37 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands allow medical marijuana, which is great news for everyone except the Americans in the unlucky 13 states still dealing with draconian drug laws.
It’s not just that Americans in these states lack access to basic medical care that has the ability to change millions of people’s lives for the better. In many of these states, residents can literally still go to jail for simply possessing cannabis.
Fortunately, the tide may be turning in the south.
Mississippi recently passed a medical marijuana bill and now it seems South Carolina may be next. In February, the state senate approved SB150 on a second reading in a 28-15 vote. It was then approved on a third reading in a voice vote, moving it onto the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee.
These things should be slam dunks.
According to Gallup, 68% of Americans support legalizing cannabis altogether. And 90% percent support medical marijuana! But, unfortunately, these issues are rarely left up to the people.
Less than half our states allow citizen-initiated ballot proposals, meaning most of the time bills must go through the legislature. And while most of the country has realized just how stupid marijuana prohibition is, police unions, district attorney associations, drug labs, and other corrupt businesses that profit off of prohibition continue to lobby hard (often using your tax dollars) for the status quo.
Every day that lawmakers wait to pass marijuana reforms is a day another person likely loses their life to drug addiction or our prison system. Even here in Georgia, a couple is currently facing life in prison for selling a man an edible for his mother who was dying of cancer.
This is inhumane.
Cannabis is a safe and natural plant with fewer side effects than many pharmaceuticals. It is creepy and weird that we put people in jail for merely consuming or selling it, and in doing so, we push Americans onto harder pills and into more pain. There is simply no excuse for anyone to stand by this system.
South Carolinians may soon get a break from creepy and oppressive politicians who are willing to sell out their health to the highest bidder. But we cannot rest until all citizens no longer have to live in fear for merely treating their pain.
Disclaimer: Hannah is a fellow with Americans for Prosperity, an organization that advocates for marijuana legalization.
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