If these initiatives are successful, half of the 50 U.S. states will legalize marijuana for recreational use as a sign of growing popular support.
When voters in the US state of Arkansas go to the polls next Tuesday (11/8), they will be required to vote in the midterm legislative election, not only for federal, state and local public officials, but also in a consultation. Popular view of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.
If residents decide “yes”, the state in the country’s southern region, where the state government, the House and the Senate are controlled by Republican politicians, will be the most conservative in legalizing marijuana for recreational use in the United States.
Four other states, three of which are traditionally conservative, are holding similar consultations in these elections. The fifth, Oklahoma, is expected to decide on the issue in a separate vote scheduled for March.
If these initiatives are successful, half of the 50 U.S. states will have legalized marijuana for recreational use, a sign of growing popular support for such measures, including parts of the country considered more conservative.
Until a decade ago, recreational use of cannabis was completely banned in the country. This began to change in 2012 when the states of Washington and Colorado took the lead in legalizing such use.
Today, 19 states and the capital, Washington DC, allow recreational use. 18 more states allow only medical use.
In some of these states, particularly those with Democratic majorities, legalization took place through the traditional legislative process, with bills passed in both houses of the state legislature and approved by the governor. In others, it was the result of popular initiatives where groups gathered signatures for the proposal to be voted on in the elections.
Supporters of legalization often advocate creating a regulated market with an opportunity to create jobs, collect taxes, and reverse the damage done by the drug war, especially among racial minorities. Opponents are concerned about the increased use of youth, accidents and crime, and environmental impacts.
Despite improvements in the states, marijuana continues to be banned at the federal level. But some opinion polls show that the majority of Americans favor legalization.
Increased public support
“We’ve seen that public support for this problem has grown dramatically over the years,” said Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for Cannabis Law Reform (abbreviated NORML).
“Cannabis legalization is an issue that crosses party lines and is supported by most Democrats, Independents, and Republicans,” says Armentano.
A survey published last year by the Pew Research Center said that 60% of respondents support legalizing recreational use and 91% support medical use.
In a survey conducted by YouGov in March this year, 66% said they believed recreational use should be legalized at the federal level. Last month, another poll by Monmouth University found that 68% support legalizing small amounts for personal use, including 76% of Democrats and 52% of Republicans.
The results are similar to a Gallup poll released last year that said 68% supported legalization, including 83% of those who identify as Democrats and 50% of Republicans. The institute, which has tracked American views on the subject for more than fifty years, shows how support has grown in recent years.
In the early 2000s, only 34% supported legalization, and as of 2012 most Americans were still against it. But in 2013, this version first gained majority support in polls, including conservatives, a trend that has been growing ever since.
Three months ago, the National Marijuana Roundtable, which represents companies in the industry, launched a poll of Americans who identify as Republicans. According to the results, 76% agreed that when a state legalizes marijuana with the support of voters, the federal government should not appeal the decision, but rather remove the barriers these markets face.
According to Armentano, some of the evolution in public opinion over the past 25 years is due to demographic changes, with greater support among younger voters. But another important factor for him was that during this period the concept of legalizing marijuana in the United States moved from theory to practice.
“If 25 years ago there was a discussion about how legalization would work in the US and what the consequences would be, the answers to these questions are already known today,” emphasizes Armentano.
“I believe this is the main change. Popular support has grown as more and more states have legalized it. And even in states where it’s already legal, public support is greater now than when the measure was first approved,” he says. .
Measures voted on in the US
Voters in Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Maryland, and Missouri will decide in this context in this election.
In Arkansas, the proposed constitutional amendment, called the “Cannabis Legalization Initiative,” allows the purchase and possession of one ounce (equivalent to 28.3 grams) of marijuana for personal use for adults who are at least 21 years old. The measure has bilateral support, but has encountered obstacles on its way to the ballot.
