The Indiana Democratic Party is positioning a campaign for cannabis legalization.
If the GOP-controlled government declines to enact a cannabis legalization bill during the 2022 legislative session, the party organization stated Democrats anticipate campaigning for cannabis reform, leveraging the demand of ending cannabis prohibition amid Indiana voters.
‘Legalizing cannabis is a win-win for Hoosiers, and it should get done [next]legislative session,” the party stated earlier this week. ‘If the Republicans decline to join Democrats in this endeavor, it will become a trademark issue for the 2022 Indiana State and interim term elections.’
The Democratic party referenced a 2018 poll showcasing that nearly 80% of Hoosiers favor legalizing cannabis for medicinal AND recreational purposes. Additionally, 78% agreed that essential possession should be decriminalized.
Cannabis Legalization ‘would provide the chance to develop an extra revenue stream for the state of Indiana, develop profitable jobs, create a long-term cash crop for the state’s agriculture and business communities, present medical opportunities for people like the Indiana veterans and seniors, and could begin the process of expunging criminal records for basic possession across the state of Indiana,” the party said.
The organization also requests Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) to “rescind his [complaint on] cannabis.”
In 2019, the governor of Indiana stated that he would not support cannabis legalization until the federal government ceased prohibition. Despite this, Gov. Holcomb said the state of Indiana would need to reconsider the problem before establishing a policy change.
‘If the law on cannabis changed, we would look at all the beneficial or adverse repercussions cannabis would have,” Holcomb, who also acknowledged that he smoked cannabis in college, said briefly. ‘I’m not persuaded other [legal] states have made a knowledgeable decision.’
On Monday, the state of Indiana’s Democratic Party announced that ‘ expecting the federal government to legalize cannabis does not only oppose the ‘local government’ strategy of cannabis legalization by Indiana Democrats and Republicans but will set economic and production opportunities behind the remainder of the nation once nationwide cannabis legalization becomes a reality.’
Lawmakers in Indiana also remarked that neighboring Illinois and Michigan had legalized cannabis for adult use, and Ohio has a medicinal cannabis program. Ohio also is looking to expand its medicinal program within the following year.
‘Hoosiers have seen the influence that recreational and medicinal cannabis has made on the adjacent states, and not only are they adding to neighboring states’ revenue, but Indiana is also now on the brink of losing out altogether,” Mike Schmuhl, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, stated in a press release. ‘The Republican supermajority [in Indiana] is losing its commercial common sense if they do not work with Democrats this session in making this opportunity of cannabis reform a reality for the Hoosier State.’
Neighboring state Illinois has already sold more than $1 billion in legal adult-use cannabis with a month left in the year.
‘Cannabis is a widespread issue, and a large preponderance of Hoosiers want to see cannabis legalization and decriminalization get done,’ Schmuhl stated. ‘Democrats are eager to take point on the effort due to its win-win nature for Indiana, and it’ll satisfy the Party’s constant promise of developing a better future for Hoosier families. It’s time to legalize recreational cannabis in Indiana.’
The party also stated that Democratic legislators plan to propose various forms of cannabis legalization or decriminalization bills for the Indiana General Assembly’s 2022 legislative session.’ ‘Legalizing cannabis is a tangible solution a tremendous majority of Hoosiers want, and Democrats are ready to get [cannabis reform] done,” the group resolved.
The report from the Indiana Democratic Party eerily contrasts with a statement published by the South Carolina Republican Party earlier this week. The latter organization asserted opposition to a modern congressional cannabis legalization bill being spearheaded by a GOP legislator who represents the state.