How states have reshaped marijuana laws and what’s next

Judy Woodruff:

The push for legalizing marijuana at the state level gained more momentum in 2022. This fall, for example, Missouri approved legalization for recreational use, making it the 21st state to do so.

To get a sense of the changing picture across the country, I spoke recently with our communities correspondents about this, Gabrielle Hays in Missouri, Adam Kemp in Ohio, and Frances Kai-Hwa Wang in Michigan.

I started by asking Gabby about the key elements of the new law in Missouri.

Gabrielle Hays:

Well, it is important to know that, back in November, this amendment passed with 53 percent of people voting yes.

Now, it establishes a lot of things. First and foremost, we know that it establishes a lottery process, where that will sort of be the mechanism for people being able to be awarded licenses. We know that those who already have medical marijuana licenses will kind of get first dibs for being able to sell as early as next year.

The amendment also establishes a 6 percent tax. And so the state has already estimated that they believe or expect to see as much as $40 million being generated annually from this amendment going into effect.

Now, what that money what that money is going to be used for varies, right? There are several things, but one thing of note that a lot of people have been talking about is the process of expungement. The amendment allows for people with certain nonviolent marijuana offenses to have their records expunged and to petition for release.

And so those are some of the key things, everything from taxes to what the money will be used for and what is in the legislation.

Judy Woodruff:

And you were telling us different reactions around the state. Tell us how state and local leaders are weighing in on this.

Gabrielle Hays:

Yes, Judy, we have had some mixed reactions across the state, right?

So, there are a lot of people who have come out for the amendment, a lot of people who supported it, including Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas, who said he would vote yes for it.

But then, on the other side of the state, in St. Louis, we have Mayor Tishaura Jones, who is for legalization, but brought up the point of equity and wanting it to be an equitable process.

Judy Woodruff:

So, let's turn now to Adam Kemp in Oklahoma.

And, Adam, we know Oklahoma legalized medical marijuana four years ago, in 2018. Tell us a little bit about the impact that's had and where things go from here in Oklahoma.

Adam Kemp:

Yes, Oklahoma's experienced a bit of a green rush in the years since medical marijuana was legalized.

More than 7,000 grow operations have popped up here in the state and 2,600 dispensaries, which is more than California and Colorado have combined. That's due in large part to the very low start-up costs that it takes to obtain your marijuana business license here in Oklahoma. That's only about $2,500 here in the state, compared to neighboring state of Arkansas, just, for example, that it's $100,000 to start that.

So, all that said, Oklahoma is, in March, going to have a statewide question about whether to legalize recreational marijuana. And, right now, it's just business is booming here in Oklahoma for marijuana.

Judy Woodruff:

Well, I follow Oklahoma politics. I was born in the state. And I know — we know it has been fairly conservative politically.

Has there been pushback to the law from Governor Stitt or from the state lawmakers,

Adam Kemp:

Governor Stitt actually inherited the passage of medical marijuana. He became governor as it was passed. And so he's spoken a lot about the need to kind of fine-tune the system and everything. And he has said that he will — he himself, personally, opposes recreational marijuana and will personally vote against it.

But this is a state question. And so, if it passes, it will become the law of the land. The rest of the state is — seems to be very on board with recreational marijuana. It's polling right now very, very well. It's ahead of the no vote at the moment. And it's also — probably, the best show of its popularity here in the state,more than 10 percent of all Oklahomans already have a medicinal marijuana license.

Judy Woodruff:

It's so interesting about what's happened there.

And I want to turn to Michigan now and Frances Kai-Hwa Wang.

So, Frances, we know Michigan approved, what, medical marijuana in 2008, recreational marijuana 10 years later in 2018. How has that been going?

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang:

Well, Michigan is now the fourth largest marijuana market in the country, after California, Washington and Colorado.

In the first 11 months of 2022, Michigan has already had $2.1 billion in medical and adult use recreational marijuana sales. Economists at Michigan State University estimate that, once the industry is fully set up and mature, cannabis will be a $3 billion industry, bringing in $500 million in state taxes per year, creating about 24,000 jobs up and down the supply chain, and having a total economic impact of $7.85 billion.

Judy Woodruff:

And, Frances, you were telling us the industry, the cannabis industry, facing some challenges going forward.

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang:

Yes.

Although marijuana is legal at the state level, because it remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance and is illegal at the federal level, many big banks and financial institutions are unwilling to risk working with cannabis businesses.

So, legal cannabis businesses have to find local banks and credit unions willing to work with them.

Judy Woodruff:

Really interesting, so much more going on than I think most of us certainly realize around the country.

So good to have these reports from the three of you, Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, Adam Kemp, and Gabby Hays. Thank you all.