How Is Marijuana Banned by the Feds?

Marijuana laws vary from state to state. Some allow the drug for any use, including recreation; others allow it only for medicine; and still others ban it completely. This is widely known.

But there are also federal statutes that apply to cannabis, its cultivation, its sale, and its possession. These laws have been in place in some form or another since the 1930s, and while many politicians want to change that, it probably won’t happen soon.

So how do these federal laws work?

The most important set of statutes when it comes to cannabis are included in the Controlled Substances Act. This Nixon-era law, part of a package of anti-drug bills passed in 1970, is the basis for almost all criminal drug prohibition at the federal level.

Its most critical purpose was to label a long list of drugs that are “controlled” by the federal government. These drugs are divided into five categories, or “schedules.”

The schedules, in turn, are ranked based on three factors: how dangerous a drug is, how addictive it is, and how useful it is as medicine. Drugs at the top, in schedule 1, are considered especially dangerous, especially addictive, and medically useless.

Schedule 2, meanwhile, covers drugs that are somewhat less dangerous, somewhat less addictive, and somewhat more useful as medication. And so on down the list to schedule 5, which includes much safer drugs such as cough syrup with codeine and anti-diarrhea medications with small amounts of opiate.

Everything from schedule 2 to schedule 5 has some medical use. At schedule 2, these drugs are still considered very dangerous and addictive. They include cocaine, PCP, and methamphetamine.

But schedule 1, home of heroin, LSD, and synthetic marijuana, is where all the political action lies. That’s mostly because real cannabis is also included on this list.

Not surprisingly, that has been the focus of great contention for decades. Science has long shown that pot is much safer than almost any drug in the CSA, less addictive, and highly useful as medicine. But the Department of Justice, the DEA, and other federal agencies have refused to budge on the issue.

The CSA makes it possible to ban any drug on schedule 1 for any use, including medical. And this is how the government has prohibited cannabis across the board. But the ban isn’t actually in the CSA itself. Instead, it’s contained in separate criminal statutes.

Under these laws, any possession, sale, or cultivation is a crime, as is sale of drug paraphernalia. And penalties are harsh, much harsher than in many states.

Possession

Possession of any amount of cannabis is treated as a misdemeanor on a first and second offense. A first offense is punishable by up to one year in jail and $1,000 in fines. A second offense carries the same maximum jail sentence, but also includes a mandatory minimum of 15 days, plus a $2,500 fine.

Subsequent offenses may be treated as either misdemeanors or felonies, with a punishment of at least 90 days in jail, as many as three years in prison, and up to $5,000 in fines.

Sale

Sale of any amount of marijuana is a felony under federal law. Penalties range from as many as five years in prison for less than 50 kilograms to between 10 years and life in prison for 1,000 kilograms or more. Fines can reach $1 million.

Penalties double for sale to a minor or within 1,000 feet of a school. Felony sale of paraphernalia, meanwhile, carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

Cultivation

Growing any amount of cannabis is likewise a felony and comes with the same penalties as sale. Amounts are measured in number of plants rather than weight, but the numbers and sentences are the same.

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What do you think? Does the federal prohibition of marijuana make any sense? How would you like to see it reformed? Post a comment below.

How Is Marijuana Banned by the Feds?

Oregon Pulls Down $3.5 million in Marijuana Taxes

Legal marijuana has been good to Oregon. The first month of recreational cannabis sales netted the state roughly $3.5 million, more than officials had originally predicted.

The haul is a great sign for legalization there. Among other things, it suggests marijuana sales are already booming and will only keep growing. Oregon collected the money even earlier than expected; state officials predicted tax collection wouldn’t start until October.

Voters chose to legalize cannabis for all uses in the 2014 election, joining Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and the District of Columbia. Recreational sales were allowed at existing medical marijuana dispensaries shortly after the law took effect, and retail pot shops started opening in 2016.

When the legal marijuana program started in 2015, state officials mailed a financial impact statement to residents. The document predicted retail cannabis sales would bring in between $17 million and $40 million in 2016.

Early sales higher than estimated

The $3.5 million figure represented taxes collected from sales during January. That suggests coming months will generate huge amounts of revenue, more than predicted when legalization passed, and likely enough to come close to the $40 million mark. If current sales hold without growing for the rest of the year, the tax haul should be close to $42 million.

