Benefits of Legalizing Weed Are Beyond Impressive in 2024

If only the whole world knew just how much cannabis is wonderful for our overall health, it would be legalized instantly! With this in mind, we’ll do our best to explain how the benefits of legalizing weed could change the world for the better.

In this article, we’ll explain the health, economic, and social advantages of legalizing marijuana. In addition to that, you’ll find out why marijuana is illegal and which states legalized recreational weed.

Moreover, do you know how much of your tax money is wasted on marijuana busts? We do and believe us, you won’t like the figure.

By the time you’re done reading this article, you won’t ask what cannabis legalization can do for you. You’ll want to know what you can do for it!

3 Main Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana

To legalize or not to legalize, that is the question. Well, if you ask Americans, based on a recent poll, 60% believe that marijuana should be legal for recreational and medical use. 31% say it should be legalized for medical use only, and a mere 8% are against the legalization.

What could legalization bring to the table? 

• Legalizing recreational marijuana could provide better access to the drug (and more affordable prices) for patients who use it for medical purposes.
• The legalization of marijuana could boost economic growth by providing new jobs in the industry and generating taxes.
• The legalization can lower the rates of opioid-related overdoses.

Let’s get into more detail.

Health Benefits of Legalizing Weed

Well, how much time do you have on your hands? If we were to tell you about all the benefits of marijuana for your health, we would have to list all of our health-related articles right here. Therefore, we’ll be brief. 

In a nutshell, this is how marijuana benefits human health:

• A higher number of survivors — As blunt as it may sound, out of all the benefits of legalizing medical marijuana, this one is crucial. People battling deadly diseases with low survival statistics have a better chance with cannabis. Obviously, this is an argument that is hard to beat.
• Immunity booster — Overall, studies confirm that cannabis compounds aid our immune system, mostly via our own ECS (endocannabinoid system). The CDC’s official stance is that more research is needed. However, we’ll show you a list of currently known benefits.
• Faster recovery — CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties were acknowledged in a Canadian study. However, one should avoid smoking it after surgery!
• Physical and mental health advantages. 
• Overall better quality of life.

In short, the benefits of legalizing weed are priceless regarding our health. Here is a brief (yes, indeed) list of illnesses and conditions that can be treated with cannabis:

• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer’s
• Arthritis
• PTSD
• ADHD
• Obesity
• Acne
• Insomnia
• Autism
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Addiction
• HIV
• Diabetes

Medical marijuana benefits are simply beyond comparison. Still, some would argue how much money it takes. Therefore, the next section we’ll talk about is the profit from pot.

5 Economic Benefits of Legalizing Weed

Whichever way you look at it, marijuana statistics are absolutely stunning. In short, the cannabis industry seems unstoppable. It’s all due to its financial benefits, some of which are as follows.

1. High Employment Rates

Thanks to the cannabis and CBD industry, in particular, many new jobs were created, such as budtenders, bud trimmers, cultivators, cannabis consultants, advocates, and so on. 

The economic benefits of legalizing marijuana can be seen from the fact that this is one of the fastest-growing job markets. To be more precise, 321,000 Americans are currently employed within this industry.

For example, the average salary of a director of cultivation is $115,000 per year. Extraction technicians have an annual salary of about $37,000, while a vice president of retail operations earns about $150,000 per year. 

To sum up, federal marijuana legalization would drastically decrease unemployment rates.

2. Big Marijuana Tax Revenues 

The most visible benefits of legalizing weed in Colorado are reflected in its legendary tax revenues. Ever since Colorado joined the recreational weed states, it has generated over $1.7 billion in tax revenues.

The mentioned $1.7 billion collected through marijuana sales taxes goes towards infrastructure projects, public schools, and local government programs.

What about other states?

Washington was able to earn $469,200,000 last year in marijuana tax revenue, Oregon generated $133,150,349, while California reaped a staggering $1,031,879,926. 

As mentioned before, the money generated from marijuana sales taxes can be used for schools, medical research, addiction centers, and other projects. 

