legalization Archives - TheJointBlog

Study: Marijuana Legalization Associated With Reduction in Crime, Drug and Alcohol Use

April 12, 2018 by Anthony Martinelli

The legalization of marijuana is associated with a reduction in crime, as well as drug and alcohol use, according to a new study published by the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization.

“First-pass evidence is provided that the legalization of the cannabis market across US states is inducing a crime drop”, states the study’s abstract. “We exploit the staggered legalization of recreational marijuana enacted by the adjacent states of Washington (end of 2012) and Oregon (end of 2014). Combining county-level difference-in-differences and spatial regression discontinuity designs, we find that the policy caused a significant reduction in rapes and property crimes on the Washington side of the border in 2013–2014 relative to the Oregon side and relative to the pre-legalization years 2010–2012.

Researchers found that legalization “also increased consumption of marijuana and reduced consumption of other drugs and both ordinary and binge alcohol. ”

Vermont Marijuana Legalization Bill Approved by Legislature, Sent to Governor

May 10, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Vermont’s full legislature has passed a bill to legalize marijuana, making them the first in U.S. history to do so.

Senate Bill 22, which has now been approved by both the House of Representatives and Senate, would legalize the possession and use of up to an ounce of cannabis for those 21 and older. It would also allow them to legally cultivate up to two mature, and four immature cannabis plants at a private residence. Although the measure doesn’t legalize cannabis retail outlets, it does establish a study commission to consider the regulation and taxation of marijuana for adult use.

Although there are eight states in the U.S. where cannabis is legal, passage of Senate Bill 22 marks the first time ever that a state’s legislature has approved a bill to legalize marijuana; all prior legalization laws were approved through voter-initiatives. The legislation will now be sent to the desk of Governor Phil Scott for consideration; Scott has the option of signing it into law, allowing it to become law without his signature, or vetoing it.

Initiative to Legalize Cannabis Being Placed on 2016 General Election Ballot

March 13, 2015March 13, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Republican House Majority Leader Paul Anderson says that an initiative to legalize cannabis won’t receive a vote by Friday, meaning it will be officially placed on the 2016 general election ballot.

Initiative Petition 1 would legalize possession of up to one ounce of cannabis, and would authorize state-licensed cannabis retail outlets to distribute the plant.

The initiative was certified by the Secretary of State in December, giving the Legislature the option of passing it into law, or placing it on the 2016 presidential election ballot; by failing to put it to a vote, lawmakers have chosen the later.

Survey: Majority of Americans Support Legalizing Recreational Cannabis

March 4, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

For the first time in the poll’s 43 years of existence, the Gold Society Survey has found that a majority of Americans support the legalization of recreational cannabis. The survey is considered by many to be the absolute gold standard in public opinion research, and is widely regarded as the single best source of data on societal trends.

According to the poll, 52% of those in the United States support the legalization of cannabis, with just 42% opposed; the remaining 6% are undecided. This marks an almost 20% increase from 2004, when 33% of those in the U.S. responded that they support legalizing cannabis, and a 9% increase from the last time the survey was conducted in 2012.

Report: Legalizing Cannabis Would Create A $35 Billion Industry In The U.S.

October 27, 2014October 24, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

A new report released by GreenWave Advisers has detailed a calculated prediction about the future of the legal cannabis industry – and the numbers are huge.

According to the report, if cannabis was legalized on a federal level in the United States by the year 2020, the recreational and medical market combined in all 50 states would be valued at around $35 billion annually.

The analysis concludes that change in federal law is expected, due to the continued efforts of lawmakers pushing various pieces of legislation to ease current laws, the benefits of medical cannabis becoming better understood, the positive economic impact becoming more recognized and according to the report, the most important factor: public support in favor of legalization is growing.

New Poll: 58% of Americans Support Legalizing Cannabis

September 4, 2014September 3, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

A new survey of over 450,000 Americans, conducted by the polling firm CivicScience, has found that a strong majority of Americans are in favor of legalizing cannabis. Of those polled, 58% stated they support cannabis legalization, with just 39% opposed, and 7% undecided.

The survey asked the following question; “Would you support or oppose a law in your state that would legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana like alcohol?”

Of those in support, 39% said they’re “strongly” in support, with 19% saying they’re “somewhat” in support. Of those opposed, 29% “strongly” oppose the move, and 6% “somewhat” oppose the move.

Study: Oregonians to Purchase 1.3 Million Ounces of Cannabis in First Year of Legalization

August 18, 2014July 24, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

A new study conducted by ECONorthwest has found that the market for legalized cannabis in Oregon is quite large, and would garner tens of millions of dollars in taxes for the state in the first year.

The study, which was commissioned by New Approach Oregon, the group behind an initiative to legalize cannabis which was recently placed on the November ballot, found that in the first year of legal cannabis sales, Oregonians are likely to purchase over 1.3 million ounces (or 81,250 pounds) of cannabis. This, according to the tax rate put in place by the initiative, would equal over $38 million in taxes for the state; this isn’t counting the money saved from reduced enforcement costs.

New Poll Finds 57% of Vermont Voters Support Legalizing Cannabis for Recreational Purposes

August 24, 2014May 24, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

A new poll conducted by the Castleton Polling Institute has found that a strong majority of voters in Vermont favor the legalization of recreational cannabis for adults.

According to results of the survey, 57.2% of Vermont voters support legalizing cannabis, with just 34.3% opposed; the remaining 8.5% are currently undecided.

“People are fed up with marijuana prohibition,” says Matt Simon, New England Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project, the organization that commissioned the poll. “Marijuana is an objectively less harmful substance than alcohol, and this poll shows most Vermonters want it to be treated that way.”

New Poll: 90% of Connecticut Voters Support Legal Medical Cannabis

August 24, 2014May 12, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

A Quinnipiac University poll released today has found that a drastic majority of Connecticut voters support the legalization of medical cannabis. In fact, the poll found Connecticut to have the highest support for medical cannabis legalization ever recorded in the U.S. by a professionally conducted poll.

According to the poll, 90% of voters in Connecticut support making medical cannabis legal, with just 9% opposed. Among voters aged 18 to 29, a mind-boggling 99% support the move towards legal medical cannabis.

New National Survey: 69% of Voters More Likely to Vote if Cannabis Legalization is on the Ballot

August 24, 2014March 28, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

Results of the newest George Washington University Battleground Poll, released this week, have found voters are much more likely to turn out at the polls if cannabis legalization is on the ballot.

From March 16th to March 20th, pollsters surveyed 1,000 registered, likely voters across the U.S. from every demographic. Participants were asked a variety of questions, including whether they support legalizing medical cannabis in their state, whether they would support the decriminalization of cannabis possession in their state, and if they would be more likely to vote in an election if a cannabis legalization initiative was on the ballot.