The governor of Delaware announced on Tuesday that he has vetoed a bill to legalize marijuana that the legislature sent to his desk earlier this month. Gov. John Carney said the law wasn’t in “the best interest of the state” despite the issue’s popularity within his own party.
In a statement, the Carney said that he supports allowing people to access cannabis for medical purposes and feels that “individuals should not be imprisoned solely for the possession and private use of a small amount of marijuana.” But he doesn’t believe Delaware should go beyond its current policies, according to Marijuana Moment.
“I do not believe that promoting or expanding the use of recreational marijuana is in the best interests of the state of Delaware, especially our young people,” he said. “Questions about the long-term health and economic impacts of recreational marijuana use, as well as serious law enforcement concerns, remain unresolved.”
The legislature could still override the governor’s veto of HB 371, which is sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski, as it’s already received more than three-fifths of the vote in both chambers that would be required to overrule Carney’s decision.