Indiana Democrats and some Republicans will once again seek to pass legislation legalizing marijuana during the 2024 legislative session, which begins on Monday.
Past attempts at liberalizing Indiana’s marijuana laws have proved fruitless. During last year’s legislative session, more than a dozen bills that would have loosened restrictions on the drug to varying degrees — from legalizing adult recreational use or medical use to decriminalizing possession of small amounts — all failed in the Statehouse, where Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers.
Cannabis is one issue where Indiana has set itself apart from its neighbors. Michigan and Illinois legalized recreational marijuana in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Ohio, where Republicans control the governor’s mansion and both chambers of the state legislature, became the latest state to join them in November. So far, 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana and a majority of Americans now live in a state where cannabis can be accessed legally. The Hoosier state is one of just 12 holdouts that allow neither medical nor recreational cannabis use.
State Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, hopes to change that. He told the Post-Tribune that he is optimistic that his bill — which would legalize the use of cannabis by adults over 21 and anyone with a serious medical condition as designated by a physician — will pass.
The legislation would create a state level cannabis commission to oversee, implement, and enforce regulations on cannabis products grown and sold in the state. Marijuana-related products, including CBD, Delta-8 and Delta-9 products, can be legally sold in Indiana, but they are not overseen by a state regulatory body.
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