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Feb 22, 2023Liked by Jeremy Berke

I would like to hear your thoughts on legalization across the country, Texas in particular, as well as what (beyond the headlines) the hold ups are. For example, Texas is conservative (bad for weed) but also agricultural (good for weed). We have small baptist driven towns (bad) and Austin (good). So what really is the reason why it hasn't been legalized and what can we do to get past the obstacles. (Texas for me but I think a lot of the cannabis industry needs legalization information and insight)

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It's a thorny question for sure and unlike other policy changes, the question of legalization (in my opinion) doesn't map easily toward partisan ties. Close to 90% of US voters say at least medical cannabis should be legal, so there's inertia.

There are conservative arguments for legalization (freedom to put whatever into your body), and progressive arguments (ending the War on Drugs), but ultimately the 'how' becomes more important than the 'why' or 'when.' And even among legalization advocates there's disagreements on how to tax, create an industry and distribute licenses, who should benefit economically from legalization, to the point where often legalization is held up over these arguments within statehouses.

And, at the end of the day, it's an important issue but not one many politicians are willing to bet their political capital on — it's already popular, so they're not likely to win new voters — and they risk alienating those who have long-held stigmas.

All that being said, the inertia is still there it's just harder than flipping a switch!

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