The pandemic was a boon for the cannabis industry.¹ U.S. sales in 2021 hit $25B (a 40% YoY increase) and are expected to grow annually at a rate of 15% for the next five years.² Cannabis is legal for recreational use in 18 states and the District of Columbia, decriminalized in 13 others and available for medical use in 36. Polls indicate that American support for legalization sits between 60%³ and 68%⁴, and a further 31% favor legalization for medical purposes. In places where it is not fully legal, Attorneys Generals are declining to prosecute cannabis possession cases,⁵ while other prosecutors and governors are working towards expedited sentencing relief⁶ and pardons for prior convictions.⁷ This sea change of attitudes is manifesting in the workplace as well, exemplified by Amazon’s 2021 decision to stop testing for cannabis in pre-employment drug tests.⁸ A nationwide legalization of cannabis would have an appreciable impact on calculations of American GDP,⁹ and California now collects $50M in monthly revenues from cannabis sales and production.¹⁰

1 https://www.forbes.com/sites/msolomon/2020/04/19/biggest-420-ever-with-america-stuck-at-home-cannabis-demand-is-at-an-all-time-high/
2 https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/09/21/2300624/0/en/BDSA-Reports-Global-Cannabis-Sales-Surge-41-YoY-in-2021-Will-Surpass-62-Billion-by-2026.html
3 https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/16/americans-overwhelmingly-say-marijuana-should-be-legal-for-recreational-or-medical-use/
4 https://norml.org/blog/2021/11/04/gallup-poll-americans-support-for-marijuana-legalization-holds-at-record-high/
5 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/us/baltimore-marijuana-possession.html
6 https://www.marijuanamoment.net/california-ag-pushes-county-prosecutors-to-stop-delaying-relief-for-past-cannabis-convictions/
7 https://denver.cbslocal.com/2022/01/05/marijuana-jared-polis-convictions-pardon/
8 https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/01/tech/amazon-marijuana-time-off-task/index.html
9 https://thewalrus.ca/the-hazy-economy-of-cannabis/
10 https://www.cato.org/commentary/safe-banking-act-good-step-toward-marijuana-legalization