The past decades have made significant progress in the legalization of marijuana both medical and even recreational. This is a trend that has been gaining momentum since the turn of the millennium and is not likely to come to an end any time soon.
Actually quite the opposite – at this rate, things are likely to continue to grow until the legalization is standard across the country. Though individual states will each have their own regulations when it comes to the sale and distribution to the public, it is only a matter of time until the plant is as readily available as tobacco and alcohol.
There are dozens if not hundreds of reasons that we’re not going to see a decline in support, but these are the five most prominent reasons the marijuana movement has only just begun!
#5 Support is Growing Rapidly
For the first time since the 70’s the general public is in favor of marijuana legalization in some form. A whopping 58% majority are now supporting the marijuana movement!
The age group most in favor of legalization would be the millennials, mainly people age 18-29, which is not surprising. People in the 69 and older age group are the only age group that still has a majority in favor of keeping the plant illegal in all states.
#4 More and More States are Taking Action
With 23 states already having some sort of marijuana movement set in place it’s no surprise that the rest are following suite. Even though only the 23 states have laws already in place there are several more that are likely soon the be on that list.
There are at least eight states that are currently working on some form of marijuana reform – most of them starting on the premise of medical legalization, though recreational is sure to follow soon after. Especially with the success in Colorado and Washington in 2014.
States considering medical legalization include Florida, Alabama, Iowa, Pennsylvania and more. States that are ready to legalize recreationally (pending of course) include Massachusetts, California and Hawaii among others.
#3 The Medicinal Uses Can No Longer Be Denied
For years there was debate about the legitimacy of possible medicinal uses for cannabis. In recent decades these myths have been one by one been tested.
Though we still have a long way to go we have proven several ways the active ingredient THC can be used in replacement of modern medicine. We can treat many conditions including pain relief, nausea, asthma, insomnia and many, many more.
Honestly, when faced with a natural way to treat a problem, would you still choose to take manmade pharmaceuticals that can have harmful and lasting side effects?
#2 The Financial Benefits to the Economy are Endless
Colorado and Washington are perfect examples of how the economy can be improved with legalization of marijuana. Colorado alone brought in $76 million in taxes from marijuana alone! This number is only expected to grow in 2015 and 2016.
If the entire country were to legalize, the financial benefits would be extraordinary. Both local and federal governments would see a significant boost between retail sales, cultivation, distribution, lack of criminal activity and many other markets.
After the most recent recession in 2008, this is exactly the kind of dramatic change the economy needs to pick itself up again.
#1 The Benefits Outweigh Any Potential “Dangers”
The people who still oppose marijuana legalization are those who fear the possible dangers of the drug.
While some are still the argument that those who start smoking young will lose IQ points or become lazy, these are far less harmful side effects than those of alcohol and cigarettes which kill people.
With recent studies showing the ways that marijuana can help people however, these dangers are looking less and less harmful. The possibility of overdose is absolutely none – yet alcohol which has been the root cause of many deaths is readily available.
After all this time people are finally starting to question whether or not keeping marijuana illegal is worth it. With the possibility to save lives, keep people out of jail and boost the economy in ways we might not be able to imagine yet, why do so many people still have a problem with it?
In short, between the rapidly growing support, the legalization from state to state and the science behind the truth about cannabis – are proving that marijuana legalization is inevitable. It’s truly only a matter of time and how much longer this decades old prohibition can hold up.
