Next Stop… Cannabis

Welcome to the new monthly editorial column “Cannabis Corner” in GED Magazine and online at GEDmag.com. Cannabis Corner will talk about the cannabis industry with guest writers and fun commentary. So sit back, stay tuned and remember, it’s 4:20 somewhere!

November 2016 proved to be a landmark moment for many reasons. But here we are only going to talk about the good in that California, Massachusetts, Nevada and Maine voted to legalize recreational marijuana in their states.  The results of the four statewide marijuana initiatives provided a launch pad toward normalization of marijuana use and a push toward a repeal of federal cannabis prohibition.  The results were especially in massive California, where voters approved Proposition 64 by 56%, which legalized Marijuana in California for adults 21 and older. (Smoking permitted in private homes or at businesses licensed for on-site marijuana consumption.) The United States now has eight states, plus the District of Columbia, where recreational marijuana is now legal. Medical marijuana is now legal in 28 states, plus D.C.

A recent study by the Marijuana Policy Group found that in 2015, legal marijuana activities generated nearly $1 billion in sales in the state of Colorado, created 18,000 new jobs, and garnered $121 million in tax revenue for the state. The study also projected that legal marijuana demand is projected to grow by 11.3 percent per year through 2020.[1]

In California under Prop. 64, it is now legal for any adult to possess up to 28.5 grams or about 1 ounce of cannabis or up to 4 grams of concentrated cannabis. Any person possessing an amount over these limits may be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor. Individual cities retain the authority to regulate and ban all other cultivation and all recreational marijuana businesses, and can decide whether to allow any recreational businesses in their communities. State licensing of medical and recreational marijuana businesses is slated to begin in January 2018. So for now, you still need to have a medical marijuana card to make purchases at dispensaries. The state is figuring out the rules and regulations to sell recreational use marijuana. California has also indicated it will oppose any attempt by the Federal Government to crack down on the state’s now legal recreational use of marijuana.

As for the how and where, remember, you must be 21+ and you cannot smoke in public. If you can’t smoke cigarettes there, you certainly can’t smoke weed there – smoking is allowed only in private homes. AND according to the California Highway Patrol, whether it’s marijuana, a prescription drug, unknown substance or alcohol, if any of those impair your driving, you’re subject to DUI laws in California.

[1] MPG (October 2016) “The Economic Impact of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado”