Legalized Pot In Louisiana – Legislature Will Discuss The Options

There is a new a different scent on the breeze blowing in from Baton Rouge. Could it be the smell of marijuana? With some states opting to decriminalize the sale and recreational use of pot beginning with the new year, it seems only natural for lawmakers in our state to consider the options as well. There certainly seems to be an economic opportunity at hand.

As it stands now, medical marijuana is legal in the state. It is just not legal for pharmacies to sell medical marijuana. That in itself is a  big hint as to the convoluted way lawmakers have dealt with the issue of legalized pot in the past. State Representative Dalton Honore of Baton Rouge has plans to examine the medical marijuana legislation that is currently on the books. He says the issue of recreational use of marijuana will also be discussed when he brings up the issue before the House Criminal Justice Committee in a meeting later this month.

In a report filed with the Louisiana Radio Network Honore had this to say about his reasons for wanting to bring the issue into discussion,

 "I don't smoke, have never tried marijuana, but studies show marijuana has some positive effect on 100-plus ailments,"

A recent survey conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union suggested that 53% of those responding were in favor of taxing and regulating the use of marijuana by people over the age of 21.

Based upon what we have seen in the first two weeks of legal pot sale in Colorado this could be a boon to the State's tax base. This money does not come with out some concerns for public safety. All of the issues will need to be discussed thoroughly before there would be any change to Louisiana's current laws concerning the use and sale of marijuana.