{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/legalization/5","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2045-markdown","title":"Marijuana Becomes Mainstream","slug":"marijuana-becomes-mainstream","content":"[Cole Porter](http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=16514) may not have\r\nthought himself a sociologist, but this famous songwriter captured the\r\nepitome of a process called normalization in his famous song, \"Anything\r\nGoes.\" Normalization is when something that was once considered deviant\r\nbehavior (in Porter's lyrics, \"a glimpse of stocking\") becomes socially\r\nacceptable.\r\n\r\nCannabis is now the \"stocking,\" and its use, availability and acceptance\r\nare growing in the United States, as well as in other parts of the\r\nworld. Cannabis is becoming normalized.\r\n\r\n**Defining Normalization**\r\n\r\n[Howard Parker](http://howardparker.co.uk/academic%20cv.pdf), an\r\nemeritus professor of the School of Law in Manchester, England, has\r\nwritten extensively about the normalization of illicit drugs in England.\r\nHe cites the following indicators of normalization:\r\n\r\n-   Increasing availability of the drug (and revenue in the United\r\n    States)\r\n-   Increasing use of a drug\r\n-   More tolerant attitudes toward users\r\n-   Presentation of drug cultures in TV, film and music\r\n-   More liberal policy shifts\r\n\r\nLet's apply these indicators to cannabis.\r\n\r\n**Increasing Availability and State Revenue**\r\n\r\nOver the past 20 years, states have passed [cannabis\r\nlegislation](http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/14/6-facts-about-marijuana/)\r\nthat decriminalizes possession (14 states), provides for medical use (23\r\nstates plus Washington DC) and has legalized recreational use (4 states\r\nplus Washington DC). Patients who use cannabis for treating\r\n[pain](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness-marijuana/pain-pain),\r\nphysical or mental illness now have access to a medication that 20 years\r\nago would not have been legal or feasible.\r\n\r\nA 2015\r\n[study](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/26/marijuana-industry-fastest-growing_n_6540166.html)\r\nreports that legal cannabis is the fastest growing industry in the\r\nUnited States. The cannabis market grew 74 percent from 2013 to 2014 to\r\na \\$2.7 billion industry, with an estimated 32 percent growth in 2015.\r\nSuccessful growth means increased tax revenues. In 2015, [cannabis tax\r\nrevenues](http://www.cannalawblog.com/five-top-indicators-that-cannabis-is-normalized/?utm_source=HarrisMoure+-+Canna+Law+Blog&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=693d41c3b6-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_f771927421-693d41c3b6-71328637)\r\nwere \\$66.1 million for Colorado and \\$70 million for Washington; while\r\nthese numbers are good for the state's bottom line, it also benefits the\r\nresidents. For instance, Colorado has designated \\$40 million of the tax\r\nrevenues for school construction, \\$12 million for youth and\r\nsubstance-abuse programs, and \\$2 million to college scholarship funds.\r\n\r\n**Increasing Use and More Tolerant Attitudes**\r\n\r\nCannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in America, and its [use\r\nhas\r\nincreased](http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends)\r\nfrom 14.5 million Americans aged 12 and older in 2007 to 19.8 million\r\nAmericans in 2013. Acceptance is also on the rise, since more and more\r\nAmericans support the\r\n[legalization](http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/14/6-facts-about-marijuana/)\r\nof cannabis: 53 percent in 2015 compared to just 12 percent in 1969. A\r\nPEW Study in 2014 found that 75 percent of the public believe marijuana\r\nwill be legal nationwide\r\n\r\n**Presentation in TV, Film and Music**\r\n\r\nCannabis has been presented in movies and television for decades, but\r\nthe focus has changed from the melodramatic propaganda film, \"Reefer\r\nMadness,\" to social acceptance in movies such as \"Stepmom,\" in which a\r\ndying character smokes marijuana to ease her cancer pain without the use\r\nbeing central to the plot. A recent television situation comedy, \"Modern\r\nFamily,\" introduced new neighbors as the owners of a medical marijuana\r\ndispensary with no more fanfare than if they owned a shoe store.\r\n\r\nThe music industry has also incorporated cannabis.\r\n[Billboard](http://www.billboard.com/articles/list/1558962/420-songs-20-smokin-tunes-about-weed),\r\nwhich tracks and reviews music, lists the top 20 cannabis-related songs,\r\nand they are not all by Bob Marley; songs range from rock and roll, to\r\ncountry, to jazz, to hip hop, with only one thing in common. They\r\nmention marijuana.