But that isn’t likely to happen. Instead, sales should increase dramatically in coming months, easily clearing $42 million. When officials issued their initial estimates, they predicted tax revenue would hit just $17 million.

What’s more, the $3.5 million tax collection only applies to bud. It doesn’t include edibles, hash oil, and other marijuana-infused products. Those items make up nearly half of the legal cannabis market in Colorado, a fact that suggests these products will be similarly profitable in Oregon.

Tax revenue likely to increase

All this means each month’s tax take will be significantly higher than the $3.5 million figure. That revenue could increase even more as customers become more comfortable with concentrates, tinctures, topicals, and other THC-infused products.

Oregon is benefitting in big ways from other aspects of the legal marijuana market. The industry has created thousands of new jobs. Police are making far fewer arrests for cannabis offenses are issuing far fewer civil tickets. And the criminal justice system is free to use its financial resources to chase real criminals.

Colorado and Washington, the first two states to legalize marijuana, have likewise pulled down massive amounts of tax revenue, money generated on billions of dollars in sales. This, too, spells a good outcome for Oregon in the long run.

The state is an ideal place for legal cannabis. It’s on the West Coast and part of the Pacific Northwest, among the most open-minded parts of the country when it comes to marijuana. The drug has long been especially cheap there, and the state has one of the highest rates of marijuana use.

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We want to know: Do you think legalization is a success in Oregon? Will it be enough to convince other states to legalize? Comment below.

Oregon Pulls Down $3.5 million in Marijuana Taxes

Florida City Decriminalizes Marijuana Possession

One of Florida’s largest cities removed criminal penalties for marijuana possession in March.

The Tampa City Council voted March 17 to decriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis. The vote came after months of debate and marks significant reform in the Sunshine State.

People who break state marijuana laws in Tampa will now face small civil fines rather than arrest and jail time. The 5-1 vote give police the choice between arrest and a fine for offenders caught with 20 grams of pot or less. That’s about three quarters of an ounce.

Mayor Bob Buckhorn was expected to sign the ordinance, which will take effect almost immediately after he does.

An end to needless criminal records

City Council members said they passed the law to stop permanent criminal records from destroying the lives of thousands of people, especially young African American men. For many of these people, jail is not the worst punishment, as incarceration for marijuana crimes is typically short. But a permanent rap sheet can be devastating, making it hard to find jobs, win scholarships, or rent apartments.

Council members said the law should save police, prosecutors, judges, and the rest of the criminal justice system from wasting resources on a petty offense committed by millions of American each year.

Florida’s strict marijuana laws

Florida state law is extremely punitive when it comes to simple cannabis possession, treating it as a first-degree misdemeanor with penalties of up to a year in jail, probation, and a $1,000 fine. Offenders frequently also lose driving privileges, a punishment that can make it impossible to work or study.

Fines for possession in Tampa will drop to $75 for a first offense, $150 for a second offense, $300 for a third offense, and $450 for additional offenses.

Because any possession of intoxicating marijuana is a crime under state law, police may still arrest suspects for simple possession, but they have the discretion to ignore the law and instead issue tickets. Police often oppose decriminalization, but experience in other cities suggests they won’t violate the will of voters.

Decriminalization moving through Florida

Tampa is hardly the first Florida city to remove criminal penalties. Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, and St. Petersburg have similar ordinances on the books. The law in St. Petersburg protects underage tokers as well as adults.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the county’s Anti-Drug Alliance opposed the law at a public hearing before the vote.

“It really is a dangerous drug,” said Ellen Snelling, a member of the alliance. “It’s much more potent than back in the ‘70s. This is not your daddy’s pot.”

That claim is provably false. Modern day marijuana may be slightly more potent than the weed smoked in the 1960s, but not much. Every current strain descends from strains that were smoked in that decade, and THC levels in bud are still comparatively moderate.

The opponents also demanded the city council impose mandatory drug counseling and education for offenders, even though the vast majority of cannabis users are not addicts of any kind. Their argument was typical of poorly informed conservatives.

“We are not talking about legalizing marijuana,” said Council Member Lisa Montelione. “We are talking about decriminalizing a certain amount of marijuana.”

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Tell us: What does decriminalization in Tampa mean for the rest of Florida? Could it speed legalization there? Post a comment below.

