(16 Nov 2020) Marijuana isn’t just for blue states anymore.
The 2020 election helped prove how broadly accepted recreational marijuana has become throughout the United States and across party lines, with measures to legalize recreational pot breezing to victory in Arizona, New Jersey, Montana and South Dakota.
Fifteen states have now passed recreational marijuana laws and 36 states have medical marijuana laws.
The measures passed this election by margins that showed it’s not just liberal-leaning voters who now embrace decriminalizing pot.
In South Dakota and Montana, where Republicans swept to victory in the key races, recreational marijuana measures passed with about 16% percentage points more votes than President-elect Joe Biden received.
A recent Gallup Poll found 68 percent of Americans now favor legalizing marijuana use, double the approval rate in 2003.
Supporters argue the industry creates jobs and raises tax money to help prop up governments that are hurting due to business closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Still, there are groups that oppose legalization of marijuana on a broad scale.
Republican Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota argued that marijuana leads people to use other, more-addictive drugs and law enforcement officers in Montana argued it would lead to more crime and drugged driving and exacerbate mental health issues.
The 2020 election helped prove how broadly accepted recreational marijuana has become throughout the United States and across party lines, with measures to legalize recreational pot breezing to victory in Arizona, New Jersey, Montana and South Dakota.
Fifteen states have now passed recreational marijuana laws and 36 states have medical marijuana laws.
The measures passed this election by margins that showed it’s not just liberal-leaning voters who now embrace decriminalizing pot.
In South Dakota and Montana, where Republicans swept to victory in the key races, recreational marijuana measures passed with about 16% percentage points more votes than President-elect Joe Biden received.
A recent Gallup Poll found 68 percent of Americans now favor legalizing marijuana use, double the approval rate in 2003.
Supporters argue the industry creates jobs and raises tax money to help prop up governments that are hurting due to business closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Still, there are groups that oppose legalization of marijuana on a broad scale.
Republican Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota argued that marijuana leads people to use other, more-addictive drugs and law enforcement officers in Montana argued it would lead to more crime and drugged driving and exacerbate mental health issues.
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