Summers: Let’s be blunt: House Republicans are holding Hoosiers back when it comes to legalized cannabis
Earlier this month, Indiana House Democrats offered an amendment to Senate Bill 20 in an effort to legalize cannabis in Indiana. The amendment failed by a vote of 58-33. State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis) offered the following statement today regarding the fight to legalize cannabis – commonly known as marijuana – in Indiana:
“Let's be blunt: House Republicans are holding Hoosiers back when it comes to legalized cannabis. Indiana is surrounded by states reaping the benefits of legalized cannabis. From an economic standpoint, legalization simply makes sense. The tax revenue the state could gain from the sale of cannabis could do wonders, as it's doing in states like Colorado. In 2021 alone, the state of Colorado collected $423 million in marijuana tax revenue. Just as Hoosiers travel to Illinois and Michigan to buy cannabis, folks in Kentucky and Tennessee would likely come to spend their money here. Indiana Republicans have been priding themselves on a $1.6 billion surplus, but are actively voting to block millions of dollars from coming into our state.
“We also need to think about the job creation Indiana could see if we legalized cannabis. Since the first cannabis dispensary opened in the United States, the industry has created thousands of new jobs. Indiana Republicans need to face reality: marijuana is a lucrative business. If we want to see spikes in Indiana's tax revenue, tourism and jobs, we need to join the vast majority of states with legalized marijuana.
“Beyond the economic impacts of legalization, we're missing an opportunity to help chronically-ill Hoosiers who could benefit from medicinal marijuana. From epilepsy to cancer to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, cannabis can help regulate symptoms and pain levels without forcing a patient to rely on opioids or other pharmaceuticals. There are 37 states that currently allow chronically-ill individuals to access medicinal marijuana. Just as those folks in other states should not have to worry about facing legal consequences for traveling through Indiana with their prescribed medication, Hoosiers should not have to suffer unnecessarily because a proven treatment plan has been railroaded by politicians opting to legislate based on their own individual definition of morality as opposed to helping their constituents.
“Lastly, cannabis legalization is a civil rights issue. Despite similar rates of usage, African Americans in Indiana are nearly four times as likely as white people to be arrested for marijuana possession. In 2021 alone, 6,329 Hoosiers were arrested for possession. These are non-violent offenders who are now tied up in the legal system, which can pose difficulties in finding work and a place to live. At the very least, Indiana Republicans ought to decriminalize marijuana in an effort to keep people out of jail for a victimless crime.
“The state of California legalized medicinal marijuana in 1996. Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize recreational cannabis in 2012. Indiana is quite literally decades behind other states in making this common-sense reform. From the economic gains legalization would bring to the social justice impacts, it's abundantly clear that it's high time to legalize cannabis in Indiana.”