Florida City Decriminalizes Marijuana Possession

Colorado Recalls More Marijuana

For at least the second time in six months, officials in Colorado have announced a recall of large amounts of cannabis they say is tainted with illegal pesticides.

The marijuana plants, cultivated by MGI Inc. of Denver, reportedly came into contact with imidacloprid, a pesticide that is widely used in other parts of the world – but that is banned for use on cannabis in Colorado.

The announcement came in March after an investigation by the Colorado Department of Agricultural into marijuana produced by MGI, also known as Kindman. The recall applies to dozens of strains the company grew between March 2014 and January 2016, according to the announcement from the state Marijuana Enforcement Division.

Imidacloprid is one of the most commonly used pesticides in the world. It’s an insectiside used to keep pests from destroying crops and other plants.

Kindman denies allegations

The company denied it has ever used the chemical. Owner Ryan Fox told reporters MGI “absolutely has not used this pesticide in production.” The company is disputing the recall order.

“We are contesting these findings and are attempting to have the hold released,” Fox said in a statement. “We believe the test process is faulty and that the Colorado Department of Agriculture has potentially cross-contaminated our samples during testing.”

Colorado officials rejected those claims, saying the state’s laboratory is an “accredited facility” that follows “stringent sample and quality control standards.” The lab found pesticides on other marijuana samples on at least one occasion last year and issued a major recall.

But Fox said the lab’s results show only trace amounts of the insecticide, as little as five parts per billion. He said MGI would use an independent lab to retest the plants.

Plants to be sent for retesting

The results don’t necessarily mean MGI intentionally used an illegal chemical. It’s possible the plants accidentally came into contact with imidacloprid during processing or lab tests. Rachel Gillette, a local lawyer who works with the legal cannabis industry, said people who work in pot are concerned about the quality of state tests.

“We’re getting conflicting results from this state-certified lab,” Gillette said. “And the licensee has no way to verify the results.”

The recall is large, but officials didn’t say exactly how large or how many plants and marijuana products will be recalled. That information, they said, is kept confidential. But Fox said his company’s cannabis is sold to pot shops across Colorado.

MGI has a retail shop of its own, Grass Station of Denver, but products sold there were not included in the recall. The dispensary is at the same address MGI used to obtain a cultivation license. Another Denver grow site was also affected.

Customers urged to return potentially contaminated marijuana to dispensaries

Customers who bought any of the products that were recalled, whether bud, trim, hash oil and other concentrates, or edibles, were advised to return them to the shops where they bought them. Recalled products have labels that include the license numbers 403R-00008 and 403R-00009.

Imidacloprid is used widely around the world, but Colorado has banned it after tests suggested it is contributing to the long-term collapse of bee colonies. Extinction of honey bees could have devastating impacts on agriculture and human life.

The state determines which pesticides may be used on marijuana plants, since the drug is prohibited under U.S. law, making it impossible for the federal government to regulate these chemicals in the cannabis industry.

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What do you think? Are pesticides dangerous enough to warrant a marijuana recall? Comment below.

Colorado Recalls More Marijuana

Marijuana Could Help Small Towns Rebound

Among the many benefits of marijuana legalization is this: Colorado’s cannabis industry is helping to keep some small towns above water.

Empire, Col., is one of these towns. With a population of roughly 400 and fewer than 10 businesses, Empire has been in decline for years. Three shops closed last year, said Town Trustee Richard Sprague, and sales tax revenue has dropped as a result.

“Towns like this live on sales taxes,” Sprague said.

But two new businesses have started adding money back into Empire’s coffers, and both of them are legal pot shops. Together, they contribute about $100,000 in sales tax annually.

Keeping Empire afloat

“We have two shops in town and thank goodness,” Sprague said. “They’re paying the sales tax and helping us stay afloat.”

It’s an aspect of cannabis law that hasn’t been closely examined, but the thriving industry could give many struggling Colorado towns a chance to rebound. This is likely also true in Washington and Oregon, where shops are selling the drug, and in Alaska, where sales will begin soon.

The prospect of a cannabis boom doesn’t appeal to every small town resident or politician. But it’s making a big difference for communities that have few other sources of revenue. Many of these towns, like Empire, are located in rural areas hit hard by the Great Recession.

“I took a building that was 140 years old, restored it during an economic downturn, gave local people jobs, and started a local sales tax stream,” said Dan Volpe, who owns the Serene Wellness dispensary in Empire.

