In a historic vote, the Delaware House has passed a bill to legalize possession of marijuana.
The Delaware House passed a bill on Thursday that would remove all penalties for adults 21 and older possessing 1 ounce or less of weed.
The move marks a historic first step as lawmakers attempt to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana after years of multiple failed attempts.
The bill passed with a vote of 26-14, which included bipartisan support from Republican Reps. Michael Smith of Pike Creek and Jeffrey Spiegelman of Clayton.
House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf and Rep. Bill Bush representing Dover were the only Democrats to vote no. Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden, a Wilmington Democrat, was not present for the vote.
“I think we’re putting the cart before the horse,” Rep. Steve Smyk, a Milton Republican, argued on the House floor. “I applaud you for your strategy because it’s going to win, but I cannot support it.”
The bill to legalize marijuana required only a simple majority. It now makes its way to the state Senate, where it will likely pass because it has the support of the chamber’s leadership.
Zoe Patchell, the executive director of Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network, described the vote as an “absolutely historic day in Delaware.”
“It’s a really big, huge day for us in terms of progress,” she said. “We still have a lot further to go.”
“This has been a very long time in the making.”
