West Virginia and Marijuana

Marijuana has a bad reputation. Stemming from the “War on Drugs,” people often associate it with drugs such as cocaine, heroine, and other extremely harmful substances. However, the public opinion on marijuana is starting to shift all across the country. Washington state, Oregon, Colorado, Alaska,  have legalized marijuana for recreational use, while 24 other states allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes. Washington D.C.  decriminalized recreational marijuana, making it legal for residents to carry up to two ounces of cannabis and own six plants, although the purchase of the plant is still illegal in the district.

    The United States spends an exponential amount of money to keep marijuana illegal. Huffington Post suggested in the 2013 article “Marijuana Prohibition Cost the Government 20 Billion Dollars Per Year,” that the government prohibition on marijuana unnecessarily cost government from local and state to federal levels. The article states,  “Jeffrey Miron, a senior lecturer at Harvard University who in 2010 studied the likely impacts of drug legalization, finding that about $8.7 billion would be saved on law enforcement and another $8.7 billion would be generated from taxes on marijuana.”

    States that have embraced the cannabis industry have already begun to reap the benefits from the legalization, and decriminalization. In June 2015, the Colorado State Department reported that over 60 million dollars in tax revenue was accumulated between January and June. That is 60 million dollars going towards schools, local and state parks, highway maintenance, and more

    It is no secret that West Virginia is facing a recession as a result of the failing coal fields, and a new industry is needed to help combat the loss of jobs and create new forms of revenue and opportunities. An Associated Press article from the Charleston Gazette-Mail last month reported that West Virginia is  “Facing a $466 million 2017 budget gap.”  Schools are losing funding, and young people are graduating and leaving the state. It is time to think outside of the traditional box, and embrace the cannabis industry. 

    There are potential jobs that could be available through the legalization of marijuana in West Virginia. Growers, bud tenders, and delivery drivers are some jobs that could put blue-collar skilled workers back to work with little to low additional education required. Jobs could also include dispensary operators and administrators, security guards, salesmen, and more. The good thing about embracing a new industry is the creativity that comes along with creating the jobs.

    In February 2016, a medical marijuana bill, SB 640, was introduced in the West Virginia legislature. Jobs would also open in the medical industry if the current bill were to pass. Doctors would need special medical assistants to recommend types, strains, and doses for patients.  Democratic Gubernatorial candidate, Jeff Kessler, expressed his support for the legalization of medical marijuana during a democratic debate. Kessler believes that marijuana could aid in serious diseases.

    It is evident that West Virginia needs change. It is time to embrace new industries which allow for growth in non-traditional areas.  When people begin to view the cannabis business as a profitable opportunity instead of a criminal act, the state can began to benefit.