4 states that could legalize recreational cannabis in 2022

The number of states where people can walk into a pharmacy and purchase their favorite cannabis products, such as alcohol, has steadily increased over the past decade.

Given the number of states currently collecting voter signatures in hopes of being legalized in the 2022 midterm elections, it seems like the trend of legalization isn’t going to end anytime soon. Numerous states that have never considered the idea of ​​legal marijuana as an option could legalize recreational cannabis as early as next year. Here are a few.

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Florida

Known as one of the most conservative states in the Union, it would be an understatement to say that Florida’s stance on cannabis has changed over the years. Recreational marijuana use by adults is supported by 64% of Florida voters, according to a recent poll.

Fortunately for those who support the sale and use of recreational cannabis in the state, there is a recent constitutional amendment that legalizes the use of cannabis for adults 21 years and older and allows 18 plants to be grown by themselves. In order for the change to reach the voters in 2022, they must collect 891,000 valid signatures by February 1, 2022.

Ohio

Another state with a fairly conservative reputation that has changed its stance on legalizing recreational cannabis is Buckeye State. In 2015, a previous voting action The legalization of recreational cannabis, but restricting its cultivation and sale to a few people, has failed. Research shows that 53% of Ohio voters would support legalizing cannabis for recreational use by adults.

A current effort to regulate marijuana, like alcohol, is being led by cannabis activists seeking to legalize the cultivation, manufacture, sale and use of adults in Ohio under the age of 21. The proposal would also impose a 10% tax on top of local sales tax on recreational cannabis sales to aid social justice and drug abuse education efforts.

In order for the voting measure to reach the electorate in November 2022, the coalition to regulate marijuana like alcohol needs over 130,000 valid signatures, which must be presented to the legislature at the end of the year.

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Maryland

Since recreational cannabis was originally legalized in the nearby District of Columbia in 2014, it was likely only a matter of time before discussion among Maryland lawmakers began. Those Discussions have finally started As of September 2021. A group in the Maryland House of Representatives is currently investigating what it would take to bring legal cannabis to Maryland residents in the coming year. That’s welcome news for Marylandians, as a recent study shows two-thirds of them would welcome legalization of adult marijuana.

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The state legalized medical marijuana back in 2017 and was warmly welcomed – The program has amassed $ 100 million in revenue since the introduction. If this is an indicator of how uptake legal recreational marijuana is, then chances are it will become big business for those early-on entrepreneurs who get involved.

Pennsylvania

Given that both neighbors, New York and New Jersey, have legalized adult recreational cannabis in recent years, it is only natural to assume that Pennsylvania is the next domino to fall. The fact that Governor Wolf gave the green light to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes in 2016 should only make the path to recreational legalization even easier.

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There is several marijuana legalization laws that could become law for now. One is led by a House Republican who lacks record sentences for nonviolent marijuana crimes, while another is a bipartisan attempt that spans both provisions. The passage of either regulation would be a welcome development for the Pennsylvanians, there Support 58% of Pennsylvania residents Legalization.

Midterms 2022 have the potential to be much more than a referendum on the Biden agenda. Election day 2022 could be the final bastion of the ban in a handful of states. If these states move forward with legalizing adult use of cannabis for recreational use later in 2022, the battle to end the nationwide cannabis ban could reach its final.