Volpe, who also owns the other cannabis shop in town, said he was welcomed to the community when he opened shop six years ago. Since that time, he has generated a steady stream of tax revenue.

“I really wanted to make sure we made this town appealing,” he said.

Dispensaries are an asset to the town

Local officials agree that Volpe’s shops are a key addition to a down-and-out town. Without them, Empire might not be able to survive as a community.

“If we were to lose (the dispensaries) on top of everything else, we may not have anyone doing maintenance in this town,” Sprague said. “It may be strictly volunteer.”

Empire is located in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver. Pot shops can thrive in this environment, as tourists seek marijuana on their way to vacations in the mountains. Dispensary licenses are hard to come by in these places, given the competition.

“There’s no doubt there’s a noticeable benefit to any town’s sales tax revenue when they allow for the legal market,” said Lauren Harris, owner of Dynama Consulting, a Colorado cannabis consulting firm. “I think there are several reasons shops are moving into small towns: regulations are more lax, less competition, cheaper to get into the market.”

While the tax dollars are a big gain for towns like Empire, these communities also offer an ideal business environment for dispensaries. Volpe noted the relationship goes both ways.

“Overall it’s really amazing, and to be honest with you, it’s a little bit of a heavy responsibility to really feel we have so many dependent on what we do,” he said.

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What do you think? Is it a good thing small towns are dependent on marijuana businesses? Comment below.

Marijuana Could Help Small Towns Rebound

Marijuana Activist Charged with Giving MJ to Child

A North Carolina man who advocates for medical marijuana was charged in March with giving the drug to his child.

Monroe Gordan Piland III, 69, is a former doctor who promotes medicinal cannabis as an “essential nutrient” for good health. Police say he gave marijuana to his child mixed with goat’s milk.

Piland, a resident of Candler, N.C., was arrested and charged with nine counts of cannabis-related crimes. Together with earlier drug charges, he now faces a total of 15 counts.

The newest charges allege Piland gave various marijuana products to his child. According to the earlier counts, he intended to distribute harder drugs. The cannabis charges arose out of a custody dispute involving the child, Piland’s lawyer said.

Defendant charged on 15 counts

The new charges include a felony count alleging Piland delivered a controlled substance to a child 13 years old or younger “by repeatedly blowing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the face” of the child between 2011 and 2015. Another felony charge accuses Piland of mixing bud with goat’s milk and feeding it to the child between 2011 and 2014.

He also faces misdemeanor charges, including a count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and a count of child abuse. The abuse count alleges Piland grew and used cannabis in the home where the child lived. Other charges include misdemeanor possession of opium and dihydrocodeinone, an opiate, with intent to deliver them.

Piland’s lawyer said the abuse count arose from a custody dispute and did not come from the child.

“I think when people see there is a domestic situation involved, they will take these allegations with a grain of salt,” said attorney Steve Lindsay.

Piland found with opium, morphine, magic mushrooms, edibles and concentrates

Piland was also arrested in October and charged with possessing opium, morphine, magic mushrooms, marijuana edibles, hash oil, and paraphernalia. Lindsay said he had no reason to believe Piland fed marijuana to the child.

Piland’s medical license was permanently revoked more than 30 years ago following a drug conviction. He has since become an outspoken advocate of medical cannabis and legalization. Lindsay said Piland advocates natural medications and didn’t intend to distribute the harder drugs.

“Gordon’s brother died a few years back from an overdose, and as for the jar of pills, I’m sure those were related to his brother’s death and serve as a constant reminder of the awful things that can happen as a result of man-made medication,” Lindsay said.

The North Carolina Board of Medical Examiners revoked Piland’s license in 1984 after concluding he grew marijuana for a cancer patient who didn’t ask for the drug. North Carolina has never allowed medical marijuana.

Piland moved on to advocacy after losing his license, attacking the state’s anti-cannabis laws. He is not well known outside of Candler and apparently is not an active member of any national or statewide pro-cannabis groups.

Piland was being held on $90,000 bond in mid March. He was released on $110,000 bond after his October arrest.

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How do you think we should punish people who sell cannabis to kids? Post a comment below.

Marijuana Activist Charged with Giving MJ to Child

Which Country Uses the Most Marijuana?

