January 15, 2013

A Look Ahead: 12 States That Could Legalize Medical Marijuana in 2013

Last year was a significant one for the marijuana industry, with two states passing MMJ laws and another two legalizing cannabis for recreational use.

It will be hard to top that, but the industry could be poised for another big year in 2013.

As Medical Marijuana Business Daily reported last month, more than a dozen states could consider legalizing cannabis for recreational use this year, and the list seems to grow by the day.

But that’s only part of the equation: A dozen additional states will likely weigh medical cannabis legislation in 2013, according to information provided by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP).

Lawmakers have already moved forward in Alabama (House Bill 2), Illinois (House Bill 1), Kentucky (Senate Bill 11), New Hampshire (Rep. Donna Schlachman has requested that a measure be filed in the House) and New York (Senate Bill 1682). And just today a state senator in Kansas introduced an MMJ measure (Senate Bill 9).

Lawmakers in another six states – Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin – have indicated they will file medical cannabis bills too.

Note the geography of the states: Seven of them are in the Northeast and the South and the others are in the Midwest, signaling where big business opportunities could materialize in the near future.

Of course, passing any type of pro-marijuana legislation often takes years and requires multiple efforts to gain enough support.

A few of these states will weigh medical marijuana and/or cannabis legalization in earnest for the first time, making it unlikely they will be able to push through legislation this year. But others have considered the issue in the past – several times in some cases – and could finally pass marijuana laws.

With nearly two dozen states set to debate medical marijuana or general cannabis legalization, there’s a good chance at least one or two will move forward with legislation.

7 Comments:

mitchell hammons " state of virgina'

January 15th, 2013 at 7:42 pm

medical cannabis could be a great thing for people in many ways that other medications don”t work for them. no one wonts pills with bad and dangerous side affect and hang overs and adiction. unfortunutly its a power play of money and power.really it just a God given plant from the mother earth ground not to abuse for all the needed to use if needed for all the right reasons . i vote dont abuse it legalize it for the right reasons. mitchellhammons@gmail.com Warning just dont eat to much or you will be very very sick and throw up for a few hours so go easy on the brownies !
jonihelmer

January 15th, 2013 at 8:25 pm

Sure would like to know what’s going on with ND.Are we going to have another chance after the royal screw up with invalid signatures?! Anybody?
Richard Jaggers

January 17th, 2013 at 1:00 am

It sure would be nice if Il would pass HB 30 or HB one. It’s way overdue. Please make marijuana legal in Illinois. For medical and municipal uses. Thank you for your time.
Jennifer robinson

January 19th, 2013 at 1:37 am

the time has come to go ahead with the legalization of marijuana! I believe it should be my constitutional right to smoke, grow, sell ( according to the laws to be placed). in a time in this Great United States of America where my family suffers on a daily basis because of the decisions our trusted elected officials… Give us our Marijuana! It is natural from the earth and should be ours! not to mention all the medical probabilities…
the only way it ever hurt anybody is because they were forced to buy illegal. crime rate goes down… People have a better chance in the world because they have nothing holding them back! I call on You ALABAMA! Let’s do this! Contact me in Montgomery, Al. At 3343247364.
mary

January 24th, 2013 at 3:40 am

When will fl legalize it. We have a lot of people here that could benefit . I have seen people get drunk that would rather smoke marijuana for their pain. Booze os legal though and i believe eay more harmful.
Eric J Castillo

March 12th, 2013 at 3:42 am

I am a very sick individual who has to take many medications for different illnesses. RSD, Cavernous Angioma, Anxiety, Anger (from pain), losing weight fast, can’t sleep, exhausted, and Crohns disease. I still get my ass up and go to work everyday……. the meds are very expensive. One medication would do more for me than all others combined. By not passing the medical marijuana law in Ohio your only making it hard for the people who need it. The people who are not suppose to have it are gonna get it whether its illegal or not. I hope you politicians think your smart.
tiffany

May 13th, 2013 at 10:23 pm

You let the people drink and that kills how many people every year and look down and criminalize people for something that has never killed anyone. That makes absolutely no sense. I thought we had freedom in this country, yet our rights are slowely taken away one by one. Just let people smoke if they wanna smoke. There are far worse tbhings in this world than marijuanna. Come on WI. Legalize!