Updated for 2021
Here was a quick rundown of the 2016 political climate for cannabis.
Where It’s Legal
Going into this year, four states had already legalized recreational cannabis usage for adults: Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. In addition, a large number of other states have already introduced legislation in regards to medical cannabis usage. California, Nevada, Maine and Florida already have strong designs to join the list of states that support recreational legalization.
The biggest determinant of whether or not these efforts succeed will be the demographic breakdown of voters that show up. There has been a changing tide among voters who are now supporting legalization as Colorado and Washington proved that the tax revenues are a worthwhile incentive. However, it is mostly younger voters that are needed to push these laws into effect.
As of 2021, recreational cannabis is legal in California, Nevada, and Maine. Florida has legalized medical cannabis, and hopeful for recreational cannabis in the near future.
The Presidential Candidates
Thus far, the only candidate to take a strong stance on cannabis is the Democrat Bernie Sanders, a Senator from Vermont. He has publicly stated that he supports decriminalization and would be open to federal legalization as well.
His Democratic counterpart, Hillary Clinton, has chosen to keep the subject at a distance, remarking that she believes that individual states have the right to set the precedent for cannabis, a sentiment echoed by many in the Republican party as well.
Ted Cruz has remained strongly opposed to cannabis legalization, but has agreed that states will have to make up their own minds about how to handle the drug in the future.
Surprisingly, the infamous Donald Trump has remained silent on the issue as a whole, leaving only his remarks from 2011 as any sign of his feelings on the subject. At that time, he took an interest in legalization but has not further expanded on that since he announced his presidential run.
Donald Trump won the presidencey, but did very little for cannabis (for or against any national policies). His impact on cannabis was little to none.
Congress
As more and more states take steps to legalize cannabis, the representatives for those states are doing their part to make their voters heard in Congress. There have already been numerous bills sponsored and introduced which would reduce the federal penalties for possession and usage, and which would allow states more rights to make important decisions on their own.
President Obama has also indicated that continued pressure from states and congressional members will eventually lead to a reclassification of the drug from Schedule I to Schedule II, thereby changing the rules altogether.
Other News
Overall, the shift in voter sentiment toward cannabis has caused many states to quickly pick up legalization efforts, even in unexpected areas. While it is mostly younger voters that are making these changes happen, the reality is that the majority of people believe that federal regulations for the drug have been too strict and that the government has been fighting a wasteful war against the substance with very little to show for their efforts.
Since 2016, these states have legalized recreational cannabis:
- California
- Nevada
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- Michigan
- Illinois
- Arizona
- Montana
- New Jersey
- South Dakota
- New York
- Virginia
- New Mexico
- Connecticut
Here’s a helpful map to get a full look at the legalization status of cannabis for each state!
Chronic Therapy
At Chronic Therapy, we are excited to see the tide turning toward legalization of cannabis across the United States. We encourage our customers and all citizens to vote for legalization in their states and to enjoy the benefits of cannabis.