U.S. states vote for marijuana legalization

In addition to U.S. President Barack Obama winning a second term last night, the other big story was Colorado and Washington state passing ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana for recreational use. SFU criminologist Neil Boyd says it’s an important development but we will have to see how the Obama government responds to this historical moment. “This signals a shift in North American approaches to cannabis, a shift that has been building slowly during the past two decades,” says Boyd. “It is quite possible that the regulation and taxation of cannabis, based on a public health mandate and model, will ultimately displace the current morally and ideologically based criminal prohibition of use.”

Neil Boyd, SFU Criminology, 604.947.9569, nboyd@sfu.ca