CANNABIS LEGALISATION IN NORTH AMERICA
Canada legalises cannabis in October 2018
In October this year, Canada became the second country after Uruguay, and the first G20 country to legalise cannabis. This came about as part of an election pledge of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Cannabis was legalised to enable the government to fulfil three goals.
- They want to control the usage of the drug amongst minors. An example of one of the measures put in place for limiting access to young people is that it will now incur a jail sentence of up to 14 years if found selling cannabis products to minors.
- In order to reduce the burden on the legal system.
- To remove the control from the illegal drugs market. This, in turn, will have a positive knock-on effect on the amount of tax legalizing cannabis could raise
The legalisation of cannabis in certain states in America
This month on the blog we look at the move towards legalising marijuana in the US. Over the last few years, there has been a shift in public perception in the United States also.
Cannabis remains illegal in the United States at a federal level. However, in recent years some states have started to legalise the drug. In most cases, this is decided by a public vote to legalise the drug. What this means in practice is that the local police force no longer enforces prohibition.
There are now 33 states that have legalised medicinal marijuana. In addition, the following states have legalised cannabis for personal use; Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Washington DC. As it remains illegal at the state level, no revenue from selling or buying marijuana can be raised.
With Canada moving to formally legalise cannabis, observers are now asking if America will be next at a federal level also.
Support from the general public for the legalisation of marijuana
A recent Gallup poll showed that 64% of Americans favour legalization. It is a dramatic shift, considering in 1969 (the swinging 60s no less) support was just 12%. This is due to a shift in perception, largely due to positive reports of the impact it can have as a medicinal drug for cancer patients, epilepsy sufferers and even veterans with PTSD. Support comes from voters from both ends of the political spectrum.
Now that Canada has legalized the drug there has also been pressure from states that are looking to raise additional tax revenue without having to increase income tax. American businesses within the industry who are fearful that they will lose out to Canadian companies in this lucrative market are also keen to progress changes in federal law.
Here at Truweigh, we are supportive of the move to legalize cannabis. Our digital scales are ideal for personal use. They are small and light-weight and offer a high degree of accuracy for the user. It is key for the user to have a high degree of accuracy when establishing the proper dosage for medicinal purposes, especially in the form of edible cannabis. Our handy quick-start guide ensures users can be up and running without delay. To find out more about our full range of digital scales, visit our product pages.
Are you supportive of the move towards legalizing cannabis?
What do you think of the move towards legalizing cannabis? Would you like to see it happen in America too? Head on over to our social media channels and get involved in the debate. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram