U.S. Marijuana Party
The U.S. Marijuana Party is a cannabis political party in the United States founded in 2002 by Loretta Nall specifically to end the war on drugs and to legalize cannabis. Their policies also include other socially libertarian positions. U.S. Marijuana Party candidates in Vermont have run campaigns as recently as 2016. The party has had local chapters in several other states, and has been affiliated with international cannabis political parties.
History
2012 presidential election
On September 18, 2012, the U.S. Marijuana Party endorsed Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson in the 2012 presidential election.State activity
Colorado
In Colorado, Jason Lauve ran the U.S. Marijuana Party from February 2003 through March 2005.Wayward Bill Chengelis took over the Colorado party chapter from Lauve in 2005 and was U.S. Marijuana Party chairman for many years, until Chengelis' death in 2021.
Illinois
In 2004, Illinois Marijuana Party leader Richard Rawlings ran for U.S. Congress in Illinois' 18th Congressional District as a write-in candidate. Brian Meyer ran as a write-in candidate in the 12th Congressional District in 2004. Rawlings ran again as a Marijuana Party write-in candidate for Congress in 2010.Massachusetts
The U.S. Marijuana Party was started in 2002 by Loretta Nall from Massachusetts following her misdemeanor arrest for marijuana possession. Nall was the chairwomen of the party until she resigned in 2004 to pursue the Libertarian Party of Alabama's nomination for governor.Nebraska
In 2015–2016, Zach Boiko, Mark Elworth Jr., and Krystal Gabel collected signatures for Marijuana Party of Nebraska to be officially recognized. In order to make the ballot, petitioners needed 5,397 signatures statewide. The party also must have a certain number of signatures from each of the state's three congressional districts.In July, 2016, volunteers turned in 9,000 signatures to the Nebraska Secretary of State. However, the Secretary of State said that half of the signatures were invalid, falling short of the 5,397 needed. In 2016, the group changed its name to Nebraska Legal Marijuana NOW Party, and organizers began petitioning for 2018 ballot access.