Take action to legalize cannabis in Delaware


Contact your legislators and ask them to vote “Yes” on HB 1 and 2 to legalize cannabis.  Here’s how you can help make a difference.

 1. Identify Your Legislators

Go to legis.delaware.gov.  Input your address in the “Who is My Legislator” tool to find your state Representative and state Senator.

 

2. Get to Know Your Legislators 

Learn about your legislator’s cannabis voting history and positions on legalization

View our Legislative Guide.

3. Prepare for Your Call or Email  

Find your legislators’ phone number and email address in our Legislative Directory 

View our Legislative Directory

 4. Contact Your Legislators

Make the call or send an email and let your elected officials know you’re one of the 61% of Delaware residents who support cannabis legalization and ask them to vote “Yes” on HB 1 and HB 2.  You can also use Delaware NORML’s action link to send a message to your elected officials.

 

5. Be Persistent

Maintain a line of communication with your Senator and Representative. 

Don’t give up after one email or phone call. Keep the pressure on. Be polite, but persistent. Present your legislators with new data, research, and arguments in support of your position. The collective efforts of devoted advocates make a big difference in convincing legislators to act. 

 

 

 

6. Be a Citizen Lobbyist

Participate in a Virtual Citizens’ Lobby event and meet with your elected officials.

Citizen lobbying is a proven and effective way to convince legislators to act. There are no voter initiatives in Delaware, and the only way to legalize cannabis will be through an act of the Legislature. Follow us on Facebook @DelawareCANorg to keep up to date on citizen lobbying events.

 

 7. More Opportunities to Be Heard

Attend public hearings on cannabis legalization and offer public comment.

The Legislature will hold open hearings with public comment on the legalization bill. Attending hearings and offering comment in support of legalization sends a direct message to legislators.

8. Stay Informed

Keep up to date on the latest news on cannabis legalization in Delaware.

Follow us on Facebook @delawareCANorg or subscribe to our mailing list at
delawarecannabis.org/contact-us

9. Stay Involved

Join the Movement! Volunteer with Delaware CAN.

Contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@delawarecannabis.org

 

Resources for Taking Action


Learn more about HB 1 and 2, how legalization will benefit Delaware, and other information for crafting an impactful message

Craft Your Message

Unsure of what to say when you contact your Legislators?  We’ve included sample messages below to help.  If you call in the evening or weekend, you’ll be directed to a mailbox where you can leave a voicemail for your Senator or Representative.  Feel free to use one of our messages, or craft your own.  

You’ll also find resources, facts, and information below and in our HB 1 and HB 2 Toolkit to assist in developing your own personalized message.

Sample Messages

“This message is for ______. My name is ______. I live in ______, and I am one of the 61% of Delawareans who support cannabis legalization. Please vote “Yes” on House Bill 305.

My phone number is ______. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thank you.”

“This message is for ______. My name is ______. I live in ______. Over half of the population has consumed cannabis in their lifetime. One hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) Delaware adults consumed cannabis last year. Nearly two-thirds of people want to legalize it.

Thousands of people continue to be stopped, searched, arrested, and cited every year for cannabis offenses, despite decriminalization. It is fundamentally unfair to continue to subject the population to law enforcement contact and the criminal justice system for conduct that the majority of the population engages in with broad approval of society. Cannabis legalization is the most important criminal justice reform on the agenda in 2022 and will eliminate thousands of unnecessary police interactions with law-abiding citizens.

Please vote “Yes” on House Bill 305.

My phone number is ______. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thank you.”

“This message is for ______. My name is ______. I live in ______. Cannabis legalization makes our communities safer by taking a lucrative product out of hands of gangs and violent criminals and selling it in stores, just like alcohol.

Your “Yes” vote on House Bill 305 in a step forward for making Wilmington, Dover, and towns across the state safer.

My phone number is ______. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thank you.”

“This message is for ______. My name is ______. I live in ______.

Cannabis legalization is not a partisan issue. The majority of both Republican and Democrat voters support this commonsense policy. Will you stand up for all citizens and vote “Yes” on House Bill 305?

My phone number is ______. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thank you.”

“This message is for ______. My name is ______. I live in ______.

Cannabis legalization is going to create thousands of jobs, and not just growing it and selling it. Construction, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, agriculture, security and other industries will benefit, workers will benefit, and all Delawareans will be better off. Can we count on you to vote “Yes” on House Bill 305?

My phone number is ______. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thank you.”

“This message is for ______. My name is ______. I live in ______. Research shows cannabis is safer than legal substances like alcohol and cigarettes and I feel safer around people who are consuming cannabis compared to people drinking alcohol.

House Bill 305 is a safer approach to cannabis policy. Legalization ensures safely cultivated, transported, and tested products, sold in adult-only stores, with consumer protections for an existing and growing market. Please vote “Yes on HB 305

My phone number is ______. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thank you.”

“This message is for ______. My name is ______. I live in ______.

In a free society, adults should be able to rely on readily available research and choose to consume cannabis, just as they can choose to consume other substances like alcohol, without the threat of arrest, citation, and seizures of property. One hundred and fifty thousand Delawareans, from all walks of life consumed cannabis last year and the market is growing.

Legalization is a principled, small-government approach to cannabis that is long overdue. Can I count on you to vote “Yes” on HB 305?

My phone number is ______. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thank you.”

“This message is for ______. My name is ______. I live in ______.

This country tried alcohol prohibition. We saw the results. Criminal markets are inherently unsafe. Cannabis prohibition is the same. Enforcement doesn’t impact demand. In fact, demand is going up year-to-year.

A vote against legalization isn’t going to stop anyone from consuming cannabis, it just ensures they buy their cannabis from an inherently unsafe market.

A vote for legalization is a vote for commonsense policy and public safety. Please vote “Yes” on House Bill 350.

