by Monis Khan
Last Tuesday’s midterm elections have left liberals panic-stricken as they lament lopsided losses by Democratic party candidates for U.S. Congress. For progressives paying attention to ballot measures at the state level, however, there is cause for encouragement.
Even with the lowest turnout nationwide for any midterm election since World War II—a metric that perhaps would not bode well for populist policies on the ballot—voters in Oregon and Alaska bolstered a growing trend of support to end marijuana prohibition as both states passed measures legalizing the drug for recreational use, while also taxing and regulating its production and sale. A closer look at these ballot initiatives highlights the positive impact that a comprehensive legalization and regulation strategy can have on an entire state, while also exposing the hazards federal tax regulations may have on the recreational marijuana industry’s ability to grow and flourish. [Read more…] about Four places are changing the way we think about marijuana