Election could stoke U.S. marijuana market, sway Congress on cannabis reform

[RandySF]

Voters in four states from different regions of the country could embrace broad legal marijuana sales on Election Day, and a sweep would highlight how public acceptance of cannabis is cutting across geography, demographics and the nation’s deep political divide.

The Nov. 3 contests in New Jersey, Arizona, South Dakota and Montana will shape policies in those states, while the battle for control of Congress and the White House could determine whether marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.

Already, most Americans live in states where marijuana is legal in some form, and 11 now have fully legalized the drug for adults: Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. It’s also legal in Washington, D.C.

In conservative Mississippi, voters will consider competing ballot proposals that would legalize medicinal marijuana, which is allowed in 33 states, including Pennsylvania.


https://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2020/10/25/election-2020-marijuana-legalization-New-Jersey-Arizona-South-Dakota-Montana-cannabis-market-pot-weed-hemp-industry/stories/202010250203

[modrepub]

1. I'm Still Convinced

The purpose of the big push to criminalize marijuana in the 60s was to discredit the Vietnam war protesters. It seems the best way to discredit a movement is to criminalize something a large group of them do.

[ProfessorGAC]

2. It Was Originally Racist

The earliest laws targeted Mexican immigrants. In the 60s it was both as you say, plus the widespread use in the black community.
There was never a sound reason to criminalize a plant that required no chemical processing to provide its effects.
It never had anything to do with public health or safety.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. God knows I could use about a pound.

But Missouri is still Missouri.

[brewens]

4. Our cops in Lewiston, ID only confiscate weed if they catch anyone with it. That's a big

surprise to me. Clarkston, WA is basically the same community, right across the Snake river and has legal weed shops. I thought they would probably have those places under surveillance looking for Idaho plates to try and bust us coming back over the bridge. I suppose that would have caused a shitstorm with the Clarkston PD and residents if they pulled that.

The shops over there have been RWer's worst nightmare. They've been there a few years now and the world didn't end. Plus bringing in a bunch of tax revenue. the eat shit factor is huge! That's really what they were so afraid of.