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Marijuana Legalization Advocates Rally With Little Hope For 2020 Action

More and more bills are filed each Indiana legislative session, by both Republicans and Democrats, to move towards some sort of cannabis legalization. But none of them have advanced.
More and more bills are filed each Indiana legislative session, by both Republicans and Democrats, to move towards some sort of cannabis legalization. But none of them have advanced.

Marijuana advocates gathered outside the Statehouse Monday in support of several bills. Lawmakers who spoke at the rally say they don’t expect legalization this year, but they’re making steps forward. 

Outside the Statehouse, advocates asked lawmakers – specifically Gov. Eric Holcomb – to reconsider their position on medical or recreational marijuana.

Sen. Karen Tallian (D-Ogden Dunes) has introduced cannabis legislation for the past 10 years.

“We’re not going to get marijuana legalized in this Statehouse this year. It’s not going to happen," Tallian says. "But, we’re pushing, and you have to keep doing things one step at a time.”

Demonstrators handed out free joints and other marijuana products at the rally. At one point, they thanked Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, who last fall, made it policy to dismiss simple marijuana possession cases.

Contact Lauren at  lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.

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Lauren Chapman is the digital producer for our statewide collaboration, and is based at WFYI in Indianapolis. She previous has worked at a basketball magazine, a top 30 newspaper, and a commercial television station. Lauren is new to public media, but in addition to her job "making stuff on the internet," she is also a radio and television reporter. She's a proud Ball State University alumna and grew up on the west side of Indianapolis.