Cannabis prohibition remains central to America’s failed war on drugs — upwards of half a million people were arrested for a cannabis offense in the U.S. in 2018, accounting for more than 43 % of all drug arrests. But times are changing: Cannabis reform is one of the most successful social movements in recent memory. Today, 24 states and Washington, D.C. allow cannabis for adult use.
In the run-up to the 2018 Michigan campaign, they were pressured to draft a business-friendly cannabis legalization bill by national groups and corporate donors seeking the same types of market advantages enjoyed in California. They bucked the pressure and as a result lost a considerable amount of financial support; on average, pro-legalization ballot measure campaigns outraise their opponents by more than 400%, but in Michigan campaign spending was much closer.