Obviously no one can predict the future, but sometimes in fun to conjecture on how things might be; for the purposes of this article, we’re talking about the cannabis landscape in 5 years in the United States.
It’s July 14th, 2019. Barack Obama in no longer President, and whoever is in the White House now is unlikely a friend of cannabis, unless someone like Rand Paul runs and wins. Getting the DEA to lay off states with legalization laws could be reality, once the idea gains traction in the US Senate and there in not a hard-line drug warrior in the White House to veto it.
On the state level, most states will have some form of medical marijuana legalization. When it comes to recreational legalization, Colorado and Washington will likely have been joined by Alaska, Oregon and California, with other possible states including Maine and Massachusetts. Depending on what the federal government does, the process could certainly be accelerated.
The stigma surrounding marijuana will have lessened considerably as teenagers who don’t see marijuana as a big deal come of age and start voting. And, not to be too morbid, but many of the older generation who oppose legalization based on what they heard about marijuana 50 years ago will have passed on.
Marijuana will be even more prevalent in TV shows and movies, making its acceptance as a recreational substance more widespread. More substantial evidence will be coming from Colorado and Washington about the great things legalization is accomplishing, higher tax revenues and lower crime rates chief among them.
These “predictions” depend on many things of course; the main thing is the effectiveness of those now advocating for cannabis legalization. The momentum is ours, now is when we must seize it.
The Marijuana Landscape In 5 Years
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