\r\n\r\n**More Liberal Policy Shifts**\r\n\r\nCannabis is listed as a Schedule 1 drug by the [Drug Enforcement\r\nAdministration](http://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml). This means that\r\ncannabis has \"no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for\r\nabuse,\" despite the growing body of evidence to the contrary. Despite\r\nfederal legislation making it illegal to grow, sell or possess cannabis,\r\n27 states have passed laws either decriminalizing cannabis or allowing\r\nfor some use. According to the [National Cannabis Industry\r\nAssociation](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54bd4335e4b0b0eaa1130f2c/t/564ba311e4b0f9b15941c4d2/1447797521593/Top5StatestoWatchin2016.pdf),\r\nseven states are looking to expand current or pass new legislation\r\nregarding cannabis in 2016. California, Nevada, Maine, Arizona, Vermont\r\nand Massachusetts are looking at the possibility of legalizing\r\nrecreational adult use of cannabis in 2016, and Florida is debating\r\nlegislation for legalizing medical marijuana.\r\n\r\n**Cannabis Culture**\r\n\r\nParker's indicators of normalization aren't the only signs that cannabis\r\nis achieving normalization, since it is now becoming integrated into\r\ncultural events. Take cannabis-themed\r\n[weddings](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/08/marijuana-wedding_n_5648307.html),\r\nfor example. Some wedding couples are setting aside reception areas for\r\nsmoking cannabis, similar to tobacco smoking or alcohol. Some offer a\r\ncatered \"weed bar,\" where guests can partake of different varieties of\r\ncannabis or methods of cannabis delivery.\r\n\r\nColorado has also introduced cannabis into the\r\n[tourism](https://www.coloradopotguide.com/what-to-do/marijuana-tours/)\r\nindustry. Similar to a wine-tasting crawl, vacationers can sign up for\r\ntours that feature limo bus rides to cannabis-growing facilities,\r\ndispensaries and hotel accommodations. Some tourist packages offer\r\ndiscounts on purchases, as well as rides to and from the airport.\r\n\r\nLastly, for the tech savvy, a wide variety of cannabis-related apps are\r\nnow available, including on Apple, which had banned such apps prior to\r\n2015. According to\r\n[Appcrawlr](http://appcrawlr.com/ios-apps/best-free-apps-marijuana), a\r\nthird-party app search program, more than 50 cannabis-related apps are\r\navailable; these apps include dating opportunities, social media sites,\r\ninformation about specific types of cannabis and more.\r\n\r\n**Anything Goes**\r\n\r\nAlthough we're no longer treating cannabis as they did in \"Reefer\r\nMadness,\" we're not quite to the Cole Porter \"anything goes\" stage. At\r\nthe same time, the signs are showing that the \"glimpse\" of the cannabis\r\nstocking may well become acceptable.\r\n\r\n[Image Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianturk/2154922331/in/photolist-4hqxki-rcK41j-qXgNmH-AkrixD-4AdpdV-4EAgVX-a7wCmZ-a7wCie-9hWFRM-8KfCvo-a4K54o-bKUf7F-eYMinb-iuW1Us-he5vz-57XSGW-9Nfqqe-9Nfof6-9NieFY-9NftZi-9Ni8QA-9NfsZp-9Niafy-9NfoHV-9NidQ1-9NihzU-9Nfs5H-7ETUus-5Q656V-4wjYEA-kSsKu-9Nfrot-9Nib4S-9NicVG-9NifFN-9Nftic-9NfvhB-9Nfsng-9Nfv1v-9NicaE-4fJgfV-BsKqE-7onsYp-8pUrHe-66V968-opRLyC-66ZoNh-66Zp5W-66V9Dt-66V9yp)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/ee604/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.png","srcSet":"/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/69585/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.png 200w,\n/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/497c6/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.png 400w,\n/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/ee604/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.png 800w,\n/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/01d13/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.png 889w","srcWebp":"/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/58556/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/61e93/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.webp 200w,\n/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/1f5c5/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.webp 400w,\n/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/58556/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.webp 800w,\n/static/1c1375dcd456c8bf91a1a12c51ceb929/542b7/391ecf721959d5107bdc50f9a2d9ff9d.webp 889w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1956-markdown","title":"Organic or Synthetic CBD - Which is Best? ","slug":"organic-or-synthetic-cbd-which-is-best","content":"Why Whole Plant Cannabidiol is Superior for Medical Treatments\n--------------------------------------------------------------\n\nEarlier this year, an Israeli study entitled \"[Overcoming the Bell-Shaped\nDose-Response of Cannabidiol by Using Cannabis Extract Enriched in\nCannabidiol](http://scholar.google.com/scholar_url?url=http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperDownload.aspx%3FpaperID%3D53912&hl=en&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm1y6XXRXwo9CW0MRmgYs79NkUitlg&nossl=1&oi=scholaralrt)\"\nwas published in the journal *Pharmacology & Pharmacy.* This study\nproved that for clinical use, whole plant CBD-rich cannabis extracts and\nproducts are significantly more effective and therapeutic than synthetic\nsingle-molecule CBD. As a result of its findings, this study put to bed\nthe stereotyped notion that \"crude\" CBD compounds are low-quality and\nless effective than their pure, synthetic counterparts.