If you watched either of the two debates among the Democratic presidential hopefuls last week or caught the recaps, you may have noticed something missing among the sound bites.
There was very little talk about marijuana legalization.
Maybe it was an oversight. Maybe they just didn’t get to it. Maybe the moderators felt as though it wasn’t an issue worth bringing up.
Whatever the case, the fact that one of the prominent social issues of 2019 was left out of such a heavily watched pair of debates was a strange thing.
New Jersey Senator and presidential contender Cory Booker even said as much:
I am absolutely disappointed that wasn’t an issue when you see voters turning out this issue all over the country.
He’s right, of course.
Public opinion is shifting in favor of marijuana legalization, and more states are making it legal for recreational use. More importantly, the majority of the 2020 candidates are in favor of making recreational weed legal. Meanwhile, it remains illegal at the federal level, something the current administration doesn’t seem to be in a rush to fix. With all of that in mind, you would think the issue would be brought up and given as much attention as things like health care, income inequality, and everything else the 2020 hopefuls are building their campaigns on.
Yet it remains an issue most Americans don’t hear much about.
There are still many more debates to come between now and the first primaries, but the legal weed issue isn’t something that’s going to stay in the background in the meantime.
A Fringe Issue No More
We aren’t far removed from the days of Reefer Madness and ad campaigns meant to terrify the uninformed with blanket statements about drug use. In those days, it would have been political and social suicide to push for the legalization of marijuana.
But as a regular reader of this letter, you know the winds have shifted over the past few years.
Now, the lawmakers who still cling to those old ways are the ones who are being questioned.
In case you missed it, Illinois recently legalized recreational marijuana, making it the 11th state to do so. While that may still be fewer than a dozen states with legal recreational use, it’s important to remember that more than half of the states in the country have legal medical marijuana.
That means the trend is catching on, even in deeply conservative parts of the U.S. The momentum is picking up and it’s unlikely to slow down. It’s an issue that anyone with any serious political ambition should be talking about. With it having majority support across age groups and party lines, it’s an easy enough issue to stand behind and add to a political base.
Think about the many benefits of marijuana legalization and how it could tie into the larger issues that are on voters’ minds.
On the medical side, it’s used to treat a number of diseases including heart disease, cancer, and epilepsy. Beyond that, it’s used as an alternative to powerful painkillers that seem to be taking an increasing number of lives each year.
On the economic side, making marijuana legal at the federal level would deal a blow to the largely pointless War on Drugs. It would also put much-needed funds in the hands of states all over. In some cases, advocates would see the records of those arrested for possession erased. This would allow them access to work and make it so they can become productive citizens again.
So everyone wins in some way, either directly or indirectly.
Catching the Wave
In 2020, the Democrats hope to retake the government in a wave that many across the country will be watching for. While that’s going on, you will want to keep an eye out for a different wave. One that could benefit you personally.
You see, there are five companies getting ready to make the necessary moves to get in on marijuana legalization as more states come to their senses.
They’ve seen the signs. They know just how this is going to end. They aren’t going to miss the opportunity to make windfall profits as lawmakers catch up and finally do what people all across the country want them to.
If you want to know what these five companies are and just how you can get in on this, Jimmy Mengel has the details in his latest report.
While everyone is watching the polls, you could be watching the number in your bank account climb.
Keep your eyes open,
Ryan Stancil
Contributing Editor, Outsider Club
