“Given the evolving policy environment around us, what does this mean for our state’s cannabis policy framework?”
By Claire Fiddian-Green, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation via Indiana Capital Chronicle
Indiana’s cannabis policy has recently become a subject of increasing scrutiny. While our state’s cannabis laws are among the most restrictive in the nation, three of our four neighboring states have legalized adult-use cannabis, and the federal government has indicated interest in relaxing federal cannabis laws.
This context means that, even with Indiana’s restrictive policies, cannabis is accessible to most Hoosiers.
According to two new reports from RAND, commissioned by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, 44 percent of Indiana residents live within 50 miles of a licensed dispensary in another state, and 96 percent live within 100 miles.
Additionally, another key reality requires us to carefully consider Indiana’s current policy framework: intoxicating hemp products, which can contain the same psychoactive compound as marijuana, are widely available at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores across the state—with limited oversight.
The Hoosier state does not exist in a vacuum: our health and economic outcomes are already influenced by the regulatory and enforcement decisions made by the federal government and neighboring states, and that
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