Some political issues are hard to wrestle with. Some are easy. Legalizing marijuana is easy. A Pew Research Center survey found last fall that Americans back legalization by a 67-32 margin. The numbers spike among Democrats, 78 percent of whom favor ending this form of prohibition. But there’s also majority support—55 percent—among Republicans. Among voters under age […]
marijuana legalization
Legal cannabis has potential to reduce harm, but many unknowns: PM’s chief science adviser
Legalising cannabis has the potential to counter systemic racism, see more treatment services and lift poor communities that have become embroiled in the black market, the chief science adviser to the Prime Minister says. But Dr Juliet Gerrard says whether that would come to pass if the country voted to legalise recreational cannabis is unknown. […]
Virginia lawmaker looks to legalize marijuana in special session
On July 1, a law decriminalizing the possession of a small amount of marijuana took effect in Virginia. Now, a state lawmaker said she plans to introduce a bill, which, if passed, would go a step further. “If we can decriminalize, we can legalize,” said Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, a Democrat representing parts of Prince […]
The Marijuana Superweapon Biden Refuses to Use
Democratic political consultants dream of issues like marijuana legalization. Democrats are overwhelmingly in favor of it, polls show. So are independents. A majority of Republicans favor it now too. It motivates progressives, young people, and Black Americans to vote. Put it on the ballot, and it’s proved a sure way to boost turnout for supportive […]
Why marijuana supply chain is key to New York legalization
An icy breeze blows off the shores of Seneca Lake, rattling the glass panes of the Cornell University greenhouse in Geneva, a small city in the northern Finger Lakes about an hour east of Rochester. Inside the greenhouse — part of Cornell’s AgriTech satellite campus — it is warm and humid. Graduate student Jacob Toth […]
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis says pardons for marijuana convictions can start in 90 days
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law Monday that allows him to mass-pardon Coloradans with minor marijuana possession convictions, although he has not said exactly how the process will work. Lawmakers passed House Bill 1424 on June 15, the last day of the 2020 legislative session. The bill aims to make the legal marijuana industry […]
Why more states could legalize cannabis in 2021
Amid recession and social unrest, the cannabis industry sees its moment. Actions by states to reduce criminal penalties for marijuana use and possession are fueling momentum for the broader movement to legalize cannabis and have it serve as an economic engine for cash-strapped coffers, industry members and policy experts say. “I expect a record number of states to legalize marijuana in […]
Bernie Sanders: If you want police reform, legalize marijuana
National leaders and lawmakers have held ongoing conversations around criminal justice reform and racial injustices following George Floyd’s death by Minneapolis police. According to Sen. Bernie Sanders, one obvious place to start is legalizing marijuana. Sanders gave a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, discussing several solutions to address police violence in the country. He proposed […]
Despite legalization, people of color still disproportionately targeted for marijuana, new studies say
Marijuana legalization has been touted as one way to unravel the consequences of the war on drugs, but two new studies suggest that the communities most harmed by the nearly 50-year crusade — namely people of color — are not reaping the benefits. Two reports, published by the American Civil Liberties Union and a team of researchers from […]
The 4 Likeliest States to Legalize Marijuana in November
Despite its numerous growing pains over the past year and change, marijuana remains one of the fastest expanding industries on the planet. After logging $10.9 billion in legal worldwide sales in 2018, Wall Street has global pot sales hitting anywhere from $50 billion to $200 billion by 2030. Although cannabis is a global growth story, […]
