If you’re anything at all like most Americans, you’re driving yourself nuts wondering when you’re going to be legal. You’re wondering when politics will finally get it right and give you your freedom. You’re gritting your teeth thinking about the people who are already blowing smoke into the air, making circles and hoops, without a single thought about the consequences. This is about the blunt, the vape, the joint, the marijuana that you may or may not be enjoying right now. You’re wondering when and where you will be when your state finally announces that you’re free to find a dispensary in your pj’s and ask for your marijuana outright like the upstanding citizen you are.
Well, it seems like we’re finally getting there. The latest news on marijuana legalization has been progressive. A number of states are seeing the odds lean in their favor, some little by little, others all of a sudden. States are dropping criminalization and picking up one-hitters left and right.
So what’s been going on in the wonderful world of legalization?
The biggest news is coming from Nevada. Nevada has become the first state to have legalization on the ballot for the next election (in 2016). If it makes it, marijuana will be regulated like alcohol. It would also be decriminalized in that state. Other contenders for a cool, calm and collected future are California, Arizona, Maine and Massachusetts. While California was the first state to decriminalize the drug, activists are working diligently to make it legal to sell and enjoy recreationally.
Other states that are making strides are Ohio and New Jersey. Ohio is putting big money where its mouth is: $36 million has been raised to fund not only the legalization of marijuana, but to purchase land to grow it on for investors. Pro-marijuana demonstrations have also been scheduled in New Jersey. It’s about time, too. New Jersey boasts some of the toughest fines for marijuana possession. Since New York and Pennsylvania have both decriminalized marijuana possession and use, they’ve likely boosted New Jersey and Delaware to the top of the ‘DO NOT GET CAUGHT WITH MARIJUANA HERE’ list.
Four states have legalized marijuana for recreational use (Alaska, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington), and many more have decriminalized it. The buzzword lately seems to be ‘medicinal’. 13 states have upcoming legislation to legalize medical marijuana, each with their own set of strict rules and regulations to go along with it. These states are not considering recreational legalization, though only time will tell what comes next if any of these ballots succeed.
With all the work and effort that activists and smokers have been putting into the legalization of marijuana, it’s no wonder the success is starting to show through the smoke. Every failure is just a lesson learned and a new journey, and every success is potent. As the old folks say, what a time to be alive!