Colorado, California, Rhode Island, Washington, Oregon: These are the top spots in the United States for smoking marijuana. Whether because it’s legal or because more locals use it, these states top the list here at home.

But what about elsewhere in the world? Are there other countries that love cannabis as much as we do, and if so, which ones?

If you believe reports from the United Nations, the top honor belongs to Iceland. According to UN data, the Scandinavian nation uses more marijuana as a percentage of its total population than any other nation.

That doesn’t mean an awful lot, though. It’s true, a reported 18 percent of Icelanders used the drug in 2012, more than any other country, including the United States, which came in second with 15.4 percent in 2013. But there’s more to the story.

UN research was flawed

Iceland’s leaders were unhappy when that ranking made the news three years ago, saying the data were incomplete and measured only a small fraction of the country’s population. Experts agree, saying the UN failed to account for the most important statistic: How many adults use cannabis every or nearly every day.

“Measuring past-year users doesn’t show us anything because so many people use very rarely, so they don’t factor into demand and they don’t factor into the public health,” said Jonathan Caulkins, who teaches at Carnegie Mellon University.

That’s because most cannabis consumption involves users who toke daily or almost daily, Caulkins said.

“A little over half of cannabis in the U.S. is consumed by people who spend more than half of their waking hours under the influence,” he said.

U.S. marijuana use on the rise

In the United States in 2013, almost 8 percent of people 12 or older said they had used within the past month, up from 6 percent a decade earlier. The numbers come from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

But more important than that, Caulkins said, is the number showing how many days per month a person uses cannabis. That figure shows that 2.6 percent of Americans use marijuana at least 21 days out of the month.

So how does Iceland stack up against those numbers? As it turns out, the country doesn’t keep such close track of cannabis use, so there’s no way to know for sure. But many European countries do, and that at least gives us somewhere to start.

Twenty countries on the continent track daily or almost-daily consumption. As in the United States, these statistics were collected in different years, depending on the country. Among other things, the numbers suggest marijuana use has held steady in most places over the years.

Spain, France, Italy topped the European list

As for Europe, Spain, France, and Italy scored the highest percentages of residents who use cannabis every day or almost every day. Spain, like the United States, reported a rate of 2.6 percent, while France reported 1.7 percent and Italy 1.5 percent.

Surprisingly, the one EU country best known for its marijuana use scores much lower. In the Netherlands, where the drug is illegal but widely tolerated, less than 1 percent of residents use it on a near-daily basis.

Sadly, the figures don’t tell us exactly which country smokes the most; the reporting methods and time frames are simply too varied. But for what it’s worth, the United States more than holds its own.

Which nation do you think tokes the most? Comment below.

Which Country Uses the Most Marijuana?

One Year Out, Legal Marijuana Is Sort of Working in D.C.

It’s been more than a year since residents in the District of Columbia voted to legalize marijuana, and their vote appears to be bearing fruit. Even so, the law remains a mess, and residents may not be able to buy the drug legally anytime soon.

The law voters passed in 2014 took effect on Feb. 26, 2015, allowing adults to buy and possess up to two ounces of cannabis and grow up to six plants on private property.

It’s already apparent legalization is working.

Marijuana arrests have plummeted

Arrests for simple possession dropped by 98 percent between 2014 and 2015, from 1,840 arrests to only 32, according to The Washington Post. The overall rate of marijuana-related arrests, from low-end possession to trafficking, also declined, dropping 85 percent.

That’s especially good news for black residents. African Americans make up roughly half the city’s population and use cannabis at the same rate as whites, yet they are arrested for pot offenses at dramatically higher rates.

In 2013, a study found African Americans are eight times more likely than whites to be arrested for possession in the city. Those arrests account for a staggering 91 percent of all possession busts.

The ramifications of arrest can be severe, costing young black men the chance for employment, housing, or government benefits after release from jail or prison. A permanent criminal record can lead to persistent discrimination in all corners of life.

D.C. decriminalized in 2014

Changes for stoners started in 2014, when the District Council voted to decriminalize marijuana. That November, voters went one step further and legalized recreational weed completely.

Arrest rates have declined sharply since then. Between 2010 and 2015, pot busts declined by more than 92 percent. That includes an 86 percent drop in charges of possession of cannabis with intent to distribute it and a 72 percent reduction in distribution arrests.

In part this is because of the legalization vote. But another impetus comes from District police, who still have authority to make cannabis busts under federal law but have opted to focus their resources on other problems.

