Marijuana Legalization on Pause During Coronavirus Pandemic

Many states that were expected to legalize marijuana this year are unlikely to do so because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Politico.

In almost a dozen states, legalization advocates have been working on ballot referendums. Now ballot drives are on hold due to social distancing requirements, and state legislators are focused on the pandemic.

“People are scared. They don’t want to touch a pen or paper,” Melissa Fults, Executive Director of Arkansans for Cannabis Reform told Politico. “All we can do is sit and wait.”

“The coronavirus has impacted every signature drive on every issue across the country,” said Matthew Schweich, Deputy Director of the Marijuana Policy Project.

Earlier this year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said marijuana legalization would be a top priority this year. At a recent press briefing, when asked about the issue, he said, “Too much [to deal with], too little time.”