Photo credit: Getty Images
Virginia officially legalized marijuana on Wednesday, April 21. This comes after New York legalized it on Wednesday, March 31, and New Mexico on Monday, April 12, making the past month one of the most successful ones for the marijuana legalization movement.
If one more state chooses to legalize it, this will tie 2021 with 2016 and 2020 as the years that saw the biggest leaps forward in terms of marijuana legalization at the state level. One key difference is that, unlike 2016 and 2020, which saw reform pass through ballot measures, the strides made in the first quarter of 2021 all passed through state legislatures. Illinois had been the first state to accomplish this feat, legalizing weed at the beginning of 2020; it seems to have now become a viable way to bring about change through the action of lawmakers.
Virginia
In Virginia, legalization had been reached but with a 2024 timeline, which Virginia lawmakers changed in the final version signed by Gov. Ralph Northam signed this week. Instead, the revised bill makes possession of marijuana by Virginians legal as early as July 2021.
“We made history as the first state in the South to legalize the simple possession of marijuana. I am pleased that the General Assembly accepted my proposal to make this change on July 1, 2021 nearly three years earlier than planned,” the governor announced, pointing out that accelerating the timeline towards legal weed is a “critical step” to address racial injustices that have been disproportionately affecting black residents.
New York
On March 31, Gov. Andrew Cuomo received and subsequently signed the bill legalizing adult-use legalization in New York, a longstanding promise made by Cuomo to boost the state’s economy, fill the coffers and address structural inequities.
“The bill creates automatic expungement of previous marijuana convictions that would now be legal,” Gov. Cuomo announced. Another socially conscious choice made by the New York legislature is to set a goal to have 50% of marijuana business licenses be issued to people from communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. Tax revenue from marijuana sales would be reinvested in local communities, public schools and treatment facilities across the state.
New Mexico
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham had attempted to legalize marijuana for a long time now, and it went through in a special session called for the occasion. The original legalization bill, which stalled on the state Senate’s floor because Republicans believed its scope was too large, had to be cut into pieces, in part removing social justice provisions—but those are now expected to be repackaged in a new bill.
“As we look to rebound from the economic downturn caused by the pandemic entrepreneurs will benefit from this great opportunity to create lucrative new enterprises, the state and local governments will benefit from the added revenue and, importantly, workers will benefit from the chance to land new types of jobs and build careers,” Gov. Grisham announced.
More to Come
There are more states that are currently working to bring legal marijuana to their populations. While marijuana reform used to only be viable if put on the ballot for people to vote on, it has become an issue that lawmakers are now willing to tackle.
In Minnesota, a bill to fully legalize it is currently moving through committees, and it is expected to pass the House, but it could meet a roadblock in the Republican-controlled state Senate. If the bill does not pass, however, it will most likely be left up to the voters by being on the 2022 ballot, according to House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. The same thing is happening in Connecticut, where two legalization proposals, one of which emanated from Gov. Ned Lamont. If they fail to pass the legislature, House Speaker Matthew Ritter has announced wanting to put the measure on the ballot in 2022 as well. In Rhode Island, two such proposals, including one proposed by Gov. Gina Raimondo, are being considered. Another such bill has also been introduced in Delaware.
“We expect 2021 to be a record-breaking year for legislatures legalizing cannabis,” said Steve Hawkins, executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project. “More than two-thirds of Americans believe it's time to end prohibition and this move represents the latest example of elected officials joining the chorus of support for legalizing and regulating cannabis for adults.”
