More states are beginning to show interest in cannabis legislation. The growth of the cannabis community is clear across the nation. The voice of pro cannabis citizens are getting louder, and the desire for reform is strong. This 2020 election year has shed light on which states and lawmakers have interest in the cannabis industry. With cannabis bills being added to vote ballots, and lawmakers in support of cannabis being more vocal about their stance on the subject; we could possibly see many changes across the industry in the near future.Â
"Is There Hope For Federal Cannabis Legislation?"
Though there is a rise in popular vote for cannabis, there is still uncertainty about whether this will be enough for us to have comprehensive changes across the industry. Some states have removed cannabis bills from ballot votes, with claims of the suggested provisions being unconstitutional. In addition to this, when cannabis bills show promise of passing further through the federal government, we then notice a slow in progress as new cannabis bills are put on hold for further revisions. While lawmakers and voters play their part in prompting change in an industry that clearly needs more attention, the ripple effect from the lack of legislation has caused minorities and marginalized communities to suffer from authorities taking advantage of vague descriptions by the FDA and the neglect of federal officials.
Each year a large number of the population faces non-violent marijuana crimes and potentially incarceration. The percentage of arrests and incarcerations across the country are noticeably higher for non-violent marijuana related crimes, than for all other crimes combined. This has left many states with excessive costs to process arrests and incarcerations. In addition to this, states are losing tax payer dollars to keep arrested individuals in detention. Many believe that these taxpayer dollars would be better spent on drug prevention and education programs. In a day and age when you're more likely to come across a stoner than a violent antagonist, its obvious that change is necessary to the laws across most states and the country on a whole.
The states that have legalized recreational and medical marijuana have done a great service for the cannabis community. The statistics and positive results stemming from their legislation has made it easier for other states and the federal government to pick a side and plan for the future. The significant increase in tax payer dollars collected in legal cannabis states is enough to draw interest of many lawmakers. The states with legal cannabis, place a heavy tax on cannabis businesses, making it difficult for smaller operations. However, the ability to create more jobs, reduce crime, and generate more tax dollars for community reinvestment remains a big plus, when it comes to cannabis legislation. For this reason lawmakers have been a bit more keen on making cannabis more of a priority. This is especially the case during the current COVID-19 crisis. With states running low on tax dollars, cannabis reform seems like an easy out for increasing tax revenue and building relief funds to whether the storm.
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