It’s growing, and we’re not just referring to the number of states legalizing the use of marijuana.
As the legalization of recreational marijuana use continues to spread, a growing strain of jobs are being created as a result.
A whopping 123,000 jobs to be exact, according to NowThis.
In states where both the medical and recreational use of marijuana is legal, like California and Colorado, 58,000 full-time jobs have been created as a result of the growing industry.
States that only allow the use of medical marijuana also saw a high spike in job creation. Roughly 65,000 full-time jobs were created, according to NowThis.
In 2017 alone the projected amount of marijuana sales is estimated to reach about $8.5 billion. The projected amount will increase to over $22 billion by 2020.
The legal use of marijuana, both for medical reasons as well as recreational, has long been debated. Most recently Arizonans voted in November 2016 on Prop 205, which failed to pass.
The passing of the legislation would have made recreational marijuana use legal in Arizona, with regulations in place regarding minors, operating a vehicle, and an acceptable amount of marijuana allowed on a person.
Arizona passed Prop 203 in 2010 which legalized the use of medical marijuana.
Marijuana has been said to help patients with a variety of health concerns ranging from PTSD, anxiety and depression to seizures, autoimmune disorders and Glaucoma.
Marijuana has even been used to manage pain relief from chemo treatments in cancer patients, according to Business Insider.
Currently, 26 states and the District of Columbia have laws legalizing marijuana for either medical use, recreational use, or both.
