In the US there is a lot going on with marijuana legalization. There have been a few major classifications of legalization in the participating states. 33 states and the District of Columbia have all legalized marijuana for medicinal use to some degree. As of 2019, The District of Columbia and 11 of those 33 states have legalized the drug recreationally. With all of the new laws and regulations that have been slowly forming since this wave of legalization it can be hard to keep up. All states have their own laws regarding the substance as well. But there are a few major commonalities between these states, that could influence future federal policy.
Packaging cannabis is a very hot topic. One of the major concerns of the anti-marijuana movement is based around packaging. Like other things such as cigarettes, cereal and in recently in the news vaping, the appeal to children is a major concern. Cannabis companies and lawmakers have been steadily working together to solve these issues. Many states have a law about child proof or child resistant packaging. Classic prescription bottle variants have been used, as well as locking bags. A Cannabis marketing agency have to take these type of things into consideration. For brands and companies that are available in multiple states, packaging and the requirements may vary and need to be careful considered by these companies.
Another huge concern of the anti-marijuana legalization crowd is about the labeling of products. All states require any marijuana sold in a dispensary to be tested, and have that information put onto the packaging. This is so that people know what they are putting into their body, as well as the dosage they are consuming. This is especially prevalent with edible cannabis products. In states where cannabis is only medicinally legal dosage also plays a factor. If marijuana is to be treated as a medicine it is important to know the percentages of the major components. Packaging in most states require the amount of THC and CBD, the two major compounds of cannabis, to be displayed as well. This is to help confusion, and while there is no confirmed recording of death by cannabis overdose, properly medicating is just as important with cannabis use as it would be as any other medicine. Similarly to cigarettes and alcohol, cannabis packaging cannot have cartoons or anything that may appeal to children.
Marijuana banking laws are also a hot topic of discussion. Because cannabis isn’t federally legal there is a grey area when it comes to paying taxes. The federal taxes that would be collected from just the states that are currently legalized today would account for millions. The majority of cannabis transactions are done in cash, even in legal dispensaries. That is because of the federal ambiguity that currently surrounds marijuana. However, congress has recently shown efforts to allow legally run cannabis businesses to use banks as any other business would. This is a major sign of what’s to come, especially if this were to pass.
Cannabis legalization has been an uphill battle. But momentum has began to shift, Canada has recently legalized marijuana recreationally throughout their country. And many believe the United States isn’t far behind. Although there are still future hurdles to jump over in the future for legalized cannabis use in all 50 states.