Indiana Poised To Legalize Marijuana As GOP Lawmaker Reveals Plans To File Bill During Next Session

Indiana is on its way to join other states in legalizing cannabis, as it’s just one of a few states that did not give the green light to marijuana use.

What Happened?

Rep. Cindy Ziemke, a Republican Indiana lawmaker who serves in House leadership, announced she plans to introduce a bill to legalize the plant for both recreational and medical use in the upcoming legislative session, Marijuana moment writes.

Why It Matters?

The legislation would legalize cannabis for adults over age 21 and create a regulated system of sales, drawing parallels from Michigan’s marijuana law. In addition, it would also enact a medical cannabis program in the state.

The lawmaker told the Indianapolis Business Journal that the measure would set up a state commission to regulate the market and issue cannabis business licenses. The bill would also pose a tax on cannabis sales, with the revenue directed to supporting public health initiatives.

Ziemke, who has been raising awareness about substance misuse for years - having sons who struggled with addiction - thinks that the bill would help cannabis consumers be less exposed to other drugs by being diverted from the illicit market.

“So much of it also comes from when I called my son, and I said, you know, ‘what do you think about me authoring this cannabis bill?’ And he said, ‘You should do it.’ He said, ‘because you know those folks will go to a dealer to get pot and could end up leaving one day with meth,’” Ziemke, whose son is eight years in recovery from a heroin addiction, said. “I want a safe product that’s out there that’s controlled.”

The lawmaker, who serves as assistant majority caucus chair, also stressed the importance of tax revenue going to public health purposes.

"We are so good at so much. But when it comes to public health, we are horrible,” she said. “So if that would generate monies that could go more into public health for our state, that’s how I envisioned it for both public health and mental health and addiction.”

What’s Next?

The new piece of legislation is now poised to get a hearing in the House Public Policy Committee. Ziemke said she’s already negotiated the proposal with House Speaker Todd Huston (R), Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R) and the governor.

And while it’s left to be seen what the upcoming legislative session will bring, statewide support for the cause is evident.

In 2018, around 80% of Hoosiers who participated in a poll conducted by Issues and Answers Network said that cannabis should be legalized for both recreational and medicinal use, while 78% agreed that simple possession should be decriminalized.

In addition, according to a 2021 legislative survey that Ziemke’s office conducted, 60% of her constituents in her district said they support medical cannabis legalization.

Photo: Courtesy of Ryan De Hamer on Unsplash