West Virginia Legalize Marijuana: What Other States Will Follow?

There is a long list of reasons why the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana is on the rise. With all of the therapeutic and financial benefits that have come from this legalization you can’t help but wonder why so many states are not cashing in on this trend. West Virginia legalize marijuana which opens the door for other southern states to follow suit. This begs the question, what state will be next?

Different Types of Legalization

West Virginia legalized marijuana, but they are not the first. To know what is legal in your state, you first have to know what types of legalization there is. The most common form of marijuana legalization that you will see is for medical use. While some states are stricter than others when it comes to how to determine who qualifies for a medical marijuana card, the process is fairly similar. In more progressive states like Michigan, all it takes is a quick doctor visit and a trip to your local certification center. After you pay the state a fee, you are then a legal marijuana user.
The other type of marijuana legalization that you will see is recreation use. While the states that allow recreational use of marijuana are few, this trend is growing more each year as you see each state adding the vote to the bill to make steps towards legalizing recreational use. It should also be noted that because recreational marijuana use is being legalized, it isn’t as easy as walking into any store and purchasing marijuana. There are still steps you have to take to ensure that you are doing things according to each state’s regulations.

Which States Have Legalized Marijuana?

According to businessinsider.com there are now eight states that have allowed the legal use of recreational marijuana. This list includes Alaska, Colorado, California, Oregon and more. Washington was one of the first states to legalize recreational use of marijuana and the marijuana industry has made almost 1 billion dollars since the start of sales. Other states, like Maine who have just recently legalized recreational use of marijuana, will still have to wait until 2018 until they can purchase and legally use marijuana without a medical card.

West Virginia legalizes marijuana for medical use joining the other 29 states where medical marijuana use is legal. The first of these 29 states to have passed this law is California who has also been a vocal champion for country wide legalization. When it comes to West Virginia, the bill to put through the legalization of marijuana was introduced in March and was passed shortly after. This means that by 2019 anyone who qualifies for a medical marijuana card will not only be legally allowed to purchase it but carry it as well.

Which States Are Next?

While there are many rumors as to which states will be jumping on this money making trend, there is no way to tell exactly if your state will be next until there is a bill presented to the state. According to suntimes.com there are currently ten more states that are on the fast track to the legalization of marijuana. These states include some big voting hitters like New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. There are even rumors that Texas might soon be next in line.

With the growing popularity of the marijuana industry it makes you wonder why more states are not jumping on this trend. The main reason is because of fear that the marijuana laws are not strict enough to enforce. This is because even in most states where medical marijuana is legal, it is still fairly simple to get a card. Another reason is because the more conservative states still see marijuana as a problem narcotic instead of a helpful pain reliving tool. Unfortunately until minds change, the laws won’t either. West Virginia legalized marijuana becoming one of the first more conservative states to do so, which means that maybe the other states are not so far off.

Final Thoughts

It is important to note that even if your state has legalized the use of medical marijuana that you will still need to comply with the state’s regulations when it comes to the condition you need to treat. Each state has a different list of conditions and you must have medical proof of at least one of these conditions before applying to be a card holder. West Virginia legalizes marijuana for medical use and they are still in the process of ironing out all of the condition details. This means that until each state legalizes recreational use of marijuana you have to carefully follow your state’s rules and regulations.