Providing Policy Expertise as Maryland Explores the Challenges of Recreational Marijuana Legalization

Law & Policy InsightsCannabis Legalization and RegulationSubstance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction

August 28, 2019
by Mathew Swinburne

Many states allow for license suspension for non-payment of fees and fines for traffic offenses. These suspensions often have significant health impacts, some of which seem obvious—people need transportation to access medical care. But a closer look reveals a plethora of other negative consequences that impact public health.

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Marijuana Delivery: California’s Looming Legal Battle

Law & Policy InsightsCannabis Legalization and Regulation

February 12, 2020
by Mathew Swinburne

As more states legalize medical and recreational marijuana use, they are being confronted with a broad spectrum of policy issues. One of the emerging issues is whether to allow the legal cannabis industry to deliver marijuana directly to customers. Advocates see it as an issue of access, especially for medical marijuana patients. Opponents argue that delivery will make it easier for kids to get marijuana and that the delivery vehicles will be targeted by criminals.

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National Minority Health Month: Raising Awareness and Encouraging Action to Address Health Disparities

Law & Policy InsightsCOVID-19 and Health EquityMechanisms for Advancing Health Equity

April 21, 2021
by April Shaw, Dawn Hunter and Mathew Swinburne

Several universities across the U.S. have announced plans to require students to receive a COVID-19 vaccination before heading back to campus for the fall semester. Brown, Cornell, Duke, Northeastern, and Rutgers are among them. Some institutions of higher learning, like Virginia Tech, have determined that they cannot require vaccinations because of the vaccine’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) status, but this stance rests on shaky legal grounds.

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Cannabis and the 2020 Election: Americans’ Changing Views on Legalization

Law & Policy InsightsCivic Engagement and VotingCannabis Legalization and Regulation

December 3, 2020
by Mathew Swinburne

Even though cannabis is still illegal under federal law; most Americans (91 percent) favor the legalization of cannabis either for medical or recreational use. This is a serious change in public opinion. In 2010, 52 percent of Americans opposed the legalization of cannabis. This more accepting view of cannabis appeared in the 2020 election, with five states legalizing cannabis through ballot measures. With the legalization trend, it is important to understand the legal process behind the ballot measures that have been central to changing state cannabis laws.

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The Department of Health and Human Services Recommends Rescheduling Cannabis

Law & Policy InsightsCannabis Legalization and Regulation

September 19, 2023
by Mathew Swinburne

Cannabis is legal in most states and most of those living in the U.S. support some form of cannabis legalization. Despite the evolution in state policy and broad public support, cannabis remains illegal under federal law. Things could be changing. In October of 2022, President Biden ordered the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to initiate the administrative process to review cannabis’s classification under federal law.

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