"What Today Could Mean For Marijuana
Trump vs. Clinton isn’t the only divisive question on the ballot this Election Day. Many voters will be considering marijuana legalization as well. Over the last 20 years, 25 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized or decriminalized medical marijuana, 15 have legalized the use of cannabis oil and four (plus D.C.) have approved recreational marijuana entirely. And today, nine more states are voting on marijuana measures — five (Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana and Nevada) to legalize recreational marijuana, and three (Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota) to legalize medical marijuana.
Amidst all the legal changes, the country has become a whole lot more comfortable with the idea of legal pot: a Gallup poll shows support climbing from 25 percent in the mid-90s to 58 percent in 2015. Support has increased in all age brackets, and young adults now overwhelmingly support legalization (71 percent of them). “It’s our generation’s Vietnam,” said Brian Vicente, an activist and partner at the marijuana law firm Vicente Sederberg, of the current push to legalize the drug.
Throughout the night, we’ll be bringing you a look at the ballot initiatives in these nine states, and whether they’re likely to pass. Activists, at least, are convinced tonight will be a banner moment: “The country that started the war on drugs and spread it around the world is now having a rebellion within,” Vicente said. “I think it’s going to be a really big, historical night.”
legalize it!