Marijuana legalization has had some momentum as well as some serious slowdown.
In 2022, five states hosted legal marijuana on their ballot. Three states defeated the measure, while two states voted in support. 2022 saw Missouri and Maryland fully legalize the plant, while North Dakota, South Dakota and Arkansas all sent the measures down to defeat.
But then last month, Delaware legalized marijuana, signaling that there’s still a lot of hope out there for cannabis legalization advocates.
Minnesota seems most likely to legalize next. Democrats, for the first time in a decade, won control of both chambers of the state house last election.
Two bills are competing to get to the desk of Democratic Governor Tim Walz. He said he’s likely to sign either one. One of the bills will end up on his desk in less than two weeks.
Florida is close to getting enough signatures to get legal weed on the ballot. That will go before voters in 2024.
A North Florida poll showed that 70% of state voters are in favor of legalization.
Ohio has had its run-in with recreational weed before. Previously, legalization appeared on the state’s ballot in 2015. 65% of voters rejected the measure. But it had a catch. Former 98 Degrees star Nick Lachey helmed the efforts. Most of the licenses would go to his group, giving the impression that there would be a rigged system should the measure have passed.
Now, advocates are close to gathering enough signatures to get the question on the ballot yet again. But this time, there won’t be an dominating monopoly hanging over voter’s heads. Licenses will be distributed fairly, with minority and local owned businesses getting first dibs.
If all states successfully pass cannabis recreational, which is likely, 40 million additional Americans would now be able to likely smoke marijuana. That gives smoking rights to an extra 12% of the nation. Hard to stop the momentum from there.
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