The battle to legalize marijuana has been called the modern-day equivalent to Prohibition. On December 6, 2012, Washington made history as the first state to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Colorado followed suit four days later. In additional, over half of our states have made laws decriminalizing marijuana or making it legal for medicinal use. Despite this, marijuana remains illegal on a federal basis. Adding to this conundrum, the Justice Department has been raiding and closing down “legal” medical marijuana dispensaries, while President Obama has stated that there are “bigger fish to fry” than the recreational users in Washington and Colorado.
This infographic breaks down the massive amount of marijuana legislation that exists today, whether it be to legalize medical or recreational marijuana or just decriminalize it. In addition to exploring the differences between Washington and Colorado’s legalization laws, it reveals two famously close failed attempts to legalize, and projects which states will come next. The two legal states will be making billions of dollars in extra revenue – and depending what happens federally, the national government could tap into this taxable substance as well. Despite the relatively low monetary health cost per marijuana user when compared to those who smoke tobacco or drink alcohol, there is a marijuana arrest every 42 seconds in the United States. What is the future of this controlled substance? Only time will tell.
Infographic by Clarity Way Rehab Center
