Chronicle AM: NM Drug Defelonization Bill Filed, Egypt to Hang Drug Smugglers, More… (1/31/19)

Illinois police chiefs don't want home marijuana cultivation, legislators in the Dakotas in drug test legislating frenzy, Egypt is set to begin executing drug smugglers, and more.

Marijuana Policy

Illinois Police Chiefs Say No Home Cultivation. The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police said Monday their top priority regarding marijuana legalization is to ensure that it does not allow for personal home cultivation. “It’s dangerous and we’re not trying to be alarmist. It’s just what’s happened in other states,” said Director Ed Wojcicki. “If the bill has home-grown, it’ll make any type of regulation impossible,” said Wojcicki. The legislation being drafted this year does include home cultivation.

Drug Testing

North Dakota Senate Committee Holds Hearing on School Employee Drug Testing Bills. The Senate Human Services Committee held a hearing Tuesday on a bill that would require random, suspicionless drug testing of school board members and school employees. Critics said SB 2337 was unconstitutional, but bill sponsor Sen. David Clemens (R-West Fargo) said it was meant as a “safeguard to eliminate drugs from our schools.” The committee took no action on the bill.

South Dakota Senate Committee Advances Bill to Drug Test Legislators. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 4-1 Thursday to advance SB 104, which would impose random drug testing on legislators. The bill would require that between three and 10 legislators be subjected to random drug tests each week the legislature is in session.

Sentencing

New Mexico Bill Would Defelonize Drug Possession. Sen. Jacob Candelaria of Albuquerque and Rep. Andrea Romero of Santa Fe, both Democrats, have filed a bill that makes possession of all drugs without intent to distribute a misdemeanor instead of a felony. SB 408 and its House counterpart are aimed at not burdening drug users with felony records. “A felony conviction leads to what we call ‘civil death,’ ” he said. “You are ostracized from the community; you have a difficult time accessing any services, any public support, including public housing; the doors to higher education are shut closed to you almost forever,” he added.

International

Egypt's Cabinet Approves Bill to Execute Drug Smugglers. The cabinet on Wednesday approved a bill that mandates the death penalty for those who "import or export synthetic substances that cause harm to the body, mind or the nervous system." Under current law, such offenses are punishable by up to life in prison. Under the new law, even simple drug possession would lead to a one-year mandatory minimum prison sentence.

Philippines House Approves Medical Marijuana. The House of Representatives approved the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act on Tuesday. Under the bill, medical marijuana would only be available at Department of Health hospitals and private hospitals licensed for medical marijuana purposes. The bill does not allow the use of marijuana in its raw form.