With a record number of American citizens voting on legalizing cannabis in several forms, 5 states including Florida and California, could legalize recreational marijuana. According to the latest poll, almost 60-percent of Americans now support cannabis legalization. However, the possession or sale of cannabis is a federal offence, even though it’s for medicinal use. Still, there are doubts about the public health effects of decriminalizing an alcoholic drug. Could the present election in US be a turning point for cannabis?
It looks like it could be the time to add the color green to the blue and red map of American politics. The movement to decriminalize cannabis, the most popular illegal drug of the nation, will take a huge stride on Election Day if the five states vote to legalize recreational marijuana, as suggested by polls.
The map of places where cannabis is allowed could include the whole of the West Coast in addition to some states from Colorado to the Pacific, putting forward a very strong challenge to the drug prohibition law imposed by the federal government.
Besides California, Maine and Massachusetts also have decriminalization initiatives on the polls next month, which is probable to pass. Nevada and Arizona are also favouring recreational cannabis, with elections indicating that Nevada voters are split evenly.
Experts strongly believe that votes in favour of cannabis legalization, especially in California, would be a tipping point, which will show the way for legalizing it across the US within few years. They feel that if this legalization happens, it’s just a matter of time before cannabis gets legalized across the world.
The importance of the drug’s legalization is evident as it has over forty million residents and is the sixth largest economy in the world. It’s known to be the leader of global trends, including the trend of attitude changes towards cannabis. In the year 1996, California became the first state to approve cannabis usage for medicinal purposes.
It’s expected that a success of cannabis decriminalization in California in addition to what is likely to be far-reaching achievement by Democrats all across the nation will quickly result in the cancellation of federal acts on cannabis consumption. This will also put an end to the irregularity of the federal government stopping from imposing its own laws in states that have decriminalized cannabis.
