How To Help Legalize Pot In Your Area

Right now, all the progress that has been made on legalizing medical marijuana is in jeopardy. President Trump and many members of the Republican party have promised to double their efforts in pursuing people who smoke weed with criminal charges and stifle any attempts at national scale legalization as part of the party platform.

If you currently live in a state with legal marijuana use, then you should be aware that you might still find yourself on the wrong side of the law with this administration - and therefore need to start working to relax laws or keep them relaxed. Your rights aren't safe right now.

If you currently want to see your state decriminalize marijuana, then you definitely need to start fighting for your rights before it becomes impossible to have your voice heard.

You can fight back against bad political moves, and it doesn't even take a law degree or money to do so. Here's how you can do your share, no matter what your situation is.

First off, link up with organizations that promote marijuana legalization in your area.

Trust me when I say that you are not alone in wanting to see pot become legal throughout the US. In fact, surveys show that 50 percent of the population want to see cannabis become legal. So, obviously, with it being such a popular policy, there are going to be a lot of organizations that will work to make it legal.

Linking up with these groups can help you get your voice heard. Our suggestions would be to check out the Marijuana Policy Project or NORML to see if they have a chapter near you.

Along with reaching out to them to give your support, spread awareness of the organizations that are working to legalize marijuana in your country. You can do this by volunteering to hand out stickers, giving them an occasional mention on social media, or writing press releases on their behalf.

Of course, donating to these groups can also help them sustain costs that come with running websites and getting their voices heard.

Before you get politically involved, research your state's current laws and voting schedules.

Right now, there are a handful of states that have legalized marijuana in some capacity. You might even be living in a "green state" without even knowing it!

That being said, you do need to research what's going on with state laws before you start working to legalize it. Depending on what state you're in, what you are able to do effectively may be different.

Dozens of states are currently scheduling votes on whether or not they should legalize cannabis. Depending on how your state's legislature is set up, you could potentially start the process of legalizing pot yourself via a citizen's initiative ballot.

In many cases, the only way you can legalize it is to wait for the legislature. If your state has this kind of policy, then working with an organization that brings the issue to your local legislator's attention is the best way to start things.

If your state has marijuana reform ballots, vote!

Seriously, voting does help. Get your voice out there! Vote "yes" on marijuana reform, and you may actually get to reap the rewards of legalization. It's really that simple sometimes.

If your state doesn't have reform ballots, then you should work on trying to help cannabis-friendly legislators win elections.

You would be surprised at how many legislators across the country are actively working to make marijuana laws change, and that includes many legislators on a local level. By donating to their campaigns and helping them campaign, you're showing candidates that it pays off to support cannabis legalization.

Moreover, most of the legislators who want to legalize cannabis can use all the help they can get. Elections aren't easily won, especially when it comes to these days.

Call your legislators and state representatives about cannabis.

In politics, the squeaky wheel definitely does get the (hash) oil. Calling representatives and asking about their stances on cannabis can make a huge difference in what they choose to do before election day.

If you are smart, you will be tactful about talking to your representative about marijuana legalization. You want to tell them about the economic, medical, and social benefits it can bring about - and you want to do so while sounding intelligent, composed, and sober.

It's also a good idea to sign petitions that will be sent to legislators. After all, every little thing counts at the end of the day.

Talk to people about it.

The problem with cannabis legalization is that there's a lot of misinformation that's circulating about marijuana's effects. After all, it's been the topic of dozens of smear campaigns by politicians who were looking to get ahead. So, part of getting it legalized means that we need to dispel the myths and educate others.

The more that people talk about marijuana and its benefits, the less stigmatized it will be - and that's exactly what needs to be done if we ever want to see it legal on a national level.