Indiana lawmakers again weigh benefits, perils of legalizing marijuana |

September 25, 2022 admin Marijuana News 0

State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton, is hopeful Indiana might soon finally join the majority of states that permit the consumption of marijuana, and related THC products, for either medicinal or recreational use.

Pol was among 14 Republican and Democratic state representatives and senators who last week spent more than four hours evaluating Indiana’s marijuana laws and listening to expert and public testimony on the benefits and perils of decriminalizing marijuana and treating it similarly to alcohol.

“(The) testimony from Hoosiers, business leaders, experts from states with legal cannabis, researchers and others made it crystal clear, it’s time for Indiana to legalize cannabis,” Pol said.

“We heard that hemp and cannabis farming, production and manufacturing have the potential to thrive in Indiana. The committee also heard firsthand how cannabis has provided medical benefits for individuals,” he added.

Cannabis and marijuana are among many terms used to identify a drug derived from the cannabis plant. THC is the main psychoactive component of cannabis that produces a “high.”

Prior attempts to legalize marijuana, including many led by Pol’s Indiana Senate District 4 predecessor, former state Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, repeatedly have failed to garner majority support at the Republican-controlled General Assembly.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb also has said he won’t approve any kind of marijuana legalization in Indiana while marijuana remains classified as a controlled substance by the federal government.

Nevertheless, state Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, said he continues working to persuade his GOP colleagues Indiana would benefit, particularly Hoosier veterans, from a homegrown cannabis industry, after Lucas personally investigated the availability and use of THC products in other states.

“Why should it be a crime for somebody to want a better quality of life? Why should it be a crime for that vet, when 24 veterans are committing suicide every day, to simply want to have a better quality of life?” Lucas asked.

“We’ve heard the data, the testimony. The science is out there. We know it helps. We know there are so many positives for cannabis. Shame on us for criminalizing responsible Hoosiers that simply want a better quality of life, that don’t want to be put toward that place where they’re putting a gun in their mouth because they can’t take it anymore,” he added.

State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, remained unconvinced. He said the potential risks of daily use of the higher potency THC now available simply aren’t sufficiently well known to make the products widely available to Hoosiers.

“We’re pretty early in the game with regard to states that have legalized this, so that we don’t really know what the long-term effects are,” Charbonneau said.

He said that if increased marijuana use in Indiana results in a corresponding increase in the need for drug treatment and mental health services, then any supposed financial benefits tied to legalization will be wiped out by the state’s added costs for care.

“There’s a ton of money out there to be made by individuals, but also by the state of Indiana, and I want to make sure we don’t get hooked on the money,” Charbonneau said.

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute also noted that drug-impaired driving steadily has increased across the state following the COVID-19 pandemic and is contributing to a rise in the number of fatal collisions, which may pass 1,000 this year.

“While there are several dangerous driving behaviors that can be attributed to the rise in fatalities, drug-impaired driving and, more specifically, THC-impaired driving, are chief among them,” said Devon McDonald, ICJI executive director.

Marijuana advocates remain certain the pluses of cannabis outweigh any negatives, especially because many Hoosiers already are purchasing legal THC products in neighboring states and using them in Indiana — and that hasn’t overburdened Indiana’s resources.

Riding Shotgun/DNR Conservation Officer Tyler Brock



“Cannabis legalization would provide so many benefits for Hoosiers, farmers and businesses. It will also crack down on the black market and allow Hoosiers to safely purchase cannabis in Indiana rather than Illinois and Michigan,” Pol said.

“It’s time for the General Assembly to join 37 other states with some form of legal cannabis. This new market is already here, and it’s time for Indiana to become the cannabis leader of the Midwest,” he added.

The General Assembly is likely to at least consider acting on THC legislation expected to be filed by Pol, Lucas and others when it convenes for a four-month session in January.

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