Legalizing marijuana in Indiana by 2025 appears unlikely, with Republican leaders in the House and Senate opposing the move. Justin Swanson, president of the Midwest Hemp Council, argues it’s a matter of freedom and opportunity for Hoosiers.
“We’re trying to educate legislators that this is a real opportunity for farmers here in Indiana,” Swanson said. “We are an ag state; it’s in our DNA. Rather than importing these products, we really should be exporting them.”
A 2024 survey by Ball State University found fewer than 10% of Hoosiers think pot should still be completely illegal. Thirty-two percent supported medical marijuana, while 54% favored recreational cannabis for adults.
“Both sides can find studies that back up their position, but at the end of the day, no state has gone backwards once they’ve properly regulated cannabis and ensured that adults are using it in the wellness marketplace,” Swanson said.
Swanson emphasized that cannabis isn’t a viable option for everyone, particularly individuals with addiction issues.
“The data shows that as more states properly regulate cannabis, youth consumption is going down, and I think it’s at its lowest levels in the last couple of decades,” he said. “The reality is cannabis, marijuana, and hemp products are easier to get for high schoolers and middle schoolers than alcohol. The guy behind the counter with the business license is not trying to get you hooked on something like someone selling in a parking lot.”
The Midwest Hemp Council’s 2025 Legislative Kickoff will be held at Sun King Brewing on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. The organization will reveal its legislative agenda at that time.
8 comments
Legalize federally now. What’s legal to possess and consume in over half of the populated areas of The United States should not make you a criminal in states still being governed by woefully ignorant prohibitionist politicians.
Cannabis consumers in all states deserve and demand equal rights and protections under our laws that are currently afforded to the drinkers of far more dangerous and deadly, yet perfectly legal, widely accepted, endlessly advertised and even glorified as an All-American pastime, alcohol.
Plain and simple!
Legalize Nationwide Federally Now!
It’s time for us, the majority of The People to take back control of our national cannabis policy. By voting OUT of office any and all politicians who very publicly and vocally admit to having an anti-cannabis, prohibitionist agenda! Time to vote’em all OUT of office. Period. Plain and simple.
Politicians who continue to demonize Cannabis, Corrupt Law Enforcement Officials who prefer to ruin peoples lives over Cannabis possession rather than solve real crimes who fund their departments toys and salaries with monies acquired through cannabis home raids, seizures and forfeitures, and so-called “Addiction Specialists” who make their income off of the judicial misfortunes of our citizens who choose cannabis, – Your actions go against The Will of The People and Your Days In Office Are Numbered! Find new careers before you don’t have one.
The People have spoken! Get on-board with Cannabis Legalization Nationwide, or be left behind and find new careers. Your choice.
Cannabis possession in this state is a misdemeanor, if peoples lives are ruined it is because of other drugs they have or amounts that make them a dealer…or weapons related issues.
It sounds like you have a monetary dog in this fight. Guess what, it’s not happening this year and no one is getting voted out of office on this issue.
Get over it stoner.
There is nothing wrong with medical Marijuana. It’s better than the pharmaceutical companies jamming pills down out throats that don’t even help our problems. For example; Fibromyalsia that Doctors don’t even know how to treat. It took years to even be diagnosed by a doctor that knew I had a problem. I take RSO now a pill that I can get anywhere in Michigan. It works and is the 1st thing to help me in years of pain. I get 1 quarter of medical that last me a month sometimes 2 months. I only need a couple hits that’s it. That’s only when they are out of RSO. I don’t smoke when I drive or before work. I’m 66 almost 67 years old. If I were scribed RSO I wouldn’t need to be paying for it. But it’s worth it out of my low income to be able to work and walk. Winter is the worst and even rain. My body locks up. If one dispensary is out I have to drive farther. So Michigan gets all the tax from this. Every state is legal around us. Indiana could be getting the tax. Canada went fully legal years ago. Trump isn’t even in office and causing more wars that the world has to deal with already. On the streets people are lacing it with fentanoyl. Kids are dying. If it’s made correctly as Canada and Michigan, Ohio Illinois, Florida, California and many more states in USA do. I’m going to move to Michigan if it’s not legalized in Indiana. Alot of people have made moves already. This is not a narcotic as doctors want to feed us. Please get the information out Brian Kelly where this meeting is exactly. I go to you and your wife’s cancer center for my mamagrams. We miss you in South Bend. We do have quite a winning team this year! I voted yes. The whole country needs to be. Thank you to whoever reads this and has fibromyalsia it’s paralyzing.
I’m sick of these politicians in Indiana doing the opposite of what 90% of people want here in Indiana!!!! Why are these asses not doing what the people want!! This is bullshit that they can tell the people of Indiana what’s good for them cause you know they’re lining their pockets cause they think they’re above us!!! You can all kiss my ass
I have fibermyalgia and RA and I’m telling you coming from a person that normally doesn’t smoke pot that even i have started taken up smoking just to get off of pharmaceutical medications I’m 40 years old and I have been diagnosed with this plus congestive heart failure stage 2 and I have PTSD from being raped when I was younger multiple times not to mention I also have major depressive disorder and by taking up smoking pot again was the best decision I could have ever made. Do you people in political office not understand where it comes from in the first place I mean come on here it grows from the ground we walk on every day it was put on this earth to help with medical pain and problems with people going through chemo and radiation. So here is what scenario in going to give you because I watched my dad my Superman my hero suffer! Stage 3 lung cancer and that’s not from smoking that’s from the drinking pipes in the ground in Jeffersonville Indiana census bureau thank you my dad did extensive and very evasive chemo and radiation for 6 months I watched him lose his appetite his will to be able to swallow and his hair along with his immune system deminish but it’s okay to out that poison in our bodies but we most definitely aren’t allowed at all to smoke a joint in order to be able to eat to build our immune system back up to fight off pneumonia or the flu which my father later developed after we found out the cancer came back in his brain and his lungs I will proudly say idc if it’s illegal or not I smoked his last joint with him jsut so he would finally eat something but lord knows I bet if one of these low life money hungry politicians were in that same boat it would be legalized or one of their dear family members. I will never vote a dumbass ruopican in just because of this and I’m going for my bachelor’s degree in healthcare management and I’m completely against all politicians that believe pot should be illegal fucking alcohol should be illegal we lose more loved ones from drunk drivers than any other thing in this world that how dumb you idiot politicians are just plain ass idiots
I think this should be the voters right!
Why aren’t the peoples vote allowed?
I don’t smoke but I think they should be allowed to vote in, the Marijuana are least medical.
I agree with Brian Kelly let’s vote them out.
Hi my name is Jesse M. Velez and I have smoked marijuana since 1996. The amount of good experiences I’ve had and positive results for being mentally and emotionally happier and it has helped at times when I knew their was nothing else quite like it.
The plant itself needs to know itself because it is a type of one the bears seed after it’s own kind like all other plants it is required so that the species of plants and stay in knowing itself does not change into something that is not marijuana. Marijuana has to be cared for because it is a living plant and need be protected and correctly and other plants like. I’m currently working on trying to join with the other lawyers and those who can help protect the world, our lives by upholding the government which is meant to help people stay human. I look forward to the Midwest Hemp Council 2025 and hopefully getting the bill to pass for legalization.