On Friday, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie requested changes to a medical marijuana bill before signing it. In its new state, the bill would permit doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to children under certain conditions. Christie has voiced his doubts about broadening the state’s laws regarding marijuana, but he, like other legislators nationwide, has responded to growing support for legalization of marijuana. As attitudes towards the drug change, so do laws, and more people are seeing opportunities in the marijuana industry.
Support for Legalizing Marijuana Increases
Marijuana is still a controlled substance according to federal law, but that hasn’t stopped several states from legalizing it. California started the trend in 1996, and in the last 17 years, 19 other states and Washington, D.C. have followed suit. Four states—Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania—have legislation pending that would legalize medical marijuana. Taking it a step further, Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use. In both states, adults can possess up to one ounce of the drug for personal use.
Increasing support for decriminalization comes not from the belief that marijuana use is good, but that current laws and their enforcement regarding marijuana are unfair and ineffective. Some people support decriminalization, believing that revenue from taxes would allow states to fund worthwhile projects. Political support comes from a majority of Democrats and a large minority of Republicans.
Legal Marijuana Spells Business Opportunities
States see varying incomes through sales and excise taxes, ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to over a billion. Colorado alone is expected to make $130.1 million in taxes on sales of over $600 million worth of recreational and medical marijuana in the fiscal year 2014-2015.
Making the formerly illegal substance legal in more states is expected to more than double sales of marijuana by 2015, from $1.5 billion to $3.3 billion. Much of that money will go to growers, distributors, and operators of dispensaries. But some of that money will go to savvy entrepreneurs who see other opportunities. Consultants with business experience can make money advising people on how to take their operations from the black market into daylight. Software companies can sell marijuana-specific software. Owners of marijuana-themed websites can make money on ad revenue, or sell online education programs that teach how to grow marijuana plants. Cooks and bakers are finding innovative ways to make edible marijuana treats. These are just some of the businesses that may thrive as more states pass laws favorable to marijuana use.
The Marijuana Industry Still Faces Challenges
Although the laws are becoming more permissive, those involved in the marijuana business still have obstacles ahead. Dispensaries and growing warehouses might see zoning restricting even in municipalities where it’s legal. They may also face declining sales if taxes become too high and people turn back to black market sources to procure the drug.
And the fact remains that THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) is a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, and manufacturing, distributing, and dispensing it is illegal. So is possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense. Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced big changes to federal policy regarding prosecution of marijuana, including “rethinking” mandatory minimum sentences, which appears to be in line with much of the nation’s attitudes on marijuana. An official statement on how the federal government will handle the recreational use laws in Washington and Colorado is expected soon.
8 comments
Tammy Kevwitch
I'm going to join this conversation because it expresses ideas that I'm coming to concur with. I serve the mental health industry that holds a position that marijuana is not effective or safe for individuals with mental illness. In fact, medical marijuana is refused to folks with a "diagnosis."
I'm coming to disagree with my own industry, because in my experience marijuana allows the client greater access to their right brain (feelings). I believe it can be a tool for helping people with dissociative disorder, which is my diagnosis. Dissociatives suppress their feelings to the point that they blow up. If a person has the proper (and I do mean it's a requirement) mental health supports in place, THC can help the person to not stuff their feelings and reveal what's making them unhappy, depressed, angry, afraid, by opening up in a safe environment.
I'm reading the book, "My Stroke, My Inspiration" by brain scientist and family member of a person with mental illness, New York Times BestSeller, who had a massive stroke and was able to step to the right of her left brain, into her right brain and experienced bliss. I think it's possible to experience that without having a stroke and so does she. It's possible that THC can help with that. It's just an idea I'm formulating in my mind based on personal experience.
I'm a highly trained and highly skilled media specialist with the participation of the State of Montana and the public behind my strategies. We have a serious economic and mental health crisis going on and legalization of marijuana could dramatically help in my opinion. http://www.HappyMontana.com We're going to relaunch our Kickstarter campaign after July 4th because it took too long to produce the suicide prevention video on the website.
Tammy Kevwitch
phil Greene
Everyone knows that when you get high for the first time you immediately start to giggle and laugh uncontrollably. This is because it dawns on the new user that all the bad things they have been told about marijuana were absurd lies. This happened to me circa 1965 and I have been laughing ever since. Don't smoke it, because you are sure to like it and laugh at what you have been told.
Ielan
Pretty simple why you shouldnt vote, Phillip. You and your ilk are a selfish, ignorant, disasterously biased fools who just "form opinions" based on what someone else says.
I remain dumbfounded at the amount of people out there who take the "Reefer Madness" movie at face value. One idiotic arguement is someone doesnt want a potentially stoned person taking part in a work environment, however they have no problem with someone who has had nearly no sleep to get behind a wheel despite tons of research that has shown sleepy drivers actually have much slower reaction times than a myriad of drugs (legal and not). I can put more holes in any anti pot arguement than are already in the current pot laws.
Hell, you fuktards who line up behind the pundits who speak out about the "dangers of weed" would frankly be surprised at how many of them smoke and you would never know.
Advmedical
If there is a well documented Chronic pain condition particularly a cancer that is made more comfortable by the use of cannabis then please by all means use whatever substance will allow u to live and die with dignity.
Captain Christopher Paine Kelly
I feel so very sorry for people who choose to remain ignorant. I lost my mom on Christmas eve just a few days ago. Natalie had stage four Pancreatic Cancer. She has never complained about pain and she was 76. A few 3 years ago she was on a trip with friends in Spain and her right leg was giving her fits. It hurt like hell going up and down stairs ect. We live in Florida there are no stairs or hills or mountains. Exactly one year ago today she had her right hip replaced, I had to help her with EVERYTHING for over thirty days she needed help getting bathed and bathroom ect. after hip replacement that did not help, she had spinal surgery for stenosis, Again No help. Finally they found the Cancer and that it had already metastasized, it was everywhere. Do any of you haters out there have any idea how long it takes to find her pain management?????? They were giving her one 10 mg. Loratab every six hours. are you kidding? She does not have a tooth ache, She is dieing from Pancreatic Cancer!!!! During this time she saw 60 min report on Dr. Sanjay Gupta's turn around on the benefits of medical Marijuana. Well her girl friends provided it, I put it in a vaporizer, (She could not smoke it) she kept that bag next to her bed and used it responsibly. Now once she was able to get good pain medication say no longer used Med Marijuana, Mostly because of a few Ignorant assholes that harassed her and I. well It is a heap of crap? Phillip? You just wait until it is your turn!!! Phillip, Why is pot illegal? do you even know why it is illegal in the united states? Well asshole look up Harry Asslinger, and find out why it is now illegal when each and every founding father of this country grew and appreciated cannabis! Ignorance just makes me angry. That someone who has absolutely no info on a subject could possibly make remarks about that subject. Why do they listen to hearsay instead of looking up the facts????????????????????????? I am dumbfounded by so very much Ignorance?
Lisa Lambrecht
I have long supported the total legalization of Marijuana. It is less harmful than alcohol. Tax it like cigarettes. My God, it is a schedule 1 drug along with Heroin! Seriously? The problem I think has been, elected officials were drinkers, not pot smokers. So alcohol stays legal. Do some research on the harmful effects of alcohol compared to marijuana.
Loree Burns
I think it is great to legalize and tax it! It would definitely help with our deficit. Marijuana is a God send every which way you look at it.
phillip
The legalization is a heap of crap, why vote in oregon we voted against it and now with it not passing, the governor or senator whoever it is is signed a bill to pass it without it going back to a vote, so why vote.