Recently, the US House of Representatives has passed a decriminalization bill for cannabis at the federal level. This basically calls for removing marijuana from the list of controlled substances at the federal level, and hopefully, do away with convictions. If you are a cannabis enthusiast, or someone who has been following the news, you should know that it remains prohibited at the federal level even now. The federal prohibition, however, doesn’t really impact many states that have passed laws to decriminalize cannabis for adult use. As of today, fifteen states and the DC has passed laws that allow for recreational cannabis for adults aged 21 or above, which is quite a number in a short span.

An overview of the basics

In the US, around 38 states allow for medicinal use of cannabis. In recent news, three states have approved cannabis for recreational use. These three states are Arizona, Montana and New Jersey. In Mississippi, marijuana is now allowed for medicinal use. Some of the more conservative states have also taken a difference stance. For instance, South Dakota voters have backed the medicinal and recreational use of cannabis. So, can we expect federal cannabis legalization? The answer depends on many factors, but polls show that a considerable number of adults in the US are supporting and rooting for decriminalization of cannabis.

The future

For becoming a law, this particular cannabis decriminalization bill must be passed by the senate and has to be signed by the president, and experts believe that there is still a lot of time for that to happen. The biggest concern is the gap between state and federal law, which only makes things murkier for cannabis users. For instance, if your state allows for recreational cannabis, you can consume weed at home, but not on federal land. Given that the market for cannabis products is expanding rather fast, a federal law might give a boost to the industry, and this time, without the convictions and concerns that many users are worried about.

Final word

The contradictions between national and state laws with regards to cannabis can be done away with, and it all depends on how this bill is eventually followed. For now, do check your state laws, the standard dos and don’ts, and if recreational cannabis is legal in your state, make sure that you get your supplies from a licensed dispensary only. Cannabis users still need to vouch for responsible use.