Eight states and the District of Columbia have already legalized recreational marijuana through ballot measures. But as public opinion shifts, state legislatures are getting on board. As of May, 19 states are considering bills to legalize recreational pot.
Transcript:
PHOEBE GAVIN, ThinkProgress: You know who’s having a great year? Pot advocates…
FOX 13: Medical cannabis will not be legalized in Utah
WCAX: A big no on legal weed.
GAVIN: No, really.
You might remember voters in 8 states and DC legalized recreational marijuana between 2012 and 2016. Well, this year, for the first time ever, a state almost passed a recreational pot bill through its state legislature — and this isn’t an anomaly.
And that’s because public opinion is changing quickly. Back when —
BELL BIV DEVOE, Poison: …that girl was poison…
GAVIN: less than 20% of Americans supported legalization. Now, it’s up to 57%.
This isn’t just a story of stoners getting their way. Marijuana is a lucrative business. In Colorado, for example, pot sales totaled $1.3 billion in 2016 alone. That meant $200 million in tax revenue, most of which went to the public school system.
And in the first year of D.C.’s legalization, marijuana related arrests dropped 85% — saving the city more than just money.
So of course, other states want to get in on that, which brings us to Vermont.
Vermont had a bill that would legalize small amounts of pot for adult recreational use. It passed the house and the senate. If Gov. Phil Scott had signed the legislation, Vermont would have gone down in history as the first state to legalize marijuana through the legislative process instead of at the ballot box.
However, the governor vetoed it — but not without recognizing a shift in public perception.
GOV. PHIL SCOTT (VT): I’m not philosophically opposed to ending the prohibition on marijuana.
GAVIN: The matter isn’t over yet. If the legislature addresses some of his concerns during the summer session, the Green Mountain State will get quite a bit greener.
And Vermont is not alone. As of May, 19 states are considering bills to legalize recreational weed. Some are stalled in committee, others are making their way to a vote. And granted, four already failed this year.
But the fact that these bills are even being introduced is a far cry from when President Clinton…
PRES. BILL CLINTON: didn’t inhale.
GAVIN: So really, this is just the beginning.