According to Yahoo News and other media outlets, marijuana legalization referendums passed in five states. Also, drug decriminalization passed in Oregon as expected.
New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, and Arizona approved marijuana measures legalizing recreational marijuana use. Mississippi approved medical marijuana access by a wide margin. There have been numerous polls showing support for marijuana legalization, and with a few exceptions, most voter referendums across the country during the past ten years across have passed. With these new states approving marijuana use, 15 states and the District of Columbia now allow recreational marijuana use and 36 states and the District of Columbia have medical marijuana.
In Oregon, voters passed medicinal use of psilocybin mushrooms and decriminalized small amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and other “hard drugs”. Voters in Oregon also approved a mandate to use money from marijuana sales taxes to fund drug-recovery services.
If you listened to our webinars or attended any of Route 961’s drug trends presentations the past few years the above results should be no surprise. Many medicinal psychedelic drug use advocates have used the same playbook for legalization that marijuana advocates used years ago. Also – like many criminal justice topics – we’ve explained and shown attitudes towards drug use ebb and flow throughout history. The “War on Drugs” and tough stances towards drug use that were popular during the 1980’s and 1990’s have now faded. Until something changes public opinion again, voters in both “blue states” and “red states” in the United States appears to be favoring a new approach towards drug use.
It can be expected as drug laws are loosened, there will be more people under the influence of drugs other than alcohol. Knowing how to recognize signs of drug use will become more important than it has in the past. Route 961 will continue to provide education and stay on top of drug trends to keep our communities safe from impaired driving, addiction, and other fallout as the “War on Drugs” comes to an end.