My phone number is ______. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thank you.”


 

 House Bill 1 and 2 Toolkit

Our House Bill 1 and 2 toolkit includes more information on the bill, talking points, facts, statistics, and additional resources for citizen advocacy and lobbying.  

 

Why Delaware Should Legalize Cannabis

Protects 150,000 adult cannabis consumers in Delaware from arrest, civil citation, seizure of property and currency, and the threat of being subjected to the criminal justice system.


Saves the State and taxpayers millions of dollars annually in law enforcement and criminal justice costs by ending unnecessary stops, arrests and prosecutions of otherwise law-abiding citizens.


Ends civil asset forfeiture for the possession of cannabis.


Eliminates the mere possession of cannabis as a law enforcement tool for “probable cause” searches based on the odor of raw cannabis, a justification currently being used by officers to circumvent Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.


Reduces strain on the criminal justice system and prison system, especially with Courts’ backlogged caseloads due to the pandemic shutdowns.


Replaces the existing illicit market with a safe, legal industry that employs consumer safety protections and robust measures to prevent sales to minors.


Helps reduce crime associated with the illicit market and violent turf battles.


Helps law enforcement focus on real public safety and crimes that have actual victims.


Restores community relations and trust in law enforcement.


Generates millions in revenue that can be allocated to fund schools and education, infrastructure, clean water, re-entry programs, and other valuable government services.


Creates thousands of cannabis industry jobs and supports economic growth and employment in secondary sectors that support cannabis businesses, such as construction, electrical, HVAC, accounting, legal, manufacturing, security, tech, agricultural, real estate, and tourism.


Keeps Delaware economically competitive with New Jersey, D.C., and other states in the region that have already or will soon legalize cannabis.


 

 

 House Bill 1 and 2

Legalizes cannabis possession and consumption by adults and the cultivation, manufacture, transport, testing, and sales of safe retail cannabis by licensed entrepreneurs. 


Establishes rigorous consumer safety protections through the implementation of testing and package and labeling requirements. 


Establishes a micro-license category in cultivation and manufacturing to promote small business entrepreneurships.  Micro-license applicants pay discounted rates and are subject to lower capital and regulatory requirements. 


Promotes a fair and equitable industry by establishing an social equity licensing program to promote legal market participation by individuals and communities previously adversely impacted by cannabis prohibition.  HB 372 provides discounted application and licensing fees (60% off) and lower capital requirements for social equity applicants and provides for technical and financial assistance through grants and low interest loan programs for qualified applicants.


Establishes a legal market for cannabis including 125 new businesses in the first two years.


Implements robust measures to prevent underage sales and consumption.


Includes one of the lowest tax rates on cannabis in the country.


  View or Download House Bill 1 and House Bill 2  

House Bill 1

House Bill 2

 

Legalization at a Tipping Point 

States with Legal Cannabis:

21 + DC

Americans Living in a State Where Cannabis is Legal:

158,582,590

Percentage of Americans Living in a State Where Cannabis is Legal:

  47.8%   


Check out our Information Library to learn more about cannabis legalization and for resources to help you take action to legalize cannabis in 2023. 


Advocate resources and publications on cannabis legalization in Delaware


Statistics and studies from the ACLU, government agencies, and researchers


Videos of past Delaware CAN presentations


Our legislative guide, including each legislators’ cannabis voting history and answers to our biannual candidate survey


A directory of email addresses and phone numbers for all Delaware legislators


 

Learn More About Cannabis Legalization

Cannabis Prohibition is a failed, costly policy that diverts law enforcement resources away from serious crime and puts an unnecessary strain on our criminal justice system. It also comes with an unjustifiable human cost.

Despite decriminalization in 2015, thousands of responsible consumers have faced misdemeanor cannabis possession charges, with legal consequences including seizure of personal property, fines, probation, court-ordered treatment, and court fees. Even individuals cited with civil violations are subject to property seizures, court appearances, fines, and fees.

Since decriminalization went into effect, cannabis possession court filings have increased 127% (52% of all drug offenses). Delaware continues to waste millions of dollars in law enforcement and criminal justice resources by maintaining a system in which the criminal market supplies a growing consumer demand.

Historically, cannabis prohibition has disproportionately impacted communities of color and caused generational harm. Since decriminalization, the enforcement disparities have increased in Delaware – African-Americans are over 4 times more likely to be arrested for a cannabis possession offense than a white person.

Cannabis consumption is broadly accepted social conduct, with adult consumption rates rising, and support for legalization growing. Continuing to expose Delawareans to the costs and perils of prohibition is unjust and ineffective.


Help us fight the well-funded opposition to cannabis legalization

 Donate to Support Cannabis Legalization

Our staff is all volunteer, but we need the resources to stand up to the well-funded opposition lobbying against cannabis legalization in Delaware.  

Your contribution to Delaware CAN helps fund public education and Town Hall events, outreach and advocacy programs, and all of our efforts to legalize cannabis for the citizens of Delaware. 

 


 Volunteer with Delaware CAN

Delaware CAN is a grassroots organization with an all-volunteer staff.  Dedicated advocates have fueled the movement in the First State and positioned Delaware to legalize cannabis in 2023.  But our work is not finished and we need supporters from across the state to take action in their communities to ensure that our legislators follow the will of the people and pass legislation to legalize cannabis for all adults. 

To learn what you can do in your community to help legalize cannabis, contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@delawarecannabis.org 

 

 Attend an Upcoming Event or Meeting

 

 


 Follow Delaware CAN

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 Become a Member of Delaware CAN

Your $25 membership helps fund our operations and programs aimed at legalizing cannabis in Delaware in 2023 and advancing common-sense cannabis policy reform in Delaware and nationwide.


 

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