However, should we discuss the economic pros and cons of legalizing weed, we would have to mention that Coloradans also spend about $4.50 for every dollar generated in tax revenue so as to lessen the effects of legalization.

3. Great Agricultural Aid

Farmers never ask why marijuana should be legal because they know the answer too well. The legalization of hemp on the federal level brought lots of opportunities for growing a new crop. 

On that note, the benefits of legalizing weed are pretty evident for farmers. How so?

While the number of acreages assigned for hemp cultivation declined between 2019 and 2020, the number of licensed growers climbed from 16,877 to over 21,000.

In the same period, the US hemp and hemp-derived products exports grew from $310 million to $1.8 billion. According to projections, by 2026, the US exports of industrial hemp products should reach $21 billion.

Today many states are experiencing economical benefits of legalizing weed, starting with Colorado, the largest hemp-growing state that has 40,391 planted acres. 

4. Lower Prices of Cannabis

There are numerous different marijuana strains and varieties that come at different prices, especially in underground markets. Because people don’t know how to distinguish the strains, many consumers end up paying the same price for medium and high‐​quality marijuana. 

After the legalization in Washington, California, and Colorado, the gap between the prices went up because people learned how to differentiate the strains. 

When it comes to the financial benefits of legalizing cannabis, patients that use medical marijuana as part of their treatment will benefit the most since they would pay less money. In addition to that, they would have easier access to the drug since it would be legal to buy it.

5. Extremely Lucrative

There are many examples of the biggest marijuana companies nowadays, which started as small startups but are now earning millions of dollars! The relatively young industry is earning head-spinning figures. 

Economic benefits of legalizing weed can be seen in the fact that: 

• CBD sales in the US are expected to reach $1.8 billion by 2022. 
• According to estimations, by 2025, the CBD beverages market will reach $2.8 billion.
• Likewise, by 2027, the medical cannabis market will be worth $82.19 billion.

Plenty of cannabis companies have seen a lot of financial benefits of legalizing weed. Also, it doesn’t take too long to succeed. 

Let’s see the example of Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc. The company started off in 2013 as a small family startup, but thanks to the now world-renowned weed strain, it’s earning millions.

To reap the benefits of legalizing weed, you needn’t produce or trade cannabis. For example, the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company earned $2.6 billion by selling equipment needed for cannabis cultivation. 

If you have any qualms about the cannabis business but would like to enjoy the perks, this could be your niche.

Therefore, citizens of the states where weed is legal have greater chances of starting up a very profitable business if they learn how to invest in marijuana.

Social Benefits of Legalizing Weed

States with legal weed have their own choice of how they are going to use the money obtained from marijuana revenue tax. 

Benefits from Tax Revenues 

Usually, it is spent on better education, healthcare, police, or helping the endangered community members. For example, this is how Oregon divided its $46.9 million revenue obtained by marijuana taxes in Q1 of fiscal 2021:

• 40% went to state schools  
• 20% went to the Mental Health, Alcoholism and Drug Services account
• 15% went to the state police 
• 10% went to cities and counties for law enforcement
• 5% went to the Oregon Health Authority for alcohol and drug abuse prevention

Other states also witnessed the positive effects of legalizing weed. In fiscal 2020-2021, California allocated $332.8 million in marijuana tax revenue to public health, safety, and the environment. 

No Wasting Money on Prohibition Funds

Another advantage of legal weed states is that they no longer waste money on debates on whether recreational or medical cannabis should be legalized. 

For example, before legalizing recreational and medical cannabis on February 22, 2021, New Jersey spent an average of $143 million annually on marijuana prohibition laws. 

What’s more, the state spent over $1 billion to enforce these laws over the past decade. Many consider this to be the best argument for the benefits of legalizing cannabis.

Lower Crime Rates

Contrary to popular opinion, marijuana legalization does not increase crime rates. Quite the opposite — legalization leads to a reduction in some types of crime. 

