Candidates For West Virginia Governor Are Split Over Weed Legalization: Here’s What Voters Should Know
West Virginia should legalize recreational cannabis and join the growing number of states that already took that step. That’s according to Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, who is a Democratic candidate for governor of the Mountain State.
Voters should weigh in on the issue via a statewide constitutional amendment, Williams said this week, reported WV MetroNews. He added cannabis reform would have to get the green light from the state’s legislature as well, in order to become law.
“West Virginia has an opportunity to join the growing number of states, including Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and Washington, D.C., that have taken bold steps to legalize cannabis, and I believe it’s time we give the people a voice on this issue,” Williams said. “One avenue to move forward is to put legalization on the ballot and let voters decide.”
In addition to having a positive effect on the state’s tax revenues that would then be allocated to education, health care and infrastructure projects, cannabis policy change would also create more jobs while boosting businesses and tourism, Williams continued.