Cannabis industry development provides many communities with economic relief; creating jobs, tax revenue and more. Small towns across the country are welcoming cannabis companies with open arms – from Shamokin Dam, Pennsylvania to Lincoln, Illinois and beyond – creating more employment opportunities for those in rural communities which have been left behind by globalization.
Cannabis is an extraordinary product with complex chemical components that requires special expertise to cultivate and manufacture, so its cultivation and manufacture require special knowledge and skill sets. As cannabis becomes commoditized, this expertise becomes even more crucial – meaning early adopters who can leverage and capitalize upon it will have a better chance at long-term success.
You need a license to grow
Current state laws prohibit cultivation of cannabis without a valid license, yet there is no evidence to show increased consumption or harm from illegal production (Caulkins et al. 2016). Legalizing cannabis could in fact reduce consumption and harm by replacing illegal production with legally regulated alternatives (Caulkins et al. 2016).
Government Resources:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6358421/
Legal cannabis markets create more rewarding jobs for workers in the industry. Although cannabis businesses remain at their early stages, existing unionized ones provide examples of how formalizing workers’ rights and encouraging greater participation in company decision-making has lead to better jobs at more remunerative salaries for all employees in this field.
As more states legalize cannabis production, it will become imperative that legislators ensure it operates as an ethical employer. Legislators must safeguard workers’ rights and impose professional standards that uphold safety; provide on-the-job training and apprenticeship opportunities; as well as mandate worker health and safety oversight – similar to the model employed in manufacturing industries where unions successfully established job quality norms over time. Manufacturing unions serve as an exemplar here.
Increased tax revenue has been a boon
Local governments in legal cannabis markets also benefit from tax revenue generated from legal marijuana sales. Colorado and Oklahoma collected over $300 million in taxes in 2020 from adult-use cannabis sales (Scott-Holmes 2021). These funds help local governments maintain public services, support infrastructure projects, and bolster community economies following depopulation.
Though cannabis presents its own set of challenges, legalization offers compelling arguments in its favor. Legalizing it has many public health advantages that could mitigate tobacco and alcohol harm while simultaneously adding economic benefit in communities affected by depopulation, loss of local business identity or depression.