan, and likely Illinois, as Great Lakes states that have eliminated criminal penalties for adult marijuana use. Tallian knows she […]
Indiana American Legion Vets Are Pushing for Medical Marijuana
Jeff Staker spent 11 years in the Marines as a sniper. He served in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield. He’s a 51-year-old father of five and grandfather of five who quotes Sun-Tzu’s “The Art of War.” And he’s a leading advocate for medical marijuana in Indiana. For six years, a medical marijuana bill […]
Marijuana in Wonderland: Making Sense of a Judge’s Anti-Cannabis Ruling
By Barry Gainsburg “When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’ ” — Lewis Carroll, from Through the Looking Glass Last week, the U.S. District Court in Northern California declined to declare the federal classification of marijuana […]
“Church of Cannabis” Approved Under Indiana Religious Freedom Law
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana has approved “The First Church of Cannabis” under its controversial religious freedom law. Church founder Bill Levin told ABC 7 that he decided to found the church in late March after the law was passed “since religion is governing this state.” “As Elwood said, ‘I’m on a mission from God,’” Levin said in […]
Laws elsewhere may doom medical marijuana in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — State Sen. Karen Tallian posted details of her plan to allow medicinal use of marijuana on Facebook this week, drawing thousands of supportive comments. The Democrat had given up a years-long push to decriminalize the drug, instead narrowing her focus to making pot a legal painkiller when prescribed by doctors for certain life-threatening […]
Is Indiana ready to legalize marijuana?
State Sen. Karen Tallian has tried for years to legalize marijuana. The Democrat from Portage, Ind., has introduced bills that would have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Those efforts have so far failed. This coming session, Tallian hopes a more narrowly defined bill to legalize marijuana for people with certain medical conditions […]
