Talking Cannabis @ Politicon 2017

Cannabis legalization is one of the hottest topics in America right now. Eight states plus Washington, D.C. have legalized recreational cannabis, and another 22 have legalized medical marijuana. Demand for legal marijuana is so high, Nevada recently had to declare a state of emergency to boost the supply of cannabis because stores were running out of inventory. And letting the supply dry up would mean missing out on massive tax revenues.
So it only makes sense to give this hot topic its own panel at the 2017 Politicon — a non-partisan event that brings some of the biggest names in politics, comedy, and entertainment together to spar over the biggest issues in America today. And this year, Civilized will be entering the fray.
On Saturday I’ll be on stage with veteran political strategist Roger Stone, presidential advisor and outspoken legalization opponent Kevin A. Sabet, San Diego ACLU attorney Kellen Russoniello, digital media commentator Xeni Jardin, and ‘Daily Show’ correspondent Roy Wood Jr. The six of us will take part in the Weed Nation panel to discuss the economic and cultural impact of cannabis legalization.
I’ll be going armed with your perspectives on cannabis. Last spring, Civilized commissioned a poll to explore views on cannabis and to better understand the lifestyle of modern consumers. The poll was conducted independently by PSB Research, who surveyed adults coast-to-coast in the U.S. and Canada. The results showed that roughly four in five Americans (79%) and Canadians (81%) support legalizing cannabis in some form.
And millions of them plan to have enjoy once cannabis is legal. One quarter of Americans who live in states where it is currently prohibited said they would try it if it were legal. And more than half of former users (53 percent) said they would give marijuana another shot when prohibition ends, according to the 2016 poll that Civilized conducted with Environics Research.

Even more Americans are eager to enjoy the same economic benefits as legal states like Colorado. The first state to legalize recreational use saw $1.3 billion in cannabis sales in 2016 alone. Colorado has reaped $506 million in tax revenues since recreational cannabis sales began in 2014. Those dollars go to various funds to boost the state’s infrastructure and fund state programs, including projects to renovate or replace old schools. So despite stoner stereotypes, cannabis is making Colorado kids smarter.
Other states will similarly prosper as the legalization movement continues to build momentum across the country. Over the last 10 years, 19 states have legalized medical marijuana. And on November 8, 2016, the number of recreational states doubled from 4 to 8. There may be unexpected setbacks along the way, but legalization will be a reality in America — and much sooner than any of us could’ve expected 21 years ago, when California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis.
But to push progress forward, we need the cannabis community to make noise at events like Politicon. So bring your munchies and be sure to check out the Weed Nation panel moderated by Krishna Sai Andavolu, host and executive producer of WEEDIQUETTE on Viceland. The discussion kicks off at 4:20pm on Saturday, July 29th.
And hit the heart button below to spread the word about the event.
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