Lunch & Learn: West Virginia's Medical Cannabis Law Overview

West Virginia became the 29th state with a comprehensive medical cannabis law in April. Learn more about the Mountain State's medical cannabis law, how it compares to legislation in other states and the potential impacts to the business community from Matt Simon, Marijuana Policy Project New England Political Director. He will offer insights into what the program is likely to look like when fully implemented and answer any questions relevant to medical cannabis policies at this Lunch & Learn noon - 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, June 14 at the Charleston Area Alliance, located at 1116 Smith St. Simon was born in Parkersburg, graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1994, and earned an M.A. in English from West Virginia University in 2002. After teaching English for several years in West Virginia and Kentucky, he moved to New Hampshire in 2006. In 2007, he began working to reform marijuana laws in the “Live Free or Die” state, and in 2011, he was hired by the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to marijuana policy reform. Since 2011, Simon has visited Charleston several times to advocate for medical cannabis legislation. In 2013, he was invited to give a presentation to the Joint Health Committee. He also lobbied in support of New Hampshire’s medical cannabis law and Vermont’s decriminalization law, both of which passed in 2013. This year, he worked with New Hampshire legislators to pass a decriminalization bill and several bills advancing the state’s medical cannabis program, and he worked with the Vermont Legislature to pass a bill that would make marijuana legal for use by adults 21 and older (these bills are in the process of being transmitted to the governors of those states). Registration is $15 for Alliance members and $20 for future Alliance members and includes a boxed lunch. Seating is limited. This Lunch & Learn is the first in a series about West Virginia's medical marijuana legislation, its implementation and the local business impact.