Congress blocking establishment of retail market

That helps residents, but it doesn’t fix the city’s central marijuana problem: Congress doesn’t want legal weed in the nation’s capital. And because the district falls under federal jurisdiction, U.S. lawmakers have the power to block parts of the cannabis initiative from taking effect.

They have done this by barring the District Council from passing laws that would put the initiative into practice. It is still legal to possess pot in the city, but Congress prohibits commercial cultivation and retail marijuana shops.

This is a problem not only for weed-hungry potheads, but also for the residents most at risk of unjust arrest. That includes small-scale dealers on the black market who could instead be selling legally if Republicans in Congress were to change their minds.

There are other steps district officials can take, according to the Post. They could use reserve funds to write and enforce regulations and levy taxes. A large majority of residents support these moves. Tax revenue would go toward addiction treatment, drug education, and investment in neighborhoods suffering from the consequences of the drug war.

The council could also legalize cannabis clubs and reduce public consumption from a criminal to a civil offense. These reforms are not likely to happen immediately, but they could bring the district closer to the wishes of the people who live, work, and travel there.

One Year Out, Legal Marijuana Is Sort of Working in D.C.

Is the GOP Dying? What About the Future of Marijuana Reform?

The 2016 presidential election has taken more than its share of shocking twists: A divisive billionaire businessman has all but seized the Republican nomination, a Jew and democratic socialist became the first of either of those things to win a primary election, and a partisan Supreme Court justice died unexpectedly in the midst of the race.

And now things have taken a dramatic turn unprecedented in American history, as one of the nation’s great political parties appears to be breaking apart. The Republican Party, the Party of Lincoln, founded more than 150 years ago, is rapidly splintering. But what is bad for the party could be good tidings for marijuana reform.

A massive political realignment like the one happening now could have significant implications for reformers seeking to legalize cannabis across the country. That’s because the demise of the GOP could set off a long period of liberal dominance in America, and that’s good news – for stoners, anyway.

Implications for marijuana reform

It is becoming increasingly likely that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will face off against businessman Donald Trump in the general election. One is the face of moderate liberalism while the other represents far-right nationalism.

Clinton is hardly the first choice of Democrats who support cannabis reform. Her opponent in the party’s primaries, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has pushed legislation to reschedule the drug under the Controlled Substances Act so it can be legalized. Clinton hasn’t endorsed legalization for recreational use.

But Sanders’ hopes are fading fast, and Clinton has already taken on the mantle of inevitable nominee. That means potheads will likely face a choice between a woman who supports medical marijuana but not full legalization and a political unknown who may or may not support reform of any kind.

Divide among Republicans

It’s an especially tough choice for Republicans who support legalization, though there aren’t many of those. And they are all the more likely to join a growing chorus of Republicans who say they will never vote for Trump.

The defections started immediately after Trump nearly swept the Super Tuesday primaries March 1. A U.S. Senator, at least one governor, multiple congressmen, several former elected officials, and multiple conservative intellectuals jumped ship in early March.

The party fracture is unprecedented in modern American politics and is likely to grow as the general election nears. Barring a major scandal, Clinton is all but guaranteed a landslide win that could usher in a long period of Democratic dominance.

Republican split could spell good news for reform

The Republican split may be permanent. But while it’s bad news for the party’s members, it could be great news for people who want to legalize. That’s because the Democratic Party has long been much more supportive of reform. And that sympathy would likely be stronger under a Clinton administration.

If the GOP somehow manages to pull together again and elect Donald Trump to the White House, the results could be disastrous for stoners. If Trump wins, Republicans would likely keep control of Congress and appoint a far-right justice to the Supreme Court. And the odds that federal reform would get far in that environment are slim.

What’s worse, Trump could decide to pander to conservatives by stomping out legal marijuana in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and the District of Columbia. He has changed his position on reform more than once, and it’s hard to know what he would do as president.

In short, the widening chasm in the Republican Party could ultimately help marijuana users. Clinton may not be ready to move fast toward legalization, but she will likely be driven to the left by the party’s liberal wing. That means the chasm could give Democrats the best chance yet to end cannabis prohibition.

 

What do you think will happen if the Republican Party splits in two? And what will it mean for legalization?

Is the GOP Dying? What About the Future of Marijuana Reform?