| 2020 was a big year for the cannabis industry, and 2021 followed suit. At the start of this year, 16 states considered either adult-use or medical legalization bills, and five followed through. Alabama legalized medical cannabis, while New York, Virginia, Connecticut and New Mexico all legalized it for adult use—leaving only 14 states where cannabis remains either entirely illegal or highly restrictive to low THC. As 2022 ballot initiatives and legislative proposals gain momentum, Cannabis Business Times compiled a list of 15 states that could legalize cannabis in some form next year. Most likely on the list to legalize adult-use cannabis are Delaware and Oklahoma. Delaware is poised to consider a House bill sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski, while Oklahoma is targeting an initiative for the November 2022 ballot. And presenting a high chance for medical cannabis legalization is Mississippi. While the state’s Supreme Court overturned the 2020 voter-approved ballot initiative in May, a final version of a medical cannabis legalization bill drafted by Mississippi lawmakers now awaits on the governor's desk for review. Other states to watch that could engage in adult-use legalization efforts next year include Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri and South Dakota, while Wyoming, Nebraska, North Carolina and Idaho could take a step toward medical legalization. Thirteen of the 19 states that have legalized adult-use cannabis (although South Dakota’s voter-approved Amendment A is being challenged in the state’s Supreme Court) have done so through voter initiatives—all taking place between 2012 and 2020. However, the industry is starting to see more state lawmakers drafting legislation, as four states have legalized cannabis legislatively in 2021. And as we look into next year, most states are expected to take legislative action while others may put the issue before voters.
-Andriana Ruscitto, Assistant Editor | 