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Legalize Marijuana Right

Marijuana legalization should prioritize public health, consumer safety, and justice for those harmed by criminalization. The Drug Policy Alliance supports reforms that benefit people’s wellbeing, not corporate profit. 

“ In many states where cannabis (marijuana) is legal, large companies are putting profits ahead of health. Cannabis laws must protect consumer health and ensure that people who were devastated by criminalization benefit from legal markets.”

Dr. Rachel Knox, MD, MBA

Dr. Rachel Knox, MD, MBA

Co-Founder, Association for Cannabis, Health, Equity, and Medicine (ACHEM)

Various cannabis products on display at the Housing Works cannabis dispensary in NYC.
Solutions

To Legalize Marijuana the Right Way:

  • No one should be arrested for marijuana.

    At a minimum, marijuana possession should be decriminalized. Ideally, marijuana should be legal at the state and federal levels as a regulated, age-restricted (18+) consumer product.

  • Create protections for consumer health.

    Marijuana products should be clearly labeled with their THC level and standard dose. CBD and hemp products should be held to the same quality control standards as marijuana.

  • Educate youth and parents on the risks of marijuana use.

    Young people need resources on the potential risks of using marijuana alone or mixing it with other drugs, driving while impaired, or using high-THC products.

  • Restrict youth access to marijuana. Marijuana businesses must verify the age of all customers before a sale. If a business knowingly sells to minors, the government should revoke their license to operate.
  • Stop large companies from putting profits before people. Large corporations undermine health reforms to increase their bottom-line and monopolize the market.
  • Clear records for all past marijuana arrests and convictions. Ensure people with past marijuana convictions cannot be deported, denied access to benefits, or discriminated against. They should be able to participate in legal markets.
  • Invest marijuana tax revenue in communities harmed by prohibition. This funding can support addiction services, reentry programs for people who have been incarcerated, and assistance with housing, employment, and education.
  • Support personal grow. Adults should be able to grow marijuana for personal use and share with other adults.
  • Explore state-run programs. In this model, the government can prioritize public health and safety as opposed to business which often prioritize profits. And because the government would keep all profits—instead of a percentage through taxes—more resources that can be re-invested back into local communities.
  • Fund research and data collection. This research is vital to understanding the benefits and harms of marijuana use, as well as the impact of commercialization. These insights will help policymakers improve marijuana laws and how they are implemented.

Most Americans support legalizing marijuana.

An overwhelming 88 percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use. As of March 2025, marijuana is legal in 39 states for medical use and 24 states for recreational use. Legalization has led to fewer arrests, improved medical access for patients, and more opportunities to clear past convictions, removing barriers to housing, jobs, and education.

Legalization should prioritize people’s wellbeing, not company profits.

Large corporations spend millions of dollars on lobbying to protect monopolies and push against reforms that could benefit consumers, employees, and small businesses. Commercial interests can also undermine public health. Consumers deserve accurate information to make informed decisions, yet misleading marketing and deceptive labels—driven by profit motives—make this increasingly difficult.

It’s unjust that corporate elites get rich doing the same thing that imprisons others and traps them in poverty. Black people, for example, are arrested for marijuana possession at 3.6 times the rate of white people, despite similar usage and sales rates across all races. Meanwhile, people facing financial hardship may turn to selling marijuana out of necessity, as it provides for their families when legitimate opportunities are scarce.

This corporate capture is deeply concerning. Lawmakers must refocus marijuana legalization on public health and equity, ensuring those most harmed by criminalization benefit from reforms.

Despite state-level legalization, marijuana remains criminalized federally.

State-level legalization only provides state protections. Individuals can still face federal charges for possession, manufacturing, and distribution. A federal charge can prevent someone from accessing housing, employment, and immigration benefits. This is because the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) classifies marijuana as a “Schedule 1” drug— the U.S. government has made it illegal, labeling it a drug with no accepted medical use. But people use marijuana for health issues like chronic pain, anxiety relief, or epilepsy. The scheduling of marijuana, like other drugs, is more about politics and stigma than it is about health.

It is long overdue that the President and Congress end federal marijuana criminalization by descheduling it or removing it from the CSA entirely.

Legalizing marijuana right prioritizes health and community investment, not corporate greed.

The Drug Policy Alliance advocates for marijuana laws that benefit communities and individuals harmed by prohibition, while protecting public health and safety. Legalization has the potential to undo the harms of criminalization, create stable jobs, increase housing access, and expand health services.

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A young woman holds a sign that says "End the Drug War."

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