The last few years have seen a number of states all over the country move to legalize adult-use cannabis. Now, we could be seeing four more states legalize it this year.
Where Isn’t Cannabis Legal Yet?
So far, 21 of the 50 states have legalized adult-use cannabis. After that, another 18 have legalized medicinal marijuana use, leaving us with just 11 states left to legalize the almost-all-healing bud.
Of those 11, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota all seem to have a good chance of legalizing cannabis this year.
Oklahoma voters are set to vote on legalization on March 7, 2023, and only cannabis will be on the ballot. This is likely the first time cannabis legalization will be held to a vote without other voter initiatives or candidates.
Many details are still needed to hash out before sales become available to the general public. Still, the progress is a massive step in the right direction for the state and access to legal cannabis in the country.
At this point, the fight for the state isn’t whether legalization should be allowed but how legalization will be implemented. This means that the entire legalization process in Oklahoma becomes a lot simpler and faster.
In other states, advocates suggest that the time to push for more ambitious legalization plans is now, with some plotting greater efforts in the Carolinas, Indiana, and New Hampshire.
Pennsylvania
Although the odds for legalization in Pennsylvania are a little longer than in Oklahoma, with the legislature being split between Republicans and Democrats, the legalization effort in the state still has vocal bipartisan support.
Currently, the state House has no majority party, and likely won’t until a February 7 special election to fill two vacant seats.
The oncoming recession also may affect the speed at which legalization and bipartisan support happen, as lawmakers are beginning to look for other sources of revenue to bolster their economies.
The Rest Of The States
In many states, the only option is to focus on the legislature and work from there toward legalization.
Republicans have been adding to the slow legalization process in most states. And while it’s understandable when it comes to politics, it’s important to remember that legalization is a winning ticket with voters and not just a win for the Democrat party.
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