Recent legislation in the United States has started a bid to decriminalize marijuana. Several states already have voted to legalise the use of pot recreationally. This comes after proceedings last year that legalized the use of medical marijuana across all fifty US states. The unprecedented move looks set to change a lot of the law enforcement and economic policies of the states.
Marijuana as a substance has always courted controversy. Indeed, there have been calls for years from some areas to legalise it. Those who support that point to the fact that it causes fewer problems and is less unhealthy than alcohol. They also point to the inherent medicinal properties that weed has. Those on the opposing side claim marijuana can have damaging long-term effects, and that it decreases brain function.
Now that it has become legal in certain states we could see this happen throughout the US. It seems that states including Washington, Alaska and Nevada voted on the issue. And residents of the states voted in favour of legalising the smoking, growing and possession of marijuana. Of course, this only applies to residents aged at least 21. Many shops have also begun selling marijuana though this is a different matter entirely.
Canada looks like it might follow in the footsteps of its American counterparts. This comes following the news that Vancouver council has taken steps to decriminalise weed. It’s thought to be part of the ‘stop the violence’ campaign throughout the provinces of Canada.
The move to decriminalize marijuana across the United States looks like it might go into full swing now. It’s unclear what sort of effect this precedent will have on the United States as a country. It looks likely that sniffer dogs will be out of a job. In Oregon, there’s been talk of police dogs having to retire. Many have become too proficient at sniffing out marijuana. With it now getting legalized this could prove problematic, so retirement has come early for some of these canines.
Another significant change that’s come about due to the decriminalization is increased career prospects. In a rather surreal move, it’s now possible to get a career path in the marijuana industry. A search online reveals plenty of opportunities in the industry. For instance, there are marijuana trimming jobs, budtender roles and cultivation positions. This is something that would have been unheard of just a few years ago. For anybody interested this provides a novel and exciting career opportunity.
It seems the legalisation of medical marijuana across the nation has improved career prospects. And in many ways this is a positive development for the US economy. Less money is going to be spent on arrests and prosecutions of people with marijuana. And the development of the industry will create quite a few new jobs for the economy.
Further developments are expected throughout the year. And Oregon looks set to follow the other states in the decriminalisation process. And there are plenty more career opportunities. In fact, a marijuana job fair looks set to visit Las Vegas in the summer. This will increase the recruitment potential, as well as generating interest in the industry.