No More Marijuana Busts

Naturally, crimes related to cannabis possession, production, or distribution plummet. For example, the number of cannabis arrests decreased by 68% in Colorado through 2012–2019 (from 13,225 to 4,290 arrests).  

At the same time, there was a 55% decrease in the number of marijuana-related court filings from 9,925 to 4,489.

Crime Solving Speed

The benefits of legalizing cannabis refer to greater speed in solving crimes too. The crime clearance rates in Colorado and Washington have increased after legalization, as reported by the FBI data. 

In other words, police officers have more time to deal with violent crimes when they don’t waste time on cannabis offenders.

This means that federal marijuana legalization could bring more law and order into the country.

Marijuana-Legal States

How many states have legalized recreational weed? At the moment, there are 19 states:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California (the first state to legalize weed (medical) in 1996)
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Illinois
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Montana
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington

The economic benefits of legalizing weed in New Mexico, Virginia, and Connecticut should be felt by the end of 2021 since the mentioned states legalized recreational weed this year.

Why Is Marijuana Illegal?

Based on everything that has been outlined so far, the question arises why we even have to discuss the pros and cons of weed. Pharmaceutical companies and their overbearing influence aside, there are some health concerns regarding cannabis usage. 

First of all, the hospitalization rates due to marijuana usage have risen. One more argument for the necessity of debate on the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana is that marijuana poisoning rates went up too. Scromiting is extremely unpleasant and potentially dangerous too.

It isn’t possible to die due to marijuana overdose, but the feeling is far from pleasant. 

Secondly, cannabis products are not FDA-regulated as cannabis is still defined as a Schedule 1 drug. That means that, on paper, it has no health benefits. For comparison’s sake, cocaine is Schedule 2. 

In other words, the only reason why we shouldn’t legalize medical weed is the lack of studies on its therapeutic benefits.

Another reason why weed was illegal in the US is linked to racism. 

Namely, In 1910, with the start of the Mexican Revolution, Mexicans started moving to the US, bringing marijuana with them. The fear of Mexican immigrants caused many states to create laws against marijuana.

This might sound funny today, but in the 1930s, Harry J. Anslinger, who was the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, claimed that weed consumers were minorities, and that smoking marijuana made them violent and insane.

Bonus: Economic Benefits of Legalizing Weed in Canada

On October 17, 2018, Canada became part of the “weed squad” by legalizing the drug for both medical and recreational use.

Canadian law allows users to possess 30 grams of dried cannabis in public. You can also buy the same amount of weed in stores legally (if you’re over 18 years old).

When it comes to growing cannabis at home for personal use, you are allowed to grow four plants (1 meter tall). However, it’s illegal to grow weed in public places.

Here are a few benefits of legalizing weed in Canada:

• In the first year of legalization, 9,000 new jobs were created in Canada.
• The cannabis industry generates $8.16 billion for the economy.
• Canada is home to some of the biggest marijuana companies that deal with the cultivation, growth, and distribution of recreational and medical marijuana (like Aphria and Canopy Growth).
• Regarding the health benefits, legalization helped patients acquire legal products (like edibles, cookies, candies) without having to transfer them to the oil extracts. Moreover, legalization reduced the restrictions on the products which licensed medical producers could sell. 

Ending Note on the Benefits of Legalizing Weed

Legalizing cannabis has invaluable benefits for human life. People are staying alive and well because they are granted medical help. 

Among other important advantages of legalization, you could name excellent healthcare and education, better jobs, high employment rates, business ventures, and help to those in need (usually, the marijuana tax revenue goes to struggling families or to a similar noble cause). 

If anyone asks what are the benefits of legalizing weed, you’ll now be armed with facts and statistics to defend your stand.   

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About the Author

Bojana Petkovic

A cannabis enthusiast, fascinated by the plant’s healing powers and the ever-changing world of the marijuana industry, trying to work out what is going on and let you know all the fun details — that’s my mission here. Keeping you high and healthy!

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