Recreational cannabis is now legal in 24 states and three more could legalize some form of marijuana sales this year. But will the DEA finally remove pot from the list of the world’s most dangerous drugs?
Last year was a roller coaster for the cannabis industry. Both presidential candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, came out in favor of reforming the nation’s marijuana laws. But when it came to ballot measures, efforts to legalize adult-use failed in Florida, North and South Dakota.
But it wasn’t all bad news. Nebraska legalized medical marijuana, making it the 39th state to allow for medicinal use of cannabis. And in December, the Drug Enforcement Administration held its first meeting about the effort to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug—it is currently in Schedule I, the same category as heroin and LSD.
Even though federal reform remains at a standstill, the majority of Americans live in a state where marijuana is legal. Currently, 24 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational use for adults 21 years and older and 39 states have medical programs. Cannabidiol (CBD), another active ingredient in cannabis that is associated with some medical benefits but does not get users high, is federally legal. And an additional 10 states have passed laws to permit the use of products containing CBD and small amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound in marijuana responsible for getting people stoned. That leaves only one state—Idaho—that does not allow for any kind of state-sanctioned marijuana or cannabis-derived product use.
When it comes to hemp-derived THC, which packs the same punch as weed and is federally legal, nearly all Americans can go to a smoke shop, wellness store or gas station and pick up some edibles or vapes. Despite all of this, marijuana is still illegal at the federal level.
With President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House later this month, cannabis company executives, advocates and lawyers are optimistic about 2025 being a good year for the budding industry.
Read the full story at Forbes
