If voters approve these measures, approximately half of all US residents will reside in a jurisdiction where the possession and use of cannabis are legal for adults.
“A robust, above-ground retail marijuana market is necessary in order to disrupt the unregulated marketplace and to assure that consumers have adequate access to lab-tested, high quality products at competitive prices.”
“Voters’ views on the subject of legalizing and regulating cannabis have evolved significantly over the past decades; however, the views of those seeking to represent them in Congress have not kept pace with this seismic shift in public opinion. Candidates’ failure to advocate for marijuana policy reform is a missed opportunity, as this is a unique issue that unites voters irrespective of party affiliation.”
The report estimates, “States with roughly 20 to 40 legal regulated stores per 100,000 residents, in general, have captured 80 percent to 90 percent of all cannabis sales in the legal market.”
The Arkansas Supreme Court issued a decision today ensuring that a statewide measure seeking to legalize the adult-use marijuana market in Arkansas, will appear on the November ballot.
“In a healthy democracy, those with competing visions on public policy vie for voters’ support and abide by their voting decisions. However, it is becoming clear that those who oppose marijuana policy reform would rather take voters out of the equation altogether. Whether or not one personally supports or opposes cannabis legalization, these cynical and undemocratic tactics ought to be a cause of deep concern.”
“At a time when most Americans want to end marijuana prohibition and nearly a majority of people now reside states where cannabis is legal, it makes no sense to continue punishing adults and robbing them of the opportunity to fulfill their potential for behavior that in many cases is no longer a crime.”