Legalized Marijuana Likely to Gain Ground this November
Many cannabis supporters are looking towards November of 2016 with great anticipation. With a very energetic presidential election looming, voter turnout is expected to be massive. Coupled with Democratic Candidate Bernie Sanders call to remove marijuana from the controlled substances list, backers in several states believe pro-cannabis initiatives that are poised for inclusion on the 2016 ballot stand a chance to make some big changes. But which states are most likely to legalize next?
With Alaska, Washington State, Colorado, Oregon, and the District of Columbia seeing full legalization of marijuana since the 2012 elections, and 24 other states legalizing medical marijuana, several other states are looking at ballot measures for full legalization or legalized medicinal usage. Pennsylvania, which just recently saw the signing medical cannabis into law on April 17th of this year, may be a glimpse at the future on this subject. California, Arkansas, Ohio, Maine, and Massachusetts are also a few examples of forward movement on legalizing cannabis.
In California, the “Adult Use of Marijuana Act,” the ballot measure legalizes possession of small amounts of cannabis for adults, establishes tax rates and a structure for farmers to grow pot, and creates the framework for a statewide distribution system. Medical marijuana use has been legal in California since 1996, but the proposal backed by former Facebook president Sean Parker opens up marijuana use for all adults, not just those with a doctor’s note.
"This is a game changer," remarked California's Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is backing the initiative, at a press conference Wednesday, which was made public via Periscope. "We have a chance to lead a national dialogue, a national debate.”
In the state of Arkansas, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has approved language for a proposal to legalize both recreational and medical marijuana. The Arkansas Cannabis Amendment is now eligible to be petitioned for signature-gathering, the next step towards approval for this year’s election in November. The proposed amendment would effectively legalize the cultivation, production, distribution, sale, and possession of marijuana in Arkansas. Anyone the age of 21 and older would be permitted to grow up to 36 cannabis plants for personal use or to sell.
In Maine, a measure legalizing the use of recreational marijuana has qualified to appear on that state's general election ballot in November. Maine's Secretary of State, Matt Dunlap, announced Wednesday that the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which had circulated the proposed measure to voters, had gathered the requisite number of signatures to appear on November’s ballot. State lawmakers can now pass the measure themselves, which is widely viewed as unlikely to happen, or let Maine's voters consider it in November. The initiative would allow people 21 years or older to possess or grow small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. It would also allow state-regulated businesses to sell the substance and would impose a 10 % tax on recreational marijuana sales.
Maine legalized medical marijuana in 1999.
All in all, 2016 may prove to be a pivotal year in the fight for legalizing and decriminalizing marijuana. The economic and medicinal benefits alone have persuaded voters in many states to reconsider what was once considered a fantasy-fringe issue.
