The Current Buzz Vol 2 Issue 6
Page 8
The BLUNT Truth
could marijuana be on its way to legal at the
federal level? and should it be? by Ashlynn Cisco, Amy Addams
There’s been talk for a while
that marijuana is on its way to
legal at the federal government.
Some of the indicators that its
time has come are:
1. The federal government
has released some
rumblings that repeals of
marijuana prohibition are
in the works.
2. Canopy Growth (a
company 37 percent
controlled by beer
makers of Corona and
Modelo) purchased
Acreage Holdings (one
of the largest medical
marijuana growers in the
U.S.), and it appears that
this purchase has been
made in anticipation of
marijuana legalization
across the country.
3. John Boehner, Honorary
Chairman of the National
Cannabis Roundtable
(NCR) has been chatting
with lawmakers on both
sides to get everyone
on board to support
legalization of marijuana.
One big sell is the
STATES Act which allows
each state to handle
marijuana laws as they
see fit. This would save
time and effort at the
federal level and would
make it so that disputes
are not brought before
the Supreme Court.
Today, two out of three adults
favor the legalization of
marijuana, double the number
who supported it in 2005; 53
percent Republican, 75 percent
Democrat and 71 percent
Independent support legalizing
marijuana.
Legalized recreational and medical
Legalized medical
So, what’s stopping it?
The federal focus remains on
border reform, but there’s also
the issue of who prescribes and
distributes medical marijuana,
then they need to figure usage
restrictions based on receipt
of federal aid and employment
issues. All need to be addressed
before the federal government
can bless marijuana’s use at
the federal level. And this is a
VERY simplified version of the
line items that would need to be
addressed. There’s the issue of
gun ownership, DUI’s, DWI’s,
banking regulations, bankruptcy
and child endangerment cases
where marijuana is a factor.
Do we WANT or NEED
marijuana to be legal at the
federal level?
Given the amount of state and
local taxes already charged,