At the present time marijuana in some form is legal in 33 states. In 10 states it is legal for recreational use. It is legal in the District of Columbia. (Where it is certainly needed more than ever!) However, it is not legal on the federal level, even in the States where it has been legalized under state laws.
The fact that federal prohibitions on marijuana use or sale still apply in states that have legalized the drug has led to conflicts in matters such as banking and taxation for producers. Banking, until very recently, has been the most difficult issue to deal with. Since it is not legal under federal law, the cash proceeds could not be placed in a federally approved bank. But this loophole is in the process of being changed.
Check out our article, “The Plight of Medical Marijuana Caregivers” to understand the nightmares that can be faced by medical marijuana state-licensed growers because of the discrepancies between state and federal laws.
The debate over legalization centers around several key issues:
Legalizing marijuana would allow adults freedom of choice to use a relatively harmless substance while increasing state revenue and freeing up law enforcement resources. Sounds good, but here comes the other side.
It is suggested that marijuana does have negative health impacts, and legalization would increase use in the midst of a drug crisis. This means these nay-sayers are now equating pot with opiods. Simply put, that is absurd.
