Green Rush

This book is a state-by-state analysis of how access to medical marijuana has expanded in the United States. As of 2023, thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical use, and twenty-three have legalized recreational use, supporting an industry now worth billions of dollars.

Daniel J. Mallinson and A. Lee Hannah trace the history of cannabis legalization in America and highlight the people, states and policies behind it. They look at the backdrop to the change, including shifting public opinion, growing opposition to the War on Drugs and the promise of new sources of revenue. They also examine the many actors involved and the steps they took, from grassroots activists and interest groups to elected officials and other policymakers.

The authors show how states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia created, legitimized and spread medical marijuana policy, and how they learned from each other's successes and failures along the way. With legalization appearing more and more often on state ballots, the book explains how the country got here and where it may be heading, one state at a time.