California Has Legal Cannabis; Will the Rest of the Nation Be Next?

The New Year featured many big changes, but one of the most influential might be what happened in California. On January 1st, the Golden State became one of a few states that have officially legalized recreational marijuana use, and the impact will be huge. So far, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Nevada have legalized possession and use and have set up marketplaces for buying and selling cannabis. However, as a recent Vox article points out, these states’ economies are rather small in comparison to California.

Altogether, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska have less than half the population of California (39 million and 17 million collectively), and California is two and a half times wealthier than those states combined. In fact, California boasts the sixth-largest economy in the world on its own, supplanting countries like India, France, Brazil, Italy, and Canada.

According to the Vox article, one cannabis consulting firm estimates that California’s marijuana industry could be worth more than $5 billion by 2018. A recent report from an investment bank believes that the legalization of marijuana in California could triple the size of the nation’s marijuana industry within a decade. This is a big development and could eventually lead to the full repeal of the prohibition of marijuana.

Why Daniel Fung Knows Times Are Changing

Daniel Fung of Watertown CT is an advocate for safe medical marijuana use as users have experienced numerous health benefits. Although marijuana studies are restricted because of antiquated drug laws, we do know that medical marijuana is a viable option for those who suffer from epilepsy, chronic pain, insomnia, and other challenging conditions. It is far safer than opioids, and you cannot overdose on marijuana as you can with prescription pain medication and alcohol.

Beyond marijuana, the field of cannabidiol (CBD) has simply exploded in popularity. Since CBD is extracted from the marijuana plant, the study, marketing and application of both go hand in hand. What’s important to note about CBD, according to Daniel Fung of Watertown CT, is that there is no psychoactive element here. CBD’s low THC level means those who ingest the extract – whether it’s in the form of a cream or candy – won’t get the “high” that marijuana delivers. At this point, companies marketing CBD have championed it for pain-relieving characteristics and the ability to boost immune systems and general health over time.

According to Inverse.com, CBD-infused gummy candies are a way of getting both the benefits of an extract as well as essential vitamins and nutrients. It’s for these reasons and more that Daniel Fung of Watertown CT is encountering more folks using CBD to, according to the Inverse.com article, “help to reduce pain, relieve stress and anxiety, as well as encourage better sleep.” There are many others like Daniel Fung of Watertown CT, too, who are championing new science. We know this because surveys have shown this time and time again.

While CBD can legally be sold to adults, there’s still plenty of confusion surrounding this new hot ingredient we’re seeing added to health and wellness products across the country. It’s certainly part of a trend that is also increasing rates of acceptance. More people in every age group believe that marijuana should be legalized. And the highest percentages are in the younger age groups, which will soon represent a majority of the voters in the United States. There are many states that will join California very soon to legalize marijuana. Massachusetts voted yes to it in the 2016 and officials are still working on creating the framework. NJ is electing a governor who said he will sign legislation the second it hits his desk. Delaware and Vermont are not far behind either.