The Republican governor of Louisiana has signed bills to decriminalize cannabis paraphernalia and enact restrictions on the hemp market. On the same day that Gov. Jeff Landry (R) vetoed a measure that would have allowed him and future governors to issue pardons for people with past cannabis convictions, he gave final approval to the paraphernalia decriminalization proposal from Rep. Delisha Boyd (D).
He also signed off on legislation to enact regulations for hemp products. As introduced, the bill would have imposed an outright ban, but it was amended to instead tighten regulations, including by lowering the amount of THC that can be in consumable hemp products and prevent them from being sold at gas stations.
The decriminalization law, meanwhile, will limit the penalty for the possession, sale and use of cannabis paraphernalia to a $100 fine, in line with an existing policy that already decriminalizes possession of cannabis itself. Under existing law, cannabis paraphernalia carries a penalty of up to $300 and 15 days behind bars on the first offense, which increases on later offenses.
A second conviction carries up to a $1,000 fine and imprisonment of not more than six months, while third and subsequent convictions carry fines of up to $2,500 and imprisonment "with or without hard labor" for up to two years.
Read more at marijuanamoment.net