Voters go to the polls today to decide on marijuana legalization in four states, and whatever the result might be, one thing is clear: tens of millions of dollars have been spent on cannabis reform campaigns. But in a big switch from previous years, some of the largest contributors to the legalization movement are now the leading cannabis companies themselves, rather than deep-pocketed philanthropists and social-justice organizations. While organizations such as the ACLU are still backing legalization efforts, Big Pot is now spending to the hilt after realizing they need larger markets to make more money—and are willing to pay for it. That is likely to pay off as polls indicate voters will probably approve legalization in New Jersey, Arizona and Montana, bringing to 14 the number of states with legal adult-use marijuana.
Meanwhile, on the eve of the vote, a coalition of state medical societieshas issued a strong statement criticizing legal pot. The medical societies of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania said that while they understand the economic challenges facing states as a result of the corona virus pandemic, they do not support legalization as a way to address the issue—as many state leaders have proposed. They are concerned that the long-term public health costs associated with hospitalizations and treatment for addictive disorders significantly outweigh whatever revenues the state might receive—a position backed by the Rosenthal Center.
And finally, a new study shows that ER visits are on the rise in western Michigan for patients diagnosed with edible cannabis toxicity since the state legalized marijuana. The study also finds that ER diagnoses for inhaled cannabis toxicity soared from fewer than 20 a month to 70 between 2018 and 2020.