I’m not saying that this will be a sudden seismic shift, but rather that the clear economic, social and healthcare benefits that come from a change of perception which ultimately leads to a change in law will eventually become too much to ignore.

While some sectors of the world are much further ahead than others, the seeds of change seem to be taking root around the world and as people become increasingly vocal in their support of significant change it seems like officials are gradually starting to listen.While the myriad health benefits of cannabis consumption continue to make waves around the world, the limitations placed on scientific research by various agencies who seek to control harmful substances mean that man-made limitations are probably still our biggest opponent.

Despite the fact that history has shown that we should live in harmony with our natural world and harness the potential of plants to improve our health and wellbeing, many countries have systems in place that favor pharmaceuticals over naturally-occurring substances and laws that prohibit the individual from making use of many of nature’s bounties. To make matters worse, there is a huge disparity when it comes to law enforcement and the impact it has on ethnic minorities which has been ignored for far too long.

What this means is that any form of reform around the world should consider the negative impact that prohibition has had on society and take steps to ensure that our transition to a more contemporary view on cannabis attempts to atone for the errors of the past. In light of this, some people have already voiced their concerns that the cannabis industry may be ‘hijacked’ by corporations who have little interest beyond their profit margins, especially as there are always likely to be some companies who will aim to influence policy for their own benefit.

The social impact of the past century of prohibition is difficult to fully comprehend, but estimates indicate that more than 8 million people were incarcerated in the United States between 2001 and 2010 (with almost 90% of them arrested for simple possession). To make matters worse, figures indicate that minorities (African Americans in particular) are almost four times as likely to find themselves arrested for possession than Caucasians, regardless of the fact that it is estimated that there is a level of equality in terms of cannabis use across all ethnicities.

When it comes to possession with intent to supply (felony possession) this actually increases to almost five times the number of arrests in comparison to the equivalent number of arrests for white people.

Sadly, this is not an issue that is exclusive to the United States and studies in Canada and the United Kingdom highlighted similarly shocking disparities when it comes to arrest data and subsequent time spent in incarceration. As we move forward and hopefully see improvements across the board in terms of how cannabis is perceived and policed, some organizations are calling for ‘social equity’

to be included as part of any change to legislation. The idea that reform should be built upon the foundations of principles relating to social justice is becoming increasingly popular and you would hope that this is almost a given in the current political climate (and in light of the increased focus on such issues in the past few years).

In New York, where more than 90% of arrests and incarceration have previously been attributed to African Americans, there has been a clear focus on ensuring that the impending wave of cannabis-related businesses that are likely to spring up now that legalization is being ushered in is more equitable and aims to provide opportunities to those communities who have previously been adversely affected to a greater extent.

By working towards establishing more of a level playing field for individuals who are trying to compete with established brands and multi-million-dollar corporations, there is a hope that some of the damage of the past can be undone. Add in the fact that some states are now actively expunging criminal records and releasing people who were incarcerated for minor possession charges and it’s clear that there is at least some hope for the future.

Conversely, the government in the UK has continued to argue that there needs to be a tough stance when it comes to ‘drugs’ and their new policies continue to perpetuate the same old dialogue. This is regardless of the fact that their own sources indicate that the public money spent on enforcing drug laws and policies has had no impact on levels of drug use (in fact issues related to drugs are increasing in many areas of the UK). According to a report by Release (a national center of expertise on drugs and drug law) it is ‘inevitable’ that change is coming to the United Kingdom.

They go on to explain that the market is ‘simply too lucrative for politicians to ignore’ as cannabis is ‘the most widely used illicit drug in the UK and the world’, but they are adamant that any future changes should take into account that this ‘renaissance of cannabis is a vital opportunity to address the harm that cannabis prohibition has caused to Black and Brown communities and to people with lived experience of cannabis policing.’

Some of the points they go on to raise include the idea that people should not be persecuted for possession (regardless of how they came to obtain it through legal or illegal channels), non-commercial growing should be allowed in the same way that an individual can set up a ‘home brew’ to make their own alcohol at home, previous convictions must be expunged from people’s criminal records and those who have previously been punished for involvement in cannabis-related activities should be given an equal opportunity to work within this new industry.

In an ideal world we would see these types of policies coming to light that give the individual more freedom to choose how they maintain a supply of cannabis which suits their personal preference. While some people are more than happy to buy their strains from dispensaries, the chance to grow independently or as part of a collective will be preferential to others.

Whatever the future may hold it’s clear that change is beginning to take shape. Ultimately, however, this is all about seeing progress and remaining hopeful that this is the just the beginning of a new era for cannabis around the world that can heal many of the wounds of the past.