Next States to Legalize Marijuana in 2019

There is no doubt that 2018 was a great year for Cannabis. The sacred plant made a comeback in several spots of the globe Canada is one of those big spots for example. There are now hundreds of Licensed Cannabis producers in Canada.

But, also in USA 2018 ends as one of the busiest years ever for Cannabis in state capitols. Hundreds of cannabis-related bills have been introduced. In states where legalization has taken place, there has been a strong increase in tax revenue on cannabis sales, and if legalized at the federal level, it could provide a massive influx of tax dollars.

Next year we wait for significant progress toward ending marijuana prohibition. Major plans are already evaluated in New York State, Connecticut, Illinois.

New York State

The governor Andrew Cuomo wants to introduce a pot-legalization plan . In August a 16 member working group was appointed to draft legislation and hold public hearings. New York State director of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), said the group is urging the governor and lawmakers to make a lot of things right with recreational legalization. For years the biggest obstacle to legalizing recreational marijuana in New York was Cuomo but this seems to change now as an evaluation by the state recommended legalizing marijuana. It looks like that New York will legalize marijuana sooner that many thought.

New Jersey

Last November New Jersey elected a pro-recreational marijuana Democrat (Phil Murphy) who are committed to legalize Cannabis in the near future. New Jersey will legalize recreational marijuana very soon- legislature and legalization is on the agenda for the first months 2019.

Additionally Senate President Steve Sweeney is a supporter and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin has reportedly started to come around on the issue. If New Jersey legalize Cannabis it will become the second State that does this ever via the legislative process ,after Vermont did the same this year.

Connecticut

Connecticut has recently elected Ned Lamont, a pro-recreational Cannabis governor. four committees have already held hearings on Cannabis regulation bills, and one of them —the Joint Committee on Appropriations —advanced this bill to the House floor with a plan to legalize and regulate marijuana. It might be a good time during 2019 to legalize Cannabis as recreational marijuana is already legal in the states surrounding Connecticut, Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts.

Illinois

Although Illinois’ marijuana regulation bills did not receive a vote in 2018, they made significant headway behind the scenes. Illinois has a pro-Cannabis Governor (J.B. Pritzker) who wants to legalize marijuana soon. Discussions with stakeholders have been ongoing. Support grew substantially among lawmakers this year Statewide, 66% of voters support legalization for the second year in a row. On March 22, 2017, Illinois lawmakers proposed legalizing recreational marijuana in the state The measure would also allow residents to possess up to 28 grams of cannabis, or about an ounce, and to grow five plants. Dispensaries will carry approved medical marijuana products for state approved patients.

As legalization spreads across the country at the state level, Let’s hope that Cannabis prohibition will end at Federal level. It is a matter of time as Congress will eventually have to move to legalize marijuana at the federal level.so marijuana is no longer a Schedule I drug.