The Delaware Senate approved a pair of companion bills–House Bill 1 and House Bill 2—on March 28 that would establish an adult-use market in the state.
The measures now head to Gov. John Carney for final approval, who vetoed a bill to legalize cannabis possession last year. The House upheld the veto, Cannabis Business Times reported.
H.B.1, which the Senate passed in a 16-4 vote, would allow adults 21 years and old to possess up to one ounce of cannabis flower or its equivalent for personal use. H.B. 2, which cleared the Senate on a 15-5 party-line vote, would establish a regulatory framework for the cultivation, possession and sale of adult-use cannabis in the state; place a 15% sales tax on cannabis; and would allow regulators to approve up to 30 cannabis retail licenses within the first 16 months of implementation, CBT previously reported. (Republican State Senator David Wilson was absent). The House approved the bills earlier in March.
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According to the Associated Press, Republican lawmakers have mostly opposed legalization; however, “three Republican House members voted for the legalization bill earlier this month, and two voted for the industry bill.”
Opponents of the legislation argued that legalizing adult-use cannabis would incentivize the illicit market and lead to more traffic deaths and injuries and increased use of cannabis amongst teens, while supporters say that it would help reduce illegal cannabis sales in the state and create more tax revenues and jobs, AP reported.
The measures are now headed to the governor for final approval, but optimism is low.
“The governor continues to have strong concerns about the unintended consequences of legalizing marijuana for recreational use in our state, especially about the impacts on our young people and highway safety,” his office said in a prepared statement. “He knows others have honest disagreements on this issue.”
