What will weed be like in the future

How so? Right now, there are 33 or 34 states that have legalized medicinal marijuana and 11 that have legalized recreational marijuana. All of those states have their own in-house cultivators and industries. It makes sense that those states would want to promote economic development in rural areas and protect those agricultural interests that have sprung up.

Without protections, that entire economy might collapse. And on this front, you say that following the wine industry is an even more useful model, right? Yeah, I like this idea of certifying where an agricultural product comes from. Is there a country or a state right now that serves as a model for how it ought to be done, something that could be scaled up at the federal level?

But they have been thinking about these issues, like sustainability and environmental regulations, for a long time. The California Department of Agriculture is moving forward with an appellations project that would certify designations of origin. And historically, they have promoted small-scale farming by having an acreage limit on cannabis farms.

You could only grow up to one or two acres of plant canopy depending on the type of permit you have. Another great example is Massachusetts. So far, a lot of the people involved in the legal cannabis industry are middle- to high-income and white.

And the war on drugs really disproportionately impacted people in communities of color and in low-income communities. Thinking about how to distribute the benefits of legalization in an equitable way is incredibly important, and Massachusetts is laying down a great blueprint for how to do it. Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment: to empower through understanding.

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Jeff Sessions told reporters recently. In , Californians overwhelmingly passed Proposition , which legalized marijuana for medicinal use.

Since then, 27 other states and the District of Columbia have passed laws — a mix of voter-approved ballot measures and legislation — legalizing marijuana for medicinal use. Scientific research has consistently shown that, for certain conditions, marijuana can be of medical value.

Indeed, a report released in January by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that there is conclusive and substantial evidence that cannabis is effective for the treatment of chronic pain in adults, including nausea from chemotherapy and multiple sclerosis-related spasms. Under federal law, marijuana is viewed as a Schedule I drug — the highest classification, also including heroin and ecstasy.

In , Congress passed a spending bill that included a provision that bars the Justice Department from using funds to go after state medical cannabis programs. The provision remains in place. Since , eight states — with Colorado and Washington state leading the way — have legalized the sale and possession of marijuana for anyone over the age of One result is that the states are raking in big bucks.

Aside from saying states that legalized recreational pot could be targeted for federal action, the administration did not get into specifics, though it certainly suggested a sterner approach than the Obama administration. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer likened marijuana use to the opioid addiction epidemic and said the Justice Department would review how to proceed. Much like the days of alcohol prohibition, the continued criminalization of marijuana in the United States is sending much of the economic benefits of cannabis business north of the border.

While modern Canadian cannabis companies do not dare risk their valuable licenses sending cannabis products across the border, they have enjoyed outsized growth and influence in the cannabis market due to Canada having legalized federally in Canadian public cannabis companies like Canopy Growth, Tilray, and Aurora Cannabis enjoy valuations upwards of ten times as high as their American multi-state counterparts, despite operating in a country with a population smaller than California alone.

Much like Canadian companies became some of the dominant players in the American alcohol industry after prohibition repeal, these companies are already using their large market caps to position themselves to enter the U.

Despite the multitude of reasons for states and the federal government to end prohibition, the question remains as to whether the political will is there for governments to take such a bold and forward-thinking action.

Similar questions existed during the time of alcohol prohibition, given that no constitutional amendment had ever been repealed to that point. Similarly, marijuana legalization has often been seen as a political third rail in American politics. When legalization has been put before voters through state ballot initiatives, it has passed 10 out of 11 times, demonstrating widespread support among the American public.

Politicians have started to take notice, with more prominent elected officials now openly supporting the cause of ending cannabis prohibition. Governors of major states have ardently defended their legalization program, including designating cannabis businesses as essential during the current pandemic.

Governors in Illinois, New Jersey, and New York have successfully campaigned on promises of legalization and have lobbied their state legislatures to send them bills to sign that would end prohibition in their states.

Heading into the election, opposing prohibition had previously been seen as a losing political issue. But after becoming the nominee in Roosevelt adopted an anti-prohibition stance and the Democratic Party included ending alcohol prohibition in its party platform as a means of providing economic stimulus to an ailing economy. And that number may continue to rise, as more people are accepting the idea of legalizing marijuana across the United States. This article looks at some of the uses of marijuana as well as the overall market for the drug.

Remember "Reefer Madness"—the film from the s that was produced to teach parents and their children about the threat of marijuana? The film was originally intended to educate audiences but has now become a cult classic and a piece of satire.

Just like the attitude about the film has changed, so are people's feelings about marijuana itself. This is especially true as we learn more about the drug and the apparent benefits that come with using it for medical purposes. Once considered an illicit substance, it is still deemed a controlled drug under federal government guidelines. The U. As Democrats have control of both the House and the Senate as well as the presidency, marijuana policy reform advocates are hopeful legislative change could occur on the federal level soon.

There are already several bills in the new Congress pertaining to marijuana. We can expect this trend to continue, but important to the U.

Big banks are currently afraid of money laundering charges they may face if they work with these businesses. Besides the difficulty of getting capital, this means tremendous risks and inconvenience for companies operating in cash.

The American Bankers' Association has been pushing for more legal clarity and bridging the gap between federal and state law, and we could see banks warm up to cannabis if bills like the SAFE Banking Act are passed. Former U. Attorney General William Barr announced he will not go after marijuana companies operating in states where the plant is legal.

He also said the current discrepancy between state and federal law is "untenable" and needs to be fixed. He supports a federal law that prohibits marijuana everywhere. President Joe Biden has expressed that he wants marijuana decriminalized as well as having the criminal records of those convicted of possession of the drug expunged. Harris has expressed support of expunging convictions for those caught with marijuana and calls out for a path toward decriminalization and legalization.

Marijuana has been used as a means of treating illnesses in different cultures for thousands of years. The federal law banning it in the U. There is now growing acceptance of the plant as a legitimate option for patients who suffer from medical problems like chronic pain or seizures in modern-day America.

This is mostly thanks to cannabidiol or CBD—a natural compound found in cannabis plants that is non-psychoactive. This means it doesn't make the consumer high.

CBD is sold as an ingredient in oils, oral sprays, creams, pills, or edibles like gummies and lollipops. Purveyors claim CBD can provide relief from pain, combat anxiety, and depression. It's even been linked to helping people living with cancer.