New legend Winter Edition 4 | Page 28

The Era of Marijuana Legalization There’s no doubt that in the last decade, society has begun to sing a different tune when it comes to marijuana legalization. The stigmas that once associated pot with being the “gateway” drug into an unstable life of substance abuse have quickly turned into what many claim to be a savior in the medical industry and a much needed boost to our economy. The Era of Marijuana Legalization If you would have asked your neighbor what they thought about marijuana legalization in the late 60’s, you more than likely wouldn’t have gotten a positive response. Studies show that only 12% of Americans saw the benefits of legalizing marijuana in 1969 versus the 51% of the American public 26 N today, according to a recent Gallup poll. Since Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Alaska broke the mold and legalized the use of recreational marijuana, we’ve seen the positive financial impact it can have with the big bucks it brings Uncle Sam. There are now 23 US states that allow some sort of legal use of cannabis and many believe more are to follow this year. In fact, it’s been speculated that ahead of the 2016 elections, at least 5 more states are supposed to jump on board with full legalization. Imagine a time before marketing alcohol was needed, New legends magazine