How Far We've Come: Follow Up Opinion

This piece is a follow up to Opinions and Oppositions Week 5 on “Why Your Voice Matters” Check it out here before continuing. https://bit.ly/2HlDXl5

Hi readers, I hope everyone is having a fantastic week now that we’re past hump day! In this piece, I want to talk about how far we, as a state and a country have come in the illegalization and legalization of marijuana. I’ve previously talked about how close the vote was but how did it get to a point where we needed to vote to legalize it. Let’s take a trip back in time, and look at some that caused it.

In 1911, a change was happening in the U.S. with the progressive movement. Massachusetts became the first state to outlaw marijuana in 1911. This was also a time where questions on the ballot included the use of alcohol, gambling, and prostitution to name a few. After that many states closely followed, including Colorado in 1917. In 19125, the League of Nations (which the U.S. was not a part of) signed a treaty, restricting the use to medical and scientific only. In 1937, marijuana was taxed by Congress as a way to lower the use.

Fast forward to 1971, President Richard Nixon declared the “War on Drugs” and a few years later the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was created. In 1978 however, New Mexico became the first state to recognize the medical uses for marijuana! Over the years the need for medical was a defense used on many occasions in court. In 1991, the first medical marijuana initiates passed in San Francisco, CA! The vote passed with 79% of the vote. California also became the first state to pass medical use in 1996, with 56% of the vote. In 1998, Alaska (58%), Oregon (55%), and Washington State (59%) join them. Maine (61%), Hawaii (13-12 Senate Vote), Colorado (54%), and Nevada (65%) joined in the following years.

Massachusetts didn’t legalize marijuana medically till 2012, with a vote of 63% - 37%, a much higher percentage than many other states. The actual legalization vote was much closer being 53.7% - 46.3%. I hope this follow up helped show why your voice matters and even a few votes can make a difference.


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