Several laws amending the state’s marijuana policies went into effect on August 1, 2022.
House Bill 629 (now Act 473) stops the police from coming into your house to search it if they only smell cannabis. This law is like other laws in states that have legalized or decriminalized marijuana for adults.
HB 988 protects people who use medical marijuana from being treated unfairly at work. This law says that an employer cannot treat an employee or potential employee badly because they tested positive for marijuana, as long as they use medical marijuana legally. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have passed similar laws, making it illegal for employers to not hire or treat someone differently because they use medical marijuana.
Nearly 30,000 Louisiana residents have signed up to take part in the state’s program for getting medical marijuana.
There are five bills that have been signed into law. These bills concern medical marijuana. Three of the bills legalize certain equipment related to marijuana. Another bill protects patients from being charged with a crime in other states. The final bill adds nurse practitioners to the list of professionals who can authorize medical cannabis use.
House Bill 234 (Act 478) is a new law that went into effect on August 1, 2022. According to the statute, smoking or vaporizing marijuana in any form while operating a motor vehicle on a public road or right-of-way is prohibited. Anyone who breaks this rule will have to pay a $100 fine. The new legislation additionally restricts police officers to only “enforce the provisions of this section as a secondary action” after stopping a motorist for another infraction.
If you’re a Louisiana resident and you use medical marijuana, make sure you learn about the effects the new laws will have on you. Make sure you contact us to learn more about these new changes!
