Ohio, Virginia, Louisiana, Illinois ... More and More States Are Banking on Cannabis

Slowly but surely, the acceptance of cannabis is making headway on the international scene. In the United States, although there are still many states yet to join the list, today one can already appreciate the positive consequences of the permissive policies that have been adopted.

While some are adapting to this new landscape, others are still engaged in legal processes to permit consumption in their states. Such is the case of Ohio, whose Senate recently sent a bill to Governor John Kasich to legalise medical cannabis.

Despite the hard work of legislators and a series of intense debates, the bill had previously been defeated due to fierce opposition by the most conservative lawmakers. However, it seems that the work done has now borne fruit, and given rise to a more favourable outlook.

Although Ohio has received this step forward with open arms, the bill is actually quite tepid: the law will continue to sanction patients who smoke or grow marijuana in their homes, although they will be given the option of vaping it to alleviate the pain caused by some chronic diseases.

Meanwhile, the State of Illinois seems to be on the verge of becoming the next to decriminalise the possession of small amount of marijuana, until now punished, even with jail time. As in the case of Ohio, although this constitutes clear progress, the legislation introduced is far from ideal, as it continues to impose fines and other penalties.

However, one of the most important aspects of the law that Illinois plans to adopt is that it also puts and end to the zero tolerance policy for marijuana behind the wheel which, as different studies have already demonstrated, actually entails much lower risk than driving under the influence of alcohol.

Meanwhile, the governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, has already signed a new law that expands the rights of patients to access medical cannabis. Under its terms, those who suffer from certain diseases (like cancer, glaucoma, HIV or epilepsy) may consume it as long as it has been prescribed by a doctor.

As in Ohio, they will not be able to smoke or grow it in their homes. Once signed, it is estimated that patients will still have to wait for some 18 months to benefit from the new freedoms granted.

While these states are sowing the seed of legalisation, others are reaping the crops. Such is the case in West Virginia, which is now seeing the results of the first legal marijuana plantation. Thanks to the 2014 law allowing the cultivation of marijuana for scientific purposes, the project at West Virginia University could prove ground-breaking.

The good news in the field of marijuana legalisation should be received with some caution, as there are still many states that are choosing to continue to enforce restrictive measures. However, the efforts of lawmakers who are listening to society's demands and endorsing the adoption of permissive positions in the political sphere should not be overlooked.