Recreational Marijuana is slowly legalizing across the United States. Currently recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, California, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada, and Washington DC.
While legalization is growing, it’s far from a slam dunk to make it legal…in all states. Certain groups are pouring money into anti-weed efforts. And, can you guess who’s in opposition?
Pharma and alcohol companies. They’re quietly funding opposition to legal marijuana. Seems like weed is a popular alternative to expensive pills and alcohol.
- Makers of the painkiller OxyContin and Vicodin are considered one of marijuana’s biggest opponents.
- Some researchers claim consumers substitute alcohol with marijuana, when the plant is legalized.
- Big pharma could be worried. Medical studies suggest more people are using medical marijuana to treat pain, rather than far riskier, opioids.
- Opiate overdoses dropped by roughly 25% in states that have legalized medical marijuana.
Makes more sense to say ADULT USE of cannabis, instead of saying RECREATIONAL cannabis. This is an adult product. Recreational, is just one use of the plant.
How to buy? Visit a dispensary. Watch video.
- Public support for legalizing marijuana went from 12% in 1969, to 64% today.
- More than half of the United States has legalized some form of cannabis.
- Many states have only legalized CBD oil for children with epilepsy.
- Optimists see Marijuana being legalized nationally in the next 5 years.
- More than half of US adults, over 128 million people, have tried marijuana, despite it being an illegal drug under federal law. Nearly 600,000 Americans are arrested for marijuana possession annually
Proponents of legalizing recreational marijuana say it will add billions to the economy, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, free up scarce police resources, and stop the huge racial disparities in marijuana enforcement. They contend that regulating marijuana will lower street crime, take business away from the drug cartels, and make marijuana use safer through required testing, labeling, and child-proof packaging. They say marijuana is less harmful than alcohol, and that adults should have a right to use it if they wish.
Opponents of legalizing recreational marijuana say it will increase teen use and lead to more medical emergencies including traffic deaths from driving while high. They contend that revenue from legalization falls far short of the costs in increased hospital visits, addiction treatment, environmental damage, crime, workplace accidents, and lost productivity. They say that marijuana use harms the user physically and mentally, and that its use should be strongly discouraged, not legalized.