The 2020 elections have almost wrapped up (though we still have two Senate seats in Georgia to occupy our time and attention), and both major parties are busy arguing about what lessons to take away. One thing is clear, however: Legalizing cannabis is very popular.

Arizona, New Jersey, South Dakota, and Montana all passed cannabis legalization initiatives on Election Day by large margins. South Dakota and Mississippi approved medical cannabis use. Now, 15 states have legalized recreational cannabis and 36 states have permitted medical cannabis.

It’s no surprise: According to a recent Gallup poll, 68% of adults in this country support legalization. But one major point about cannabis legalization is that it proves government regulation and taxation can be popular across party lines. 

In places where cannabis is illegal, the markets for the drug are unregulated and underground. As a result, cannabis varies wildly in quality, price, and availability – you never know what you’re going to get. In an effort to destroy the illegal markets, governments resort to over-policing, especially in minority communities. And, because trafficking the substance is illegal, it has become a revenue stream for organized crime. 

By bringing cannabis markets into the light, legalization can ensure the quality and safety of marijuana products, can relieve the police burden on minority communities (freeing the police to focus on more important things), and can be taxed to provide a new revenue stream that benefits cash-strapped education and social safety net programs.

Cannabis legalization has shown that people trust the government to keep them safe, collect taxes and fees, and reinvest in local communities. Although legalization hasn’t been perfect, it has been an improvement on the unregulated market that preceded it. 

To gauge support for cannabis legalization in this community, we’re taking a poll of 5,000 supporters. This poll only runs until midnight, so tell us now: