How Many Countries Have Legalized Medical Marijuana and Why?

The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to the legalization of marijuana. Countries who have legalized medical marijuana are raking in the benefits. This begs the question, why isn’t it legal everywhere? Legalizing marijuana isn’t as easy as signing a bill. There is a process of votes and passing laws. Here are the countries who have legalized medical marijuana and who have joined the cannabis revolution.

Why should marijuana be decriminalized?

The number one reason why people are against making marijuana legal everywhere is because they are misinformed. They think marijuana leads to crime and addiction.  Cannabis does not have the chemical structure to cause withdrawal symptoms. However, this doesn’t mean, that people who are prone to addiction are safe either.

The best argument for the legalization of marijuana is the benefits that each state can see. This is because once marijuana is legalized, it gets heavily taxed. In Colorado alone, they made over 2 billion dollars in state profit in one year. That money was used to improve schools, fix roads and build a better community.  According to a recent study, the legal marijuana market in California could generate $5 Billion.  This is all part of the plan to end the stigma that comes along with the decriminalization of marijuana.

The Countries Who Have Legalized Medical Marijuana

America certainly isn’t the first country to see a clear connection between quality of life and the legalization of marijuana. There have been many countries before the US that are raking in the benefits of cannabis. Most notably is the Netherlands. This progressive country has not only legalized medical marijuana use, but recreational use as well. In fact, there is a long list of coffee shops that legally allow you to smoke up right in public. This isn’t only limited to smoking either. The Netherlands is leading the way when it comes to cannabis bakeries.

While many countries have decriminalized marijuana, there are still rules that the people have to follow. It isn’t always as easy as walking around with cannabis and lighting up wherever you want. In Switzerland, for instance, you must be over 18 and can only carry 10 grams or less on you. Following these rules is one way to help keep the cannabis movement under control.

Sometimes it isn’t the amount of marijuana that you can carry, but the amount you can buy. In Portugal you are only allowed to possess a week’s work of marijuana at any time. They do this in order to prevent people from selling cannabis personally. This is the only way that some countries who have legalized medical marijuana can continue to function. Part of decriminalization marijuana means taking the power away from the citizens and turning it over to the government. While this may seem like too much oversight, it has come a long way from where it used to be.

Countries with loopholes

While the list of countries who have legalized medical marijuana keeps growing, some countries have found loopholes. This means that while marijuana hasn’t been completely decriminalized, these countries are on their way. Argentina is one country that has a very relaxed view on marijuana use. While it isn’t legal, you are very unlikely to get busting for smoking cannabis. This is as long as you are not using in public spaces.

Australia is one of the countries who have legalized medical marijuana, but it isn’t legal everywhere. Australia lets each state decide what is right for them. This is very similar to the way that the US has chosen to make marijuana legalization a state’s issue. Unfortunately, the states that have opted out offer harsh punishments for illegal cannabis use.

Canada is a country of neutrality so there no surprise that they would have a relaxed view on cannabis. While marijuana isn’t fully legalized, it isn’t punished either. Most Canadians can walk around in public smoking a joint without a care in the world. This doesn’t mean, however, that you don’t have to be careful. You need to be especially careful when it comes to crossing the border. Crossing the Canadian border with marijuana in your possession is a sure way to get in trouble. This is true even if you have a MMJ card.

Final Thoughts

Every day the list of countries who have legalized medical marijuana grows and grows. This is because more people of power are realizing how beneficial cannabis is. Cannabis helps with chronic pain without fear of addiction. This can help countries fight back against opioid addiction. Also, the tax benefits are amazing. The special tax on marijuana alone is enough to help rebuild communities. It will be sooner than we think before the whole world has decriminalized marijuana.