Legalizing marijuana on 9 state ballots Tuesday
ATLANTA - The legalization of marijuana to varying degrees is on the ballot in nine states. Five states will be voting on legalizing it for recreational use, while four more states seek to legalize it for medical purposes.
Arizona, California, Nevada, Maine, and Massachusetts are putting the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes to a vote.
The biggest test will be in California where medical marijuana is already legal. Californians rejected the measure in 2010. The push never made it to the ballot in 2012. If Prop 64 passes in California, it would put pressure on the federal government to end its prohibition.
Supporters of the measures point to a shifting opinion on marijuana citing several recent polls which show a majority of Americans support legalization. They also point to the nearly $5.4 billion market legalization has created in just a handful of states. They cite a recent report from a research firm Cowen & Company which says legalization could grow the cannabis industry into a $50 billion business by 2026.
Opponents point to Colorado, which started legal pot sales in 2014. In the two years since, nearly 70 percent of the municipalities in the state have banned commercial marijuana operations. They also cite an uptick in emergency room visits by pot smokers in Colorado,
Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota have ballot measures seeking to legalize medical marijuana. Supporters say the move would allow those in pain and suffering from chronic illnesses access to affordable relief while opponents warn voters that it is a first step at attempting to completely legalize the controlled substance.
Right now, 21 states have varying forms of legalized medical marijuana while four states have full legalization.