NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A New Orleans lawmaker wants to legalize recreational marijuana in Louisiana and sell it only through dispensaries that already have a license to sell medical marijuana in the state.
Rep. Candace Newell, a Democrat, filed House Bill 373 to create a pilot program for retail marijuana sales.
Under the bill, recreational marijuana could only be sold at dispensaries already licensed to sell medical marijuana in Louisiana. Newell said she wants to make sure what is being sold in the state is tested and safe.
“If people are going to use the product anyway, they’re buying it anyway. As a lawmaker, I want to know that what’s being sold in Louisiana is tested and it’s a safe product for the people who live and visit in the state of Louisiana,” Newell said.
Newell said too many people are in jail on marijuana-related charges. She said unregulated marijuana, including some products already on store shelves, creates safety risks the pilot program is meant to fix.
The Marijuana Policy Project, a nonprofit that supports legalization and is lobbying for the bill, said about 440,000 adults in Louisiana already use marijuana.
Kevin Caldwell, the group’s Southeast Legislative Manager, said the state is not getting any financial benefit from that use.
“I am not saying there is no downside to cannabis. I am clearly not saying that. What I’m saying, though, is that people are using this product whether it’s legal or not,” Caldwell said. “But currently … we are receiving no economic benefit and just whatever negative impacts.”
The bill does not yet include a tax on marijuana sales, but Newell said that is the plan. Supporters say a tax could bring in about $250 million in new revenue for the state.
New Orleans residents who spoke with a reporter were either in favor or indifferent. Thomas Scanlan said he supports the idea because regulated marijuana would be “clean and there’s no fentanyl in it.”
Robert James said, “I think people are against it right now just because it’s illegal, but once it becomes legal, nobody will really care about it.”
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she is against the bill.
“Promoting more marijuana use in our state is bad policy and bad for public health. These legalization efforts are routinely rejected by the Legislature. I don’t expect this to be any different,” Murrill said in a statement.
The bill goes to the House Health and Welfare Committee when the legislative session begins Monday.
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