\n\nThe findings of this study have major implications for\nphytopharmaceutical and medical marijuana industries and may produce\ntreatments that can help patients cope with painful and difficult\ninflammatory diseases.\n\nWhat is CBD?\n------------\n\nCBD, both whole plant and synthetic varieties, is a compound derived\nfrom cannabis that offers considerable medical\nbenefit\nwithout making patients feel \"high.\" This is because CBD-rich cannabis\nstrains are not psychoactive or are *less* psychoactive than their\nTHC-dominant counterparts. This makes them effective and appealing\ntreatment options for patients suffering from inflammatory\ndiseases.\npain,\nseizures,\nor\nanxiety.\n\nMany studies have been conducted on the clinical uses of CBD, and\ncurrently, the compound is being evaluated as a treatment option for\neverything from\narthritis,\nmigraines\nand\ndiabetes\nto\nPTSD,\ndepression\nepilepsy\nand chronic\npain.\nAdditionally, CBD has been shown to have considerable\nanti-cancer\nproperties as well as significant neuroprotective and neurogenic\ncapabilities, which may expand its therapeutic uses in the future.\n\nThe Israeli Study and the Bell-Shaped Curve\n-------------------------------------------\n\nThe Israeli study set out to compare the therapeutic benefits of\nCBD-rich cannabis extracts and single-molecule CBD. To begin this\nprocess, the researchers consulted preclinical studies from the last 15\nyears. The team quickly discovered that when single-molecule synthetic\nCBD was administered orally or in injection form to a patient suffering\nfrom a condition like inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), multiple\nsclerosis (MS), diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, the treatment produced\na bell-shaped curve between dose and response. This means that, after a\ncertain dosage amount, the impact of CBD ceased to be therapeutic. The\ntherapeutic dosage window for synthetic CBD was very limited and there\nwere no positive effects noted in patients when single-molecule CBD was\ngiven in higher or lower doses. This trait of single-molecule CBD limits\nits usefulness and makes it difficult to utilize effectively in a\nclinical setting.\n\nThe Clinical Difference Between Whole Plant and Synthetic CBD\n-------------------------------------------------------------\n\nAfter discovering the bell-shaped pattern created by single-molecule\nCBD, the Israeli team set out to learn more about the treatment\ndifferences between single-molecule CBD and whole plant extract rich in\nCBD. To do this, they located a CBD-rich cannabis strain that had very\nlittle THC (this strain was similar to California's ACDC strain, which\nhas long been favored by\ngrowers\nfor its high CBD content) and administered both the whole plant and\nsynthetic varieties to mice. Upon doing this, the researchers confirmed\nthat when single-molecule CBD was administered, it produced a\nbell-shaped curve with a very narrow zone for therapeutic\nadministration. The whole plant CBD extract, however, had a much\ndifferent effect.\n\nUnlike the single-molecule CBD, the whole plant CBD-rich extract\nproduced a direct and immediate reduction in pain, inflammation and\n[TNFa production](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15761843), which is\na protein that plays a significant role in inflammation. These results\nproved that CBD-rich cannabis extract is actually more effective at\nreducing inflammation than commercial painkillers. In fact, when the\nresearchers tested whole plant CBD and aspirin side-by-side, they found\nthat the whole plant CBD-rich extract produced a much more pronounced\nanti-inflammatory effect than aspirin.\n\nAdditionally, unlike purified CBD, CBD-rich extract displayed a direct\ncorrelation between dose and effectiveness. Whole plant CBD extract\nexhibited increased therapeutic responses in accordance with increasing\ndoses, which makes this treatment option attractive and applicable to\npatients in a clinical setting. Finally, the researchers discovered that\nthe amount of CBD-rich extract required to produce a therapeutic effect\nin patients was much smaller than the amount of pure CBD required to\nproduce the same therapeutic effect. These finding indicate how CBD-rich\nextract can be used more sparingly in patients suffering from\nuncomfortable conditions.\n\nThe Future of Whole Plant CBD\n-----------------------------\n\nCBD-rich extract has a direct dose-response reaction, low administration\nrequirements and profound anti-inflammatory properties. Using these\nresults, the Israeli researchers determined that CBD-rich extract is\nsuperior to single-molecule CBD for treatment of conditions that involve\ninflammation and pain. Although the exact reason for this increased\neffectiveness requires further study, researchers currently believe it\nmay be due to an interaction between the CBD itself and\nphytocannabinioids and non-cannabinoid compounds. Although further\nclinical trials are required to better understand the treatment\napplications of CBD-rich extract, it is clear that whole plant CBD has\nthe potential to change or compliment the treatment options for many\ncommon conditions that were previously treated by synthetic drugs alone.