Cannabis has been legal for most of human history and it seems inevitable that it will be once again. With legalization efforts turning over cannabis prohibition laws recently in Connecticut , we thought it was time for an update. This is how far legalization has come in the US and around the world.

As mentioned, humans have been using cannabis for centuries for both medicinal and recreational reasons. It wasn’t until the early 20th century – 1911 to be exact – that things changed. 

That was when the US began passing laws to prohibit cannabis, with other countries following suit in the following years.

In 1973, decriminalization efforts began. Oregon reduced the penalty for possession of an ounce to $100 and Texas declared possession of the same amount a misdemeanor.

In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis. Colorado and Washington would be the first states to legalize the recreational use of cannabis in 2012. Many states would follow suit, doing the same in the following years.

That brings us to today. 

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently signed recreational cannabis out of prohibition. This leaves only Rhode Island and New Hampshire as the odd states out of the New England area that have yet to decriminalize marijuana and reap the rewards that come with it.

Aside from the increase in jobs and tax revenue states saw from the legalization of cannabis, they also saw an 11% decrease in traffic-related deaths. Legalizing and properly regulating cannabis takes money straight out of the pockets of organized crime. It also makes access more difficult for children and teens.

Another incredible benefit is the ability to overturn thousands of cannabis-related convictions. This begs the question – will Connecticut choose also to overturn marijuana-related charges?

The answer is yes. Most possession convictions should be expunged by 2023, giving hope to many people and their families that reunification will soon be possible. So with such incredible benefits at the individual and economic level, which States have legalized marijuana in the US?

All but 21 states have now legalized cannabis in one form or another, whether it be full recreational legalization, medicinal cannabis, or CBD products with less than 0.3% THC. It seems that most states are getting wise to the benefits of this remarkable plant.

As more states legalize cannabis, pressure begins to build on the remaining states. If there is one thing that gives governments FOMO, it’s missing out on tax revenue. The two New England states mentioned above are expected to succumb to the continued pressure of activists and lobbyists. This is especially true with the news of Connecticut’s move to legalize.

Of course, that doesn’t mean there isn’t opposition. Recent polling showed that more than 2/3rds of Americans want adult-use cannabis legalized. Despite this, it seems that cannabis remains a somewhat partisan issue at the government level. 

417,000 voters in South Dakota voted to legalize recreational cannabis, but days later law enforcement officials filed a lawsuit claiming it was unconstitutional. The governor filed an executive order to file suit to block legalization. There have been reports of Republican lawmakers using voter suppression tactics against legalization efforts as well.

While the state of South Dakota waits for courts to hand down a ruling, the sense of suspense is a microcosm for legalization at the federal level.

It is important to remember that cannabis remains federally illegal. So what could change that? What if all 50 states individually legalized cannabis on their own? 

The federal government would seemingly have to be compelled to make some amendments. Legalization does seem to pass everywhere that it goes. That hasn’t stopped oppositional efforts like those seen in South Dakota, though. They could stand to make a state sweep an unlikely possibility.

What does work in favor of federal change is the combination of legalization efforts at the state and national levels.

Nearly half of the fifty states have already legalized in some way or other. Canada, our neighbors in the Great White North, have also already made the leap, not to mention what’s happening south of the border.

That’s right, Mexico is also moving towards legalization with their President saying he will respect a court ruling telling them to legalize recreational cannabis use, for now. If Mexico legalizes cannabis, it could become a part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) – otherwise known as NAFTA 2.0.

It’s hard to see how the U.S. Government would proceed to trade in cannabis without making it legal for its own people at the federal level. If cannabis were to become a USMCA product, it would herald a new era in legalization history, the free and legal trade of cannabis in North America for the first time in nearly 150 years.

That means social and economic benefits for not only the entire country but the entire continent. These benefits have the potential to be far-reaching. Legalizing cannabis has been proven to improve government budgets and save money on incarceration and law enforcement resources while defunding organized crime at the same time.

With less crime and a bigger budget, there is a lot that governments can do. More money could be funneled into things like infrastructure projects, green energy and education systems. Let’s not forget that we stand at a pivotal moment in the history of our society.

The effects of climate change, the pandemic and social reckonings are already challenging our society every day. It shows that there is a bigger picture that legalization not only falls into, but has the potential to drive.

As the benefits of cannabis legalization become more apparent to lawmakers and their constituents, a world where cannabis users and producers are no longer persecuted seems imminent.

La entrada National and Worldwide Cannabis Legalization Status se publicó primero en Ecomeds.