Why Some States Oppose Cannabis

As cannabis breaks through multiple industries and countries, it’s still not widely accepted. Traditionalists in certain parts of North America consider cannabis legalization dangerous and should remain illegal for the safety of the public. While some believe this stems from the “War on Drugs” campaign of the 1970s, politicians and activist groups say their decision to keep weed off is relevant. But as the world changes and cannabis finds its way into everyday life, will these states cave in or will they fight to continue prohibition?

Why are states saying no to legalizing cannabis?

Cannabis legalization is happening everywhere, in the Netherlands, South Africa, Jamaica and even Malta. Canada legalized cannabis in 2018. The United States, on the other hand, is a combination of legal and illegal cannabis laws. Of the 50 states in North America, Idaho, Wyoming, Kansas and South Carolina are the last states where cannabis is completely illegal. Politicians and activist groups have taken it upon themselves to deny cannabis to citizens for a number of reasons. One of them is that cannabis is still called a Schedule 1 drug.

Brian Vincente is a founding partner of Vicente Sederberg – a national cannabis law firm that has tracked the progress of cannabis legalization in the United States for years. According to Vincente, it’s only a matter of time before the remaining states allow legalization: “There’s still a handful of states where the public may not be quite there yet, but that’s just a learning curve, much like the country is using it.” experienced when the alcohol ban ended. As states continue to enact and implement legalization legislation, voters and elected officials in other states will see that the sky is not falling and that those states will experience significant benefits.”

What are the pros and cons for states that refuse to legalize it?

While most countries legalize and decriminalize cannabis, states in North America do not have similar laws. Some states have legalized it but not decriminalized it. The states that have legalized cannabis have specific laws that allow patients to grow their weed. This raises a red rag for groups that refuse to legalize it, as the law invites patients to sell their weed for financial gain and circumvent local regulations. While there are some states that don’t allow patients to grow their weed, it’s laws like this one in North America that further expand cannabis prohibition.

However, these few states could be missing out on massive benefits that come with legalizing cannabis. One of them is new job opportunities. The cannabis industry has created over 300,000 full-time jobs, which has doubled since 2018. All of this economic growth is what states could be missing out on. “Cannabis prohibition deprives states and communities of tax revenue, jobs and legitimate business opportunities,” says Sederberg. “It has resulted in countless people being treated like criminals for consuming a substance that is objectively less harmful than alcohol.”

Until legalization across North America, traditionalists on cannabis prohibition hold their own. Cannabis prohibition isn’t unique to the United States, however. Countries like Russia, China, Iran and Greenland have not legalized cannabis. However, as cannabis gains popularity and medical experts continue to research the benefits of cannabis, legalization could be just around the corner for these countries. Much like the history of alcohol prohibition, cannabis could find its way into a normal part of life.