\nBecause of this, CBD-rich extract gives patients a powerful tool to\nreclaim their well being. In addition to offering a lower dose of\ntreatment than single-molecule CBD, CBD-rich extract also produces fewer\nadverse effects and has the potential to leave patients feeling better,\ndespite their health difficulties and painful conditions.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAANABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFwABAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwACBf/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAID/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAHmIWzNIpn/xAAZEAACAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgERITL/2gAIAQEAAQUCRSV0XCeYuv/EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEQ/9oACAEDAQE/AWf/xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEDH/2gAIAQIBAT8BGr//xAAXEAEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMRAR/9oACAEBAAY/Al3qv//EABsQAQACAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAESFhgRAx/9oACAEBAAE/IUSxA2xKHDZOXPluYYCzHgf/2gAMAwEAAgADAAAAEOzv/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEx/9oACAEDAQE/ENI//8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD/2gAIAQIBAT8QUf/EABsQAQADAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAESExQYGR/9oACAEBAAE/ELoFgjvqAQAa8sRxTQxauUBL3tNdgCHANbWy8b+T/9k=","aspectRatio":1.5151515151515151,"src":"/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/14b42/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.jpg","srcSet":"/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/f836f/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.jpg 200w,\n/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/2244e/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.jpg 400w,\n/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/14b42/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.jpg 800w,\n/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/47498/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/58556/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/61e93/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.webp 200w,\n/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/1f5c5/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.webp 400w,\n/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/58556/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.webp 800w,\n/static/0590c50cbc4f0fdbfca5623ec1079ac4/99238/3f9b9dab7bcd94fe30d3d1177b026d24.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1965-markdown","title":"Bernie Sanders Calls for Removal of Cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act","slug":"bernie-sanders-calls-for-removal-of-cannabis-from-schedule-i-of-the-controlled-substances-act","content":"The call for cannabis reform on the national level has been coming from\r\nsome very surprising sources recently, including the American Medical\r\nAssociation (AMA), the Brookings Institution and presidential\r\ncandidates. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders announced\r\nrecently that he is in favor of [removing marijuana from the Controlled\r\nSubstances\r\nAct](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/10/29/why-bernie-sanderss-marijuana-announcement-is-a-big-political-moment-for-pot/)\r\n(CSA). In support of his stance, Sanders introduced a bill into the\r\nSenate that would amend the CSA as well as give states the authority to\r\nmake their own decisions about cannabis and cannabinoids.\r\n\r\nThis statement by Sanders is a major turning point in political debate\r\nover medical marijuana on the national stage. As a serious Democratic\r\ncontender for the White House, Sanders holds an influential position.\r\nHis statements on this issue will affect policy decisions and the\r\nopinions of many others, both inside and outside of his party. The fact\r\nthat Sanders issued this statement now also highlights the popularity\r\nand urgency of this issue during the busy campaign season. Many media\r\nsources have pointed out that his bill in the Senate echoes the language\r\nof a bill [now being\r\nconsidered](http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/04/politics/bernie-sanders-legal-marijuana/)\r\nin the House of Representatives.\r\n\r\n\"It's a state and a federal issue,\" Sanders said. \"The federal issue is\r\nthat we should remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act.\r\nThat's a federal decision. The state decision is that we live in a\r\nfederal system of government where issues like tobacco and alcohol are\r\nsignificantly regulated by the states. And I think that is a province of\r\nthe states.\"\r\n\r\nIf medical marijuana is rescheduled from a Schedule I to a Schedule II\r\nsubstance, or removed from the CSA entirely, it and its derivatives\r\nwould be able to undergo much wider scientific testing. Current research\r\nconcentrates on the negative effects of marijuana, but rescheduling\r\nwould allow researchers to investigate more of its healing aspects.\r\nCurrent federal policy discourages research, especially risk aversion\r\namong institutional review boards. Similarly, many universities have\r\ndeclined medical marijuana research proposals due to their concern over\r\nreactions from donors, parents and college trustees.