Supporters of including the issue in the November vote garnered more than necessary signatures, but the attempt was rejected by the state council responsible for running the elections. The case was settled in court, and in September this year the State Supreme Court ruled that voting could continue.
Voting polls in the state show that the majority supports legalization, but the margins are narrowing and opposition has managed to gain a large number of votes in recent weeks. The legalization campaign has already raised more than US$4 million (around R$20 million), double the amount raised by the opposition campaign.
In the most recent poll conducted by Talk Business & Politics and faculty member Hendrix College, October 17-18, 50.5% said they were in favor, 43% against, and 6.5% were still undecided. In September, 58.5% said they were in favor of legalization, 29% were against and 12.5% were undecided.
Some GOP representatives in Arkansas have spoken out strongly against the initiative, including US Senator Tom Cotton, who warned of a possible increase in “crimes, (drug) addiction and traffic deaths” if the initiative passes.
By 2016, Arkansas voters had approved the medical use of marijuana, which is now sold in approximately 40 licensed dispensaries. In the first nine months of this year alone, residents are estimated to have invested more than US$200 million (approximately R$1 billion) in purchasing cannabis for medical use.
In North Dakota, where the Republican Party dominates the government and both legislatures, a legislative proposal passed the state legislature last year but failed to get enough votes in the Senate. The new measure legalizes the use, possession and cultivation of small quantities for adults and establishes commercialization rules.
Medicinal use is already permitted in the neighboring state of South Dakota, which is also strongly republican. In 2020, recreational use was approved by 54% of the vote, but the injunction was overturned in court. Opinion polls show that the new initiative has the support of 43.8% of the voters.
In Maryland, where the governor is a Republican but both legislatures are controlled by Democrats, polls show that 73% of voters intend to vote to legalize recreational use. Medical use of marijuana has been legal in the state since 2013.
In Missouri, where the Republican Party dominates the government and the legislature, the legalization proposal was put to the polls on the initiative of the people. The state already allows medical use of marijuana, but polls show voters are split over the new measure, which is facing strong opposition from police departments and prosecution troops.
In addition to these statewide votes, voters in dozens of cities in other states will also decide on recommendations regarding recreational marijuana consumption, sale and possession.
Position of the federal government
In the face of growing support for legalization, many activists are critical of the federal government’s stance that keeps marijuana in the category reserved for more dangerous drugs such as heroin.
In early October, a month before the midterm elections, US President Joe Biden said he was directing the Health and Justice Departments to expedite the process of reviewing this cannabis classification.
On the same occasion, to fulfill a campaign promise, Biden announced the pardon of more than 6,500 people convicted by federal courts for simple marijuana possession.
Although the announcement was received positively, activists remember that this latest measure had limited effect, as there is currently no one in federal prison for this crime in the country. The greatest benefit will be to ease the barriers faced by people with past convictions who find it difficult to find work or other opportunities.
In addition, the reforms Biden announced still do not touch the point of legalization at the federal level. Meanwhile, states that legalize marijuana continue to face a number of challenges due to the difference between state and federal laws.
One of the hurdles is that companies in the industry that operate a multi-million dollar market in each state cannot open bank accounts for fear of being prosecuted by federal law if they receive money from selling drugs. Thus, companies are forced to transact in cash.
Analysts say marijuana legalization is not seen as a priority by lawmakers in Washington in the face of issues of greater concern today, such as abortion, the economy, crime and threats to democracy. An analysis by Politico shows that less than one in five congressional candidates in this year’s primary elections announced clear policies on the issue.
According to NORML’s Armentano, part of the lack of action at the federal level is due to the advanced age of leaders on both sides. But he says he believes one of the biggest obstacles to legalization at the federal level is the general difficulty of passing laws in a highly polarized political environment like the United States.
“To wait for both parties to come together to reform a public policy that has been in place for more than 50 years is asking too much at a time when congressmen are almost never in agreement on anything,” Armentano says.
– This text has been published andm https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-63520817
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source: Noticias
