New Arizona Bill Amends “Usable Marijuana” Definition and Delists Cannabis as Narcotic Drug

A new bill in Arizona aims to amend the definition of “usable marijuana” and delist cannabis as a narcotic drug in the state.

HB 2149 would change the law’s language for “usable marijuana” from “the dried flowers of the marijuana plant, and any mixture or preparation thereof, but does not include the seeds, stalks and roots of the plant” to:

• “All parts of any plant of the genus cannabis and the seeds of the plant.”
• “The resin extracted from any part of a plant of the genus cannabis, and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture or preparation of the plant or its seeds.”
• “Every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture or preparation of the resin or tetrahydrocannabinol.”
• “Includes plant material from which the resin has not been extracted.”
• “Does not include the mature stalks of the plant or the sterilized seed of the plant that is incapable of germination.”

If the bill passes, it would definitively legalize all forms of marijuana in Arizona, included extracts (hashish), and end the ongoing dispute that has persisted in Arizona due to the disagreement of the language in the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act regarding the legality of marijuana extracts (which the Arizona Supreme Court is to rule on in 2019).

How to Support This Bill

Arizonans can support this bill online by using the Request to Speak (RTS) system. It entails making a one-time visit to 1700 W Washington St. in Phoenix or 400 W Congress St., Suite 201 in Tucson and registering for RTS using the kiosks there.  Once that step is completed, you can then individually support bills online. Learn more about RTS at https://www.azleg.gov/alisPDFs/RTS_Manual_public.pdf

Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC2.0 Modified.

Petition to Reduce MMJ Card Fee in Arizona
– Sign the petition here