\r\n\r\nSanders is not alone among [presidential candidates in\r\nfavor](https://www.yahoo.com/politics/where-the-2016-presidential-candidates-stand-on-116920750826.html)\r\nof updating government policy on issues related to medical marijuana. In\r\nfact, Republican Rand Paul is a vocal critic of current policy and\r\nsupports wider medical marijuana research, access to banking services by\r\nmarijuana providers and the right for states to decide how they will\r\nproceed on the issue.\r\n\r\nIn an attack on one of his main rivals, Paul pointed out, \"If you've got\r\nMS in Florida, Jeb Bush voted to put you in jail if you go to a local\r\ndrugstore and get medical marijuana. Yet he was doing it for\r\nrecreational purposes, and it's a different standard for him because he\r\nwas from a very wealthy family going to a wealthy school, and he got off\r\nscot-free.\" During the Republican debate, Bush admitted to smoking\r\nmarijuana, simply tweeting afterward, \"Sorry Mom.\"\r\n\r\nFlorida Senator Marco Rubio also expressed his qualified support for\r\nchanging federal policy on medical marijuana. He told the Tampa Bay\r\nTimes, \"If there are medicinal uses of marijuana that don't have the\r\nelements that are mind-altering or create the high but do alleviate\r\nwhatever condition they are trying to alleviate, that is something I\r\nwould be open to.\"\r\n\r\nThe push for more medical marijuana research by these candidates was\r\nalso supported by major healthcare institutions. Over the summer, the\r\nAMA published a report stating that marijuana should be considered a\r\nform of medicine. Their [review of scientific\r\nstudies](http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2015/06/23/marijuana-is-medicine-journal-of-the-american-medical-association-concludes/)\r\nconcluded that the \"use of marijuana for chronic pain, neuropathic pain\r\nand spasticity due to multiple sclerosis is supported by high-quality\r\nevidence.\"\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, the influential Washington think tank The Brookings\r\nInstitution called on lawmakers to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I\r\nto Schedule II, facilitate medical research into its potential benefits\r\nand expand the Compassionate Investigative New Drug (IND) Program. Their\r\nreport pointed out that Marinol, a synthetic cannabinoid, was\r\nrescheduled from Schedule I to Schedule II in 1985 and moved down again\r\nto Schedule III in 1999.\r\n\r\nRescheduling alone is only one step. The Brookings Institution pointed\r\nout that the federal government's policies regarding medical marijuana\r\ninvolve many other agencies that deal with pharmaceuticals, healthcare,\r\npublic health, medical research, business taxation and federal\r\nenforcement. Today, there remains a hodgepodge of conflicting policies\r\nthat need to be clearly defined and standardized across the board.\r\n\r\nTheir report concludes, \"As the next president comes to office, he or\r\nshe will inherit a marijuana policy regime that is inconsistent and\r\noften contradictory. It is incumbent on President Obama's successor to\r\nintroduce some uniformity, discipline and sensibility to this policy\r\narea. Focusing on medical marijuana research would be a good place to\r\nbegin.\"\r\n\r\nThe public is ready for this change, well ahead of politicians. Research\r\nfrom [national Gallup\r\npolls](http://www.gallup.com/poll/186260/back-legal-marijuana.aspx) has\r\nshown that the majority of U.S. citizens have been in favor of marijuana\r\nlegalization for the past three years. This year, the favorable rating\r\nhas reached 58 percent. For those in the 18 to 34 age group, that\r\nfavorability rating has increased to 71 percent, which is the best\r\nindication of future U.S. policy.\r\n\r\n[Picture Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/80038275@N00/22112670773)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5151515151515151,"src":"/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/14b42/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.jpg","srcSet":"/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/f836f/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.jpg 200w,\n/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/2244e/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.jpg 400w,\n/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/14b42/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.jpg 800w,\n/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/47498/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/58556/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/61e93/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.webp 200w,\n/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/1f5c5/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.webp 400w,\n/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/58556/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.webp 800w,\n/static/09371d1829de697a39a7bbefe7e5cbeb/99238/6f9843b790ed02bd3e210957a0104a19.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":48,"numPages":5,"currentPage":5,"id":5436,"name":"Legalization","slug":"legalization","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}