On Monday, March 6th, the state of Pennsylvania is looking to be added to the list of those that intend to go beyond medical marijuana use. The primary reason, like the other aforementioned territories, is rooted to likely financial growth.

The Potential for Economic Growth

The first two states in the US that opted to legalize recreational marijuana are Washington, Colorado and Oregon. According to this report, the revenue from taxes that the two states have raked in in 2016 alone were $220 million, $129 million, and $65.4 million, respectively.

Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is looking to put the same approach in place. He admitted that he was initially unconvinced about how it could turn out, but after seeing how it all fared with the three states, he was eventually persuaded to consider legalization and how it could benefit them “fiscally and socially.”

DePasquale foresees a huge jump in state revenue if the state goes beyond just medical marijuana. Specifically, he is projecting earnings that could reach up to $200 million per year by regulating and taxing cannabis use.

Recreational Marijuana in Other States

Colorado legalized the recreational use of cannabis in 2012, and since then, it has done wonders for the state, in terms of revenue. In the past year, it was reported that sales soared up to more than $1 billion, both for medical and recreational marijuana.

It was already an impressive enough feat from their 2015 earnings, which reached up to $996 million in total. In October of 2016 alone, the state raked in earnings of $82.8 million in retail and $35 million for medical cannabis. Annually, Colorado collects $40 million in taxes, which in turn go to school projects.

In another early 2016 report, the Washington state also experienced monthly revenue of $75.3 million in December 2014, and $18.8 million in January 2015. These numbers come from sales of edible cannabis and extracts.

Repercussions from Trump’s Stance on Cannabis

Upon taking office in January, President Donald Trump made it clear that he was not going to interfere with state laws on medical marijuana. As stated in this report, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer clarified that the president had nothing against medicinal cannabis, particularly for individuals who are suffering from terminal illnesses. Spicer says President Trump “understands the pain” of these patients and how medical marijuana could be of great help to them.
The state of Pennsylvania is now looking to capitalize on this standpoint of the president, as investors are now more confident with where their money is going. And since Pennsylvania’s business model for dispensing and regulating medical marijuana is similar to that of New York and New Jersey, they are expecting for the Trump administration to be supportive.

This, however, has made them look away from considering venturing into the business of recreational marijuana.

For a state like Pennsylvania that is looking to head towards that route, President Trump’s polarizing point of view on both medicinal and recreational cannabis use could be more of a hurdle to deal with. According to constitutional law professor Stephen Wermiel, the current administration should be able to set priorities and figure out how to iron out such laws.

In conclusion

Rightfully, a state like Pennsylvania that has legalized medicinal cannabis for a long time now would consider decriminalizing recreational marijuana as well. The proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes, just by looking at how other states have benefitted from it, in terms of monetary gains.

The main thing to consider would be regulation, if this new law gets enacted. Just like how President Obama’s administration put more focus on prohibition among minors, it would only be logical for the state of Pennsylvania to head towards a similar direction.

It gives parliament just two years to change the laws regarding home use of marijuana. The ruling hasn’t however, said how much a person can legally have, and that will be up to parliament.

“The right to privacy is not confined to a home or private dwelling. It will not be a criminal offence for an adult person to use or be in possession of cannabis in private space,” deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo said in the ruling.

“This Court must invoke its powers under s 172 (1) (b) of the Constitution to order a suspension of the declaration of invalidity for a realistic period to ensure Parliament may correct the defect. In my view, a period of 24 months from the date of this judgment would be appropriate.

“The order also makes clear that the relevant provisions are only unconstitutional to the extent that they trench upon the private use and consumption of a quantity of cannabis for personal purposes, which the legislative considers does not constitute undue harm.

”
The initial ruling by the Western Cape High court still left the legality of it in question, but this ruling now by the constitutional court makes it very clear that it’ll soon be perfectly legal to use marijuana at home.

And honestly? That’s a good thing. By decriminalising weed, it becomes possible for it to become completely legal – which could see job creation, taxation, regulation and other benefits.

The Legalization and the People’s Voice

Medical use of marijuana has been legal in Nevada since the year 2000. However, the first dispensaries for cannabis werenot open till the summer of 2015. Big changes occurred when voters approved the consentof the drug. Cannabis is legal in Nevada for adults, ages 21 and above. Adults are only allowed to possess up to one ounce of marijuana.

Voters in Nevada was given the chance to choose their president and if they will allow the use of marijuana. There were different opinions and statements by the people who support and oppose it. Most of the supporters are Democrats who have been arguing that legitimation of pot can remove soft drugs in the black market. They also said that it will increase the tax revenue of the government. It will also be beneficial for non-violent cannabis users.

Republicans are most of the people who oppose this issue. They stated that the legalization of cannabis will do additional harm than good for their society. They argued that it would ruin the health of teenager and the future generation. They also mentioned that it will only benefit the dealers of cannabis and not the general public. However, no matter how hard the Republicans oppose this matter, a lot of people are still in favor for the recreational use of marijuana.

The People Who Oppose It

Aside from the Democrats who oppose this issue, the former director of Weed & Seed Program, Earl White, oppose this matter as well. The Weed & Seed Program is a group for the prevention of crime and drug abuse. He stated that the recreational usage of cannabis reduces the motivation of a person. According to him, a person will lose his capability and drive to work or study. He also stated that there’s no way that the legalization of marijuana will do good for the community.

Another group who opposes recreational use of marijuanawho’s being led by Pat Hickey, agrees with Earl White. He conforms with the possible outcome or potential hazards that marijuana can bring to the community. Pat Hickey stated that the legalization of the herb will be considered as breaking the legal traditions of America. Even though supporters are arguing that it will increase tax revenue, Hickey still disagrees.

He used alcohol as an example for this matter. He said that instead of being a moneymaker, alcohol became one of the reasons why people drain their money. He also mentioned that marijuana can cause more dangerous.

The Final Result

The involvement of politics with the legalization of marijuana may be altering the views and opinions of the people. John Carter of the University of Phoenix stated that people should learn before they start arguing. He also indicatedthat there’s a lot of misinformation about cannabis. He stated that it is better to educate people, remove politics from this matter and start talking about the people.

After the long list of people who oppose the legalization of marijuana in Nevada, the democrats still won the battle. In total, 54.47 percent of people are in favor of the legalization of cannabis. Even if marijuana is legal in the state, people still need to follow a couple of regulations that was implemented by the government.

The legalization of recreational use of cannabis has been a long time battle for people who encourage it. Now, the war has ended and a new generation begins.