Legalize v Decriminalize

#CannaLaw

Dec 27

Reposted with permission from @SHALWETOKE

Should Non-Legal States Follow Legal States or Could There Be a Better Way?

Currently, there are 18 states plus DC that have legalized cannabis, while there are 13 states that have decriminalized cannabis to some degree. (Only 19 more to go).

In 2022, there are at least 9 states that are actively considering legalization efforts on ballot measures.

Recent studies have shown that Americans overwhelmingly think that the current legal market within their legalized states is a success.

However, some who are knee-deep in the cannabis industry might beg to differ on this one.

Many states have created agencies to regulate cannabis by implementing track and trace systems from seed to sale. This is done in an effort to promote public safety by ensuring that cannabis products are of the highest quality. They also want to curb the illicit market.

Without a doubt, the market is getting heavily saturated, particularly in California. We assume that highly regulating the cannabis market is the best way, yet the quality of cannabis in California has seemed to decline tremendously in the last couple of years since legalization has occurred.

Also, taxes are unbelievably ridiculous and only going to keep getting higher. As such, consumers are either forced to buy terrible quality or turn to the illicit market.

If you’re living in California and love your cannabis to be oh so sticky icky like the medical days, well, it’s almost impossible to find quality like that anymore.

I’ve been wondering if the way we have legalized it is in fact the proper way?

Could there be a better way for non-legalized states to form a legalized market? Is the system that Colorado, California, Washington, Massachusetts, and more the best type of systems non-legal states should be looking to?

I have so many issues and questions with this that I’m beginning to wonder if states maybe need to change the way future markets operate.

This was my headline as a weekly Correspondent on The State of Cannabis NewsHour: Your Daily Dose exclusively on Clubhouse.